Bernard Books

I read this book in DC Jail in chapters my mother xeroxed and sent. I remembered it when she mentioned it at DC's National Shrine, where we were having breakfast. Now I am thinking of giving it to my 70-year-old, profoundly yet peacefully religious friend Bill MacKaye. In this book, Gotfryd rescues the humanity he saw brutalized and destroyed. I've read several Holocaust books and the horror is unspeakable, and it is in this book too, but Gotfryd recovers the crucified grace. It's a great gift to humanity and a life-changing read.

This is a great book. Its simple, precise style and its focus on detail of everyday life convey the horrors, which are mostly left out of the narrative but which hover above and beyond it, so that the effect is as unsettling as anything one is bound to read on the H. This book should be reissued so that it can reach many more readers.

Why is Anton The Dove Fancier out of print? It is an extraordinary collection of true stories that ought not be buried away. This book illustrates that human behavior is, simultaneously, both the most fascinating and disturbing form of contemplation. Anton The Dove Fancier is well worth any effort it takes to track down. Buried treasure indeed - it is profound, intensely moving, raw in its simplicity. Humanity and its many layers are exposed without judgement. Quite a trick, and something afforded only to the calm, quiet truth tellers. Such as Bernard Gotfryd. Find this priceless gem... and hold on to it. Tight.

Anton the Dove Fancier is a collection of autobiographical short stories about a teenage Jewish boy in Poland during World War II. The stories are so well linked together that the book reads like a novel. In it we discover the Nazi occupation and the death camps through the eyes of an adolescent, which gives this book a different slant compared to much Holocaust literature.

The author, Bernard Gotfryd, shows himself to be a keen observer of people, as well as of the small, humble details of everyday life. He has the gift of being able to illuminate those details, so that they take on a transcendant beauty. We see a world--one which others might find dull and ordinary--through the consciousness of a mind which is itself radiant. Thus, the stories do not only address the horrors of the nazi occupation and the camps; those horrors are set against a backdrop of everyday life and people, the memories of which are interspersed throughout the book. This gives it a chiaroscuro quality which I find to be rare in literature, and through the play of light and shadow the author creates an ambiguous, complex world. This ambiguity is another way in which the book differs from much Holocaust literature. Many of the characters themselves are ambiguous, and after reading about them we find ourselves asking, "Was he good, or bad?" The answer is yes.....

This book indirectly leads the reader to ponder the issues of suffering and healing. Despite the optimistic teachings of the growth psychology movement, there are wounds which are too traumatic to fully heal. Growth psychology would have us believe that without integration, and psychological "functionality," we cannot realize our full potential. It posits a future goal that we can attain through work on ourselves. However, Gotfryd shows us, through the power of his words, that we are most fully human when we can really open our eyes and see the world in its complexity and irrationality, as well as its simplicity and beauty, right now.

This book is short, which is great when you are running late for bedtime. More importantly, it's a lot of fun. The basic story is of the grandkids trying to scare Grandpa that all the animals have gone crazy on the farm. Grandpa, knowing that it's Aprill Fool's Day, makes the appropriate concerned noises, but his actions clearly show he is not fooled. That is, he is not fooled until a very smart Grandma tells him April Fool's Day is tomorrow. He runs out in a panic and she gets to enjoy the breakfast he made for himself before letting loose with a cheery, "April Fools." Needless to say, Grandpa looks very sheepish at the end while Grandma and the grandkids look quite pleased with themselves.

The text is simple and rhymes, which makes it enjoyable to read aloud. The illustrations are hysterical (sheep sunning themselves on beach chairs while listening to an iPod or goats wearing clothes from the laudry line are just a couple of examples) and I laugh right along with my 3 and 6 year old boys when I see them. I have read the book several times and it doesn't get tiresome. Definitely money well spent.

This is a fun and enjoyable book for young children. I teach k-3 art and was able to not only refer to the April 1 theme but to the marvelous art work as well. The pictures are very funny and the children were engaged the entire time I shared it with them.

The grandkids are visiting Grandma and Grandpa on their farm. Grandpa is fixing breakfast for everyone when suddenly his grandson bursts into the kitchen shouting "The cows have got loose! I think Big Brown Bessie just stepped on a goose!" But Grandpa doesn't respond to the news -- he just calmly pours himself a glass of milk. Grandpa is so relaxed because its April Fools' Day and the children are playing tricks! Then Grandma steps in with a trick of her own!! In creating her lyrical text for April Foolishness, author Teresa Bateman draws upon her own experiences growing up on a farm and creates a story to which Nadine Westcott's lively illustrations are a perfect complement.

