King Books

Foxy Statehood Hens and Murder Most Fowl

Score: 4 / 5

Reviewer: Vee of Night Owl Romance

Online: http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.asp?ReviewId=1080

Foxy Statehood Hens is a fun, three-story collection of romantic mysteries set in Oklahoma. All the stories take place or end in 1907, the year Oklahoma became a State.

The Spinster, The Pig and The Orphan by Jackie King

New to the Indian Territory in 1889, Harriet Lauren sets out to find a husband. With an inheritance, she opens a hotel and hires Radine Morgan an orphan who soon becomes a good friend.

After Ida Mae, a local 'fallen dove' and friend of Radine's is killed, Radine sets off to find the killer.

With likable characters, a good plot, wonderful dialog and social commentary of the time, The Spinster, The Pig and The Orphan is an entertaining read.

The Raucous Bird and a Felony Twist by Paula Watkins Alfred

Rebecca Donna Summersdale, an orphan who longs to shed the restrictive chains of womanhood, pretends she is Donnie, a boy. But upon meeting Donnie, Miz Myrtle, a local shop owner, sees through the disguise and demands an explanation. After hearing it, Miz Myrtle decides to help Donnie along in the charade. The pair become very good friends.

When Miz Myrtle is nearly murdered and left unable to speak, Donnie comes to her aide to bring about justice.

The Raucous Bird and a Felony Twist is a delightful story full of the unexpected. With colorful characters, an interesting plot and the added tension of Donnie coming into womanhood the story is a page-turner. I also felt the sense of time and place was well done as well as the dialog.

Hats, Healing and Homicide in Tulsey Town by Peggy Moss Fielding

After the death of her grandmother, Eula Mae Kent sets out for Arkansas to be with an Aunt she'd never met. When she is unexpectedly left behind by the lecherous Mr. Montmorcey, she is helped by Bartlett Starr, a local man who takes her into Tulsey Town, OK, where she decides to set up a hat shop.

Then the murder of one of the locals shakes things up and Eula Mae takes matters into her own hands.

While another period piece set in an unusual setting, the characters and their plight never felt real. The story felt forced and the ending contrived.

© Night Owl Romance 2007-2008

Statehood brings brave women to Oklahoma who succeed on the frontier by their charm and wit. This collection of novellas delightfully combines the best of mystery, romance, and western. Alfred's gender-bender shows her heroine disguised as a man only to discover the town banker has fallen in love with him/her. Fielding's novella leads us on a wonderful journey to life among Native Americans in pre-statehood Tulsa, and King's story fictionally demonstrates how young women actually came west and succeeded in commerce and romance. The book is a fun read and a great gift for the foxy hen in your life, whatever age she may be.

What a terrific little read, these three novellas celebrating Oklahoma's 100th birthday.

The second sentence in Jackie King's contribution, THE SPINSTER, THE PIG AND THE ORPHAN, defines the story. "One didn't buy a husband in the same way one bought a lumberyard."

Author Paula Watkins Alfred uses vernacular to push the reader back in time and give one the shivers as a young girl pretending to be a young man bumbling into danger in THE RAUCOUS BIRD AND A FELONY TRYST.

In the final offering, Peggy Fielding provides an affectionate close-up view of early day Tulsa in HATS, HEALING AND HOMICIDE IN TULSEY TOWN.

Foxy Statehood Hens is a great book - entertaining, and informative. It makes you really think about the hardships the early settlers endured as Oklahoma was settled, but especially the difficulties for women. But mostly, it was a fun read, and all three stories (romantic mysteries) really keep you guessing...and laughing! This is a great book for a lazy Sunday afternoon with a glass of tea, a hammock and a cool summer breeze.

Just in time for the Oklahoma Centennial, the Foxy Hens, also known as Peggy Moss Fielding, Jackie King and Paula Watkins Alfred, have created a delightful anthology of novellas set in the early days of Oklahoma statehood. FOXY STATEHOOD HENS is the second anthology by these authors, the first anthology is titled CHICK-LIT FOR FOXY HENS. This time the "Hens" have hatched three short murder mysteries. "The Spinster, the Pig and the Orphan" by Jackie King tells the tale of a spinster hotel owner with a murder on the premises. "The Raucous Bird and a Felony Tryst" by Paula Watkins Alfred chronicles the life of a young girl masquerading as a boy. Sleuthing is enough adventure for her until she loses her heart to the town banker. The heroine of Peggy Fielding's "Hats, Healing and Homicide in Tulsey Town" solves a murder with the help of a magical horse and his oh-so-romantic owner. This trio of mysteries will please readers searching for mystery and history.

