Walsh Books

I've never read any of Dylan Thomas's poetry, but when I found a copy of Under Milk Wood for a quarter, I figured it'd be a perfect opportunity to get better versed in both drama and Thomas. I've always heard that he is one of the most depressing poets ever, so I said, "Hey, I love Sylvia Plath and Pablo Neruda. I love Morrissey. I will love this."

But I didn't love it. In fact, I was fairly unimpressed. I waited 95 pages for it to start, and then it ended. There wasn't even an abundance of sadness! I can handle a complete lack of movement within a story as long as it is depressing (I'm a Jim Jarmusch fan, too). This wasn't, though. It was even sort of funny. Not that I have a problem with that, but it was only sort of funny. A few chuckles here and there, but not enough to consider this a comedy.

In fact, I don't know what the hell it is. A Play For Voices? Sure, I guess. Maybe that's the problem: I didn't hear it. I know I can't judge a screenplay (or a play for voices. Whatever) by the way it appears on the page. Maybe this holds up upon performance.

But maybe it doesn't. I only read it, and therefore I have to focus on the piece as a work on the page. It succeeds in being a very detailed character study and it even sets up enough loose ends and possible connections for a novel. However, the play takes place over the course of one day, and it comes off as being just a day. Just another day. When it ended - the day and the play - I was anticipating what would happen next.

Maybe that's where the sadness comes in. These characters are dealing with ghosts in their dreams and their own limitations (the unrefinement of Nogood Boyo, the heartbreak of Polly Garter, the stationary reverie of Captain Cat) on a daily basis. That said, I still need something to happen. I've always championed the idea that life doesn't happen in the grand sweep, it usually happens in the long lulls. I'd have to try pretty hard to defend this play, though. Sure, the language is fantastic and Dylan uses his poetic creativity to paint a pretty picture, but at the end, I said "Hmm. Cool. Who gives a f***?"

I recently read this while on vacation. The entire cast of characters is wonderful, wonderfully quirky, yet somehow very "normal". It is hard to describe genre-wise as it reads differently than how it was apparently intended - as a play for radio. But it works. A town of 500, with three quaint streets, a postman who reads the mail to all the (illiterate) inhabitants, my favorite couple in literature (Mr. and Mrs. Cherry Owen - she has two husbands, one drunk and one sober)and one of the most touching characters, Bessie Bighead, who was kissed once while not looking and never again despite looking... Fun!

While I'm a long time fan of Dylan Thomas's prose and poetry, I've never understood the fascination with this sloppy, non-sensical play.

It is, to me, a moment when Thomas stopped being Thomas and made a clumsy attempt to emulate James Joyce. The result is a confusing and pointless play.

That said, the man was a marvel. Read his poetry, read "Adventures In The Skin Trade" and "Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Dog."

I was first attracted to Dylan Thomas after studying James Joyce's The Dubliners at high school. I must say that in my opinion Thomas's play/poem makes a surprisingly good film, which is sadly not available thrugh Amazon.com, but to say this play for voices is delightful would be misleading, as this deep study of the underbelly of a small fishing village is about a peculiar kind of nationalism that is both celebratory and critical.

What makes it such a great experience is how the language grabs you, and you have to listen to every word, so it is intense. The narrator begins his description of the sleeping town of Llareggub from Milk Wood, above the town, then enters the cobbled streets to observe and eavesdrop, over a twenty-four hour period, dipping into the thoughts, reminiscences and dreams of the townsfolk.

Since Dylan Thomas died in 1953, and this was one of his last works, the world he describes is fifty years old and seems somewhat quaint today. But his rich language on occasions soars with the romance of feeling for the beauty of his nativeland (the vicar's morning address to the town, with nobody listening, is just wonderful), and love of its people.

Nevertheless, in relating the sexual dreams and fantasies and activities of the town and the world of men and women a touch of gothic intrudes. There are oppositions at play between the open-hearted, sexually generous women and the close-minded wives, the ecstatic Organ Morgan the church organist and his petty shopkeeper wife ("a martyr to music"), the mischievious butcher's subversions, numerous attractions and solicitations between adults and the budding sexuality of the young, the stultified love of Sinbad the barman, and an unscrupulous postman and his nosey-parker wife.And many other endearing characters.

The portrait Thomas paints of the town under Milk Wood is tainted by his own world-view, resentful of the Church, the lack of ambition and other provincialities. There's an amazing amount of activity in the town, apart from its economy, lots of drinking, sexuality and folksong, but despite the evidence of bad-blood the community seems to thrive on love and an underlying generosity of heart that allows for the bounty that all life brings.

These days I'm not a great lover of poetry, and that's what this play for voices is, but Under Milk Wood still works for me.

