Windsor Books

Lots of detailed action goes on in this book, but what's the point? The main character, Nick, is the first-person narrator.

His viewpoint, and we must assume that of the author, can only be inferred by what goes on in the story, and how Nick reacts to these things.

Nick has no joy in his life. His daughter Kelly is a traumatized mental patient, but Nick doesn't even seem to "love" her. His thoughts of her are all based on the guilt he feels about her, not on his love for her as his child.

Everything that goes on in this book is faced with the kind of resigned, painful resourcefulness you might expect from a daycare worker resigned to the fact that they've got to work an eight-hour shift with 10 screming kids and no help.

What's the point? Nick's world has no joy, no happiness, no relaxation, no satisfaction. His story is so dreary that although the book is very inventive in its crossing and double-crossing, and fascinating in its clinical descriptions of demolition and death by freezing, I sure wish I had read something that was worth the trouble.

Art and "art" (with a small "a") exists to express a viewpoint or an idea or a feeling or an observation.

The main idea in this book seems to be, Nick's life is hell, and he can't die (or that would be the end of the "series" of books about him).

Personally, I've experienced enough of the art of the depressing.

My only previous read of a McNabb novel was one with the same central character but later in his career and set in the heat of the Congo. This one is in Finland and Estonia and will get no prizes from the Estonian Tourist Board. Their country is grimly portrayed as dirty and corrupt. The story is of a British ex-S.A.S man, officially disgraced so prepared to freelance overseas, no questions asked. Kidnap, murder and demolition are all in his repertoire but underneath, a heart of gold. He needs money to privately treat the traumatised child of a former colleague murdered by the Provos. Full of action, twists, turns and great technical detail on arms and surveillance. The language was cleaner that the other volume I read. Not great but good for an escape from one's normal world.

This book was a gift to me and I thought that I wouldn't get into it. I was wrong. A fun yarn with suspense and computer geekdom thrown into the mix.

Perhaps I liked this book more since I'm a geek by trade. Perhaps not. It's well written and a decent story.

This was my 6th book by McNab and I must say I had high expectations for Firewall even before reading other reviews on Amazon. Once again Nick gets involved in a mission that is similar to someone trying to hit the jackpot in the lottery with their last bit of money. Book reads about the same as his other fiction novels with most of the time being spent describing the intricate details of a plot that ends up disasterous. I do like the way McNab explains the way things work, but it gets a bit tedious. The part where he explains how to make a bomb, for example, became overwhelming and boring after 3 pages. On the plus side, it does add to the realism of his novels and lets the reader know that this guy knows his stuff.

i just couldn't believe this nick stone would survive another day in the field of action. andy mcnab may have thought that making nick stone such a pathetic character would make the hero of this series look and read more realistic, but in my humble opinion, he's deadly wrong. such anti-hero pathetic character would gradually wring out the reading incentive not too far in the near future. all in all, nick stone seems to become more and more a trademark of constant failure, a die-cast mess-up, a pathetic loser who simply failed in almost of all missions and contracts, and it's a miracle that he could and would survive so long in this specific profession. and i just wonder during reading this book, if not by the design of the author who decides to make nick stone keep on living and survive almost every failed mission, this character should be long buried in a forlon cemetary or, better yet, a john-doe in some foreign soil. mcnab is a good writer but his decision of making nick stone a constant screw-up is simply beyond my comprehesion. this kinda scenario, plot and storyline is getting worse in this 'firewall'. nick stone in this novel is no better than a high school drop-out. i really don't believe that any organization would hire this guy to do anything except a janitorial garbage cleaning job. i was sick to the guts to see how nick stone kept xxxx-up the missions one after another and could still have survived instead of zipped in a body bag. this novel is too pathetic and too hopeless for a veteran thriller reader like me. since 'remote control', mcnab had made the hero(?) nick stone a borderline stupid and cynical clown, a far-cry surprise out of such line of profession. i really don't know why mcnab decided to make his main character a such loser again and again in this series. and my heart goes out for this nick stone character wholeheartedly since i've never read any main character in any other novel looked more pathetic and miserable than this guy.

Aha! I got you, O'Brian! Johnson and the doctor are discussing turkey buzzards and such, and Johnson mentions that he expects to see a bald eagle's nest the following day at a friend's place "in the state of Maine". But Maine did not become a state until 1820; before that year, it was part of Massachusetts.

This is the last of the superb sextet which begins the series; then a decline in quality sets in, and the final few installments are just plain bad. But I would recommend the first six to anyone. "The Fortune of War" belongs more to Maturin than Aubrey, who is without a command from very early in the book. It's quieter than its predecessors, with more inner monologue than action.

Maybe the best of the series so far, in spite of or because of the long shore-bound center section when Aubrey and Matarin are unwilling guests (prisoners) of the US during the War of 1812. Both seem more human, more nuanced, than ever before.

