Benedict Books

After viewing the A&E movie A Question Of Honor, my fascination with Arnold began.. So I decided to pick up this book. Mainly because I was more interested in Arnold the American Hero rather then Arnold the American Traitor....

There are two Benedict Arnolds of the American Revolution. Most people are only familiar with the Traitor Arnold rather then the Hero Arnold. This particular book focuses on the Hero Arnold (just look at the title of the book) and does a fine job. The story of Arnolds heroic actions in the early part of the American Revolution needed to be told and James Kirby Martin tackled the task greatly......

The book more or less ends at the battle of Saratoga. Mainly because after that infamous battle, Arnolds decent into treason began to pick up steam. If Arnold would have been killed at Saratoga he would have been an American Hero. After reading this book, I almost wish that would have been the case. The man was a victim of his own bitterness. The story of Benedict Arnold was a true tragedy....

I think this book should be viewed as a "part one" of the Benedict Arnold saga. After reading this book, seek out other books(on Arnold) which focuses on his treason.......

Martin is the foremost authority on this period in our history. He also manages to be the only historian I have read yet that handled the Arnold Expedition to Quebec with the accuracy and depth it deserves. Martin speaks of my grandfather Major Reuben Colburn with fairness and awards him the credit for his efforts in supplying, leading and maintaining the mission denied him by historians through the ages. Many merely used Colburn as a scapegoat for the failure of the effort, but not Martin. His research revealed the truth as such an effort so often does should an author choose that path, and I applaud him for it. He has also backed me in my effort to convince the National Park Service to grant Colburn House in Pittston, Maine "Landmark" status. Jim Martin is an ally I value greatly, and a man who knows what he is talking about.

James Kirby Martin presents a fascinating view of Benedict Arnold, from his birth and early years, through his wartime exploits, up to his betrayal. The book succeeds on many levels. For one, it forces the reader to confront certain truths that have been obscured by the fog of history - namely that Benedict Arnold, until his betrayal, was an American hero, one of the rebels' greatest generals. In this way, while I don't view Arnold sympathetically for his betrayal, I see him now as the lead role in a real life Greek tragedy. He could have been among the greatest of our Founders. Moreover, the book does not excuse Arnold's treason, but does explain it and put it in context. If for no other reason than historical accuracy, it is important for students of history to know why Arnold committed treason.

The book was masterfully written and meticulously researched. Along the line of research, one final word. This book spurred me to research and review a number of the sources cited by Martin. A previous reviewer criticized Martin for failing to cite the novels of Kenneth Roberts. This criticism is, to put it charitably, invalid. First, a novel is a work of fiction. This book is non-fiction, and while Roberts's novels are highly acclaimed, they are still fiction. It makes no sense to cite fiction when writing non-fiction. Second, Roberts did compile a number of diaries and memoirs entitled March to Quebec: Journals of the Members of Arnold's Expedition (1938). This source is non-fiction and in fact is cited by Martin at page 435 and 460-80. Finally, a review of this book in the New York Times Book Review notes that this book often crosses paths with Roberts's works of fiction, and that this book is a "fine successor to those splendid books."

This book truly is the definitive source on Benedict Arnold's early life, wartime exploits and ultimate betrayal of the colonial forces. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in American history.

I bought this book because of the enthusiastic reviews it received on the Amazon.com website. Having looked through it, I am thoroughly disappointed. The author is apparently either unaware of the great novels dealing with Benedict Arnold, beautifully and accurately written in the 1930's by Kenneth Roberts,or has chosen to ignore them. I find this totally unacceptable, since much of what we know about the march to Quebec, the retreat and near loss of the Northern Army on Isle Aux Noix, and the Battle of Valcour Island came to light in "Arundel" and "Rabble in Arms". Martin apparently wanted to write an academic version of Arnold's life, but his failure to cite Roberts renders the Martin book intellectually dishonest. Further, that Martin could have failed to mention Roberts' collection of diaries entitled "The March on Quebec" is truly mind boggling. If it would be possible to give the book zero stars, I would do so for it doesn't deserve the one I had to give it.

It's an obvious concept if you think about it: our automatic thought when we hear the name "Benedict Arnold" is clearly a matter of perspective, not simple truth. The victors write the histories. Had Britain won the war, Arnold would have been, at worst, someone who saw the writing on the wall and got out while the getting was good, and at best, a prodigal son who'd seen the light and returned to the fold, renouncing his treason against king and country.

