France Books

As a person interested in the origins of imagination, creativity and spirituality, I've never felt as close to the source of these ethereal human qualities than through this book.

The descriptions written about these things for centuries are always limited by the term ineffable. The one area that has come closest to describing this domain is art.

Harriette Frances' one LSD experience in the early 60's, shattered her everyday world as she had wanted, but the hoped for reintegration of her psyche didn't occur for quite awhile until she was able to use the one tool at her disposal to describe her conflicted worlds: her art.

Yet her need to fulfill a lifetime obsession to create art was the source of the conflict that was causing pain to her, her husband and her children as she couldn't resolve this need with her culturally-defined roles of good wife and mother.

What emerged finally were a number of series of powerful drawings that arose like molten lava from her subconscious that encapsulated the rage and torment of her daily life.

As one views these images and reads Frances' own analyses of them--sometimes from a point of view many years removed from their creation--it is stunning to consider how much of who we are lies under the surface of our exterior demeanor and personality.

While our own depictions of our subconscious might not possess the sheer brutality or violent and erotic nature as hers, what is obvious is there is an enormous amount yet to be learned about our minds.

It seems apparent to me that if Harriette Frances had not had her LSD experience, which was the key that eventually unlocked what was hidden away in her subconscious, she would have become just another casualty of a mental health system which would have merely labeled her "psychotic"--and if further attempted suicides wouldn't have ended her suffering, she might easily have ended up first in a mental institution, then dumped onto the street when mental institutions were closed around the country in the 70's.

But perhaps the greater tragedy is that LSD, once a major research tool in this country and elsewhere was banned even for research and psychotherapeutic purposes when the government ignorantly and abominably overreacted to the unsupervised use of the substance in the 60's by young people whom the government feared they couldn't control to their satisfaction.

So at this point, "Drawing It Out" serves as a historical footnote to a period in our society that didn't yet fear itself and where the need for man to explore didn't include just outer space, but the even more incredible domains of our own inner space.

This is a profound and evocative portrayal in both artistic and literary modes of the authors' powerful psychedelic experiences.

There are many paintings done while under the influence of psychedelics. However, there are none that I am aware of that so exquisitely portray the developmental sequence of experiences during a session, or of the subsequent maturation that the session induced.

I have used these drawings in a variety of teaching formats and students are invariably impressed or even awed by them. I also am awed and delighted with what the artist has done and recommend the book highly.

Robert Elliott, A contemplative reader

There is a freshness about this work-in-two-media. With the rendering (and rending) of the artist's soul there is also, thank goodness, the reassurance of language-like a bridge over it's troubled waters. As a word person myself, I am particularly facinated by the picture part of the work, but also by the interplay between the two.

The essential candor of the visions demands from the artist an equal openness in the text, so that the two potentiate each other, so to speak, like the gin and vermouth which become something else in a successful martini. It is powerful stuff.

And then, too, William Blake, a master in two media, comes to mind. The probing and the sharing of the inner workings of a human being are about as intimate as one can get, aren't they? And yet, the artist's own determination to give an honest portrayal allow the work to transcend the wrenching experience of it's raw, very raw materials.

I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

This is a dramatic, moving and eloquent document. No hippie hunting ecstatic experience, no mere tripster, Sherana Harriette Frances records, in word and drawing, the symbolic death and rebirth of a woman artist through medically guided use of LSD, in the early sixties.

Every first generation American child of immmigrant parents lives in some degree the shock, the alientation from family and the necessarily sometimes brutal struggle to translate oneself out of the parental culture without destroying familial bonds.

Ms. Frances, in her agony of escape and rebirth from child of immigrant Cretan parents into her life of American woman artist, offers through these drawings, as well as in her own very literate written report, the agonizing stages of this liberation.

She has created an original testament to the profound struggle required and to the everlasting power of art to convey that struggle in appropriate metaphor.

She took the ancient Minoan bull of her ancestry by the horns and rode him to the kill - to her resurrection as American woman and as artist. Brava!...

