United Kingdom Books

This book was un put downable. A man after my own heart. Searching for his own odyssey. So sad when Sam had to go.it insists the reader searches their own heart concerning attitudes to passions and dreams. A real account of a mans struggles and achievements against all odds and with no money. Different reactions to requests for food and shelter. Makes one question ones own potential reqponses. An incredible read for any walker who needs encouragement.Puts real life into perspective. PLEASE READ!

It was worth being stuck at home with the first streaming cold for about five years, to read Peter Mortimer's Broke in Britain.
The author's self-imposed task was to get himself from Plymouth, in the south of England, to Edinburgh, some 500 miles away, with a small dog for company, unprepared feet, an umbrella, a modicum of clothing, and not a penny in cash, nor any plastic money. And then to turn the discipline of his daily diary into a book.
The result is a fascinating reflection on modern British society, its bad bits and its brilliant ones. I could not put the book down, even while pouring the umpteenth large single medicinal malt, and polished it off in a few hours (the book, that is). I was there in spirit every step of the journey, free from the chains of office and computer, learning about my own country which I barely know, and even more about human nature.
Peter's style is so approachable and unpretentious, yet poetic and funny and ultimately very moving. Next time he's passing through Devon, I hope he calls in to Holsworthy, in a farming area devastated by foot and mouth last year - there'll be a warm welcome. There's even a chiropodist in town . . .
Keep putting those best feet forward, Peter

Yours admiringly, Hilary Vivian

I picked this book from a bookstore table piled high with travel books. It was just the job to occupy me for part of a long plane ride from London, England to Western Canada.
In each short chapter, Peter Mortimer has to solve his daily challenge of walking through the UK with no money and beg food and accommodation for his journey from Plymouth to Edinburgh. He accomplishes this daunting task with charm and confidence and gives the reader an incident by incident, light and witty account of his travels. I wanted to keep reading on to find out how he solved his daily quest for food and shelter.
This is not really a travel book and not really a walking book but a slice of personal journalism. Given the crime ridden and paranoid character of contemporary urban society Mortimer brings off quite an achievement (He does this partly by sticking to rural routes). This book proved to be for me a light and amusing read for a long flight.

This is my favourite book of the last year - bar none. It is Peter Mortimer's account of his walk from Plymouth, England to Edinburgh, Scotland with no more than a back-pack and a King Charles Spaniel. Is it possible to treck the length of Britain with no money to spend? On his journey he is welcomed into the lives of surprising array of people including a curate, a couple from a housing estate and a fox hunting community! It gives a fascinating insight into the response of people to the unexpected arrival of a penniless traveller.

There haven't been many travel books which I couldn't put down. But this was one. Each day builds up to its dramatic climax. Will he find a bed for the night? Will he be turned away? Will he make it through the night to a new day when it will all start again.

It is well written, witty, empathetic and never dull. Read it.

Anyone that loves Bush as much as I do will enjoy reading this book. It is really informative to when they were young to how they are now. Not to mention the interesting chapter where Jasmine speaks about her time with Gavin. There might not be that many pics but the words that he speaks makes up more than enough. In one of the lines he says it is like the eye in the calm of the storm. How poetic. Just "Brilliant"

i have this book, along with all of the books about BUSH, and i found this book to be really really cool and entertaining. it has rare facts about the band, and it even has really cute baby pics of everyone.

If you're a diehard Bush fan, you'll have no problem with this bio... but if you're a sometimes Bush fan, you might find it hard to get through... I know it's a bio, but it needs more pictures! Excellent reference for Bush webmasters...

Jennifer Nine is a goddess to Bush fans evrywhere! At last someone gives Bush the credit they deserve. And with such an emotional power! Read it, listen to bush, read it again, listen to more bush, read it....

An informative and enjoyable guide to Britains popular comedy series that is full of everything you wanted to know about the carry on films and probably more. Intelligent and witty, this offers a critical guide to all 31 carry on films which comes complete with facts behind the scenes of the film, the best scenes in that particular film, best actor/actress and shared memories from the cast. Lovley photographs throughout from stills of the film as well as cast and publicity shots. As well as an informative guide to the films it also offers a faultless guide of the t.v series that began in the late sixties and every stage production of the carry on phenemonan. A must have for any serious Carry On fan. Very enjoyable. Recommended!

