Windsor Books

Mary Higgins Clark is a fantasic writer who always manages to capture her readers' attention. The only book of hers which has disappointed me a little, was "The Lottery Winner", which I think was not up to the usual MHC standard.

"Remember me", however, is a thriller which has it all. Fascinating, intricate and believable plot. A wide range of players at the stage. Excellent characterization. Well researched historical background with detailed information about events having taken place three hundred years ago.

Seemingly a psychological thriller with heroine Menley's PSD/madness playing a central part, the pieces of the puzzle are slowly falling into place as the story unfolds. Strange co-incidencies are revealed and reality takes over. The (not so surprising) bad girls and guys are caught and Menley, her husband Adam and daughter Hannah get their life back and a beautiful house in which to enjoy it.

So, even if I suspected "who did it" a bit before the end, that did not keep me from enjoying every word of this page-turner to the full.

Five stars given, the book is highly recommended and the Queen of Suspense given her much deserved due.

A fantastic but very slow plot. Could be much more a pleasant reading if the narrative was faster. Not as good as "Pretend You Don't See Her" or "On the Street Where You Live".

This is my favorite MHC title. This is, in my opinion, her all time best. Set on Cape Cod it is a story of a young woman who fears she's going crazy after the death of her son. The backplot of the house along with the suspense of the current plot is wonderful. The characters are people you would want to meet. Definitely a book to read!

I have read like all of the mary higgins clark books and this one is my all time favorite!! The plot is so well thoughtout and you can't stop reading it. I read it in one night. If your going to read a MHC book then you have to read this one. It is her best. my fAvOrItE book EVER!!!!

From the moment I opened this book, I was hooked. It just did not feel right if I did not read through the entire book. So I spent the entire night reading this book since 1AM. I was captivated by the characters and how the main character, Menley, gets through the horrible experience of losing a child.

Mark Higgins Clark wrote a powerful book. There were times where I was even afraid to get up and go to the bathroom. I was questioning my own self throughout the book. And the portrayal of post-traumatic stress disorder was amazing. I was feeling what Menley was feeling and at times, I wanted to scream with her and cry with her and be angry at the characters in the story with her.

I did figure out the truth behind the story halfway through but that doesn't mean that the ending wasn't a surprise. At the very end of the pages, you'll find quite a nice twist thrown in. I'm not going to ruin it for you. You just got to read it to find out.

If you enjoy mystery books as much as I do, then you will definitely enjoy this one. Plus, this book isn't just about a good mystery.. it's about a failing marriage, love, getting over a loved one, learning to move on, and so much more. It's a beautiful work and all of the characters were also so well-written.

This book deserves some serious recognition.

I wish this book were more conclusive about Allyson's fate- but I guess you can't have everything. It sure is easy to hate the husband in this book!

I'm a huge fan of Danielle Steel I have read all but maybe 8 of her books.This book is one of the first books I read of hers.The first book I ever read was House On Hope Street and I was hooked.I Love all of her books so far,but this is my favorite with House on Hope Street my second.That was a hard choice to make since I really love all of her books so much.I'm reading Loving now.......ENJOY

I really liked this book. I hadn't read any of her books before and I owned 3 of them I got from a bookstore a while back and decided to go with this one because it seemed the most interesting. It was a good first choice..Very good book, she keeps you interested right from the beginning and throughout the entire book you are constantly wanting to know what happens next which is the fun part of reading a book! I do agree with someone that wrote a review saying that it tends to get a bit repetitive but it's not really in a bad way. One of the big things I noticed about Danielle Steel, is the way she writes. She words things nicely and keeps the interest without trailing off about stuff you don't care about. The story is very suspensful at times and also very sad. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because it seems like she tries cramming the ending all in one chapter. Like she made the middle of the book so big and at the end she just had rush it. Other than that, great book..highly recommended!

This book is not a tear jerker like Fine Things or Once in a Lifetime, but it is very moving, inspiring and brilliantly written. The novel was a bit predictable and I found myself skipping through some of the pages, but it is still a novel that I would recommend!

i made the purchase as a gift for a friend and she loves it and because of that i am very happy with choosing to buy this novel.

Second installment of the Master and Commander series focusing on Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, in which we learn that Aubrey is not a good handler of money, and Maturin not a good judge of women, then that Aubrey is not a good judge of money, and Maturin not a good handler of women. And the two friends nearly come to a duel over their differences about . . . .

. . . money and women--or rather one particular woman.

Fortunately, a naval emergency calls them to duty before the duel can take place, and their differences are patched over.