Seventh in the series: The Surgeon's Mate

This deep into the Aubrey-Maturin canon, it seems pointless to write an in-depth review for an imaginary reader who is on the verge of buying The Fortune of War. By the time you're arrived here, chances are you're committed to reading the entire series, and the many sparkling virtues of O'Brian's writing hardly need praise. As have all the Aubrey-Maturin novels so far, this one kept me up far too late, on a weeknight no less, as I was unable to sleep until I had finished it. Having devoured it with so much relish I can hardly give it a bad review. But I must complain that it ends on such an abrupt note and leaves so much up in the air that I feel a little cheated. I have high hopes that the arc of the story in The Fortune of War will continue in the next book in the series, but I would encourage other readers who are about to buy this one to go ahead and purchase The Surgeon's Mate right along with this one. Indeed this one has convinced me to go ahead and purchase the box set containing all twenty novels, as even the six that I have already read warrant repeated reading in the future, and I will be spared the anguish of having finished one book without the next one to pick up.

THE FORTUNE OF WAR is the sixth volume in Patrick O'Brian's masterful adventure series about Captain Jack Aubrey, R.N. and his dear friend, Dr. Stephen Maturin. Though the Aubrey-Maturin novels can stand more-or-less alone, the narratives are closely linked. THE FORTUNE OF WAR in this way finds Aubrey's ship, HMS Leopard, limping into the fictional bay of Pulo Batang in the Spice Islands, after its disastrous near-sinking by an iceberg in DESOLATION ISLAND. This volume has Aubrey and Maturin suffer two more disasters at sea before finding themselves prisoner in Boston. Earlier books in the series, in particular DESOLATION ISLAND, had had Americans figure into the story line, but this is the first in which the young American nation features prominently. The cause for this is the War of 1812, and now the focus of battle turns from the French and Spanish to the United States.

Maturin plays an especially strong part in the plot of THE FORTUNE OF WAR. Although the Aubrey -Maturin novels are historical nautical fiction, largely renowned for their accurate depiction of the early eighteenth-century Royal Navy, some of the novels may also be seen as part of the espionage genre, with Maturin serving as a spy on behalf of the British crown. In previous stories, for instance, Maturin suffered torture under the French for his espionage; in another instance, one closely tied to the plot of this story, he tricks the French into killing off a number of their intelligence assets. In THE FORTUNE OF WAR, Maturin's past catches up with him, and he is forced to take action of a sort that belies his reputation as a physician and gentle naturalist.

This novel is in some ways much stronger than the fifth volume, DESOLATION ISLAND, which, though having a strong finish, at times appeared to lose the wind in its sails. THE FORTUNE OF WAR makes it clear that O'Brian's ideas and storytelling remain strong and vibrant in this series; with so many volumes yet ahead, this is indeed reassuring.

As usual, O'Brian's research is thorough, yet the historical details don't overwhelm the story. The pace is fairly brisk, with only some stalling--perhaps appropriately so--in Boston. This is fortunately not caused so much by the reappearance of Diana Villiers, Stephen Maturin's great love of his life. (She is as welcome to this reader of O'Brian's stories as is Jack's wife, Sophie.) The wimpy minor character Michael Herapath, the son of a wealthy American trader, also reemerges. But I find him somewhat interesting for his passionate interest in Chinese poetry; this accurately reflects the growing interest in the nineteenth century in the literature of China, and is an example of the interesting ways O'Brian treats the reader with tastings of such historical esoterica.

THE FORTUNE OF WAR describes a couple of naval engagements. The one that features at the end of this novel is as good (if not better) as any rendered by Patrick O'Brian in any of the volumes up to this one. In it, O'Brian captures the technical details of the fighting while also conveying very effectively the horror of the moment (actually, fifteen minutes). It is crackerjack writing, vivid and spellbinding.

For the first five novels in Patrick O'Brian's hallowed Aubrey-Maturin series, Captain "Lucky Jack" Aubrey was the swashbuckling hero and Dr. Stephen Maturin was the mysterious sidekick. Thanks to O'Brian's wonderful prose, this balance worked exceedingly well.

And yet, there was always a sense that there was more to the surgeon-spy Maturin than O'Brian was letting on . . . that he was more than a sidekick, but a serious player in his own right. Of course, this was slightly undercut with Maturin's hilarious inability to master even the most rudimentary elements of the seafaring life, but you still knew that Maturin had a courageous, dashing heart to go with his naturalist's brain.

In "The Fortune of War," Maturin shoves his way to the fore and Captain Aubrey is more or less sidelined with a grevious wound to his sword arm. The War of 1812 has broken out, and the British navy experiences some shocking defeats at the hands of the heretofore contemptible American navy. Eventually, Aubrey and Maturin find themselves going broadside-to-broadside with the Americans, but perhaps since Aubrey is not in command of his vessel (Aubrey and Maturin being saved from certain death after their ship sinks in a fiery accident), Aubrey is forced to watch his ship strike its colors.

Maturin and Aubrey are brought to Boston as prisoners of war, and while Aubrey convalesces, Maturin dives pell-mell back into his life as a spy. Boston is a city of intrigues, and Maturin's history as a spy plays havoc with his attempts to free himself, Aubrey, and the lovely Diane Villiers. Maturin gets to demonstrate that he's got a bit of super secret agent in him, and many readers will be shocked at the violent means Maturin often uses to achieve his ends. He's a far cry from the non-violent physician he is often assumed to be!

Perhaps spending more time on land than any book in the series so far, "The Fortune of War" still offers thrills and escapades galore. For fans of this series, this novel is not to be missed.