An informative and enjoyable guide to Britains popular comedy series that is full of everything you wanted to know about the carry on films and probably more. Intelligent and witty, this offers a critical guide to all 31 carry on films which comes complete with facts behind the scenes of the film, the best scenes in that particular film, best actor/actress and shared memories from the cast. Lovley photographs throughout from stills of the film as well as cast and publicity shots. As well as an informative guide to the films it also offers a faultless guide of the t.v series that began in the late sixties and every stage production of the carry on phenemonan. A must have for any serious Carry On fan. Very enjoyable. Recommended!

This great carry on companion is a great addition to any fans collection. It features all 31 of the carry on films and also biographys of the cast and crew. It's such a great price too, one that any fan can afford. Also there is a behind the scenes section where you find out information on the stars lives outside of the carry on circle. This is a must for any carry on fan and i recommend you buy it today.

An informative and enjoyable guide to Britains popular comedy series that is full of everything you wanted to know about the carry on films and probably more. Intelligent and witty, this offers a critical guide to all 31 carry on films which comes complete with facts behind the scenes of the film, the best scenes in that particular film, best actor/actress and shared memories from the cast. Lovley photographs throughout from stills of the film as well as cast and publicity shots. As well as an informative guide to the films it also offers a faultless guide of the t.v series that began in the late sixties and every stage production of the carry on phenemonan. A must have for any serious Carry On fan. Very enjoyable. Recommended!

A mini, armchair vacation by Thomas Kinkade, the painter and sketch artist,and his brother Patrick, the writer and professor, recounting the travels with their father through the England, Ireland, France, Belgium, and Germany. This literary trip traces many of the sites their father saw during his World War II tour of duty. Each chapter is short and perfect for a brief, relaxing, and often humerous escape to another part of the world. This is one of those rare books that one will want to keep in his library for future re-readings.

This book is nicely written and makes you feel as though you are along as a silent partner on the journey. The pencil sketches and the oil paintings within are such an added bonus! The comradeship between the brothers and the father is simply to be envied....and the new abbreviations for the foibles of the father are hilarious--we all know them! It makes you want to grab your bags and book an adventure of your own (or at least go on their next one!)

Ignoring the typo's and the reminders of dad's knee replacements, this is a fun way to explore some of Europe and learn about WWII from an aging veteran as he passes his legacy on to his talented, albeit delightfully juvenile, sons. One can relate to many of the author's memories of his youthful pranks and escapades, appreciate the beautiful sketches and oil paintings included by his famous brother, Thomas Kinkade, and appreciate and admire his father's service to his country. The misadventures of these 3 on their trek through Europe had me laughing out loud while also encouraging me to "go off the beaten path" that tourists normally take, appreciate the stories of the locals, and experience what's down the alley and over the wall.

I read MANY books in a year and so many of those miss the mark of giving me exactly what I want from a story. This book simply and sweetly went straight to my heart! It was a pure joy to read and was made so much better in that it was REAL! I not only envy the Kinkades for the depth of talent that runs in that family (Patrick is an exceptional writer!) but their closeness and love as a family is very inspiring. Everyone should read this book!

This book was so interesting! Enough has certainly been written about Queen Victoria that you'd think yet another biograpy of her and her family is not what the world needs: but this book is very much true to its title in concentrating on Victoria's childhood, that of her children, and that of her grand-children. People say that Childhood was invented in the Victorian period, and it is fascinating to see how an ultra-priveledged upbringing changed in the 100 years that this book covers. Even the changes that took place while Victoria's children were growing up is fascinating: the eldest daughter was married to a German prince at age 15, while her youngest daughter didn't marry until she was in her late 20's!

I definately recomend this book to anyone who is interested in british royal history, or the history of childhood. Since Victoria's children married all over Europe, anyone who is interested in European history would also find this book well worth a read. Since it is not too long and not too dry, it would also be a good book for a teenager or young person who is ready for adult non-fiction, but wants something that they can relate to.

