Stuart Books

The text is interesting to read. The author is very familiar with Scottish history and tells an interesting tale. What works for me are the very nice illustrations by Zaboly. Very detailed, inspiring and a boon to uniformologists out there.

I have seveeral books on the Scottish Army of the '45, but this is the BEST one by far! It has alot of details about the individual regt's, their appreance and their flags.

This book, along with several other Osprey titles by Stuart Reid, is a fine source on the warriors of the Scottish Highlands at the time of the Jacobite Rebellion of '45. To the average person, these are what Scots are supposed to look like, with the kilts and plaids and bagpipes.

For me, the most useful sections of the book span pages 3-13 and 50-55; the first dealing with the social origins of the Jacobite warriors, and the second detailing their battle tactics; the latter topic has often been misunderstood by students of history. A good slice of the book takes the individual Highland regiments and examines their uniforms and flags-information that is admittedly only useful for someone with a professional interest in the topic. For lighter reading on the Jacobite Army, I would recommend Reid's book Highland Clansman 1689-1745.

The plates are up to Osprey's usual standards and help clarify the descriptions of the various regiments. Overall, this is an excellent source for someone interested in the history of Scotland, or in the 18th-19th Century Highlanders; though I am not sure I would recommend it for an introduction.

New additions to Osprey's military history titles are specific, detailed, and perfect additions for collections which go beyond the general interest level. Stuart Reid's THE SCOTTISH JACOBITE ARMY 1945-46 tells of an uprising which has been colored and embellished throughout history - but this treatment foregoes some of the color in favor of concrete facts, using the work of historians and modern source references to change the myths and reveal the underlying truths about the event.

This deck of fifty cards is broken into four colour-coded self-defence categories, as follows: planning and setting boundaries, non-violent strategies, and basic physical techniques, advanced physical techniques. Each card contains an explanation of a self-defence situation you might find yourself in and several ways to practice defending against an attacker. Each card also includes a special "tip" to give you quick and additional insights. The opposite side of each card is illustrated so that you can visualize what you are supposed to do.

This self-defence deck is perfect for people who have little time or patience to focus on reading a book. Set the deck on your desk at work and pick a card to read and think about each time you need a few minutes break, or set the deck on your table by the sofa at home and read a card each time the commercials come on TV. Or shuffle the cards and pick one card randomly for each week of the year. This is a great way to learn basic self-defence concepts for everyday life, and gives you something to think about throughout your drive home at night. It also makes a great gift to your friends or work buddies.

This work is a really neat concept for folks who are interested in self-defense but don't have time or interest to read through an in-depth tome on the subject. While this material is accurate and practical, it is very cursory (seriously, how much insight can you really get onto 50 cards...). Having said that, however, it really is a great format for conveying the basic concepts that everyone interested in self-protection should know. The material is organized into four color-coded categories: (1) planning and setting boundaries, (2) nonviolent strategies, (3) basic physical techniques, (4) advanced physical techniques. Each card describes a possible scenario, explains methods you can use to defend against it, and provides a quick reference tip. Illustrations are the back of each card help you visualize what you are supposed to do. The non-physical escapes and awareness tips are in many ways more important than the physical techniques since not everyone has the physical skills or emotional wherewithal to apply potentially lethal applications on another human being. If you are a serious martial artist this deck is probably not for you. On the other hand, if you are interested in fundamental self-protection concepts and not a practicing martial artist you really ought to consider buying this product.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

What a fantastic little tool Jennifer Lawler has developed for anyone who wonders if they could handle a situtation that threatens their personal safety. I love that the cards empower the reader to move beyond fear. The card titled "Focusing on What You Can Do," for instance, encourages readers to consider all aspects of an environment they might use to their advantage. They might pull the fire alarm, escape down a back staircase, or use a piece of office equipment as a weapon. I also appreciate Jennifer's highlighting of effective physical maneuvers, such as the rear elbow strike, the stomping kick, spear hand throat strike, and head butts. Jennifer likewise reminds readers of the power of suggestion, with her tips for verbally persuading the attacker to walk away. Attractively drawn and packaged, this boxed set makes an excellent gift for any person who wants to know, not wonder, how to react in an unsafe situation.

This deck of fifty cards is broken into four color-coded self-defense categories, as follows: planning and setting boundaries, nonviolent strategies, basic physical techniques, advanced physical techniques. Each card contains an explanation of a self-defense situation you might find yourself in and several ways to practice defending against an attacker. Each card also includes a special "tip" to give you quick and additional insights. The opposite side of each card is illustrated so that you can visualize what you are supposed to do.

This self-defense deck is perfect for people who have little time or patience to focus on reading a book. Set the deck on your desk at work and pick a card to read and think about each time you need a few minutes break, or set the deck on your table by the sofa at home and read a card each time the commercials come on TV. Or shuffle the cards and pick one card randomly for each week of the year. This is a great way to learn basic self-defense concepts for everyday life, and gives you something to think about throughout your drive home at night. It also makes a great gift to your friends or work buddies.

