Owen Books

An easy to read fictional account of Moroccos attempt to free itself from French rule. Paul Bowles is a great writer.

The spider's house, has a very appealing cover, with a equally appealing story. This book surpasses all expectations, and beyond. A historical over view is always illuminating in the backdrop of every conversation, told as if the characters were them selves speaking to the reader or even thinking out loud without any inhibitions.

It's first hand knowledge of the culture, that one can only gain from years of encounters. Paul Bowels, speaks of the Moroccan people as they truly are, the good, the bad, the awful, and their quest for a modern future, that is to bare many flaws.

The French influence, and there cruelty is also vividly detailed, and the reader is left wondering why such history is well forgotten by the new generation. Paul Bowles is not only forgiving but also critical in his judgments regarding the Moroccan people's limited perception of the other.

In all, this book covers the perspective view of every person who is encountered in this book, by that I really mean everyone.

Paul Bowles was on a hot streak in the 1950s, and of the 3 novels he wrote between 1949 and 1955 this last one is my hands-down favorite. With each book Bowles seemed to grow more confident in his knowledge of Morocco, and in the gifted teenager Amar he creates his most complete Arab character to date, giving over more of the story to him than to his American hero, the detached expatriate novelist Stenham. The novel is also exciting for the way Bowles managed to map his longstanding concern with the differences between Islam and the modern West onto the explosive political events in Morocco in 1954, when the Moroccan Independence party was fighting a hot terrorist war against the French (sound familiar?)

Bowles sees the Moroccan rebels and the French occupiers as both destroying a traditional Islamic approach to time that enjoys life for the moment and leaves tomorrow to Allah, an attractive alternative to the Western obsession with logic, causality, and progress that keeps us from seeing the present in our frantic rush to the future. Stenham recognizes his own futility in trying to save the old Morocco he loves, and Bowles is more critical here than in some of his earlier writing of his own position as the privileged outsider. In the end, it made sense to me that Amar is a teenager; it's almost as if Bowles wants to keep his charming Moroccans in a state of perpetual adolescence, forever shielded from Coca-Cola, politics, and the secular pleasures of modernity. At the same time, by taking Moroccans on their own terms, sympathizing with their approach to life rather than trying to change it in the name of progress or democracy, he comes closer than I think Americans will be able to for a long, long time to come to understanding the attractions of a very different, and on its own terms very satisfying, approach to life.

I read Paul Bowles' SPIDER'S HOUSE (1954) after first reading his earlier novel, LET IT COME DOWN (1952). In both novels, Bowles insightfully examines the subtle culture gap between East and West. He has drawn the title of his novel from the Koran: "The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah is as the likeness of the spider when she taketh unto herself a house, and lo! The frailest of all houses is the spider's house, if they but knew," which is also the novel's epigrah.

THE SPIDER'S HOUSE opens in Fez after World War II, just as the French rule in Morocco is about to be challenged by a fierce Nationalist uprising, and the narrative shifts between an American expatriate writer, John Stenham, and an illiterate, Arab youth, Amar. Whereas Stenham, an existentialist, anti-imperialist, is captivated with the aesthetic, "medieval" traditions still alive in the streets of twentieth century Fez--"It did not really matter," to him "whether they worshipped Allah or carburetors," Amar has his own perspective on the use of religion for political gain by Istigal, the Moroccan nationalists movement. It is through the Moslem insights of Amar that Bowles triumphs as a writer. Amar is the real protagonist of the novel. He is something of a stranger in his own culture, with his own understanding of the events unfolding around him, and he believes he has the ability to see into men's hearts. Although Amar's religious faith tells him that the duty of the believer is to fight the unbeliever to the death, when it comes to the use of violence against fellow Moslems for political reasons, he is less certain. Eventually, the paths of Stenham and Amar cross with unexpected results. Now more than fifty years after its publication, without sentimentality, illusions, or blinders, THE SPIDER'S HOUSE remains relevant with its insights into the culture conflicts between East and West.

G. Merritt

I strongly recommend this novel, written in 1954,yet totally alive and relevant to the contemporary reader. I was amazed to see Bowles capture the essence of the clash between the Islamic world view and the Western modern view in such a fresh and insightful manner.

The novel is about the final days of the French occupation of Morocco after World War II. The story is told through the eyes of an American expatriat, Stenham, and then through they eyes of a 15 year old Islamic young man. Stenham, a tired and disappointed writer, has seen the false promise of modernism, and thus is sympathetic to the Moslem determinism and process of living life embedded in faith. Amar, the Moroccan youth, also see those members of the Moroccan nationalists movement, Istiglal, who would use religion for political gain.

The story moves from luxury hotels and modest Moslem homes, to street fights and riots, to Islamic ceremonies high in the Moroccan mountains, to the cafes where Europeans gather to experience a world far different from their own, to the lairs of the subversives who plan to drive the French from Islamic lands.

Like Mark Twain's Huckelberry Finn, the world seen through the eyes of youth allows for fresh observations of the familiar world. Amar is the Moslem Huckelberry, trying to make sense of Europeans and countrymen in a struggle for power.

Yet it is the cultural interaction between modernism and Islam that Bowles captures perfectly. Bowles paints a realistic, honest, sympathetic vision of the Islamic world. The image reveals the weaknesses and barreness that modernism brings. I recommend this book strongly, especially in these times of conflict between the Western world and the world of Islam.

Candace Robb has read and researched medieval history for many years, having studied for a Ph.D. in Medieval and Anglo-Saxon Literature. She divides her time between Seattle and the UK, frequently spending time in Scotland and York to research her books.

York is very close to my own home and many of the places mentioned in the Owen Archer books are still there to be seen and of course Archbishop John Thorseby is mentioned in the records of York Minster. All this adds spice for me and helps me to picture the time and events that took place. This is the second novel in what is proving to be a captivating series.

It is the middle of the 14th century in England and in the city of York the people are dying under mysterious circumstances. There is a common thread to all of the death, they have all taken herbal remedies dispensed by Nicholas Wilton, whose apothecary shop lies in the shadow of York Minster, one of England's most beautiful offerings to the glory of God. Nicholas is a most respected apothecary, surely he would not make the mistakes that are proving fatal?

Owen Archer, one time Captain of a group of Welsh Archers, with a knack of being able to unravel mysteries is dispatched into York to try to get to the bottom of the mystery.