The first beauty of this book is that by simply existing, it forces you TO think about it; most people never do. But beyond that, it gives a meticulous history of the man, admitting his flaws (he was ambitious and more than a bit prickly about what he saw as slurs on his personal honor) but also pointing out the many positives that most Americans are completely unaware of: he was one of the greatest generals in the rebel cause, generous, courageous, honorable, and brilliant. So why did this man turn against the cause he'd fought for? Partly because he was disillusioned by the behavior towards himself and others by what he saw as a congress interested more in political connections than competence in awarding military honors, partly because he came to believe that said congress's incompetence rendered the American cause unwinnable. An error, and a serious one, but one which must be balanced against the fact that his contributions at the battle of Saratoga were largely responsible for the American victory.

A fascinating study into a seriously overlooked subject in American history. A must-read.

An intriguing read, but definitely biased against Pope Benedict because of a liberal slant. Readers of America magazine will love this book. Readers of First Things magazine will despise it. I think that both sets of readers will find it a fascinating book, though.

"The Rule of Benedict," is a good book to read if you are Catholic or into ecumenical activities. Clearly the book provides a positive view of what Benedict feels are the core values of the Church. His fight with the modern world will just drive a wedge between American Catholics who think for themselves instead of following blindly the guidance of someone brought up in the Nazi environment. The book clearly spells out the underpinnings of Benedict's thinking but leaves the South Americans, the Africans, and the US that do not share his background with the all of the baggage of his bias..

I have to wonder after reading the book why the pope is so worried about European participation in the Church when the growth and Church attendance in the Americas is thriving. Maybe it is the lost sheep parable?

The book leaves me a bit concerned that a smaller Church is not what I think "spreading the gospel" means. It will not last long, so we can wait and see what the next pope will do about women clergy, gays, and married priests and so on. We had a breath of fresh air with John the 23rd. Maybe John XXIII and his opening the door to the modern world and the recognition by John Paul that Church has failed mankind in the realm of science will have to await another time.

----------------------------
Gibson provides a scathing profile of Pope Benedict XVI and issues a dire warning about the future of Catholicism. Asserting that Benedict is a regressive theologian, he cautions that the church is headed in a very conservative direction, in direct opposition to the silent majority of American Catholics, who favor a more liberal spiritual and social agenda.
----------------------------

Gibson misses the point: The Church is not a democracy; the will of the majority, however silent or loud, does not matter. Only the willof God matters. Benedict XVI understands this, while Gibson does not.

Gibson's book is an interesting look into the end of the John Paul II papacy and the conclave that elected Benedict XVI. But there the usefuleness of this book stops, instead decending to the level of a shallow and one-sided polemic against Benedict XVI and Catholic tradition, favoring instead a radical departure, not unlike the path taken by the shattering Anglican communion.

Gibson shows little understanding of Church teaching, and the Tradition that guides it. Instead of outlining the reasons the Church, and its pope, teaches what it does, Gibson instead prefers to argue for an abandonment of centuries-old practices, using modern and one-sides sources (including a former parish priest of mine!) to argue that the Catholic Church must embrace an often-hostile zeitgest, or loose relevancy to the people who don't care much for the Church in the first place.

Well well, what can one expect from Mr.Gibson? He is of the "Catholic" dissident mold, the type that never tire of throwing out the old "causes" of the liberal 60's and 70's even though the Church (thank God) is finaly past that stage. The book gives a fairly good background on the Holy Fathers early days, but it is full of Gibson's tired old "change the Church so we can be more like protestants agenda."

Gibson is a biased writer with no understanding of what it means to be Catholic. Gibson wants to throw away 2,000 years of tradition and make the Church another protestant denomination. The new Pope is a blessing but Gibson is trying to make a buck selling this book to protestants.

Having just finished Isabella Moon, I can see why other readers had complaints. This is absolutely not a thriller where everything is wrapped up in the end with a tidy little bow. But I thought this was a wonderful novel, populated by fully fleshed-out characters whose personal weaknesses frequently lead to tragedy. The writing was lovely and poetic, with extraordinarily vivid imagery. The portrait of a idyllic, sleepy Southern town jarred by unexpected violence was very well done. This book stuck with me after I finished it, which is rare for a thriller. Highly recommended.