Reilly is an ex-soldier who goes to Sao Pablo, a tiny Central America in the middle of a revolution, on a mission to rescue the wife and baby of his deceased friend because he promised to save them as his friend died from a car accident. He doesn't expect much from his buddy's wife, he knows his friend's tastes ran to stacked blondes with more beauty than brains but he plans on saving both her and the baby no matter what.

Novice Carlie Forest has been in the nunery in Sao Pablo for nine years since she was 17 and her missionary parents were murdered right in front of her. At the nunery she has finally found peace from the nightmares and terror that the outside world brings her. She still hasn't said her vows because the mother superior does not believe that Carlie has a calling to be a nun, she is afraid Carlie is merely running away from life. When fighting gets too close to the nunery, all of the nuns except for Carlie leave for Brazil. Carlie stays behind to care for the pregnant Caterina Mendino, who delivers a healthy baby boy but dies a few days later due to infection. The baby, Timothy, is in danger because Caterina was the step-daughter of the deposed dictator of Sao Pablo and the revolutionaries would kill him merely for being related to the ex-dictator.

Reilly shows up at the orphanage and finds Carlie and Timothy. Carlie tries to tell him who she is, but he believes she is Caterina so she goes along with it so she can stay with Timothy to protect him. Carlie is not at all what Reilly was expecting, instead of a stacked blonde she is a small woman with short brown hair who seems innocent instead of a jaded socialite. As they start their trek through the jungle, Reilly sees how much Carlie loves the baby and how much courage and determination she has, all of which are unexpected.

Reilly, Carlie and Timothy go through a daring, harzard-filled journey to get to the plane Reilly hid away in the jungle. Along the way, Reilly comes to really admire Carlie and fights an intense attraction to her despite the fact he still thinks she is the selfish Caterina. Carlie has to face her fears of the outside world and come to grips with the violence she experienced so long ago. Reilly eventually finds out that Carlie is a novice nun, which puts a big damper on his feelings toward her because he knows she will leave him when they get Timothy safely out of the country. Carlie has to decide what she really wants - the safety of hiding away in a nunery or risking her heart on Reilly, just as Reilly has to decide if he can trust his heart to Carlie enough to risk declaring his feelings and bringing her with him to his home in Colorado.

This was fun, exciting story to read. The setting was exotic and the author does a great job of making you feel like you are racing through the jungle with Reilly and Carlie. The love story was very good, I enjoyed reading about how these two different people came to care for and understand each other. The epilogue was great, they were going to need quite a big house for all of those kids!

This book is a wild ride you'll never forget, and definitely deserves a space on your keeper shelf. The hero is an ex-soldier known only by his last name, Reilly. The heroine sought refuge at a convent after soldiers killed everyone in the village, including her family. At the convent she cares for a woman who dies giving birth to a baby ... a baby that Reilly shows up at the convent to rescue from this war-torn region ...

Description from the book back cover:

Rescuing a late army friend's baby was a last request Reilly couldn't refuse. But he also found himself rescuing - and desiring - his friend's wife. At least, that's who he thought the stubborn lady trudging behind him through the jungle was ... Novice Carlie Forrest was used to convents, not hard-loving, shirtless soldiers. Resisting the temptations of the flesh so far had been easy, but those temptations had never before taken male form and slipped inside her sleeping bag! Reilly juggled baby bottles dexterously as he guided them through the jungle, and angelic Carlie fought to maintain her false identity as a grieving widow. Yet Reilly's every move made Carlie wonder about just one night of passion ...

Another great book by Anne Stuart! Seriously, can this woman do no wrong?

Reilly travels down to a war torn Central American country to rescue his deceased friend's wife and newborn baby. It's a deathbed promise he made and he's determined to fulfill it. What he doesn't count on is the wife. He was expecting a spoiled, stacked blonde, a notorious celebutante that he was going to have to baby back to the States. What he finds is a brave, tiny little lady who takes her motherhood very seriously. He admires her courage as they tackle the jungle and is bemused by her uncomplaining attitude. He is also seriously alarmed to find himself growing very attracted to her and wonders how long he can hold himself back.

Novice nun Carlie Forrest promises to care for and protect the son of deceased Caterina Mendino, the stepdaughter of the newely deposed president. Unsure of what to do next, fate drops in a rough soldier who tells her Caterina's husband, Billy, is also dead and he's here to get her and the baby to the United States. Reilly refuses to believe she's not Caterina and she doesn't waste time arguing. The rebel armies are approaching and the grandson of the ex president would be an eventual problem no new dictator is going to let live. They've got to get out of there. They plunge into the jungle and after almost a decade, Carlie is outside her convent walls, facing the world again. She doesn't know if she can handle it, especially with her growing attraction to Reilly by her side.

