Windsor Books

Book Description: He needed her as a nurse, not a woman -- Benedict van Manfeld was one of the surliest, most unfriendly men Cassandra had ever met! But when she learned he was a brilliant Dutch surgeon who had severely damaged his sight in an accident, her attitude changed. Benedict asked Cassandra to go to Holland with him as his nurse. She agreed . . . and soon began to feel something deeper than sympathy for him. But with his close friend Paula nearby, why should he even notice Cassandra?

This wonderful story is a different Good-Looking Rich Dutch Doctor / Plain Nurse Neels story. She combines her best hero/heroine combination with a slightly different slant on the health issue, the usual lack of self-confidence due to lack of looks, small town gossip, the imagination of two children, with a dash of humor. The story admirably deals with the frustration of what may be a life altering health issue with the ability to rob Benedict of something he dearly treasures - his surgical career. Though he rescues her saving her from drowning -- ultimately, she may just rescue him. . .

The reviewer from GA has given the plot description in her review. This is an unusual and different story then I'm used to from Ms. Neels. In this one the doctor has a disability. Cassandra is smart, caring and strong. Nice story, good plot, a better than average Neels book.

I am an avid fan of Betty Neels books. Not every single book is my favorite I would say this one will be added to the list of ones. The doctor in this book had physical limitations which was unusual and refreshing. I loved the way they interacted with candor, wit and humor. I liked the way the doctor had a way of humbling himself in this story. It is still a classic Betty Neels. A wonderful read that I am sure that I will read again and again.

BACK COVER: He needed her as a nurse, not a woman.
Benedict van Manfeld really was one of the surliest, most unfriendly men Cassandra had ever met ! But then she learned he was a brilliant Dutch surgeon who had severely damaged his sight in an accident, and her attitude changed. He didn't know if he would ever see again, so when he asked her to go to Holland with him as his nurse, she agreed ....... and soon began to feel rather more than sympathy for him. But with his close friend Paula nearby, why should he even notice Cassandra ?

This book deviates from Ms. Neels' standard plot lines, and does so beautifully. The heroine thinks she is a plain girl with nothing special about her, when in truth her compassionate, giving soul is truly wonderful. She meets the hero on a compassionate mercy mission to be a good neighbor, refuses to pity him or indulge in his private pity party, and then continues to show her understanding and warmth. The hero is smart enough to keep her close, and eventually comes to cherish her inner beauty. He knows that it will not matter what she looks like if his sight comes back. She fears just the opposite. She is sure that when he can see how plain she is he will leave her behind. Let's hear it for the good guys ! And for the really important kind of beauty in this world - the inner beauty seen through a person's actions and in their eyes.
This will be a true treat for devoted Neels fans and an engaging read for new fans ! :)

This really opened my eyes about what cats go through in life! The stories were fascinating, and as a professional people-psychic I found it even more - friendly and interesting!

As a cat person who enjoyed Sonja's book "What the Animals Tell Me", I was looking forward to reading this book. I was not disappointed.
In this book, Sonja gives more details about how to communicate with animals and a lot of practical cat care advice. She fills in the gaps left in her life story by the previous book. There are, of course, stories about the cats Sonja has worked with. My favorite is the story of Rosie, a hungry, frightened, pregnant kitty rescued by Sonja's husband, Fitz, who is evidently as much of an animal over as she is. This book would be most appreciated by cat lovers who are open to the possibilities of interspecies communication.

This is another great book from Sonya! It has helped me understand the animal world much better. Thanks to her book I am now able to better understand my cats and the animals around me. I help my family and friends with their animal problems now. I am very thankful to Sonya for helping me to better understand the world from an animal's point-of-view. I have no doubt that people can communicate with animals telepathically. If you are truly open to the idea, want to communicate with your pets, and have a true love for animals, then you can develop your ability to communicate with animals. Sonya tells in her book about the many animals she has encountered over the years; by telling people of these stories she has opened up the reader to what animals are like and how they perceive us. This book is truly a must for pet owners in order to better understand their animal companions. She tells ways to effectively get through problems that a person might be having with his/her pet and then gives helpful tips to help remedy the situation. The stories she tells apply to every pet owner. In the book, she has covered almost every animal you could possibly have. I recommend this book to anyone who has pets or works with animals. I give it five stars! Sonya truly is a gift from God!