I liked the mystery very much, it wasn't so much who killed who as it was about why, what was the mystery and motivations. I found it very suspenseful and I enjoyed the characters tremendously -OK Lucie U Bro Wulfsten were tolerable- Owen, Bess, Thorseby, Magda & the Summoner all thought were good well-developed characters. I liked Owen very much and will read the next book in the series asap.

I have enjoyed Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series very much, and when I first discovered this book, I thought I had found another wonderful mystery series.
I am sorry to say that this was a major disappointment.
The plot, the mystery is weak-actually there's no mystery at all-the villain is too conspicuous from the start.
I did not think much of character development either.
Does the author have to remind the reader of the protagonist's attraction to the opposite sex that many times?

And Magda Digby, the character that seems most real to the author-does she have to talk like Yoda?
Lucie Wilton-the female protagonist-is so good and beautiful that it gets irritating after a while.
Archdeacon Anselm is too much of a cliche-
Really, no redeeming features at all .

I have enjoyed the Owen Archer series since a patient of mine suggested the books. This is my third venture into the 14th Century and the first of the series. In Apothecary Rose the author introduces most of the main characters: The Archbishop of York and King's Chancellor Thorsby, his spy/sleuth Owen Archer, Owen's apothecary wife Lucie Wilton, the infirmarian Brother Wulfstan, the mysterious healer Magda Digby, and the helpful neighbors and local pub owners Bess and Tom. With this work, the author sets up the personalities and histories of her characters, their new relationships, the format of this and succeeding stories, and introduces the main players on the historical stage of the time.

Like Ellis Peters (Brother Cadfael) with whom she is often compared, Ms Robb has a good handle on the mystery story as set in old England. She keeps to the story, but insists that it remain as historically accurate as she is able to make it. As she points out in one of her expositions on writing historical fiction, she attempts to produce a work that is as true to the time as possible, taking liberties only where there is no data and where her theories are at least plausible. Ms Robb is a professionally trained historian shy of a PhD only by a dissertation, and seems to have a feel for her time period of choice. She creates a realistic ambiance without burdening her readers with more information than they need to visualize the setting and characters.

One of the interesting facets of this story is the clear understanding that one gains of the social life of the times. The author is able to recreate the intertwined nature of church and secular authority. She also makes it clear that, no matter how we feel about religion, the religious, or God today, the early Europeans, in this case the English, were often quite serious about their beliefs. Even the very ambitious churchmen, like the Archbishop, who were involved in political intrigue, plot and counterplot were not totally lacking in belief. Why this might have been--and in fact why it is less so now--becomes more apparent when one is placed in the precarious setting of the Middle Ages.

Another of the things that the author is able to put across for the reader is that much of what is taken as "unfounded," anti-science herbal remedies today, have a long and respected history behind them. The apothecary underwent a lengthy training period or apprenticeship before practicing his/her craft, much as a modern pharmacist does today. Furthermore, there were specialties in the health care world of the time, just as there are today. In a world before antibiotics, much of what these people could do to heal and to relieve suffering was impressive. It may not measure up to today's standards, but the technology and economic wherewithal for modern medicine did not exist at the time and in fact still doesn't in many 3rd World countries.

Very impressive work. It might make a good introduction to this period in history for students.

I truly enjoyed this book and plan to read the entire series. It was through a romance review site that I first encountered a review on The Apothecary Rose. Frankly, if it hadn't been for the romantic element, I might not have read it. I felt the interaction between Owen Archer and Lucie made the story more interesting, but there is very little romance, per se, compared to what you would find in a romance novel where a lot of emphasis is placed on a physical relationship.

There is a mystery, but not centered on who-done-it because that's pretty easy to figure out. The mystery revolves around the "why", which to me can be just as enjoyable as guessing the "who". The medieval time period was fasinating to read about and also enlightening. Some of the characters like Magda Digby, Archdeacon Anselm, and Nicolas Wilton were unforgettable. Where some would look as if they were unfit for society and without wisdom, and others whose chosen field of service showcases their piety, readers will immerse themselves in the good and evil of these characters. Choices, during this period, was not so much based on moral decisions, but what was more expedient or best for the King and/or the Church.

Thus said, Owen Archer is someone you don't want to miss. The next one in the series is The Lady Chapel. I hope it will be just as titillating.

I've been a major HM fiend for 35 years, and this is one that I keep pulling off the shelf just to read for pleasure. Most of his books you can open at will anywhere and find some gems even in the middle of stream of consciousness paragraphs, but he was at the top of his game here. As a teen I used the list in the back of the book as a recommended reading guide, so I have HM to thank for my love of Dostoevsky, Rimbaud, Hamsun, and Lawrence.

I loved him so much I hitch-hiked down to his funeral, and of course have his "Notice to Visitors" posted in my office. In the old game of "If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be?" I'd have Henry Miller, Dostoevsky, Sir Richard Burton, and Rimbaud. I remember stopping off at the HM Library in Big Sur and seeing Emil White sitting in the yard. I was so in awe of course I didn't say a word to him.

Everyone should read Miller, and this is a good start. For New Yorkers, his "Rosy Crucifixion" can't be beat. I actually prefer those to the Tropics.

As a bibliophile I like to read books that remind me of the value of reading. It reinforces what I already believe. This is representative of that genre.

In talking about the books in his personal library, Miller mentions that his habit was to mark extensively in the margins of the books he likes. That's a habit I possess too and find it to enrich my reading experience by reinforcing key ideas, and providing a source of reference when I go back to that book later.

He equates reading well to writing effectively and sees both as part of the same creative process in a sense. Miller sees the Creator as being the source of good ideas whether communicated through a writer's pen or through the thoughts of a perceptive reader. He says the best readers are writers. In terms of content selection, he notes, "The good reader will gravitate to the good books."

Consider what he says about the process of reading when he writes, "Is it not strange to understand and enjoy what is incommunicable? Man is not communicating with man through words, he is communicating with his fellow man and with his Maker." However, as a Christian, I cannot accept Miller's theology because elsewhere in the book he writes, "Long before I had accepted Jesus Christ, I had embraced Lao-tse and Gautama the Buddha."

