Leigh Books

...and this one was it. I had read (and reviewed) "Pampas" and was amazed by one of the scenes that I thought could very well become a memorable scene in film and so I went to "General Leigh" expecting that kind of imagery, action and humor.

Suffice it to say, I was not disappointed. Janet Elaine Smith has a knack for humor and storytelling, too. "Leigh" is a fast-moving and fun entertainment.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Award-winning author of This is the Place, Harkening, Tracings (a chapbook of poetry) and THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T, winner of the Irwin Award and USA Book News' Best Professional Book award.

And They Called Her General Leigh is a sweet, historical romance written by Janet Elaine Smith. Unlike most Civil War novels, this book focuses on the emotional impact and the characters. The war actually takes second place, or perhaps even third place when compared to the characters.

Mrs. Smith's writing qualities are suited especially for tales to be read aloud. The flow is not typical for a historical either, being more like a story for the whole family to read aloud while sipping hot cocoa on a cold winter evening or icy lemonade on a humid summer afternoon. While there are some 'adult' references, the book is written in such a way that pre teens could read it without a problem. Mrs. Smith has obviously taken great care in creating this tale. She shows both sides and the emotions of the characters. My only regret is that the book was not longer and that she was not able to spend more time with each of the characters. It is a book that catches your heart at once.

Leigh, who reminds me of a Northern Calamity Jane with her tomboy ways, makes a powerful character, who runs the full range gauntlet of feminine emotions. And Grant (not Ulysses S. Grant, there's a number of clever play on words and names throughout this tale) is a hero faced with many problems. After all, how's a Confederate spy supposed to deal with a handful like Leigh Davis? It's a difficult book to describe because it embraces so much. The Christian faith woven seamlessly throughout. The grief Northerners and Southerners felt as they lost homes, family, and businesses. And not a single character who appears and is mentioned, nor any of the details, are superfluous. Rest assured that they will all tie in at the end.

In my opinion And They Called Her General Leigh is a good book for historical romance readers who are just looking for another take on the Civil War. For that matter, a good book for all who enjoy reading and like a bit of romance, humor, and history.

This is my first Janet Elaine Smith read. It was very enjoyable. Janet's combination of both humor and history weave an unforgettable and enjoyable tale. She used just the right amount of both elements to keep this reader turning the pages.I hated to see it end.
Her characters were not only believable, but lovable. If you want to enjoy a light hearted romp through the Civil War, read this book.

Begins in Maryland, the beginning of the Civil War. General Alexander Davis and his wife, Mercy, never had sons. They did have a daughter, Leigh. General Davis went to Washington to serve with President Lincoln. Being female, Leigh could not serve in the war as a solder. However, the general had raised Leigh to be the son he never had. She could read, write, run the farm, track prey, hunt, and so much more!

Wanting to do her part for the war, Leigh would dress as a man and ride to the Union camp near Harper's Ferry and deliver much needed food. The men, thinking she was General Davis's son, called her General Lee. (Only a couple of the men in camp knew Leigh was female.)

Grant Sinclair was a spy for the Confederacy. He had been watching the Union camp for some time and was determined to learn the secrets surrounding "General Leigh". But Grant was noticed, shot twice, and left for dead. General Leigh and very young Private Jackson found him. Leigh took Grant home to nurse him back to health. Jackson went back to camp. Jackson also found "Special Order No. 191" telling of General Robert E. Lee's upcoming attack on his camp.

**** A very funny and delightful story! Just think of it, General Leigh and Grant in love. Generals Lee and Grant at war. Private Jackson on the North's side and Stonewall Jackson on the South's. There is a lot of play on words and names. Taken together, it is almost impossible to keep a straight face as you read. Recommended! ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I immensely enjoyed this book. It had a lot of humor but most of all it had a lot of heart. You fall in love with all of the characters - not just the 2 main characters (Grant & Leigh). One of the most significant aspects of the book is the way it portrays the Civil War. Of course, it shows it as one of the most horrendous wars in American history but it also shows the people involved (on both sides) as having hearts that desperately wanted to do the "right" thing.
I highly recommend this book. It is a very fast page-turner - I read it in 2 days.