Aubrey makes Post-Captain, kind of a tenured Navy officer for life who will eventually make Admiral if he outlives those ahead of him on the list. Maturin is given a temporary commission as a captain as the book ends, in furtherance of his shadowy secret intelligence.

And yes, this was a large-print edition--it was the only version of the book I could find on the shelf. No wisecracks!

Third in the series: HMS " Surprise " (Windsor Selection)

The second book in Patrick O' Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series, 'Post Captain' is a worthy follow up to 'Master & Commander'. This novel has the usual naval action, but much of it takes place on land giving the reader a broader overview of English society in the early years of the 1800's.
I have some quibbles, the difficulty in understanding nautical terms and 19th century slang made following the plot difficult at times, which was compounded by O'Brian's writing style, where scenes change without warning. Also I found the lack of a map(s) irritating.
On the other side of the scale there is the fascinating detail in not just naval life in the Napoleonic era, but life in early 19th century England in general. There is also the wonderful characters of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. And of course lots of action with the occasional bit of humour (for example Stephen's bees on the 'HMS Lively')

This second volume in the Aubrey/Maturin Series continues both the friendship and the adventure for the two protagonists. They vie for love, struggle with poverty, and continue to harass both French and Spanish shipping. Anyone who enjoys a good sea adventure will be sure to be entertained.

Many complain that this volume lacks sufficient adventure, focusing too much on the manners of the time. I can understand that sentiment, although I don't sympathize with it. Patrick O'Brian was not merely trying to write rousing adventure novels - pot boilers, as they're commonly called. This he could have easily done, and saved much paper. However, I wouldn't have read them more than once, if that.

Instead, he chose to weave a complex tapestry of the time, to immerse us in the history, society and characters as they lived and breathed. The difficulty of this undertaking can hardly be overstated, and his mastery of languages, history, science, seamanship, culinary arts and the craft of authorship is astounding.

I am grateful that he would not sacrifice history to make a story more exciting; I don't mind having our doughty protagonists watch a battle as prisoners so that I can have a grander view of the events of the time. Or that we see how they would have found their respective spouses in the Dickensian society of the time. It doesn't make Aubrey and Maturin any less interesting -- and provides a depth to the plots that could not be had otherwise.

In fact, it is truly amazing how well these novels tie together, how events in earlier books can naturally lead to complications and subplots several volumes later. And how the characters evolve with extreme subtlety and psychological depth.

Perhaps, then, these novels were written specifically for me; sometimes I feel as if it were so. I revel in the minutiae, in the playful humor, in the nascent science and discovery. I enjoy the story on land as much as on the sea; the manners as much as the adventures. I have read them all several times.

Patrick O'Brian, whatever his faults, bequeathed upon humanity a rare and wonderful gift: a fully encompassing view into another time and place that lets us understand our own world better. And he did it with compassion and understanding and marvelous wit. It is with that view that I implore readers with a similar bent to embark on this enthralling voyage.

The setting is strong and the characters are interesting. This series has been given accolades for a quarter-century, and I know it has promise, and I know I'll keep reading. Even with all this, the sophomore entry in this series was a let-down in tension.

Tension doesn't have to be big sea battles between military-grade warships, but it does have to be engaging and threaten the protagonist. Other than a somewhat minor relationship issue between Jack and Sophie and Diana the only real novel-length theme was Jack's continuing struggles with his finances.

As a chronicle of the life in opening of the nineteenth century it is a great book. It demonstrated the core of military power - the Navy and it's ongoing internal political struggles as well as a rivalry with the Army. More interesting than Jack Aubrey and his money troubles is the revelations in this volume of the hidden life of Stephen Maturin, land-heir and intelligence spy - but for whom? His mini-adventures and influence keep one interested in the book and keep one guessing.

It's a serviceable book in the series, which put it above many author's best work.

- CV Rick, February 2008

I love CS Lewis but this one was a bit problematic and he is fully aware it. I will explain shortly.

'Joy' is a semi-autobiography of Lewis' journey from faith to atheism and back. It traces his inner and outer journey from childhood to adulthood and the corresponding spiritual maturation. He uses his characteristic rationality and objectivity along with acute self-awareness to explain how God 'conspired' to reel him into the ranks of the faithful through books, mentors, self-indulgence, family and friends.

The problem is that the journey is unavoidably subjective and can alienate readers who simply can't relate to his intellectualism and elitist education - there's even a hint of the prevailing view of race of the time. Lewis doesn't attempt to universalize his experience which, while sincere, can make one question the point of the book. You might question the inclusion of certain details - but with effort they do seem to have a place in the text. But as said - Lewis is fully aware of the risk he took.