The Soldier and the Baby was a good book. A simple, straightforward adventure story of two people trekking through the jungle, looking for a way out. They are alone for the better part of the story and have only each other for company. Carlie is surprised that her nunlike behavior is rapidly evaporating next to the virile, vexing soldier and Reilly is stunned that he's falling for a spoiled celebutante that seems to have the most innocent blue eyes he's ever seen. Until things stop adding up and he begins to wonder who exactly he's been lusting after. When he discovers she's an almost nun, you have to laugh at his horror. This was a fun romp through the jungle and these two were made for each other. I love these type of romances where the hero and heroine are stuck with each other in tight situations, forced to deal with each other day and (especially) night. This has the usual Anne Stuart witty banter and it was nice to see a little bit of the happily ever after at the end of the book. I highly recommend the Soldier and the Baby and can't wait to read more from this talented author.

Rielly [don't think he has a last name] came from his retreat in Colorado [plenty of nieces and nephews] to rescue his friend's? wife and child.

The Central American country of San Pablo is in constant warfare, making rescue difficult. There is the black shirt renegade militia and the rogueing rebels and both factions want to kill the Mendinos grandchild.

Caterina was a spoiled, high-flying adopted daughter of the El Presidente' who had married Billy Morrissey, son of the rich Morrisseys' of DC. And now a widow.

Rielly owed Billy [never found out why] but they both had served in the Special Forces? together. Reilly was sick of killing and had gotten out.

We, very soon, meet Sister Maria Carlos in the convent where Caterina took refuge. Thus begins a rolicking good story.

Shall I give away a soon to be revealed secret? She hasn't taken her vows yet. This leads to a lot of frustration and guilt on both of their parts as the hormones kick in. She is too innocent and he is too horny. Enter the bad guys and a 4 day trip. Whoops!

Great story - you should enjoy - try it you may like it - I think a keeper.

DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED --M

Robertson should be castigated for only one thing, the sequel he promises in his afterword has never eventuated.

Being a historical recreationist, I am fairly picky about any books that deal with history- and besides the accents (which the author later says he made up in order to make the story more real to the reader, from the main characters' point of view), I found the culture and many events to be very accurate, from what we know. As far as imagined events- I happen to be Wiccan, so naturally I was drawn to the book for the title- and I was not disappointed on the magic side of the story. The land of fairie is very accurately represented from the Celtic folktales I've read- there's an encounter with the Wild Hunt, an interesting take on Clan symbolism, and of course, the occasional fun conjure. When there were sex scenes in the book, I found them to be quite in keeping with the story and not gratuitous.
The fear of torture, real to any woman who's studied the time period, was portrayed very well also.
Go for it- the only thing you'll be sorry about is that there is no sequel! Although the story does indeed come 'full circle' at the end, you'll want to read more about this magical world.

I cryed when I found that there was no more. I will never know what else befalls our heroin. Please I begg of you, right the promised sequil!!!

It was so enchanting, that I never put it down. I read the hole book in two days. When I came to the end and was teased by the promise of more, I was over joyed. I ran right out to the book store to buy the sequil. I will be clinging to the lost hope that some day our beloved author will come to his senses and right our long awaited sequal.

I was in here looking for more books by the author because I loved this books so much. Somehow he struck the right balance in an ever shifting world our heroine travels through, and still making it all balance and ring 'true'. I was glued to the book until I came to the end. One of the things I love, character development, was handled extremely well. Though the ending came 'full circle' and fit in perfectly, i was still mystified and wishing to take another journey to gather more data in. Alas, there is no sequel. I mourn.

This is a must read for all who feel the need to learn about these important investment vehicles. The writing is stellar and easily understood, even on such ideas as futures, hedging, and more difficult concepts like the yield rate curve.

Mr. Veale is an excellent writer and deals with the common and uncommon uses of these vehicles. You will understand how to read any kind of quote, from stock to bond to esoteric qoutes like T-Bill spreads and ED futures.

I usually sell books like this once I have absorbed the knowledge, however this is a keeper since it will be an important reference for well into the future.

I am making the transition from hard sciences to financial markets. I have started reading many math oriented books on quantitative finance, like the great two volumes by Shreve, but guess what, I still could not understand a Bloomberg article or a report on the radio, all these market terms were a mystery to me. Not anymore. This book did it for me. It requires ZERO financial knowledge and yet it is not for dummies. It is perfect for the level of someone who never had a formal training on what is the definition of a stock, what kind of departments exist inside an investment bank, etc. etc.

It is a clear book, I would not call it technical, it reads like a novell, and I can not overstate any more how cleat it is. I definitely recommend it to people who want an introduction on the subject.

Great book. Complex concepts are explained clearly and concisely. Examples are abundant and helpful.