Written as a "play for voices" for the BBC, this work was originally performed in 1954, with Richard Burton as the First Voice, connecting all thirty-three characters--men, women, and small children. Depicting one full day in the life of a small town in Wales, Thomas shows its motley residents as they awaken, perform their daily tasks, socialize and gossip, and daydream about the past that might have been and the future that may yet offer hope. As is always the case with Thomas, the "play" is full of alliteration and various kinds of rhyme, with nouns and adjectives used as verbs to convey action and sense impressions simultaneously. A wry humor and honesty of feeling make the work engaging for the listener/reader and charmingly illustrative of a time and place now gone.

Individual characters come alive through their own voices and through the gossip of others, spread by the postman and by neighbors. When night falls and the residents retire, their additional losses and disappointments, along with their escapes into dreams, are given voice and poignancy. Polly Garter, with her numerous children by numerous fathers, dreams of Willie Weasel, a very small man who was the love of her life. Captain Cat, the blind bell-ringer, thinks of all the sailors he knew who died at sea and Mr. Pugh dreams of poisoning his wife.

Simple songs add to the realism and the sense of character and place. An elegiac song by Polly Garter, as she remembers Willie and compares him to her other lovers, conveys an almost palpable sadness and makes Polly one of the most memorable characters. A humorous singing game by children adds to the realism, and young Gwenny's song to three very young boys is full of cheeky humor. Filled with the hurly-burly of everyday life in a small town in 1950s Wales, this and A Child's Christmas in Wales are among Thomas's most beloved works. Mary Whipple

In this charming Valentine's Day story, Olive, last seen helping Santa in Olive the other Reindeer, receives a giant heart from her friend Dexter the flying dog. Thinking he dropped the heart by mistake, Olive goes to great lengths to return it, helped along the way by an enterprising squirrel and a clever spider. When Olive discovers the heart was meant for her, the four friends enjoy a delightful picnic featuring bon bons, nuts, biscuits, and fly wings (which everyone except the spider is mysteriously "allergic" to). Featuring the same striking graphic design as in Olive the Other Reindeer, generated on the computer in Adobe Illustrator, the flat, whimsical illustrations add immensely to the story. The color palette features pinks, reds, and other traditional Valentine's Day colors. This story celebrates love and friendship and is a good match for Valentines Day storytimes or any storytime featuring love and friendship. Highly recommended for children four through eight.

I have Olive the other Reindeer and wanted to get my son an Olive book for valentine's day. This book is cute although a little longer than I was expecting. It is a little bit strange but I would recommend it. It has a good message and is fun. I like the Christmas book better though.

I did not enjoy reading this book aloud to my two preschoolers AT ALL! The text just didn't flow and the pages were not balanced well (some having very little text and quite a bit.) The story was just awkward--choppy, if you will.

I gave it a second chance, but it was so irritating that two pages into the story my enthusiastic voice was replaced by a barely disguised irritated voice. I couldn't wait for it to be over. Cute word-play just wasn't enough to carry this poorly written book.

I don't think we'll look into the rest of this series.

I like the pictures and all, and i love olive the dog, but the story was a bit strange but its still an ok book

The Otto books are always clever and beautiful, thanks to it's artist/author. It's great to be able to read books to kids that aren't populated by fuzzy chicks and talking bunnies. Give me Olive, snappy graphics, good puns, irony. Otto, my love!

I think some that some of the people who wrote reviews didn't understand that this book is based on true life. The author makes fictitious people the central story, but the facts she described really did happen. When the plague came to Eyam, they decided to shut themselves off and die there, rather than spread it around their families and friends in the surrounding countryside. Eyam in Derbyshire is still there, with people living in the houses described in the book. Visitors can see plaques on the wall giving the names of the people who lived and died there, and would be able to recognise some names that are in the book. If you think of the story told as being a description of incredible bravery, as it was, the book would never seem to be boring or slow.

I am intrigued by books about the plague. The attraction? Well, even one of my crappiest, exhaustion-filled day pales in comparison to living through the plague. Or maybe it's those gore filled plague sores that call to me (but I'd never truly admit that).

This book is a bit different than the few that I've read about the plague of the 1600's in that it isn't scholarly, dry or written from the point of view of adults. This fictional tale is told by a young lady named Mal who describes her world with beauty and sensitivity. Initially, the writing style was a bit of a chore and a little difficult to get into. But stick with it, the journey is well worth the work. Once I adjusted myself to the rhythm of the writer and the different language choices (than I'm used to) I fell completely into Mall's world of hard work and young love amidst the threat of unbelievable horror when the Bubonic Plague arrives.

I'm a hard-hearted reader, having read far more than my share of overly sentimental stuff, but this book brought me to tears too many times to count from the sheer strength of this young girl. It makes me all teary just to think about these people. This is a book that should be required reading in schools (if it isn't already).

A Parcel of Patterns is a medieval history/historical fiction type of book. It is about a teenage girl about the age of 16, named Mall Percival, who sadly watches her whole town die out. The setting is in the 17th century, Derbyshire village in Eyam in England. Mall is the Narator of the story. The plot was basically about a parcel of patterns that was sent to the parson's wife, or the town tailor, that contained a fatal disease that spread throughout the entire town slowly killing it off. The book was theatrical, very down-to-earth. But on the contrary, I thought it was not easy to read, an obstical to get through, because it used Old English which in some cases is not easily understood. It tended to be over-detailed in thought occaisionally. Finally, the plot seemed to drag on until the end where it was picked up and the story came together for the most part.