Still, theists can leave with a deeper view (as I did) of how God pursues us. One reflects upon their own conversion with new insight and gratitiude. That God is present in everything and touches each one in a unique but apt way is re-inforced. You also get quite alot of insight into the man behind his many other writings and some of the inspiration for those writings ('The Inner Ring' speech seemed inspired by his academic life).

Non-believers may not be very convinced. But some may find striking similarities in thought. You could close the book somewhat paranoid about how God is 'coming to get you'.

The one Universal theme that does cross all boundaries is of course Joy. Lewis seems to imply that it is the one thing we all seek in this life, and often, in the wrong places. He suggests that if we are honest about where joy is and isn't - we may eventually be led (inevitably?) to God himself. I suggest you try it out for yourself to see if you will be Surprised by Joy.

If you like CS Lewis's work, it is worth knowing his history and this is a beginning to that.

I have been looking for this book for a long time and i am glad it was so painless to get hold if it through amazon. I am most impressed with the whole experience. Perfect and Painless..

The subtitle of the book - "The Shape of My Early Life" - already indicates what this is about: the experiences that shaped Lewis' thinking in his childhood and early years as an adult, up to his conversion to Christianity. It is not meant to be a complete autobiography, but somewhat of a spiritual memoir.

I recommend reading this book shortly before or after "The Pilgrim's Regress," which is an autobiographically inspired allegory of someone abandoning the Christianity of his youth, going on a journey of various worldviews, and finally finding Christianity again in a whole new, surprising way.

In both of these books, what Lewis terms "Joy" plays an important part. By that, he means a longing for and a delight in the "beyond": the esthetic experience you might have by staring at mountains far away; the emotion one might feel by reading myths; the fascination of the numinous.

This Joy, he experienced in pagan myths, in stories, and in nature, but not in Christianity. He describes the reason for this very well in the following passage of "The Pilgrim's Regress."

When the main character, John, abandoned his belief in the Landlord (that is, God), he was "bounding forward on his road so lightly that before he knew it he had come to the top of a little hill. It was not because the hill had tired him that he stopped there, but because he was too happy to move. `There is no Landlord,' he cried. Such a weight had been lifted from his mind that he felt he could fly. All round him the frost was gleaming like silver; the sky was like blue glass; a robin sat in the hedge beside him; a cock was crowing in the distance. `There is no Landlord.' He laughed when he thought of the old card of rules hung over his bed in the bedroom, so low and dark, in his father's house. `There is no Landlord. There is no black hole.' He turned and looked back on the road he had come by: and when he did so he gasped with joy. For there in the East, under the morning light, he saw the mountains heaped up to the sky like clouds, green and violet and dark red; shadows were passing over the big rounded slopes, and water shone in the mountain pools, and up at the highest of all the sun was smiling steadily on the ultimate crags. These crags were indeed so shaped that you could easily take them for a castle [where John had previously believed the castle of the Landlord to be]: and now it came into John's head that he had never looked at the mountains before, because, as long as he thought that the Landlord lived there, he had been afraid of them. But now that there was no Landlord he perceived that they were beautiful."

So, by abandoning the Christianity of his youth, he was free to discover beauty and delight. But none of that was lasting. No step on his journey brought the ultimate fulfillment. "Joy" always slipped away.

Until he connected his delight in myths with Christian doctrine. "If ever a myth had become fact, had been incarnated, it would be just like this," writes he in "Surprised by Joy" about his gradual acceptance of the Gospels. "And nothing else in literature was just like this. Myths were like it in one way. Histories were like it in another. But nothing was simply like it. And no person was like the Person it depicted; as real, as recognizable, through all that depth of time, as Plato's Socrates or Boswell's Johnson (ten times more so than Eckermann's Goethe or Lockhart's Scott), yet also numinous, lit by a light from beyond the world, a god. But if a god - we are no longer polytheists - then not a god, but God. Here and here only in all time the myth must have become fact; the Word, flesh; God, Man. This is not `a religion,' nor `a philosophy.' It is the summing up and actuality of them all."

For Lewis, myth had finally become fact. Joy was found in a Person who is both God and Man.

There are many more details in "Surprised by Joy," and he does not speak on Christianity or spiritual issues on every page, but, like I said, it's not an autobiography as such, and readers expecting this might be disappointed by what Lewis leaves out.

Without such expectations, though, it is a fascinating read and something that people who have enjoyed some of Lewis' other works shouldn't miss.

- Jacob Schriftman, Author of The C. S. Lewis Book on the Bible: What the Greatest Christian Writer Thought About the Greatest Book

I love most of what C.S. Lewis writes. I can read the Narnia series over and over, and I adore Till We Have Faces. I find him an incredible philosopher and a brilliant mind and a fantastic writer all 'round.

