Clarke Books

Professor Holt has done an outstanding job with this book. I've had this book long before Amazon.com came into existence and was thrilled to see it listed here. Holt's meticulous research into Robin Hood has been referenced by numerous other authors and researchers into Robin Hood, yeoman archers, and life in Medieval and Tudor England. Holt has persuaded a fair number of very intelligent researchers in their assessments of who Robin Hood was and his status as a yeoman. I've had this book since 1991, with worn pages and all, yet I still can't put it down. Highly recommended. Like one of the other persons who gave it 5 stars, I give it a 10 stars. * * * * * * * * * *

Holt has written an enthralling study of Robin Hood, of both the man (what little remains of him in the ballads) and the legend. He discusses the five earliest surviving ballads - "A Gest of Robyn Hode," "Robin Hoode his Death," "Robin Hood and the Monk," "Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne," and "Robin Hood and the Potter" - and from them details all that can be inferred of the original Hood and of the transmission of the legend in the 200 years before the songs of Robin Hood were first written down. Even after they began to be written down new elements in the legend emerged - Maid Marian and Friar Tuck only joined Robin's merry men in the 15th century. Although today we commonly think of Robin Hood as hanging around in Nottingham and Sherwood Forest, the early ballads most strongly connect him with Barnesdale ("My name is Robin Hood of Barnesdale," the outlaw once remarks in a ballad). Holt details the physical setting in which Robin Hood and his legend traversed, and also the type of people who were his original audience.

So who was Robin Hood? Holt answers, "There were more than one." Many outlaws later called themselves Hood, and some elements of the legends were possibly added on because a storyteller confused one Hood with our Robin Hood - this may explain why a actual march of Edward II's in 1322 is incorporated into the life of a bandit who probably lived a hundred years earlier. Holt does think there was an original Robin Hood, who inspired the legend, and believes that he lived in the first half of the 13th century. He is possibly identical with a certain outlaw named Robert Hod, aka Hobbehod, who is mentioned in records from 1225-26. Although there are many uncertainties, of all the suggested candidates for the "real" Robin Hood, Robert Hod is the most plausible, based on the existing evidence. If you get only one book about Robin Hood, make it this one.

I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.
It's a great book for anyone inteested in Robin Hood.
I'd give it 10 stars if I could.

Professor Holt wrote what came to be acknowledged as the definitive work on Robin Hood in 1981, and it was published the following year. A second edition appeared in 1988, incorporating significant new research. So that's the first point to make; make sure you get the later edition. The second point is that this new evidence, which pushed the first reference to Robin Hood a century further back in time, merited a re-write. Instead, Holt leaves the main text almost unaltered and discusses the new information in a postscript, and gives it a brief mention in a preface. The result is that the reader is presented with much speculation about the origin of the legend which is invalidated in the postscript. It's rather like having the rug pulled from under your feet.

Nonetheless, the work remains a fact-packed, authoritative guide to England's unlikely national hero. (Well, a thief who may or may not have existed seems an unlikely hero to me). Holt points the reader toward the earliest ballads, and I strongly recommend that you read these in parallel with the earliest chapters of this book. The ballads are all readily available, in the original and translated, on the Net, and they are great fun.

Robin is as elusive as he is intriguing, but he is well worth tracking, and Holt is probably still the best guide.

This book has the ring of authenticity about it. One British reviewer called it "Probably unsurpassable," and I agree. In this way it is like an Arthurian book by Ashe or Alcock. (I am thinking of "In Search of Arthur's Britain," which described the 1967 South Cadbury dig.)

You will learn the truth about the earliest Robin Hood stories - he was a yeoman, not a nobleman or a peasant, his earliest haunt was Barnsdale, not Sherwood. There was no Maid Marian at first, etc.

An excellent book for British history buffs and English lit types.

If you are looking for something different to give your childs teacher, try this book. Have your child dedicate the book to her teacher and in turn, the whole class gets to enjoy the book. It's something different that our teachers appreciated. Fun for all.

This book is cute; not (for me) the Best Book Ever, but certainly fun for reading with kids. My kids especially like the funny pictures.

