Turner Books

Wonderful artwork, a simple flowing narrative, and a charming little turtle that you cannot help but like and sympathize with, makes this book one of the finest childrens' books I have come across in quite some time. The theme of loneliness & the solace of companionship should warm the heart of anyone who reads this.

This book is so lovely! Incredibly simple, and appropriate for any age, but spell-binding and beautiful. The illustrations are spectacular, and the story is gentle and quietly sweet.

I only wish it were more readily available, so I could give it as gifts to every new baby I know...

One of the most beautiful children's books around, "The Turtle and the Moon" is such a quiet, gentle offering among recent children's literature, that it seems to have been largely unnoticed. A shame, because the splendidly lyric paintings and mellifluous prose blend together in a such dreamlike, languidly lifelike story that both parents and children, the storytellers and the story-rapt, find themselves utterly intrigued.

Discovery, friendship, creativity, providence, nature, imagination, loyalty and joy shine gloriously through on every page, while the simplicity of the story of a solitary turtle finding new worlds in his every day is one that any child can understand and love.

So read this story just before bed, and hope that we all have half so beautiful dreams...

This is a beautiful tale about finding comfort and a sense of well-being when one feels alone. Parents tell me that this book is a favorite of all the children I have given it to as gifts. The narrative style and the simple water-colors lend a sense of poignancy to this story of a turtle and his new-found, reliable friend. This is sensitive story-telling at its best in children's literature.

Alexander Turner, a battalion-level officer in the British Army, delivers a solid summary of the Canadian Corps' impressive capture of Vimy Ridge in April 1917. Although Turner offers the capture of Vimy Ridge as refutation of claims that Allied generalship in the First World War was fatally flawed, his conclusions skim by the fact that Vimy Ridge was one of the very few attacks that enjoyed this kind of success at such low cost. Furthermore, the amount of mistakes made by the German commanders at Vimy Ridge seem to be beyond the norm for that army in the First World War. Statistically speaking, Vimy Ridge was something of an aberration and therefore difficult to use as a case study. In any event, Turner provides a detailed summary of the preparation and execution of this highly successful Allied offensive.

Turner begins with the usual section on the background to the campaign and opposing forces, which tends to digress a bit into a broader discussion of the tactical-technological problems facing First World War armies. At points, the author appears to want to paint a broader canvas á la John Keegan, rather than deliver a campaign study, but he settles down by mid-volume. The volume includes five 2-D maps (the German retirement to the Hindenburg Line; Arras and the Chemin des Dames Offensives; Locations of Allied Artillery units near Vimy Ridge; the Battle of Vimy Ridge; Attack on the "Pimple" and Bois-en-hache, 12 April 1917) and two 3-D maps (the Assault on Vimy Ridge in the 1st and 2nd Canadian Division areas and the fight for Hill 145 and "the Pimple"), as well as two excellent battle scenes (advance of the 2nd Canadian Division on 9 April 1917 and the defense of the Zwischenstellung). The maps are decent, but the dominant nature of Vimy Ridge is less apparent on the 3-D maps than a standard military 1:50,000-scale map of the area. Furthermore, the operational-level maps provide only vague details on the larger picture of the Arras offensive, without even showing the equally impressive advance of the British XVII Corps to the south of Vimy Ridge.

The author makers clear that both the German and Canadian troops at Vimy Ridge were high quality, but that the Canadian Corps had an overwhelming superiority in artillery, which was enhanced by careful planning. The author also disputes the idea that Vimy Ridge was an all-Canadian affair and points out the contributions of various British support units. Although the author briefly mentions the air superiority battles that preceded the Allied offensive, he offers few details once the attack commenced. He does spend a fair amount of time describing the extensive Allied mining and tunneling efforts, much of which did not pan out during the actual offensive.

While Turner notes faulty German dispositions and planning, he does not seem to appreciate that the Allied attack was assisted by fog and snow, which severely reduced German visibility. Instead, Turner emphasizes the muddy ground as an impediment to Canadian mobility. The magnitude of the Allied success at Vimy Ridge is not always apparent in Turner's account, which does not mention that this attack resulted in the furthest Allied advance in one day since the start of trench warfare. Turner's background in an infantry battalion aids him in painting the portrait of Canadian infantry struggling through the mud and shellfire, but there is little actual analysis of the battle's outcome. Overall, Vimy Ridge 1917 is a solid campaign summary, albeit one that could benefit from a bit sharper focus.