This book is possibly the dullest thing I have ever forced myself to read.

I wanted to like it; heaven knows it had interesting parts, fascinating things I had never thought of before. I found it valuable for understanding what themes that Lewis meant to convey in all of my favorite books.

Oh, but I could have gone without that long and utterly boring chapter about going to boys' school, being hazed, and interactions with the Bloods; I could barely keep myself in the thing even in the most interesting parts about his childhood. Even his conversion came with little emotional interest. For a second I wanted to say that I was missing something, that I had the problem, but I'm not sure that this is so. It's just... boring. I'm not even sure it's applicable for the person on the brink of accepting Christianity, for intellectually, Lewis is on another plane entirely. What if the reader has never felt this stab of "joy," or at least, experienced it the way Lewis experienced it? I tried to remember such a feeling and, although I remember it, I do not recall it being such a life-changing event.

Furthermore, his conversion didn't seem like such a logical step as much as returning to an old friend, if that makes any sense. I think another reviewer hit the nail on the head when they said they doubted that Lewis ever truly left Christianity to begin with. This isn't to say he didn't become a true atheist -- but it was as though he retained some sort of regard for it, even when was most disdainful of it.

To sum things up, this book is painfully boring, but invaluable for the insight it delivers into Lewis's works of fiction than for the path he took to conversion.

AMAZING read! I have never been interested in History of any sort before and afte reading a bit about her on Wikipedia I couldn't wait to learn more! She is fascinating, flaws and all! This book gave a wonderful outline of the time period, the rulers in charge and the goverment, but loaded with interesting facts and how her life had impacted so much of that time period. It proved to me that times were not too different back then as they are now with sex, drugs, affairs, addictions and celebrity obsession. I couldn't put this book down and after finishing it you'll want to look for book on her fascinating friends and aquaintences as well! It's a must buy even for the uninterested in history, couldn't tell you the dates of the civil war type of person

This is a wonderful biography. I was somehow worried it would be boring. However, the author manages to narrate Georgiana's life and times in such a way that I could not put it down, and read it in less than three weeks' time.

There are already may good comments, so I will only add something that the book does not mention. The case is that a portrait of the Duchess had also a interesing story to be told. In the XIX century Adam Worth, a real-life Moriarty, stole Gainsborough's portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire - and later returned it. It is mentioned in "The Napoleon of crime" by Ben Macintyre. I remember that Macintyre quotes a XVIII century sailor who said somethink like "I could lit my pipe with the starks from her eyes".

Other excellent biographies of women in the middle of their age's politics (in fact, a couple of much maligned queens) worth reading are "Wu: The Chinese Empress Who Schemed, Seduced and Murdered Her Way to Become a Living God" by Jonathan Clements and "Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman" by Stephen Zweig.

Georgiana had a fascinating life complete with adventure, intrigue, heartbreak, vast wealth and opportunity and of course, great beauty. In short, she makes for a great subject. But this book is also well-written and researched. I read if on a beach vacation and once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. It was fun, plus very informative.

I bought this book after seeing the movie. The book is so much more in depth and captures the spirit of an amazing woman. Georgiana was a woman ahead of her time in many areas however her political prowess is to admired. In the true spirit of all women her life was a tapestry of joy, pain, sacrifice and success. Ms. Foreman's biography is written in a knowledgeable and thorough manner but it reads like a story. Her style of writing kept me engaged and captivated.

Based on all the glowing reviews, I was expecting a fascinating read. But this book was anything but exciting. I found it really hard to get into the story. About halfway through, I finally gave up and just skimmed the rest of the book. This reads more like a history book than a biography. The author goes into a lot of detail, but she fails to get into Georgiana's head. I'm giving this 3 stars because the author did an incredible amount of research. But it's too bad her writing style is so dull. At the end, I couldn't understand why this book was written or why Georgiana was supposedly such an intriguing person. Hopefully, the movie does a better job of making Georgiana seem like a real person.

Pelagia has grown up on the peaceful Greek island of Cephallonia with her father, a widower and rather eccentric doctor who has taught her to be strong and independent. She takes for granted, somewhat ruefully, the fact that she will marry a local boy and settle down to a quiet life of her own.

Instead of her quiet life, Pelagia finds herself touched by World War II. Her fiance leaves to fight, hoping to prove himself worthy of her. Meanwhile, Cephallonia is occupied by German soldiers as well as Italian soldiers, one of whom is quartered in Pelagia and her father's home.

Pelagia and her father try their best to hate this Captain Corelli, who is an Italian soldier and therefore one of their oppressors. But as he continues to be charming and even seems apologetic about his place in their lives, it becomes harder and harder to cheerfully make his life miserable.