I think this book was really good because it made me think about all the people there who do every thing they could to save a love ones life. I was you the readerI would read this book so go read it now.

I thought this book was a very good one for a book report. I like how this book could mix in romance with tragedy, and how the author brings you into the story. The language was a little hard to understand, but otherwise I was able to get the book pretty well. If you are ever thinking about doing a project on the black plague, and you need an historical novel to read, then I recommend this be your first choice.

in which a Catholic apologist seeks to justify atrocities like the persecution of the Conversos and the execution of religious dissidents. This book is truly repulsive, made even worse by 21st century reviewers who are willing to lap up this moral garbage and cite it as "the truth." An example of Mr. Walsh's arguments:

"Finally, let us be realistic about the matter - there is a quality in the Jews which does not exist in any other race...is it not possible, is it not indeed obvious, that the elusive difference is spiritual?...how could such a people, cast off once more by a just God whose divine Majesty they had affronted, fail to experience an inner dislocation of the spirit, which, as the core and animating principle of their whole being, must inevitably extend disharmony, discontent, and futility to their outward acts, bodily and mental?"

This book is awesome. The hardcover edition has been long out of print until now. Take advantage of this great book at a great price. The Catholic Church is God's gift to us.

In this tremendously important book, Catholic historian William Thomas Walsh successfully destroys one of the greatest myths of history, that of the perfidy of the Inquisiton. He does this in remarkable fashion, starting with the venerable Moses as the first Inquisitor, then describing the papal Inquistions, and finally devoting the bulk of the corpus of his important work to the much maligned and little understood Spanish Inquisition.

In regard to the latter, Walsh provides insights that any truly objective student of history will find both compelling and enlightening. The Spanish Inquistion had nothing to do with persecution, as the popular myth holds. It had rather everything to do with maintaining the integrity of the Mystical Body of Christ, His Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Here is a critically important point that uninformed critics of the Inquistion miss entirely. The Spanish Inquisition was focused entirely on those who claimed to be sincere Catholics, but who, in fact, were heretics. That Isabella chose to expel practicing Jews from Spain in 1492 is a fact ancillary to but not at all embodied in the Inquisition epic.

Walsh completes his masterful portrayal with an amazingly prophetic essay. Writing in the midst of the Second World War, Walsh clearly illustrates the commonality of the political philosophies of the socialist FDR, the communist Stalin, and their then antagonist, Hitler. Walsh observes that it is precisely this notion of the state trimphant over the rights of the individual, a notion equally embraced by FDR, Stalin, and Hitler, against which the Inquisiton inveighed. This is great history, beautifully written, and presented with a proper sense of awe and wonder. We heartily recommend this terribly important book to all seekers after the Truth.

Trying to find a Catholic apology for the Inquisition in the English language, or even an objective work for that matter, is a difficult prospect. Hundreds of years of anti-Catholic scholarship, hyperbole and outright fabrication has left the world with a notion of the Inquisition that allows it to be mentioned along side Hitler's Holocaust and Stalin's Gulags as singular historical atrocities.

Though he himself admits that this book is inadequate as a comprehensive answer to the Inquisition myth-makers, William Thomas Walsh's book is indeed a good beginning. It traces the lives of several prominent figures of the Inquisition beginning, strangely enough, with Moses and proceeding to Pope Gregory IX, Bernard Gui, Nicholas Eymeric, Tomas Torquemada, Cardinal Ximenes, and finally Juan Antonio Llorente. Moses is included at the beginning as a way of demonstrating that the practices and techniques used by the Inquisition had their foundation in the Mosaic Law.

Each of the biographies places the individual in his historical context. Rather than judging them by modern standards, the men profiled are placed among their contemporaries and their actions are judged based upon the prevailing practices of the time. Walsh makes it very clear that those investigated by the Inquisition were not non-Catholics, but instead those who claimed to be Catholics for political or economic gain, but spoke and acted against Church teaching. Heresy was a civic crime in Spain, and those found guilty of claiming to be Catholics while holding heretical opinions were handed over to the secular authorities for punishment.

Though occasionally a bit jumbled and full of historical tangents, the biographies successfully paint the men named above not as bloodthirsty demons, but more often as reluctant prosecutors in a difficult situation. They were caught between the Spanish crown which wanted to seek out and destroy conspiratorial elements in society, both religious and political, and the Papacy which often demanded greater mercy in dealing with accused heretics.

