Owens Books

This is one of the single best repair books ever written. I am a rotten mechanic. This gave me enough confidacne to do some work. Plus, the idiot part gave me a lot of knoweldge that has transfered to differing situations. I read the first edition more than 10 years ago and this is still my favorite. Now I just need one to cover my 83 mustang.

Being a previous VW Bug owner and having gotten the original "VW Idiot's Guide" all greasy and dirty, I love this book. (It was fascinating to learn that Fuji (Subaru) built their motor based on the original Porsche/VW design but added water cooling!).It puts you in touch with your car...gives you confidence that you can become a hobbiest/mechanic... and you can easily figure out what maintenance you can do at home with minimum tools and which maintenance you should let some real mechanic take on. Best of all: Save money! Do maintence yourself! Spot problems before they amount to big money! As they say in the original VW book: "Know your ass....(donkey)" and it will treat you well!

I never really knew a thing about cars, and received this as a gift 8 years ago. Motivated by limited cash and that nagging sense of being taken advantage of at car repair places, I started making my own repairs and doing my own maintenance. My 84 GL is, now, in way better shape than my dogeared, oil-stained copy of this book, and I feel much more in control
Owens rules--the book is exhaustive and methodical and, at the same time, entertaining. The advice is wise (like that of a cool older brother, in one reviewer's words), the directions precise, the illustrations great (especially the one with the dogbone, the pie, and the toilet).
Thanks, Larry & Joe.

I got my Subaru GL used about 3 years ago. It needed a bit of work. After the dealer persuaded my to let him replace all of the gaskets in the engine, I didn't have much money left for any other maintenance. Thankfully, I found How to Keep Your Subaru Alive. Using this great resource as a guide, I've done all kinds of repair and maintenance on my car. Now if only the publisher would update it so I can work on my Dad's '93 Legacy... Oh, well.

Walks you thru repairs every step of the way. The author is very thorough. This book has saved me a lot in repair bills for the 3 Subaru's I've owned. It's common for a dealer to charge $1300 to change the timing belts, I did the job on my car and the belts totaled less than $30.

I would like to encourage the author to write more volumes on the Illinois Central. This book is a great reference for mid 20th century locomotives and rolling stock. If I may be so bold as to suggest, a volume featuring branch line activities and depots would be an excellent follow up to this fine book.

Good section on the history of the Illinois Central Railroad. Steam section was good. Orange and White was the era I grew up watching on the IC. This book is an AWESOME photographic history of a historical Railroad.

First twenty pages are brief history of I. C. railroad. Next 29 pages are mostly pictures w/ brief discriptions of steam locomotives, followed by "around the map" photos, mostly of locomotives. Latter part of book is passenger trains, surburban Chicago "electrics", work & maintenance of way rolling stock, and cabooses (cabeese?).

Having grown up along the ICRR in the 50's through 70's, it brought back many fond memories, thank you so much.

AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS THIS WAS BY FAR THE MOST INTERESTING BOOK ON THE RAILROAD I HAVE READ. BOTH PHOTOGRAPHY AND CONTENT PUTS THIS BOOK AT THE FRONT OF THE TRAIN.

This book offers an impressive amount of info in just 2 pages per syndrome/disease. Love it for boards & reading up on topics you'll find on the office, however it lacks some acute issues you may find in the hospital. For instance, Electrolyte imbalances...a book like Inpatient Pediatrics sheds a great deal of light on that subject, but the book itself is physically larger.

This book has the essentials of over 220 topics in Peds - in a single page it gives you etiology, epidemiology, differential, signs and symptoms, treatment, and prognosis. What more can you ask for? Excellent as a quick reference and for studying.

This is a fantastic reference for residents and medical students. I especially found it useful in preparing for attending rounds, but it's also great for exam review. I'm very happy with this purchase.

I bought this book after my third year clerkship. I do wish I had it during the clerkship. Still, it has been great for Step 2 studying. I look things up very quickly and get a full picture of diseases I have a question about. The format is excellent.