With poetic fashion, Lloyd King choppered me into another world with his private depiction of the incredibly emotional and physical fight he, his men, and our enemy had in the jungles of Vietnam. The devil is in the details, and it is hard to imagine how anyone survived the daily attacks on mind body and soul - except to say it took God's hand and a soldier's guts and courage. I didn't want to put this book down and admire how Lloyd served our country as hell broke loose, 24/7. Lloyd's penciled drawings portrayed this war and this warriors experience as an airborne infantryman in a powerful, interesting way. The words added much more.

Every day or situation is almost unbelievable. Lloyd becomes a squad leader after only twelve days in country. He gets shot in the head, bandaged and sent home on emergency leave, but not from his head wound - his brother died the same day - at coincidentally the time Lloyd's wife has a baby. Reality seems far fetched but it's all far too true. Lloyd goes back to join the fight again with the feelings and scars from both sides of the world. A microscopic view of a "tour of duty" gets revealed.

This highly decorated and caring man helped me fully understand what the daily grind was like on a man in the Vietnam jungle. I will read it again and recommend it to anyone that cares to serve their fellow man.

My review won't be as eloquent as the other reviews but since it comes from a "Grunt" that spent a year sleeping in the rice paddies of `Nam, I hope it provides an insiders view on the subject. As I read the poems I was struck with two thoughts... first, I found I had shelved a lot of memories of what I went through during my tour and second, I didn't realize there was poetry in the things I saw. My basic memory as an infantryman is comprised of snippets of action that more resembled a montage of photos, pinpointing specific frozen events with nothing leading up to or away from the action taking place. Mr. King's book provides a background that gives movement to the static moments in my mind. Well done.

I've never been a big fan of poetry, but I'm a huge fan of Lloyd King and his hard-hitting, vivid honesty! Covering topics from his first day in Vietnam to getting shot in the head to coming home, his work is a violent storm of beauty, emotion, fear, humility, and faith, which paint an honest picture of the ugliness of war and the brotherhood of troops in combat. By reading it, I learned a little about poetry, a little more about Vietnam, and a whole bunch about the poet. I absolutely could not put it down, and think that it is a perfect book for either poetry lovers or combat veterans.

This morning I experienced the War in Vietnam. I spent the entire morning reading "From 'Nam With Love." Mr. King brought me back to the horrors of jungle combat with his words.

I could visualize a young American soldier scrawling his daily emotions into a notebook under the light of the moon. I felt his highs and lows and cried over the loss of his friends. He brought to life the daily struggle of just trying to survive a year in Hell.

His poetic vignettes display the raw emotoins of war. They are just as true today as they were a half-century ago. This book is not just for Vietnam veterans. It is for their families and our latest generation of warriors and their loved ones too.

This is a must read for those who want to understand the trauma of going to war.

Emotional and spiritual and hard hitting poetry from the combat experiences of Lloyd King. In his well written book of prose, "From `Nam With Love - An Infantry Soldier's Vietnam" the reader is transformed along with the poet as he lives each day in the Nam. The poems are chronologically composed so that the emotional and spiritual energy grows and changes as the poet's "tour of duty" proceeds though the year. He labels the poems with dates that they represent; and occasionally ends some with a short footnote as to who was killed or if he was awarded some medal.

I have read thousands of Vietnam War poems over the last decade and there is for the most part a certain sameness to them. However, King takes us on new pathways with his thoughts and observations and covers some themes that I have not read else where. One of my favorite poems in his book illustrates this point clearly by going in a more divine and mystical direction. The poem is called "The Vision" and it deals with a strange event that happens to him on Hill 903.

There is much compassion in Kings poems as observed in several of his works of prose, such as the experiencing of his first combat kill. It shows a softer and more human side to this warrior; one that shows he is not some emotionless crazed killing machine as is portrayed in so many books and movies.

Lloyd's personal thoughts and out look on life are reflected throughout his book's prose and also in his wonderful illustrations. This is one of the better books of war poetry written from the Vietnam War. It is a journey of the heart and soul of that war experience for this poet and many others will be able to identify with him.

This book receives the MWSA's TOP BOOK RATING of FIVE STARS!

The MWSA's 2006 Gold Medal Award for "Best Book of Poetry"

I personally give this book my endorsement and highly recommend it to others.

Get Organized, Get Published is an excellent book by Cleaning and Time Management Guru Don Aslett and Carol Cartaino. The book contains tons of information on organization for the aspiring writer to the seasoned pro.

One of the greatest benefits from reading this book is the motivation it provides. When reading, you can't help but want to get to working on your writing projects. And once you get organized and get started, all you need to do is follow the advice in chapter 14 and Don't Stop!

Besides the tips, suggestions, and strategies that Aslett and Cartaino present, they have also included many quotes from published authors regarding the organization, time management, and writing strategies they have used to succeed. If just one of these gems helps you succeed, and I'm sure the combination of all the strategies in this book, if followed and acted upon, will, then the book will be worth more than its weight in gold.