I do agree with him on the value of reading,however. He celebrates other readers and presents them as people of action. He says reading adds a dimension to life that would not be there otherwise, a depth of understanding that is acquired only when that portion of the brain is exercised properly.

While I strongly oppose his religious stance, I agree with his advocacy of reading. It is with that qualification that I recommend this book. Read it and enjoy it, but disregard the attacts on the Christian faith.

I read this book after not having read Miller for about five years and I was pleasantly surprised. I think that it is better than most of his fictional novels. It really gives you a feel for what shaped his whole outlook on life. And it isn't nearly as vitriolic as the Tropics, rather, it's more of a celebration of his craft. If you are curious about his literary influences (and I was), you will love this book. In fact, after reading it once, I immediatley read it a second time and I was inspired by it to the point where I purchased some of the books he makes mention of. Parts of the book also made me laugh out loud. I highly recommend it.

When Miller was good he was great. When he was bad, he was terrible. "Books of My Life" is in the former category. As with much of Miller's writing, it's difficult for Henry to stay on topic. But his discursions are entertaining, thoughtful, and illuminating. What begins as a book about Miller's literary influences goes in a thousand different directions. But it's more consistent and interesting than "Tropic of Capricorn" or "Plexus," books that are ambitious but also a mess. Written in 1950, in "Books," Miller recounts his favorite works from the first 60 years of his life (which had 30 more years to go). Most of the authors he cites I am not familiar with, and many are the kind of books few people read today (does anyone still read Robinson Crusoe or the Arabian Knights?). Miller was an author whose life was so long that he straddled the Victorian and modern age. And his writing has elements of both. But rather than an exercise in style (which "Cancer" was), or a venue for recounting his own experiences, Miller gives us much insight into his intellectual makeup. Although Miller was incapable of taking the spotlight off himself for very long, he gives many good recommendations to his readers. He is also often funny--Miller humorously concludes that it's not a good idea to read on the toilet. Some people will not like his tastes--he likes Nietzsche but not Shakespeare, he defends de Sade but cares little for Voltaire. I found some of his comparisons odd, yet interesting (linking the democratic tendencies of Dostoyevsky and Walt Whitman, for example). Miller gives some good advice to young writers, but "Books," as its title suggests, is more about reading than writing. What I found most annoying about the book was Miller's weakness for quoting or writing long French phrases. Do I wish I spoke and read French? Sure. Is it necessary that Miller sprinkle French throughout? No. He's merely showing off. As annoying as this tendency of the learned is, Miller was a genius and a great influence on many writers. I would put this book with "Sexus" and "Tropic of Cancer" as examples of Miller's best writing. As the cliche goes, great writers should be great readers. Miller was both, and anyone who aspires to the literary world should read this book.

There are many books that have held enormous influence over me. Different books come along at different times and when the timing is right, there is magic. My literary education is an ongoing process. But there is one unique book that stands out among all these books. I couldn't call it the best book I ever read. I wouldn't call it my favorite book. It is simply a book that has provided a guiding hand for close to two decades.

The book in question is The Books In My Life by Henry Miller. This is a book that I originally purchased back in my high school years. I had already begun reading many literary figures. I had discovered the Beats like Kerouac and Ginsberg. I found the French Symbolists like Rimbaud. I was tuned in to Whitman, Blake and Nietzche.

As I continued to seek out new literary heroes, I stumbled upon Henry Miller. I immediately sought out Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. I was struck by the sheer force and passion of Miller's writing. I was willing to overlook his many flaws because he was so exuberant. It also intrigued me that he was so open about his influences. Karl Shapiro wrote a coda to Tropic of Cancer with all kinds of strange names of people I had never read. I learned of a book by Miller that reveals his reading habit.

So that led me to The Books In My Life. This is a book where Miller attempts to provide the reader with his evolution as a reader. He runs through many of the great writers that held enormous influence over him. He also discusses some of the people in his life that impacted his reading and literary development. In his preface, he writes that he wants to round out his life story and includes books as vital experience. He quickly states that this is not criticism and shouldn't be used as a program for self education.

The book includes 14 chapters and an all important appendix of 100 influential books and "books he still intends to read." The chapter order is not really all that important. This is not a book that needs to be read from page one to conclusion. I vaguely remember actually reading it from start to finish about 18 years ago. I have referred to it hundreds of times since then. In fact, I think it is more beneficial to use this book as a reference book.

I use it to seek out names of writers that I have yet to discover. The list of writers I discovered through Henry Miller and this book is staggering: Blaise Cendrars, John Cowper Powys, Knut Hamsum, Jean Giono, Madame Blavatsky, Maurice Maeterlinck, Marie Corelli. This is just a few of the names that I sought out because of this book.

Miller discusses early reading such as Rider Haggard, G.K. Chesterton, and G.A. Henty. He grew up on many of these adventure writers. He retained an affection for Haggard's novel She throughout his life. Haggard is one of four writers to have an entire chapter dedicated to him. Giono, Cendrars and Krishnamurti are the others. He reveled in a book like Alice In Wonderland. He writes of the joy of reading Mark Twain as a youth. He also writes of the overwhelming excitement of reading books like Hamsun's Mysteries or Nietzche's The Birth of Tragedy for the first time.

What I like is that he reveals how certain authors maintained their magic over him while others were dramatic disappointments when he reread them. He clearly disavows any intention of "ever tackling Spenser's Faerie Queen anew." He writes of having few pleasant memories of Dickens. He wrote that he wouldn't care if never read Jack London or Kipling again. He is also honest about many classics that he never managed to read. How many learned individuals would admit that they never read Homer or Aristotle or Robert Browning.

There is a chapter devoted to what he dubs as living books. This includes personal friends as well as writers he met. Lou Jacobs was a friend who provided him with books. He met such luminaries as W.E.B. Dubois, Emma Goldman John Cowper Powys and Blaise Cendrars. This includes some good autobiographical passages. He maintained an intellectual curiosity throughout his life.

The Books In My Life is a unique book. I can think of no other book I have read that is solely about all the different literary influences of a lifetime. Many writers try to hide their influences to make it appear as if they have fallen from space or something. Miller applies his legendary enthusiasm and frankness to the task of recounting his literary development. I have discovered more literature through this book than any other resource I have encountered. And I remain certain that I will probably discover even more in the coming years.