I had the pleasure of receiving this book as a gift from not one but two different students ... I read it aloud and fell in love with it. The author is a teacher (no surprise), and I ... met him at a conference! He couldn't have been nicer. I have every intention of giving this book as a gift to my own children's teachers ... If you work in an elementary school or know someone who does, this book is a find. Best of all, the kids think it's hysterical!

Clever illustrations and a humorous storyline make this a must- read Christmas picture book for both children and adults. I am a first-grade teacher, and this book is the story of my life. I read this book to my students, and they could not wait to see what funny incident happened next. They have also asked me to read it to them over and over again. I highly recommend this title.

I am a third-grade teacher, and I loved this story. The chaos that is portrayed on the pages of this delightful picture book is so true regarding what it is like the last few days before Christmas vacation. I especially loved reading about the room mom commandos and the yearly Christmas pageant. I have bought this book as a gift for several of my colleagues who have also thoroughly enjoyed it.

This product is one of the few cleaners I've ever purchased that actually does what it says it's supposed to. It's powerful, yet completely safe! I would recommend it to any and everyone for all types of purposes!

great excercises for dexterity. it's no wonder this book is recommended.
this book will make you a better trumpeter/cornetist.

A must have for cornet/trumpet players. Make sure the studies are ingrained and technical passage problems should become a thing of the past.
Would also recommend buying direct from Amazon, great service guys!

Not much fun, but must master if you want to achieve technical profiency.

This book is THE standard book for developing technical facility on the horn. The key to playing any instrument well is learning your way around the instrument, and this book is the best way to get there. Every serious trumpet player I have every met, including myself, has used this book and continues to use it. You will literally never outgrow this book. Go all the way through it, and then start over at the beginning at a faster tempo, and then do it again, and so on. If you use this book faithfully you will be astonished at how quickly your playing will improve. This book is one of the fundamental building blocks of playing the trumpet, no matter what style you play.

This easy-to-read book provides a unique perspective on guerilla battle tactics and how the outlaw rebels of Missouri saw the Civil War conflict. As a former Kansan, it gave me an insight into the slaughter at Lawrence that I was unaware of. Other than John Brown, this subject was rarely discussed in the Kansas history classes I took! And, the viewpoint certainly would have been taboo. The story filled a void in my educational background. Should be required reading for high school students in the Plains States. No wonder the sports rivalry between KU and MU is so bitter! Ironically, published by the University of Oklahoma Press (1992), 232 pp.

I Highly recommend McCorkles first-hand account. It is not often that we can resolve much of the differing views of history with first-hand accounts by those that were there during most of the events. I would have given this book a five had it not been for the very "out-of-place" commentary at the front of the book by someone named Hattaway (of West Point New York). I taped the aprox 25 pages together with an adivosry to skip this section as it only appeared to be added to censor McCorkles account and done in very poor taste. Why would someone want to take the time to distort someone's personal account of history. The Introduction by Barton is done very well however. Why would the publisher think that a commentary should be added when the work already had an introduction? I think the Commentary might have been added after the book was submitted just to try to promulgate a pre-conceived notion of history. Skip the commentary and its a great short work.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Any interested individual or serious student of this era must read this book. I am fortunate enough to live in the present day setting where the author's story took place. This is the real thing. I only wish there had been more works of this quality produced and saved. We would have a much better insight to those times.

Although I don't like giving a 5 star rating to any book this book deserves 6! This is the real stuff, pre WWII, pre WWI, PRE-TV! It was written at a time before historic brainwashing by movies and television existed. Before people were self conscious about telling the truth. We can see the actual format of the "Civil" War sentiments. He reveals the concepts of dying, of The North, Slavery, and other aspects of the era that we are usually forced to accept from modern day writings, reflecting only current, politically correct viewpoints. The down to earth flow of this book is very enjoyable and is great reading for anyone with interest in this subject matter.

Quantrill is often maligned as a psychopathic killer and a despotic guerilla. John McCorkle not only refutes this common claim by the writers of the winner's history, but shows that Quantrill was a compassionate and honorable man. He shows a side to the War of Northern Aggression that is rarely told.

The introductions decry the author's side of the story, but they provide no evidence that is substantiated. The factual errors that McCorkle relates can easily be relegated to the fact that he was in his 80's when he told his story to O.S. Barton and the ravages of time on the memory are well noted throughout history.