I found this book an enthralling read from start to finish. It transported me through time to the Victorian and Edwardian eras - a fascinating study of the lives of the matriarchal Queen Victoria, her children and grandchildren.
John Van der Kiste paints a vivid picture of the lifestyle of the aristocracy. I couldn't help comparing their lives to the poverty-stricken living in squalor, but that is for a different book.

The book begins with the story of Queen Victoria's own childhood which it goes into in some detail. It shows how she developed from a shy and insular young girl to a matriarch of the first order. We are then taken through the early married life of the Queen and the Prince Consort and the birth of each of their nine children.

There is a lot of fascinating detail in this book about the family life of the Queen. There are many anecdotes about the children, and although contact between parent and child was much less than we would have in a modern day family, it is plain that Victoria and Albert were loving and devoted parents who took a keen interest in the development of their children.

As time progresses we are introduced to the Queen's grandchildren and great grandchildren. It is interesting to read of the contrast in the Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra as parents, as unlike Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as you could wish. They were much more lively and fun loving and this really comes across as you read further.
There are some wonderful anecdotes about King Edward and his grandchildren. His geniality sparkles from the page.

There seems to have been an about turn with George V who was a much more distant parent. It was interesting to read about all his children, as one usually hears most about the two brothers who later became King.

If you like English or European history you will find this book fascinating. It gives a flavour of the time and is eminently readable without being too heavy, even when going into politics, and without being frothy.
It is fascinating to learn of the inter-personal relationships within this massive family descending from one remarkable lady.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and felt that the individuals almost leapt from the page. I understood far more about them and their role in England's future having read it.

To make a history book riveting takes a particular talent and this author seems to have this in abundance. John Van der Kiste has a talent for getting right into a subject so that you can really imagine that you are there as an observer.

I highly recommend this book.

I found this book an enthralling read from start to finish. It transported me through time to the Victorian and Edwardian eras - a fascinating study of the lives of the matriarchal Queen Victoria, her children and grandchildren.
John Van der Kiste paints a vivid picture of the lifestyle of the aristocracy. I couldn't help comparing their lives to the poverty-stricken living in squalor, but that is for a different book.

The book begins with the story of Queen Victoria's own childhood which it goes into in some detail. It shows how she developed from a shy and insular young girl to a matriarch of the first order. We are then taken through the early married life of the Queen and the Prince Consort and the birth of each of their nine children.

There is a lot of fascinating detail in this book about the family life of the Queen. There are many anecdotes about the children, and although contact between parent and child was much less than we would have in a modern day family, it is plain that Victoria and Albert were loving and devoted parents who took a keen interest in the development of their children.

As time progresses we are introduced to the Queen's grandchildren and great grandchildren. It is interesting to read of the contrast in the Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra as parents, as unlike Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as you could wish. They were much more lively and fun loving and this really comes across as you read further.
There are some wonderful anecdotes about King Edward and his grandchildren. His geniality sparkles from the page.

There seems to have been an about turn with George V who was a much more distant parent. It was interesting to read about all his children, as one usually hears most about the two brothers who later became King.

If you like English or European history you will find this book fascinating. It gives a flavour of the time and is eminently readable without being too heavy, even when going into politics, and without being frothy.
It is fascinating to learn of the inter-personal relationships within this massive family descending from one remarkable lady.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and felt that the individuals almost leapt from the page. I understood far more about them and their role in England's future having read it.

To make a history book riveting takes a particular talent and this author seems to have this in abundance. John Van der Kiste has a talent for getting right into a subject so that you can really imagine that you are there as an observer.

I highly recommend this book.

Childhood at Court is an entertaining look at the lives of royal children at the British Court from 1819 to 1914, roughly the lifespan of Queen Victoria and her son Edward VII. There have been innumerable biographies of Queen Victoria and her children, but none that have focussed only on their childhoods. This book therefore fills a gap, and does so with an interesting, fresh style which makes use of plenty of anecdotes, some well known, others more obscure. I was interested to come across some of these stories, because I have read many histories and biographies of the period, and many of Van der Kiste's anecdotes were brand new. Both Queen Victoria and her son Edward VII had childhoods best described as dysfunctional, but its interesting to see how the future king seems to have learned from his parents' mistakes and given his own children a happier upbringing. Queen Victoria also seems to have mellowed as she grew older, and its nice to read about the antics her younger grandchildren and great-grandchildren were allowed to get away with, like slapping the Queen's hand and saying "Naughty Grandmamma!!"