As a practicing pediatrician, I use this book to review a few items that I have long since forgotten. I also recommend it to the medical students and pediatric residents that rotate through my office. I love the fact that the material is written in an easy to understand format. It virtually jumps off the page at you. I also think its organization into to etiology, epidemiology, differential diagnosis etc. makes it idea for the medical student. Its format reflects how you will be "pimped" on rounds and the key stats and concepts that you will see on the USMLE. A great read!!!

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 fourth novel in what is proving to be a captivating series.

Owen Archer, the one-eyed former captain of a company of Welsh archers finds himself working on behalf of the king, to promote Wykeham as the new Bishop of Winchester. Owen places his old comrade Ned in charge of a company travelling to Rievaulx Abbey, north of the city of York. By doing this he hopes to dispel the rumours of Ned's involvement in a mysterious death. But is his plan about to back fire on him as days later, the murders and intrigue begin . . .

Three times previously, Owen Archer has come to the aid--even rescue--of King Edward IV as well as the Archbishop of York and in this fourth adventure, Candace Robb has woven another medieval murder mystery spell that will absorb you until the very end!

In "The King's Bishop," Owen, the former soldier and now one-eyed spy for Archbishop Robert Thoresby of York, finds himself embroiled in one of history's more in- triguing plots. King Edward wants to nominate a favorite as a bishop, from when he could then be in line to be named chancellor of England. But Pope Urban sees it differently, and thus the power struggle begins. This story is one of intricately-patterned designs, based upon historical fact. Author Robb, however, tosses in the fictional interests and we are off and running.

A young page is found dead at Windsor and Ned Townley, one of Archer's friends, is accused of murder. Alas, the king's mistress Alice Perrers provides him with an alibi, but the suspicion, of course, remains. Ned is assigned to accompany the king's delegation heading north of confer with a local Cistercian abbey to enlist their support of his bishop's nomination. This removes Ned from the scene, but not without complications. Shortly after he leaves, his betrothed (and lady in waiting to Mistress Perrers) is found drowned in the Thames. And as Ned and his group near the abbey, a priest is murdered. Ned is in big trouble. In addition, a priest is also found murdered. All three deaths are, of course, inter-connected.

Having a friend like Owen Archer counts for something and during the course of this work, Archer is determined to exonerate his friend, even though much evidence implicates Ned. Archer is married to Lucy Wilton, noted York apothicary, and Robb uses this scenario well to her advantage. Lucy is level-headed, calm, logical--in short, the very counter ego of Archer. It is their relationship that provides much of the human

interest in this series, as well. Robb draws heavily on historical perspective, yet has an eye on what should have been in terms of the place of women in medieval society. There is a lesson here.

The novel moves well and readers who appreciate historical ventures will find this one to their tastes. Robb's works show much research (she provides annotation at the end of the book) and she concentrates more on the personalities of her characters that attempting to condemn or condone what historically was. She also does a good job of capturing the Yorkshire countryside, its manners and atmosphere.

Other good news is that Robb continues her series--there is a fifth Owen Archer! It is easy to compare her to other medieval fiction writers, but she, indeed, has a flair of her own. Her works are well worth what effort it may take!

(Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

The fourth book in the series does not disappoint. It has an intriguing story line with one of Owen's friends falling and love, and murder ensuing...
My favorite is still no. 2, The Lady Chapel, with Nun's Tale and this one right close behind.
I cannot say enough about how well the author Candace Robb writes these characters. I am not only interested in the plot and mystery of each book, but also the continuation of the lives of Owen, Lucia, Thoresby, Sir Robert, Jasper, Brother Michaelo, Riverwoman, the kids and even Lucie's Aunt.
I am now reading A Gift of Sanctuary, having just finished the Riddle of St. Leonards. These books are delicious reads truly.

I have enjoyed all of her books. If you like historical fiction that is light reading but entertaining this is the book you want.

I started reading Candace Robb's Owen Archer series at the suggestion of one of my patients, beginning with her favorite The Cross Legged Knight. I was immediately entranced. The King's Bishop was my second visit to 14th Century York and the home of Lucie Wilton and Owen Archer. I was not disappointed.