I have to point out that I have the first edition of this book (which did not have Veale's name on it). It is absolutely excellent at introducing the basic concepts behind all types of securities and futures investing one may be considering. They cover what stocks, bonds, etc. are, how they are traded, the terminology used by brokers, and even some historical background. I was really impressed at how clear and understandable all the explanations were. This book was written by someone who really understands the concepts and knows how to explain them well.

The book does not have a glossary in it, but does have an excellent index, which is really better in many ways.

Great book. Using it for SAT, and GRE preparation. Will be ordering more copies for gifts. The content in this book is timeless and current.

I first used the "Student Companion" when I was a student at secondary school in the 1970s. Initially I was just trying to impress other students in debates by using big words that I read from the book but as I developed, I found the book as an excellent reference book on a diverse range of subjects such as English language, History, Geography and nature study, among others.

I have the latest revised copy of the book (1991 edition) which I sometimes refer to. I encourage my kids that are at secondary school to use it for general knowledge.

For a book that was written several decades ago but is still popular, I consider it as a timeless classic that every secondary school student should have in their library.

This small book is excellent. I got my first copy about 30 years ago and I currently use as a teaching aid. I recommend this book to all my English students and especially non-native instructors. An excellent book for all native and non-native speakers of the English language.

I USED THIS BOOK AS A CHILD AND THAT WAS THIRTY YEARS AGO, IT WAS A GREAT BOOK AND THE REVISED EDITION WHICH I BOUGHT AS A GIFT FOR A FRIEND IS STILL A GREAT BOOK. IT IS "THE STUDENTS' COMPANION".

Stuart Clark explains the thinking that produced the panic about witches in the seventeenth century and why the panic occurred when it did. He argues that witches should be understood as an expression of demonology, that is, thinking about demons. Traditional thinking divided the world between God and the devil, an opposition that explained everything in science, history, religion, and politics. These four categories organize the book. In each of them, Clark discusses how oppositional thinking accounted for how things worked, how things happened, how things really were, and how political relationships functioned. The book is exhaustively researched, citing authorities in all the major early modern European languages and cultures, and at the same time responding to recent scholarship about witches and language. The latter is important because of the binary thinking that Clark identifies at the heart of demonology. Few historians are as familiar both with traditional sources and with postmodern thinking about historical thinking. This is a fascinating and rewarding book. I read it straight through.

When discussing the impact of women in European society, witchcraft inevitably enters the forefront of study. Many authors have discussed the crimes and punishments of witches, but Stuart Clark's Thinking With Demons: The Idea of Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe breaks away from the traditional format. Rather than focus on witchcraft itself, Clark writes about the idea of witchcraft; he concludes that the concept of witchcraft was an integral component in the general intellectual life of early modern Europe, woven into the scholarly debates about the key issues of the era. According to Clark, the emphasis was on demonology, which was a "composite subject consisting of discussions about the workings of nature, the processes of history, the maintenance of religious purity and the nature of political authority" (viii). To encompass this broad nature of demonology, Clark divides the book into five separate yet overlapping sections - Language, Science, History, Religion and Politics - each of which expresses a relatively simple argument. In `Language,' Clark discusses the antithetical nature of rhetoric and discussion in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; this permitted the discussion of witchcraft as the natural malevolent balance to proper behavior. The section titled `Science' argues that demonology was part of the advancement on science, rather than an obstacle or adversary to it. Magic, both good and evil, was assumed to be part of the natural world, and subject to the scientific investigations of the time. `History' details how the people were easily convinced of the activities of the devil and his minions through the increasing emphasis on the apocalyptic vision that the world was in the Last Days. `Religion,' which focused mainly on the writings of the clergy, essentially demonstrated that the religious powers of Europe believed that witchcraft was a sin against the Lord, and involved illicit dealings with the devil. Finally, `Politics' presents that view that the power of the king was based upon his inability to engage in witchcraft. Essentially, since a monarch was conferred power through divine right - meaning the ruler was empowered by the Lord - he was inviolable and therefore immune to the effects of witchcraft.
Thinking with Demons continues with the examination of women and their relationship to criminal behavior, as was introduced in The Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany by Ulinka Rublack. The most fascinating aspects of this book dealt with the importance of duality in early modern Europe, particularly in regards to the masquerade. Such dualism, and the perception that it was natural and important to society, is a fascinating concept to consider. Such a system of duality, in which everything is "distributed between a column of positive (or superior) terms and categories and a column of their negative (or inferior) opposites" (38) would seem to be an important tool in explaining the gender-based hierarchies that evolved in society.

With "Thinking . . . ," Clark has produced one of the most important history books of the 20th century. Clark voices ground breaking views of a vastly misunderstood phenomenon - the evolution and prosecution of witchcraft in the early modern period. This book is meticulously researched and well written.