I really enjoyed this book, it make you understand more how cats think. It a great book for all cats lover.

CHASE THE MOON may very well have been the inspiration for Nicholas Spark's MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE. The story of Corrie Modena, alias Columbine, and her soulmate that she's never met, Harlequin (whom she found via a message in a bottle tossed into the ocean), is one of the most romantic I've read in a long time. It's a shame this book's out-of-print, because mine's getting dog-eared. If you like Judith McNaught, you'll love CHASE THE MOON.

I loved this book! Mine too is getting dog-earred (luckily I have two copies). It was classy, romantic, and the characters found their way into my heart immediately. I wish that Catherine Nicholson would write more of these gems -- wonder what happened to this writer?

Imagine yourself as a young girl, writing to a stranger, pouring out all your dreams and fears. Imagine growing up all the while, and falling in love, learning about life, and feeling the pain that can come with growing up, all the while still writing to that person you have only met in letters. Imagine finding out that who you love isn't who you thought he was.
This book is wonderful, fascinating and has a surprise ending that is worth the reading.

Corrie is the youth in all of us, Guy, the enigmatic man she loves, is a stranger to her, and Harlequin, her secret pen pal, is her rock of support. These three people come together in a wonderful love story. I truly wish the author had written more books, this one only made me want more of her writing style, made me remember what it felt like to be young and so full of life. The author so captures that youthful time when you feel evertything so much more passionately. Great read, wonderfully done!

This book is amazing in its music. The music of Pagliacci is really beautifully lived and described, Cory's voice is shatteringly breathtaking, and all this from a printed pages! Even the light of the sun, the taste of chocolate, and the color of white are vividly interpreted, deeply impressing a new meaning on my mind. The years of yearning and moonlit preparation for Cory to emerge into the sunlight as the world's greatest singer, and her unfolding love in Paris while rebelling against her "Pluto" is truly beautiful. The passion that drives her, frees her, and gives her the strength to stand up against tyranny, wealth, and those who would keep her down is truly tear-jerking. I first read this book when I was fourteen, and at twenty-three, I still consider it one of my favorites. I only wish that the ending were a little bit longer.

Heyer wrote mysteries to read more for the fun of watching the various suspects run around than to admire the structure of the puzzle. Here we have a dead man found in the stocks on a quiet village green but the solution isn't found due to forensic work or a careful checking of alibis or schedules, but a sort of bumbling around until the murderer is impelled to strike again and again. Even so, I found the story entertaining and even plausible.

Wealthy Arnold Vereker had a family full of enemies. We're plunged into their lives, starting with his half-sister Antonia who had come down to the same town to argue with him about the forbidding of her marriage to an embezzler, and who soon brings in her attorney, cousin, and potential love interest Giles Carrington. We proceed through half-brother Kenneth, heir apparent, his girlfriend Violet and the female friend-of-the-family Leslie. Then we add on missing-and-presumed dead brother Roger who pops up to claim the fortune, throwing turmoil into everyone's schemes.

On the whole I think this would have worked better if the suspects had been snowed in somewhere but I still enjoyed watching the antics of this socially outrageous family and the poor villains they tempt to try to get their wealth one way or another.

"Death in the Stocks" was a delightful read. I have long been a fan of Georgette Heyer's Regency Novels but only recently discovered her mysteries. The mysteries are light reading - much like Dorothy Sayers - but with the marvelous character developement and amusing dialogue charateristic of Heyer. I found myself laughing out loud whenever two of the main characters (brother and sister) had a chance to analyze the mystery or have any discussions exploring the various characters' possible motives.

I advise reading this title before reading "Behold, Here's Poison" since some characters appear in both stories.