Kids love to visit their grandparents, and grandparents love to have them (most of the time). A visit may hold many surprises when it begins on April Fool's Day, which is what happened when two rambunctious youngsters arrived at the farm.

Told in lilting rhyme and illustrated in bold full-page color "April Foolishness" is a merry look at that special day. Grandma begins the day as grandpa is cooking breakfast in the kitchen. She thinks, "Life on the farm keeps a gal on her toes. That's what grandma thought as she flung on her clothes."

Well grandpa needs to be on his toes, too because the first thing he hears from his young visitors is that the cows have gotten loose and one stepped on a goose. Next is the announcement that the chickens are out, and the pigs broke the gate.

Children will smile their way through this rollicking story until they learn who pulls off the best April Fool joke of all.

- Gail Cooke

Fourth in the Crowner John medieval mystery series set in 1190's Devon, UK. When a Templar Knight--or rather, an ex-Templar who has now left the order--who fought with John in Outremer seeks his assistance while he waits for a cohort to arrive, the coroner reluctantly agrees. When he finds out that Gilbert is now considered a heretic who has an `awful secret' about the Church that the Templars are suppressing, and is being pursued not only by three higher-ups in the Templar Order, but by a papal nuncio who is part of the Inquisition, John curses the moment he pledged his help, but stands by his word. When the ex-Templar turns up dead, obviously murdered, John must then investigate even though his suspicions lie with the Church, whom he has no authority to question. A secondary plot deals with piracy off the coast of Devon and brings the Crowner to Ilfracombe and Barnstaple, which provided a bit of personal interest for me as my husband's sister lives in that area.

I did guess the bad guy way ahead of time in this one and didn't think the story was quite as good as some of the others in this series--or maybe I've just been "DaVinci Coded" to death--but I still enjoyed it as I like the setting and the characters in this series. Knight doesn't sugar-coat the realities of living in medieval times, nor does he glorify his protagonist--Crowner John is a very real man, with very obvious faults and foibles as well as a few virtues that make him an excellent sleuth. The supporting characters are also well-fleshed out, diverse and interesting. This is a series I'll continue reading til the end!

One can picture life in the late 12th century with considerable accuracy while reading a good "who done it."
Much like Michael Jecks in that you don't know the whole story by page 3 as you find in all too many books. Knight and Jecks are great reading especially when you need a break from the purely academic, etc. You may not like the behavior of some, but that's life. Some things never change.

Bernard Knight, or to give him his correct title, Professor Bernard Knight, CBE, was a pathologist to the Home office until 1980 when he was appointed Professor of Forensic Pathology at the University of Wales College of medicine, 1980. He has written the extremely successful Crowner John series of medieval mysteries, of which there are now ten or eleven books, His character Crowner John is certainly among my favourite characters in medieval mysteries.

A Knight of the Temple of Solomon claims to have in his possession a secret that could shake Christendom to its very foundations. It so happens that he is also an old acquaintance of Crowner John (Sir John de Wolfe) from their crusading days together. The Knight's name is Sir Gilbert de Rideford and he is desperate to escape from the secretive order of warrior monks. He prays that Sir John may be able to help him.

Sir John find himself embroiled in a world of religious intrigue, and dangerous politics. Although Sir John's wife is never away from church, as a fighting man Sir John has never had the time or the inclination to become involved in religion and he does not like what he finds. He finally finds himself on a mission to Lundy Island, a place inhabited by pirates, until finally the secret itself is revealed.

Bernard Knight has a way with words, to put it simply, as he takes the reader back to the twelfth century. With Crowner John de Wolfe as a most human protagonist, one becomes intimately involved in the life of the times. For those who wish to gain knowledge of this period and at the same time enjoy an intriguing mystery, The Awful Secret is the book to read.

I bought this as a Christmas gift for my husband. He thinks it is very well written and is enjoying it a lot. He is an avid golfer, but was not familiar with Bernard Darwin.

Jeff Silverman's compliation of Darwin stories is a must have for any library. Long one of the Game's more overlooked heroes, Darwin's legendary writing style spells out in great detail of golf's most definitive years, where the purity and passion ruled the Sport.

Bernard Darwin lived through, played in and wrote about the Golden Age of golf. Harry Vardon, Francis Ouimet, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Bob Jones, Glenna Collett, Joyce Wethered, Ben Hogan and beyond - he knew them all. He wrote about golf from the perspective of an accomplished player but all his stories are gems, whether about the immortals and the classic tournaments and matches or about the mere mortals who populate the game of golf. This is a wonderful selection of golf literature and I am indebted to Mr Darwin for creating it and to Mr Silverman for bringing it to us.