This book is a good reference book for the beginner and immediate knitter. Good explainations and illustrations.

I am a truly left handed woman. However, I learned from many experienced knitters that you need to be right handed in order to knit properly and for your pattern projects to turn out correctly (us left handers do everything backwards to a right hander). My pastor taught me to knit right handed Continental style and I absolutely love it~! This book has wonderful pictures and very easy reading instructions for learning how to knit both English and Continental style. In addition, this book has a hard cover front & back, and the pages are spiral bound, so turn easily and stay in place easily. This book is a MUST HAVE in every knitters library~!

It seems a little strange that a book titled "Basic Knitting" would include mostly sweater and vest patterns--several with cables. Very few of the patterns would be easy enough for a beginner. The instruction in the first half of the book is great, but it will be a long time before I'm ready to tackle a sweater with cables!

I own a lot of knitting books, and in my opinion this one has the easiest-to-follow pictures of any of them. I would highly recommend it to any beginning knitters. The book isn't encyclopedic, and some of the patterns are a little dated, but you can come away from this book with a good understanding of most fundamental knitting skills.

This is a comprehensive book with amazing photos and illustrations. Well-written and thoughtfully laid out format. Effectively establishes the basics and enables you to move onto the next level at your own pace. I've purchased a number of different knitting books and this is the one that I recommend to my friends.

I bought this book as an aniversary gift for my boyfriend, who is also a cat lover.

I expected a cute, funny book. I thought that we would read it together and laugh and enjoy the evening.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

We started off reading the first series of letters outloud. I read those written by the female cat, and he the ones written by the male cat.

By the end of the series of letters I was in tears. It was really sad. Depressing, even. Not to give spoilers, but I wasn't expecting any tragic deaths in this book. I love cats, I don't want to read or think about them dying if I don't have to. It isn't a pleasant topic.

My boyfriend skimmed through the book, trying to find a series that had a happy ending. The one that he did still involved a lot of tragedy. I decided to put the book down for good after that.

I don't want to insult the author. That would be unfair. The book is very well written. It was clever and creative idea. The stories do have depth and you do care about the cats quite a bit. Everything about how this book was written indicated to me that the author is very talented.

However, it was not what I was looking for. I had a misconception that this book would be happy and less of a downer.

I am writing this review primarily so that someone else doesn't mistake this book for having a different "mood" to it like I did.

Ever now and then I like to explore a cute books, that's a fun read. Cat love letters are the exhange of love letters between cats. It's interesting, and cute, and leaves you smiling.

This is a great light hearted book, with several sets of "love letters" from different types of cats in all sorts of love. A great fun book to read before you go to sleep at night

I got this book when I was ten and I thought it was so funny. The artwork is great too, the way they draw up the letters to look like real stationary is fabulous. I still have this book. I love it. Any cat lover would love it too.

This is a great light hearted book, with several sets of "love letters" from different types of cats in all sorts of love. A great fun book to read before you go to sleep at night

I stayed up until 3am reading this moving book. I could not put it down! I kept saying just one more chapter. It was what I needed to start my summer vacation.

Lynn M. Dixon
Chicago, Il

Nice follow up from Fate, a widow learns that life can and does give you more than one soul mate and its best to never say never (as in I will never marry again) especially when you are still a young woman of 28 and attracted to your new neighbour. It was good to have the secondary characters (The Lewis family, Vanessa and Scott)without them dominating the story and its obvious that T.J will continue to be a thorn in this families side.
I only give it 3.5 stars cos once again the love scenes are quite tame compared to other titles in this genre.

Monica Jones is very happy and content with her life after suffering from a catastrophe. Three years ago, Monica's husband was killed in a dreadful automobile accident that left her as a single parent to raise three small children. After being grief-stricken from such a great lost, Monica knew that she would never fall in love again. Then, Devin Preston moved into the house next door. Desires that Monica thought had died with her husband began to resurface whenever she was near Devin. Nevertheless, Monica was determined to ignore those feelings by trying to maintain a neighborly friendship with Devin. When that Devin's alluring charm finally broke through Monica's defenses, she spent a passionate night in bed with Devin, resulting in a surprise pregnancy.