Ms Robb is an historian just shy of her PhD and specializes in Medieval History. She is also a consummate storyteller. Her characters are multidimensional; their actions are plausible; and their setting is believable. As a mystery writer, she excels in complex motives. In the Cross Legged Knight, she was able to pull a Collin Dexter out of the hat by producing two possible endings. In The King's Bishop she is able to recreate the ambiance of court intrigue and the murders that arise when ambition is the ultimate measure of an individual and where everything rests on the success of plot and counter plot.

One of the things that took me a while to get used to was the ending to these tales. Not everything comes out happily ever after. The sleuth is not always able to denounce the villain at the end as one is accustomed to reading in stories of this sort. What the ending is, however, is very realistic. Even in modern times, the guilty are not always punished according to the dictates one would expect of "justice;" even justice itself is designed to support the class structure. It is precisely for this reason that we usually enjoy murder mysteries: the guilty are brought to justice, their crimes are made manifest to society, and they are punished accordingly. In Owen Archer mysteries, the guilty sometimes get away with their miserable acts just as they do in our own times.

The stories are wonderfully detailed with respect to historical accuracy, yet they do not overwhelm the reader. Ms Robb is not a pedant. She seeks to create a venue for the actions of her characters without making the reader feel as though there is a test at the end of the story! Most of the unfamiliar terms are understandable from context, although she does supply a glossary for those of us who like to have more information. She also includes a small bibliography and a short history of the period and the characters. And yes, many of the characters were real people from history. These short texts are generally at the end of the book so one needn't feel obligated to read them, but I've taken to reading them first. I enjoy a little background material before I get into the meat of the work.

Very impressive. I would recommend the book to anyone from advanced junior high to adult readers.

This was one of the most enjoyable books I've read all year! Very funny and full of interesting information. The guy is a hoot! I especially loved the chapter about his trip to Myrtle Beach

If you think of golf while at the office, in the car, on the can; if you perform practice swings whenever you are sure you will not hit a wall, furniture or another person; if you dream of playing every course that has been mentioned just barely favorably in print, you will love this book. I saw myself and every golfer I have ever met in this book. And I couldn't help but laugh at most of those golfers that Owen met including himself sometimes. I also felt much envy for the courses he was able to play especially in the UK. He moves from subject to subject as smoothly as a putt on the number 1 green on the first day of the Masters. This book brings an understanding to the game for hackers that you don't get from watching pros. Loved it.

This book is laugh out loud funny for any hacker who enjoys the frustration of this game. David Owen is obviously in love with the game and gives us many a humorous note as well as useful tips. He takes the edge off those momentary urges to throw our clubs into the nearest lake. L.J. Skeie

Wonderful book...easily the best book I read all last year. I've read it twice thru now and its still great. I laughed out loud many times--mainly because I saw myself or others I know in Owen's stories. A must-have for anyone who enjoys golf.

I laughed (Myrtle chapter).. I cried (Top Ten chapter).. A roller coaster of action and suspense (Disney Pro-Am Chapter).. a Thriller (Ireland Chapter- or more specifically, Irish cuisine)...Humorously captures the emotions of anyone who suddenly (and dramatically) becomes smitten with this game. Only true golf lovers need apply.

Owen Fiddler was an engaging and entertaining read. While Owen is definitely a character one may easily despise, he is also one that readers can connect with. He shows the selfishness that can overtake the human spirit in times of trouble, but his story also reveals a light at the end of the tunnel.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has lived through, or is going through, things in their life that they feel are beyond their own control. It was a great read!

There is a little of Owen Fiddler in each of us, whether we admit it or not. Owen is a man you find easy to dislike, yet there is something about him, just out of grasp, that makes you want to keep following him to see how he ends up.

Marvin Wilson has once again brought alive characters that are so real you will insist you know who they are modelled after. His smooth witing style allows the words to flow in a way that the words don't get in the way of the story.