I personally spent the last year focusing on dvds rather than writing projects. This year, my goals include doing a lot more writing. I pulled this book off the shelf to read again to assist me in making 2008 great. The motivation from this book will get me back to the keyboard, and the organization and time management strategies will ensure I reach my writing goals.

Thanks Don and Carol for a great book!

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author, speaker
Hard-Won Wisdom From The School of Hard Knocks, Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, and The Lock On Joint Locking series.

I don't have enough time. I don't even know where to start. I don't know what to write about.

The list of excuses is endless. The remedy can be found in "Get Organized, Get Published!"

No matter what your writing experience, you've probably encountered organizational problems, time constraints and a whole host of other writing-related issues. Now you can learn how to get the most out of your day, office space and how you can make effective use of your writing sessions.

Sample chapters include:

* Finding the Time to Write

* Making Your Master Plan

* The Big Step: Getting Started

* Organizing Your Work Area

* Organizing the Writing Process Itself

* Time Management Tips for Writers

* "Just a Minute": Outwitting Interruptions

If you struggle with any aspect of your writing - whether it be a cluttered desk, personal battle with time or even if you feel creatively empty - this book is designed to give you the extra edge in your writing venture.

"Get Organized, Get Published!" is a powerful motivational tool. Each page will help you capitalize on your writing dreams. This comprehensive guide to organizational strategies contains everything you need to "Get Organized, Get Published!"

OK, I have to admit, I am a published writer for 22 years, as a journalist and commentator. Yet, despite my many promises to myself, I have not moved myself to the stage where I can proudly add AUTHOR to my list of achievements. Why? I have enough material to publish some collected work type books, and enough ideas to put together a bunch more. But, getting organized and THINKING, ACTING (as in taking ACTION) and FOLLOWING UP in an organized manner have been my nemesis. I just read this book today and have to give the author credit for putting together an EXCELLENT resource and collection of USEFUL and USABLE ideas, tips, thoughts, and even action lists. A MUST HAVE book (and quite a bargain at the price I saw here) for anyone who is serious about writing that book he/she always wanted to - finally! Good luck.

This is a must have for anyone wishing to write a book of their own!

I've been doing book reviews for the Society for Technical Communication for about 6 years now and haven't come across a book as interesting as this one! It's very difficult to put down.

Currently, I'm writing a book of my own outside of my 40-hour writing position as a software documentation writer. I've made more headway on my personal book in the last three weeks than I have during the past year by following the tips suggested in this book. Other writers with whom I work are asking me about Don's book, as I have been taking it to meetings to read during those first few minutes that everyone is waiting for the meeting to begin.

This book overflows with helpful and "do-able" advice for eliminating distractions to writing. For someone who publishes quite frequently, I hate writing and will find nearly any excuse to avoid doing so. Perry Mason re-run? Cleaning the diffusion bowls (you know, those things around the lights on the ceiling)? Nearly anything becomes more attractive than writing. Aslett and Cartaino cut away all of life's frippery to help you get down to writing.

This is a clear, amusing and readable account of how Joan Darrah went from being a volunteer leader to become the mayor of Stockton, CA. Her engaging style makes it seem both doable and worthwhile. She recounts how much she was able to do by diplomacy and persuasion to dramatically reduce crime in the city and to take control of the city's development away from the developers and give it back to the people. Inspiring. And she is so likable. You end up feeling as though you have just had a good talk with a fine mentor. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone concerned about civic affairs.

This memoir is one of the most potent stories I have ever read about a woman politician. Joan Darrah is a phenomenal example of what women can do and overcome in the largely male dominated world of politics. I was so inspired not only by how she rose to the powerful position of mayor, but the ways in which whe changed the city of Stockton. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a strong woman who has accomplished so many remarkable things.

Women working in the political arena, whether as politicians, activists, or in a myriad of other areas, struggle with finding traveled paths relevant to their goals. What Joan Darrah has ratified is that our desires to be agents for positive change in our communities are worthy and that a path has been traveled. GETTING POLITICAL - STORIES OF A WOMAN MAYOR recounts her experiences as Mayor of Stockton, CA that led to a resurgence of community pride in her city and tremendous personal growth for herself. Darrah's book is a candid, intimate, and inspiring look at a woman successfully putting herself "out there." The community Joan speaks of is 250,000 but the experiences of a woman leading are universal to all that have chosen to put their foot forward. A must read for women that have been there and those that want to go.

Joan Darrah presents us with a remarkable testament of one strong woman's effort to change the political terrain of a community of 250,000, Stockton California. She succeeds.

Why wasn't there a book forty years ago when I was in college like this book? It is a real political primer, one which in real life stories, detail the evolution of a woman from a non-profit type leader to a shrewd politician.