Georgette Heyer's "Death in the Stocks" has all the elements of a classic Heyer "whodunit." The dialogue is brusque, the characters off-the-wall, as a cousin treads his way between his wayward cousins and a growing friendship with the Inspector assigned to discover who murdered Arnold Vereker. Then placed his body on public display, dressed in evening clothes, in the stocks on Ashleigh Green. Every person has a motive without an alibi, outside the fact the deceased was heartly disliked and avoided by his step-relatives.
Brother and sister try to protect each other and lead Scotland Yard astray, as each suspects the other. Then they turn detective and examine the clues with some of the finest dialogue in mystery fiction. To the very last the murder remains a puzzle. First published in 1935, it remains a tale to prop your feet up and enjoy.
Nash Black, author of "Qualifying Laps" and "Sins of the Fathers."

"Death in the Stocks" was a delightful read. I have long been of Georgette Heyer's Regency Novels but only recently discovered her mysteries. The mysteries are light reading - much like Dorothy Sayers - but with the marvelous character developement and amusing dialogue charateristic of Heyer. I found myself laughing out loud whenever two of the main characters (brother and sister) had a chance to analyze the mystery or have any discussions exploring the various characters' possible motives.

I advise reading this title before reading "Behold, Here's Poison" since some characters appear in both stories.

Miss Hannah Pym, Sir George Clarence, Miss Emily Freemantle, Lord Ranger Harley, Mrs. Bisley, Mr. Fletcher, Captain Seaton, Mr. Hendry, Mrs. Bradley. This is the first adventure for ex-housekeeper Miss Hannah Pym, the traveling matchmaker. After her employer, Mr. Clarence, leaves her 5,000 pounds in his will, housekeeper Miss. Hannah Pym decides to spend time traveling on the stage, looking for adventures. Her first trip to Exeter certainly has plenty of adventure for Hannah. The very beautiful and horribly spoilt Miss Emily Freemantle is running away from home, dressed as a boy, to avoid an arranged marriage with Lord Harley. The wealthy Miss Bisley is going to Exeter with Captain Seaton to marry him. The stage being held up by a highwayman is the least of Hannah's adventures. The whole stage is snowed in at a small Inn for a few days. Unfortunately, the Inn staff is snowed out of the Inn and the stage riders must wait on themselves. This proves to be too much for the spoilt Miss. Freemantle to handle, after behaving badly and demanding a wig back from Mr. Fletcher, she walks off into the storm to find another Inn. Miss. Freemantle gets lost, walking into a snow drift; Lord Harley and Mrs. Bradley come out into the snow looking for her. After they get back, Hannah orders Mrs. Bradley into a bath, and gets stuck in the tub needing Lord Harley to pull her out. While at the Inn Mrs. Bisley decides not to marry Captain Seaton, but falls in love with Mr. Fletcher. The group decides to put on a play to help alleviate the boredom. However, Captain Seaton fires a gun at Mr. Fletcher, and if Hannah hadn't held up a silver platter Mr. Fletcher would have been killed. While having a snow ball fight, Mr. Fletcher is wounded by a snowball with a rock in it. Everyone assumes that the Captain is responsible. One night the whole Inn, excluding Miss Freemantle, are drugged. Because she is not drugged, Miss. Freemantle sees someone being pushed away on a hand cart. Enlisting the help of Lord Harley they discover Mr. Fletcher abandoned in a barn. While trying to decide what to do, Lord Harley and Miss. Freemantle are locked in the barn themselves. Miss Freemantle has to climb out of a skylight to unlock the door. Back at the Inn, they discover that Mr. Fletcher's kidnapper left a note behind. Hannah comes up with a letter writing contest to discover who wrote the letter. After leaving the Inn, continuing on to Exeter, Hannah writes to Lord Harley and Miss. Freemantle love letter supposedly from each other. It works, and the two make a match. Hannah is excited because Sir. George Clarence entertained her to Gunters and invited her to view his gardens on the return from her next trip.

