Burke Books

I got wrapped up in this story from the beginning, but the ending was disappointing. The pay off just wasn't there.

I like the Samantha Kincaid character and would like to read another in the series. Alafair Burke is a very good writer, but this one was not one of her better efforts. I got the feeling she was padding the book with lots of legal information.

Also, please stop including so many romantic scenes between Samantha and Chuck! The dialogue between these two is "skincrawlingly" bad. And it doesn't make sense that an intelligent woman like Samantha would be involved with someone like Chuck who doesn't seem to have much depth. Either make Chuck more dimensional or drop him.

After a short hiatus from a grizzly attack, Deputy District Attorney Samantha Kincaid jumps right back to work on the case of missing judge Clarissa Easterbrook. While rumors float around about the disappearance, the discovery of Clarissa's battered body lands Samantha on her first capital case. The evidence leads Samantha and the detectives to Melvin Jackson, a poverty stricken single father battling the system. While the evidence points to a sure conviction, a few lose strings quickly unravel into an explosive plot and a wide variety of suspects. The scandals involving corruption, politics, adultery and even Samantha's own father arise in this well put together novel. The quick twists and well-executed yet surprising climax make this novel a great read.
Valerie Jones
[...]

It's four o'clock in the morning when Samantha Kincaid is called out for her first case since she made the Major Crimes Unit (MCU): Clarissa Easterbrook, an Administrative Law Judge, has been missing for about 12 hours. When her husband, Dr. Townsend Easterbrook, called 911 about his wife, the call "had ripped like a lightning bolt through the power echelon." Duncan Griffith, Kincaid's boss, is making sure that everything is being done, even though the assumption is that Clarissa will turn up shortly.

She does turn up, but she's dead. Killed with a hammer. The investigation does the routine investigation of close family members but soon focuses on someone Clarissa had dealings with through her job. Melvin Jackson has been writing Judge Easterbrook threatening letters, believing that she is responsible for a series of events which will ultimately cost him his three children. The evidence against Jackson accumulates slowly, with that kind of inevitability mystery readers know to distrust. Melvin's mother is convinced that he didn't do it, and that there is a conspiracy in place to set him up for the crime. Her main bone of contention is Melvin's being hired for the job which gave him access to the scene of the crime.

Kincaid believes that Jackson killed Judge Easterbrook, but Jackson's mother raises just enough doubt that Kincaid continues to look into various aspects of the case. Her boss is not happy about this. Neither are some of the other members of the MCU. Her father warns her about messing with people as powerful as those connected to this case. Her boyfriend, Detective Chuck Forbes, presents some possible conflict-of-interest complications. Her good friend Grace has some background information which Kincaid finds helpful. Her ex-husband Roger Kirkpatrick becomes involved in the case when he is hired by Townsend Easterbrook. Can life get any more complicated?

Burke does a good job making the reader feel all the various strings pulling at Samantha. She is a complex woman, working in an arena where emotional and psychological strength are necessary tools, but not ones easily conceded by the men who believe that arena belongs to them. Burke manages to make Samantha flawed enough to be believable, gutsy enough to be admirable. Fans of Paretsky, Grafton, D'Amato, and Lanier will find Burke is their kind of author and Samantha Kincaid their kind of woman.

I thoroughly enjoyed MISSING JUSTICE. Burke has improved as a writer since her first novel, JUDGEMENT CALLS. The plotting is tighter, the flow is smoother, the minor characters are less wooden. I found myself not wanting to put MISSING JUSTICE down, which can be a problem if one is reading it on a lunch break at work. I look forward to the next installment in this series. If that book is as much of an improvement as MISSING JUSTICE is over JUDGEMENT CALLS, it should be one hell of a book.

It's been a month since the events at the conclusion of Judgment Calls, and Samantha Kincaid has been promoted to the Major Case Unit of the Portland Prosecutor's Office. At four in the morning, she's called by police detectives to come to a house in one of the tonier neighborhoods, to assist in the beginning of the search for an Administrative Court Judge, a woman of some substance in the local community. So starts Missing Justice, the second book in Alafair Burke's Samantha Kincaid series. It's a good book, strong for a second entry in a series.

Burke is, of course, the daughter of James Lee Burke, the author of the Dave Robichaux series. The daughter isn't anything like her father, though, really. The books here are more about the legal system than police work, and while the prose isn't as wonderfully descriptive, the plots are a bit tighter and more straightforward.

I like this second book in the younger Burke's series. The author seems to be getting a feel for how to write a book like this, how to construct the characters and plot, and how to handle a mystery. The actual villain is difficult to separate out from the rest of the bad people in the plot, and the author does a wonderful job of concealing the killer's identity until the last few pages. I enjoyed this book a lot; I would recommend it.

Deputy District Attorney Sam Kincaid is thrilled with her promotion. Now working with Major Crimes she is under no illusion that she will be tried before being tested with the major responsibilities of the busy unit. Assigned her first case for what she considers to be a hand-hold, Sam is given some fast lessons in political protocol. One of the legal system's own has disappeared and the whole situation must be delicately handled. Sadly it is not long before there is a body found that matches the description of Clarissa Easterbrook.

Working closely with the homicide cops and so awkwardly also with her new boyfriend, Sam isn't keen to accept a slam dunk on her first case so quickly when it all falls together just that little bit too neatly. It's where the body has been dumped that interests her, more than a peeved former offender who became mildly threatening when a decision did not go his way. Clarissa wasn't the saint some thought her to be and had her own secrets that she kept from her husband, sister and best friend. Sam's protective father, once a cop himself, isn't keen for Sam to go up against the big guns on this one so soon in her new position. There's more to his reluctance to see his daughter shine than just fatherly concern, and the reasons behind this lies in his own unhappy past with the police force.