Devin Preston is a renowned architect who recently moved to New Orleans to begin a new business partnership with his best friend, Scott Halloway. From the first moment he saw her, Devin knew that Monica Jones was to be his future wife. Now, all he had to do was to convince her of that. Devin's task to win Monica over proves to be more difficult than he thought because of the issues surrounding her hurtful past and her determination to be nothing more than friends. Not about to allow the best thing that has happened to him to slip through his fingers, Devin sets out to win Monica's heart by any means necessary. Then, it seems that fate is on his side. After sharing a passionate night together, Monica ends up pregnant. Now it seems that Devin has a special aid to help him convince Monica to marry him.

Chances is a remarkable tale about a man who is willing to go the extra mile to prove his love to a very special woman. He does this while showcasing exceptional compassion toward her as she tries to come to terms with her guilt for having desires for him after the loss of her husband. From the start, I fell in love with Devin because of his thoughtfulness and kindhearted nature. By no means is Devin a weak man - oh no, he is just the opposite. He exudes powerful magnetism and is used to getting his way. I could understandably sympathize with Monica because her pain comes across so clearly. The torment that she is going through is so touching. The chemistry that Devin and Monica share is spectacular and love scenes are depicted in a gentle, loving tone. It was also wonderful to see how Vanessa and Scott, from Fate, were fairing in their marriage bliss. Congratulations to Pamela Leigh Starr for creating a charming second installment to her Love Found series.

Nikita Steele
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

This novel was sort of a follow-up to the novel Fate and what a delightful love story it turns out to be. We met most of the characters in Fate but here we get know Vanessa's older sister, Monica as well as find out how Vanessa's marriage to Scott is coming along. After the death of her husband Monica Jones swore off men and devoted her life to the rearing of her three children, her family and her job. As much as Monica denies that she won't ever love again that theory goes out the window upon her first meeting of developer Devin Preston. Monica cannot maintain her cool facade whenever she is in Devin's presence, the sparks just fly. Devin knows what he wants and goes after Monica using whatever it takes to get her. It's not an easy path but Devin is not one to give up and Monica learns that she can still love without dishonoring the memory of her late husband. I really enjoyed Chances because it is exactly what this novel is about (giving love another chance). Take a chance and read this wonderful story by Pamela Leigh Starr as it's one you're sure to enjoy.

I chose to read this book because I very much enjoyed Pamela Leigh Starr's previous book "Fate", and was curious as to how she would follow up the piece. "Chances" was a well written story about a woman named Monica, who has three children and is grappling with the death of her husband. Although three years had passed since his death, Monica refused to let herself have feelings for another man, regardless of how strong her feelings were. Monica's love interest is a man named Devin. Devin vows to get Monica to admit she loves him and to agree to spend the rest of her life with him. Ms. Starr does a wonderful job of taking the reader through Monica's painstaking emotional journey of learning to open her heart to a man she knows she loves, while not feeling as if she's betraying her deceased husband. This is a story that I think many women will be able to relate to because of its emotional depth and sincerity. In addition, Ms. Starr does a wonderful job of updating the reader on the lives of Vanessa and Scott, the couple in her original book "Fate", while telling us the story of Vanessa's sister, Monica. I applaud this work of Ms. Starr and hope she continues to update us on the lives of these couples and perhaps the lives of the other siblings in this New Orleans family.

This book is very helpful and easy to understand and use. I recommend it to anyone.Family Tree Maker for Dummies

I needed this because I am just starting out. Great for reference and LOTS of tips and examples. Get it.

This is an excellent read, and the book arrived in just a couple of days.

Done very well. Even I understood it. Could be a lot more concise.

Out of date and does not match the program I bought it with. The program was the newest version and the book was way out of sinc. Waste of money.