World War One battles by their static - and horrific - nature are difficult to bring to life, but that is exactly what Mr. Turner does in this book. He effectively combines the intellectual background (e.g. short biographies of the officers/men, reviews of strategy and technology), photos, and maps. Maps - how important they are, and yet how often a good military book fails to tie the text to good graphics, so one can understand the terrain and the place in the overall "big" picture. While I waited in suspense for the battle to begin, I learned about fascinating developments in strategy ("defense in depth), when I thought there were little or not developments during the war, the abilities of the officers on both sides, and the men who were going to fight the battle. I have never read an Osprey book before, but this will surely guide me in that direction. This was a terrific read.

Essentially the first BEF victory on the western front (pre Messines), Vimy Ridge gave Canada an epic battle all its own. Today the towering memorial on Hill 145 holds the names of the nation's missing (including one of my distant relatives) and is a focal point for Canadian national pride as the statue of Canada weeping for her fallen sons looks out over the coalfields of Lens.

In typical Osprey fashion, this volume presesnts a clear, concise and complete story of this great battle, with excellent graphics, photos, and, perhaps most refreshing, maps (why can't WWI authors and publishers create some decent maps? Osprey seems to be able to pull it off). The final chapter is an excellent description of the battlefield today, made more interesting of course by the the fact that Canada has preserved portions of the trenches as well as part of the Grange Subway on the ridgetop.

Read this Campaign series to get the overview and the lay of the land (and subway system!) then root out a copy of Berton's Vimy for a real understanding of what the battle meant to a 'dominion' that had to fight the British to maintain their identity in a separate corps (a preview of the fight Pershing was to have with the same Brit leadership when the doughboys arrived)and protect their egalitarian society from the class structure the dominated the BEF.

Even if you know this battle well, and perhaps, because you do, the graphics are worth the small investment in this volume. Most Osprey Campaign issues are a nice addition to lengthy tomes simply for the maps and illustrations.

The vice of the Campaign Series can be to cover so large a subject in one small volume and give so much introductory material that the subject of the book is covered in less depth than in an Encyclopedia. In the end you get little more than an introduction, a few nice pictures, if you're lucky some nice maps, and photographs so small you can never see the detail mentioned in the captions.
In Vimy Ridge the author has avoided these perils. He limits himself to the battle, not a history of the whole West Front, and assumes you knew something about World War One before you purchased the book. The result is a gem. A concise description of a battle very different from what you thought it would be, well-written, well-illustrated other than the too small photos. The only criticism is that you are left wanting more, but to get that you need a much larger and more expensive book than Osprey promised you.

We've Got Feelings Too! is a must-read book for pet lovers. The United States legal system has long classified pets as property, often to the animals' detriment; We've Got Feelings Too! offers a new legal solution to the conundrum - categorizing animal companions as "feeling property" in a new classification called "sentient property". We've Got Feelings Too! combines years of legal research and true events to offer new ways of dealing with unavoidable difficulties, and taking animals' emotions and well-being into account. Especially recommended for anyone concerned with making legal provisions for one's pet should one become suddenly unable to care for it in the future.

To anyone that has loved and lost a dog or any companion animal unnecessarily, then to be told they were worth nothing more then property in a court of law will understand. I have always felt there HAD to be something between the legal definitions of 'just property' and giving companions the same rights as humans. Carolyn has found it.

I looked forward to receiving this book once ordered. When it arrived in my mail, the package was open before I made it back to the door and I read it in one sitting.

I encourage everyone to read it. I look forward to the day that we hear of an animals feelings being considered in a court of law. That they are 'feeling' property. They feel pain, hurt, love and it's time that it was recognized.

Thank you Carolyn Matlack!

This is a beautiful story which also details the often-gritty tapestry of change. It's one thing to change a person's mind; it's quite another to flip their entire viewpoint. Matlack set about doing both in regards to the sentient property issue and, in the future when you hear about an animal's feelings being considered in court cases, she will be one of the people to be thanked.