This is an invaluable reference guide to anyone who wants to explore great literature as well as philosophy and spiritual development. (Miller writes of Ramakrishna, Lao-Tse, Jacob Boehme, St Francis of Assisi among other religious giants.) Most readers will discover treasures they never heard of before. They may also find inspiration to seek out famous names like Dostoevsky and Boccaccio if they read this book. Miller's ebullience comes shining through in the prose of this book. And contrary to Miller's insistence, it has been an invaluable tool in literary self-education. Pick up a copy! Another book I need to recommend -- completely unrelated to Miller, but very much on my mind since I purchased it off Amazon is "The Losers' Club" by Richard Perez, an exceptional, highly entertaining little novel I can't stop thinking about.

I really am pleased that I read this book because within its pages you can see the birth of our modern world.

Despite the fact that Rene contorted himself to try to prove that God exists; he still managed to create a great work. He began the inquiry into reality wherein we try to understand the world through experimentation. I think he failed in many ways to develop a coherent philosophical structure due to his attempts to please the Church but given the social conditions of the day this was the best that he could do. Even in this flawed analysis Rene paved the way for what would later become the Scientific Method.

I only wish that he could live today and write without fears of reprisal from religious entities.

well..descartes is kind of long winded.
he's trying to prove we can KNOW things about the natural world, which he does. fantastic.
the problem now is by decartes standard can there be agnostic or atheist scientists?

Be Careful! This is NOT the translation described in the Amazon reviews. It is a the unreadable one by Heffernan. This edition is useful only for its Latin text. The facing English can be used as an aid to the reader, but is often so stiff and convoluted as to be unreadable as English. The fifty-page introduction is full of trivia and misinterpretations. The volume is quite justifiably out of print!

In the 17th century, the world underwent dramatic and incredible changes. The Scientific Revolution was gathering pace, Europeans had experienced the Reformation and the Renaissance, and boundaries and horizons in all areas were being expanded and changed at a breakneck pace.

Into this time of upheaval comes Descartes, one of the greatest Philosophers to ever live anywhere in the world. While 'modern' philosophy, which broke off its roots from Scholasticism, does not necessarily begin only with Descartes, it is true in Descartes the agenda of post-Scholastic philosophy is most clearly and beautifully expressed in logical terms.

Descartes's project is to take into account the implications of the scientific revolution for philosophy; for Descartes, it is no longer religious authority or pure philosophical speculation which tells us the most accurate truths about the cosmos, but science based on observation and the use of mathematical and logical methods employed by the aid of natural human reason.

Descartes sets into motion an astonishing project into motion; to basically remove Scholasticism and its corrupt and inept attempts to understand the universe and replace it with a complete and unified system of knowledge, based on certain truths clear and knowable to anyone, whatever their class or background.

Descartes, following a plan of 'meditation', withdraws from the senses and attempts to consider the universe as it is to the intellect. Descartes carefully invokes several skeptical doubts about our knowledge, the existence of the external world, and our own existence and attempts to set out what he felt was true and what is not. The famous phrase 'Cogito ergo sum' is one result, though Descartes's overall system and arguments are more complex.

Descartes argues that the cogito, along with the goodness of God who does not make a creature merely in order to decieve it, ensures there are certain and indutible truths about ourselves and the world which will ensure his project will be a successful one. But Descartes encourages the reader not merely to accept his arguments but to put them into practice themselves, hoping in doing so they will discover new truths about the universe which will be plain to anyone using the light of reason.

Descartes in his other works uses this method as a justification for his approach to science and mathematics. Descartes was in every sense a polymath; a trained lawyer, an excellent writer, a student of human anatomy (in which Descartes made many pioneering experiments and observations), a brilliant philosopher and (for his time) physicist, and a mathematician of genius. However, while much of his science is now plainly wrong and was superseded by better scientists such as Galileo and Newton, the agenda Descartes set for philosophy remains much the same even today, especially in the Analytic tradition. Philosophy owes to Descartes two great achievements, one, in applying more rigorous logical methods to philosophical problems while paying attention to the results of science, and second, the re-introduction of skepticism into philosophy which provides a valuable check against dogmatism, but which would only truely be extended to its fullest possible means by David Hume.

Whether or not one ultimately agrees with Descartes's arguments, it must be acknowledged he is a great geius who stands shoulder to shoulder with people like David Hume, Liebniz, Spinoza and Kant, who all radically changed the way philosophers look at the world and the problems it poses.

I needed this book for my doctoral studies. I needed it for research and needed it quickly. I am very pleased with the delivery service and the book

Having read Dan Simmons' novelization of the Franklin expedition, I picked up this volume curious to learn more about what modern explorers had found. Though there is plenty of detail about the frozen north and the rigors of arctic exploration, the type of discovery chronicled in the story is not so much geographical as scientific--being centered primarily in the analysis of the bodies carefully interred by the Franklin expedition itself over 130 years ago.

The authors' carefully lay out the mystery of the Franklin expedition and then persuasively argue their thesis, which I will not give away here--no spoilers in this review. It is enough to realize that the tale warns that dangers lurk in the familiar as well as the foreign and that we cannot be too careful regarding our surroundings.

This was a quick and interesting read as well as an important commentary on the costs and benefits of exploration. One wonders whether our civilization has lost something now that our world has been mapped and explored; we seem to have lost the desire to find new frontiers--to pay the costs of discovery--and are all the poorer for it.

Recommended.

This new edition of Frozen in Time expands on the history of early British Arctic exploration and places the tragically fated Franklin expedition in the context of other expeditions of the era, including those commanded by George Back and James Clark Ross, which also suffered unaccountable and devastating losses. The authors' research reveals an unexpected -- and ironic -- cause for the mystery illness that befell the explorers. Never-before-seen photographs from the exhumations, updated research results, additional forensic corroboration, and a new introduction by Margaret Atwood complete this fascinating account.

This book excited me, the prospect of revisiting the Franklin expedition in such a way as done by the author was the reason I picked it up. He delivers in a clear way, a brief history of the events leading up to Franklin's attempt at the Northwest Passage and subsequent demise as well as the numerous tries at rescue and later attempts to learn of the Franklin party's fate. This book puts to rest the "Franklin's Folly" view of man and puts the reader at the graves during the exhumations. I only wish there were more photos showing areas along the route they followed where artifacts were found. Occasionally the author attempts and fails to write with flare of an adventure writer, these bits come off as awkward, but don't last long and it's back to what he does well: provide clear pictures of what he did.