There is a spiritual message within the pages of this book--one that you may not readily see. The message is so skillfully woven between the words that it does not jump out at the reader, but instead sifts slowly within your heart and mind and wraps itself gently around every cell. You may not see the message, but you will certainly feel it.

I look forward to more wrk by this wondrous author.

Owen Fiddler, the novel is a romp through the afterlife that you won't soon forget. I recommend it. Everybody needs an emotional rollercoaster now and then. That's what a reader gets from Owen Fiddler. So don't fiddle around. Order your copy of Owen today.

YOU HAVE TO LIVE YOUR SELF EVERYDAY is what I gathered from this unique and intriguing work of art. In reading "Owen Fiddler", I found the writing style to allow me to question my heart and empathy towards others. Here was a man who revealed how foundations of survival are established. You can give no more than you have and if you have not received it, especially the good, you tend to show it. I loved reading this book. Marvin Wilson did what writers are suppose to do, reveal the soul of humanity in a unique and thought-provoking way. Readers will be reminded, you do not know where your friend been, have mercy even if your friend is lost in his own madness. Excellent read.

Describing Owen Fiddler as an interesting portrayal of how one's actions can impact others lives, is truthful, but lacking. This novel is a character-driven tale of one man's negative existence. The reader is challenged to find any redeeming qualities in the main character, Owen Fiddler. He is not a man many would befriend.

Owen Fiddler is not a happy man. The world is against him every step of his life. Everyone can relate to a bad day. There are just days when you wake up and nothing goes as it should. Owen Fiddler experiences that every day. He has no good days. Therefore, none of his actions are his fault. He'd be happy if the world would just let him.

The story is entertaining on the page, but it is deeper for those who want to look. Whether you are spiritual, religious, atheist, or totally unwilling to accept there is more to living than what is experienced here on earth, this novel will resonate.

Marvin Wilson has created a colorful cast of characters in Owen Fiddler. The reader experiences the world as Owen goes through it. The author focuses on a few central characters which allows the reader to see the same situation from different perspectives. It's an engaging novel and the reader is grabbed with the opening sentence.

I recommend reading Owen Fiddler for a spiritual perspective on life that will cause you to think about your own actions and behavior. Whether or not you believe in God, a higher being, heaven, or any type of life after death, you will walk away from this novel having at least been inspired to glimpse the possibility.

I would highly recommend David Owen's Products Liability Law to other law students studying in the area. Owen's language is clear and succinct, and his coverage of relevant caselaw is both comprehensive and current. The text covers the basics of products liability for those unfamiliar with the area, as well as the finer points and nuances of the field that would be helpful to even long-practicing attorneys. The section on special defenses, for example, includes discussion of the intersection between statues of limitations and statutes of repose, a subject many practitioners may confuse. I would recommend the book to law students and practitioners alike.

I have been studying product liability law, and handling product liability cases, since 1979, and I have read most of the major works on the subject. Most of those works examine a limited number of subjects from a limited point of view, often evading altogether the thorniest issues. Even the Restatement (Third) of Torts: Products Liability treats many important subjects, such as the meaning of design defect, in a relatively superficial fashion. This hornbook is dramatically different. In what is clearly the work of a lifetime, Professor Owen examines every facet of product liability law from numerous different perspectives, pointing out all sides of virtually every issue with complete objectivity. Scholars and practicing lawyers alike can look to this book for a thorough and analytically sound evaluation of the issues they are likely to confront. Indeed, anyone interested in truly understanding product liability law should not refer to the Restatement (Third) without also referring to this book, both for context and for a candid assessment of the competing views.

This is, quite simply, the best single-volume ever produced about products liability. It is comprehensive in three ways: (1) it covers the full spectrum of issues; (2) not only does it cover doctrine in depth, but it also includes helpful discussion of history and theory; and (3) it is elaborately footnoted with citations to cases, law review articles, and other sources. David G. Owen is one of the leading scholars in products liability, and within this highly politicized area, he is a centrist. For all of these reasons, Owen's treatise is destined to become the first place that lawyers, judges, law students, and other scholars will turn for guidance about products liability law.