"Drawing It Out" brings to mind the closing lyrics of the
title song from "Mash":

"'Cause suicide is painless.
It brings on many changes.
And I can take or leave it if I please.
...And you can do the same thing if you choose."

Like Suicide, Self Procreation/Re-Creation "brings on many
changes," but it's hardly ever Painless, as Ms. Frances'
gripping chronicle of her odyssey makes overflowingly clear.

The text is deceptively plain-spoken. Until well after the
fact, I scarecely realized how deftly she conveys complex,
elusive notions and feelings as if in a treasured letter
from a dear friend.

As for the images, words can't describe them. Powerful,
moving, disturbing, revealing, truthful, tormenting --
toss a stack of such adjectives into a hat and cook until
you concede that words can't describe these drawings.

"Drawing It Out" is an enthralling exhibit of a
Spiritual Epiphany -- "a sudden manifestation of the
essence or meaning of something" (American Heritage Dictionary).

Don't read "Drawing It Out" unless you're prepared to risk
the challenge of searching-out the Epiphany of YOUR Self...
Pretty Scary Thought, eh?

Very good book for kids who love dragons. We read this book many times, and my son still asks for more. The pictures are marvelous.

I was immediately drawn to the beautiful artwork of this book. The cover page was so very descriptive. The illustrations throughout the book are wonderful and very little text is needed to complement the art of the pictures. On the discovery of the egg in the henhouse, George takes the egg to his bedroom to keep it warm and safe until it hatches, reading to the egg all the while. George seems to believe that the egg can hear his words and continues to read to the egg. On hatching George continues to read to the dragon before bed each night after training the dragon during the day in dragonly characteristics. Reading plays an important part in the book, and is a good example to be setting for young people enjoying this book. The storyline and most especially the beautiful illustrations make this a really fantastic book for the young adventurer. All that is needed is an imagination and a sense of adventure to enjoy this book.

The Egg has some of the most beautiful drawings I have seen in a modern children's book. Even I found myself caught up in them.

The story is very pleasing as well. My son enjoyed learning about dragons and their "dragony ways." Although he was somewhat saddened at the end as he could not understand the need for the separation.

In all the books I have read, there has only been a few that have captured my attention and actually held it. But I have found what I have come to call a books soul or in simpler terms a books meaning. Yes this book was probably written for a young person, to put them to sleep or to just keep them occupied. But to a dragon lover this book is much more. It is in a way a ticket to another world. A world in which the imagination can be free to explore the deepest and darkest corners of the universe without being restrained by reality.
In this remarkable book there is a young boy, whose name is George, who discovers a large egg. After the egg hatches he and the dragon become great friends and they teach each other the importance of having a friend. While George teaches his new found friend all he could about being a dragon he couldn't give his friend one thing, another dragon to play with. If you want to find out what happens to this special young boy and his mystical flying friend than you want to read the book The Egg, by: M. P. Robertson.

Robertson, M.P. The Egg. New York: Phyllis Fogelman, 2001.