The book started out great. I was on pins and needles waiting to find out what actually happened to Isabella Moon. When did find out who did and why... I was sorely disappointed.

Any of you city slickers who imagine small-town life is dull ought to read Laura Benedict's suspenseful, sexy, and haunting debut novel, Isabella Moon, as this book set in Carystown, Kentucky, proves otherwise. It's a page turner that is just as much about character as it is about plot. In fact, the characters are richly, artfully drawn with Benedict's deft hand.

And just who is Isabella Moon? Well, she's the missing girl who comes back to haunt the novel's protagonist, Kate, and reveal her secret. But like pulling a thread--one secret revealed leads to another, until all of the town's ugly skeletons are revealed and we learn once and for all that secrets are dangerous and that buried secrets don't stay that way for long.

I was drawn to this book when I saw the spooky book trailer last year and I have to say it did not disappoint and many a night after I'd put the book down and shut out the light, I kept the covers pulled up tight under my chin.

If you like books that keep you guessing, that keep you on the edge of your seat, and that present you with believable, sympathetic characters, then this book is for you. Read it.

I'm always delighted to discover a good mystery about KY or by a KY author. ISABELLA MOON by Laura Benedict takes place in a fictional setting except for Chalybeate Springs, which is located at the foot of Main Steet in Russell Springs, KY and it was once a famous spa.
I enjoyed the interplay of the ghost in the story, but at times the frequent change of character point of view and some similarity of names was confusing. A very nice first effort with loads of cliffhangers to keep you turning the pages.
You almost have to assume that Bill Delaney is the lead character because yet again the spot light is shared by several.
We always welcome tourists to Russell County and Lake Cumberland. A reading of ISABELLA MOON may entice you to look for more landmarks.
Nash Black, author of, WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

I have to agree with Ratmammy. The book started out well, but the ending reminded me of disjointed stories I wrote as a child, with lots and lots of detail at the beginning, numerous implausible characters, and an ending that was pretty much, "And then everyone died. The end."

This luminous, riveting and maddening book had me in thrall until the last fifty pages when it degenerates into a Rambo style mess. Oh, but when it's good it's terrific, I'm anxious to read this author's other books.

THIS STORY IS EXCELLENT. Ingenius, Unique, Beautiful, Morbid, Sad, Uplifting, Violent, Depraved, even humorous at times. I hate when people say "For a first time novelist this was good". That is BS, every writer on the planet would PRAY to leave 1/2 the mark that this novel has. There is simply nothing else like it I have read.

If you want to know my best way to describe it, it would be this:

1/4 Cormac Macarthy "Child of God" + 1/4 David Bottoms "Easter Weekend" + 1/4 Tim Willocks "Bloodstained Kings" + 1/4 Flannery O'Connor "A Good Man is Hard to Find".

"Dogs of God" is a masterpiece plain and simple

This is a well crafted book, not the usual word processed [stuff] that passes for popular fiction these days. It is a evocative, dark,literate slice of Americana. Not reccomended for those who like their reading to crank along at the pace of a made for T.V movie. Pinckney has a fine eye for character and detail. If you liked the movie "Sexy Beast", you will probably enjoy this book as well.

Having previously read Benedict's two collections of short stories and really enjoyed them I sought out this his first (and only) novel.
It is the story of an ex-military backwoods man who has set up and keeps captive his own community to harvest his dope. Into this (eventually) comes a bareknuckle boxer named Goody. While it is not a terrible book it seems the transition from short story was not easy for Mr Benedict. His short stories are raw, sometimes bleak tales of the rural working class and underclass of West Virginia and show how well he can develop a character, a situation and an atmosphere. In Dogs of God he seems to have gone more for an action packed and slightly far fetched story. Despite this the story is fairly slow moving until nearer the end of the book and there are many characters introduced. The problem is that many of the characters are superfluous to the story. As the book starts you have several different stories and characters developing. Though most of them meet up at the end there seems to be little rhyme or reason as to why they are there and what effect they have on the story by being there.

The guy living in the woods with his dogs, while on its own his story would've made quite a good short story in the context of this novel he is pointless. Some of the other charaters stories similiarly could be short stories adapted for this novel.