I was very impressed with Professor Owen's new and modestly priced one-volume products liability treatise. Professor Owen is a leading products liability scholar and this book is the culmination of more than thirty years of work in this area. The book is well written and provides a practical, authoritative and comprehensive treatment of modern products liability law. I liked the book's organization and it is easy to find any topic I was looking for. The book also packs a lot of information in one volume. For example, it explores the historical origins of products liability, examines and explains its many doctrinal conflicts, and analyzes the economic and social policies and underlie this complex area of the law. The book is also well researched and the author provides numerous citations to leading cases and legal scholarship in the area. Another plus is that the book is completely up to date and covers many new topics such as negligent marketing, fast food litigation, federal preemption and "public tort" lawsuits against cigarette and handgun manufacturers. Like much of his other work, Professor Owen's book will certainly have a tremendous impact on the future development of product liability law as judges turn to it for information and ideas about products liability reform. I urge students, practicing lawyers, judges and anyone else who has an interest in products liability to purchase a copy of Professor Owen's book. It is an indispensable source of information about this constantly-changing area of the law and I use it constantly in my own work. In my opinion, Professor Owen's book is definitely a "must read" for people is want to learn more about products liability.

I'm a law professor who has been teaching Products Liability for more than ten years. It's been that long that students have been asking me to recommend a reliable, complete study aid for this complex subject. And it's been that long that I've been saying, "Sorry, there isn't one." Until now. Professor David Owen's new West hornbook, "Products Liability Law," fits the bill. It's a reliable "bible" of products liability law in one volume. It's succinct and thorough at the same time. And importantly, given the dramatic changes in the field in recent years with the growing acceptance of the Restatement (Third) of Torts: Products Liability, this book, published in January 2005, is up to date. Anyone interested in a clearly and interestingly written authoritative treatment of products liability law - whether lawyer or law student - could not go wrong investing in this book.

It's a very interesting astronomy book, it's explain how they've thought about the motion of the planets(epicycles)in the past(AC)by the time of the Ptolemy and Babylonia.

The main desire of Ptolemy in writing his Almagest is to explain and account for the motions of the apparently erratic celestial beings in terms of perfect and circular motions. In doing so he introduces the epicyclic (which states that the center of a smaller circle orbits around the earth and the object orbits around the smaller circle) and the eccentric hypotheses (which supposes that the center of the circular motion of the planet is not exactly centered on the earth), which are ultimatly equivalent to eachother in terms of result. Begining with the motion of the sun in the sky and moving on to the less accountable outer planets, Ptolemy moves his mathematics brilliantly with a nod to a story teller's art. Some may find his introduction of his equant (something that is often said to defile his principles of perfect motion), which explains the retrogradation of the outer planets, to be a let down to the fanfare of perfection in the stars. Yet, overall, the Almagest manages to recapture the magic and wonder of the universe through complicated mathematical hypotheses and to succesfully lay the ground for the break throughs of Copernicus, Brahe, and Kepler to come. If you are at all interested in astronomy or mathematics, you ought to read this.

so it turns out that the center of the eccentric circle that the planets travel on travels on its own circle but be careful this is not a giant epicycle on a small deferent! haha! genius!!

Adding to the other comment below about star names beginning with "al-," I might add that the title "Almagest" itself is an Arabic translation of the original Greek "Megale Syntaxis."

The mathematics is difficult to follow, but as it is developed from Euclid and Eratosthenes it is reliable. The observations have been made from a very wide area and over a long time; but while the mechanics may be rather mysterious the results are impressive.

Does the front cover always show Penelope weaving at her loom? - the ancients obviously thought highly of Homer and the Greek myths.

The Tetrabiblos survives together with the parallel Greek. Since the Almagest went through successive transliterations/translations (and interpretations?), it might not be too surprising if the Greek text has disappeared.