This is a nice addition to anyone's library of books about royals or books about children.

I took a course with Professor Hexham at the University of Calgary, he is a very likeable and interesting fellow. This book is one of my favorites and offers much more than just your average travelling books.

The American Library Journal's review ended with the words "Recommended for all Public Libraries."

Here is what the prestigious American Library Journal (Vol. 126, No. 8, p. 117, 1 May 2001)said:

"... These guides do not lead tourists to the most popular bars or shopping districts but instead to the various Christian heritage sites in each country. Hexham's ... vast knowledge of history and religion makes these well-researched books a treasure trove of historical information. Each guide follows the same layout: Hexham begins with an overview of the history of each country from prehistoric times to the present. He then includes a chapter on literature, art, and architecture and lists what he considers the top ten Christian heritage sites in each country. Each entry thereafter is in alphabetical order by place name and includes some background information, specific sites to visit, and biographies of significant people associated with the site...

I found the Christian Traveler's Guide series fascinating. A brilliant idea of the author to write the books. Very informative and great history lessons.

Excellent Books

I have been buying these since 1984 when they were published by Seaby. No collector of British coins should be without this book. It will open the eyes of the person just starting his collection and will be a best friend to the more advanced collector.

It covers all British coins from the ancient Celts, to the Romans, the Middle Ages, and modern times.

Superb coin book, Best of the best British numismatics catalogues printed now days, is complete, up-to-date information and values from Spink's own worldwide auctions, excellent ilustrations, and beautifully printed with the highest quality and care.
I also recommended Michael Marsh The gold sovereign, and many other of his writings on Gold Sovereigns and Half Sovereigns.
The gold sovereign
The Sovereign - the World's Most Famous Coin: A History and Price Guide

The Spink catalog is published yearly, and is the standard catalog for the coins of England. The prices listed for common coins reflect average prices that a dealer will charge for a coin, but not what they will pay for a coin. The prices shown for rarer coins usually reflect the most recent auction prices for coins, and are a fairly reliable.

One must keep in mind that most common coins appreciate in value a little each year, a few depreciate, and the rarer coins may appreciate in value quite a bit from the time each yearly catalog was written.

I have found that the most useful value for this catalog is its numbering system for English coins, as the Spink catalog numbers are the most widely used and recognized numbers for identifying English coin, both by dealers and collectors.

Marshall Faintich
Author of "Astronomical Symbols on Ancient and Medieval Coins"

I have several editions of this book. You can never have too many. Each one comes with a different mix. And the newer editions of course will have the newer coins. This is not a substitute for the Standard Catalog of World coins but is better focused on England and a lot easer to carry.

The book also teaches us a little bit of symbolism and history.

Keep in mind that this is still just a guide. Other factors determine the value of the coin to you and others.

Did you know that the first shopping mall was opened in London in 1571? That in 16th century England, gifts were given on New Year's Day but not on Christmas? That beer could be flavored with anything from pepper to lupins? All this and more can be found in this book.

The Compendium website at [...] has long been the go-to website for authors, students, actors, re-enactors, and Elizabethan enthusiasts of all kinds. Now in paperback, anyone can have the Compendium on hand wherever they go!

The Compendium of Common Knowledge is a series of snapshots of daily life in the court and countryside of Shakespeare and Good Queen Bess, written for the everyday reader. Painstakingly researched and illustrated from period sources, each page dishes up details about food, language, games, and gossip, as well as the work, weddings, and beliefs of more than 400 years ago. There's a detailed index to make it especially easy to use, plus notes on the sources so you can find out more. There's even a bonus chapter on persona building that's perfect for guildmasters and authors both.

What can you do with the Compendium in paperback that you can't do online?
- Make notes in the margins
- Read it in bed
- Take it to workshops
- Stash it in the tourney box
- Write a book report
- Give extra copies as gifts
- And best of all--you can use it even when the computer is down!

Many historical re-enactors and scholars have known of this indispensable resource on the web only, longing for the day when we could pen our own notes in the margins while enjoying a G and T on the veranda. At last we have our chance!