I loved the middle of this book. I found it funny and engaging in many parts. I especially enjoyed the story of Carlo and the events that led him to Cephallonia. It was interesting to see how the characters and the island changed as a result of war, and how such an idyllic setting could be tarnished. I liked the determination of Corelli to charm Pelagia, and the pace at which their relationship developed.

However, I found the beginning and the end of the book to be weak. It was hard for me to get a handle on the characters at first, as the story kept jumping from one to the other, and didn't start off with any context to make things easier. The ending was disappointing to me as well. After such a detailed story of Pelagia's life and the building relationship with Corelli as well as the development of her own talents and ambitions, her entire adulthood was simply skimmed over. Her descendants were made of cardboard, seemingly added in not to round out the story but just to prove that time had passed her by. A vibrant character was reduced to a caricature of a weepy grandmother, which I found unsatisfying. The Pelagia and Corelli plot twist also left me feeling empty, like this book about a young woman finding her place in her world was all a waste, as she ended up pining away in unhappiness.

Friends who know I`m interested in war history recommended this book. But this is not war history. This is a rather banal love story mixed up with a lot of bloody details. If you are looking for the real stuff, go somewhere else.

Make no mistake about it. This is not a romantic novel and even though one cannot help but get carried away with the romance that gradually develops in Pelagia's life this is rather a humorous novel for even within the romance itself and the harsh reality of the war that is soon to overwhelm the life of every character there is plenty of humour making the entertainment value of the novel undeniably high. Just one reservation about the actual plot of this book or rather not so much the plot itself but the way the novel actually ends. It makes one wonder whether the author was having second thoughts about this since the end seems rather contrived and quite detached from the development of the rest of the plot, particularly if one considers the point in time at which Captain Corelli escapes from the island of Cephalonia.

In my life so far, the enormity of 17years i have NEVER read a book that was so beautifully constructed. The characters are perfect, and the beautiful island of Cephallonia leaves a taste in the mouth that lingers for months afterwards. Carlo, Antonio, Pelagia, and Dr Iannis are wonderful, and each in there own way unique. This is the only book that as soon as i finished i immediately began again. My only word of advice is not to watch the film, which pales in comparison to the book!A book that puts things in perspective!The best i've ever read!

A superbly crafted story of a woman caught in the throes of transition from deep tradition to the modern world. For Pelagia Iannis the cost of transition is heavy. Daughter of the village's widower doctor, she is caught up in global forces beyond her ken. The imperial ambitions of Italy's dictator, Benito Mussolini, bring the Italian army of occupation. Among the troops is Captain Antonio Corelli, artillery officer and musician. An unwitting and hesitant imperial minion, he is billeted in the Iannis household. Although the doctor urges passive resistance, Pelagia, although committed to a partisan youth, is drawn to Corelli's musical talents and unworldly charm. De Bernieres weaves an intricate tale of love, war, humour and pathos with unrivaled skill. His characters sparkle with realism, an aspect permeating this outstanding work. His descriptions of the interactions of the differing nationalities and ideologies ring vividly true.

As he builds the story through the characters and events, de Bernieres gives little away. There are continual surprises as events twist and bend the characters. Some break, others find a means to extricate themselves from a tangling fate. Pelagia bears the main burden throughout. Her love for Corelli, after a fitful start, blossoms, then is tested by the swirl of events. Other characters come into her life, remain or depart. All make some impact as de Bernieres adroitly builds her role. Each chapter becomes a minor tale in its own right, with all tied together flawlessly. Characters and events are imparted with meticulous detail, yet, like a Mozart opera, not one word would bear excision.

If you like a story that successfully ranges over a variety of issues and people, you will seek far and wide to surpass this tale. De Bernieres' skills in portraying life's complexities, yet maintaining reader attention and interest are peerless. He has clearly build his work on thorough scholarship - there's even a source list at the end. His sweeping view will leave you exhilarated and breathless, but fulfilled. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

This is one of those books that will cause you to laugh, cry, and maybe even scream out loud. It is very moving and thought provoking. The tough spiritual issues are clearly addressed. The book is easy to read. I highly recommend this book!

This little BIG book was described to me as a "wahoo! book".
I have nothing else to add.

This is one of my favorite books ever. Anna is a delightful little girl with a most tragic background, but she has all she needs to go back home! This book is simply wonderful.

A life-changing, heart-opening, mind-expanding story. I highly recommend it. I was dissappointed with my order though - the books were in perfect condition but in an unusual size - very small making the book hard to read - and the paper is not of good quality. I don't feel i got great value for money with this purchase.