When discussing the impact of women in European society, witchcraft inevitably enters the forefront of study. Many authors have discussed the crimes and punishments of witches, but Stuart Clark's Thinking With Demons: The Idea of Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe breaks away from the traditional format. Rather than focus on witchcraft itself, Clark writes about the idea of witchcraft; he concludes that the concept of witchcraft was an integral component in the general intellectual life of early modern Europe, woven into the scholarly debates about the key issues of the era. According to Clark, the emphasis was on demonology, which was a "composite subject consisting of discussions about the workings of nature, the processes of history, the maintenance of religious purity and the nature of political authority" (viii). To encompass this broad nature of demonology, Clark divides the book into five separate yet overlapping sections - Language, Science, History, Religion and Politics - each of which expresses a relatively simple argument. In `Language,' Clark discusses the antithetical nature of rhetoric and discussion in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; this permitted the discussion of witchcraft as the natural malevolent balance to proper behavior. The section titled `Science' argues that demonology was part of the advancement on science, rather than an obstacle or adversary to it. Magic, both good and evil, was assumed to be part of the natural world, and subject to the scientific investigations of the time. `History' details how the people were easily convinced of the activities of the devil and his minions through the increasing emphasis on the apocalyptic vision that the world was in the Last Days. `Religion,' which focused mainly on the writings of the clergy, essentially demonstrated that the religious powers of Europe believed that witchcraft was a sin against the Lord, and involved illicit dealings with the devil. Finally, `Politics' presents that view that the power of the king was based upon his inability to engage in witchcraft. Essentially, since a monarch was conferred power through divine right - meaning the ruler was empowered by the Lord - he was inviolable and therefore immune to the effects of witchcraft.
Thinking with Demons continues the examination of women and their relationship to criminal behavior that was introduced in Ulinka Rublack's The Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany. The most fascinating aspects of this book dealt with the importance of duality in early modern Europe, particularly in regards to the masquerade. Such dualism, and the perception that it was natural and important to society, is a fascinating concept to consider. Such a system of duality, in which everything is "distributed between a column of positive (or superior) terms and categories and a column of their negative (or inferior) opposites" (38) would seem to be an important tool in explaining the gender-based hierarchies that evolved in society.

In this book, M. Owen Lee grapples with the issue of whether we can (and should) enjoy Wagner's art, in the knowledge of Wagner's notorious flaws (such as his fiery anti-semitism, etc.) Drawing from classical Greek mythology, Mr. Lee discusses how it is common for great artists to have flawed personal lives, and that the value of the artwork should therefore be judged independently of its creator. Indeed, the artist creates his art as an act of self-healing. He therefore encourages the enjoyment of the music of Richard Wagner. (Yep, the Wagnerholics of the world can now listen without guilt. :-)

A lot of the material is taken from the book, "Aspects of Wagner", which M. Owen Lee acknowledges as a source. Since I had read these books back-to-back, the repetition of material was easy to see.

There is also a discussion of the opera "Tannhauser", which is discussed in about the same level of detail as his commentaries on the Ring.

Father M. Owen Lee, who is known for his erudite commentaries on Metropolitan Opera broadcasts has recently published another book about the Wagner's Ring Cycle, called "Athena Sings. Wagner and the Greeks." Father Lee is a Classics scholar, so it should be no surprise that the Greeks also inhabit "Wagner: The Terrible Man and His Truthful Art." One of the chief characters that Wagner is compared to in this slender book is Philoctetes, who was given a great gift by the god Apollo, but was also maimed with an incurable wound.

The three essays that make up this book were written to be given during the 1998 Larkin-Stuart lectures at the University of Toronto. These lectures are devoted to religious and ethical concerns, and Father Lee took the opportunity to examine the relationship of the artist, Wagner to his art.

The first lecture, "Wagner and the Wound That Would Not Heal" tells the story of Philoctetes, who was shunned by his fellow soldiers because of his unhealing wound. Finally, they exiled him on an island on their way to conquer Troy. In their tenth year of war, after the death of Achilles, the Greeks heard a prophecy "that the city would never be taken unless the wounded Philoctetes was brought to Troy with his bow (the gift from Apollo)." The Greeks sailed back to the island where they had abandoned Philoctetes and persuade the wounded, bitter man to use his gift to help them.

Father Owen is not a Wagner apologist, but he asks us to recognize our debt to the "hateful, wounded man [we] are in need of"---he whose music can penetrate deeply into our psyche and bring us, if not peace, then at least self-knowledge.

The second lecture, "Wagner's Influence: The First Hundred Years" discusses the effect that Wagner exercised, for good and ill, on music, art, literature, politics, and psychology. The author quotes philosopher Bryan Magee as being able to say: "Wagner has had a greater influence than any other single artist on the culture of our age."