The final section of the book is especially interesting as it deals with Walsh's view of history from the Inquisition up to the time when he was writing in 1940 during the darkest days of World War II. This section is full of memorable quotes. For example, regarding the Protestant reformation, Walsh writes: "Heretical movements have never reformed the Christian Church. All of them professed their intention to do so; but invariably their effect was to confuse and destroy Christian doctrine-to dissolve Christ, in the phrase of St. John the Evangelist-without removing the human frailties complained of." Walsh does go, perhaps, a bit overboard in this section in ascribing every evil the Church has experienced in recent centuries to a shadowy Masonic conspiracy. While I don't disagree with this idea entirely, the evidence he provides is simply not sufficient to make his case.

Overall, Characters of the Inquisition is great place to start for anyone wanting an explanation of the Spanish Inquisition from a Catholic perspective.

This book is a bit dated, but useful nonetheless.

Walsh is unbashedly Catholic, but for me (also a Catholic) this book was a good eye-opener to the world in which the inquisition operated. I now believe that there was nothing intrinsically evil with its institution, abuses notwithstanding. Wlash does sometimes tend to over-defend the inquisitors and their methods, but he does eventually get around to gicing them their due criticisms.

There are a few things I would change about this book. First, it suffers from a lack of documentation. From reading other scholarly works, I've found the material presented in "Characters of the Inquisition" to be factual, but I cannot confirm this from the book itself. Footnotes are scanty; the chapters are inconsistently documented.

Also, I thought that Walsh's account of the historical development of the Inquisition was incomplete. He devotes an entire chapter to the "first inquisitor," Moses, and the persecution of heretics in the Old Testament. Suddenly, in the next chapter, we are brought to the 13th century, and the pontificate of Pope Gregory IX. His survey of the Church's atitude to heretics prior to this is too brief. He really could have gone into a little more detail, even poting a quote or two from the Church Fathers, and show the development from Patristic thought to that of the Middle Ages.

Lastly, this book ended on a really boring tangent. The last two-thirds of the last chapter are little more than a tirade against communism. He expresses fears that the America of his day (the book was written in 1940) is becoming more and more "socialist." Quite honestly, I don't think he made a good case for this, and I fail to see where it tied into the book's thesis and purpose: a survey of the inquisition. Maybe I just don't know a lot about Communism or socialism. I wish Walsh would have taken more time to explain these.

Otherwise, this book is a good, informative read. I'd read it only as a companion to more scholarly volumes. (Edward Peters and Henry Kamen have written two good books on the subject of the Inquisition.)

What we love about this book series is that Gigi, the main character little girl, isn't perfect. She is flawed and yet she has good qualities and discovers what makes a person special to God. We are all human and flawed and I think children can better relate to "real" kids not perfect pristine children that are supposed to be the "perfect" example. Our 6 year old and 3 year old girls enjoy these books tremendously. We hope you will too.

I received this as a shower gift for our first child while I was pregnant. We began reading it to her on a regular nightly basis at about 4 months, and she loves the book. She points out the kitty cat and the rabbit slippers, GiGi, Frances and the table and tea set, etc. She just LOVES this book, and it is a good introductory book for toddlers that helps them begin the relationship with God. Every night now, when we're reading something else or she gets tired, she pulls that thumb out of her mouth just enough to say, "Gigi!" with a large dimply smile.

If you have a "little princess" in your home, you have to read this book. I laughed so hard at little Gigi and her "misunderstanding" that being a little princess meant that she was really royalty, when in fact Walsh drives home that point that all God's children are royalty, heirs to the throne and children of the King of Kings! Gigi is a mess, but what a fun way to bring home this concept to children. With the help of her cat Lord Fluffy and her loyal subject and friend Frances, Gigi comes to the self-awareness that life is about more than just her - and the great news is that Gigi learns that she truly is royalty, but not in a kingdom that will rust and be destroyed, but rather in an eternal Kingdom where she will reign forever!

Great read for boys and girls - but your little princess will especially love this book!

I have to agree with some other reviewers of this book. Gigi is pretty self-absorbed. She exhibits behavior patterns I do not want my daughter to possess. In a society that puts so much value on "self" I do not think it is wise to encourage it in a Christian children's book.

This is a great book!!! My daughter loves all of the Gigi books, but this is her favorite so far. After stating the fact that we are all children of the King of Kings at the end, it doesn't go into any details of what that means. I think this makes it even better because it allows us to have conversations with our children. My princess & I have had many great bedtime talks about this, and I love it! The book is very funny. Gigi is full of herself, but it is also a great underlying lesson about pride. Her bubble gets burst when she discovers she is indeed NOT the only princess! GREAT BOOK! Buy it!

this guide was everything I needed it for. The dungeon maps and the lists of the different items I could get and where and from what have come in handy many times as I have played the game. Also, my main goal for the first time i play the game is to get thru the story to unlock the movies and so on.... this guide has so far helped me to do just that....

This book was definitely helpful in a lot of ways. I did notice that there were some things that it did omit, but in a way that's a good thing. You can go through the game yourself this way and do a bit more exploring than the book goes through, so you can find things on your own. Over all this is a good buy.

Being new to the .Hack series, I have found the guide extremly helpful in pointing out few tips and pointers to help you with the game.