I've long heard about the wonderful golfing essays of Bernard Darwin, the grandson of Charles Darwin, but I've never been able to find a collection. I have now. This excellent anthology covers the breadth of Darwin's long and honored career. It is filled with writing to be savored, and how fortunate we golfers are that there exists prose of such quality, heart, intelligence and wit on the game we love so much. Whether he's profiling great golfers he saw play like Bobby Jones, Frances Ouimet, and Ben Hogan, touring courses like St. Andrews, offering a strategic tip, or just weighing in on the small, seemingly insignificant things we all think about over a round -- like why can't the group ahead move faster, or when is this string of good shots I've just hit going to end -- Darwin's words are moving, funny, lyrical and insightful. I'm thrilled someone's finally put a book like this together. Having just finished the copy I bought for myself, I've purchased another three to hand out to the rest of my regular foursome before we tee off next weekend. This is a perfect addition to every golfer's library.

Bruno Bernard - "Bernard of Hollywood", as his sobriquet ran - was one of classic Hollywood's greatest glamour and pin-up photographers. His specialty was "cheesecake" photography, of which he was the grand master, but he photographed untold legions of the loveliest of vintage Hollywood's actresses. Marilyn Monroe? Jayne Mansfield? Joan Collins? Lili St. Cyr? Anita Ekberg? Mamie Van Doren? Eartha Kitt? Candy Barr? Monique Van Vooren? They're all here, along with many, many others.

Susan Bernard, his daughter, has assembled hundreds of his best images into a truly dazzling work. Only Taschen, the German publisher renowned for its ultra-high-quality books on all sorts of unusual subjects, could truly have done justice to the project, and so they have, in a gorgeous oversize format crammed with full-page photography on high-quality paper, accompanied by extensive texts in English, French and German.

One of the most idiotic things I've done in the last five years is to sell off my first copy of this book. I needed to raise money, but that was no excuse. Works of art like this should never, ever be disposed of once you bring them into your collection, come hell or high water. Thankfully, I was able to get ahold of another copy this summer - and even more thankfully, for pretty close to the original list price. That's a minor prodigy in itself; because this book is in such high demand, sellers are naturally going to ask a corresponding premium. As well they should. This book is worth every single cent you may pay for it.

No one...and I mean NO ONE...who claims to be a fan of classic glamour photography or old-time Hollywood can be taken seriously as such without this book in their library. I'm serious. If you're reading this review, you're interested enough to buy this book - so do it today.

The photographs of Bruno Bernard are historic treasures documenting a period of Americana when purity and innocence masked the prurient. As teenagers when my friends and I joined the military after Pearl Harbor, we considered ourselves to be tough men; our images of naughtiness were induced by the pin-up.

The Ultimate Pin-Up is a coffee table collection of beautiful photographs--the colors are brilliant, the hair styles and clothing which drape the subjects who found their way to Hollywood or Las Vegas in the forties and fifties are significant representations of the American spirit post WWII; this being an era of US military might and rapid technological changes. Decades ago I felt these photographs were of loose women yet as I peruse the book I am amused by the sweetness and demurenss of the models and their poses.

The book is printed with high quality paper, the collection is heavy so it needs to rest on a table. It is fun to peruse; each page delights and tickles my memories of the days before the younger generation elected JFK to the White House.

This book makes me happy. Bernard of Hollywood will be remembered for his documenting history. Although the book is filed with the topic "Sex" I feel it should be referenced as "History". The images are certainly "Art". Smithsonian.

Bernard of Hollywood Pin-Ups is a fun and fast way to get started recapturing the look and feel of the '40's and '50's styled Pin-Up Photography. Of course, this book's instruction applies to anytime, but the examples shown are all Classic Pin-up. Each page comes with a short summary of the thought behind each full page Black & White photo and a small diagram showing lighting and camera position. A bio of Bernard of Hollywood and the philosophy behind his photographs completes the book. It's straight forward and to the point, a worth while addition to a Pin-Up book collection, and a simple instructive guide for beginning photographers.

This is truly the ultimate pin-up book. I have seen some of these photos over the years and it's satisfying to put a name to them. But what's really surprising is the vast quantity of output this man had. He was certainly prolific and there's no question as to why he was sought after by the rich and glamorous. He was a genius. These are amazing pictures and portraits of some of the most stunning women on the planet from the 40's and 50's. We'll never know another era like that. Beautiful clothes, costumes and jewelry adorn these women from a time when glamour was GLAMOUR. From starlets to cheesecake models to showgirls to stars---they're all here and captured in all their splendor. Even the stunning 50's stripper Lili St.Cyr is here in rare and incredible photos. Thanks to Susan Bernard (from "Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!") her fathers' work is receiving another round of applause and admiration. This book is embedded with legend. A MUST for auteurs of glamour photography and a MUST for nostalgia lovers. Recommended HIGHLY.