Episode after episode detail the daunting challenges of Stockton in the nineties: the drowning of several children by the out of control Calaveras River, the disastrous designation of Stockton by FEMA as being in a flood plain--it could have been an economic calamity for Stockton, and the tragic shooting of a property owner and a policman in a drug raid.

Nothing could probably overshadow the horror of the lone gunman who shot to death several students at their school. How does a relative newcomer handle such awesome challenges? Joan Darrah does and jumps back and forth successfully from being the loving caretaker to the shrewd politician.

One incident, however, enfolds into a huge drama with the mayor pitted against powerful gambling interests as well as the city council. Her move to get the entire community to vote and drive the gambling interests out of town, is nothing short of exciting.

The style of the book moves you along. If a detail here or there doesn't appeal, right away you will find yourself in the middle of new and even more absorbing story.

And you are learning. This story could be the story of just about any modern city in this country with a multitude of challenges. And the book tells us how Mayor Darrah's wonderful patience and courage change things for the better.

There is the colorful story at the end of the book of how ships brought men from San Francisco, bound for the hills during the Gold Rush, right into the deep water port of Stockton, where they disembarked and set off by horse or mule into the foot hills.

Joan Darrah is the first person in a half century of efforts to successfully launch the re-vitalization of this downtown area.

If the facts don't fascinate at times, then the biographical aspects of the book will have appeal. A determined girl, promoted by a high energy dad and a loving mom, Joan presents us right away with a young person with much promise. Yet, in retrospect, Joan's marriage to a fifth generation attorney from a prominent Stockton family might have been the best choice to nail down her long term possibilities of a political career.

Linking with the right people is demonstrated over and over, and Joan's affirming these persons' special contributions is a clear key to a politician's success.

In a further bigraphical vein, Joan must be incredibly proud of her high achieving three children. They are contributors in the best possible sense of the term. Joan combines the best aspects of being a mom and wife with the conviction of being the best possible mayor.

This memoir is one of the most potent stories I have ever read about a woman politician. Joan Darrah is a phenomenal example of what women can do and overcome in the largely male dominated world of politics. I was so inspired not only by how she rose to the powerful position of mayor, but the ways in which whe changed the city of Stockton. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a strong woman who has accomplished so many remarkable things.

...this is one of those few books that i could randomly open to a page,-any page- and be thoroughly satisfied. It is that well-written. I was transported. I think that is one of the best compliments you can give to a work of fiction. I literally felt like i left my immediate surroundings and was with her on all her adventures.

One of the most grabbing, well written books I've read in a long time. It was especially intriguing as I read it while on holiday in Zanzibar! A definite read for anyone going there, and for anyone interested in a really good read.

If the shape of a life is determined by what one chooses to notice, maybe its trajectory is determined by what one fails to notice. In a world where nothing and no one are what they seem, Marcella D'Souza, intelligent, beautiful and determined, flees the haunted shores of her native Zanzibar to build a new life amidst an ad hoc family of ambitious immigrants in London. In this politically volatile, multi-cultural landscape where no one truly "belongs" Marcella finds love and an unexpected sense of belonging. The life she designs is satisfying and successful, but ultimately falls prey to the hidden designs of others. Multiple schemes, misapprehended systems and coincidence conspire, collide and explode into chaos. But Roger King, through his intriguing protagonist, seems to be saying that even chaos is illusive. "Disorder is only order we can't see, and coincidences are the evidence." Once betrayed, imprisoned and presently living in quiet exile, Marcella is once again reinventing herself in a foreign world, this time as a professor of Multi-cultural studies at a small Vermont College. From this temporary sanctuary she explores the graceful havoc of her personal history in a voice both poignant and utterly devoid of self-pity. "I had failed to read the signs. I had looked up and out when I should have looked down and in. I watched my front when I should have watched my back. I only noticed that...I failed to correctly evaluate... overlooked... misheard...mistook...I had only myself to blame." But personal responsibility, like personal history, is not so easily traced in a world of blurred borders.

Roger King is an adept magician weaving an intricate web in time. Marcella's tumultuous history casts sticky threads into an uncertain future and her present is delicately balanced between the two. The drama that unfolds when timelines meet is powerful -- it's unpredictable and yet somehow manages to deliver a mysterious sense of inevitability. Along the way, King's complex assortment of characters, all enchanting and unsavory in varying degrees, are rendered with profound compassion and insight. It's deeply satisfying reading.