This book by Maggie Secara is truly one of the finest introductions to the early modern world you're likely to find. Pithy, charming, and learned, this is a book that is hard to put down. As you might expect, it is filled with all the details of renaissance daily life you're looking for, but the book is so much more than mere lists of things. One feels as though the author is taking you by the hand and giving you her own well-informed and personal tour of the past.

If you are a lover of history, you will revel in its pages. If you are a writer with an interest in early modern Britain, you'll want to keep this book in a holster at your side. If you are someone merely with a love of knowledge for the intricate doings of another age: Welcome home!

For the actor or re-enactor interested in Elizabethan England, this book is a practical, look-it-up-now tool for checking historical facts or correct linguistic usage (the term for a barrel-maker or the pronunciation of "Southwark, for instance). For those with a general interest in the Elizabethan era or the history of day-to-day life, the book provides a compelling view of a bygone era, ranging as it does from the broad structures of Elizabethan society to the details of weights and measures, foods and fabrics. (In this sense, it resembles Daniel Pool's What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew; readers who enjoyed that book will almost certainly enjoy this one as well.) It is full of both basic information (such as a list of the Elizabethan peerages) and fascinating details (we learn that a seven-pound quantity of wool is a "clove," that Southwark prostitutes are nicknamed "Winchester Geese," and that one of the favorites of the bear-baiting pit is a bruin named Sackerson.) An especial strength of the book is the author's ability to describe differences between the Elizabethan and modern worlds clearly and succinctly. (A longer and more detailed version of this review can be found at the Troynovant review website.)

For several years, Renaissance re-enactors have been using Secara's online version of the "Compendium" to educate themselves about the everyday knowledge of the historical characters they portray. Just as 21st century people know that "text" is a verb and what a "blog" is, so did the people in the English Renaissance know the value of an "angel" and who the "recusants" were. From husbandmen to merchants to the nobility, these are the things all Elizabethans would have known.

What Daniel Pool's "What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew" did for the nineteenth century, Secara's "Compendium" provides for the reader who wants to know more about the world of the English Renaissance. While the information contained within this accessible volume was originally designed for re-enactors, it would also be useful for actors, readers (and authors!) of historical fiction, students of literature (impress your English and History profs!) and armchair historians of every stripe.

A few caveats: the layout of the book is sporadic, reflecting its online origins. On the one hand, it feels less methodical (the devalued coinage of Scotland and Ireland is mentioned in the section on gambling), but on the other hand, the connection of diverse areas leads to some wonderful insights (so don't gamble with Scots unless you account for the difference in the coinage). Furthermore, there are both a topic index and a thorough general index in the back to help locate specific information.

The tone of the book is conversational and light, but the information is sound. While the author is upfront about her lack of footnotes and citations, she also provides notes about primary and secondary source materials for those who want to follow up on a detail or question. In consultation with other researchers in the re-enactment community, Secara is also continuing to update the online site with corrections and sources as they become available. Similarly, Secara doesn't pretend to more thorough examinations of the complex areas of religion, politics and economics than she provides. When she is giving a superficial, generalist description, she says so, and refers the reader to other sources for more complete information.

All in all, this is a very useful book for anyone interested in the everyday, common-man aspects of history. It can be read straight through from cover to cover, dipped into at random, or searched for specific details. Better still, it provides a portable version of an online reference that countless people have come to know and rely upon.

This is a great review of Sayers work with Lord Peter. It joins the history of the period with Sayers own history in a quick reading manner. I recommend it for any Sayers fan.

If you're a fan of Dorothy L. Sayers' character, Lord Peter Wimsey, you will likely find this book interesting and enjoyable. The authors, both professors, look at the Wimsey series in light of what was happening in England at the time they were being written, and show how Sayers incorporated so much of her surroundings into these stories.

If you're not a Wimsey fan, then there is probably little point in reading this book. Although it is well-written, most of its meaning will probably be lost.

More than most popular mystery sleuths, Lord Peter Wimsey was a man (and a character) who belonged to a specific era. When the hopeful optimism and sense of promise of the 1920s and early 30s were overshadowed by crisis after crisis and the growing specter of war, Lord Peter became a fish out of water, and so faded into well-deserved retirement.