This book gave me more than a hopeful view of what could be for the companion animals in our world, but Matlack's offering didn't stop there. Her experiences with her mother parallel mine in ways that are downright weird. Matlack is a passionate woman, finding solace and energy in work - qualities I too possess. My love for animals is shared by this author. We both chose long ago to use our abilities to help make a better life for the companion animals that trust and love us unconditionally. A must read for those who care about animals.

This is a great book about LIFE. The path of LOVE for humans and animals. It shows us that we can make a change in the world for the better.It teaches us to follow our heart and not our head. Life is like a lump of coal,that through the pressure of the path of life,we can all become diamonds. OLD MYSTIC

This book should be read by everyone from young adults to senior executives. As a lay person, not only did I understand how to be successful in the business world, but how to improve my own life. The pages provided me with a fresh insight into leadership; one is not born as a leader, rather one must use leadership skills. Although this book provides examples with well known figures, it also points towards lesser known, but amply talented, leaders. However, albeit how successful some of these people are, some stories serve to remind us that even leaders cannot escape their own humanity. I loudly applaud Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner for giving me the tools to make my way through the 21st century!

My introduction to formalized leadership came during the Korean War, as I served as an instructor in the U.S. Army Infantry Leadership Course at Ft. Dix, NJ. There it was a pretty cut and dried formula with no opportunity for innovation. In the ensuing years leadership innovations have leaped into the spotlight with ever increasing frequency. Hardly a year goes by without some professor or management guru promulgating the latest leadership theory and its applications.

In my reading of this literature, I find that many, if not most, of them offer little of substance and seem to focus on providing panaceas that seldom seem to be applicable to my or my clients' situations. They enjoy waves of popularity and then like the old soldier just fade away to be replaced by the next new popular leadership theory.

Well, Tom Peters et al can step aside. The dynamic duo of Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner clearly demonstrate what effective managers need to learn to lead their organizations into the digital age. Rather than offering universal applications, these authors examine the nature of effective leadership in some depth. In specific situations they review the dilemmas of management and provide hardcore examples of how to reconcile fundamental issues of leadership.

Utilizing their base data from thousands of surveys of leaders and followers around the world and with their seven dimensions of cultural competence they have interviewed global leaders as they cope with the dilemmas of leadership. Rather than presenting seven or more essential habits, they focus on how these leaders reconcile differences to attain more effective management.

The authors suggest that business cultures are different, and that because business is run differently around the globe, we need different managerial and leadership competencies. What they call transcultural competence is their way of bridging those differences. It is a logic that tends to unify differences and that delineates the manager from the leader and the successful leader from the unsuccessful one. They call for a new way of thinking. Through-Through thinking is beyond either-or and even and- and thinking in that it synthesizes seemingly opposed values into coherence. Thus the main theme throughout this book is that effective leaders reconcile value dilemmas better than those who don't.

In in-depth interviews with 21 business leaders that run the range from Richard Branson of Virgin through the former Russian Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko, to corporate leaders throughout the West, we see the applications of transcultural competence through the use of the authors' seven dimensions: rule-making vs exception finding, that is universalism vs particularism; self-interest and personal fulfillment vs group interest and social concern, that is individualism vs communitarianism; preference for precise, singular, "hard" standards vs preference for pervasive, patterned. "soft: processes, that is specificity vs diffusion; emotions inhibited vs emotions expressed, that is neutral vs affective; status achieved through success and track record vs status ascribed to person's potential such as age, family, education, that is achievement vs ascription; control and effective direction comes from within vs control and effective direction comes from inside, that is inner-directed vs outer-directed; and time is conceived of as a "race" with passing increments vs time is conceived of as a "dance" with circular iterations, that is sequential vs synchronic. While not all of the 21 leaders address all of the above factors in their corporations, we do see that a number of these dimensions occur in varying issues of each organization. They include Kiriyenko working to reconcile dilemmas at the Nizhmy Novorod Oil Company (NORSI) such as that of inner direction (young Russians) vs outer directed (older Russians) or that of cronyism vs new rules or universalism vs particularism. Philippe Bourguignon of Club Med working to reconcile the dilemma of the unique, seamless, personalized vacation vs the reliable, affordable, segmented, standardized holiday with the specific ingredients going into the making of diffuse experiences.