God this book was amazing. It took me months to read because it was so dense with information and I kept gaping at the pictures, but it was worth it. The best thing about Frozen in Time was that the anthropologists that excavated the bodies were so emotional about it. The whole book, despite being a scientific account, is so incredibly creepy. One of the creepiest books I have ever read. The contents of this book completely permeated my brain, even after I finished reading the book.

I guess the authors had a distinct advantage by choosing to excavate members of the Franklin expedition. I don't think there are many things that people today are morbidly curious about than cannibalism, and because it was proven to have taken place again and again on this Arctic expedition, reading about the deaths of members of the crew would be captivating regardless of what aspect(s) they were analyzing.

In this book, the major focus was what killed everyone so quickly, and I think the only issue I had with this book is that in the beginning they kind of hinted at lead poisoning, then focused on scurvy for awhile, then went back to lead poisoning, then, FINALLY, in the last chapter or two, analyzed the cans found concluded that lead was the most probably cause, and that contrary to previous belief, it was nearly impossible to die from scurvy that fast when they had limes on board. Despite the occasional digressions, the way the anthropolgists describe the bodies (especially that of John Torrington) is incredibly sincere. Many books published these days are boring, emotionless scientific accounts, with very little feeling mixed in. These scientists were completely consumed with what they were doing. They couldn't get over the sadness and loneliness involved with dying alone in the high Arctic. The fact that these sailors were beyond help, that Torrington was so young (20, I think) inspired extreme amounts of emotion. Just to be working with a 150 year old corpse of a person that died in such loneliness haunted all of the scientists throughout the book.

I guess there's nothing more to say, other than the fact that Frozen in Time is the best scientific account of an Arctic expedition I have ever read, not only because of the sheer morbidity of cannibalism, but because the scientists who wrote it were so sympathetic and filled with emotion.

I got this book for my birthday this past year and I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. It is a well written account not only of the fate of the Franklin Expedition, but also of the difficulties and many hardships faced by many of the Arctic Explorers of the time. It details the many problems that faced the various crews prior to Franklin's fated expedition and those of the many crews that searched for those 128 men.

The second part of the book tells of Owen Beattie's search for the Fate of those men, and his startling discoveries that showed the most likely cause of the tragedy. From finding the first bones on King Williams Island to excavating the three men on Beechey Island, the second part of the book is just as interesting as the first. Both are tales of discovery and the challenges associated with them.

All in all this book is one of those to spark the interest of anyone interested in Naval History and the history of Exploration. I highly recommend this book.

This novel is set in an alternate world of fantasy & magic. The leading man, T--, is depresessed because he is going through a divorce. The leading lady, L--, is escaping an abusive marraige and also going through a divorce. T-- knows (mystically) that L-- is his perfect wife, but neither is ready to start something new.

As a Romance, "Heart Fate" is falls flat (1-star). Their feelings for each other are tepid and uninspired. It just didn't convey enjoyment and passion. Their romantic conflict (of the "why didn't you tell me" variety) was stupid given the rules of their society (you're never supposed to tell someone this, so why is L-- upset?)

However, as a divorce drama and light hearted adventure, "Heart Fate" provides decent entertainment (3-stars). The strongest plotline was L--'s story of escaping her abusive marraige and finding herself. 2nd best were sub-plots that showed us more about the intelligent magical houses -- these were fun! 3rd best were T--'s feelings and growth following his divorce. And there are a few other non-romantic sub-plots that are a fun surprise.

Overall, "Heart Fate" is a pleasant enough read if you're in the mood for light entertainment.

I really enjoy Robin Owens as an author. Her stories are fun and easy to get into. This was a fun book to read and enjoy, especially if you wanted to be just entertained.

I love this series and Heart Fate did not dissapoint. Robin D Owens is a fantastic writer. Such imagination and emotion in her stories make the read a wonderful adventure. love love love love.

I love all of Robin Owen's books especially Celta. This is Tinne Holly's story and once again it was a great read.

Robin Owens seems to do a very good job in providing different heros and heroines in each of her books. T'Ash, Tinne Holly, and T-Willow for example are as variant in personality as men can be and yet each make terrific heros.

This book ran in a different vein from the ones before, but thay all have to one point or another. This was a book of healing; man, woman, dog, house, and maybe even cat to a degree; all need to heal, gain hope, and go on.

I enjoyed it a great deal.

This well-told, interesting, robust summary of Pakistan's 55 year old history is more than just the usual "run-of-the-mill country study." The author has talked to real Pakistanis, sampled their opinions, and mapped the nation's temperament and volatility back into its own desires, hopes and fears. It is a rich and dense biography of a much-troubled ally and nation.

Strategically situated at the crossroads of some of the most important of international sensitivities, and beset with enough internal problems to place it at the very top of any objective list of the world's most unstable countries, Pakistan continues to muddle through, lurching from one deep-rooted crisis to another.

Now that it has become "the first Islamic nuclear power," all of the stakes have been raised immeasurably to a whole new level. As a U.S. ally in the war on terror, it is a sobering thought that like Israel, Saudi Arabia, and even Iraq, Pakistan too could conceivably turn from our number one ally into our number one enemy almost over night. It is just a roll of the dice that keeps this troubled nation afloat and upright for the moment.

It is this volatility and unpredictability that makes a deeper study of Pakistan essential for international relation watchers. Jones, a journalist who spent several years "on station" in Pakistan, brings a fresh but very "un-journalistic" approach to this national biography: It is not just another computer dump of a journalist log, but a well-told story, that unfolds chronologically and thematically; one that is linked to internal opinions as well as to the larger international picture.

This is a very impressive book. Five stars

This book is without a doubt the best ever book one can find on Pakistani politics. It covers every aspect in detail from the 1999 Coup, the Kashmir Crisis-Kargil, Democracy in Pakistan as well as other internal issues.

The author obviously through his decade long experience has got a great deal of insight knowledge from his experiences for reporting for the BBC for which he made the wise choice for publishing his thoughts in this book.

If you're a student or even a curious reader liking books on Asian or especially Pakistani related politics, then look no further than this book as it is the best one out there. I read it all in 3 days and still do repeatedly as I've used it for reference for many university related projects.