"Missing Justice" is novel number two in the Sam Kincaid series by author Alafair Burke. No doubt drawing on her own legal career Burke has written a more polished novel second time around with a more complicated plot that unfortunately comes together a little too late and too conveniently to be remotely credible. It turns out that a lot of her details are unnecessary but as this also created a trail of effective red herrings perhaps that was deliberate. Too much of the "gush" factor detracts from this read and stylizing the character of Sam Kincaid into junior legal hero doesn't quite work with the ditziness of some of the character's actions. Burke's secondary characters are really only wall paper to the main action but could perhaps be explored in greater depth with some closer attention in later novels. Light legal fiction with a girl hero lead: "Missing Justice" doesn't have the weight of a suspenseful legal thriller but then again, perhaps this less taxing sub category is nurturing a new queen.

Favour owed becomes a double dominatrix deal.


The kid of a woman who has been told to contact Burke if he gets into trouble calls in her marker. So Burke has some babysitting to do, along with some car racing to check out, and also to try and find out why a bunch of young people have been killing themselves. The latter being what has scared the kid into calling him.

As for as the double dodgy doms, he really isn't the sort of bloke to be dominated (or any of his motley crew), so is out to work out their deal, too in this blunt, spare book.



3.5 out of 5

I purchased this book several years ago and finally got around to reading it this past week. I enjoyed the book though the sex descriptions were a little bit much for me. Maybe I am getting too old. Andrew Vachss writes what I consider literary noir. His books - if made into film - should star someone like a Robert Mitchum. I recommend the book but will not give it a 5 star because I thought the reason for the suicide a little far-fetched. I also miss Max the Silent - he appears only in passing.

Another Burke novel. This time Burke has to go into a wealthy neighborhood where children are neglected and adolescent suicided is the norm. Burke follows a trail of suicides leading to a medical institution that experiments on depressed teenagers. Enlisting the aid of a beautiful domentrix and a teen boy, Burke finds out the truth of how several wealthy teens are set up to die. Down right creepy in parts.
Doug Setter
Author of One Less Victim and Stomach Flattening

I'm in the process of reading all the Burke novels (I'm a BIG fan) and this one just didn't do it for me. The story was not very compelling and, unlike in Blossom, taking Burke out of NY made everything feel strange and disorienting. The interactions between Burke and the main female character seemed really fake to me and it felt very out of character for Burke in general. Anyway, not nearly as good as the other Burke novels.

"Down In The Zero" is Andrew Vachss' seventh novel featuring Burke, the hard-boiled, in-your-face, ex-con detective, who still isn't sure on which side of the law he prefers to operate. Abandoned at birth, father and mother unknown, Burke has no real first name. "Baby boy" is the name on his birth certificate. He is a survivor. He's also a standup guy. The novel is set in early 1990s NYC, just after Mayor Guiliani came to office with the intent to clean up the City's mean streets.

I have read the six previous Burke books and have became so fascinated with this complex character, and with the strange folks who people his world, that I will probably go on to read the entire series. I am addicted. If you are a Vachss/Burke fan, or have the potential to become one, I would suggest that you try to read the books in order. Of course, every novel stands on its own, independent of the others, but the growth and development of the characters are continual. There are also references to past events, and for a richer reading experience it is helpful to know the history. If you're just looking for a good read, and not interested in becoming a Burke maven, then by all means, read at random.

Throughout this book Burke mourns the horribly violent death of a little boy for which he feels responsible, (these events took place in a previous novel). He finds himself in a black place - the Zero, he calls it - "a deep black hole you dive into," and he is unable to climb out. It is not death, but this abyss may be worse than death because one still feels the intense pain of the living.

Then he receives a phone call from a troubled teen who fears for his life. The boy, a rich kid from the Connecticut suburbs is the son of a woman from Burke's past - a ghost from long ago who once saved his skin. He feels like he owes her a favor and so takes a trip to the burbs and the world of the super wealthy. Here he discovers a string of inexplicable teen suicides all linked to a common experience at a psychiatric clinic.

Burke also becomes involved with a woman, Fancy, a friend of his friend and a member of an elite private sex club. She is definitely not a "vanilla sex" lady. Fancy introduces Burke to the world of S&M, D&S, and encourages him to participate. She is even willing to switch for him and play the submissive. This kinkiness all eventually links-up to the suicides in an extremely convoluted way.

P. I. Burke, as always, is the narrator. And the narrative, at times, goes off on a tangent, like Burke's thought processes. This occasional stream of consciousness has always been extremely effective and enhances the detective's persona. However, here Vachss wanders a bit too much and his usual tight writing style suffers for it. While "Down in the Zero" is strong on character development, the storyline is not the best. However, I am into these novels because of my man Burke and the characters who form his "real family." In this area Vachss does not disappoint.

So...if you are a Vachss/Burke fan, don't miss this, although your patience may be tried at times. If you are just looking for a good read, check-out one of the author's earlier books.
JANA

THE LOST GET-BACK BOOGIE by James Lee Burke was nominated for a Pulitzer prize for fiction. Fine literary prose writing in commercial fiction is a rare achievement that is Burke's forte.
Ex-convict Ivy Paret heads to Montana to find a new life for himself and his music. What he finds are complex relationships mixed with hatred, alcohol insanity, and betrayal.
New friends and old enemies keep pace with his efforts to regain his life and the music in his soul.
James Lee Burke is a fine read, who continues to deliver pleasure book after book.
Writing as a Small BusinessSins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelUnder the Liberty Oak

After pages and pages of descriptive phrases of the flora and fauna from Louisiana to Missoula, Montana we finally arrive. We arrive to endless cigarettes, Camels, Lucky Strikes, roll yer own and pot. This is mostly accompanied by many six packs of beer and booze of various brands. The stench of unwashed bodies and the nasty odors of jails prevails. Tiresome adjectives and adverbial phrases, which were interesting the first ten novels, are now old. You'd think an English professor could pick up some new ones from his students. Who cares about any of these shiftless characters.
I, for one, am putting down this book and taking a bath.
This not one of Burke's best.

Written more than 30 years ago this novel shows Burke's descriptive
writing bursting with hyperbole. The beautiful Montana scenery
is described in terms so rich as to defy human experience. The
drunkenness, mental aberrations and senseless violence of ordinary
people leave a lump in your throat, and an unwillingness ever to
venture past the state line. It has a Jack Kerouac magnetism but
lacks any positive or redeeming message or insight at the end.