Let's say you know absolutely nothing about Winston Churchill and in a few days you're about to meet the President of your company who happens to be a true blue card carrying Churchillian. How can you make an impression on this man?
Well if I were that man, I wouldn't be reading Martin Gilbert's complete biography. Instead I would read John Keegan's Penguin version of Winston Churchill
Keegan minces no words, he gets right to it from Winston at Harrow onto Sandhurst and his military career in India and Africa.
Keegan goes right to the jugular in explaining the Conservative politics of Churchill onto his jumping the aisle to the other party and later his high office during World War I and after.
He describes Winston's wilderness years and goes into detail of Churchill's leadership during World War II.
All is described and gives the basic essence of this multi-talented man of the 20th Century.
In keeping with the abbreviated Penguin format, I say in closing, good show. Five Stars!!

Doubtless this biography is insufficient to really understand Churchill, but for those who are fairly ignorant of the man, it provides a useful quick sketch, and perhaps a jumping off point for further reading.

In 1895 when his father died, the sickly and indifferent 21-year-old military cadet Winston Churchill was flat broke, the legacy of a father who was a compulsively extravagent wastrel.

Lord Randolph had been syphilitic since early youth. His mother, American-born Jennie Jerome whose father was a stockbroker and part-owner of 'The New York Times', was always attracted to men other than her husband or her sons (Winston, born 1874, and John Spencer, born 1880). In modern terms, they were trailer trash; in Phoenix, Sheriff Joe would have set aside a bunk in his tent-city jail for Winston.

But, instead of slums, Winston was born and brought up in Blenheim Palace, built 1704-22 and still one of the great estates of England. American ex-presidents get palatial libraries as their memorials; the British rewarded their leaders with mansions and great estates. Blenheim Palace was one of the finest, far better than the estates later awarded to Nelson and Wellington.

Perhaps it was the milieu of Blenheim Palace, but Churchill matured into a man absolutely convinced of the majesty of the British virtues of patriotism, loyalty, courage and fair play. For him, being British meant manliness, courage, tenacity and ultimate moral decency. It resonated with the vigorous American spirit of Theodore Roosevelt and the beauty of the strenuous life.

President George Bush is reported to keep a bust of Churchill in the Oval Office; perhaps as a reminder of the complete contrast to himself. Bush ducked the Vietnam War in the Texas Country Club Air Guard; Churchill eagerly sought war, even though he hated it.

Like Ulysses S. Grant, Churchill was a gifted wordsmith instead of a stumblebum. He free-lanced as a journalist while serving as a British officer and was sometimes earning 20 times his military pay. He never stopped learning, he wanted facts, order, reason. His mother sent him crates of books while he was on duty, and he devoured them all.

Gen. Sir Herbert Kitchener described him as a "medal-hunter" and "self-advertiser" who was "super-precocious" and "insufferably bumptious." It was a good assessment. But, the public loved his books and even the Prince of Wales praised him. Whatever one thinks of Churchill, his career and successes are due to his own effort, intelligence, work and nerve.

In brief, this is the story of a man who might well have ended up as a Soho souse, but instead became the greatest man of the past century. He did it through his own efforts, not because of Daddy's friends, money or ability to pull strings.

This book defines the character of a great man.

I've never been a big fan of Winston Churchill, but after reading esteemed historian John Keegan's succinct biography of the man, I must say that I like AND respect him just a little bit more. Keegan himself confesses that he never thought much of old Winston until he stumbled across an old recording of his speeches (in NYC of all places) and realized what a gifted and inspirational orator and leader he was. He led his beloved Britain through her darkest hours in modern history, to a victory that was anything but assured. The people seemed to genuinely love him, and his sentiment was seemingly mutual.

His years as Prime Minister during WW2 are the most well known, but Churchill led an amazingly full life, and his life of public service began way back in the late 19th century. Keegan describes how the young Winston, who did poorly in school, but had an undeniable intelligence, educated himself in politics, history and the English Classics. He was a romantic who was in love with his small island nation, and he dedicated his life to it. He was a brave soldier who served in numerous wars, including WW1, and while it would be fair to say he was a little too fond of war, he was no different from the average English officer of the time in this regard. In my eyes, his major fault was his hypocrisy. It just seems hard to reconcile his staunch imperialism with his constant talk about the virtues of freedom and liberty, and how Britain was the main proponent of such things. I would have liked for Keegan to address this point a bit more, but for such a short biography, I can let it slide.

I was intrigued to learn that Churchill and IRA founder Michael Collins were on friendly terms and greatly admired each other. In fact, Churchill apparently had a "gut sympathy for fighters" which is why he had more respect for the Irish and Boers of South Africa than he did for Ghandi and his passive movement in India.

Anyways, the book is extremely well written and entertaining, and I found it to be an overall excellent introduction to the life of one of the most important figures of the 20th century. 4.5 stars.

Let me make clear at the outset that I am no historian. Indeed, I wouldn't even qualify as an amateur historian. I am just your average 30-something fairly ignorant reader living a period of love for more or less recent history. Given this premise, I found this little book quite perfect for what I was looking for.

This is a short, entertaining, and VERY well written biography of one of the greatest men in the 20th century. Because of the serious limits of my knowledge on the subject, I certainly cannot judge on the accuracy of the reports. However, to the best of my knowledge, the author is considered a reputable WWII historian. Indeed I liked this book so much that I also purchased his history of WWII. You can read this book in a day, and it will entertain you like a good novel, while also informing you as few novels would do.