Other examples of the reconciliation of dilemmas appear in such case studies as: creating a hyperculture with Martin Gillo of Advanced Micro Devices; recapturing the true mission with Christian Majgaard of Lego; the balance between market and product with Anders Knutsen of Bang and Olufsen; keeping closer to the customer with David Komansky of Merrill Lynch; and much more. Each of the case studies in the book offers rare insights into how the dilemmas of leadership can be met and how transcultural competence can be applied to leadership in the digital age. To quote the book itself: "The central premise that evolved is that the propensity to reconcile seemingly different contradictory values is the key competence behavior required for a leader to be effective in today's digital world." This is a fascinating spellbinding text blending the intercultural dilemmas of management with the reconciling forces of leadership to create innovative leaders. The examples from 21 business leaders prove again and again that Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner have hit enough nails on the head to build a solid model for the future.

David C. Wigglesworth an interculturalist is a management and organization development consultant and is president of D.C.W. Research Associates International in Kingwood, Texas. He can be reached at 281-359-4234 and dcwigg@earthlink.net
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Charles Hampden-Turner and Fons Trompenaars have been collaborating for many years to develop an understanding of how different cultures approach and resolve problems and the cross-cultural issues that arise from it. In the course of this collaboration they have developed a formidable database of responses from managers around the world, and a 'dilemma methodology' which they use to demonstrate how superior results flow from the way in which dilemmas are managed and resolved.

This book is a direct successor to a series of books by one or both authors, which develop the methodology and its application. This one applies it to the question of effective leadership, and makes a valuable contribution to a generally overcrowded field. In particular, it adds to understanding of the particular skill of an effective leader and also helps to build an operational understanding of what is meant by 'managing a culture'. The book can be read and used without reference to the earlier works, but Building Cross-Cultural Competence is particularly useful in providing an extended statement of the principles and dimensions summarized in the first 2 chapters of 21 Leaders.

The nine opening pages of the Introduction provide a succinct overview of the main thesis, described as a 'metatheory of leadership'. They argue that leaders 'manage culture' by fine-tuning and reconciling dilemmas and that that culture then runs the organization. Outstanding leaders are particularly adept at reconciling dilemmas - they make the necessary distinctions yet integrate them into a viable whole. The authors conceptualise apparently opposed values (eg individualism versus communitarianism) as being the opposite ends of a continuum and the test of successful reconciliation being that both values should emerge stronger from the interaction.

The book and most of the examples are based on issues of cross-cultural in the sense of cross-national values, but the principles apply equally wherever there is a potential clash of values - for example in a merger or a major program of change.

Through expanding their methodology and showing how it applies in a wide range of complex situations the authors seek to help leaders :

"Elicit and become aware of major business dilemmas in cross-cultural environments
See dilemma resolution as a crucial ingredient of strategy
Utilize dilemmas as strategic contexts for action
Learn the art of achieving one value through another in a virtuous circle (a process known as through-through thinking)
Learn how transnational entrepreneurs take their stands (preneur) between (entre) contrasting values."

Much of the book is devoted to case studies of the 21 selected leaders. These are not all the 'usual suspects' of the management literature, but include a former Russian Prime Minister and the heads of companies in a variety of industries and from a range of nations. Each is well-written and argues its particular points in a way that gives depth to the main thesis of the book.

Sophie Aldred was the last companion for the longed lived Doctor Who program. She and special effects wizard Mike Tucker give their thoughts on the last three seasons of the show. The book is filled with pictures from the show and behind the scenes. It also contains quotes from various people including Sylvester McCoy, AKA the Seventh (and final of the series) Doctor. It really is a good read, whether you like Sophie or just like Doctor Who in general. It also contains mainly behind the scenes antics, even the infamous tank scene, where Sylvester became an actual hero.

This really is a perfect companion book to go in any collection.