Anyone wanting to know Monster Stats, Item, Weapon and Trading Lists will not be disappointed, plus the excellent Grunty raising guide which provides you with High Level Weapons and Items very early on in the game!.

Overall a very satisfying guide!
Thank you, Doug Walsh.

Ok, for one thing I agree that you might not need a stradegy guide for it but if you like to use them like me I sugest this stradegy guide! But they could of added some stuf the guide is pretty short but the game is pretty short too expecially for what you had to pay for it before 50.00!!!!!!!!!! Also i very recomend FF10.

This guide isn't bad but it is missing some key info.

1. Left out some item location. a few item locations were left out. While they are not that important, that shouldnt happen at all.

2. Did not provide repsond for each character. Through out the game you can email you party member to gain GP. The proper respond allows you to gain extra points.

3. Did not cover enough on the very important Monsieur and Grandpa sidequest.

Other than that the guide has everything you would need about this game.

walsh is too bias as he is a catholic and puts forward his own opinion rather than fact and does not use very good language in the sense of literature he is also clearly anti jewish and involves his personal religion too much and rubbishes anything non catholic and does not even state clearly why and does not give it a fair trial

People accept this as history? It is argued that Walsh looks at the facts and presents an unbiased view of history? Are we reading the same book?

I tend to agree with the reviewer who felt that Walsh was anti-Semitic. I won't go so far as to say that, but Walsh does seem to come off that way. First off, Walsh himself admitted that the Jews and conversos were in the minority. Not only were they in the minority but they were condemned and risked much of their well being for their faiths. Yet Walsh would have us believe that the Jews and conversos ran everything, that they controlled Spain before Isabella and Fernando came to the scene. I would agree partially, that they indeed did have some among the most wealthy, just from the fact that they tended to lend tons of money to the crown. But to go so far as to claim they ruled Spain, and not only ruled it but flaunted their religion and mocked the Catholic faith? Rubbish, pure rubbish. And I understand that we must put ourselves in the time of Isabella and try and understand the religious climate, but Walsh goes too far, so far in fact he brings his own beliefs into his telling.

His beliefs trick him into believing the totals given by propagandist chroniclers (Pulgar) and Inquisitors tales. When the Inquisitors came to town, everyone flocked to confess their sins and how they erred towards their faith. It was the only sure way of not having the finger pointed at you by someone else and receiving a harsh punishment, if not death! So to believe that there were that many conversos and sinners to their faith because the Inquisitors found them just doesn't make sense, yet Walsh believes this. He also uses as his main source, and he doesn't use many of them, Pulgar, who just happens to be Isabella's chronicler while she lived. Any amateur historian would know that chroniclers puff their patrons egos and make them sound better (read the Plantagenet Chronicles if you want a look at how they wrote); that they use it as propaganda not only to earn the respect of their patron but flatter their ego as well; that if they painted their monarch in a bad light they would be summarily executed or ruined politically. This is why it is hard to use chroniclers of that king/queen's lifetime, or even the king/queens of the same lineage. So these must be taken with a grain of salt and weed through it. Yet Walsh quotes Pulgar throughout the book, sometimes using him as the sole source for a chapter. And this is well researched?

As well, which hints of Walsh's use of Pulgar, Walsh paints Isabella as this royal saint who could do no wrong. When she rules she stands above everyone and blesses freed slaves at her feet, when she is struggling for her future she looks up at who she will conquer (metaphorically speaking of course; as not many queens or kings would do much differently in real life). When she says move the mountain, the Moors (those heathens in Walsh's eyes) laugh at her stupidity, then eat their words as Isabella proves them wrong. She sets out in the middle of the night in rain, all by herself racing on horseback to Ponce de Leon's castle and demands he hand his son or the castle over. Huh? First off, this is propaganda from Pulgar. But lets look at it. No King or Queen could traipse away on a horse without having a trail of servants, knights, you name it charging off with her. It is just unheard of. Yet Walsh uses the propaganda bit to fluff her up and make her magnanimous to the reader.

Walsh briefly mentions Frederick Barbarossa II and calls him an infidel. He doesn't do this trying to portray what the popes thought, and are instead his own thoughts. How does an unbiased historian/biographer come to call the Holy Roman Emperor an infidel? The popes of the time fought against and excommunicated him because he was a free thinker, because he didn't cow to the popes desire and was essentially an individualistic monarch in time where monarchs cowed to the Papacy. So Walsh takes the hardline Catholic view, or perhaps it is a view based on limited knowledge of that epic period in European history, and calls him an infidel! Unbelievable.

I could go on, but I will end with one quote from his book. "...some of his blood which had fallen profusely on the flagstones and had dried there, suddenly liquefied and bubbled up". How does Walsh treat this? He condemns Lea (a contemporary of Walsh) because Lea sneered at this bit of religious fervor and rumor. He doesn't write as though the people of the times believed it (which they certainly did) but instead writes as though he believes it because the "records were made by eye-witnesses of considerable intelligence". What does this tell us? That Walsh was most definitely not unbiased in his presentation of Isabella and most certainly caused his judgment to be skewed and twisted so that we have nothing more than one long propagandist piece.

