Ward Books

Picaresque historical novel by Charles Reade, published in 1861. Critically acclaimed as one of the greatest historical novels in English, The Cloister and the Hearth contains a meticulous recreation of 15th-century European life. Mingled with its cast of vividly drawn characters are various historical personages.

The plot concerns Gerard Eliason, a young Dutch artist who abandons thought of the priesthood when he falls in love with Margaret Brandt. Gerard's father opposes their engagement and arranges to have his son kidnapped. The young lovers find each other, but Gerard is soon forced to flee. While they are separated, Margaret gives birth to their son, of whose existence Gerard is unaware. Indeed, his enemies inform Gerard that Margaret is dead. Wild with grief, he eventually becomes a monk. Later, the lovers are reunited and Gerard meets his son. Bound by his vows of celibacy, Gerard simply lives near Margaret, and both lead pious, charitable lives. Eventually Margaret dies from the plague and Gerard dies soon after. Their son is revealed to be the illustrious scholar and theologian Erasmus.

Reader 1: This is a great book. I would rank it among my top 20 favourite novels, perhaps even the top 10, along with works by Tolstoy, Dickens, Austen and others of that calibre... I urge you to read this book if you have not yet done so. It succeeds on several levels: It is an adventure yarn, with daring escapes, chases, intrigues and battles. It is a philosophical novel, raising thought-provoking questions about priestly celibacy and religious observance. It is a war novel, presenting a convincing portrayal of men in combat. It is a psychological novel, probing the nature of male companionship. Well written, absorbing and satisfying, read it before it disappears from booklists completely.

Reader 2: The Cloister and the Hearth is one of the most powerful reading experiences I have had. It is a great pity, but no surprise, that this masterpiece is not familiar even to lovers of Victorian literature, and has not had a fashion in recent times like the works of, say, Austen or Trollope. I say no surprise because Cloister is challenging in ways that those authors are not. First, it is long, 750 pages, far longer than anything by the Great Jane, and most of Trollope. Second, the dialogue is written in a deliberately archaic style intended to evoke the Middle Ages, an ersatz 15th century English in the mouths of characters who are Dutch, German, French, Italian, but none English. To my ear, it was tremendously effective, but it will not come easily to modern readers who find Shakespeare and the King James Bible difficult. Third, it takes the values of the era it describes seriously, rather than looking back from an arch, "modern" 19th century perspective. That third point is the most important. As the title suggests, the theme of the work is the tension between domestic private life and the spiritual domain of the Church. Most of the dramatic conflict arises from the demands of priestly celibacy, which Reade reveals as a "vile heresy" only three pages from the end. Such is his skill that, despite their lives having been devastated by it, neither of the two lover/ protagonists ever questions the rule's propriety or justice, and both honor it absolutely. (Perhaps the female utters a doubt or two somewhere, but if so, they are feebly stated and soon forgotten.) The two main characters are not subtle, but are medieval virtue personified. Yet they work, especially Gerard, the male. Unlike Dickens's goody-two shoes heroes (think David Copperfield or Esther Summerson), the extraordinary virtues of Gerard and Margaret never made this reader roll his eyes. Reade considered himself a dramatist, not a novelist, and the reconciliation scenes in this book are as emotionally driven as anything you will see on the stage. It is shorter than War and Peace, and once you get the hang of it, the pages turn much faster than Tolstoy's. I've only read an abridged W&P, years ago, but I'd put Cloister up there on the same level, as historical literature, not just historical fiction, of the very highest order.

Reader 3: Love, hate, hope, fear, faith, despair, poverty, wealth, life, death.....Charles Reade left no stone unturned. Gerard, surprisingly not as naive as he first appears, emerges as the major character of this saga. Coming of age in a hurried fashion, he encounters all life has to offer to a young man during the mid to late 15th century in Europe. The road he is forced to take, however, is guided by his love for Margaret Brandt, the unconditional friendship found in Denys, and many emotional and physical battles -his will alone can not withstand. Charles Reade offers no in-depth descriptions of characters, places or even emotions, but rather allows just enough to provide the reader with a sense of these. For instance, in a few mere words, his characters perform simple meaningful jestures rather then boring the reader with endless pages that hamper the imagination -the joy of a life-long friend is portrayed when Denys and Gerard walk hand-in-hand and nothing else for the moment matters.

This is a book you will remember for the rest of your life.

This book is very near and dear to my heart as I am a descendant of R.M. Ward. I grew up hearing these stories and I also knew the author Richard Chase who was a family friend. I went to sleep almost every night with one of the Jack Tales as my bed time story and always asked for" just one more daddy". I am glad that this book is still in print so that I might pass on these beloved stories to my two children in hopes that they will in turn pass them on to their children. These "Tall Tales" will keep your children asking for "just one more".