When I find the world just to terrible to bear I pick up one of these magical Regency Romances and escape to Chesneyland. There is no finer place to recover after a strenusous day sorting out life's little problems. Though Chesney is not readily available here in the UK I find the chase through abe or ebay well worth it to find a little treasure. The Travelling Matchmaker series of which this is the first are pure genius. Mrs. Chesney I salute you as a brilliant antidote to depression!

Marion Chesney has been compared to Georgette Heyer, as a lighter version of Heyer, while others do not see the comparison. I belong to the latter group. There are some similarities, of course - they both write about the Regency era, and they are both very faithful in the depiction of the time period they write about, but I am afraid that in my opinion that is all they have in common.

Georgette Heyer's books were written many years ago, and the flavor and style of her books are certainly very different from those written with the contemporary hand of Marion Chesney. Heyer concentrates on manners and dress, while Chesney is usually more focused on the minutae of everyday living in the Regency era - and does a good job describing the very different mindset of those people of long ago, as opposed to the modern way of thinking. While Heyer writes mainly about the upper classes, Marion Chesney will often focus on the lower classes - something, I might add, which I have never seen before in a Regency novel, and find engrossing for that reason alone. Heyer is probably a better writer - but that is not an insult to Chesney - while Heyer is simply a classic, Chesney is certainly one of the best of the writers in today's Regency Romance genre. The fact that there is a comparison made at all is a compliment to Ms. Chesney, though, I think.

While I liked both Georgette Heyer and Marion Chesney, they are very different writers, and I can see how someone who loves Georgette Heyer may not like Marion Chesney, and vice versa (although I can't quite imagine someone not liking Georgette Heyer).

In "Emily Goes to Exeter" we are introduced to Miss Hannah Pym, a former housekeeper who has come into a small inheritance and decided to use her money on her life-long ambition. All her life she has watched the "Flying Machine" pass by her window, and finally she will have the chance of her own for Adventure! For Living Life!

I thought this was one of Marion Chesney's best books, Miss Hannah comes across as a very vivid and sympathetic character, and we are caught up in her until-now dull life, the sad life of her former employees, and finally her chance for adventure. Nor does Ms. Chesney let her down, as in page after page, there is never a dull moment!

If you are a Regency fan, you will certainly like "Miss Emily Goes to Exeter" as this is one of the best regencies in today's market.

Charming froth, I don't suppose I have ever read a Regency - or known any distinction between them and the American bodice-ripper - and this was an absolutely exquisite introduction. I have thoroughly enjoyed the almost anti-romances the author writes as M.C. Beaton in the Hamish MacBeth and Agatha Raisin series. Ms. Chesney/Beaton is deliciously clever, is a master of the setting, and is absolutely merciless with her characters. And she must write these books with her tongue firmly in her cheek.

and in the Barnabas family lately that luck has turned all bad.

In the 19th century Jacoby Barnabas founded a publishing house, one that prospered and, in due time was passed along to his decendents who, for the most part carried on the business quite conventionally. The third generation was a different matter. One grandson refused to enter the business at all, another was 'to be looked after' and his brother simply disappeared. The rest managed to entangled themselves in love affairs and murder!

Enter Albert Campion (not his real name), friend of the family and amateur detective (and perhaps in line to the throne) has dropped by to take tea with the family but before the evening is over one of the family is found dead with the prime suspects being his wife and his cousin who apparently have become 'quite fond' of one another. As Campion begins to look into the matter he uncovers all sorts of things, office scandals, a long-time mistress and just how a proper businessman can vanish while walking down a London street in broad daylight.

This is the seventh in the Campion series and at this point Albert is emerging from the shadow of Lord Peter Wimsey, the character Allingham patterned him after. Albert is becoming more down to earth and focused, developing more of his own persona, although Allingham is not above making a sly reference to 'Denver' - Lord Peter's family estate.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable mystery, particularly for those who are fans of this series or of mysteries of this era. The characters are well done, the plotting is clever, and the clues are all there fairly laid out for the reader to follow.