How then does he do it, how does he write so that people believe him? Because he flowers his telling like a novel and tries to make it an easy and effortless read. How could he possibly know the detail that he gives? Writing about each individual on the street, what they were wearing and what they looked like. You can't you simply cannot know that kind of detail, yet his whole biography is full of it. Or he will show someone dashing off to war and just before they go to battle a cardinal will spontaneously give a speech, which Walsh just happens to know all three minutes of it. I understand written speeches, and even smaller speeches being recorded as they're given, but two and half page speeches? That becomes more someone interpreting what that person said, which is not reliable. Or how about when one of the estimable catholic Inquisitors who could do no wrong is ambushed by the dirty conversos, Walsh flowers it up by trying to quote what the killers said just before they attacked! This is not a biography, and should not be accepted as one. For a good example of a history book written like a novel but still sticks to the facts and is not clouded by his internal beliefs, read "The Armada" by Garrett Mattingly.

I should have known better looking at the "prestigious" awards he apparently received, all from very catholic institutions. Or perhaps the fact that the person that sent this book to me sells only religious books, and sends a newsletter out that focuses on David Irving (you know, the guy that says the holocaust never happened, yeah, nuts like that; kind of like Walsh). Some kudos for his writing ability, but certainly not for his biographical skills. I would definitely not recommend.

1.75 stars.

William Thomas Walsh's "Isabella of Spain" is a masterpiece. Walsh herein relates a story more dramatic and remarkable than fiction and more crucially relevant than today's headlines. The story of Isabella, the great Catholic Queen, is a tale of faithful determination, ingenuity, and the power of Christian love. Walsh relates how Isabella completes the 700 year struggle for the reconquest of the Iberian peninsula from Moslem domination with all the drama and style of the greatest of novelists. Here is a story of intrigue and valor, brought to life by the personal revelations of one of history's truly greatest monarchs, male or female.

There are extraordinary parallels between late 15th century Spain and 21st century America. Walsh relates that, behind the scenes, the Spain ultimately ruled by Isabella was one where Jewry had greater power than in any other Western nation in history. It was known in some clandestine circles as the "New Jerusalem". Remarkbably, Michael Collins Piper recently sytled the United States in the same manner in a like titled volume. Isabella was confronted with a fifth column in her work of reconquering and reuniting Spain, that of the Conversos, or false Christians. How like the situation of modern America this is. Isabella was able to triumph over this subversive movement, ultimately through invocation of Pope Sixtus' bull of Inquisition, one of the least understood epics in history.

As sovereigns of the reunited Spain, Isabella and her spouse, Fernando, made Spain the world's leading power. This was accomplished through the insightful commissioning of the voyages of Christopher Columbus and the well chosen marriages of their children. Prince Juan and Princess Juana were doubly wedded to Hapsburg Austria. Although Isabella's first born, the aforementioned Prince Juan, died very soon after his marriage and before reaching his twenties, her youngest daughter, Catalina, whom the English knew as Catherine of Aragon, went on to make her significant mark on world history.

This is tremendous history, soulfully told and beautifully written. The world desperately needs another Isabella. And we certainly need more historians who can write with the skill and courage of William Thomas Walsh. This is a great book.

This biography by William Thomas Walsh is one of the finest I've ever seen. It reads like a novel of high adventure. If all you know abut Queen Isabella is that she financed the voyages of Columbus then please pick up this book and settle in for a long and exciting read. Walsh vividly recreates the brutal world that baby Isabella was born into and actually mananges to create a feeling of suspense as the quiet little girl faces a world of dangers alone. Her father died when she was an infant, her mother was too depressed to function and her older brother was a spineless weakling who not only didn't look out for her but was an actual danger to her.

While still a pre-teen she found herself living in the most immoral court in Europe. Before she was 17 she survived terrible peril and worked her way into a successful marriage with Prince Ferdinand of Aragon. The marriage lasted 35 years and they only had two public disagreements. That's pretty impressive right there.

She fearlessly rescued her country from anarchy, attacks from Portugal and drove the Moors out after they'd occupied Spain for over 700 years. Walsh writes brilliantly of the huge battles and the desperate skirmishes. Isabella's triumphs, tragedies and rock solid faith come to life on the pages of this book.

Catherine of Aragon was a woman of extraordinary character and courage and after reading this book you will see where she got it from; her magnificent mother. I absolutely loved this highly entertaining biography.