It's been twenty years since James Lee Burke's THE LOST GET-BACK BOOGIE first saw print, and it hasn't lost an ounce of impact in all that time. The man's writing talent never ceases to amaze me.

Iry Paret, just out of Angola Prison for manslaughter, heads for Montana and the safe refuge and a job promised by a prison pal and fellow musician, Buddy Riordan. What Buddy has neglected to mention is significant: his father has filed a lawsuit and an injunction against one of the largest companies in town, and that lawsuit has the potential to put an awful lot of people out of work.

As with just about any James Lee Burke novel, one can see the train wreck coming. We know it won't be pretty. Burke is such a compelling writer that one keeps reading anyway, no matter how ugly it gets. Yes, Burke writes with great love and subtlety about the beauty of Montana or the ugliness of Angola. But it's his characters that keep drawing us back into the novel. They are so very human, and make such bad choices, choices that we as readers want to tell them to avoid . . . but they don't. Because they are so truly real.

I must say that the final chapter was something of a disappointment, and certainly not what I expected, based on all the other Burke novels I've read. Skip it, and the book is worth every minute spent reading it.

Korean War veteran turned country-and-western musician Iry Paret spent a couple of years in Angola for manslaughter. He survived prison by staying on lethal alert knowing that the guards and the inmates are dangerous to anyone who depends only on hope, prayer, or drugs. Upon his release, Iry heads to New Orleans where he plans to play the honky tonk and drown his life with alcohol.

However, the haze of drink does not keep Iry from feeling depressed. He concludes he needs to leave Louisiana if he to get back his lost boogie. He treks to Milltown, Montana near Missoula where his jazz playing former cell mate Buddy Riordan's father Frank owns a ranch by the Bitterroot River. Once there, he observes Buddy is always on LSD while Frank wars with the local pulp mill that is polluting the area. However, Iry finds himself attracted to Buddy's slightly overweight estranged wife, Beth, who wants both men to go straight, drop the drugs and booze and stay out of Frank's war. Iry can do two out of three, but feels obligated to be at Frank's side as David's sidekick against the goliath lumber companies.

This is a reprint of a terrific early James lee Burke thriller that brings to life the 1960s through mostly the downtrodden Iry. Frank, Buddy and Beth are fabulous support characters who enable the audience to understand what motivates the lead protagonist. With the backdrop of development vs. environment debate before Nixon established EPA, fans obtain a fabsulous thriller wondering which side the antihero will join.

Harriet Klausner

Having been a die hard Kennedy fan all of my life, I've read a lot of books. I know that none of them are perfect and I enjoyed this book. Ted Kennedy certainly lived life to the excess, but I guess that was the times. This book is full of examples of a very human man who works to do great things for the American people.

I am a die hard Kennedy fan and this is one of my favorite Kennedy books to date; however, you will appreciate it more if you have a background in "Kennedy history" which helps put some of the Senator's personal problems in perspective. For this purpose, I highly recommend Laurence Leamer's books The Kennedy Men and the Kennedy Women both of which I have also read.

This is a very human story where no details are spared. If you want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly you will definitely enjoy it, but don't pick it up if you can't handle reading about drugs, sex, and extramarital affairs.

Burke is brutally honest about the highs and lows of being the right hand man to arguably the most powerful person in Washington at the time, and the personal sacrifices he had to make in order to perform his job. As Kennedy's Administrative Assistant (Chief of Staff), Burke tucked him into bed at night and woke him up in the morning. He was intimately involved in major family decisions and knew the Senator and his family better than almost anyone else. His book serves as a wise word of caution to anyone who aspires to work on Capitol Hill. Being "in" and having access to the rich and powerful doesn't guarantee happiness and in Burke's case led to self destruction.

After reading Burke's book, I now understand why when I interned in Kennedy's DC office we (the interns) were not allowed to speak to the Senator unless he addressed us first. And because Kennedy would never recognize the vast majority of the 100+ interns working in his offices at any given time, he never said hi to us either. We were told that the Senator's high profile was the reason for this restriction, but after reading Burke's book I'm willing to bet anything that the real reason was that his staff was trying to protect him from his own impulses (i.e. not get near too many attractive women).

I noticed several readers commented that the book didn't focus enough on the Senator's legislative accomplishments and rated it lower because of this. How ridiculous! Burke clearly states that his purpose is not to give a comprehensive chronology of Kennedy's record, but rather to shed light on those aspects of the Senator's life which he was most intimately involved in.

I respect Burke for having the courage to come out with this story. His readiness to own up to his own faults is admirable and as he says at the end of his book, it's important for voters to know just who they are electing. This book has not changed my favorable opinion of the Senator, but it has helped me understand him better.

The author worked closely with Ted Kennedy through most of the '70s and the very early '80s as a member of his Senate staff and personal go-to guy, and had very personal access to both the Senator and his family. The book is mainly about the Senator's vices and his family's troubles during that period (which the author was deeply involved in).

I was hoping for more politics and policy. The author vaguely alludes to legislative accomplishments, but doesn't really discuss any. From reading the book, I would gather that the time between saving democracy during the Watergate crisis and the 1980 presidential election was one big party, with some family drama thrown in. The section on the 1980 presidential election was good.

It's clear that Kennedy made bad choices in that period, which was, literally for me, a lifetime ago; some were personal, some were political. What struck me was how many of the unattractive features described by the author reminded me of our current president: the sense of entitlement, a lack of accountability, intense competitiveness, demands for loyalty, and a strange snobbishness (Kennedy thought the Carters were unsophisticated but, according to the author, also thought that the hostage crisis couldn't be helped by President Carter's efforts to understand the situation by *gasp* reading books about Iran). On the plus side, both men have a strong devotion to family.

I didn't really like the book; I finished it only because I'd started it, and I didn't have much else handy at the time. If you are interested in Kennedy dirt, though, this book has it in spades. It's not for everyone, but maybe it's for you.

The first 100 pages is interesting but then it begins to get repetitive and aimless. It's worth what I paid for it -- got it at the dollar store. Confirms that TK is worse than I thought, but I wonder if he's even worse than Rick knows. Hmmm.