I hate to begin a book and walk away from it without finishing. I did read the entire book but found it real struggle to hang in there.

I read several of Graham's books when I was young and thought them great. Now at 55 I am not so sure about Greene (I recently reread the Comedians). Most of his books are OK except for too much heavy emotional attachment stuff.
This book is supposed to be funny but is just plain terrible. For instance what is so funny about things like a policeman who makes human skin cigarette cases? I quit reading it after about 50 pages. I advise you to find something else, life is too short. He must have been experimenting with drugs or drunk when he wrote this.

This is the fifth Graham Greene novel I've read, and the first with an even moderately happy ending. A pseudo-spy novel with a pseudo-spy named Wormold, the book is more a meditation on where human allegiance should really be when government and family seem at odds with each other. It's also a fairly quick read (for Greene) that's funny as hell.

I read a lot of Graham Greene, and this is the one one of his works that disappointed. Characters were dull and the plot, slow to develop. Also, the technology described seemed very dated in view of today's world.

Graham Greene, a major, well-known 20th century British author, had a very long life, most of the century, and a very long and prolific writing career. He may be best known for "The Third Man," "The End of the Affair," and "The Power and the Glory," but his books were greatly honored, highly-praised by the critics, generally best sellers, and often made into movies. As was "Our Man in Havana," a later work of his, initially published on October 6, 1958, and just re-released. Greene famously divided his books into 'novels,' such as the "Power and the Glory," and 'entertainments,' such as "Our Man in Havana." While working on the book at hand, he wrote to the Indian writer R.K. Narayan, a friend, that he was at work on "a rather hack job, an entertainment called 'Our Man in Havana.' I am getting too old to boil the pot." However, he also wrote to his mistress Catherine Walston in 1956 that "Our Man" was potentially a "very funny plot which if it comes off will make a footnote to history."

The book is set in Havana, Cuba, during the last days of the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, and reproduces time and place very accurately on the page. The plot's reasonably gripping, and resonant. Like his later follower, John LeCarre, Greene had first-hand experience of the British Secret Service. On the recommendation of his lifelong friend Kim Philby, who turned out to be England's most notorious postwar spy/traitor, Greene had served in Africa's Sierra Leone during World War II, and this is a spy story. The lead character is Jim Wormold, an English seller of vacuum cleaners based in Havana. (Everyone can take a moment here to remember Alec Guinness as this character in the excellent movie based on the book.) Wormold is poor and desperate: his wife has left him, and he hasn't enough money to pay his hefty bar bills, let alone keep his beautiful teenaged daughter Milly in her preferred lifestyle. So, without realizing what he's doing, or where it will take him and those he loves, he agrees to become a British spy; "Old Blighty's" man in Havana.

This may be an entertaining entertainment, but not to worry: there's plenty more serious Greene here. His instinctive anti-Americanism, left-wing viewpoints; and jaded cynicism as to the spy's life. His remarkable ability to create characters, even those who don't get many pages, such as Captain Segura, a local policeman/torture enthusiast, with a cigarette case made from human skin. Segura strongly resembles Batista's dread 'enforcer' Captain Ventura, and in his dark glasses and unmarked car, he will turn up again, and again, creating terror in various Latin American countries, most notably in Haitian dictator "Papa Doc" Duvalier's feared "toutons macoute."

Greene traveled widely, as a journalist, and to research his novels. He had great serendipity in his visits: many of them occurred at highly interesting times. "Our Man" was published in October, 1956; on New Years Day 1959 the revolutionary Fidel Castro came down from the mountains. The author set his Vietnamese war novel, "The Quiet American" just before the critical battle of Dien Bien Phu. He set "The Comedians" in the last days of Duvalier's Haiti. He had another stroke of luck: the long American blockade of Cuba has resulted in the country, and the city of Havana, staying much the same as the writer described them nearly fifty years ago.

All in all, think I'd have to go with "a very funny plot which if it comes off will make a footnote to history."

Nice to see this classic in print again. Hitchen's insightful forward adds to the pleasure of reading Greene's wonderful "entertainment" again. If you haven't read it yet, do so now!

Alright, I knew "who dunnit" pretty early on, but it was still a fun read. Mr. McNab for obvious reasons brought a great deal of verismilitude to the story. I'll definitely be picking up more of his fiction.

this Book is his best one so far i think, it was very hard for me to put it down and i think it's a very exciting read and andy has a great story once more and the more the book advances you are wondering how the book will end, very good job Andy!