This practical book describes how to plan a wedding. The author, Tracy Leigh, empathaize the idea of setting an overall budget and individual item expense budgets ahead of time as a task that will keep your wedding budget on plan.
This guide is very well written and researched especially to a bride who is a novice at wedding planning. Christian and Jewish wedding traditions are mentioned in areas such as wedding ceremony planning. Wedding details that include location, catering, wardrobe, entertainment, flowers and accessories give the reader a sense of options to choose from. Advice such as to how to choose the size, formality level, method, location, photographer, invitations and music are in this guide that also includes online wedding vendor contact information. Tracy Leigh used resourcefulness to help the reader select wedding apparel that would be elegant, yet affordable. The idea of renting tents, dresses or other supplies can save money for their special day.
This book contains options for very stately, elegant weddings, more informal weddings or justice of the peace officiated ceremonies.
How to Plan Your Own Wedding and Save Thousands: Without Going Crazy

If getting married and saving money are both important, then How to Plan Your Own Wedding and Save Thousands Without Going Crazy is key reading for success - and a fine addition to any public lending library. It tells how to cut wedding expenses while retaining elegance, with chapters discussing traditions, alternative options, and sensible wedding plans. Public libraries will find How to Plan Your Own Wedding and Save Thousands Without Going Crazy a very popular lend.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

As a bride-to-be, I have read multiple books on planning and saving money. My fiancé and I are trying to squeeze every penny, while still having a memorable event for ourselves and our guests. I have found that many of the money-saving tips in wedding-planning books are often impractical or more hassle than they are worth in the end. Tracy Leigh's book, How to Plan Your Wedding and Save Thousands (Without Going Crazy), let me know that sometimes it's okay to do things myself--like making favors, arranging flowers, baking a cake, creating invitation or decorating. Not everything needs to be done by a professional. The Web sites she provides are invaluable--it's hard to find good discount wedding Web sites because any bridal vendor wants you to use their recommendations.

The helpful lists and checklists can be copied and handed out to members of a wedding party, or anyone else who may be helping you plan. The concise language makes an easy-to-use guide for each person involved, while still keeping everything interesting. Leigh's questions for each vendor hit on topics I would have completely overlooked--she reminds readers that you can't assume a vendor knows exactly what you want, and you can't assume they have what you want. If you're on a tight budget for your wedding, you NEED this book. If you have an unlimited budget, read it anyways. Some of the personal touches you can create for your special day are perfect for everyone on any budget.

When I got married only four short years ago, my biggest concerns were not spending thousands of dollars we didn't have and keeping the stress factor to a minimum. I wish Tracy Leigh's book would have been around then!

"How to Plan Your Own Wedding and Save Thousands without Going Crazy" is a detailed, blow-by-blow walk through of how to plan your own wedding without going into debt or going postal on your friends and family. Leigh gives expert advice on how to organize the massive venture of putting on a wedding, tips on where and how to find a great bargain as well as hints on how to tell if you and your vendors are on the same page. And there is no discrimination here - whether yours is to be a Cinderella affair complete with ice sculptures and swans or a barefoot-in-the-sand celebration with a luau and leis, you can learn something from this book that will help make your wedding one that will give you a lifetime of great memories.

This book is a very comprehensive guide to planning your own wedding. The checklists are great and help keep you focused on what is important and when things need to be completed. The author covered questions to ask vendors, which is helpful in discovering hidden fees. She also mentions the best ways to save money and gives great advice for budgeting your wedding. Both traditional and nontraditional styles are covered in this book, so it should fit into almost any bride's style of wedding.

Tips for searching for more information and helpful websites (including discount websites) are included and were a great help. Every aspect of planning a wedding is covered--styles and fabrics of wedding dresses are even described. This book even offers tips for what style dress is best for your body type.

I love that the book is both a cost savings guide and a guide to general wedding planning. Whether you have a large or small budget, this book will help you plan a great wedding while sticking to your budget.