This book is a rare glimpse into what made the Missouri Bushwhacker, or Partisan Ranger as they were properly known, what they were. What they did, how they fought, for what and whom they fought: it's all in here and with a lively color that brings to life the way life was in those most trying of times.

Although I was somewhat disappointed with its reference to only three hummingbird species, I've identified several others found in other sources, this book has been helpful with identifying certain bird feeder visitors like the House Finch. I had thought all the small birds in my yard were simply common House Sparrows. A pair of binoculars nearby, come in extremely handy in making out minor details and color patterns. A must for those living in the L.A. area newly addicted to bird watching.

Excellent. This is real book put together with loving care. Also useful for those who sail the coastal waters and who might wonder what kind of little warbler is hitching a ride on the sailboat in San Pedro Bay.

I have tried identifying birds with other books before, and I usually gave up in frustration because there'd be, like, 20 birds that mine could possibly be related to, but no exact match. These were mainly books that covered all of North America, or all of the Pacific states.

With "Birds of Los Angeles," I have actually identified several birds! The pictures are big and colorful, the information (habits, habitat, etc.) enough to tell you what you casually want to know. Its dimensions are compact but it is a little heavy, because of the weight of the glossy paper, but not impossible to take along backpacking.

20 years ago Los Angeles had over one hundred bad quality days (smoggy days). During 1997 only three bad quality days were called.

I suppose the birds never left the place, but now they are more beautiful then ever, and it is a pleasure to go outside to see them.

This book is a wonderful illustrated identification tool, it will augment your enjoyment of birding through this magnificent region.

This book easily deserves a 5 Star rating. It is, I think, the best book to get if you are beginning to get interested in birdwatching and live in the Los Angeles area. First, it is comprehensive - it covers almost all of the birds one is likely to encounter when doing basic birdwatching locally. Second, the illustrations are nicely done and large in size, making it easy for the beginning birder to identify area birds. (Although pictures may seem "better" to the beginning birdwatcher, as you gain experience birdwatching you will eventually learn that illustrations are usually better for birding field guides than photographs.) Third, it is thorough and engaging, each species' listing contains habitat and basic behavior information, (written in a short, concise way - see photos) list of similar species, "quick i.d." guides, and month to month abundance charts. This is all presented in easy to understand, non-pretentious language that is easy for anyone to read, though he also includes a glossary of difficult terms. To round out the complete effort, he includes a few birdwatching sites in Los Angeles (though this is very limited and you'll want to look up more information on each site online), as well as a list of further books you can look at and a list of birds that you can check-off as you go along. Finally, as one would expect of a field guide, the book itself is well made and durable, the spine is sturdy and the pages glossy - a good thing if you end up dropping it along trails (as I have) or read it from cover to cover several times (again, as I have). I disagree with a previous review - it is very lightweight much more manageable than most other field guides. (Amazon's estimate of 9 ounces sounds about right.)

To sum up, this is the book that got my son and I both hooked on birdwatching, and it is still the first book my son (8 years old) chooses to take with him to birdwatch around Los Angeles. It is a superb effort and, at $9.95, a great value. If you remain interested in birdwatching after this guide, you can always "upgrade" to the much more thorough and technical Sibley's Guide to Birds later on. Even though I have Sibley's, I'm looking forward to purchasing the San Diego version of this guide soon!

One of the most famous books about Canadian province British Columbia, Eric Collier's gripping Chilcotin memoir `Three Against the Wilderness' (1959) is a classic homesteading account. Born in Northampton, England in 1903, Eric married a girl of Indian descent, Lillian Ross, in 1928. Two years later, in spite of his wife's hip deformity due to a childhood accident, the couple took a wagon, three horses and their 18-month-old son Veasy, along with a tent, some provisions and $33, and reached the Stack Valley where they lived in an abandoned cabin. In a few years they relocated to Meldrum Creek, ten miles away, where they lived in a tent and built their own cabin. He and his wife Lillian had promised her 97-year-old grandmother, LaLa, to bring the beavers back to the area that she knew as a child before the white man came. Collier imported several pair of beaver, and raised the area's water table sufficiently to reinstate the beaver population. He encouraged more humane trapping methods and increasingly turned his hand to writing. In 1949 he was the first non-American to win Outdoor Life's Conservation Award and in the 1950s the staff at Outdoor Life encouraged him to consider writing a book about his experiences as a pioneering conservationist and trapper. Written by longhand and then transcribed onto his Remington typewriter, Collier's recollections of 26 years of family life and 'roughing it in the bush' for Three Against the Wilderness (1959) were a hit, and soon condensed by Reader's Digest and re-sold in at least seven translations around the world. See abcbookworld for more details of this and other books related to British Columbia.