In The Egg, a little boy named George finds an enormous golden egg in his mother's chicken coop. He takes care of the egg until much to his surprise, it hatches into a dragon! George takes good care of the dragon until one day it leaves to find its own dragon kind. The little boy is sad and misses his good friend but receives a great surprise in the end that helps him deal with the fact that the dragon has to leave.
The Egg conveys a breakthrough in modern stereotypes. The big issue in this story that breaks through is the fact that a male character is doing the stereotypical "mothering." Starting at the very beginning of this story, the narrator stresses maternity and nurturing. Most of this is done through text but some through illustration. Most of the action pictures in this story take place on the right side of the page, setting up the anticipation of action on the next page. George finds an egg that a hen has laid, sits on top of, and keeps warm and protected in the hen house. In the full-page spread when George takes the egg inside, he immediately sits on top of it to keep it warm in his bed. In addition, the integral parts of the story, in which the dramatic action takes place between George and the dragon, and is very important for the flow of the story, appears as a full page of color with no white showing. When the author is trying to get a reader to focus on one thought or sentence, which is not as important or outstanding, he puts a small, colorful picture in the middle of a white page in order to draw your attention. George mimics the hen and takes care of the egg like he thinks a good mother would do with her young. The series of four pictures on the next page shows the egg hatching and George being pleasantly surprised that it is a dragon!
The first main time in the book when George obviously breaks through a modern stereotype is when the egg hatches, and the dragon says his first word to George: "mommy." This is taken to mean that the dragon wants the boy to be his mother, and George proceeds to take care of him like he thinks mothers do. George has obviously only ever been exposed to the traditional type of female mother figure; therefore these experiences shapes his behavior with the dragon. This is a prime example of how George breaks down traditional stereotypes because he is exhibiting a behavior that he has only learned, but does the job of "mother" so well that the dragon thinks that he is a mother. The narrator comments, "George had never been a mother before, but he knew that it was his motherly duty to teach the dragon dragony ways." Another series of pictures shows and describes how George teaches the dragon to fly, breath fire, help a damsel in distress, and defeat a knight. These lessons are synonymous with the integral and important things for dragons to know, and each one is taught to him by his "mommy." Again, George is "mothering" the dragon the only way he knows how; a way he learned from a woman, the central caregiver he has observed, and it makes no difference that he is male because he is only coping a behavior pattern. If George is the example, gender has nothing to do with good parenting.
The point in the story when George makes the largest noticeable break in stereotypical behavior, is a line that comes toward the end of the story. On a full color page, which makes it seem important, appears a night scene of the dragon and the little boy in a tree. It reads, "Every evening, as all good mothers should, George read the dragon a bedtime story." This is a great example of the proof that the behaviors he is exhibiting are stereotypical to female mothers. This indicates what a "good mother" does, but George, a male, does the "natural" things that mothers do, only he is a male. The great thing about this book is that a non-traditional character plays a traditional role. A male can be just as good a mother as a female simply because he has learned to reproduce mothering behavior. This book does a good job of showing that you do not need to be a female in order to be the picture of motherhood, you only need kindness, care and unconditional love associated with good mothering and learned rather than innate behaviors. All in all, this was simply a good, easy picture book for children, but it has a certain deeper context that we may not even notice until a child thinks it odd that a boy is doing the "motherly" jobs.

I love this book. The recipes are easy to cook and everything that I have tried so far has tasted superb! I really like the way the book is structured and illustrated. Many recipes come with a little story about specific ethnic restaurants in Paris where the author has found the dish.
It makes me want to go to Paris and visit every single one of them!
Some of the ingredients were not a regular staple in my kitchen, e.g. orange flower water, but it was relatively easy to get them.

I absolutely adore this cookbook/guidebook! I have given it as gifts to several of my friends who love food because the recipes are wonderful in how they taste and in the variety of offerings the authors provide. I love when a cookbook goes beyond recipes, though, and this one succeeds in every respect. The authors provide fascinating information about the food and about where and how to find the ingredients in Paris and elsewhere. I am delighted to have been introduced to harissa and arcan oil and use both now as staples in my cooking. The beet salad has now so impressed many of my dinner guests that they have refused to go home without the recipe. My husband and I have had the good fortune to try out some of the authors' restaurant recommendations and we have been delighted. I wish there were a similar book written for Seattle.

There are probably as many French cookbooks as there are ingredients, but Charlotte Puckette and Olivia Kiang-Snaije have created a category all of their own: a virtual tasting menu for Paris' restaurants that Parisians are likely use as a field guide when they tire of French cuisine.

Anybody can find their way to Notre Dame or the Louvre, but this is a must for anyone who wants to let their palate be their guide to Paris. And if you're not able to go, you can experience Paris' ethnic cuisine in your own kitchen -- assuming that you can find all of the ingredients you need to recreate the flavors that flow from the kitchens that are featured here.