The organized bride will love this book. The order of the chapters, the checklists, the lists of questions to ask are all great tools to keep on track. Those brides that balk at organization should do their best to follow this guide, although they might feel some details are overkill. My only compliant is that the case studies, although helpful to hear advice from experts, were a bit long and sometimes repetitive.

I would recommend this book to any bride wanting to plan her own wedding.

Someone had killed Flint's mother and sister-in-law. He had made it his life's mission to find the killer. Garnet wanted to go with him on the trail because she thought he would be safe. He said no, but it didn't stop Garnet. She went anyway. They had their troubles and some of it was funny. Garnet even took a skillet to him. It is a fast moving story and I enjoyed it. By Ruth Thompson author of "Natchez Above The River" and "The Bluegrass Dream"

Writing as a Small BusinessQualifying Laps: A Brewster County NovelSins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelTravelersThe Bluegrass Dream: A Wilderness Adventure of Early SettlersNatchez Above The River: A Family's Survival In The Civil War

this is the most adventures book out of all the books that ana leigh wrote. i loved the love story between garnet and the wild cowboy flint i love all the books that ana leigh wrote they are all great books she is the best author.
i love this book it worth every penny trust me you wont be able to put it down.

Flint & Garnet are a wonderful couple to read about. They both have so much personality & they are really funny. Garnet is the go get em type of gal & she went right after what she wanted which was Flint. It was fun seeing Honey & Luke again as well as the many others. This is a great series & I would recommend it to anybody. It's a great story with non-stop adventure.

I've read quite a few of the MacKenzie series and Flint's story is my favorite, followed by Josh's. I liked all the ones I've read except Kitty's, which I couldn't make myself finish. The scene where Garnet explains why she willingly stripped down in front of the Indians was hilarious. They had great chemistry. Would highly reccomend.

I've read all Ana Leigh's MacKenzie's Series. The
whole series is addicting. When I finished one, I
couldn't wait to start the next one to see what
else happend. Ana is a great author and knows how
to keep you interested and wanting to read more.
I'm looking forward to her next book in this series.

I read this stage play as research for something I'm working on. I saw a production of the play when I was in high school (long time ago) and remember liking it. It's the condensed story of Don Quijote, book-ended by Cervantes in a Spanish prison, awaiting his trial before the Inquisition. Obviously, reading the play, especially a musical, is nothing compared to seeing it live. But it's entertaining, you get a good sense for the characters, and the story, though goofy and slapstick, still comes across well.

I found Man of La Mancha to be quite confussing. The plot is so crazy that it is hard to get a grasp on what is happening until halfway through the book. One you do figure it out, it is rather humerous, but not one of my favorites by any means.

I was introduced to Hidalgo Quixote, Knight of the Woeful Countenance in high school and was overtaken by the power of the music and the story. Two years later, I was living in Portugal. Though it wasn't Spain, I still felt the same breeze, and saw the same type of windmills that Quixote tilted in his tilted reason.

Joseph Smith once observed that, "by proving contraries, truth is made manifest," (History of the Church 6:428), and Aristotle once said that if you want to find truth, invert. Cervantes follows this pattern of putting things upside-down to show right-side-upness. He accentuates reality by taking an insane man as his lead character. The paradox, however, is that Quixote seems to be the sanest person in the story.

"The Man of La Mancha" has two advantages over its parent-text "Don Quixote." The first is that Wasserman, et al. did a marvelous job of pairing down Cervantes' two part book into a one act play. A lot of Quixote's adventures are funny parody, but it at times becomes a bit over-done. The play captures the essence of the Quixote-Idea without any gas. "Brevity is the soul of wit," as Shakespeare testified.

The second advantage is the music. "The Quest (The Impossible Dream)" is a triumph not only for Wasserman et al, but it is a triumph for humanity. So this book needs to be read with the soundtrack. The original Broadway is my favorite, since it captures the Iberian wind that blows over the story. The Peter O'Toole film is too produced and had too many sweet strings that drench out the Spanish guitars.

You know how good a work of art is by seeing how it is parodies. Quixote has been copied on "Quantum Leap," and Alf, and Jim Neighbors sung "The Quest" on Gomer Pyle. There is even a cartoon "Don Coyote and Sancho Panda." And, of course, there is the classic Mr. Magoo (Jim Baccus) version of Don Quixote.