Pakistan's turbulent history and military rule is treated to a scholarly and in-depth analysis which describes many of the problems of modern Pakistan with an eye to probing their historical roots. Jones assesses regional conflict and influence within the country and provides an important, scholarly assessment of Pakistan's underlying foundations. College-level readers will find it involving.

Owen Bennet Jones was BBC's correspondent in Pakistan for three years till 2001.

His book is a wonderful way to understand Pakistan. It is not a typical chronological list of facts. It is a set of nicely grouped perspectives on the issues in Pakistan's politics: the power players - army, politicians, feudal lords; the public opinion issues - Kashmir, Bomb, Bangladesh, Muhajirs; and their impact on Pakistan so far.

The reader can pick any chapter and start with it.

It is difficult to write a book about Pakistan (or India) without leaving in the reader's mind a sense of disappointment at a biased perspective. Was partition the right thing to do? Different views may emerge based on who you ask.

It is even more difficult for a British author to keep a balanced perspective on the history of the sub-continent given the influence in his own ambience. Is Winston Churchill a wise statesman or an arrogant imperialist? Different views may emerge based on where you ask.

The author seems to have struck a fine balance between multiple views.

However, in a few instances, the author disappoints:

Pakistan does feel insecure about India's intentions. The religious divide is a thin argument since India has more Muslims than Pakistan; and they are not raring to quit India. The divide stems from a public opinion that got shaped by the shameful violence during partition; that got nurtured after the partition by the army and politicians in Pakistan as a pet hate agenda for self serving reasons. Today, no politician or general in Pakistan can take a softer friendly stand towards India and survive in Pakistan. This is true to a lesser extent for politicians in India too. Feeding a public opinon for political convenience and in turn being fed by it is the vicious cycle that Pakistan has gotten into. The author misses this point and suggests that Pakistan's insecurity stems from India responding to Pakistan's invasion in 1965 by crossing the border and coming to occupy Lahore; and from India's role in liberation of Bangaldesh. This world-view befits a public relations spin master and not a political journalist.

Pakistan's view is that Mujahideens causing mass deaths in Kashmir are "freedom fighters" and not "terrorists". This view suffers from several fallacies:
(a) Pakistan's claim as homeland to the sub continent's Muslims is not valid any more. Not after 180 million in East Pakistan walked away. Not after 200 million Muslims have stayed back in India and have played a big role in India's growth.
Pakistan has lesser Muslims, 150 million, today than either India or Bangladesh.
(b) The Mujahideen are trained and equipped by the State of Pakistan. This is low intensity proxy war. Not freedom fighting. Not terrorism.
(c) The Mujaihideen are not citizens of Kashmir. They are "outsiders" coming in for a shared religion. They sincerely believe they are fighting for the noble cause of their religion. They believe religion prevails over the State. This view raises challenges to several States. In the end this may prove to be a bigger challenge to Islamic States than other States.
The author's sympathetic description of the events in Kashmir as "tribesmen crossing the border to fight for their muslim brethren" reflects one view reasonably well; but ignores an opposite view that may have a greater dosage of wisdom.

Pakistan's army, in the words of Benazir Bhutto, has a better track record in fighting its own citizens than fighting other armies. The army's response to this potential for doubt is made up of: (a) a signature tactic of proxy war - in defeat there is a cover of deniability; and in success there is glory and (b) lack of transparency on events during the war and a "spin" that could obfuscate truth. The author is willing to be a facilitator. Did Pakistan's army lose its positions in Kargil? Or, did they walk out because Nawaz Sharif ceded to pressure from the US? The author says that Indians claim Pakistan army was dislodged in 80% of the positions before Sharif met Clinton; but "neutral" observers, relying on Pakistan sources, believe that India had dislodged Pakistan in just 12 of the 132 positions implying that the army won it and politicians lost it. Neutral observers relying on Pakistan sources? There are better neutral analyses like Arthur J Tellis' book "Limited Conflicts Under the Nuclear Umbrella".

The author parrots a view he heard in Pakistan army: that Pakistan army uses tribesmen in its engagement with India because the Indian army is more afraid of the tribesmen than Pakistan's regular army. Steve Coll in "Ghost wars" has a different story. Officers in Pakistan army preferred to get posted to the Western front than the Eastern front where they need to meet the tough professional army from India.

Aside from these minor biases, the author has done a very good job in portraying Pakistan's history and the issues this young nation faces.

I bought this book some three years ago and took it on a trip, finishing it over six days. The book is written very well, and journalist in Owen Bennet Jones certainly needs to be commended.

Jones starts the book with President Musharraf, and moves back to the 1999 coup which installed him. He then picks up some of the key issues which drive Pakistan's foreign policy: Kashmir, The Bomb, The Army, among others. His writing syle is such that you immediately fall in with him and start thinking alongside. This makes the book an easy read. His style leans more towards description than analysis. Though the analysis is there, it is more journalistic than professorial (such as Stephen Cohen's: The Idea of Pakistan). There are also some good illustrations and cartoons.

However, he also leaves out important aspects of Pakistan (this is perhaps justified considering the title of the book). For instance, the entire book is written from the perspective of an outsider or a diplomat who would like to deal the Pakistan state. There is little analysis of Pakistan's domestic policies or problems, except to the extent that these influence its foreign policies. There is little information on Pakistan's economy or social institutions. Relatively little space has been given to Islam, which is strange considering that many of Pakistan's policies are supposed to be derived from the religious nature of the State. This is unfortunate because Pakistan's future may be determined largely by how it interfaces with Islam and how its economy shapes up.

And there are very few insights. What drives Pakistan, what holds it toegether, what may make it fail, these are all dealt with from a foreign policy perspective, but in an analytical style. Though Jones does make some very good connections between events and identifies patterns, the insights are simply not there. Perhaps one has to turn to an Asian mind such as V. S. Naipaul for that. However, Naipaul is somewhat hostile to the subject, and therefore may merely end up reinforcing some stereotypes.

All in all, an enjoyable book, but one that you may not be able to hold for long in your mind.