I found this book at a "free read" and am glad I picked it up.
I feel that Mr. Burke gives what appears to be honest insight into his observation working first from afar then eventually beyond close at hand to Senator Kennedy. I believe the positives of this book far outweigh any negatives one might find in the disclosure of personal family happenings. This book actually has caused me to see Senator Kennedy in a more human, approachable image that as formerly, simply focusing on his family heritage regarding money, fame, etc. My heart goes out to the whole Kennedy family who has suffered tragedy after tragedy in spite of all their wealth which only brings home the truth that money cannot buy happiness. I strongly urge one to read this book. I am glad I did.

A must for beginners who are interested in Tarot Cards. This book is more than just a guide to Tarot reading, it's a tool for all readers.

This was my first Tarot deck. The book is wonderfully written to help the new user. The artwork on the deck is beautiful. After a couple of years, I gave the deck to a friend to learn. I now find I miss this deck and have purchased it again along with the workbook. I would highly recommend this deck to either a new user or and experienced reader.

This deck/book set provides a fun, informative way to "get your feet wet" in the world of Tarot. It introduces you to the suits, the symbology and the general set up of your average Tarot decks, and methodically drills practical associations/applications of the imagery into your mind. Encouraging the beginner Tarotist to pay attention to the miniscule details of each card, and to "listen" to his/her own psychic response to them, the Beginner's Guide to Tarot provides patterns and structure to readings, in addition to helping the reader develop his/her intuition. I would absolutely recommend this set to anyone who wants to get a taste of Tarot-- the imagery and authorship is nonthreatening and non-"spooky", and provides a comforting blend of common sense with mystery.

As a jumping-off point, this set is fantastic. One point of contention-- the 9 of Cups is portrayed as a "Sensual Feast" or celebration rather than the more traditional "Wish" card. I had a bit of confusion when I branched out to other Tarot decks and books and found all references to the 9 of Cups being wishes and not gardens of sensual delight. (The King of Wands in this deck also looks like a mentally challenged goof, not quite the inspiring creative leader you'd expect.)

This is a nice RWS type deck (with a few deviations). It is done is soft pastels and easy to look at and to read. The book that accompanies it is also well done and easy to read. The big problem is the card stock used. It is very flimsy and the cards bend easily. They should have put more condsideration into this, as it cheapens the cards and makes them hard to really work with.

"The tarot images work on an unconscious level; they are like mirrors reflecting knowledge buried in the deepest realms of the mind. That dark, unconscious part of the mind contains knowledge that the conscious mind is unaware of, and the tarot acts as a bridge between the two, using the archetypal nature of the imagery to feed information from unconscious to conscious mind." - From the book

My first introduction to the Sharman-Caselli Tarot deck was through the innovative Tarot Workbook by Juliet Sharman-Burke. Using large, uncolored imagery from the Sharman-Caselli deck, readers are invited to color in the images according to their own associations, as well as record relevant symbols that seem to stand out and journal spontaneous associations.

I then moved on to My Tarot, which is an actual uncolored version of the Sharman-Caselli deck. Because I have carpal tunnel syndrome, I chose not to keep that deck, but I was hooked enough on the imagery to look for a bona fide version of this particular Tarot deck.

I stumbled onto The Tarot Box published by Barnes and Noble, which happily included the Sharman-Caselli deck--but it was only a mini-version, with cards measuring approximately 3 ¼ x 2 inches. Surely, I thought, there must be a full-size version of this deck!

So as I searched Amazon.com, I found the Beginner's Guide to Tarot--which contains a full-size version of the Sharman-Caselli deck. YAY! Mission accomplished!

While I was thrilled to (finally) get my hands on these 4 ¾ x 2 ¾ inch cards, I was surprised to find a first-rate 192-page companion book accompanying the Sharman-Caselli deck!

I often get emails requesting recommendations for book and deck sets geared towards absolute beginners. Unfortunately, there's not many out there. Now, I can confidently recommend the Beginner's Guide to Tarot deck and book set.

For those unfamiliar with this particular deck, the Sharman-Caselli Tarot is a full-color deck based on the Rider-Waite tradition. Besides the lovely coloring, what I like most about this deck is the incredible amount of movement and expression among the figures.

For example, The Chariot careens right towards the viewer (look out!), and the guy in the Lovers card scratches his chin in what appears to be indecision (or maybe he's afraid to say the wrong thing and tick off one of the ladies beside him!).

If you like no-frills card backings, these are absent of any symbols or artwork--but plain it is not with a vibrant magenta hue with a thin silver inner border!

One unusual aspect of the glossy soft cover Beginner's Guide to Tarot is the "packaging": the companion book covers are stiff, and the end part extends beyond the book itself, loosely wrapping itself around toward the front. What I ended up doing was cut the back cover right along the crease, making it a (now) perfect book for reading and storing on the shelf (it would have been difficult to do either with the unusual packaging.)

The companion book features an abundance of useful information, including a solid introduction to Tarot and bi-color reproduction of each card with diagrams pointing out relevant symbols and their meanings. Also provided are each card's theme, elemental association, explanation of the imagery and a thorough treatment of the divinatory meaning.

In my estimation, the Beginner's Guide to Tarot is not only a fantastic set for those new to Tarot, but also contains a great reading deck based on RWS imagery. The Sharman-Caselli deck imagery teems with life and an array of possibilities, while the companion book is both engaging and instructive. Highly recommended!

(To see 12 images from the Sharman-Caselli deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

The book had a little too much history in it. I was expecting something different. I have read Tarot Cards since the 1980's, but needed a refresher course since I have not read cards in over 10 years. There are better books available that help you interpretate the cards quicker. It is great in the sense I learned all about the history of the cards and the designs, but the book should have been called something different understanding the background of Tarot and Cards and not making the reader feel it is a step by step guide which I did not feel it was. The small book that comes with the Rider Waite decks give a much better understanding to reading cards and is easier to remember and is not dull. The above book repeated some of the issues several times regarding certain history aspects and I feel it was more than needed. I could see stating something twice but things were repeated numerous times that were not important in reading cards, but history. The very beginning drags on and many places you skim over and many places are very interesting where you say I didn't know that. She touches on the religious aspect of they are not evil as many churches and religious people think and states they actually had a church background in the early years. I feel if she ever does a rewrite of this book it will be much better if she takes the remarks by readers and improves her book.