So buy, and enjoy this play. Read along with the movie, and ponder reality through the eyes of an insane man.

Having performed a goodly segment of this script during an ill-fated production from hell, I must say that it was quite good to have a copy of the script that was what I was looking for. Man of La Mancha is most certainly NOT the original (Don Quixote), but it doesn't need to be. If you want the original book, you may as well read it in it's original, Spanish text (as I have). Have fun with the story, it's one of the more referenced, when dealing with insanity.

Maddest of all is to see things as they are and not as they should be.

This simple premise lies at the heart of every marriage proposal, politcal campaign, revolution and of course the birth of every religion.

That such a poignant essence was successfully reduced for theatrical presentation from the lengthy Cervantes work is nothing short of genius.

All too often its easy for story tellers, playwrights and movie makers to tease out the prurient drama of human suffering. It is so much more compelling when someone manages to capture that moment of inspiration when someone dares to believe and others chance to join.

First with Sancho, then fair Dulcinea, then ultimately maybe us, we gather eagerly to that spark of faith that grows in this play.

If you think about it, "Impossible Dream" could easily have been rendered maudlin in the wrong hands. It's a testiment to this play and this writer that it actually inspires.

Entertaining and full of surprises! The preacher is missing and Leigh finds herself trying to locate him. Of course, her family is involved-that adds to the fun. Plenty of plot twists, interesting characters and an ending unlike any other. You'll enjoy this one, even if you haven't read Ms. Claire's earlier mysteries. I highly recommend this delightful book. I can't wait for the next one.

This is the third in a series of Leigh Koslow mysteries. As with the two previous books, the characters are developed early thereby keeping the reader's attention.

This book has such a surprise ending that the reader will think about this book and ponder the ending for at least two or three days after the last page has been read.

I recommend the entire series.

Leigh's Aunt is acting suspicious. She breaks a leg while leaving her pastor's burning house. The pastor claims that she saved his life. Then he is found dead in mysterious circumstances. Various parishoners are receiving messages from the beyond encouraging them to give money to the dead pastor's pet charity. They all thought Humphrey was a con man, but a con ghost?

I enjoyed this mystery. The characters were quirky enough to be entertaining and the subplots and mystery were excellent.

and haven't we all been through some of those?

I scream at my favorite team when watching the game on TV. Why? I know they can't hear me! I guess that quirk carries over to reading murder "mysteries." I figured out what was going on in this church and wanted to scream at Edie Claire's endearing characters - to reiterate what they obviously already knew but didn't. That's all I'm going to say - so I don't spoil it for you. I don't divulge plot (if I told you, wouldn't it lessen your enjoyment of reading it?)

Nonetheless, Never Preach Past Noon was more interesting than some of those homilies that seem to drag on WAY past noon.

This series hooked me from page one of the first book, and it just keeps getting better.

Leigh Koslow is the best of heroines -- spunky and determined, yes, but also human. She's not perfect - and wouldn't you hate her if she was? -- but she's delightful, the type of person you'd love to have for a next-door-neighbor. Half the fun of this series is meeting and getting to know Leigh's rather quirky family, and this book gives us a wonderful look at Leigh's Aunt Bess. Aunt Bess is a sweet, chocolate sundae, sprinkled liberally with nuts. (Nuts being the operative word!) When she finds herself in trouble, where else would she turn but to her problem-solving niece?

Never Preach Past Noon follows Leigh and friends through the pursuit of secrets involving a minister/con man, with plenty of twists and surprises along the way. A page-turner supreme, it'll keep you guessing until the final startling revelation. A wonderful novel with a wham-bang ending!

The book, part travelogue, part introspection, leaves the reader with a powerful glimpse of a time long dead and gone; of two eras colliding, the dying old order of a genteel Europe of lawn parties and aristocracy and the emergence of a brutish period seen up close.