With "Flowers for the Judge" Margery Allingham signals the change in her writing style which was first hinted at in "Police at the Funeral." Campion has matured a bit and changed from a hapless zany to someone just a bit more like a friend of the family. Still occasionally fatuous, but, more often, showing flashes of brilliance. In keeping with this, the stories themselves are shifting away from adventure tales and becoming more typical of detective stories. While Allingham is rarely very good at keeping secrets, there really are mysteries and inexplicable clues to puzzle out.

The mystery in "Flowers for the Judge," is who murdered Paul Brande in the cellar lock room of Barnabas Limited. Brande is one of the owners of this respectable publishing firm, along with his cousins John Widdowson and Michael Wedgewood. Paul, noted for running off without notice, and being a bit hare-brained to boot, leaves behind his wife Gina. He had proven himself somewhat lacking as a husband and Gina was in the process of trying to divorce him. To make this even more suspicious, her relationship with Michael, while not exactly improper, is a bit too close to be considered a simple friendship.

When the police discover that the murder weapon was Michael's car, which was used to pump carbon monoxide into the lock room, suspicions blossom. With Michael unable to produce an alibi, the result of the inquest is a forgone conclusion, and Michael is remanded over for trial. Gina and Ritchie Barnabas (another cousin) turn to Campion for help.

The case is complicated by other events and hints of scandal, yet provides Campion with only fragmentary evidence with which to track down the truth. Driven by the need to exonerate Michael rather than simple get him released, Campion's task seems impossible. He leaves no stone unturned in his efforts, and, in the end, risks his own life to reveal the true murderer.

I rather like the new Campion. And the change in writing style introduces considerable depth and emotional content than was present in the more light hearted romances of the past. Characters are more developed and accessible, as well. Not only is "Flowers for the Judge" a great story in it's own right, it is also a portent of more wonderful tales to come.

This is a most excellent mystery, written by one of Britain's premiere writers. Beginning with a murder (naturally) and a missing person, Campion and his companion (with the barely pronounceable first name) Lugg, set to uncover what happened. Some of the old "English/British" expressions might send one to the closest OED (Oxford English Dictionary, of course) and a line of "French", literally, at the end of the last chapter might require a "French" dictionary (for those who, like me, did not take the language in school). Otherwise, a fine book. I wish they would put the video (PBS) version of this book out, as it (the title character, Campion) was well played by Peter Davison of Dr. Who fame.

Albert Campion, universal uncle and amateur detective, is invited into the family circle of staid British publisher Barnaby. There he finds an enmeshed family system, and a series of mysteries. Twenty years before one of the brothers vanished into thin air, while walking down a London street. Now Paul has been found dead in the manuscript vault. His cousin Mike (who is fond of the widow) is prime suspect. It was his car, left running outside the vault room's ventilator, that caused Paul's death of carbon monoxide poisoning. Cousin Ritchie, the reclusive manuscript reader, offers his eccentric assistance. A wonderful surprise ending to all this, which will be welcomed by anyone who's worked in a stuffy publishing house, or endured an asphyxiating family firm.

...sorrows of the world. How can one simply put the message in the book without discouraging the curious? This book teaches you how to "unselfishly love" in a real world context, Good luck in your quest.
You may find the book at Atlantis.to; the website for a lower price.

I would recommend this book to anyone who's interested in seeing the world become a nice place where people treat each other well and are happy. If you have read the Lost Teachings of Atlantis and were interested in the application of the ancient philosophies Jon Peniel learned at the monastery, you will love the book. It's a really useful and inspiring book if you want to be the kind of person who belongs in a better world. I wish everyone would read this and use it- what a wonderful world we would have!

For any 'seeker' who has decreed that he/she is ready to start the work that it takes to find true peace and develop a loving attitude towards everyone, this book is for you. Packed full of useful tools and guidelines for developing your inner being, you will find answers to issues that have plagued you all your life. It's not called a workbook for nothing, though. Unlike the 'airy fairy' approach to self-improvement, this book shows you how to reach down in your self and root out all the blocks which have kept you from your 'normal' state of bliss. I have worked with the lessons in this book for many months now and can attest to the positive changes which have taken place in my life as a direct result. So I can whole-heartedly recommend it to all who are ready to roll up their sleeves and tackle the hard stuff. There are affirmations to help guide you into developing more positive relationships in your life. And there are ground rules for learning to communicate freely and without anger with everyone you encounter. Please read this book and feel the love and care that the authors have for each and every one of us. It is an experience that could change your life, and the lives of those around you.