I would not pay too much attention to those reviewers that complain about this book not delving into Churchill's shortcomings as a man or as a politician. This is a very small book, about 190 small-format pages. You can hardly expect a comprehensive treatise from such a book. Also, I suspect that emphasizing Churchill's shortcomings would be like emphasizing Hitler's moments of tenderness with his lovers or with some German children during the Nazi regime. I mean, they surely happened, but it's not what you want to spend pages on, if you have only limited space to devote to the topic, isn't it? Besides, even if the Churchill that emerges from this book is certainly a truly great man, he does not emerge as a perfect great man. To me that was enough, and I am glad I read this book.

I am grateful to the author, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short, beautifully written biography of this man, to whom I certainly owe something...

From the beginning, when a widowed male, ex-CIA agent, meets a beautiful ex-cop (now a newspaper woman), who just happens to look like the girls the protagonist loves to mutilate, this book was predictable,filled with cliches and uninspired writing.
I skimmed and even skipped through most of the book and never missed a beat. Do not bother reading this unless you really enjoy romance novel plots under the guise of blood and gore to make it more palatable for some members of the male species. There are a lot of writers out there who do the same thing with a lot more class and who definitely have a better vocabulay. I enjoy a good murder mystery and thriller, which this definitely was not. I'm very grateful I picked it up at the library.

It started out with a bit of gore and such which was a little too much for me (I am not into the horror novels or even gore), but then that was only a couple of pages. After that the book took off.

An excellent fast paced read!

A Russian defector who is on a killing spree in the USA with FBI and police fighting each other over hunting him down while officially the CIA cannot be involved because the agency want to avoid embarrassment since they brought the killer into the country years before.

The basic idea of the book is really great. Unfortunately the author manages completely fails by using really boring sequences or illogical events and especially by using only bits and pieces of promising possibilities.

First, characters in the book offer a lot of potential (like the killer being a second Hannibal Lecter) but the author does not really develop these characters in full or did not use them efficiently enough to contribute to a great idea.

Second, the internal fight between CIA, FBI and police is neither adequately described nor exploited in full - another wasted area to create a complex story.

Third, potential for another great plot in this book about top counterfeit money and the robbery of its paper is also wasted because it is just thrown in with a few lines instead of using it in full detail.

Fourth, right from the start this book represents "the big coincidences" when the killer and his hunter run into each other three times in two major USA cities! (Hello? What is the likelihood of that?) This is just way too simple and coincidences happen too often - no real detective work.

Fifth, despite being completely down and on the verge of insanity due to the suicide of his wife when he went to jail, it takes less then a week before the ex CIA man falls in love with another woman as soon as he is out of prison! (Hello?!)

Bottom line is that a great opportunity to write a highly thrilling book was wasted by writing a more comic book style than a novel where everything is just way too simple to be plausible. (Maybe the author was running out of time quickly when he wrote the book?)
WAY TOO SIMPLE

This is my VERY First time ever reviewing a book. So I don't know quite what to say.
I do know that I have not read too many books cause none of them ever held my interest till now.
This Book Cold Cold Heart, by far is the best read I have had in a long long time. The title alone drew me in.

I found myself reading when I should have been doing housework.
I could not put it down.
Culley was a great character, and I was glad it had a semi-happy ending.

Malik was truly one of the most evil personalities on the planet.
This is a must read for any fan of the morbid and Bizarre.

Being a housewife I enjoyed Houser's character as well.
She took no crap from no one not even Culley.
And That was great to read.

I too wish to find more books From James Elliott.
If anyone knows of one please
E-mail me at brainfart54@excite.com
Thanks
CC

Hi all,
I actually read 'Cold Cold Heart' about 2years ago, and have re-read it 4 times since.
Being a fan of all crime/thriller novels, I have also read many novels by Michael Connelly,.Lee Child,..Joseph R.Garber,..Lorenzo Carcaterra,..John Case, and especially enjoy some classics such as Fyodor Dostoevsky and plays by Arthur Miller..I quite simply enjoy simple stories told with richly defined characters,..of which James portrays in spades!
Late congratulations James..a fine piece of well researched,well paced work..I only wish more writers could maintain your quality.

Imagine having all your questions about the meaning of life answered in one book...

Imagine learning the secrets of inner peace, happiness, and love answered in easy-to-understand language....

Imagine having someone teaching you step-by-step how to have the wonderfully beautiful, and deeply meaningful relationships that you always dreamed of...

Imagine someone revealing the "hidden mysteries" of life and the universe in a way that will instantly transform your life for the better....

That's what The Lost Teachings of Atlantis did for me and other's who have read it.

If you've been frustrated with society's or religion's lack of consistent answers to the many mysteries of the universe, then The Lost Teachings of Atlantis is the answer you've been looking for.

Not only does it give you the answers to your search for TRUTH, LOVE and FREEDOM, the author gives you a step-by-step, easy-to-follow blueprint to achieving the type of life you have always craved for deep in your soul.

If I had only one book to bring with me on a deserted island, this is the one...

The message (teachings) in this book is so alive and written with such clarity that it brilliantly shines and awakens your inner being. If you are a person whose soul aches for spiritual truth this book will remedy that pain.