Patrick Leigh Fermor possesses the bard's gift, transporting his reader into the time and place he tells of. This wonderful book, which should be read along with "Between the Woods and the Water", recreates his travels across 1930s Europe in spell-binding fashion. He is at once wonderfully erudite and refreshingly spare of phrase.

Another reviewer requested details of his exploits in war-time Crete. Readers may perhaps want to watch "Ill-met by Moonlight", starring Dirk Bogarde, which is a dramatization of Fermor's adventures, along with Billy Moss, in the kidnapping of General Kreipe, the commander-in-chief of the German forces in Crete.

Other not-to-be-missed books by Fermor: The Travellers Tree, Vanishing Greece, and Between the Woods and the Water. Patrick Fermor is currently a Companion of Literature, an honour conferred by the Royal Society of Literature on a select company of up to 10 writers at a time. Other current Companions include V.S.Naipaul, Seamus Heaney, and Harold Pinter. Past holders of the title include such luminaries as Samuel Beckett, Anthony Burgess, Winston Churchill, E. M. Forster, Graham Greene, Aldous Huxley, W. Somerset Maugham, and Stephen Spender.

For a drop-out from English public school in that long-lost time of classical and European belle-lettres, Fermor shows an overwhelmingly informed perspective to those of us brought up in humbler classrooms in a more multicultural but ironically far less educated age. Amazing that a footloose teenager could bring such depth to a grand tour on foot, seeing Mitteleuropa on a pound or so a week and the advantage of lots of largesse from the peasants, fellow tramps, and more noble hosts he meets seemingly without fail.

For instance, his dozen pages describing his Viennese pal, Konrad, who speaks in Shakespearean argot picked up from a book of the Bard, are worth more than countless other heftily paginated but intellectually fluffy travelogues; Fermor truly has a knack for meeting the best companions or at least making us and himself believe he's met such on the road! I found his level of past and present exposure to various languages and ability to, say, warble Virgil or Horace as he walked along truly marvelous, if hard to relate to today! The amount of knowledge he packs into these pages can be daunting for those less multi-lingual than himself, and I didn't catch every reference he makes, but that's no fault of his. More four stars for the effort I put into the book showing my ignorance rather than any inability of his to keep me turning the pages. It merely shows the gap between the world from which he came in class, education, and opportunity vs. our own.

Especially moving are brief footnotes here and there which comment on the fates of a few of the friends he makes in his German stint; the contrast between his future and theirs only a few years after 1934 adds poignancy and heft to his reflections.
Certainly an account worthy of seeking out and making it again better known.

Reminiscent in ease of tone, level of learning, and finely crafted style to the books of Arabian and Middle Eastern travel by the current British writer/scholar Tim Mackintosh-Smith, "Yemen" and "Travels with a Tangerine."

Sometimes one stumbles across a book almost by accident, and finds something truly delightful. This book was one of those experiences. The story is interesting, but the true genius of this book is in the descriptions of the people he meets along the way. The young girls who sneak him into a party, the aging aristocrats who take him in and look after him, the customers in the German beer hall, and many others. When the book is done, you will feel as if you had met these people in real life, and you will want to go back and read about them again. One of the best books I have read this year.

This book is not so much a travelogue as the record of one young man's emergence into the world beyond the schoolroom. It retains the freshness of first experience, even though Fermor actually wrote the book years later.
The aging and mellowing of the memories has distilled them into a complex narrative. Fermor moves with ease from erudite discussion of obsure linguistic references, to howlingly funny narratives of his mishaps on tour. His prose evokes a feeling of authentic immersion in a Europe which wholly vanished in the agony of WWII.
From the opening chapter, with a Conrad-esque departure from London down to the sea, to the Easter-tide pause on the bridge over the Danube, this story is enthralling.
The young Fermor set a goal to travel only on foot. The reader experiences a leisurely pace, and many contacts with people of all sorts throughout each country on the trek.
Fortunately, Fermor wrote 'From the Woods to the Water', a continuation of his journey which holds possibly even more riches than 'A Time of Gifts'. The two should be read in sequence.