If Bernard Shaw were not the second greatest playwright in the English language, this biography would not have such significance; and were it not for Shaw's multidimensional personality, this book would not possess so many fascinating dimensions. Sally Peters acknowledges her debt, and gives us a work without self-conscious authorship. It is a book that invites reading and rereading. Much has been made of Shaw's homosexuality; but Dr. Peters' focus is broader and deeper than that. A story, which often reads like the most engrossing fiction, Bernard Shaw: The Accent of the Superman, is a rewarding resource for any serious student of modern drama.

Peters, Sally. Bernard Shaw: The Accent of the Superman. New Haven: Yale University Press.

If Bernard Shaw were not the second greatest playwright in the English language, this biography would not have such significance; and were it not for Shaw's multidimensional personality, this book would not possess so many fascinating dimensions. Sally Peters acknowledges her debt, and gives us a work without self-conscious authorship. It is a book that invites reading and rereading. Much has been made of Shaw's homosexuality; but Dr. Peters' focus is broader and deeper than that. A story, which often reads like the most engrossing fiction, Bernard Shaw: The Accent of the Superman, is a rewarding resource for any serious student of modern drama.

Was Shaw gay? Dr. Peters builds a convincing argument that he probably was and that he used his vast intellect to erect every possible defense against his homosexual leanings ever coming to sustained expression. I thought I knew Shaw but I will never again look at him again now that I have read this provocative volume. I am giving it only 4 stars, however, because even my interest (and I am a fan of Shaw) could not be sustained for the entire length of this discussion of Shaw's romances/flirtations/avoidances.

This is a complete and wonderful biography of Bernard Shaw. Dr. Peters has written a thorough and fasinating history of a complex man. For the definitive word on Shaw, read this book.

Fun calendar for keeping track of my schedule and appointments. Lots of room for notes. Recommend for cat lovers. I believe there is an '09 version available also.

I enjoy this format. The artwork is fun. It's nice to begin a new week with a smile.

I have loved the Kliban cat for years and very grateful to be able to find things still being produced with him.

What a great product, small, easy to flip the pages, great cartoons of cats everywhere, a week to week calendar, easy to jot down stuff in between the cartoons and fun to have on the kitchen counter by the phone, everyone loves looking at the cartoons, great price and Amazon shipped it almost overnight, fantastic service!

Dr. Ben Gallagher's account of WWI is one of the most compelling books I have ever had the pleasure to read. Between his medical background, self-reflection and observation this is perhaps one of the most complete views of war and humanity ever committed to paper.

Inbetween his own story, Dr. Gallagher also relates the stories of the people around him, including one of the most remarkable escapes from a POW Camp I have ever heard. He also includes the stories of his patients whose courage is both humbling and inspirational.

I am grateful that this account was published and I am only too sorry that more readers have not found this hidden treasure. Don't miss out. This is one of the best personal accounts you will ever find!

Gallagher's memoir is a combination of clinical observation and vivid prose which provides one with a unique view into the March 1918 Offensive which should become a classic of that nearly forgotten generation. His detail and imagery are phoenominal. Factual in the extreme, his reference to the obscure 12th. U.S. Engineers of Missouri railroad men only serves to enhance the credibility of his experience. I have not, yet, seen a medical memoir of any war to compare. We are fortunate that this account has been published rather than lost in the archives of some facility.

dr gallagher's second book reflects a remarkable talent as a story-teller. In Cellars, he makes the reader feel like a member of the family as he relates the tale of his grandfather's experiences in World War I. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I am looking forward to his next story.

Gallagher was a freshly minted physician when he volunteered for the British Army ahead of the American mobilization for World War One. Fortunately for us his narrative skills matched his surgical abilities.
He was attached to the Gloucesters in the Somme sector, and, despite his misgivings, quickly became an effective battle surgeon. His remarkable adventures, his relations with the English (for whom he had no great love), and, especially, his descriptions of Great War surgical practices make for fascinating reading.
The experienced military history reader may notice a few historical inaccuracies, (the U.S. 11th Engineers were not from the Missouri National Guard; Gallagher's decoration was the Military Cross, not the Military Medal, a different award), but these don't detract seriously from the immediacy and impact of one of the best memoirs by an American serving with the British Army.