This will this change the way you see, think about and taste Paris. Moreover, Puckette and Kiang-Snaije have created a new category that will force bookstores to create a new shelf in their cooking sections.

But since not all cities offer what Paris does, this is clearly the one to start with.

A fabulous cookbook and Paris guide all in one! The recipes are authentic yet not intimidating. There are some that the most novice cook could make and more complicated ones for the more adventurous cook. All are easy to read and the descriptions make you want to try every single one. Make sure and read every word because the more you read the more addictive it becomes. You begin to smell it and feel it, and can't wait to cook it and taste it. I have loved sharing this with my friends and family - a great gift for anyone who loves ethnic food. It has it all!!

I've ordered this as a gift for the food lovers I know, and of course, myself. Excellent layout, robust historical background in clear, economic writing and simple, tasty recipes I've never seen the likes of. This one stays out for use in the kitchen, and is beginning to show the signs of love with sticky rings and dog-eared pages.

I got a copy of this in a second-hand store when I was a kid and I've practically read the covers off. Absolutely magical. I have never read a better imagining of the Cinderella story.

you can not give this book enough stars. this book brings cinderella to the next level very tastefully. thank you to the author for this teenage level.

The book is very good story. The author has done a very good job of telling the story. I have readed this book since 6th grade and now I'm first year in college. I have enjoy this book every time I read it. I recommend it to every one.

I found it! Like one of the other reviewers, I read this book, and re-read it and re-read it, in Elementary school and loved it! The internet and places like Amazon.com have been a god-send for finding those treasures of childhood I thought I'd never see again. This remains to this day my very favorite version of the Cinderella story. Well worth the read no matter how old you are!

Like Robin Grunder's (New York, New York March 1999) review I just saw on this page, I had read this book (from my church library, no less!) when I was about 10-12 years old. I fell in love with it, and it left a marked impression upon me. Sort of "Cinderella at a whole 'nother level." But as a teenager I could not find the book anywhere. As a young adult, I would revert back to childhood books in times of stress (Madeleine L'Engle, Carolyne Keene) and looked for Eleanor's "Glass Slipper" many times to no avail. Then, in my late 30's, when Internet searching became all the rage, I one evening put the title in a search engine and VIOLA! There were several used (collectible) hardback copies available through Amazon.com! ... but I have my used 'library' copy and I'm ecstatic. I'll pass this on to my child's children, who will hopefully love reading as much as I do.

Frances Hesselbein is currently editor-in-chief of Leader to Leader quarterly. Previously, she served as CEO of the Girls Scouts of the USA and then as chairman and founding president of the Leader to Leader Institute, formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management. Her published works include this book as well as The Leader of the Future, co-edited with Marshall Goldsmith and Richard Beckhard; The Leader of the Future 2, co-edited with Goldsmith; and Be*Know*Do (an adaptation of the U.S. Army's leadership manual) to which she and General Eric K. Shinseki (USA Ret.) co-wrote the Introduction.

In his Foreword to this book, Jim Collins observes that Frances Hesselbein "grasped a central paradox of change: the organizations that best adapt to a changing world first and foremost know what should [begin italics] not [end italics] change. They have a foxed anchor of guiding principles around which they can more easily change everything else. They know the difference between what is truly sacred and what is not, between what should not change and what should always be open for change, between `what we stand for' and `how we do things'...Equally important, she exercised the discipline to say no to opportunities that did not fit the central mission." This brief excerpt from an uncommonly insightful analysis of Hesselbein's numerous and substantial contributions to knowledge leadership help to prepare the reader for the 19 essays that follow in which Hesselbein shares what she has learned about leadership that understands the importance of knowing that leaderships is much less about what one does, and much more about who one is.