I think my biggest beef with this book is the way the ships are organized. Instead of alphabetically ordered (even the four new templates like junker and prototype are in with the ships in alphabetical order instead of a little section of their own)I think it would have made more sense to have the ships catagorized by size, function, or the best prolly would have been by who used or made them. Like... all the old republic ships in one section, then new empire, then the independants... I dunno, it just get's very dissorganized when they do it alphabetically. My other beef being I guess even though it is labeled "Starships" I was hoping to see some land speeders or bikes, a few walkers... land craft I guess, I wonder if that means they'll come out with a land craft book or just put them chunk by chunk in the other supplements which seems to be what they're doing. Seems the KotR book has speeders and bikes and the Unleashed book has some too so.... In order to play the game you have to buy all the books anyways right? One last beef... The templates in my opinion are pretty useless, nice attempt, but really... if a gm wants to make a ship a junker... you don't really need a template, just make some of the stats lower...
On to the pluss' of this book. There is enough selection of ships (barely) to put together a battle. There are maybe a couple of fighters, freighters, transports, capital ships, etc from each era of play from each faction. There are pictures for 99% of the ships which is allways good and the art is exceptional. I guess I do have another beef with this book which was actually the first thing that annoyed me, there are only about 4 schematic layouts for ships... so there are all these ships but only about four of them have blueprint layouts (dynamic a.k.a. ebon hawk, sith infiltrator a.k.a. Darth Maul's personal transport, and of course han solo's ride.. I'm pretty sure there's one more... oh yea, one other space transport) which bummed me out because I was looking to throw some space pirates into the campaign and would have liked to work with some actual ship layouts instead of making them myself and I guess it would have gotten pretty rediculous with the sheer size of some of these ships but they could have done a few more of them. The ships have brief descriptions of who made them and why which is good for tying them in to your campaign as well as a capabilities section which is good for basically letting you know how that ship was used. One of the best parts of this book was the modification part which was laid out and explained very well. There are new talents and feats which were interesting but seriously I think unless the GM let's it be known that it is going to be a campaign heavy in space most of them are pretty useless to a standard campaign, more for building specialized characters. There is one cool feat enabling someone to literally make a ship from the ground up and I think that's cool. I reccomend this book for two people and two people only... The GM who wants to throw an occasional small scale starship battle into the campaign (although get ready for a headache cuz the rules and specs on how to do this are complicated) and the player who wants to be a specialized character, the player who really wants to be an ace pilot and have a personalized ship that is capable of more than just getting the party from point a to point b. Hey, no group is complete without a han solo right? beats calling a taxi all the time and really helps flesh out a character. Sooo... I'd say this book is more for the player looking to flesh their character than for the GM

The Starships of the Galaxy sourcebook for the Star Wars RPG is a nice addition to the series of sourcebooks that are coming out this year. Along with Threats of the Galaxy that came out a couple weeks before it, Starships of the Galaxy puts more depth and definition into your sessions with chases, dogfights, and all the great things that makes a Starship in Star Wars a Starship. Having great Starships, Freighters, and Capital Ships from the Star Wars universe. From Starships like Luke Skywalker's X-Wing and Darth Vader's Tie Fighter, then Freighters like Han Solo's Millenium Falcon and Knights of the Old Republic's Ebon Hawk, to Capital Ships like the Corellian Corvette and the Victory Class Star Destroyer, it's all here. For fans of the Star Wars RPG and fans of Star Wars period this is a great book to add to your collection. With nice stats for all the Starships for Star Wars. If you enjoy the game and enjoy the Star Wars universe this is a definite must buy!

I like the book, and I love how extensive it is and how well it explains just about everything you need to know about a starship. It really embellishes the starship battles and makes it much more immersive into the Star Wars Universe everyone knows and loves.

The only drawback is that much of it goes so in-depth that the typical group will not take the feats necessary to use most of the book. Unless you have a campaign centered around a group of pilots, much of the book will be largely unused.

But, it is a necessity should you choose to make a campaign of snub-fighter jocks or members of the Imperial Navy or a party who just wants to design and build their own ship.

This newest version of the Star Wars Starship guide is great for those Smigglers, Bounty Hunters and Ace pilots that want to buy,steal or build their own custom made ship.

After picking up the Star Wars SAGA roleplaying game from Amazon, I went to the Wizards of the Coast website to look up any potential printing errors in the book. While I was looking around, I read about an up and coming supplement dealing with starship options. It piqued my interest, so I pre-ordered a copy of it on Amazon.

A month later, the book arrived and after spending about a week using it, I can say it was very much worth the money.

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"Starships of the Galaxy" is at heart a gathering of ship statistics, paragraphs of ship descriptions within the Star Wars timeline and pieces of art sprinkled throughout.

There's good variety here: most if not all of the movie ships were covered, including the medical frigates (seen at the end of The Empire Strikes Back and during Return of the Jedi), Cloud Cars (seen in The Empire Strikes Back), Super Star Destroyers (around the middle to end of Return of the Jedi) and more. In addition to what was seen in the six films, there are also entries that come from the Expanded Universe novels, like Xizor's Virago (from Shadows of the Empire). These were a nice touch that managed to cater to both casual and hardcore fans.

In some cases, the descriptions were a little skimpy - you'd either read about who used the ship, or when and where it was conceived, but rarely both. Mostly though, they did get the basics of the vehicle across.

The art is a mixed bag in terms of style - some were very straight, bright and blocky, giving the ship a technical drawing feel (like the X-Wing, and it appears the artists did work for the d20 Modern supplement "d20 Future"). Others were a bit blurry, colorful and seemed to make the ship look like it was engaged that moment in the heat of battle (such as the Virago). Both were done well, however. So, consistency aside, I was very pleased.

Though smaller than the rest of the book, there is a section on starship maneuvers and tactics. While these are reserved for campaigns set primarily with vehicle combat as the main conflict, there are some good single options that work for a mixed theme campaign.

To top it off, the covering is solidly build and the pages aren't thin and easily bent. The low page count (160) might turn some away (and I was skeptical myself after Wizards lowered the average from 192 to 160) but as long as the content stays at this level of quality or rises, the cost will be justifiable.

This book is very well written. It is the first technical book that I have read cover-to-cover in years.

This book's first chapter is about the only one that is clear. The rest of the chapters are unfortunately not well presented and structured. The examples and the CSS examples are laid out in very confusing ways. It is very often difficult to tell which snippet of code matches which screenshot. In that respect, chapter 7 is a nightmare.
Also cruelly missing from the book are a list of all possibly attributes for each property.
You will not be able to learn CSS entirely from this book. You will have to either buy another more comprehensive book, or to use Web tutorials.