I read the `Companion Book Club' version of this book as a boy (about 11) and loved it - I expect I identified with young Veasy. It must have been condensed though, so I would recommend an original 1959 to 1960 hardback, although a new paperback version is being published soon (April 2007). Amazon resellers often have the old out-of-print hardback books for sale (mine was published by Hutchinson, London around 1960). They aren't expensive (a fiver or so) and have piccies of the log cabins, the family and local moose. The book has 270 pages of (quite small) text. The story would actually make quite a good film, and it is very sad that the book is now virtually unknown to the younger generation.

My father introduced this book to me when i was a young boy and ive been drawn back to it in the fall of every year since.I can tell you that you`ll find your self transported to a time when family was the number 1 thing in your life,it had to be because you totally realied on one another for everything.It gives you a feeling of hope that is allmost undiscribile.The collier family take me into there life every year and at that time i feel as if i am apart of their story. My thanks to them and i hope you have the same wonderfull experiance that i have had again and again.

My first contact with this story began in 1959 when my mother read the condensed book section in the Readers Digest to me and to two other small boys from up the road. She said that we sat spellbound. It was a good story then; it has been each of the multiple times that I've read it. The story is of a man whose father wanted him to be a lawyer in England but who came to B.C. in about 1921 and ended up on 150,000 acre registered trap line ---to which he reintroduced the beaver. It is an intensly personal and heartwarming story of a family as it faced the wilderness into which they had come. The world of ecology today needs to remember that there were those who took serious the simultanous protection and the use of the environment before today's jealots were born.

This true life story provides inspiration and excitement as author Eric Collier tells of his family's struggles and triumphs living isolated in the Canadian wilderness with only his wife and son. This is a book that you will treasure as I have. You can not help but discover a renewed respect for nature. More importantly, though, you will be privelaged with a unique insight in to one family's devotion , commitment, and reliance on one another that makes "Leave it to Beaver" and "The Waltons" seem disfunctional.

There was a time when, I think, every public and every school library stocked at least one copy each of Three Against The Wilderness, North To Alaska, and Crusoe of Lonesome Lake. That was before video games and role playing captured our youth's attention. Now, all three are quickly disappearing from our libraries.

Three Against is a heart-warming story of one Britisher finding himself in a remote area of Canada's British Columbia. In a search for a life he could enjoy among nature, he finds a badly damaged remote tract of land and decides to make a life for himself and his new wife (Native American) by restoring nature's grandeur by introducing beaver.

The story is one of courage and sacrifice and helps explain not only the early days of conservation but of how one man could make a difference in his environment by acting locally. Margaret Meade would have been proud as punch!

After you read this book, read North To Alaska and Crusoe of Lonesome Lake. You will probably do as I and keep a copy for reading every couple of years to remind yourself you can dream, you can improve your world, and you can enjoy living without too greatly harming the environment.

I started to collecting years ago. This book shows what you might find. Keep looking.

This booklet gives a nice overview of different types of fountain pens through the years. Though not complete, I use it often for my collection of pens.

Books about fountain pens seem to fall into two catagories useful but outrageously expensive ($70 - 150+) and small, fluff books that are reasonably priced (less than $50). Happily, this is neither. This book is reasonably priced and contains 365 (small) pages of clear, large, in focus, color photos showing familiar and unfamiliar fountain pens from all periods of their production (with emphasis on the 20th century). The captions are shorter than I would have liked, but contain valuable information about each pen. While this book isn't a starter ID book for pen collectors, it is a useful addition to any pen collectors book shelf. Two thumbs up.

If you own three books on pens, this should be one of them.

Weighing in at 1.3 lbs and measuring a mere 5.5 inches square, 1.25 inches thick I must say this book looks great on the coffee table (even in soft cover the pages are high quality gloss) and tempts every guest or onlooker.