The writing style is accessible and smart; complex without being confusing; insightful and reflective without weighing heavily. A great read!!!
What makes reading this novel so enjoyable is the adept weaving of history -- Zanzibar has a complex history, and it is told through the stories of the narrator, a young woman -- as well as via an insightful grasp of the contemporary condition -- of mobility, of otherness, of migration; it is both the tale of an individual, and the story of millions.
The author Roger King uses a wonderful method, of the narrator thinking about both past and present -- to bring us the careful, reflective details of an individual's life while at the same time painting a picture of the complex past (and present) difficulties of Zanzibar (particularly relevant given recent international press attention to this island archipelago off Tanzania).
The narrator, a young Goan (Indian and Portuguese descent; many settled in Zanzibar) woman who has recently come to the U.S. to teach, relates both delightfully concrete details of her life in Vermont and her past in Zanzibar, all the while revealing a very reflective story of personal changes and growth, wrangling with her past and present, as an "exotic" immigrant to the U.S. The weaving of past and present, of concrete and cerebral, make this a wonderfully rich story, both intensely personal and more broadly historical.

The wanderings of Marcella D'Souza, the protagonist of Roger King's brilliant new novel, have begun in her native Zanzibar; taken her to the bustling, multi-ethnic streets of Bayswater, London; and finally deposited her in a quiet college town in snowy Vermont, where she has been assigned to teach a vaguely-defined course in "multi-cultural studies." Looking back on her odyssey, she has this observation: "I think I have the making of a new theory here. Maybe these days, everything is so international, there's always an advantage in being from somewhere else. What is important is not local knowledge, but foreign knowledge. If the whole world is in motion, then the world's displaced are those who stay at home." "Those who stay at home" have had little role to play in Marcella's world. As a naive, ambitious newcomer to London--the New York Times calls her a "modern-day Candide"--she falls in with a group of equally peripatetic friends, people whose racial identity, national origin, and even religious affiliations can only be expressed via a long series of adjectives: "I've got it," an earnest British friend remarks of Marcella herself, "You're a Goan Indian Portuguese Arab African of Catholic Moslem parentage." This group of friends, living a hustling and often exuberant existence in the immigrants' netherworld of Thatcher's England, contains elements that the reader rightfully suspects will pull Marcella into dangerous waters. And indeed, from the novel's first page we know that she will end up serving time in prison for an unnamed crime. But the novel unfolds with such luminous grace, effortlessly moving us from scenes of the past, into the present, and back again yet more years, that we surrender to its shifting timeline without impatience. Instead, our knowledge of Marcella and her world becomes more richly layered. Our deepening understanding makes the novel's final revelations far more satisfying then if they had been disclosed earlier. A gloriously enjoyable novel, and one that adds to the reader's perception of a world that exists, if below the radar, in the most ordinary corners of the U.S. and Europe today.

This book was an awesome presentation of our responibility in Advancing God's kingdom. McQuilken is great at choosing his words carefully for impact. It is a great book for anyone intersted in developing ministry leaders, especially for communicating God's heart for worldwide mission. Don't let the small size of the book minimize its impact-potential in your ministry.

This book is a must read for every believer! It is NOT out of print but is available through OM Literature, PO Box 1047, Waynesboro, GA 30830.

It's a real shame this is out of print. This is a must read for anyone interested or involved in missions. It is extremely well written and based on sound biblical principals and data. McQuilkin is a gifted communicator who really will challenge the reader. It is a short book, filled with great information.

Dr. McQuilkin make a strong case for American Christians to get beyond selfishness and on to obedience of Christ's marching orders for His Church. Christ gave us the Great Commission five times after His resurrection. What was His priority for us before He returned to heaven? He told us five time in different words. We should understand by this that we are to "Go and Tell." But where should the church be going? We must go where the light is absent and where the area is darkest. When 90% of the workers focus on 5% of the people on the earth, it seems we are missing the mark of "every ethnic group" (ethnos) of the Great Commission in Mat. 28. We are not obeying Jesus. This book will help bring the priority of Missions into a clear perspective. Read this book and consider the Scriptures that it explains. The truth here will change your life.

The Great Omission was reminder of how important it is to remember the command of Christ to disciple all the nations of the world. It challenged me to remember how important it is to deny ourselves and serve the LORD sacrificially as we carry our own crosses. There were two things that particularily struck me about this book. The first thing was the danger of emphasizing the tent-maker as the means of reaching the world. Although the tent-maker is needed and may be the only access into the closed countries of the world we still need many who like Apostle Paul will still be willing to go out and be a full time evangelist and church planter. Secondly, we must guard our minds and hearts against incorrect theology such as universalism. The necessity of sharing the gospel must never be put on the back shelf. We must obey the call. Finally, I really liked the appendix in the back of the book. He answers some basic objections that many people have today concerning missions that are just as true today.

In The Hahnemann Sequela, Harold King exposes the vein that runs from medical research to business and computer technology with surgical precision. This compelling novel begins with the author's insistence that we face our greatest fear -- life can change in a heartbeat. Mixing a taste for complex research with his unique flavor of mystery, Harold King delivers a potent dose of suspense and intrigue to one common man who must face a life-and-death struggle against astonishing odds. This is a novel fraught with tension and, all at once, frightening and provocative. A brilliantly written work, from "the undisputed crown prince of suspense," that will leave you wondering where fiction begins and ends. Find a copy of this book.