This book's basic message is Love. Not the 'romantic' type of love between two people "in love", but rather the kind of love that involves being kind, compassionate and caring to others. This type of love is therefore called "Unselfish Love". It is also known to some as the Golden Rule. Great thinkers such as Benjamin Franklin, Albert Schweitzer and Albert Einstein believed in and saw the great importance of the Golden Rule.

Contrary to the commonly known version of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (which isn't completely selfless), this book presents the utterly unselfish version of the Golden Rule - to Love others Unselfishly. It is also given as a COMMANDMENT by Jesus in a beautiful, crystal clear manner: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another"

To help you apply the Golden Rule in your life and relationships, this book presents scientifically proven techniques that, instead of `cutting at the branches', gives you the tools to remove the ROOT PROBLEMS, located deep in the subconscious mind. Using the techniques from this book has helped me achieve amazing results like overcoming anxiety disorders including phobia's and deeply rooted emotional problems and becoming a better, more virtuous person overall.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who's willing to take a deep look at themselves and wants to help make this world a better place - one person at a time. I also highly recommend the book The Children of The Law of One & The Lost Teachings of Atlantis by the same author.

[NOTE: Since the Golden Rule Workbook is out of print, it can also be bought on many major e-book stores.]

I adore this book! It's an oversize publication which increases the beauty of the photography. The photos of the Duchess'jewelry are breathtaking, and it also provides a full account of the famed auction, including the amounts paid for the jewelry. There are great pictures of celebrities who purchased some of the pieces. There's even a stunning photo of Liz Taylor wearing the Prince of Wales Plume Pin for which she paid over $500,000. It also recounts the story of their lives along with pictures, including copies of newspaper clippings during the abdication. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Duke and Duchess or the forthcoming auction of the Windsor's household possessions at Sothebys. This book is the jewel in my collection of royal books!

This is a great book on one of the great private jewelry collections of all time. The images in this book are the benchmark for this kind of book and the text is highly informative. The Duchess had impeccable taste and the Duke indulged her at every turn. Not a piece this woman owned was anything but the epitomy of elan and elegance, it was no wonder that her jewel auction brought out royals and the famous, I especially appreciated the breathtaking Prince of Wales feather's broach bought by Elizabeth Taylor, no surprise that this woman of singular taste would buy the best piece from the collection of a lady with dare I say even better taste. Great book, highly recommended.

THE JEWELS OF THE DUCHESS OF WINDSOR 1st edition,is a lush vicarious view of the golden age of royalty. The illustrations are breathtaking, done by some of the world's most famous photographers including Lord Snowdon..a marvelous addition to any collection.

THE JEWELS OF THE DUCHESS OF WINDSOR 1st edition,is a lush vicarious view of the golden age of royalty. The illustrations are breathtaking, done by some of the world's most famous photographers including Lord Snowdon..a marvelous addition to any collection.

This is a very good story, and well told, even if ghost written.

Oddly, it casts the Duke of Windsor in a poor light, and indicates why, quite apart from the marriage question, he was a bad King. Who can read without wincing his account of how he abruptly cut short the presentations of debutantes to him at Buckingham Palace because it started to rain? This was the high point of perfectly harmless society ladies' lives, and he not only walked out in the middle, but caustically observes that he cannot understand why anyone was upset.

And then there is the peculiar passage where he says that he worked out that it would take nearly a month for bodies like the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, and others, to present their loyal addresses, so he insisted on them all being done in one day, in one batch, because he could not be bothered to respond to all of them individually. Yet this was his job as a constitutional monarch!