So argue the authors of this fascinating book -- one that any Wimsey fan, or fan of English mysteries generally, should find most rewarding. There's actually quite a lot more to this title than the argument described above. It is, to various degrees, a biography of Dorothy L. Sayers, a dual biography of Lord Peter and Harriet Vane, a social history of England between the wars, an exercise in literary criticism, and an at-least-partial survey of the history of the mystery novel. That's a lot to pack into fewer than 250 pages, but the authors pull it off really well.

As befits a book with so much going on, there were several elements of it I found most interesting. These included the discussion of Lord Peter's development as a character and the difficulties Sayers had in plausibly marrying him off to Harriet; the impact of contemporary events on Sayers' fiction; and why (tied into that last item) Sayers didn't publish, or even work on, with one exception, any more Wimsey stories after 1936, even though he was still immensely popular.

One of the reasons Lord Peter was, and remains, so popular is that he is a well-rounded character, not simply a crime-solving machine like Sherlock Holmes (which, of course, hasn't affected Holmes' popularity either). I highly recommend "Conundrums for the Long Week-End" for anyone interested in understanding Lord Peter still further and recognizing how impressive Dorothy L. Sayers' accomplishment truly is.

(Which reminds me, if you want to know more about Lord Peter's era, I also strongly recommend The Long Week-End: A Social History of Great Britain 1918-1939 by Robert Graves and Alan Hodge, a book which obviously influenced McGregor and Lewis, up to and including their choice of title.)

I agree that fans of the Wimsey novels will enjoy this book most, but I also think those interested in the period between the world wars, as well as those who like good biography will find much here. Mystery buffs who haven't read Sayers may find this book provides the motivation to do so. I particularly enjoyed the authors' discussion of how Sayers' Wimsey differs from Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, and the reasons for these differences. It should also be noted that this book was just nominated by the Mystery Writers of America for a 2001 Edgar Award in the category of biography and literary criticism.

This is an interesting and well written guidebook. It was mentioned on NPR I think once and it was well deserved. Finally a guidebook for active but not agile among us. A must have for any trip to Scotland.

The Creaky Traveler In The North West Highlands Of Scotland by experienced world traveler Warren Rovetch is a personal memoir and engaging travelogue of Britain's coastal wilderness. Penned with insight, charm, and vibrant impressions of culture, natural beauty, and the unique feel of the land itself, The Creaky Traveler is a very highly recommended, expressive, and readable Scottish Highlands guide for vacationers and armchair travelers alike.

Yes this is a travel book with advice on how to get there and what to see, but really it is a book about our nature in seeking the unusual by seeing the common in a new way. It also happens to be just plain good writing-- a joy to read and to savor, like the travels in the wilds of Scotland that the book describes.

THE CREAKY TRAVELER provides an amazing amount of detail (including maps) about a small part of the northwest highlands of Scotland. Mr Rovetch has a friendly and somewhat avuncular writing style which verges on the pedantic at times. He obviously kept a diary of his travels from which this text has been extracted (the minutia could only be recorded not remembered). I found some of the detail annoying for "armchair travel" but useful for objectively planning road travel in remote Scotland. After using it to plan a trip,THE CREAKY TRAVELER is the sort of book one reads a chapter a night on the road to scope out the next day's adventures.

Rovetch and his wife Gerda who prefers the sobriquet "G" are in their late sixties-early seventies and still mobile, though as he says "not agile." Although Rovetch provides helpful hints for "older" folks, younger adventurers may find many of the suggestions useful. I bought the book because I have been seriously contemplating visiting the highlands when I travel to the UK this summer. Rovetch has convinced me road travel is the only way to go, and road travel in northwest Scotland cannot be knocked out in a few days. Also, if you truly hope to "see" anything, high summer is probably not the very best time to go.

Rovetch suggests limiting the miles covered to under 20 per day given the condition of the roads (the path is narrow and the way is hard) and the joy of slowly savoring one of the world's most beautiful rural areas. Rovetch and G made their several week journey in May when the countryside was filled with new lambs and few tourists. The places they stayed were picturesque and relatively pricey. This is a good guide for the practical traveler.