The author, Jon Peniel claims to have been a reincarnated soul from the Tibetan monk order from the time of Atlantis (third fall). This order is called "The Children of the Law of One". Most of this book follows closely to the Edgar Cayce material. However, the history provided is limited since Peniel claims that the scope of the book is the "Teachings" of The Children of the Law of One and NOT the history. Peniel claims that his monastery is located in a remote location in Tibet where even the Buddhists do not enter. He claims that this order is the original order that has spawned all other religions on earth since the final fall of Atlantis. This book is loaded with great spiritual wisdom. Some of my favorite insights are as follows:

-In the beginning before time and space our will and consciousness were One with God/Universal Spirit. During the next divine progression we became semi-separate energy beings with separate wills but still One with God/Universal spirit. A group of us lowered our vibration to experience the material plane. This group made the jump "into" material resulting in a cross between animals/humans. This group became "stuck" and experienced complete separation from God/Universals Spirit. Peniel refers to these beings as "humanimals". This unfortunate event was an accident and has been interpreted as the "original sin". Amelius later to be reincarnated as Jesus led the way to help these trapped spirits out of the material plane. Unfortunately, many became enamored with the separation that material plane offered, pursued power and embraced their egos. They became known as "The Sons of Belial". The Sons of Belial continued to spiral downward thus wrecking the planet with their insatiable desire for power and went deeper into material ignorance. The Children of the Law of One continued to free the humanimals completing their original mission. The material plane created what we experience as duality (IE hot/cold, high/low, male/female, logic/intuition ect). Cut off from our source we became insane.
-The Ark of the Covenant was actually a power capacitor stolen by the Hebrews from the Great Pyramid during the exodus. This power capacitor was the last piece of Atlantean technology which according to Penial supplied Egypt with clean power. Peniel renames it the "Arc" of the covenant because if you did not know how to use it, it would fry you.
-The Lost Teachings reference looking inward for divine guidance. Do not rely on channeling until you have reached enlightenment. Everything you need is within you.
-The greatest wisdom is the fact that while we have lost our perception of being One with God/Universal spirit we are "still" one with God. The path back to Oneness is to practice and experience "unselfish love" or abandon our egos. Zain, Peniel's "true" teacher, explains that the procedure is similar to what is done to kill a plant............stop feeding the roots. The roots of our egos are "selfishness".

Now for the Lost Teachings that I did not agree with and/or I find dangerous:
-Peniel states the Lost Teachings offer only two ways back to Oneness, school of hard knocks or find a True Teacher. True Teacher? What? This is a true paradox. In a world that crucifies enlightened beings, we are to seek out our true teacher. I don't agree with this and I think it is dangerous to pursue this even as a thought of being possible. Look inward not outward. Peniel goes on to say that once you find your true teacher all your material possessions are to be turned over to the True Teacher! Why does a true teacher need my possessions? Why????
-Peniel becomes enlightened at age 21. What? Enlightenment is no easy feat.
-Peniel is "contacted" by his true teacher on TV when he is 17 while in the process of committing suicide and leaves for Tibet to find the hidden monastery. What? You don't just pack your stuff at 17 and find the hidden Atlantean monastery at 17. Again this is no easy feat.
-Peniel's true teacher contacts him but we are to seek out our own true teacher. What????

To summarize, there is a lot of these "issues" that just doesn't add up or make sense. I spent a better part of month reading this book and practicing the mediation techniques in detail with great contemplation. I come away with the fact that this book is shallow and incomplete like the Bible. In fact there are many similarities. The future is bleak according to the lost teachings. Save yourself the time and just read the New Testament's version of the Revelation. They are essentially the same.

I learned a lot from this book but I cannot embrace it in total. The greatest thing I walk away from this book with is that my curiosity about what happened in Atlantis is finished.

Ask yourself this question? If the Lost Teachings of Atlantis did not save Atlantis how is it to save us now? I think the Lost Teachings should remain lost, forgotten AND forgiven.

Wish this world was a better place?
Wish you had control of changing things?
Well, you do have control of changing yourself. And only yourself, for sure.
If eveyone wanted to see themselves and change for the better, then this world would be a much better place to be. Right?!

Where to start? How to change? Start right here with this book.
This book rings your inner bell of truth, touches your soul, and if you really want to change, then you will love it. You will realize that you have found your way 'home' to true unselfish love and a better life. I have read other spiritual books but none of them felt so real and true like this one.

I read this book for the first time 4 years ago. I have read it so many times and will continue to do so. It helps me soooo much and leads the way for me; answers my questions. It's truly amazing! I get more out of it each time I read it. This book has totally and positively changed my life for the better. It gives me something real, true and worthwhile to live for. I hope you will read it, finding your path to truth and peace in your heart and soul.

I leave you with the other reviews to learn more about the book, specifically.

This book takes us on a fascinating journey seen through the eyes of a young North American who spends years in an ancient monastery in Tibet, learning the ancient teachings of the Children of the Law of One - a non-dogmatic spiritual order that's been around for thousands of years, stretching back to the time of the construction of the Great pyramid and before that, Atlantis.