Great setting for a crime - everyone snowbound or snowblind perhaps. The psychologist/sleuth is only a husband bringing his
wife's purse to the hospital. A good read if you enjoy lawyers in trouble

With all due respect to Andy, I think he should stick with writing true crime/non-fiction books as he did before ("Immediate Action" and "Bravo Two Zero"; both great, especially the latter one).

There is a good thing, though, that comes out of this book. I learned how to go into hiding, how to evade the enemy, how to conduct survaillance, how to lose people in the crowds, how to lie when checking into hotels, how to ditch cars and never use credit cards while on the run. Not to mention how to make home-made bombs using kitchen cleaners. It's a good guide on what to do while hiding from government agencies or 'other organizations'. "A Fugitive's Manual".

Otherwise, as a fiction novel, it's not all that good. But I still appreciate the tips!

Recently, I acquired a copy of the Stephen Leather thriller, Hot Blood (A Dan Shepherd Mystery), which had on its front cover a sticker that screamed "Better than Andy McNab or your money back". Leather's ongoing fictional hero, Dan "Spider" Shepherd, is a former member of the SAS now working for an ultra-secret undercover unit of London's Metropolitan Police. Nick Stone, the protagonist making his initial appearance here in McNab's first novel, REMOTE CONTROL, is an ex-SAS trooper now working for MI6. What, do Leather and McNab have a mano-a-mano thing going? (I don't ever remember seeing a Dean Koontz release with the claim, "King writes dross; read my stuff.") When queried by me, Stephen said that his publisher suggested the ploy. But, since I did end up buying REMOTE CONTROL, perhaps the point is to sell more books from both.

Here, Stone is tasked by his SIS controller to follow two hard IRA boyos to Washington, DC, to see what mischief they're up to. Once comfortable in his hotel room, Nick is almost immediately recalled home. But, before catching the next plane back across The Pond, Stone decides to visit old SAS pal Kev, now working for the DEA. Arriving at Kev's suburban home, Nick discovers his buddy bludgeoned to death and his wife and one of two daughters with their throats cut. Stone find's the second daughter, 7-year old Kelly, cowering in a hidey-hole. Realizing that Kelly saw the killers and her life is now in peril, and that he himself may become a suspect in the bloodbath, Stone grabs the girl and runs. Over the remainder of the book, our hero must discover the identity of the murderers, protect Kelly, and get both of them to safety in England where his boss, Simmonds, will certainly sort things out.

For a first novel, REMOTE CONTROL is better than average. McNab's personal tour of duty with the SAS imparts a patina of realism to the actions of his Stone character. Indeed, Nick is a Tough Guy in somewhat the same vein as author Lee Child's ex-Army MP, Jack Reacher. At one point in a desperate, hand-to-hand struggle with a Bad Guy over control of a pistol, Stone must essentially chew the man's face apart. Somehow, I don't see Leather's hero doing anything so messy.

One of the criticism's I've made of the Dan Shepherd series is the fact that Spider's young son Liam is trotted out as a prop in every installment to re-emphasize that widower Shepherd is otherwise a warm, decent, family man whose day job takes him to the world's hard and grotty edges. In REMOTE CONTROL, Kelly also starts out as a prop. But, by the conclusion, she plays an integral, nail-biting, and very satisfying part. I see from plot summaries that Kelly also appears in follow-up volumes of the Nick Stone series, so I've gone ahead and ordered the second out of curiosity to see where McNab takes the character.

The drawbacks to REMOTE CONTROL are that we've seen the scenario before in books and films - adult and child flee a deadly conspiracy hand-in-hand - and, well before the end, the coming betrayal twist becomes all to obvious.

By profession, Stephen Leather is a journalist who's lived all over the world. McNab - a pseudonym ostensibly to protect his identity from vengeful terrorists left over from his bad old SAS days - continues to work with intelligence organizations on both sides of the Atlantic. I suspect, therefore, that Andy's books will be more realistic in the finer points, while Stephen's will show a wider scope of imagination. In any case, both are excellent British authors creating some very entertaining reads.

Hey, Stephen and Andy, why don't you both co-author a thriller in which both Dan and Nick appear? The potential for a friendly, or not so friendly, rivalry between the two heroes is almost too good to pass up.

To say that I enjoyed The Woman Who Walked into Doors would not be the right description. The book is a rather harrowing depiction of a woman in the grip of spousal abuse and alcoholism. A woman who tries, in a now familiar story, to reconcile the idea of a man who loves her with a man who beats her.

I was suspicious about anyone who isn't Paula Spencer (or someone very close to her) claiming the experience of poverty, alcoholism, and abuse in a first person narrative fiction. As it happens, however, Doyle does a credible job with this. Given the time that he spends in Paula's head, I had the feeling that he was trying to work out the question that many of us have watching a situation like that-- why? why does she stay? how does she survive?