The essays originally appeared over a period of three years, 1999-2002. After re-reading them, Hasselbein observes, "I found that I believe even more passionately in the whys [of leadership]: the values, the principles, the beliefs that define who we are, what we believe, what we do, and how we work with others, our fellow travelers on a shared journey to leadership in an uncertain world." In this volume, of all the challenges that CEOs face, she identifies those that have little to do with managing the enterprise's tangible assets (important though as they obviously are) and everything to do with monitoring the quality of leadership, the work force, and relationships.

More specifically, the "`how to be' leader knows that people are the organization's greatest asset and in word, behavior, and in relationships she or he demonstrates this powerful philosophy...builds dispersed and diverse leadership - distributing leadership to the outmost edges of the circle to unleash the power of shared responsibility...holds forth the vision of the organization's future in compelling ways that ignite the spark needed to build the inclusive enterprise...and [meanwhile] knows that listening to the customer and learning what he or she values - `digging in the field' - will be a critical component, even more so in the future than today."

My take on all this is that Hesselbein fully understands and appreciates the value of "know-how." Her key point (if I understand it) is that effective leadership can be provided only by what Bill George characterizes as "authentic" people: those who consistently demonstrate the values, the principles, the beliefs that define who they are, what they believe, what they do, and how they work with others. As George describes them, they demonstrate "the highest integrity, [are] committed to building enduring organizations...have a deep sense of purpose and are true to their core values...have the courage to build their companies to meet the needs of all stakeholders, and recognize the importance of their service to society."

Both Hesselbein and George are convinced, and I wholeheartedly agree, that the greatest leaders are those who develop and then sustain authentic leadership at all levels and in all areas of the given enterprise. Moreover, they are determined to be "good citizens." As Hesselbein explains, they believe "that the community is as much their business as is the business of their enterprise. They dedicate the same commitment to this job, the same forecasting, planning, marketing, and mobilization of energy and initiative, that they dedicate to building the enterprise within the walls."

Make no mistake about it: These are formidable challenges that Hesselbein poses to those who aspire to be leaders. "All the how to's in the world won't work until the `how to be's' are defined, embraced by the leaders, and embodied in every action, every communication, every leadership moment." Indeed, she continues, there must be "leaders of character at every level, leading the organization and the community of the future." Some may view that challenge as "unrealistic." It isn't. Others may view it as "idealistic." It is...and that is the most important lesson all of us can learn, not only from what she has written but from what she has been and continues to be.

Frances is a special and extraordinary role model who shares her insights and encourages others to reach for their maximum leadership potential. The creativity within her advice is engaging and inspirational. This is a great book for young leaders and those who are developing goals and a vision for their career and personal success.

Hesselbein on Leadership should be on all leaders "must read list". Frances has taken the multidementional, quantum complexity of leadership and given timely gifted guidence in language and concepts that are understood by the intellect in addtion to being rocognized by the soul.

Her thoughtful and thought provoking words are a call for the action of "being" not just "doing". Every sentence rings with truth and power. This is a book you will return to again and again.

This book was first mentioned to me at a Leadership presentation at one of the not-for profit organizations I serve, and then again a short while later at a UCI Graduate School of Management presentation by a local executive. This is a delightful small book filled with some good advice, pithy sayings and leadership insights. Hesselbein lives up to her reputation in this compendium of essays on Leadership. I rather like books of essays because often each chapter, or essay, stands on its own and can be read or re-read as the need arises.

Hesselbein writes in a clear and conversational manner that makes it easy to understand her point. But one should not be lulled into complacency while enjoying her most readable style for the insights to be shared are important and many. She points out with great understatement that "Leadership is a matter of how to be rather than how to do it." She offers as whole new way of organizing our enterprises as she explains "Managing in a World That Is Round." This book will find its best use for those managers looking for a metaphor or simple explanation to share with others in the organization such complex topics as organizational change, behavior, and interaction with the environment. It will be on my reference shelf for a long time to come.