This is a great book which is written in an easy and straightforward way to read, making it easy for beginners to understand the real essense and purpose of Tarot.

I think the title may be a bit misleading (unintentionally so, I'm sure). It's not really a "complete" book about the Tarot, since it's focus is on the meanings of the Major and Minor Arcana, with a few sample readings thrown in for good measure. What's lacking to qualify it as "complete" is information about the mechanics of doing Tarot readings.

Likewise, the only "step-by-step" aspect of its treatment of the Tarot is that it walks the reader through alternating segments of the Major and Minor Arcana. When doing a Tarot reading, however, the meaning of the cards is only the starting point. I think a little bit more attention could have been paid to, or even a cursory mention made of, preparing for a reading, rituals, accessories, and the like, as these aspects also factor into a successful reading.

The single most glaring aspect of the book that prevents it from being a "complete" treatment of the Tarot is the author's outright dismissal of the significance of reversals. Even though the author herself might ignore them in her readings, there are enough valid reasons to use them that at least a cursory discussion of the theory behind them would have been appropriate for a "complete" book on the Tarot. (My personal valid reason: if you subscribe to the theory that the cards selected during a reading are the result of and mirror the energies that impact the life of the querent, then by extension, these same energies would also influence the orientation of the cards, which can be likewise interpreted accordingly.)

All that said, however, the misleading title alone wasn't enough to keep me from thoroughly enjoying this book. Sharman-Burke's approach to describing the cards was unique (at least in my experience), with her allusion to mythical figures to weave together a coherent and thought-provoking picture of the flow of the Major Arcana.

I especially found intriguing her description of each card's imagery and how it relates to its meaning. In conjunction with this, the guided imagery exercises she proposes after each card grouping helps allows the student of the Tarot to more fully engrain each card's meaning within his/her knowledge.

Generally, this book is better suited to someone who has previous exposure to the Tarot, as an enhancement to the knowledge they've already acquired, rather than to a novice, who may require a broader, higher level look at the Tarot to gain an initial understanding. For this reason, again, the book could have been titled more accurately, but regardless of the title, it's still a good addition to any Tarot library.

This book is a waste of time. It's interpretations of the symbols of the Tarot are largely unfounded and/or intuitive lunging. As for its treatment on the Tarot's history, this author has apparently thrown her arms up in the "we'll never know" hokum-dance all too often encountered.

So I can slam it, but can I recommend a better source? Sure. Try "The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination" instead, for instance. Or even a moderate degree of personal, serious, research.

You would do better than to accept the speculative retardation presented in books like this. Please. Seriously. This books deserves ZERO stars.

the stories about the Major Arcana are so amazing, i had no idea that the color, items, and the positions, of the characters in the cards could create the cards meaning. The meanings of the cards such as the 4 of Penticles and etc. are hard to remember and learn but it comes with a lot of practice. Great book for beginners!

Marc Bloch--veteran of World Wars I and II, historian, professor, writer, French patriot--entreats us in this spare volume to maintain our objectivity, to interpret history with the skepticism of the journalist and the scientific method of the researcher. He identifies some of the pitfalls, the improperly translated idiom, the anthropomorphism of time and place, and relying too heavily on the written accounts of earlier historians, as means by which the understanding of historical events can be skewed. And history must be viewed as a continuum, a rolling cause-and-effect leading from then until now and beyond, events which seldom fit easily into our need to categorize them by fixed dates. But then, historians already know these things, so of what value is "The Historian's Craft" today?

There is a poignancy to this book that Marc Bloch may not have anticipated from his moment in time, but looking back toward the era in which he wrote, the reader can see "The Historian's Craft" as Bloch's attempt to instill order and sanity into the turbulent and almost inexplicably surreal fall of France during World War II. I interpret this book as his salve, his struggle to maintain objectivity during the madness he observed as the Nazis overwhelmed his country. Older than fifty now, having earned the right to a quiet life in academia but refusing to leave his beloved France, Block joined the Resistance, fought against the Nazis, was captured, tortured and killed. And so, "The Historian's Craft" becomes a record to help us interpret Marc Bloch's life and the era of occupied France, as well as lessons in craft from a learned man.

Bloch wrote: ...a generation represents only a relatively short phase. Longer phases are called civilizations."

Journalists and historians have the daunting task of answering the five W's. However, Marc Bloch answers history's who, what, where, when, and why in his somewhat legendary book pertaining to the understanding of the historical method, THE HISTORIAN'S CRAFT, like a stream of thought or a conversation with the reader. Although Bloch's examination is not meant to be a complete analysis, he provides a general theoretical and philosophical discussion as it relates to history that is insightful and thought provoking.

I happened to come across this book, not by reading it in one of my history classes, but by looking at the footnotes and bibliographical information embedded in several scholarly articles I read where the mention of the book kept appearing. It is only now that I have had the chance to read this classic book. Bottom line, Bloch summarizes and observes historiography in 20/20 hindsight e.g., "history was a whole, that no period and no topic could be understood except in relation to other periods and topics" (ix). And ironically, Bloch writes from a pre-1945 perspective and did not complete the book as a result of his sudden passing during World War II; one can imagine what his perspective would have turned out to be if he had lived.

Indeed, Bloch was inclined to examine and research history from an interdisciplinary perspective. And although the subject of history has been described as a foreign land, it is a vast landscape with limitless boundaries. A bulk of Bloch's discussion is based on his training, which took him from Ancient to Modern European history. But had he completed this piece of work, as one reads the concluding pages, possibly he may have delved deeper towards the other side of the globe towards Eastern civilization as well as the industrialist Western civilization. Thus Bloch took a broad historical perspective and implemented it within his discipline as an Economic historian who specialized in Medieval history, but interestingly managed to teach the economic development of the United States during his last years of teaching.