And what of Ptolemy's other books? - his geography for example. The Almagest has observations from Ceylon to Thule, including Britain. The ancients must have travelled widely.

Is there anywhere an account of the origin of the names of stars and constellations? These seem to have accumulated over time. Many star names begin "Al-", from the Arabic, I suppose.

Well done!

I'm 8 and I love this book. We have it in my class and it's my favorite book in school.

My son (5 years old) loves this book. He likes for me to show him where on the maps we are and where we have been. He also likes to know where his extended family is located. (You have to love anything you can "sneak" some education in on.) It has excellent illustrations and interesting facts that will make this an enjoyable book for many years to come as my kids develope and expand their understanding capabilities.

This book is excellent for teaching your children geography and world culture. It is very reader friendly and extremely interesting. It touches on all parts of the world with the most relevant information. We bought it for our 6 year old son for Christmas and now find it to be a fabulous birthday gift for other children. Unlike a toy that gets played with for a month and then thrown into the toy box graveyard, this book will be a favorite for many years both as general interest reading and as a reference for school projects. Don't miss this one...at a great price too!

Don't be fooled by the word "atlas" - this lovely children's book contains much more than just maps! Facts, figures, "fun" information connected to the part of the world you are perusing. Beautifully illustrated, extremely readable. Interesting even for the adults in this family. Its oversized (coffee-table) dimensions make you want to plop down on the floor with the book spread out before you, and just look for an hour or so. Or you can simply turn to the area of the world that you're interested in (or doing a school report on) and get a few quick facts.

As soon as we got home, I ordered the newest version for my son. He is 11 and very much into maps and geography. I don't understand the review from the School Journal that called this book "superficial." My son pours over the facts, pictures, and maps. Yes, it is a "pretty" book but it is also filled with much information for children. The Maps and Mapmaking sections were of particular interest to my son. We are planning to try a few of the projects as part of our homeschool this coming school year. All in all, this a good addition to a child's own library!

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 fifth novel in what is proving to be a captivating series.

The year is 1369. Edward is King of England and the much loved Queen Phillippa lies dying at Windsor. Night on 200 miles north in the city of York the harvest has failed and the plague has returned. In the heavy atmosphere and the fear from the plague superstition grips the citizen of York. Rumours are spreading that the spate of deaths at St. Leonard's hospital are no accident.

Several of the "corrodians," elderly people who have paid a sum of money to the hospital to care for them until their death have died in suspicious circumstances.. There has also been a number of thefts from the hospital. Sir Richard de Ravenser, master of the Hospital is well aware than a scandal could ruin the hospital and his own reputation also.

Anxious to get to the bottom of the matter he calls on the services of Owen Archer, a man who is gaining a reputation as a solver of mysteries. Owen is unwilling to get involved as he has his hands full helping his wife in her apothecary shop, which is being besieged daily by the people of the city seeking cures and preventatives to keep them free of the plague.

Start with Apothecary Rose and read them all. Setting, characters and plot - all excellent.

It is often hard to find a book that has all essentials elements done well. This one has excellent plot and sub-plots, characters, setting and action. The story is engrossing, both as a mystery and from a historical point of view. The characters are so realistic one feels that they could be neighbors. Please treat yourself to this book and sit back and enjoy it.

Well written, engrossing plot in an historical setting I found fascinating. Really enjoyed this one, looking for more!

Wow, I've read this series of books hungrily.... in my car at lunch, while home sick in bed, during a snowstorm and power outage by flashlight, and now on a Saturday between chores.
No. 5, Riddle of St. Leonard's brings Bess Merchet back into the storyline as well as her uncle, Jasper & Brother Wulfstan. I was thrilled to see Jasper featured in the plot again, and found the mystery to be very compelling and a little bit dark with the history revealed behind Bess' uncle's life. An excellent book. Owen Archer is an interesting, well-written character. I was also happy to see Melisende featured, as well as Lucie's deceased husband and child mentioned again. Very good writing. Nice length, enough but not too much. Leaves the reader anxious to delve into the next book, no. 6 A Gift of Sanctuary!!