Of course, the worm at the core of this lecture is Wagner's "unquestioned influence on Adolf Hitler." There are still people who won't listen to Wagner's music, and Father Lee acknowledges this artist's blatant anti-Semitism: "He probably wreaked more havoc on himself with his essay 'Judaism in Music' than with anything else he wrote." A hundred years later, Goebbels was able to use it as vicious propaganda.

Can we acknowledge this hateful, wounded man and still be pierced by the beauty of his music? The author goes on to quote Leonard Bernstein's article in the 'New York Times,' entitled "Wagner's Music isn't Racist:"

"...And if Wagner wrote great music, as I think he did, why should we not embrace it fully and be nourished by it?"

The third and last lecture that completes this book is entitled, "You Use Works of Art to See Your Soul." Father Owen Lee concentrates on Wagner's early opera, "Tannhäuser" to prove his point, with help from authors such as Baudelaire and Goethe. He is even tempted to wonder if Wagner had Martin Luther in mind when he created his tormented young hero, "who was gifted in song, clashed with the Pope, sought refuge in the Wartburg, defied the society he knew, and profoundly changed it."

Or perhaps, Wagner was thinking of Wagner.

These essays have convinced this reviewer at least, that a seriously flawed human being can produce indispensable, undying, truthful art.

Although this book consists of merely three lectures, and can be finished off in about 2 or 3 hours without difficulty, it has as much fresh insight as many other titles that take much longer to study. The first lecture exploring the influence of classic Greek mythology and cultural recognition through artistic expression - ie roughly how the Greek society established itself through artistic endeavour - gives the reader a pretty clear idea what Wagner was trying to accomplish for Germany through his music dramas, and also confirms a pretty outlandish level of self-confidence to even make such an attempt. The second lecture has some material which has already been covered in other books - notably Aspects of Wagner by Magee - but is still interesting. The final lecture with a detailed study of Tannhauser is excellent, the most interesting commentary on this opera I have read to date. The choice of Wassily Kandinsky's Die Nacht, inspired by Act II of Tristan und Isolde, for the front cover was very appropriate. Strongly recommended.

M. Owen Lee is perhaps best known to opera lovers through his appearances on the Texaco Opera broadcasts, some of which have formed the core of two of his previous books. In his latest book, Father Lee demonstrates the personally committed criticism which is characteristic of his radio lectures. This is no mere apologia for Wagner. The author is painfully aware of Wagner's human failings, not merely the oft-discussed anti-Semitism, and he is troubled by the fact that the music of such a monster could move him so deeply. This book gives us a wonderful insight into the author's soul as he grapples with this question. I especially enjoyed the discussion of "Tannheuser" in the final chapter. (A few years ago I wrote to him about his love of Wagner, and he cared enough to write me a detailed letter in response--another sign of his genuine commitment to the subject). This book tells us not only about Wagner but also about the author himself, who has a unique capability of engaging the reader in a genuine dialogue.

The American desire for roots compels thousands of families to travel to the lands of their ancestors-poring through records, paying homage at cemeteries, visiting birth sites and churches, finding their history.

In "The Wayfarers," Californian Nathan Friedman travels to Romania culminating two years of extensive genealogical research, wanting to know more about his deceased father Sholem's life before he immigrated to America. After devoting countless hours to tracing his father's path, Nathan journeys with his son and grandson to Romania to visit his father's village, Birlad. He desires to see the synagogue and learn all that he can about Sholem and his ensuing march across Europe with the Birlad Fusgeyers.

In Romania, Nathan connects with Rabbi Nachman who tells the compelling story about the young Jews who left Birlad in 1904 seeking a better life. Tired of boycotts, poverty, pogroms and other persecution, Sholem joined one of the Fusgeyer contingents that marched across Europe. The recounting of their experiences reveals the prejudice against the Jews and other "undesirables" during the years leading up to World War I.

Readers will be transported to another era as the wayfarers prepare for and depart on their four-month trek. The Fusgeyers travel over Prislop Pass enduring the climatic and physical challenges. They absorb the history and sights of Budapest, Vienna and Prague. They encounter the dangers of conscription into forced labor, hostility of soldiers, and the foreboding atmosphere of Berlin. Once they reach Bremerhaven and complete their quarantine, the Fusgeyer band boards their ship and sail for America.

Although the book features an intimidating cast of characters and many Yiddish words to decipher, "The Wayfarers" should evoke an emotional response. Nathan and his family are deeply moved by what they learn about Sholem and the Fusgeyers. Their courage in the face of hardships, their sense of adventure and joy, evoke awe in Sholem's descendants. These same things should stir a similar response in most readers. Jew or Gentile, many of us descend from ancestors who came to America seeking a better life for themselves and their progeny.

Between 1881 and 1914, about 50, 000 Jews left Eastern Europe and the Settlement of the Pale in Russia for America. Most emigrants from Russia or Poland traveled by train to their embarking sea ports; however, in eastern Romania trains were either unaffordable or less accessible. As a result, there arose groups of individuals known as Fusgeyers (Yiddish for "they who go by foot") who literally walked across hundreds of miles through Europe to catch ships to America.