In The Hahnemann Sequela, Harold King exposes the vein that runs from medical research to business and computer technology with surgical precision. This compelling novel begins with the author's insistence that we face our greatest fear -- life can change in a heartbeat. Mixing a taste for complex research with his unique flavor of mystery, Harold King delivers a potent dose of suspense and intrigue to one common man who must face a life-and-death struggle against astonishing odds. This is a novel fraught with tension and, all at once, frightening and provocative. A brilliantly written work, from "the undisputed crown prince of suspense," that will leave you wondering where fiction begins and ends. Find a copy of this book.

I've never read anything by Harold King before, but the speed with which I finished this book is testimony to how good it is. Virtually from page one I was hooked. It isn't often that you find books like this - I'm a big fan of Dean Koontz, and find the skill with which Harold King keeps the tension, and slowly rachets it up, is on a par with Koontz. Keeping the chapters short certainly helps retain the reader's interest, and keeps you thinking "I've got time for a little more..." until you realize how much time has gone by!

The premise of the story is about an experimental procedure initially intended to eradicate or at least slow down a rare disease which causes children to age far more quickly than is normal (if you've seen the movie "Jack" with Robin Williams, you might understand what I'm talking about). However, not only does this procedure halt the effects of the disease, it also increases the subject's energy, intelligence and productivity. So this large medical company tries the same technique on healthy adults, and all works well....until 60 months when the people start suddenly aging and dying. A team is created to try to find a cure. When one is found, all of them get in a plane to go to the company's headquarters...when there's a horrific plane crash and only one person survives, although without a heart transplant, he also will die, and with him goes the cure.

So the company sets out to locate and remove the heart of the man's twin brother, as there is less liklihood of rejection if it's a twin. This is where the tale truly starts, with the twin escaping and trying to find out what's happening and why they're after him.

The basic premise of the story, then is fairly simple - how far would you go to save thousands of lives? Is the death of one innocent justified in this quest.

I give the author high marks for posing this complex question, while threading it into a thriller of such high quality. Needless to say, I highly recommend this book, if you can find it, that is.

In The Hahnemann Sequela, Harold King exposes the vein that runs from medical research to business and computer technology with surgical precision. This compelling novel begins with the author's insistence that we face our greatest fear ~ life can change in a heartbeat. Mixing a taste for complex research with his unique flavour of mystery, King delivers a potent dose of suspense and intrigue to one common man who must face a life~and~death struggle against astonishing odds. This is a novel fraught with tension and, all at once, frightening and provocative. A brilliantly written work, from the "undisputed crown prince of suspense," that will leave you wondering where fiction begins and ends. Find a copy of this book.

In The Hahnemann Sequela, Harold King exposes the vein that runs from medical research to business and computer technology with surgical precision. This compelling novel begins with the author's insistence that we face our greatest fear -- life can change in a heartbeat. Mixing a taste for complex research with his unique flavor of mystery, Harold King delivers a potent dose of suspense and intrigue to one common man who must face a life-and-death struggle against astonishing odds. This is a novel fraught with tension and, all at once, frightening and provocative. A brilliantly written work, from "the undisputed crown prince of suspense," that will leave you wondering where fiction begins and ends. Find a copy of this book.

Both as an academic teacher and as a researcher I have used Jenkins's edition regularly for nearly twenty years, and continue to marvel at the wealth of scholarly material - factual and interpretative - which it offers. I consider that no other edition of *Hamlet* is remotely as useful, though I frequently find myself in disagreement with this great editor.

Jenkins's text is eminently satisfying: sensibly and responsibly based, and scrupulously and intelligently modernised, even if one prefers (as I do) e.g. "solid" to "sullied".

His introduction is informative and well-considered, though I must admit I find his interpretative view of the play, both there and in several of his longer notes, at times less than penetrating. I feel he idealises Hamlet too much, misjudges the failure of Hamlet's play-within-the-play, and is less than openminded when it comes to making sense of e.g. the sexual elements in Ophelia's dreams (which are hard to interpret decisively, but certainly more significant than his cursory view suggests). On the other hand his information on ghosts, for example, is highly valuable and useful.

His shorter notes, explaining many difficult words and contemporary concepts, are always illuminating, frequently "spot on", and usually helpful even if one disagrees, in that he provides most of the information which one needs even if one ultimately arrives at a different judgement from his.

If banished or imprisoned and allowed only one edition of *Hamlet* I'd take this one. Not only because it is the best, but because it would help me in spending many weeks, months, or years on this riddling, frustrating, but endlessly fascinating play. Jenkins's edition is a monument to late twentieth century scholarship, and will undoubtedly continue to be recognised as such. - Joost Daalder, Professor of English, Flinders University, South Australia

An excellent version of the play, a balanced and comprehensive introduction, and extended notes about subjects of controversy or interest -- if you want to buy a copy of Hamlet this is the edition to get.