Frances Hesslebein is one of the world's greatest leaders. In fact, Peter Drucker (no "easy grader") said that she was the most effective executive that he had ever met.
_Hesselbein on Leadership_ is a compilation of her wonderful essays (largely from the journal "Leader to Leader").
In a world where many leaders have gone for the "quick buck", it is gratifying to hear from someone who is interested in "doing what is right".
Her writing, like her leadership, is direct, honest and to the point. Unlike some leaders who specialize in slogans, she is someone who only writes about what she believes in and is willing to live.
Her work has the unique quality of being both timeless and refreshing.

1. Is this an in depth presentation?

Charles and Francis are on a mission! They want all believers in Jesus Christ to be able to heal the sick, cast out devils and to operate in the supernatural. This is their motivation for writing How to heal the sick and they make it clear in chapter 1: Double vision for a single mission.
Their main aim for writing this book was to increase the faith of the readers while introducing them to various aspects of the healing ministry. The book is a good introduction to the healing ministry, covering various ways of healing and many testimonies. I would not regard the book as an in depth representation.

2. Did I agree with the way that the author interprets scripture?

Yes! I especially appreciated the way Francis interprets the story of Elijah's "death" in chapter 7. The principle is that just as Elisha SAW Elijah being taken up to heaven and because of that received the double portion, so we too must continually look at our situations with spiritual eyes. We must apply our faith to Holy Spirit inspired visions and persevere until it comes to past.
It is also clear that Charles and Francis interprets scripture by applying a childlike faith, thereby gaining access to power of God. It is reading, interpreting and applying scripture in this way that has the power to save lives.

3. Was there any new information?

This book has been a rehash of many of the things that I have learnt so far this year. Even so, there were a few things that were new information to me:
* The discussion in Chapter 18 about the benefits and healing achieved by growing out arms and legs.
* The revelation in Chapter 7 of Elisha "seeing" his destiny was not altogether new (it was covered in the book by David Yonggi Cho called The Fourth Dimension), but I found it to be very helpful.
* The discussion in Chapter 6 about SPEAKING to the mountain. Francis emphasises that it is not "Whatsoever ye pray" but "Whatsoever ye say unto the mountain" that will bring results.
* I also found Chapter 5 - Let the sick lay hands on you - very interesting.

4. What impact did the book have on me?

Francis and Charles are spirit filled and anointed and boy, do they know it!! If they are not speaking to the mountain, they are laying hands on the sick or having the sick lay hands on them! What I took from this book is a whole dosage of faith. Faith that God wants to heal people. Faith that God wants us to be acquainted with the supernatural and want us to flow in it as if it is natural. Once again, I was impressed with God's heart towards people. God is so generous with His healing power and I just sense that God wants all his children to flow in the power so that He can heal the whole world!

Coming from a Fundamental Baptist background, I was extremely skeptical about this book and the ideas in it. I must admit though when I reasoned with my spirit and not my mind, I could truly understand the Biblical relevance of healing and miracles for today! After applying the principles taught in this book, my husband's legs have grown to be even, his spine was straightened, my arms are now the same length, my spine has straightened, and my husband has administered healing to others as well. Excellent, excellent book.

Even if you don't agree with everything in the book, as I did not, you will see the love of Jesus in the authors and the fruit of their absolutely child-like faith.

Hallelujah!

In 1996, I was invited to teach in a Spiritual Warfare Bible College in Goiania, Brazil. During that year I was given one of Charles and Frances Hunter's books entitled, "How to Heal the Sick". That little book made such an impact in my life as I began to pray for the sick everywhere and they were getting healed. I recall studying and applying the principles described in the book, and teaching and encouraging my students to do the same. Some of the students got healed during the classes after experiencing God's power, then they themselves began to pray for people outside the classroom: in their homes, in churches, in hospitals, and on the streets. People were getting healed on a daily basis! They were being healed from all kinds of sicknesses and diseases as well as delivered from Satan's bondage.

Not sure of God's plan for your life? Are you sick ? The Hunter's break open God's word to give conclusive proof that God wants you healed today. Don't give sickness one more moment than you have to. They have the experience to back up there words !!