I don't mind the slow moving part of this book at all, in fact I prefer this part to the improbable ending. In these parts Benedict sets an atmosphere similiar to his short stories (the two bare knuckle fights are very good)and this part is very enjoyable. However I found it a complete anticlimax when many of the characters go nowhere and do nothing except to get killed in the over the top ending.

I'm sure that Mr Benedict is a very talented writer but I was disappointed with this effort. It did come across as a short story writer writing a novel. I'm sure he has much better in him but unfortunately he has not written anything (that I am aware of) since. Not a terrible book but I won't be harassing my friends to read it

This is a peculiar novel in that while meant to be a thriller, in essence, there are so many points/sections/chunks in which the author is clearly in love with his own ability to write that he expounds at great length re trivial items about which the reader really has little or no interest. Too bad, because Benedict is a writer whose technique is obvious.

But if a novel is meant to be a thriller, even if a literary one, it should move. And unfortunately there is just too much text bogging this down to really make it gather the momentum it should. There's no question that the author can draw convincing characters, even if peculiarly named, but he is inconsistent in the extent to which he describes/defines these characters, seemingly based on his whim. That is, some characters are fully fleshed out and others, even non-minor ones, are not much more than one-dimensional almost cartoon-like characters.

This inconsistency is weirdly reminiscent of the ill-fated remake of the film Cape Fear directed by Scorsese, in which DeNiro's Max Cady was so all over the place that it was impossible to see clearly exactly what the film was doing. In the case of Dogs of God, the major distraction derailing what could have been a powerful piece of work is, as mentioned, the author's obsessive need to trumpet his own writing ability.

There is no real main character, per se. Goody, a young bare knuckles fighter in rural Appalachia, is ostensibly meant to fill this role, but Benedict throws in so many other characters that it is impossible to cast Goody as the real focus of attention. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but when, for example, the writer details the problems one character has with lighting one match after another to try to ignite a car--sparing no expense to insure the reader understands how difficult lighting a match REALLY CAN BE--tedium sets in rapidly and quickly and easily destroys whatever momentum might possibly have been built prior to this scene.

And there are many, many scenes like this one. It's interesting to contrast this novel with A Single Shot, Matthew Jones' masterful literary thriller. Jones knows that momentum is the KEY to a great thriller and he knows exactly how to build it. He doesn't waste time with trivialities like Benedict does.

Dogs of God's "bad guy", Tannhauser, as Max Cady is described above, is all over the place. With six fingers on each hand, a maverick marijuana grower with an "impregnable" fortress, in one scene he lords it over his Hispanic workers; in another, he spouts insane gibberish about interplanetary aliens among us; in another, he exhorts a younger man to kill Goody. The focus is lost.

The three stars here are because Benedict definitely knows how to write and that is clearly evident in his short stories which are punchy, powerful, and intelligent pieces of work. But he has gotten lost in putting together this novel which does not do what it should.

I read this book to my boys ages 11, 9, 7 & 5. It was one of the least exciting books we have read. It covers some good information but is fairly dry. The use of profanity in a book that is supposed to be aimed at 9-12 year olds was also surprising.

I think this book was too confusing to read, but it had a lot of good information about Benedict Arnold. The book was too confusing because the events in the book changed a lot and it was hard for me to remember the names and the time. Since I haven't learned much about the history of America I find this book boring. I'm not an American, so I only learned part of its history. The author's writing is like she is telling a story about Benedict Arnold, so she didn't really say that Benedict Arnold was a bad guy or anything like that. One good part about this book is that it tells the events in order like from when Benedict was a child to when he died. So that wasn't too confusing. I know some books that had all the events mixed up. If you like books about history and heroes in the past then I suggest you read this book. I suggest you read this book because Jean Fritz is a pretty good writer, and she wrote many good books.

I found this book to be informative and interesting. Many books on Benedict Arnold only tell of his treachery and not of his heroism. I enjoyed this book mostly for the information it offered on the subject of Arnold as a Patriot. I also enjoyed this book because of the reliable facts found throughout. I recomend this book for all ages.

I read this book for a school assignment. It was a very interesting book, filled with understandable facts. In general, I think this book would have been better if Jean Fritz had shared more about Benedict Arnolds childhood/teens and how that really affected his life choices. It would have also made the book better if the author really delved into the question: Why did Arnold become a traitor?