This book has it all; full colour pictures, many from the private collections of Sophie and SFX creator Mike Tucker, the technical working of the show, and witty, genuine commentary from Sophie herself. By reading this book you get a real understanding of how episodes in the Ace era were produced, what the cast and crew thought of them, and what they got up to on set. Sophie is full of information, and you'll want go back and watch all your videos again and go "Ah! i know how they did that!"

If the cover of Sophie Aldred having dealt the Black Dalek with her aluminum bat doesn't convince Who fans that she's the toughest companion since Leela of the Tom Baker era, nothing will. Sophie is well-placed to tell her experiences in Doctor Who, as she was the series' last companion. She came in the wake of a tough transition in Doctor Who's history--following the dismissal of Colin Baker and the installing of Sylvester McCoy, Sophie was chosen to succeed Bonnie Langford as the new companion.

Mike Tucker, her collaborator of this work, was the visual effects designer during Doctor Who's dying days. He too provides his point of view and remembrances with equal aplomb.
In each of her nine stories (Dragonfire, Remembrance Of The Daleks, The Happiness Patrol, Silver Nemesis, The Greatest Show In The Galaxy, Battlefield, Ghost Light, The Curse Of Fenric, and Survival) she provides vivid commentary and detail from her diary of her experiences. There's lots of behind the scenes photographs in B&W and colour, early design sketches, listings of the cast and production team, director, story number, number of episodes and date broadcast--it's pretty comprehensive.

And yes, the famous incident of her while shooting Battlefield is included. Basically, she was in a water-filled tank and was to be pulled up. Sylvester McCoy noticed the glass bulging and then... CRACK! Sylvester shouted for the crew to lift her out, which they did, before anything happened to her. She also tells about this in the More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS video.

Considering how she was one of the few ex-alumni of Who to come out in the More Than... video, it shows how much she loved the show. She was very heartbroken when Sylvester McCoy told her that there wasn't going to be a 27th season, and that too is included in the book.

At the end of the book are photos and text of some of her post-Who efforts, including More Than A Messiah, an episode of the Stranger, the short-lived Colin Baker series, and Shakedown, a Who-spin off that not only featured the return of the troll-like Sontarans but paired her with Carole Ann Ford, Dr. Who's first ever companion. Then there's an interview where she tells what her favourite story was, plus her favourite Doctor. I have to commend her on her answer--she has good taste.

This is a splendid companion-piece after watching any of the 7th-Doctor/Ace stories. If you can find this book--get it. Break through hoardes of Daleks to get this treasure.

Leaves you blitzed and bemused by the stupefying collection of topics. Just when you thought you knew a good chunk of this stuff, along comes a book like this and it proves you still have a universe within a universe to learn. A great read.

A facsimile reprint of the original edition from the English translation of 1656, down to the somewhat uneven typeface, The Archidoxes Of Magic is a medieval occult manual and reference that includes complete sets of zodiac lames, characters, and planetary sigils. Covering alchemy, medieval magic, and some alternative healing techniques, and herbal remedies, this groundbreaking work includes an introduction by Stephen Skinner, which offers a brief biography of the Swiss physician and author Paracelsus, as well as an overview of how Paracelsus' work influenced the Western Mystery Tradition for centuries to come. A core reference for magic, alchemy or occult studies shelves.

This is the classic Renaissance manual on magic. Paracelsus falls midway between Marsilio Ficino and Athanasius Kircher in the exploration of hermetic systems as keys to understanding the inner workings of creation. This particular edition reproduces the actual pages of an early English translation, which makes it slightly harder to read but lends it great charm. The soft cover has a smooth, waxy feel.

Just imagine having your love notes found, analyzed and published for the world to see? Well, this is it. One of the world's most famous and iconic couples' lyrical notes to each other are here for all to share. Should it have been done? Some may say 'no', but considering the fact that they are by Stein, one of the most well-known, unread writers in history, and Toklas, whose place in history largely hinges on her hashish fudge, I'd say 'why not?' These ladies have long been used to public curiosity and scrutiny and became household names during their 1934-35 visit to the US. The introductory essay alone, though scholarly, is worth the price of admission---"Having a cow" will take on a whole new meaning in your vocabulary!