Although the ancient history of this order is fascinating, it serves merely as a background to their far more important spiritual teachings that range from the history and origin of Mankind to what's behind all the problems and suffering in this world and the solution to that. The Children of the law of One teach that all suffering is the result of people forgetting their oneness with everything and everyone in this Universe and through this ignorance, act selfishly. The solution therefore is people regaining that sense of oneness through practicing the Golden Rule of Loving others Unselfishly.

I have never read anything this pure and profound - these teachings have the feel of unspoiled truth to them. My search for answers to all my spiritual questions that I couldn't get from any religion, books or people, were finally answered and put together in this book in a way that really makes sense. Their beautifully simple but extremely powerful message of Oneness through Unselfish Love has totally changed the course of my life, for the better. I have read many other spirituality books and I whole-heartedly agree with others who have read this book that this is one of, if not THE MOST PROFOUND SPIRITUAL BOOK EVER WRITTEN. I understand that's a huge statement to make, especially if written in capitals like that. So don't take my word for it - read this book, it may be the turning point in YOUR life!

The story of a black teacher who is sent to work in a poor and downtrodden part of London. He then has racism to deal with, as well as all the problems of the students, both socioeconomic and otherwise. He tells how he tries to overcome this and get on with the job of teaching and getting them to learn.

I just saw "Amazing Grace" about William Wilberforce
and the ending of the British slave trade. There is little doubt that the Ricky Braithwaite who is a relatively young black teacher in England
is the breeding product of such slaves used by sugar planters
in British colonies. In arriving at their destination a large percentage died in the crossing. An even larger number usually died each year as
a result of over work and underfeeding. Genetically this actually tended to make the black slaves superior to their white masters in many ways.
Survival makes very good people.
But the question is not if Braitwaite was as good teacher a teacher as
he is a writer, but have conditions improved since 1959 when he first published this. From hearing about the life of Amy Winehouse who is a very popular British singer, one tends to think they may have actually gotten worse in London's East End, not better?
So for all the popularity of the book and movie of this book,
not a lot of attention was really paid to his lessons in understanding
and care for the poor and hard pressed of all races.
Amy Winehouse was expelled by a Weston type for being independent and different. Progressive education has been replaced with regimentation and discipline. Braitwaite made the point that music, even classical music, got through to these children, but in California we spend money on contact football instead? In California E. R. Braitwaite wouldn't be allowed to teach in an high school. He doesn't have a recognized teaching credential.

During my school days, we had an extract from this book as one of the lessons in our English subject. The lesson was named "In the Grip of Prejudice". After reading the lesson, I just wanted to read the whole book. ER Braithwaite has handled a touchy subject aesthetically.

Highly recommended! :-)

A very enjoyable book. Braithwaite tells an inspirational story about both teaching kids but also overcoming prejudice as a black man in post WWII England. I'm a new teacher and hope to develop the type of relationship he had with his students with mine some day.

I remember having read an extract of "To Sir with Love" during my school days and have been wanting to read it ever since. Unfortunately I never got around to doing so for quite a while. Recently while browsing in a bookshop, my eyes fell on the book and I decided to pick it up.

The book is an extremely inspiring autobiography which chronicles the life of a 'coloured' teacher in a particularly rowdy neighbourhood of London.

Written in an extremely touching, charming (and ocassionally witty) style, the author talks about how he has to deal with racial sterotypes. It is uphill all the way for Braithwaite as he counters the cynicism of his impressionable students and, ocassionally, that of his colleagues also. Slowly, he wins over the minds (and in the case of Pamela Dare, heart) of his students as he tries to wipe clean their minds of prejudices (racial or otherwise).

The book was also filmed starring the ever-charming Sidney Poitier in the lead role. See the movie after reading the book.

beautiful art work and one of the most amazing wolverine stories ever told. please be sure to pick it up.

you like wolverine and wanna learn how he first got the metal this is your story right here boy action filled like any wolvie story the professor was a good villian and who was he talking to I used to think sinister, apocalypse, sublime even xavier now I think kit might be romulus. love how logan went crazy at the end and killed damn near everybody the professor got his hand cut off and was later killed by silver fox which was gladly appreciated love bloodlust stories like this.

Simply the best at what he does and what he does is cool to read about.

Freakin' sweet. Great read, the best is the beginning. Very cool.

Before Paul Jenkins gave us Origin: The True Story of Wolverine, Barry Windsor-Smith crafted this story detailing the defining moment of Marvel's most popular mutant. Weapon X details how a nomadic mutant named Logan is kidnapped and experimented upon in order for him to be turned into a living weapon. From the memory alterations, brainwashing, and adamantium grafting; Wolverine is born. What makes Wolverine: Weapon X so good even to this day is the surprising amount of violent and mature content that strikes a chord with X-Men fans new and old. Windsor-Smith's script is action packed, and his artwork is breathtaking indeed (as a previous reviewer already pointed out) as well. Of all the recent Marvel Premiere Classic hardcover graphic novels to hit the market lately, Wolverine: Weapon X is one of the few that is actually deserving of such a treatment, and the story as a whole remains one of the essential X-Men and Wolverine titles in the whole X-Men mythos. All in all, if you're a Wolverine fan new or old, consider this handsome hardcover an absolute must own.

In this book you will find, action, an interestig plot,that will blow your brain, will make you ride in an violent adventure, the drawing it's not an conventional art but good enough. YOU MUST READ THIS FINE PIECE OF COMIC ART.