In the end, I rate this book a 3 because of the amount of research it must have taken and the historical facts that are easy to understand and remember.

I'm 11 years old and love everything to do with the American Revolution. Unlike the other kids reviews I did not find this book confusing at all. This book is a very good kid's book on Benedict Arnold and tells a lot about his life, his heroism on the American side and his defection to the British. Jean Fritz has the dates and events in order and describes the events in great detail. I recommend this book and if you like revolutionary war heroes then I strongly recommend this book.

First Sentence: Alleyn leant over the deck-rail, looking at the wet brown wharf and the upturned faces of the people.

Inspector Roderick Alleyn, while traveling aboard ship from Australia meets well-known artist Agatha Troy. Back in England and visiting his mother, he is called back to duty early to investigate the murder of an artist. It's an investigation about which he has mixed feelings as the murder happened at the art school of Ms. Troy, a short distance from his mother's home.

I enjoy reading books set in the Golden Age between the Wars. To me, it's always interesting to see the difference in relationships, society, and vocabulary. Rather than viewing a book as being "dated," I view it as a look at a not-so-distant past time. I also enjoyed this particular book as it is the beginning of the relationship between Alleyn and Troy, but enjoyed the relationships of all the characters and loved Alleyn's mother. The mystery is classic; a large cast of suspects, many with quite good motives for having committed the murder and then watching the police sort out the clues. Although the clues are there for the reader to solve the crime, I missed one for the solution to the twist. The characters are well developed and much of the action is dialogue driven, which I enjoyed. I find Ngaio Marsh always a pleasure to read.

This novel, which relates the first meeting between Scotland Yard Inspector Roderick Alleyn and the artist Agatha Troy, is both a good mystery and a good picture of what kind of book was popular in the 1930s. After Alleyn and Troy meet on a ship sailing back to England from the South Pacific (and they do not meet well, although he is interested in her), Alleyn is called to investigate a murder at Troy's home conveniently down the road from his mother's. An artist's model has been murdered, and there is literally a cast of suspects who had the motivation to `do her in', including Troy herself. The plot is pretty procedural, although the identity of the murderer is kept hidden for quite awhile. The great thing is the language and style of the novel: slang terms, endearments, and descriptions of people are wonderfully appropriate to the time in which the novel first appeared. The relationship between Alleyn and his mother could not be written `straight' today: the `darlings' and `mammas' would be a joke in the 21st century, especially since Alleyn is not a young man at this point. Troy and Alleyn's misunderstandings, and the rather melodramatic `Epilogue in a Garden' is fun to read and would have played well to the original readers; it's full of dramatic tension and yet a little silly at the same time. Better than most modern mysteries.

Having never read any of Ngaio Marsh's books before I thought I'd try the chronological approach. Apparently this wasn't such a good idea as according to other reviewers her better work was later. The book was well plotted and intelligent but ultimately I found the social scenery a bit dated and finally got on my nerves. It did keep me interested and I was surprised at the end. All in all not great but worth pursuing further

I bought two Alleyn books, for the very first time, because they were being compared favorably to Christie. Scales of justice and this book. I was very dissapointed. These books are very difficult to read because of a) use of old and pretenious language; who of you know what a tarradiddle is or doggo? Who is comfortable when a man of forty and his mother call each other darlings and the son grips the arm of his co-worker and calls him a courtier because he praises the mother for being a good host? The talk between the co-worker and Alleyn is almost as uncomfortable as the talk between Alleyn and his mother, why does he call a man whose name is Fox, Foxkin or Brer Foxkin? I looked this up in the dictionary and all I could find is that Foxkin might relate to lamkin (yugh) It is like calling a lover or a little boy a pet name. Finally there are sentences which are all but unforgiveable, such as: "when he looked at her tear stained little face he could hardly refrain from kissing her" or some such crap. No Ngaio is not an exciting read, language is stilted, affected and incomprehensible to anyone outside of Britain I would imagine. b) The second and more important reason for not reading Marsh is that the characters are so boring, stand-offish and childish that you hurry through the end, not to know "who done it" but to get away from their presence. And c) finally it becomes painfully obvious that Marsh would rather spoil the end than have the criminal be one of the gents. A "do not buy", unless you are British and remember when you had a governess. Marsh's time has come and gone, gone a long time ago. Christie is a thousand times better author, there is no comparison.