How wonderful to read about the emotions of what is sometimes considered to be "deviant" love. I believe they would each be honored to know that their true relationship is public and, for the most part, that people are touched by their genuine caring for each other. I highly recommend this book, especially for those people who find it hard to understand relationships between same-sex couples.

What a hoot! Kay Turner has done it again, producing a book that's both entertaining and eye-opening -- a delightful-as-usual combination of the scholarly and hilarious. Brava! A wonderful gift for and/or from yer girlfriend.

I love the Osprey series which gives me great basic info on a subject that either quenches the thirst for knowledge or allows me to do further research w/ more expensive/expansive readings. For under $20 you can't beat the info/pics/colour plates on any subject.

Since Dr. Forzyck (who wrote the very well-rounded Toulon: 1793) has covered the details, I'm content to report that The Battle of the Boyne is among Osprey's finest works. It's a gripping account of an interesting conflict that truly enlightened me on the Williamite (I didn't knew that word existed!) War in Ireland.

The maps are wonderful, the two 3-D maps especially (except that some of the action takes place on the book seam...fix that Osprey!!). However, the full-page illustrations number only two and they are not nearly up to Grahm Turner's high standards. To me, it seemed OBVIOUS to have a painting either of Dutch, Danish, or English troops crossing the Boyne, but Turner contented himself with drawing James II approaching the gates of Derry and the death of a Duke. Pah. Its always the bloody nobility and royalty which gets all the drawings!!

The true meat of Boyne: 1690 is its campaign and battle narratives. I truly hope McNally continues to publish with Osprey, being the budding, excellent writer that he is.

Mr. Mcnally, I'm eagerly awaiting Augrhim: 1691!!

There has been a tendency among some reviewers and various professional nay-sayers on the internet to belittle Osprey's Campaign series as superficial and hence, of little value. Amateur historian Michael McNally's Campaign #160, the Battle of the Boyne 1690, should serve as ample justification for the value of this long-running series, which since 1990 has covered dozens of campaigns, and battles that have received scant attention in the recent past. Where else for less than $20 can a reader purchase a volume that includes color maps, order of battle data, a bibliography, capsule biographies, etc on such a wide range of military history? While the quality of individual volumes has varied, the series has improved over time and many volumes do in fact provide more than just a rehash of other secondary sources. McNally's Battle of the Boyne, which offers a very detailed look into a battle that has otherwise often just been glossed over, signifies the value of this series.

Since the background to the Boyne Campaign was rather complex, McNally provides a 7-page introduction, followed by 18 pages on the events leading up to the battle. The section on opposing commanders provides excellent capsule biographies of the key leaders and readers should enjoy the information and color uniform plates in the opposing armies section. Indeed, McNally does an excellent job outlining the strengths and weaknesses of both sides and shows that competent writers who know how to synthesize can pack a lot of data into a small package. A section on opposing plans also provides insight into the Williamite and Jacobite strategies. The strength of this volume also lies in its excellent graphic quality, with excellent maps and color plates. The five 2-D maps include the military situation in Ireland, January - June 1689; the siege of Derry; the military situation in Ireland, July - December 1689; the Battle of the Boyne; the Boyne campaign and its aftermath, June-July 1690. The two 3-D BEV maps are the Williamite attack and the Jacobite collapse at the Battle of the Boyne. The two color battle scenes are King James before the dates of Kerry; the death of the Duke of Schomberg. In addition, the author provides an excellent order of battle, a detailed campaign chronology and a lengthy bibliography.

The author's narrative of the actual Battle of the Boyne consists of 24 pages. Like most Americans who read European history, my knowledge of the Battle was fairly superficial and tended to encompass the Williamite view that the battle was a foregone conclusion (remember, victors write the history). However, McNally demonstrates that the Jacobite position, while desperate, was far from doomed and the battle was a hard-fought engagement that could have gone either way. Indeed, McNally's narrative is marked by an even-handed approach that provides perspectives from both sides. While some readers may complain that the military analysis herein is minimal (for example, the role of Williamite artillery in the battle), the author succeeds in detailing the Williamite envelopment, the confused Jacobite response and the climax of the battle. My only disappointment with this volume was the omission of any attempt to assess the total casualties suffered by each side in the battle - which makes it hard for the reader to assess how "decisive" a win this really was for the Williamites, since of course, the war in Ireland lasted for another year. While I understand that exact data was probably unavailable, I would have appreciated an educated guess by the author. By the time that I finished, the author had succeeded in changing my impression of the campaign and redefining my views on this phase of Anglo-Irish history - not bad for a volume just shy of 100 pages.