A welcome feature of the book is that it stops at the moment of abdication. Although this means that he doesn't have to explain his conduct during the lead up to the war, and during the war (which is, however, documented in the Duchess of Windsor's memoirs), it does focus the book almost entirely on his upbringing as a Prince, and on the abdication, which are the most interesting things about him.

Well worth reading.

The Duke of Windsor wrote this book in the 1950s while living in Paris. Reading it you begin to get some sense that for all his faults here was an individual of extraordinary personal charm. It was certainly a singular life. Here was a boy who was led to believe he would inherit the throne of the greatest empire on earth but who ends up as a sad fixture on the international cocktail party circuit in the arms of an ageing American divorcee of uncertain past. What happened! The anecdotal style of this simply written book is very enjoyable to read. The passing of the certainties of the Victorian age, the Edwardian twilight, World War I, the thrill of all things new and American in the 20s and 30s: the would be Edward VIII is a uniquely placed witness. History increasingly casts the Duke and his bride as ridiculous even sinister figures. This book helps you to remember that they were human too, falliable, and at the mercy of political and world historical forces beyond their control.

The greatest love story of our century is an understatement.
A King's Story is well known to be ghost written for the Duke and even with constant prodding, he suffered from selective memory.
He seems to forget all his previous "friendships", those familiar with the saga will know this means the married women in his life before Wallis. A great addition to royal book collection, but if you are looking for the facts, hunt them down in Donaldson book. Companion book is the Duchess Heart has it's reasons. Maybe they should have gotten together so the facts in each book matched.

It is quite a sad testament to our times that there are very few true gentlemen left these days. Civility is indeed going the way of the do-do bird, and the days of gents like David Nivens, Cary Grant, Cole Porter, Sean Connery and the good Duke here, are slowly fading into obscurity. That need not be the case and, hopefully, there are few out there who still feel as do I, that it need not completely die. Perhaps if more read the memoirs here, they will become inspired and such a dream can become realized.

The memoirs themselves are quite extraordinary and give one fantastic insight into this legendary gentleman and family. Reading other reviews that quibble over "selective" memory of the Duke, I can only surmise that these come from the very same individuals who grab the latest issues of "In Touch" and whatever other gossip periodicals they can grasp, only to "learn" the inside dirt on various celebs and noteworthy individuals. If that's what you are truly after in the first place, then this is definitely not for you and you should just stick to reading the by-lines or scanning the photos of the tabloids. Otherwise, if you'd like to get a peek into a life of grandeur and civility, and perhaps some tips on how to bring a modicum of dignity to your own, then this is for you.

Enjoy.

Well put together, very encompassing, good explanations...... It doesn't need a paragraph to describe it. If you like Da Vinci or want to learn more about him, this is a great place to start!

I never imagined that through a "child book" I would learn about this master-genious and moreover to be capable to comprehend the "details" about his art. I really enojoyed reading this book, I learn more about his famous paints and why they are considered pieces of art. I was motivaded to read more over the other great art's men such as Picasso or Michael Angel Buonorrati; I never thought that could be an easy way to understand this genious. I strongly recommend this book and the other series too; you can not only learn but also share with your child and encourage him to develop his talents or just enhance your "general culture" reading this great book. The talent consist in explaing complex ideas using a "simple language" that everybody can understand. There is not reason to became so sophisticated and not be able to "share" what you learn with the rest of the world. When you learn a good joke you want to tell the rest about it; it is meaningless if you just keep it for yourself...

This excellent book focuses on Leonardo's drawings in the Royal Library at Windsor. Everyone has seen the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, but Leonardo's greatest achievments are found in his drawings. Vivid HIGH QUALITY color reproductions are accompanied by insightful commentary and historical/biographical information. The book covers the whole breadth of Leonardo's intellectual development. 100 color drawings by history's greatest draftsman, and indeed one of most powerful minds the world has ever seen. As the book says "...[Leonardo's] drawings [are] the pure expression of his genius, boundless and magnificent."
What more could one want in a book? 5/5

It's not the best Da vinci book, but it has a LOT of drawings.