As a life-long student of History with a BA in Medieval History from UCLA, I was absolutely floored by the triumph of historiographical method this book represents. The "reviewer" (who didn't have the integrity to name himself) certainly has no understanding of the role of the historian - to document, NOT to judge. All the great modern medievalists have striven with the utmost of care to cast off the biases of the historians of the past (mostly English Protestants writing about a Catholic Europe) and examine the Middle Ages in a way that will lead to a deeper understanding of the mentality of those who lived in those times. It is completely IMPOSSIBLE for anyone who did not grow up in Isabella's age to come close to fully understanding her motives, her experiences, her thoughts, her beliefs, or her reasons for doing what she did. We live in such a faithless, godless, hyper-secularized world that we rush to judge harshly those who were steeped in faith and unwaivering in belief, as was Isabela La Catolica. If you want to understand medieval Spain and the glorious victories and achievements of this magnificently brilliant and faith-filled woman, read this masterpiece. If you have no interest, like the anonymous "reviewer" in understanding the world as it once was, stick to the politically correct, completely useless "history" that so often passes for scholarship these days.

I have not read this book, but looking at the table of contents, the author does not make the basic scientific distinction between food allergy and food intolerance.

While even unscientific medical practices might be helpful, I would prefer the many other books which are scientifically up to date.

I have multiple severe food allergies (eat something that touched a peanut and end up in the emergency room with a swollen face type deal). I came to this book looking for tips about good avoidance and some explanations about the actual chemistry of the reactions themselves. All I got were a few dismissive lines about how people with severe allergies just need to avoid the foods that make them sick. Thanks. If you have a more subtle problem, like eczema you can't seem to shake or migraines, this could be the book for you, but I didn't find it to be helpful.

Though it does contain some interesting information, the book seems to be written for somebody with the IQ of a donut. He starts by detailing all his education, and then continues to talk down to the reader. He also repeats himself without adding any detail. (Yes, we learn that he really likes corn on the cob!) The contents of the book could easily be boiled down to 10 pages without missing anything important. Also, don't expect to find much of anything concerning 'classic' food allergies here.

As a saving grace, there are a few nice charts and tables at the end to help pinpoint MSG content in fast foods and elsewhere.

This book is practically an encyclopedia of food allergies written for ordinary people. The author is a physician and allergy specialist with almost 40 years of experience in the field. He describes how in the beginning of his career, he had not been trained to recognize food allergies in his patients, but over the years, he became more and more sensitized to the kinds of symptoms that food allergies can cause. Over time, he noted that many of his patients were allergic to the same common foods, especially what he calls the MALS foods, MSG, acidic foods, low calorie sweeteners, and sugar. The skin tests that are so much relied on for detecting environmental allergies are less informative with food allergies. In response, he has developed a method for identifying food allergies that uses a diet that eliminates common allergy causing foods and then gradually re-introduces them while the patient notes when the symptoms lessen or begin to reoccur. This diet is described in the book, together with possible rotation menus and lists of additional foods that cause problems for some people and may need to be avoided.

If you try to read this book from cover-to-cover, you will find that it is rather repetitive at times, and the organization seems in some places to be more stream-of-consciousness rather than logical. At times the avoidance of technical language or explanations seems almost evasive, and it's amazing how a doctor could write an entire book about allergies without once using the word histamine. Since the book is addressed to general readers, it does not contain in-text references to scientific studies. Nevertheless, the bibliography is replete with such references, adding credence to Walsh's message.

This book confirmed many of the phenomena that I had observed about my own food sensitivities. For example, Walsh explains that allergies are additive, so that's why I can pet a cat so long as it's not hay fever season, or I can drink a small glass of milk now and then, but not a big glass every day. Walsh also suggests that readers should trust their instincts- -if they have a strong feeling that a food is making them sick, there is a good chance that it really is. After reading this book, there is no longer any question in my mind- -food can make you sick, and you can feel a lot better once you figure out what you've been eating that is causing you trouble.

I have been migraine-free for five years since reading this book!

I had tried Imitrex, acupuncture, physical therapy, massage, biofeedback, chiropractics, herbs, oral sprays and everything I had heard of for migraines except Botox injections and nerve severance.

My general practitioner, second opinion doctors and neurologists told me to avoid red wine, Chinese food and chocolate. Their "migraine diet" came from the back of an Imitrex pamphlet (keep in mind, this was five years ago).

When I told my doctor about my self-diagnosis of food intolerances from this book, she tried to act like she already knew this. Then why didn't she diagnose me? Why didn't she put me on an elimination diet? Why didn't she send me to a nutritionist, allergist or immunologist? Why did she put a teenage liver on codeine permanently and say I would have to live with it or grow out of it?

If your doctor is not part of the Nutritional Enlightenment, YOU NEED THIS BOOK to help you find the right specialist.

Even if this book isn't all inclusive, it will introduce you to the basic concepts and terms to Google and talk to your practitioner about.

I am not sensationalizing that this book changed my life. I almost didn't graduate high school because of migraines, and now I have a computer science degree.

A friend recommended this book and I borrowed it from her. When I was finished, I definitely wanted one in my house! This is not just a book about depression or "religion." I was impressed with how well read Sheila Walsh is and her complete authenticity and, well, honesty. I would recommend this book for anyone that wants or has a relationship with the living God of this universe and is ready to be completely honest with themselves and others. There are many great quotes throughout the book.