After reading THE HISTORIAN'S CRAFT, aspiring historians or the curious will find that their work has only just begun. Readers will be confronted with the theoretical and philosophical questions, but will also see why history is a part of the humanities as well as a craft that can be hypothesized and shaped to a particular interpretation, be it definitive or revisionist. Bloch makes several anecdotal comments, but this is one that is timeless: "Misunderstanding of the present is the inevitable consequence of ignorance of the past. But a man may wear himself out just as fruitlessly in seeking to understand the past, if he is totally ignorant of the present" (43). This is one of the reasons why this book is recommended for supplemental or essential reading.

This book is a primer on Historic Methodology for any aspiring historian, neophyte, dabbler in historic issues, and - perhaps most important of all - a concise road map to understanding the nuances of the historians craft. Furthermore, this book is often used in graduate programs of history or those in need of developing their skills at historic methodology or refining their historic lens as objective observers. Marc Bloch was one of the seminal historic scholars of our age. And his insights on how one reads history or attempts to read history clearly challenge personal bias with reading the tracks left by our ancestors and what their intentions, values, and ideals meant in their own time and for audiences long lost to our contemporary evaluations.

This book of reflections by a master historian (and victim of the Nazis, which cut short his illustrious career), is not of the same order magnitude of a philosopher-historian like R. G. Collingwood (who made use of Bloch's work on France in the medieval period), but it contains many insights and historical remarks that make it interesting and informative.

I have read and enjoyed this book for years and think you will find it well worth reading and re-reading. The following famous lines from the book illustrate the zest and love he has for the subject:

"The good historian is like the giant of the fairy tale. He knows that wherever he catches the scent of human flesh, there his quarry lies."

I have it in French, and the English translation, and highly recommend it.

Marc Bloc's style of writing (or the translation) is extremely complicated. At many times, I had to re-read many paragraphs two to three times, just to get a gist of what he was trying to express.

Nonetheless, Marc Bloc displays that same complexity in the ideas he wishes to express. Although he apologizes for the lack of accuracy in some of his examples, he makes no such concessions on his views. Highly authoritative on controversial topics, like evidence, forgeries, and the perennial question of "why study history?", Marc Bloc attempts to use the subject of history as a platform to discuss other social issues i.e. economics, philosophy, abeit in an indirect manner.

Also, his chapter on Nomenclature deserves a good thorough read . It's very mind boggling and incisive. Although his final chapter on Historical Analysis has been dealt with by other historians like Carr, it does convey Bloc's passion for history - a trait which will certainly rub off on any history enthusiast.

Given its linguistic style and the subject matter, The Historian's Craft is not the book you would want to take to bed with.

Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches lays out the theological foundations for five different "emerging churches." The book features five Emerging pastors explaining some of the core beliefs of their congregations. Mark Driscoll, John Burke, Dan Kimball, Doug Pagitt, and Karen Ward each contribute a chapter and responses to the other chapters.

Mark Driscoll goes first. His chapter is a no-holds-barred "This is what the Bible says and that's what we believe" statement of faith. He focuses on three areas: Scripture, the Trinity, and the penal-substitutionary view of the atonement. He ends with a call for the emerging church to maintain belief in the traditional understanding of hell. Mark challenges the idea that theology must be changeable in order to reach a postmodern generation.

John Burke goes next. His chapter is a call to Christians to be involved in "messy ministry." We are called to welcome people into our fellowship and lead them out of their brokenness. He, like Driscoll, believes Scripture is the foundation of all we do.

Dan Kimball also affirms Scripture as the ultimate authority for Christians, though he places more emphasis on the Nicene Creed than the others do. Where Kimball differs from Driscoll and Burke is in his call to humility and the embrace of "the mysterious." He believes that the afterlife is mysterious, the ways God work are mysterious, and that we should not try to be people who have all the answers.

Doug Pagitt's chapter focuses on "embodied theology" and epitomizes the current movement towards an "everchanging" theology that is never permanent. Within a few pages of space, he criticizes the Reformation, Augustine and the idea of Scripture as ultimate authority. He also leaves as an open-ended question the issue of sexual behaviors expressly condemned in Scripture.

Karen Ward goes last. Her chapter is the most creative, as it incorporates blog posts from people in her congregation. Of most interest in her chapter is her failure to mention "sin" as our biggest problem and her downplaying of the significance of preaching and the cross of Christ. Still, she has some good ideas to offer, such as seeing the idea of discipleship as a life-transforming apprenticeship.

I appreciate Robert Webber's oversight of the book. He was right to choose pastors as contributors. I would've liked to see Erwin McManus and Rob Bell included, but I suppose there wasn't enough room for everyone.

Theologically, I am closest to Mark Driscoll, (though with a somewhat different tone). Throughout the book, Driscoll sticks out like a sore thumb, but I'm not sure that's necessarily a bad thing. I was surprised Mark would still fit the "emerging" category, but I guess it is difficult to ignore his incredible ministry to postmodern Seattle.

After reading Pagitt's and Ward's chapters, I was left scratching my head and wondering, "Why did Jesus have to die? And why is Christianity any better an option than the other religions out there?"

I predict that many of the more vocal and prominent Emerging churches and pastors will continue heading down the path of last century's liberalism and that the Emerging pastors who hold to traditional theology will continue to distance themselves from the label. This is already happening in some circles. "Missional" is now a term for many who like the incarnational aspect of "emerging" but don't want to be associated with all the sloppy theology.

Anyone who wants to know more about the Emerging Church should read this book. The debates are civil, and the conversations are enlightening. At the end, though, one sets down the book, puzzling over the profound diversity within this movement and wondering how long such diversity can be sustained.

Webber's book borrows a helpful and increasingly popular format for this work: five essays by different authors, which responses to each essay by the other four. It's interesting to see a brief window into the minds of a few names that are floating around in the Christian conference circles, but ultimately you're not likely to learn anything about theology by reading the book.