I guess that on my quest to read as many Marsh novels as possible, my expectations have grown. While it was fun watching Alleyn falling head over heels in love, neither the plot nor the characters particularly grabbed me. I think the artists all came off a bit as stereotypes, at times downright annoying. Not a bad read, but far from Marsh's best.

Don't be taken in by historically-incorrect conspiracy theories. Seth Payson's book "Proof of the Illuminati" is based on John Robison's 1797 work "Proofs of a Conspiracy Against All the Religions and Governments of Europe, carried on in the secret Meetings of Free Masons, Illuminati, and Reading Societies, collected from good authorities", and Abbé Augustin de Barruel's four-volume "Mémoires pour servir a l'histoire du Jacobinisme", published in 1797 and 1798. Both books are riddled with factual errors and long discredited as being of any worth. But then, when did conspiracy theorists ever worry about the facts?

The proof is out there and not hard to see. People who continue to ignore these facts are naive and very blind. Majority of people are programmed to disreguard any material like this, claiming that the author is not credible. Well guess what, they arent all crazy!!!The people who deny the illuminati's extience are crazy.

It is good that through all the pressure and opposition to realease facts about the biggest lie in human existance that companies contiue to take risks and realease books like this.

I do not belive the realease of this book will change the minds of many, but it should be known that there has to be some creedance to the fact that the illuminati have popped up many times throughout human history, the risks of not knowing are too great.
PLEASE GET INFORMED I BEG OF YOU ALL, READ THE BOOK!!!

This book starts by starting some known facts about the Illuminati. This was an actual group in Bavaria that infiltrated some of the Masonic lodges and actively subverted them to their own ends. They definitely did not have the good of society in their interests, unless one considers personal aggrandizement of a few individuals a good thing.

The book then attempts to connect the Illuminati to all manner of other organizations; this is sometimes plausible, but often a bit sketchy. Some of this works -- there is a criticism of Diderot's famous Encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia produced a maelstrom of such accusations when it came out, and, despite its vaunted technical prowess, it had copied heavily from existing works. It's (the Encylopedia) flaws are many, and subversive cross-referencing is believable.

The book details all manner of horrible events, especially some connected with the Terrors of the French Revolution. That this is the work of the Illuminati as a society is obviously false; but, the book maintains that the premises of the Illuminati are at work here, even though they are going on under a different name. It is plausible, if a far-fetched. If one reads it as the *ideas* of the Illuminati are now at work in the world, then it is plausible, but claiming that there is a vast conspiracy doesn't hold up so well.

Lastly, the book has a political rant that could practically be inserted into a modern newspaper with but a few names and places changed. The author, Payson, is for the Alien and Sedition Acts (shades of the Patriot Act). He is against partisan politics, and feels that special interest groups, such as the illuminati, have far to great a power in the U.S. government.

The Illuminati is a rather macabre phenomenon, and it's disquieting to contemplate the verity of their existence, but most of the time reality has a tendency to sting like the proverbial bee. The fact that Seth Payson's book was written in 1802, and it reads like it was written today should frighten the living Jesus out of you.
Payson's diatribe was mostly gathered from two sources. The first source was Abbe Barruel's "Memoirs" about the Jacobin Society, and Dr. Robison who is the author of "Proof of a Conspiracy."
Unfortunately, for us, the reality is that the Illuminati existed in 1776 and there is much evidence to prove that they still exist in 2008, that's why this book is so valuable.

Seth Payson manages to connect the dots using his logic and sources to properly assess the problematic situation of how this iniquitous secret society was attempting and may still be trying to take over the world today, or in my humble opinion, they've already taken over most of the first-world and are desperately trying to seize the rest of the third-world in the auspices of think-tanks such as the Bilderberg Group, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Federal Reserve Board, and the United Nations. And even if these organization aren't Illuminated, they still manage to play the role.

Furthermore, Payson charges that Adam Weishaupt (a Jewish/Jesuit Priest, and a Professor of Canon Law at the University of Ingolstadt) was the head of the Illuminati.
What's more, Weishaupt was also connected to the British Royal Family of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who would later change their namesake to the House of Windsor.

The British Royals later employed Weishaupt immediately after the Illuminati were allegedly expelled from the Masonic Lodge in Munich, Bavaria, which unequivocally indicates that the British Royal family maybe connected to this clandestine organization.