What's really nice about the work is that it resists the temptation to make Paula and her situation sentimental. That resistance makes the real love that she has for Charlo really affecting. She clings to it in the face of all reason and against all circumstance. I do not feel as though I closed the book any wiser about why a battered wife stays battered, but I did feel as though it lifted a little corner off the mystery as to how you keep loving someone who torments you. And how little/much that love means stacked up against the other other aspects of the relationship.

In the end I found it a good book, if often a little bit difficult to read. It is not a pleasant subject, and Doyle doesn't pull his punches. For me I found that it missed something-- something larger than the main idea, perhaps. That something kept me from finding it a great book. But it was still certainly a worthy use of time, and a book that I would recommend. I would particularly recommend it if you have some special interest in the treatment of the subject matter.

A number of my friends recommended Paula Spencer and even noted that they liked that better. I'll be giving it a try.

(p.s. From reading reviews here and online reviews, it appears that a lot of readers are picking up Doyle based on a recommendation from Rowling. This book is really really different from anything she's written, and you should be prepared for very dark material, adult language, and physical/emotional violence if you pick this up.)

I read that Roddy Doyle was J K Rowling's favorite author. His fiction was too real and depressing. Plus it was hard to follow as he jumped from the past to present day often.

I think my main problem with this book was the language. I found all the cursing distracting, and made the flow of the book choppy. I gave it three stars because if you take all the cursing out of the book, it was quite good.

Doyle did an excellent job in describing the life of a physically abused wife, I was completely drawn into her life from page one.

Written in 1996, this "prequel" to 2007's Paula Spencer, tells of Paula's life from her teen years to her passionate relationship with Charlo Spencer. Part of a family of robbers, Charlo is an exciting man who makes her feel alive and gives her a sense of selfhood. Booker Prize-winner Doyle crafts a dramatic first-person narrative told by Paula, who leaves her rigid home and unsympathetic father to marry Charlo, a man her father disapproves of. Their passionate relationship and remarkable sense of communication vanish when Paula becomes pregnant with the first of their four children. Gradually, Paula finds solace in alcohol, as Charlo becomes an absentee husband and father and eventually a philandering wife-abuser.

Paula begins her story in the present, with Charlo's death--shot by the police after he has murdered a woman during a robbery--then develops the story through her reminiscences about both the good and the bad times. As she relives her courtship and early marriage and explores her early past and her more recent past,, she also tells us about her present battle with alcohol. She regrets that Nicola, her teenage daughter is responsible for the family on many occasions, since Paula works nights cleaning offices and then returns home wanting only to tell Jack a bedtime story and then abandon herself to drink.

As the story of her abuse evolves, the reader is privy to Paula's innermost conflicts. Though she knows that "I lost all my friends--and most of my teeth," she also bemoans the fact that "he beat me brainless and I felt guilty." The tendency of abuse victims to blame themselves, especially when their love has been as great as that of Paula and Charlo, explains Paula's comment that "for seventeen years I was brainwashed and brain dead." She knows that she has made her children suffer, not only because of her abuse but because of her alcoholism, but she has been powerless to change until in one violent moment, she sends Charlo out of the house and determines to live her life on her own.

Doyle's ability to structure a novel such as this one, which moves from immediate present into recent and then distant past, providing important information about character in the process, brings this dramatic novel to life. His trademark humor is subdued here in favor of the ironies of Paula's life. This is a far more serious novel than the Barrytown Trilogy--more in keeping with the Booker Prize-winning _Paddy Clark, Ha, Ha, Ha_, an equally sad story of a deteriorating marriage from the point of view of a ten-year-old boy. This poignant novel is ultimately a celebration of the human spirit as Paula determines to take control of her life and to provide a family for her children. n Mary Whipple

I would recommend this book to a friend. It is not a happy story, but the main character is immensely likable, and her story is interesting and worth reading. I liked Paula Spencer. She's funny, insightful, vulnerable and charming. She is also flawed, which makes her seem very real to me. It was hard to read this book though, because the shadow of her tragedy creeps across every page. Doyle waits until the final chapters to tell us, though, about Paula's battering at the hands of a man she loves, her "shattered" husband, Charlo. The title tells us what we do and do not want to know, so I think it's fine that Doyle waits until the end to reveal it all.

This book is written in the first person, and as an American the Irish vernacular was initially difficult for me, but Paula's inner dialogue is well written, and very enjoyable. I think I might have picked up a few Irish colloquialisms.

Kudos to Roddy Doyle! He has created a wonderful, likable, character in Paula Spencer.