Driscoll rehashes the old evangelical conservativism. Everything is a quote from the Bible, and women aren't allowed to be Pastors. Kimball and Burke represent a sensitive kind of conservativism that is more willing to talk with people of different beliefs without jumping to correct or scold. However, knowing something of their beliefs, there is the same militant fundamentalism underneath. They've just updated their worship services with powerpoint and candles, and in fairness to them, they really care about evangelism. Pagitt and Ward are deconstructionists. They prefer casting doubt on any kind of definitive beliefs to taking stands. Ward pastors a church of only about 80 people in a densely populated city and is living out the same fate of most liberal, mainline churches. Pagitt wanders aimlessly from vague affirmations of pantheism, relativism, Pelagianism, and process theology. He talks about it all as if it were revolutionary, instead of just rehashing the liberal meanderings of the last fifty years.

One wonders about the arrogance of those who have nothing new to say but claim the name of "movement" for themselves. None of them really says anything of theological import. The only merit of the book is that it is what the title says, so if you really want to know what they think, this is the kind of book you'd want. The problem is that it's not clear why we should want to know what they think.

Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches - Five Perspectives is a book edited by Robert Webber that contains theological essays by five leaders of the emerging church. Those of you who have any familiarity with the emerging church know how difficult it is to pin down anything, so this book provides a little glimpse into the theology of a few successful emerging churches.

There are five essays, each followed by responses by the other four authors. The overwhelming tone of this book is one of friendship and respect. Even when there are radically different views the responses provide a glimpse of how I believe God intended us to work through these things. There is no shouting, no condemning, there is love and respect. It is wonderful to behold.

There were a few quotes from Dan Kimball that I thought were worth sharing about the beliefs of the emerging church:

----

If we are only trying to be "relevant" (a word churches love to use), by adding candles and coffee, using art in worship, and playing hip music, this is not good. Those are only surface fixes. If we merely tweak the surface level of things, we are missing the whole point of cultural change and what the emerging church is about. That is only a re-fluffing of the pillows. I believe true emerging churches must go deep within, and from the inside out, rethink, reshape, and revalue how we go about everything as culture changes. We must rethink leadership, church structure, the role of a pastor, spiritual formation, how community is lived out, how evangelism is done, how we express our worship etc.

...

But nevertheless, the emerging church needs to revere, teach, respect, discuss, and study the Bible. I think all the more in our emerging culture, do we need to create a culture of hungering for the Scriptures.

----

I really like what Dan Kimball had to say. I think he "nailed it" with regards to some of the common misconceptions about the emerging church (e.g. it's all about worship style). I also found this line from Webber's conclusion very intriguing:

----

First, these leaders remind us that we live in a new world. This assertion doesn't mean that emergents feel the old modern world is completely gone. They acknowledge we live in two worlds-the modern and postmodern. What they ask of us is to get ready for the new world, to recognize that we live in a time of transition, where the old Christendom is dying and the new postmodern world is emerging...the church is in a new missional setting.

----

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in understanding the theology of the emerging church. Although I certainly disagree with some of the points these guys make (as do the other authors in the book), I found the overall tone and "feel" of this book to be very Christ-like and inspiring. God is doing great things with the emerging church. We need to praise Him for raising up leaders like the five essayists in this book and pray for more like them to lead the next generation of the church.

Joel

This book is simply not a conversation (at least not for one of the participants). Further, Mark Driscoll doesn't seem to be listening to any of the other people who contribute to this book.

Driscoll's chapter seems to be a recycled piece of propaganda. His positions are "backed" by scripture references over 200 for his 15 pages. He advocates a "Biblicist" tradition that reads as a very reformed position (with the possible exception of a modified Arminianism or Wesleyanism). Driscoll's responses to the other person's chapters are especially revealing as he labels the other person's positions and then rejects them. For example he dismisses Karen Ward as the pastor of an "average" church and then even questions here leadership because of her gender. He mentions Dan Kimball's cool hair. I found Driscoll's "contribution" to the book to be of very little value. Further, he doesn't seem to be engaged in the emergent conversation unless you count the fact that he recommends Leslie Newbigin and Gruder's books on his website.

John Burke's chapter speaks of the messiness of ministry. He advocates a place where people are accepted and engaged by persons who attempt to incarnate Jesus.

Dan Kimball moves to explain how he moved from being Dispensationalist position to a missional theology. This missional theology is much more mysterious and adventurous than a mathematical puzzle.

Doug Pagitt seeks a theology which is embodied. This theology must be contextual and he argues for thinking in relational terms. I suppose that this chapter aligns most closely with what I think of when it comes to the emergent church.

Karen Ward takes the local theology of the "apostles" of the "Church of the Apostles" located in Seattle. She advocates a communal listening to the Scriptures from the Revised Common Lectionary. Her chapter is an ad hoc correlation of comments from the theological soup of her congregation.

...is what emerging churches are about, at least according to this book (with the exception of Mark Driscoll's contributions). I say "contributions" because each of the five contributors not only writes a chapter of his/her own, but responds to each of the chapters by the other contributors. So by the time you've finished the parts written by the contributors, you have a pretty good idea of what the contributors are thinking about things.

In addition, this book contains some context for the conversations of the contributors, provided at the beginning and end by evangelical theologian Robert Webber. He contends American evangelical Christianity is at the beginning of the fourth of four roughly twenty-year cycles, seeking how to interact with a post-Christian, neo-pagan culture, finding that the questions to which they have answers aren't being asked anymore.

The placement of the names on the cover is a pretty accurate reflection of where the contributors are theologically. The only change I would make is swapping Karen Ward and Doug Pagitt.

Each of the five contributors have different diagnoses of the problems with American evangelical Christianity in the early 21st century:

Mark Driscoll says the problem is watering down the truth of Scripture, giving Jesus a makeover to make him more attractive to our culture. His prescription is to unapologetically present the message of Jesus as told by an authoritative Scripture. As I read his words, I remembered Bible teacher J. Vernon McGee saying "The chief sin of the church is ignorance of the word of God."

John Burke says the problem is that American Christians are both hypocritical, unchanged in their character and behavior, and judgemental, believing they have a monopoly on truth. His prescription is to invite people to come as they are, recognizing it might take a while for changes in people to take place.

Dan Kimball says the problem is that we're still stuck with those dispensational end-time charts, and scared that someone is going to ask a question to which we don't know the answer. His prescription is to create a worshipping community of missional theologians, people who are well-versed in the study of the nature of God, and inquiring into religious questions.