I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody series, so I dove into this book, the first in the Vicky Bliss series, with high expectations. At first, I was put off by Vicky's prickly personality. She's tall, smart, and beautiful and fully aware of the effect she has on men. Vicky is an art historian in friendly competition with friend Tony Lawrence. The two discover evidence of a long-lost Riemenschneider sculpture and fly off to Germany to find it. Once there, they find seances, sleepwalking maidens, secret passages, and many, many suspects who may also be searching for the sculpture. Once I got over Vicky not being like Amelia (and God bless Peters for creating such different and fascinating characters), I couldn't put the book down. Twists and turns with plenty of mayhem make this a wonderful read.

Here it is, finally my first Vicki Bliss mystery. The story is a good one, even if not terribly interesting. Based on other works from Michaels and Peters, this is just an average effort. It could be because she was finding her grounding with new characters, but something about it didn't hook me as much as it should have. I can't help but feel that Peters couldn't think of enough story to write this one, not sure where she wanted to go, mainly drawn to characters she wished to invent. I'm sure that the follow-ups are better, and Vicki does seem a great character to follow the adventures of.

Characters were fun, especially Vicki and Tony. Her personality was a trademark type, a strong heroine with an intelligent mind, independent backbone, and curious disposition. The story would be a great mystery, yet turns out merely good simply because not enough detail filled out 243 pages. The story was a very simple one that was forced to slowly drag on because not enough substance was held.

Nothing is urgent until perhaps the end climax, but even that lacks a certain desperation usually found in intriguing stories. Rich with history, people into the castle setting will be in for a nice surprise as the couple wanders each night in search of an old legend that may not even be true. People who love mysteries but who are a virgin to Peters may be turned off by the lack of intensity, while cozy fans that are Elizabeth Peter regulars will likely feel right at home.

The first Vicky Bliss novel, this story introduces us to the large blonde academic who is interested in the legend of a lost Riemenschneider sculpture. She engages in a bet with a fellow academic, Tony, who bets that if he can find it before she can, she has to marry him.

Peters writes with ascerbic wit and wonderful characters. Vicky Bliss is an independent thinker, capable of making intriguing decisions without any help.

This is a great series- I recommend it to any mystery lover!

Elizabeth Peters books are fun, comical, gripping mysteries -- read them all!

Vicky is different from Amelia Peabody (she's tall, 20something, and a blonde bombshell with curves). Peters' spends a lot of time trying to establish this new character, and Vicky's figure/views are mentioned a lot at first (which turned my mom off of it initially), but it gets better.

==>> Why read this book? BECAUSE THE SEQUELS ARE PHENOMENAL!! <<==

I COULD NOT put the 2ND BOOK DOWN (Street of the 5 Moons), and when I was done I immediately drove to the library for the rest. I even skipped the 3rd book (because the library didn't have it) because I was ABSOLUTELY HOOKED, and the 4th and 5th were so good I didn't get any sleep! I don't feel bad about skipping the 3rd book, but I'm certainly glad I read this 1st one to get established. Don't pass up this series!!!

This is the introductory book of the Vicky Bliss series. Dr Bliss is an art historian teaching in a small midwestern college. She has decided never to marry since she has discovered that the only thing that intimidates most men more than a tall woman is a smart tall woman and Vicky is both. Another member of the faculty, Tony, is also tall and smart and quite taken with Vicky. The two stumble across a reference to a long missing art work and are soon off to Germany to track it down, in competition with each other. They find that they are not the only ones seeking this piece. The trail leads to a castle turned hotel complete with a ghost, secret passages and damsel in distress.

This book was written in 1973 and does show its age a bit. If you are looking for the mysterious John Smythe of the later books he does not appear here but we do get the first appearance of Schmidt. While she is not as captivating a Amelia Peabody, Vicky is charming in her own way. The series makes for an enjoyable, light hearted read.

This book, and the Disney movie that came from it, Song of the South, is often avoided because of language and the status of the blacks in the story (slaves), but it is an insight into the times and the mores of those times, no matter how unenlightened, and the language is used as it was--descriptive; not in a necessarily derogatory fashion. Not right, but accurately.

Essentially, the stories,however, are AESOP type fables promoting the lessons of living in society. The book is a wonderful glimps into history and shows a curious side of the slavery issue where those not deemed equals were in fact entrusted to help in tha raising of the children.

Remove someof the language, and consider the dialog as simply an accent and not a derogatory statement, and you have a kindly old gentlemen telling great bedtime stories.

Try it!

Purchased this book for my mother as a Christmas present. I read a few of the stories contained within. They are entertaining and engaging, although the language is a bit hard to read at first, but after awhile it does start to flow.