In his book The Wayfarers, Stuart F. Tower has written a compelling fictional tale based on this significant event of one such group that marched out of Birlad Romania in April 1904. Their journey led them across Hungary, Austria, Moravia, and Bohemia ending four months later at the German sea port of Bremerhaven where they sailed on the Cincinnatus to New York.

Tower frames his tale around a Californian, Nathan Friedman, who travels to Birlad with his son Herb and grandson Rico in search of his roots. It is in Birlad where he meets with Rabbi Yossi Nachman, who is the son of a rabbi who lived in the village in 1904, where Nathan Friedman's father last lived before emigrating to America. Friedman hopes and prays that the elder Birlader Rabbi passed onto his son Yossi information, oral or written, pertaining to the legacy of the Fusgeyers.

Tower's narrative performs a feat deserving top applause in remembering these courageous poor souls who encountered relentless anti-Semitism as they crossed hostile countries while flying the unpopular Star of David flag. Tower vividly captures the group's instinct for resistance and defiance, as well as taking on risks without concern for the odds or consequences. Their survival no doubt can be attributed to their instinct of self-preservation; however, as the story of the Fusgeyers unfolds we notice that it was their innate zeal to test their limits that led to their survival. It was also their organizational skills and self-discipline that kept their spirits in high gear most of the time, notwithstanding the many unpleasant encounters they endured along the way.

Committees were set up to take care of food, entertainment, health matters, fund raising, and there were individuals in charge of map reading, defense, English education, keeping time and recording of events. It should be pointed out that although the group did carry firearms, they generally chose to fight oppression by employing more restrained means and diplomacy.

Tower cleverly creates a matrix of meaning-connecting the facts that he uncovered in his five years researching the topic of the Fusgeyers with the history of the era.

Much of the material that Tower weaves into his tale is intriguing, particularly the hostility and xenophobia that was very prevalent at the time. Tower also supplies, when necessary, historical background and introductions to important figures as Theodore Herzl, Franz Kafka, William Frederick Cody (Buffalo Bill), Max Nordau and others.

The Wayfarers is not a collection of pieces cobbled together or an almanac of loosely related information. It is rather a sequence of carefully arranged chapters each completing the last and leading the reader to the next that are connected by smooth transitions. Tower crafts his narrative with an admirable fluidity with dialogue that is realistically shaped. He even throws in a fair number of Yiddish words and for those who are not conversant in the language, there is a brief glossary at the end of the book.

I have been informed that there is a movie in the works and I look forward to seeing the movie as well as reading more from Stuart F. Tower.

Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures

The Wayfarers is a captivating tale of the 'Fusgeyers'' remarkable trek from their native Romania to America. The story combines historical fact with fiction to bring the reader a vivid description of what the journey must have been like for the courageous individuals who were brave enough to seek a better life. I strongly recommend this book.

This heart-wrenching story is event-filled, exciting, historically accurate. From an attention-grabbing opening, through page after page, it holds you to the final paragraph. Author Stu Tower has taken it up a level with this, his third title: It's his best to date, is highly recommended! [Robert Stein, with six editions in print, including VENGEANCE EQUATION, and BLACK SAMARITAN.]

Listen up Anne Stuart fans - this is a reprint of some golden oldies - and super ones. As always from Anne Stuart mesmerizes! They are dark, moody and mysterious and an excellent read! One great anthology.

In the first one, we have Molly Ferrell coming to a small New England fishing village to find out what happened to the brilliant writer/poet Michael O'Flannery. Supposedly, twenty years ago he took a gun into the forest and killed himself, leaving behind a set of near genius works that have obsessed Molly for decades. His writing touched her, reached her in a way men never did. So she is determined to exorcise the ghost of O'Flannery once and for all by writing a book about him. Visiting his hometown, she is determined to find out why a man of such talent would destroy himself - and maybe break her obsession, once and fall. There she finds instant resistance in the town folk. There's an empty grave with a headstone, people lock their doors or stop talking when she entered a room, and heavy, dogged resistance from Jake, a carpenter. He hints there were other deaths in the town and maybe Michael did not kill himself, but was murdered. Stuart owns the talent of dark, moody alpha/gamma heroes, and she is flying high with this tale.

I am not familiar with the works of Joanna Wayne or Caroline Burns, but I will be checking to see other material as their stories also impressed me.

Wayne gives a tale of a woman running from her past, trying to keep it secret, who falls for Dr. Nathan Duncan. He is drawn to his new patient, but is sure they have met before. How long can she keep her past secret from her doctor?