Doug Pagitt says the problem is any number of assumptions about the way we do theology, an unwillingness to address new questions raised by scientific advances, and an unwillingness to think about the increasing rate of cultural change. His prescription is to challenge these assumptions and address new cultural realities.

Karen Ward says the problem is the modern pastor-as-CEO model. Her prescription is an apprentice model of discipleship, distributing as much of the mentoring as possible. Her prescription also involves a metaphor of theology as the cooking of tasty, nutritious food, as opposed to the metaphor of theology as architecture.

Robert Webber provides a helpful summary of the contributions in his conclusion section. In my opinion, Webber's Appendix 2, "What is the Ancient-Future Vision?" and Appendix 3, "A Call to an Ancient Evangelical Future" should have been placed immediately after the conclusion section, because Webber just wasn't finished commenting. It is unfortunate that some readers of this book won't read these parts because of where they are placed.

I considered my complaints about the placement of names on the cover, and the placements of the appendices to be insufficient to take the fifth star away from a revealing book about American evangelical Christians in the early 21st century.

Full Disclosure: I attend Solomon's Porch in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Doug Pagitt, one of the contributors, is my pastor.

To begin with: this book is a pamphlet, not (as I had expected) a treatise. It is a call to action about a specific event, not a political programme. Readers expecting a statement of the conservative creed may be disappointed. Hence the 4, not 5 stars.

As a historical document, however, the Reflections are invaluable. Burke published his point-by-point assault on the French Revolution in 1790, when the revolution was still widely popular in Britain. He was an English MP and his public, even if the Reflections are formulated as two letters to a French aristocrat, was British political opinion.

First, his book contrasts admirably the gradual, and ultimately more successful, British path to democracy to the French. Indeed the core of his argument is that the revolution laid waste to tradition, depriving its end system of the essential legitimacy that stems from it. Second, Burke was the first to warn - years before the `terror' - that radical change, once initiated, would be exceedingly difficult to stop. Third, he makes penetrating (and scathing) observations on the role of class renegades; his dissection of their motivations is striking and finds application in all situations of political upheaval. Burke's warning on radical change was vindicated not just in France, but repeatedly in Europe through the 19th and early 20th centuries. With respect to the French Revolution, he understood that any stabilisation depended on solving the question of church property, which the revolutionaries were already bungling (one smiles at a British MP springing in defence of the catholic church in the still popular days of `no popery!', but the analysis has to be cold-bloodedly correct).

The only rebuttal to Burke's argument is that the status quo was not an option either. His picture of pre-revolutionary France is on the rosy side; unlike the British, the French monarchy was in deep crisis. Nevertheless, I strongly believe this should be taught in France alongside the more hagiographical stuff. I am French, by the way, and an admirer of the revolution.

Don't buy this book! The Revised Oxford Edition of this classic book has it all: Insightful introduction, properly translated quotations, fine notes.

Reflections on the Revolution in France written by Edmund Burke and Edited with an introduction by Conor Cruise O'Brien the Penguin Classics version is the best version of this unparalleled powerful work. The reason for this is that included in this version you have an introduction that gets the reader upto speed. For Burke is without doubt the foremost conservative British political thinkers of his time, (1729-1797).

There is a biographical note on Edmund Burke right after the introduction giving the reader a historical perspective into who is Edmund Burke and why his advice was sought after with regard to the French Revolution and the consequenses of its following. Unlike the United States, France had an established entrenched government, so any change in form of government meant that an upheavel of property, religion, and traditional French institutions would have to occur. Underlying the French Revolution was the latent Catholic Cause which being Irish Burke had a good deal of sympathy.

Burke's Reflections written in 1790 was a really good prediction of the events pretaining to the Reign of Terror experienced by the French. This edition of Edmund Burke's "Reflection on the Revolution in France" has well explained footnotes further giving the reader a much greater appreciation for the practical wisdom of Burke. Burke was a man who would've rather seen a gradual or piecemeal reform as opposed to a revolution as he was sceptical in his belief in expediency.

Another plus for this edition, in contrast to the others available, is that there is a well appointed "Notes" at the end of Burke's writing. Also, at the very end of this book you'll have a recommended reading list, which for those inclined is indispensable. By far this edition is well worth reading and great care has been given to bring this important work in a form that is easily understandable, with enough detail to make it interesting reading.

Can't improve on the text of REFLECTIONS ON THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCE. He was the dominant political thinker of the last quarter of the 18th century in ENgland. His reputation depends less on his role as a practising politician than on his ability to set contemporary problems within a wider context of political theory. The introduction by L.G. Mitchell argues this point congently. Mitchell's intro appears in the Oxford University Press edition. It's cheaper, too.

Burke's "Reflections on the Revolution in France" is analysis lacking in accuracy and originality by an enemy of democracy which should not be read without careful consideration of the author's motives and a thorough fore-knowledge of the French Revolution. Do yourself a favor and read some worthwhile reflections.

My husband and I have just returned from DC and found this guide very helpful. It helped give us brief snapshots of the places to go and see in specific neighborhoods. The reason I didn't give it a five star rating is the maps. We ended up buying a seperate map because they were very limited. The size of the book was a plus, it was easy to stash in my backpack. Having this to plan our trip prior to arriving in the city, was a great asset and helped make our trip more enjoyable. I'm planning a trip to NYC and plan on buying a Top 10 Guide for that trip.

I like the size of the book and the different categories. It may not be as complete as some others, but it has a lot of information in a size small enough to carry.

My son chose this book for researching our trip to DC. So far it is the usual great quality of information from DK Publishing. So many small maps, pictures with facts and great reading information. These are great for kids and adults. Thanks DK Publishing! ...We did take the trip to DC and found that this book was easy to carry with us and had ton of very valuable information. This was that best book for Washington DC. We got it for our son but we ended up using it alot!!!

If you are looking for a guide to carry with you when exploring DC than this is the guide. It lays out excellent recommendations on where to eat and visit. I would plan your trip with a bigger guide but this is the one I would carry with you on your day to day travels in DC.