Don't let size fool you, this beautiful book is packed with information, great pictures, succinct yet informative descriptions with an excellent introduction, covering history, pen design and ink.

Specific topics covered are Vintage, Modern, Precious, Thematic and Unusual. If you're a collector, reseller or only an interested party this little book offers a complete and concise examination of the fountain pen world.

Especially noteworthy are many models with multiple pictures of different colors and materials used. You may not find every pen your looking for when using this book as a reference tool but you can't go wrong by adding it to a collection of other fountain pen books. The difference? This one belongs off the bookshelf and on display!

I've had the opportunity to see Marty Clarke speak and won this book at the event. This book is a must read! It rings unbelievably true, but Marty has a way of making a point that is darkly amusing - laugh out loud funny and necessary to anyone who communicates in business.

Marty Clarke's years of experience as both seller and buyer can directly benefit anyone who reads this book and applies the lessons he outlines. In the particularly succinct, humorous and sharp style that is unique to Marty, the reasons behind the land mines are covered along with how to avoid or, when necessary, lessen their damaging effects. I've also found his `Worth Repeating' summaries to be very useful in their own right as quick reference reminders when I need to refresh the lessons.

Like many things, it boils down to practicing common sense and extending common courtesies, useful in everything beyond the sales environment that is the context of the book.

Marty doesn't go in to the buyers' land mines, but his `Leadership Land Mines' is an excellent companion piece to this one.Leadership Land Mines! 8 Management Catastrophes and How to Avoid Them

Valuable gems of information on communication gaffes that should be corrected in the B2B sales world. Best nuggets for me included removing "call me back" from my vocabulary; avoid handing Mr. or Mrs. Whizbang a "to-do" list, and why scribbling notes in margin of your day planner don't count. A quick read of this book will help set you apart from the amateurs.

Not only have I read it twice, I am buying another copy for a client. This book is sharp, true, and funny. My favorite part is on agreed upon next steps. Marty says not having them is just "visiting". I am using these agreed upon next steps as a prerequisite for more time investment. This has helped my sales effectiveness measureably. When they're difficult, my radar for a time waster is on RED ALERT. Thanks, Marty for a great book. Seeing you speak was a great treat as well.

I wish every business person would read this book and require it to be read by everyone they hire.

I am continuously amazed by the lack of basic communication skills, not only by recent graduates, but, in some cases, by successful business people.

I believe Chapter nine, on grammar and spelling, could be a significant help to most TV newscasters.

This is easy to read, but contains lessons that we all could benefit from (from which we could all benefit!).

This book was very uplifting for me. With the vast amount of information/theories that was written, when I finished I had a lot to think about and apply in my life.

THIS BOOK IS EXCELLENT, IT GAVE VERY GOOD INFORMATION AND PICTURES ON A MAN WHO HAS DEDEICATED HIS WHOLE LIFE TO THE AWAKENING OF THE AFRICAN MIND AND THE INVESTIGATION OF OUR HISTORY. HE WAS TRULY A MASTER TEACHER AND A TRUE PAN-AFRICANIST. I HAVE READ SOME OF HIS BOOKS AND I HAVE SOME OF HIS VIDEO LECTURES ON TAPE. I JUST SHURE HATE THE FACT THAT I NEVER GOT TO MET DR. CLARKE IN PERSON. HE HAS BEEN A TRUE INFLUENCE ON MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF MANY OTHERS. I WILL MAKE SHUREM PERSONALLY THAT HIES DREAM OF AFRICAN-CENTERED, OR AFRICAN-CENTRIC SCHOLARSHIP AND PAN-AFRICAN NATIONALISM AS WELL AS AFRICAN WORLD LIBERATION IS KEPT ALIVE.