One of America's preeminent and influential 19th Century authors, the short stories and poems by Edgar Allan Poe have intrigued the literary world and continue to be enjoyed by each new generation of readers. Now those readers can enjoy the revised and expanded biographical works of information available on this great author, which go beyond his literary works to give readers a view of Poe as an original thinker and major figure in American literary history. The knowledgeable and expert collaborative work of Burton R. Pollin and Jeffrey A. Savoye, "The Collected Letters of Edgar Allan Poe" have brought today's readers new and corrected information using the best available research drawn from the last four decades of Poe scholarship. Included in these handsomely designed, sturdy, and reformatted volumes are new letters, updated notes and a generous subject index with over 2,000 entries. More than double the original edition these boxed set two volumes contain 422 letters by Poe, with a number of fragments. A bonus for readers are 74 illustrations and a comprehensive check list of Poe's correspondence, also updated, to include over 1,000 entries! A core addition to academic and community library collections, "The Collected Letters of Edgar Allan Poe" is strongly recommended as an essential reference for scholars and any reader wishing to gain a better understanding of Poe.

If you love poetry written with the most extreme passion read The Collected Poems of L.E. Ward:Volume 1: Such as We and the Time of Man. No other poet writes from the heart as passionately-past or present. You will laugh. You will cry. You will be angered and you will experience. Yes, "experience" is the best way to describe this absolutely beautifully written collection. It's about time that the world experienced the genious of L.E. Ward. If you have never read his works- you are truely missing something special.

This book covers not only the events of the Colonial period of American History, but also the culture that was developing during that time.

Naturally, it starts with the exploration of the continent and founding of the colonies. These are broken down into region and each colony given as much room as needed. The last part of the book covers the events that led to the Revolutionary period, including the various wars with France.

In between, however, it breaks colonial life down by topic and explores each thoroughly. In several chapters, we get information on various aspects of the economic situation, immigration, social life and structure, law and order, and intellectual life. By the time you are done with this book, you'll have a very good understanding on how American culture developed as it did in the early years and how this led to the America we know today. And the back in full of reference material for further study.

Naturally, as a textbook, it's rather dry at times. But it's worthy reading if you have an interest in this period of American history.

Come To The Banquet: Nourishing Our Spiritual Hunger by Tim Muldoon (Chair of the Department of Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Theology at Mount Aloysius College, Cresson, Pennsylvania) is a persuasive affirmation of the hungry void in humanity that is filled by faith in God and Jesus Christ. With emphasis on the communal ties of spirituality, Come To The Banquet is written in simple, direct, accessible language appropriate for readers of all backgrounds. No prior study of Christian theology is required. Come To The Banquet is warmly recommended as a gentle, superbly crafted introduction to the depth and ties of spiritual faith.

The Coming of the King James Gospels is a primary publication exploring the handwritten annotations of the Oxford New Testament Company, made as members completed Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Their original edited pages, gathered into one binding as the Bodleian Bishops' Bible ([1602] b.i.), offer us the only known surviving record of their monumental work.

Ward Allen's collation of this Bishops' Bible is available for the first time in accessible visual layout. It allows a reader to study simultaneously the three texts, that of the original Bishops' Bible, the revisions suggested for the 1602 text, and the final King James version of the Gospels. Rejected readings reveal the reasoning which led to the wording of the final text. Beautifully produced, The Coming of the King James Gospels is now a prime resource for all students of the Bible and the English language.

An indispensable tool for anyone who is interested in the history of the English Bible and its impact on English-speaking literature and culture.

This is an excellent, fluidly written book which explores the life and writing of John Keats. Aileen Ward writes from a psychological perspective and seems to enter deeply into the inner workings of the poet. She describes his development with sensitivity and elegance. Her writing is seamless, and although she explores Keats's life thoroughly, the text never seems weighed down by detail. Ward's account may seem in certain sections to idealize Keats as 'the poet' and set him above the 'common man.' She can also seem subtly manipulative in her treatment of his life and the psychological journey that she believes him to have undertaken. At times, the reader wonders how she could write so authoritatively on Keats's inner life. However, despite these issues, Ward's biography is extremely valuable for anyone who wishes to better know Keats and his life. It is a perfect book for the beginning Keats scholar-- a deeply-felt biography which seems true to its subject in style as well as form.

If you ever wanted to spar and compete in Tourney's. This is the book for you. A no nonse expanation and uses of all the stance, attacks/defences and body shifting. Photos accompanied by easy to read text. Great book.

Great book with 150 pages packed with detailed information, charts, and photographs. Topics include:
-Proper methods for shipping, disinfecting, and acclimating plants.
-Planting and trimming techniques.
-Lots of info on lighting quality, spectrum and intensity, use of proper reflectors, and emulating a natural lighting rhythm.
-Covers ideal water chemistry: PH, hardness, CO2, fertilizers, and trace elements.
-Info for getting optimum CO2 levels with both store bought and DIY reactors and diffusers.
-Covers the pros and cons of different types of substrate, rocks, and wood.
-Neat chapter on how to make safe 3d backgrounds with polystyrene, resin, polyurethane.
-Info on setups for community, biotope, and Dutch tanks.
-Charts with plants, fish, substrate, water chemistry info for the different biotopes.
-Charts of what fish eat what plants.
-Instructions for constructing your own large aquarium from scratch.
-Second half of book contains over 150 profiles of aquarium plants with color photos, care requirements and propagation information.