Joel Chandler Harris was a child in the years preceding the Civil War and a teenager when the war ended. He immersed himself in the slaves' world, learning their stories and their language. Starting in 1880 and continuing throughout his life, Harris published these stories. He wrote them the way they were told and as he heard them. In doing so, he preserved a sound of life that has all but disappeared. Harris is the American Alsop and these fables are as fresh and vital now as they were over 100 years ago.
The language takes getting used to. Very few will be able to pick up this book and start reading without a learning curve. This is part of the charm of the stories. We are reading what Harris heard and how he wrote it. This book is faithful to the language that the stories were told in and of the people that told them. Many Uncle Remus books "clean up" the language for modern sensitivities. In doing so, the stories lose their charm and Uncle Remus disappears. He is an old Negro man that survived slavery and all the outrages of life. In his declining years, he takes the time to entertain and guide a young white boy toward manhood. In doing so, he left a legacy that still speaks to us and sounds best as the ex-slaves that became this fictional character told their stories.
This is a wonderful book with great illustrations throughout. I bought my copy in The Uncle Remus Museum on Highway 441, Eatonton, GA. If you stop there, say hello to Georgia for me. Be prepared to listen for at least an hour as she tells you stories about the town and the people. Georgia will tell you this is the authentic book and suggest you not buy the cleaned up language copy. I agree with her and hope you will too.

This book was purchased as a gift for a friend after a discussion about the stories that we read to our children as they were growing up. Unfortunately over the years she lost many items because of her husband dislike for things being around. I was very please to see the number of stories and the overall presentation of this book. My youngest child is now 30 years old and I would still like to read these stories just for myself to bring back so many memories.

In English class one year in fourth grade we spent a quarter discussing Uncle Remus' stories.
We discovered they were some of the most complex children's stories.

The stories are funny and told with a light hearted manner, and are sure to delight anyone who reads them.

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT ! I COULDN'T STOP LISTENING !!!!

I EVEN STOPPED WATCHED TELLY FOR A WEEK SO THAT I COULD LISTEN !

SIDNEY SHELDON AT HIS BEST !

IF YOU LOVE THE 80'S & 90'S THRILLER FILMS LIKE 'WITNESS', JAGGED EDGE AND FATAL ATTRACTION YOU WILL LOVE 'MEMORIES OF MIDNIGHT ' YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED !

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH THAT I'VE 'ARE U AFRAID OF THE DARK' &
'THE RAGE OF ANGELS', BOTH BY SIDNEY SHELDON.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS AUDIOBOOK IT'S LIKE JACKANORY FOR GROWN UPS !!! :)

Excellent sequel to "The Other Side of Midnight." It is remarkable that Sidney Sheldon could write a sequel every bit as good as the original story. "Memories" picks up with the story of Catherine Alexander Douglas where The Other Side of Midnight left off. Constantin Demiris had Catherine locked away in a convent while he arranged to have the death penalty served to his mistress, Noelle Page and her lover, Larry Douglas, Catherine's husband, for Catherine's supposed murder. Now it is Demiris' head that is on the chopping block as Catherine's memory is slowing returning and anyone discovering that she is alive, must be dealt with as well as Catherine herself. Demiris, being the all rich and powerful leader of the world, has everyone in his pocket and it seems inevitable to escape his wrath. His weakness is the fact that he can't get Noelle out of his system and feels his rightful revenge will only come when he takes Larry's wife to bed in the very same way Noelle betrayed him with Larry. At the same time, the closer Catherine comes to remembering her past, the closer she comes to her execution. Unbeknownst to her, thinking Demiris is a very kind man, he arranges for Catherine to work in one of his London offices where he will keep a close eye on her until the time is right to not only have his way with her but then dispose of the lovely Catherine as well. In London, there is less of a chance of anyone recognizing her. The story goes forth with lots of twists and turns and many new villains as well as some very exciting and surprising plots. I had to really keep myself from skipping to the end to find out what happened. I could not put this book down until it was completed. Does good win over evil? It becomes highly doubtful as Demiris tricks everyone he meets and they end up suffering brutal consequences. It appears that no one, no matter how skillful, is immune to his schemes. Memories of Midnight

Just one of many great books by the author, Sidney Sheldon. A super page turner, fast easy read, great suspense and twists and turns. I highly reccomend this book.

You just never know where Sheldon is going next! This is what they call "a page turner." A reviewer sets the scene: " "Memories of Midnight" begins as amnesiac Catherine starts remembering things...like the fact that her husband was killed for her supposed "murder." This could prove dangerous to our villain Constantine Demiris, who sends her to London to work for him. Meanwhile, back in Greece, all the people who know that Catherine is still alive are systematically killed, and, just as Catherine find happiness, someone is sent to kill her."

There are a lot of twists and turns and Sheldon does a good job, as he does in "Windmills of the Gods" in letting you see how innocent people can get caught up in messes created by very corrupt individuals. This is a good and easy read. :)

This novel continues the exciting story begun in Sheldon's "The Other Side of Midnight." In that novel, mega-rich Constantin Demiris manipulated the Greek court to have his mistress, Noelle, and her lover, Larry, executed for the murder of Larry's wife, Catherine. No body was ever found, and in fact, Catherine was alive and well, under the watchful eyes of Demiris.

"Memories of Midnight" begins as amnesiac Catherine starts remembering things...like the fact that her husband was killed for her supposed "murder." This could prove dangerous to Demiris, who sends her to London to work for him. Meanwhile, back in Greece, all the people who know that Catherine is still alive are systematically killed, and, just as Catherine find happiness, someone is sent to kill her.

This is that rare sequel that is actually better than the wonderful original novel. The plot twists will keep you turning the pages, and the ending is so unexpected and so shocking, you will be left breathless, and very glad you read "Memories of Midnight."

Kona