Most people have not read many versions of the play; nor have many people read most of the hundreds of books and articles on this play. For whatever strange reason, i have made it through much of the Hamlet criticism. And, i think i can fairly recommend this edition.

As you may or may not know, there are essentially three different versions of the play that have survived, the first (or bad) quarto, the second quarto, and the folio. Jenkins wisely relies primarily on the second quarto, but is not afraid to supplement or modify it with the folio and even the first quarto where it is appropriate.

But differences in the text of the play between this and other editions of the play is not the reason to buy this book. The reason is that there is so much more here than just the play. First, there is the 150+ page introduction, which is as balanced a review of thought on Hamlet as you are going to find. Next, the text of the play has the standard array of footnotes to explain various word meanings or relevancies. Third, at the end of the play there are longer notes that discuss in depth issues that the text raises which are beyond the scope of a normal footnote. These longer notes are great with an in depth discussion of hundreds of issues including whether a nunnery refers to a house of ill-repute and how old Hamlet is.

When Henry James sat down to write on his Venetian travels for what later became the Italian Hours, he began with a disclaimer: "It is a great pleasure to write the word; but I am not sure there is not a certain impudence in pretending to add anything to it." Turning to Shakespeare, we might amuse ourselves by writing on, say, Hamlet, but can anything be said that's not already been said, and better, a dozen times, by superior critics and closer readers? In the appropriate spirit of humility (and in utter submission to the Bard and his great gift to civilization), I offer a few thoughts on the Arden 2nd Edition of Hamlet, and not on "the greatest work in the history of literature."

Hamlet is by far the longest of the Ardens at 574 pages. It breaks down thusly: the prefatory material of editor Harold Jenkins - one of the Arden Series general editors and a Hamlet authority of great renown - alone takes up 164 pages. Three-quarters of this is bibliographical and historical. In his 40-page critical introduction, Jenkins addresses many of the plays thorniest problems, with the Talmudic attentiveness of the closest reader. Then comes the play itself, spread over 264 pages (in terms of sheer length relative to the Bard's other plays, the text is a monster, coming in at more than 3800 lines). Each page of the Arden includes an average half-page of Jenkins' detailed, argumentative, authoritative, and uncommonly helpful footnotes. The final 146 pages consist of longer (end)notes that Jenkins simply could not physically fit onto the bottom of a page. Many of these are short essays (including an appendix that glosses an earlier discussion on the dating of the play).

Each of the Arden Hamlet's three sections might merit separate publication (after a modest bit of repackaging), but as a totality, Jenkins' edition must be the greatest value on the Shakespeare market. Jenkins' ruminations on the provenance of the story and the many sources Shakespeare might have drawn on, the "Ur-Hamlet" that might have come from the quill of contemporary Thomas Kyd (The Spanish Tragedy), the complexities of determining an authoritative text, the drama's inconsistencies and unanswered questions, the import of the great soliloquy of III.i (which is emphatically NOT, insists Jenkins, a deliberation on whether to commit suicide), Elizabethan revenge dramas in general, and so much more make this a truly indispensable, illuminating, even breathtaking volume.

We think we know this play well. We have read it, and seen performed on stage and in memorable or hideously forgettable films. Many of its greatest lines are embedded in our hearts. The beginning of true understanding, however, resides in a superbly annotated scholarly edition. The Arden is one of several choices you can make and is for me the one to own, equally suitable for students, scholars, actors, and mere Bardolators. It will - provided, of course, you are not already a scholarly specialist in Elizabethan drama - knock the scales from your eyes. And until the 3rd edition now in preparation under Ann Thompson is published, this Hamlet will stand as the epitome of the Arden Shakespeare's greatness as a series.

Definitely the best Hamlet version to but. comprehensive notes both adjacent to the reading and longer notes in the back of the book. Informative yet dry introduction. BUY THIS VERSION!

We do not guild the lily by proclaiming this to be the most comprehensive edition of the greatest drama to come from any pen in history. The book is absolutely bristling with textual elucidations, notes and marginalia and a stunningly detailed, if somewhat dry, introduction. Moreover, no other edition I have used (and I have read Hamlet more than fifty times since the summer of my seventeenth year, including this edition over two enriching days during the past week) so clearly lays out the textual divergencies of the various versions of the canon, Q1, Q2 and F, as does Arden.

Than being said, it is the text itself which shines through in this (and any other) edition -- let us not mistake the husk for the grain.

Hamlet (as Harold Bloom argues so persuasively) more than any other play is surely Shakespeare's life work -- a work which he poured more of himself into over a longer period of time than any other. Written in its final version just months after the death of the playwright's only son, Hamnet, and his father, it represents Shakespeare's personal triumph over adversity and darkness.

