Owen Books

Aptly edited by the collective efforts of T.M. Charles-Edwards, Morfydd M. Owen, and Paul Russell, The Welsh King And His Court is a massive compendium of essays filled with meticulous discourse of the Welsh royal household and the governmental roles of those officers charged with upkeep of horses, sleeping quarters, meals, etc. Primary source texts are presented in English translation, and the essays are written at a college reading level. The Welsh King And His Court is a scholarly text that combines deep thought with multi-level analysis of historical politics. An intriguing and recommended historical study, with a very helpful glossary, abbreviation list and index.

David Powell and Tony Benn have approached a serious political theme in a serious and professional manner and have come up with a well researched (although this shouldn't be to difficult for lifetime left wing intellectual and politician Tony Benn) and debated analysis of the role of the left in the new age / new century.

The result is a work of "genuine analysis, real debate and biased conclusions", in a nutshell, a great piece of political analysis and commentary.

regards,

martyn_jones@iniciativas.com

When Owen's Mom Breathed Fire is a Swedish translated delight. We meet Owen and his single mom in their kitchen one morning as Owen's mother is frantically and loudly trying to get both she and Owen out the door to their respective places. To cope, Owen briefly escapes into the quiet of his big rubber dragon mask. The next morning Owen finds not his familiar mom, but his mom as a dragon who apparently does not know the first thing about being a mom. She lets him have chocolate everything for breakfast. She cleans the plates by licking them. She quiets her cell phone by stomping on it. Although it starts out to be a pretty fun day for Owen, who gets a little sidetracked by the zoo and the park on his way to take his mom to the doctor, his mom-as-a-dragon becomes a bit of a handful especially when she discovers she LOVES to breath fire. Weird, funny, sweet and reassuring, this book is a must have for its wonderful artwork, humor and alternative sensibility.

This photographic essay represents the first time that the crowning of a Condajia or priest-king in Liberia was ever put down on film. It was also the first time that the ceremony was ever performed with a Westerner present. The ceremony takes place among the Po clan of the Gola tribe roughly every two to three decades when the previous occupant dies. Owen was the associate director of the Peace Corps in Liberia from 1967 to 1969, so he was able to gain the familiarity and trust of the Liberian people.
The ceremony is a celebration of the continuance of the village life, as it has gone on for decades. This glimpse into the peaceful daily and ceremonial life of the Po village is unfortunately a thing of the past, as the lengthy civil war has largely destroyed what was once a peaceful society.

In Fort Lauderdale Florida, sping break turns the town upside down. All of the high school girls know that during sping break, there will be a flood of college guys. Cassie finds Tay when he shows up at the restaurant where she is a waitress. Although her mother forbids her to see him, they continue their realtionship. It's a great read. One of those that I've read too many times to count.

Margaret Fountaine's reputation as a lepidopterist (butterfly expert) is based on her collection of 22,000 butterflies which are now housed at Norwich (England) Castle Museum. Many of the butterflies were raised by her from eggs or caterpillars and are of exquisite quality. Since the time of her death (1940) changes have taken place in the science of entomology, leading to a focus on theory over taxonomy and academically trained scientists over self-taught experts. In this area her reputation has therefore gone down somewhat.

Miss Fountaine had two other attributes that have contributed to her. One was her travels. She received an inheritance that gave her the freedom to travel, and travel she did. The second was her private diaries which she had decreed were not to be opened until 15 April 1978, a hundred years from the time she started the diaries.

The diaries have completely changed our opinion of this otherwise staid Victorian lady. While she never married, she was not without male companionship, and her diaries are rather explicit in this area. She was, as the title suggest, Wild and Fearless.

If you are interested in this sort of thing, it is a really enjoyable read with plenty of illustrations. It is the story of the people who built and lived in Wilderstein, and the story of the house itself. If you like to learn about the history and background of the amazing mansions along the Hudson, it is indispensible.

Virginia Stem Owens journey from September to March in the Wind Rivers is not just a story about getting to the otherside of today. It is her story of dying, not a physical death but a spiritual death of sorts that she calls all of us to do over and over in life. This is a book of letting go of our past life and living our present.
"I went on down the trail, maneuvering the switchbacks and trying to keep my analogies under control. For I sometimes thought I heard wings overhead myself.
There is a dove in heaven, we know, that descends when the skies open, sometimes in fire. But perhaps there is also a hawk in heaven that swoops down on us with the gift of death to deliver us from our used-up past we have neither the courage nor the imagination to walk away from." (Owens 11)

If you have read Vladimir Peniakoff's memoir, then you will undoubtedly have an appetite for "With Popski's Private Army" by Ben Owen. It is the essential complement to Peniakoff's book, relating the perspective of his men. Ben Owen's book is a more intimate account of life - and death - in the ranks of the British Army's smallest independent unit, and leaves one missing the company of the men he so fondly recalls. The author gives a vivid portrayel of the warmth of comraderie set against the attrition and suffering of conflict,and breaths life into the discreet cameos of Peniakoff's book. Along with humour and pathos this book is richly adorned with accounts of breath-taking daring, skill and guile. This is a superb account of a vanishing breed, and I urge you to acquaint yourself with these remarkable men. Copies of this book are available from the author.

Excellent book!! I would recommend to a friend. This book also has an amazing line of jewelry and gift items that display the unique gospel symbols found in this book. It makes a great gift as well as a way to share your faith with others.