Moreover, Payson and his sources claim that the Illuminati are desperately trying to overthrow governments and different denominations of religion all over the world, which in layman's terms means a "World Order," or what we would construe as the "New World Order."
So, the inquiry then should be did this organization go underground? Well, according to Payson that is exactly what transpired.

Taken as a whole, this was a good book; it will definitely spark your curiosity and make you think. However, there were some opinions I found superfluous. The fact that Payson implicated the tragicomedy writer Voltaire as a Illuminati conspirator I thought was ridiculous. Voltaire was nothing more than a disgruntle atheist who lashed out at society, and nothing more. I also didn't care for Payson's pontifical Bible thumping at the end of the book because it made everything that seemed valid somewhat vapid, and someone like myself who isn't religious may construe his plausible arguments as hyperbolic mummeries instead of truth.

Overall, this book will help you get started in solving the Illuminati conundrum.

I received the book very quick, and it was in excellant condition. I am very happy

Do you really think the Pope pays for his shoes? Unlike you, most people want to reverence him as the Vicar of Christ on earth. Donated shoes and cars are just part of being loved my millions of people. If you were the owner of Prada, would you give Jesus a pair of shoes?

Of all the unselfish things that this Pope has done in his long life that YOU have to focus on something so miniscule as a pair of shoes........GROW UP and smell the condition of the world!

nice to know the pope can afford 500 dollar shoes while 1/5 of the worlds population is starving to death.

Informative about our new Pope. One picture is worth a thousand words! I leave it out on our coffee-table for all to see. I consider it a treasure to have ammong my books! It is well done!

This glorious coffee-table photo-biography of Pope Benedict is a wonderful,unique combo volume - some 150 striking photos of the Pope's life from his boyhood thru the first year of his papacy, and really excellent commentary on the life & impact of Benedict/Ratzinger by Peter Seewald.
As the book blurb says, Seewald wrote those two popular book-length interviews of Cardinal Ratzinger (SALT OF THE EARTH, GOD AND THE WORLD) which dramatically changed Seewald's own life, bringing him back to the practice of his Catholicism after having fallen away for many years. So Seewald knows this man so well, and he is such a good writer, that his fine writing & insights on the various stages of the Pope's life are a great complement to the amazing photos in this keepsake of a book.
It is the ideal Christmas gift book!

English countryside, aristocratic detective, quirky characters, humor -- what more does one want. This was the first Inspector Alleyn I've read and the best so far.

I blame the person who wrote a review for: Artists in crime, for my intense dissapointment. Marsh's work was compared favorably to A. Christie in that review. How sadly not true for me. I enjoy Christie but Marsh's silly phrases and characters, incomprehensible words even by the aid of a dictionary (tarradiddle, shooting stool), gushing old fashioned emotionality and naivity, do not appeal to me. I've read two books by Marsh. I hurried through the end of both to get rid of the "oh so boring" characters not because I was so excited over who the killer was. A dissapointing ending to say the least. "A do not read" is my opinion.

Swevenings is a post card pretty little English village. The cottages are, with two known exceptions, tidy. The villagers are happy and like things just the way they are. Lord and Lady Lacklander are respected and admired. Then, suddenly after the death of the old lord things get messy. It turns out that Swevenings may look like heaven but is actually hiding a very painful and ugly secret, one that the old lord wanted exposed and one that costs his best friend his life.

You have the sensible nurse, the village drunk, the not crazy at all eccentric, the grande dame, the cloying young lovers and of course the bleached blonde outsider. Into this mix comes our handsome detective. He's not a flashy genius or a talented amateur. He's a cop, albeit one with a distinguished family background. His humor is gentle, his habits are unremarkable. He just keeps plugging away until he solves this case becuase it's his job and becuase the crime offends his sense of decency.

Scales of Justice is classic example of the cozy msystery and it pretty much unrolls the way you'd expect it to. By the end of the book things have been set right and life in Swevenings goes back to the bland sweetness of before. It's a pleasant way to spend a few hours.

I really enjoy Marsh's mysteries, and this one was no exception, in that there was a clever plot with a really devious method of committing murder. However, the characters in this book were not as compelling to me as ones from previous books (_When in Rome_, _Death in a White Tie_, etc.). Still, a very enjoyable read, and a great way to pass the time.