This is a cute, easy to read book that discusses the basic elements of Chinese New Year.

This is a simply written and beautifully illustrated book about the Chinese New Year. Through delicate line drawings and jewel like colors the author/illustrator captures the essence of Chinese mythical creatures, flora, fauna, heavenly creatures and mortals. We learn about Chinese zodiac symbols, gods, how Chinese people prepare for the New Year, why they eat special kinds of foods on New Year's Day, the symbolism of specific flowers as gifts, and the meanings of Chinese characters hung on doorways. Demi is the talented author and illustrator of many children's books with Chinese themes. This book is definitely one of my favorites.

Need an excuse to explore ethnic and religious holidays and practices? This is your vehicle. The interesting and exciting practices surrounding Chinese New Year can so easily be compared in writing, drama and story-telling of many other cultures. You cannot go wrong with this book.

I haven't found a book by Demi that isn't terrific. This is a great book for young children, it gives lots of great information on the Chinese New Year and what one does to get ready for the New Year celebration! A must have for anyone with an who wants their child to know about their hertitage!

This is a nice introduction to chinese new year. I will use it as a informational guide and have my Chinese-Vietnamese students look it over to facilitate a discussion about their new year. Thanks.

This was an excellent, intense account of a unique king's biography. I read this book to get more info on William the Conqueror, but now I'm obsessed with Harold II. A must-read for history buffs.

In terms of English history,not much is ever really said about Harold. Those who are looking for an informative and surprisingly entertaining work on the Monarch should look no further.

Ian Walker has left no stone unturned in the telling of Harold Godwineson and his family. Starting from his grandfather and father and ending with his grandson becoming the prince of Kiev.
After reading the book, you come away with a sense of the time that he lived in and more importantly a sense of the man. Walker is also very good at surmising how certain decisions and choices that were made having an effect on the people at the time. Case in point the effect of how Harold's contemporaries veiwed his oath breaking to William. Few historians are able to do this.

The author does love his dates and locations, but he is very thorough when it comes to extended family. Also and most importantly, he writes with a point. Instead of going off on a half page tangent, Walker writes in brief and consise paragraphs. When a major player such as William, Tosti or Harald Hardrada comes along, he writes a full chapter.

I have been looking for a book on this king for long time and this has surpassed my expectations. A definite "must-have" for English Monarch and Anglo-Saxon enthusiasts.

Everyone who takes English history probably remembers 1066, William of Normandy, the Battle of Hastings, and King Harold; essentially the date, the location and the leaders of the combatant armies. Some may remember that the fight was over the right of succession to the throne of England after the heirless death of King Edward the Confessor. A few may even remember that Edmond Halley's famous comet made an appearance just beforehand, creating great consternation that was immortalized in the Bayeux tapestry. For most, Harold's reign seems almost a foot note, hardly more than an intermission before the main event of the Norman conquest. With William and his successors come castle building, classic knighthood, feudal society, all the "romance" of the middle ages. Harold is so often treated as a cipher to all of this that the true drama of this transitional age is often lost on the student. Harold is just "the loser."

Ian Walker's book brings this period more into focus. He approaches his subject by examining, not only Harold's own life and career, but that of his grandfather and father, creating a sense of the venue for the events of the Conquest. Harold is no longer just "the loser." He is a powerful and intelligent warrior, dealing as often in diplomacy as in bloodshed, able to play the chess game of power politics in a very turbulent time. He was in fact "the last Anglo Saxon king," and his time, like the withdrawal of the elves from Tolkien's Middle Earth, is the end of an era. His predecessor Edward was the last of the line of Alfred the Great, the king who had wielded the tiny Anglo Saxon kingdoms into the one kingdom of England. William and his successors would turn the island into a developing nation state striving for a place in a world among other rising nation states.

I found particularly interesting the author's approach to the period as one of a family biography. Harold was not just a famous figure in history, he was a member of an ambitious extended family. Like the Borgias in a later time and place, Harold's father and his grandfather played major roles in English political life during the years preceding the Conquest, as did he and his brothers in their own time. Walker follows these careers, because it is the net created by their liaisons that defined the period. Pull out any of these lynch pins, and the history of the era would have been vastly different. Interesting too were the careers of Harold's children, who went on to carry the family into succeeding generations of international leaders. I have often wondered what the fates of descendants of famous people have been. What did happen to Cleopatra's surviving children for instance? At least in this instance, more is documented about Harold's children which gives a sense of closure to Walker's book.

Thoroughly enjoyable and informative study.

This book has enough detail and judicious use of sources to be of great use to the academic historian, while the author's lucid writing style and the sensible structure of the book will no doubt make it accesible to the interested layperson. Well done!

This is a great book for anyone interested in the mysterious and obscure events of England in the year 1066. Walker does a great job, trying to bring Harold Godwinson to life.