Burnes tale is very effective, very sinister. A body is found on the shores of a sleepy Florida coast. First people say it is a shark attack...but could it be something more? Marine biologist Libby Phillips is not sure its a shark attack. Distracting her from the investigation is a modern day 'pirate' one sexy Chat Watson. But is he trying to win her in his bed or keep her from discovering the truth about the body? A very enjoyable mystery.

Delightfully dark tales perfect to curl up with on a dark and stormy night.

The book was a fast read. All three stories were well written and gripping. Joanna Wayne did a great job of capturing the very real danger connected with a woman being stalked by a madman. I highly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense.

Harlequin presents three very different romantic suspense novellas in "What Lies Beneath." From Anne Stuart, we get a highly romantic and atmospheric tale. From Joanna Wayne, a suspense tale with a sweet love story. From Caroline Burnes, a mystery novella with a dash of romance. The authors' voices and styles are so different that I'm not sure any reader will love all the stories equally, as each will appeal to a different reading tastes, but "What Lies Beneath" serves as a good sampler of the varied styles and types of stories available in romantic suspense.

Anne Stuart's "The Road to Hidden Harbor" is my favorite of the three. In fact, this story is the best thing I've read from her recently, better than her last two full-length novels, "The Widow" and "Still Lake" despite being a third as long. She pulled me in from the first paragraph and held me to the page until I'd finished the story in one sitting. It's a relatively simple, character-driven plot that still provided some good twists and suspenseful moments. Jake and Molly are familiar Stuart characters, but better versions than some that we've seen recently. Yes, Molly is inexperienced, but she's also smart and determined. Yes, Jake is dark and secretive, but I loved that he's a real bad boy, not some watered down version. The story has strong conflict between this dangerous man and the woman who doesn't know whether or not she can trust him. One thing I especially liked is the way Stuart captured the magic of good writing and the effect an author's work can have on a reader. While most of us won't have the obsessive reaction Molly does to O'Flannery's work, Stuart proves she's worthy of our admiration and appreciation with this novella. I would have thought this book was worth the cover price based on this story alone. Five Stars

Joanna Wayne's "Remember Me" is more typical. Like the summary up above states, this is another "Sleeping With the Enemy"-type story. Crazy husband. Battered wife on the run. Sensitive protector hero. This is a plot most readers have seen before. The romance was more sweet than passionate, which seemed to make it a poor fit coming after the Anne Stuart story. It does move quickly and goes down easily, but I never got involved in the clichéd storyline. Two Stars.

Caroline Burnes's "Primal Fear" is more mystery/suspense than romance. Readers who don't mind that there's not much of a love story should enjoy this one. The characters don't spend that much time together and their relationship never goes much deeper than flirting, but as a mystery plot it's solid and very original. I liked the unusual setting and storyline that aren't often seen in romantic suspense. Libby the marine biologist and Chad the scavenger/pirate were good characters, and the action-driven story moves with Burnes's usual quick pace and smooth style. "Primal Fear" also has a pretty good climax where there are two possible bad guys each looking dangerous which keeps the suspense high to the end, even if I did figure out which one was the real villain a little too easily. Still, a good example of this author's work. Four Stars

One thing I did appreciate about this collection is that none of the three stories features the usual kind of Harlequin hero, the cop, the PI, the cowboy or the soldier, proving that there are romantic suspense stories to be mined with different types of characters. If only Harlequin was willing to publish more stories like this in its full-length books.

"What Lies Beneath" is a good collection that should appeal to fans of romantic suspense.

First let me say that these are three new stories- a plus for this genre. I really enjoyed the first two, 'The Road To Hidden Harbor' by Anne Stuart and 'Remember Me' by Joanna Wayne. The third 'Primal Fear' by Caroline Burns was okay but slower and a bit disjointed.

In Joanna Wayne's tale Dr. Nathan Wayne is smitten by his new patient, a young woman who has just saved the life of a two year old child and endangered her own in so doing. Jill Jacobs is rushed into surgery for a subdural hematoma and as Nathan watches his patient awake from the anesthesia he is certain he knows her. The story of her heroism makes local headlines and even appears on the national cable news network. Rather than enjoying her celebrity status Jill is terrified and Nathan wants to know why. He also begins to suspect he knows who she really is and he wants to renew his relationship. His investigation and Jill's sudden fame put their lives in jeopardy as their romance blossoms. This is a beautiful story and my favorite of the three. This one deserves five stars!

In Anne Stuart's contribution Professor Molly Ferrell travels to Hidden Harbor, Maine to complete the research for her book about her favorite obscure writer, 'a long dead poet', Michael O'Flannery. Her obsession with O'Flannery intensifies when it seems the whole town is hiding the truth of his mysteriuos death from her. When she meets Jake Marley, the carpenter at the bed and bath she's staying at things begin to heat up and danger is not far behind. This one is also a good read. I'd give it 4 1/2 stars.

I did not enjoy 'Primal Fear' as much as the first two stories but others might and its included at no extra charge. All in all this is a good deal.