Swevenings is an isolated and insular English district where nothing unpleasant ever seems to happen--until the celebrated Lord Lacklander, on his death bed, passes his memoirs into the hands of Col. Cartarette. And when Col. Cartarette is found unexpectedly murdered on the banks of the Chyne River, Inspector Roderick Alleyn of Scotland Yard must determine whether foul play arises from an unknown explosive in Lacklander's memoirs or from a less obvious but no less lethal source.

As is often the case with Marsh, the beauty of the SCALES OF JUSTICE lies not so much in the unfolding plot as it does in the characters and their setting, and Swevenings and the Chyne Valley offers her tremendous scope, ranging from the formidable Lady Lacklander to the eccentrically cat-happy Mr. Danberry-Phinn to the alcoholic archer Commander Syce. Among her most interesting creations here is Nurse Kettle, a commonsense if excessively arch woman whose pleasing personality actually tempts Alleyn's sidekick Fox to reconsider his bachelor state!

Marsh often writes in such a way as to allow the reader to anticipate the killer, but such is not the case with SCALES OF JUSTICE, and many will find the means of the crime ingenious and the solution startling, with both a legendary fish locally known as "The Old 'Un" and the wandering feline Thomasina Twitchett providing unexpected clues along the way. A thoroughly enjoyable outing from start to finish.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

As other reviewers have mentioned, this book gave a nice overview of the history of the Constitution, but it was a very simple description. I am familiar with our government, so this book was too simple. For anyone who is looking for a more book with more depth, this is not the one. Frankly, I was bored.

Michael Benedict does an adequate job of providing a complete and concise history of Constitutional history in the United States. Many books on this subject lose their effitiveness because they are filled with legalese. However, Benedict has assembled a book that allows the collegiate reader or anyone interested in history to understand the complex principles that have developed Constitutional principles. He covers topics from Revolutionary Crises, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Trust Busting, The Depression, and many more. This is a book for people interested in the Constitutional Crises and Legislation that has effected the development of the United States we know today.

I am a lawyer who has argued in the Supreme Court, and in my view this book provides a solid introduction to constitutional history. The book seems to have been intended primarily as a textbook for undergraduate courses, but despite its textbook feel I think it can be of interest to a wider audience. Though not written with a great deal of flair, it offers clear descriptions of many important Supreme Court cases, and provides a coherent overview of the broader developments in the Court's jurisprudence regarding the Bill of Rights, the Fourteenth Amendment, and other provisions of the Constitution. Unlike most constitutional histories, Benedict's book has the added benefit of attempting to relate the Court's decisions to the historical context in which they were made. The author strikes me as scholarly, but at the same time he does have a point of view about a number of the Court's decisions which he makes little effort to conceal. For example, Benedict leaves no doubt that he is generally supportive of the Warren Court revolution, and disfavors some of the retrenchment that has taken place in the Rehnquist Court. That said, he seems to have gone to great pains in the excellent bibliographic essays that appear at the conclusion of each of his chapters to include historical or legal literature that offers different assessments than his own. I regard this book as a very good resource, and a stimulus to further reading (including more detailed studies by Benedict himself).

This book offers a solid introduction to various aspects of the history of the U.S. Constitution --including its origins, its formation, and its interpretation by the Supreme Court over the past 200-plus years. While it has the feel of a college textbook, I think the book deserves a broader audience. In very clear, if unadorned writing, Benedict covers important cases decided by the Supreme Court, and describes the evolution of judicial doctrine regarding the Bill of Rights, the Fourteenth Amendment, and other provisions of the Constitution. Unlike most books about constitutional history, this one has the added virtue of attempting to relate jurisprudential developments to the broader historical context in which they occurred. Benedict does not try too hard to conceal his own preferences regarding certain decisions of the Court. For example, it is apparent that he is generally supportive of the Warren Court revolution in criminal procedure and other areas of constitutional law, and is opposed to some of the retrenchment that has occurred in the Rehnquist Court. At the same time, Benedict seems to take pains to include citations to legal or historical scholars with whom he disagrees in the excellent bibliographic essays that appear at the end of each chapter of the book. I view this book as a very good reference and as a stimulus to further reading (including Benedict's own book about the Johnson impeachment, which Judge Richard Posner cited in his book regarding the Clinton impeachment).