(The "score" rating is an unfortunately ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

Wow! This book is just fun to read. I got this book on Amazon.com at the clearance sale...you can get it almost free if you get it used. At those prices this book may be one of the best bargains around. What better way to hear the story of the 1900's than from those who lived through all of it! In six chapters (The Good Old Days, Labor Days, The Great War, Brave New World, The Gold Years, & In Winter's Light) the major periods of the century are brought to light using short, entertaining, yet extremely insightful anecdotes from the various centenarians interviewed. None of them were famous (at least I'd never heard of them). None of them had lived exceptional lives. Therefore, every story is new, yet remarkably familiar. I strongly recommend this book to any buyer. This is history for nonhistorians and historians alike, America's story told for the common American by common Americans.

I've had the chance to read several books on this topic and in my opinion, Centenarians: The Story of the 20th Century by the Americans Who Lived It, is the best book out there that covers the subject of Centenarians. Edelman has laid out this book so chapters are further broken down into subsections that cover key moments in the featured Centenarians lives. An example of this would be under the heading of The Good Old Days, it is further broken down into First memories, Fun and Games, Love and Marriage, etc... The personal recollections come from approximately 70 Centenarians who share their memories on the different subjects throughout the book. The ancedotes are short and they are followed by the name of the Centenarian. I love the personal pictures that are included that show these people in their youth. You have a variety of Centenarians who came from many different backgrounds, former slaves, immigrants, those who were wealthy, and others who weren't. Edelman also included a section called "Centenographies" at the end of the book that allows you to read a brief bio on the featured Centenarians who shared their stories along with a current picture. It really is a nice way to end the book since you will feel a personal connection with these people after reading their stories. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in this particular subject or who just simply loves American history.

A truly first hand look at the times and lives of the immigrants/citizens that helped shape our country.

As we come upon the millenium, we must hold on to our roots which the centarians so dearly fought for, worked for and died for.

This is a true reflection of the personal struggles that so many families faced and yet survived!

I was comforted with warmth, saddened by some losses but fortunate enough to come from immigrants that risked their lives, not only in war, but the struggle to enter our free world.

I would like to see this book in our schools as part of the history curriculum Truly wonderful reading.

Bless them all!

This simply is an outstanding book!!! It offers keen insight into what it has been like to live in the 20th-century. It is similar to Edelman's other book, DEAR AMERICA, LETTERS FROM VIETNAM, in that it has been written and edited with a rare intelligence. It is a must for anyone at all interested in American history.

The Deliverer is a great read and an excellent introduction to the character of detective Terrell Newman. I agree with the other reviewers in all aspects.

the author is a fresh talent with a fresh eye for the foibles of humanity and a wonderful way with plots, character and dialogue. I was hooked from the start by the strange serial killer Robert Stanton, and I was kept in suspense through the whole story, even though the reader knows right away who the killer is. The psychological depth of the characters and situations is exceptionally rich and very credible.

Six weeks ago I had never heard of Bernard J. Taylor and now I'm addicted. My last major addiction was Patricia Cornwell, with James Patterson as a stopgap when there was nothing new by her.  Both write absorbing page turners, but in the end I became frustrated by the lack of depth in their characterization - particularly with their bad guys, whose minds we never really get into.  (With Patterson, even Alex Cross remains a very vague character, and some of his plot devices are so ridiculous that they rob his work of all credibility). This writer offers some great characters, along with the page-turning readability of Patterson and Cornwell's attention to procedural detail (although not so much that you want to skip over it, as I often do with Cornwell's autopsies). He gets right inside the mind of the killers, and in this one you get to meet a truly original and very plausible killer. This is a good introduction to Terrell Newman and the other regular characters. I particularly like the women characters in his books - women who stand up for themselves without compromising their femininity. If only there were more characters like this in the world.

This is a great introduction to the Terrell Newman series. As in Taylor's other Newman novels, all the characters - even the minor ones - are vivid and well realized without a stereotype in sight. The character of Robert Stanton, the "deliverer", is particularly well realized and you almost feel sympathy for him as he goes about his killings.

There were also a number of amusing moments to lighten the darkness of the piece. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Stanton is looking through the personal ads and adding his comments.

It is rare that I can empathize with a serial killer, but I was touched and also amused on occasions by him. While the theme is dark - in the mould of Hannibal Lecter - there are some very entertaining and amusing moments and the dialogue is terrific, helping to bring the characters to life in a way that a lot of novelists fail to do.

Having read two of the other Terrell Newman novels before this one, it confirms my impression that Bernard J. Taylor is a major new name in crime fiction - and literature in general. The writing is excellent.