This book is perfectly fine if you can't be bothered to seek out most of this information online. The authors' own websites are actually some of the best places to start. But the book is useful, even down to the entire chapter devoted to analyzing Netscape 4's CSS abilities--something most others will simply not cover.

However, the price of this book is about two times too high. It's short, with no CD, but it runs as much as many of the "phone-book" tech books. This is a fifteen-dollar value, no more.

Over the years, CSS has helped change the way information is displayed on the web. Since its inception, CSS has evolved into a full-featured language capable of formatting not only text but almost all elements of a web site such as tables, lists, and more. CSS is not the easiest language to learn, but a book such as this helps.

Cascading Style Sheets: Separating Content from Presentation by Owen Briggs, Steven Champeon, Eric Costello, Matt Patterson, is a great way to not only be introduced to CSS but also to learn the details that will ultimately help you to design or convert existing sites using the CSS language. The book introduces you to simple CSS formatting involving text and other web elements such as lists, tables, and more. After relishing some of the simple formatting concepts, the book guides you through the more complicated process of creating layouts using CSS.

Beyond direct applications of CSS, the authors explain some subtle issues that you will encounter while using CSS. While CSS is standardized by the W3C organization, the implementation of CSS varies across various browsers. The authors do an excellent job of covering some of the inconsistencies and how to resolve them. You are provided specific examples of code, and you are also given code that would help older browsers into displaying CSS-based layouts.

The book also takes interesting breaks from explaining CSS concepts and provides insights into unique features about CSS that are cool to know! One such section, explains how to make your pages downgrade gracefully and display properly in text-only browsers.

The various authors present the information very clearly, and you, towards the end of the book, will have learned how to not only use but also implement CSS in your design solutions. To aid you in your quest of applying what you have learned, the authors provide sample projects and brief guidelines before sending you off on a full filled CSS coding journey.

This is a great book for beginners and advanced users of CSS to learn and reference from.

Overall, this is an outstanding text for learning CSS and how to appropriately use it with HTML and XHTML. It is perfect for someone who is already comfortable with basic HTML markup and would like to leverage the various advantages of CSS. The book's only weak point is its coverage of the CSS box model. Arguably one of the more difficult parts of learning CSS, the chapter on the box model makes only passing reference to the float property, which is used very frequently in CSS layouts. Other examples in the box chapter were overly simplified and did not give much more info than I've found online.

The chapters on the basic syntax of CSS are very good and the typography coverage is outstanding.

The first time I read this book I was in 5th grade and I filled out the check-out card checking it out from the library over and over again. A few years ago, I was browsing through amazon.com and stumbled across it and so I bought it. A while later, my neice (who was probably 10 or 11 at the time) was over visiting me and saw it and borrowed it from me to read and she loved it. She wanted my copy, but instead I bought her another copy and gave it to her for her birthday ... like her aunt it has become her favorite book!

I read this book when I was 12 and still, 16 years later, I love it. This is a preteen book about a very sheltered 13 yr.old girl named Melanie who is forced to go away to camp for about 6 weeks.( Her Aunt Katherine,a pyschologist, strongly suggest that to her folks and they finally agree that Mel needs to grow up a bit and learn new things and meet new people.) At first Mel is quite homesick and scared of all the new activities, but she starts to really enjoy herself and grow up.She makes new friends and learns assertiveness,especially when it comes to dealing with a bully.
I could definitely relate to shy, sheltered, insecure Melanie when I was a preteen, which is partly why I adored it so much. I did attend summer camp when I was 10, 12 and 13. When I was 12 and 13 I had a mad crush on 1 hot blonde guy at the camp. His good looks and cool demeanor reminded me of "Steve", Melanie's boyfriend in the book.
Even though this book was written in the 70's, it is still relevant for today's preteens. I hope this book comes back in print some day and I hope no changes are made. I think this would also make a great made for tv movie.
Parents, do your preteens(especially girls) a favor and buy them this book. I can't see how any kid couldn't relate to the story.

Around 1978 I found this book. I purchased it brand new from the book store shelf. Over the next 9 years, I read it again and again and again. By the time I headed off to college the book was almost in tatters. It went with me to college but I only managed to read it once or twice by sandwiching it in between text books and classes. After I was married, I packed it away.

Fast forward to May 2006. Ok, call me overly dramatic. I was scheduled for surgery and I had time to read one book before going under the knife. I had to chose what might be the last book I'd ever read. I chose Hail, Hail Camp Timberwood. I couldn't find my own copy so I turned to the local library system. They had one copy about 45 miles away. I put in my request.

It was almost 30 years after the first time I read the book. Here I was, almost 37 and worried that this "young adult" book would dissapoint me. Had I made the wrong selection? Would I be bored? Would it still be my favorite book?

I made the right selection. I wasn't bored. It was still my favorite book - even decades later. As I turned each page, I remembered every thing in the book. As I read each word, it came spilling out of my memory as though I had just read the book the day before.

As you can surmise, I survived the surgery (or at least I am in the process of recovering). So, technically, this wasn't my "one last read". However, I think I'll find my copy and make sure I have it around just incase the situtation ever arises again.

Ellen: If you read these reviews, thank you for an incredible book!

I read this book for the first time when I was in elementary school, I actually filled up the library card for the book, that was how many times I checked it out, and read it. I never got to go to summer camp, but I always wanted to, and Timberwood was as close as I ever got. I am 31 now, and I still remember this book, I can't wait to get mine so I can visit Camp Timberwood all over again. I am going to try to get my boys to read it, I don't know how interested they will be though. An excellent read, I highly recommend it!!!

My friend gave my this book to read before we went to Camp Classen on a school trip. Her grandmother works at a library and gave it to her. She was dying to read it and told me I should when she finished. I simply loved it. The author put emotions in it that were exactly like those of a real teenager.
In this book, Melanie is leaving her parents, with whom she thinks of as best friends, and goes to Camp Timberwood. She meets a good friend there and an enemy. But when a little boy she meets in swimming class sends her on an errand she comes face to face with romance. You can not put this book down. It is completely mesmerizing. You will absolutely love it!