A few years ago I found a new copy of this book at a used book store for a decent price. I gave it to my dad for Christmas because he's an avid reader of non-fiction, especially biographies & autobiographies. I wish I'd read it first before I gave it away. I eventually bought a copy from Amazon & read it recently (4/04). I'm glad I finally read it myself.

Sheila Walsh got saved when she was 11 years old. On the outside, she was a successful Christian talk show host, singer, & author. But she had ghosts from her childhood that she had never dealt with properly. At what seemed like th peak of her success(age 35), she stepped down from her spot as the co-host of the 700 Club & checked herself into a Christian Psychiatric Ward in Washington, D.C. That was probably the best thing that she did for herself. From there on out, God began to work on the the things that had tormented her for so many years. Today she is happy, healthy, whole, & restored. her life is truly a testimony to what God can do if we surrender totally to him.

Thank you, Sheila, for writing this book. My prayer is that your books, sermons, & music will continue to touch many people as they already have. God bless you, Sheila Walsh!

I have struggled with, at times winning and at times losseing, depression since I was a small child. I am a strong full-faith Christian. Believe it or not, and a lot of people don't -- you can be both. Sheila breaks that ground and opens her heart and her soul for the good of us reading. She has hurt sooooo much; and come soooo close to the edge of darkness. This book speaks to the heart and damaged maind of every depressed reader; I have cried on each page; for her and for me. It is a great read for the non-depressed to illustrate that a real and active Christan can still be attacked. The support the book offers for fellow depression suffers is excellent. It is not a total explanation of depression, nor of "seeking help" but it is a personal journy that empowers other to walk the path. It is not all you need to read; but it is a read support.

I just want to thank Sheila for writing this book. For exposing her inner life to the world. The stuff which plagues us as christians, all of the facades, masks and "Shoulds" of christians.


Reaching out to those in pain and suffering, not turning our backs, loving one another and none of us are exempt from this.

Until many of us reach our dark valleys we dont seem to get it I think in some regards. As a Christian I have walked some painful valleys of my own and God does not promise a life without trials, pain and sorrow. I have learned so much about compassion and loving my brother as myself through my own trials.

I have struggled with severe depression for about 15 year now. But it's something I felt I couldn't talk about until fairly recently. I have read a couple of Sheila's other books and wanted to read "Honestly" for a long time. I decided to see if the local library had it and they did. I have to admit, I was both nervous and excited to read this book. I was blown away by Sheila's vulnerablity and honesty. I could relate to much of what she wrote. It is a shame that a lot of people in evangelical churches don't know how to handle people with depression. Sheila also describes some of the hurtful things she experienced at the hands of Christians. The church should be a place of healing and restoration, but unfortunately, it is often a place of condemnation and judgement. I too have been wounded by hurtful. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has personally struggled with depression or desires to help someone with depression. Sheila's story is solidly rooted in Scripture and she gives some practical advice. She also offers encouragement to people who struggle with depression. I was especially convicted by the chapter on shame. Sheila also affirms that depression is an actual medical condition (something a lot of Christians just don't understand) and that its okay to seek help and take medication if necessary. This is a book of hope and will help you see that there is a way out of depression. Sheila emphasizes that the way out isn't quick, painless or easy. But it is worth it. I have just started on my own journey, and Sheila made me realize once again, that I am not alone.

I also highly recommend "Why I Jumped" By Tina Zahn.

Another of my favorites. This story has adorable illustrations and simple text for the preschooler/kindergarten child. Introduces simple math for nos. 1-10.

This was a favorite book when I taught preschool and today with my children. The dialogue is great for using fun voices for the snake and the mice and the repetition invites the children to read along.

My own fault I guess. I should have read the reviews for this book before purchasing it. I just assumed that the wonderful author of Mouse Paint would have a similar charm for this book.

I'm sure you read the gist in other reviews. The snake is collecting each "tasty" mouse to be eaten later.

This is reminiscent of the old fables where bad things happen to the characters. The mice do make their escape.

This book got two stars because the bloodbath didn't occur and the mice are indeed cute.

Now I have to decide if it's worth returning or if I should give it away and traumatize someone else's children.

As a preschool teacher I like this book.
Far from the snake's description of the imprisioned mice making it inappropariate for children: it is a good moral lesson! Don't be greedy! It is also not a problem because mice are on earth to be food for the snakes and the preditors are not "bad" animals; there are just fulfilling their role in the ecology.
I don't like it as much as "Mouse Paint" but it is a fine counting book.

This book is a really fun one to read aloud to my kindergarten class. It is not scary! They love it! And the fact that snakes eat mice is a basic fact that they understand. I especially like the moral of this story: Don't be greedy! When I read it, I always hear "Read it again, please". To make it even more fun, we get a plastic jar, a toy snake, a rock, and little toy mice to dramatize the story. They love to make the jar rock back and forth until the mice spill out and run away. This is a favorite centertime activity that the kids choose over and over again. It's a great prediction book with basic counting forward and backward concepts imbedded in it. You can't go wrong with this book for the PreK/K range.