Beautiful work that shows the souls of women, and how they arrange their personal space to display what is important to them.

Many of the illustrations and texts focus on Mexican and Mexican-American women and their Catholic shrines/altars (this is what the author has studied the most), but there are also illustrations of Goddess, Celtic, African, Hindu, Buddhist, and Orthodox altars pictured in the book. The text is well written, but the pictures are definitely the highlight of the book.

Kay Turner's Beautiful Necessity graces its readers with balance and bounty. In its image-filled pages, one finds scholarship and story, history and anecdote, ritual and spontaneity, tradition and innovation, honor and humor: in all, the elements of a living altar. For those versed in altar tradition and practice, Beautiful Necessity affirms the sacred act of connection to that larger than the self; for those new to the tradition, welcome after welcome is given. Anyone who has ever -- who hasn't? -- found or made a meaningful connection to the sacred through objects or images will see themselves reflected here. One surprise after another greets readers throughout the book: perhaps one of the biggest surprises is the enduring and unquestionable connection between the altars themselves, made by women separated by time, place and history. Turner focuses on the ritual gestures of offering -- physical, spiritual, incantatory, conversational-- and manages, through carefully distinct chapters, to bring together the whole of altar practice via attention to distinct aspects and traditions; detail after detail stands out, and still the different altars come together into a practice, a way of being. This is remarkable, since even the contemporary altars vary from ephemeral performance art installations in New York City to long-enduring, cherished domestic altars in homes on several continents. Buy the book. Read the book. Make an altar, or return to the altar you have, or to your appreciation of another, refreshed and restored by this wide-ranging illumination of spiritual and artistic practice and belief. You need this book.

This book provides a thorough and well written discussion of various aspects of women's altars. If you maintain a home altar, you may experience a deep revelation of how women across cultures and religions have similar practices and understandings of the sacred altar space. Turner's book does a wonderful job with photographic images of altars created by women practicing different traditions, including Goddess worship, Catholicism, and Buddhism. I was unaware of how altar traditions are often passed down through women in the family or that women are the primary caretakers of altars in certain cultures. Turner's discussion of techniques that are shared by women, such as collage, was wonderful to read. I thought some of the practices I had been doing were unique to me, since I was not taught them. How great to discover women share these creative practices and approaches to the spiritual realm collectively. This book is a true gift.

This is a great book for anyone who is a fan, but also a real treat for people living in the metro-Detroit area, as a few of the celebrities asked are local TV and radio stars. She wrote to a lot of people over the years and has a great collection of stars' heroes, from Soupy Sales to Les Paul and of course Davy Jones! It's neat to find out who inspired the celebrities to be who they are today.

Mary Guerra is an authority on fandom as she is a member of a fanclub or two herself. I know this since she belongs to the fanclub I run for Davy Jones, Davy Devotees. Though the concept of fandom is normally perceived as being something the nonfamous possess, Mary spent years contacting various celebrities asking them just who they consider themselves a fan of and what fanclubs they would join if they could! She received personal responses from legends in the field of entertainment like RoseMarie and Phyllis Diller to Les Paul, inventor of the electric guitar, Richard Petty, of racing fame, columnist, Liz Smith and "Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe. Shirley Jones, Peter Noone and Mary's personal favorite, Davy Jones of The Monkees, are just a few of the many other highlighted celebrities. If you've been a fan of anyone at anytime, this book gives you an interesting look at who those we admire actually admire. At times the featured celebrities provide laughs and at other times intriguing revelations. Overall this is a fun read with a lot of heart!

This book is fabulous. My husband and I found it to be a quick, entertaining read. We particularly enjoyed the entry from Mike Clark, our favorite radio DJ. It's interesting to see what people celebrities find heroic, and it conveys more of an inside look into their personality as well.