THIS BOOK IS EXCELLENT, IT GAVE VERY GOOD INFORMATION AND PICTURES ON A MAN WHO HAS DEDEICATED HIS WHOLE LIFE TO THE AWAKENING OF THE AFRICAN MIND AND THE INVESTIGATION OF OUR HISTORY. HE WAS TRULY A MASTER TEACHER AND A TRUE PAN-AFRICANIST. I HAVE READ SOME OF HIS BOOKS AND I HAVE SOME OF HIS VIDEO LECTURES ON TAPE. I JUST SHURE HATE THE FACT THAT I NEVER GOT TO MET DR. CLARKE IN PERSON. HE HAS BEEN A TRUE INFLUENCE ON MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF MANY OTHERS. I WILL MAKE SHUREM PERSONALLY THAT HIES DREAM OF AFRICAN-CENTERED, OR AFRICAN-CENTRIC SCHOLARSHIP AND PAN-AFRICAN NATIONALISM AS WELL AS AFRICAN WORLD LIBERATION IS KEPT ALIVE.

THIS BOOK IS EXCELLENT, IT GAVE VERY GOOD INFORMATION AND PICTURES ON A MAN WHO HAS DEDEICATED HIS WHOLE LIFE TO THE AWAKENING OF THE AFRICAN MIND AND THE INVESTIGATION OF OUR HISTORY. HE WAS TRULY A MASTER TEACHER AND A TRUE PAN-AFRICANIST. I HAVE READ SOME OF HIS BOOKS AND I HAVE SOME OF HIS VIDEO LECTURES ON TAPE. I JUST SHURE HATE THE FACT THAT I NEVER GOT TO MET DR. CLARKE IN PERSON. HE HAS BEEN A TRUE INFLUENCE ON MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF MANY OTHERS. I WILL MAKE SHUREM PERSONALLY THAT HIES DREAM OF AFRICAN-CENTERED, OR AFRICAN-CENTRIC SCHOLARSHIP AND PAN-AFRICAN NATIONALISM AS WELL AS AFRICAN WORLD LIBERATION IS KEPT ALIVE.

This book really enlightened me. It gives a lot of information about a very important man who was a great historian, among many other things. I had heard so much about Dr. J.H.Clarke but knew nothing about his personal life before reading this book. Also, although I had read some of his books I never had the opportunity to attend any of his lectures, seminars etc. and... see him in person to learn more about this man - I know he frequently enlightened many with his small group settings at "Clarke House" in Harlem, New York and that he also gave lectures at many of the City of New York colleges, and at other sites for those who were fortunate enough to attend. Many questions I would have asked him, if I had ever met him, were addressed in the book. I often wondered about his path in life and gained a lot of information about his path while reading this book. The book is easy to read and just about the right length. I suggest the reader digest the words a bit at a time, to retain the information given. It was pointed out to me that this book was shaped by information the writer gleaned from Dr. Clarke himself. It was not just a compilation of information obtained from other books. The writer actually heard Dr. Clarke tell her about his long life from his humble beginnings to the later years. Dr. Clarke enlightened many and so did this author.

What a great time I had reading this book. As a fan of the TV series and Hyacinth herself, I was delighted to read the daily account of one year in her life. Very very funny and entertaining. A definite must for anyone who's a fan and a must for anyone who enjoys a great laugh!!!

This adorable little book is ostensibly a copy of Hyacinth Bucket's one-year diary (a gift from Richard). As with any diary, the entries are (of course) handwritten. Also, there are copies of newspaper clippings, invitations, a few annotated photographs, and so on, throughout. The first page, as one might expect, is a list of important phone numbers (all filled in and suitably annotated by Hyacinth with comments such as "dirty hands--must NOT touch wallpaper" next to the electrician's number, for example).

Though the diary makes reference to people and places that were introduced in the series--like Marston Hall (Hyacinth's rural retreat) and C.P. Benedict (the Garden Centre king), it is not a script-based book as is her Book of Etiquette. In fact, it includes incidents that never appeared in the series at all, such as a visit to the Antiques Roadshow. Also, from various comments included in the diary, the reader begins to wonder fairly early on whether or not Richard is seeing another woman (which adds quite an interesting twist!).

In short, this is a light-hearted and thoroughly entertaining (not to mention insightful) book, and it is a must-have addition to the series for all who love this priceless British comedy and that precious Bucket woman. Highly recommended!

I ordered this book on Feb 14, 1999 and have not yet recived this book! 3-5 weeks has turned into 3 months!

The book is pure Hyacinth. It's like reading her mind!

This book is so well written, it really makes you question the type of babble that we sell for books here in this country. The comedic content is wonderful - it's all there - timing and everything!!