This book kept me at the edge of my seat from start to finish. There is so much to learn from this book. This book is very thought & prayer provoking. I can not encourage you enough to read this book because it is so inspiring.

The Bulletins of the Napoleon's Grande Armee was in essence, nothing more then newsletters written for French army personals and their opponents. The author did the Napoleonic community a great service by making this book available in English, the complete set of Napoleon's Bulletins. The book also included other pages of history as Napoleons' decrees, treaties that was signed and even military reports.

The Bulletins shows exactly what it supposed to be, a newsletter written for military consumption, and it was geared not only for the French army but also for their enemies. Thus, you will have not only the truth in those bulletins but also misinformation. It does boggled the mind to realized such effort was made to both informed and misinformed both sides of the battle line. As one previous reviewer wrote, a propaganda sheet. But it seems to work. If I was a French soldier reading these bulletins, it would be informative and if I was a their enemy, I would be misinformed. The bulletins also serves to give recognition to troops for their services or valor, both as an unit or as indivduals. These bulletins and its accompanying documents gives a clear inside view of how war looks to the men fighting it.

However, unlike the other reviewers, I would say this much. I don't think this book is for everyone. Readers with limited background in Napoleonic military history will undoubtfully be totally confused or be misinformed themselves. Most of the bulletins were written with the understanding that people reading them knows who "Duke of Auerstadt" and what corps he commanded. It was written for people who already know what went on previously. I don't believed this is a book for beginners into this subject but someone who already have a good understanding of the Napoleonic wars and its terrains, leaders and troop types.

A valuable book, a "must have" in any Napoleonic library and almost a mandatory reading material for any experienced Napoleonic reader.

Thanks to David Markham, Executive Vice-President of the International Napoleonic Society, we now possess the great treasure from the Napoleonic times - the Bulletins of the Grande Armée, 1805-1815. This is the first time that all of them have been translated into English, assembled in chronological order and put together in one source, and thus presents an important source of information of the epoch. Now, when one is about to read any book on Napoleon's campaigns, Imperial Glory will present an indespensable source of understanding the epoch, including operations and movement of the troops. By all means it should serve as desktop reference book for any serious scholar and student!
True, Napoleon's bulletins were written and published for propaganda purposes, although admitting certain facts, loses and misfortunes. For example, during the First Polish Campaign, 1806-1807, in the first day of battle at Eylau, 7 February 1807, the 2nd bataillon of the 18th Line Regiment lost its Eagle and color to the St.-Petersburg's Dragoons; this loss was admited in the Bulletin!
Generally, this book could serve as a good starting point for anyone who is interested in Napoleonic history. Comparing what's written in this or that document with an actual event of the campaign, one could find very interesting facts which might move to conduct another, more thorough research on this or that event. It is also very useful for re-enactors (the author of this review is one) because it presents important information on all aspects of various troop movements, operations and achievements; it will help them to understand epoch they recreate in more colorful aspects and on various levels.
Overall, we need more books like this! Highly recommended!

Greenhill books and David Markham have hit a home run with this magnificent collection of the Bulletins of Napoleon's Grande Armee. This is the first time they have been collected together and published in English. This book is a wonderful reference work, and if definitely fills in a very large blank in the history of the period.

There are some who would doubt the usefulness of the Bulletins as historical reference. It is true that they were used as propaganda, but it is also true that they were full of accurate information as well as some misinformation, deliberately put in them by the Emperor. There are two things that must be remembered when talking of Napoleon's Bulletins. First, they were never intended as history; second, Napoleon was the first European ruler to speak directly to his people, and the Bulletins was one of the ways in which he did it.

An interesting facet of this volume is that it contains more than just the published Bulletins. There is other relevant correspondence of the period, one of the most interesting is the death warrant issued against Austrian General Chasteler by Napoleon for his conduct regarding French and Bavarian prisoners during the Tyrol uprising in 1809. Apparently, he allowed prisoners taken by troops under his command to be murdered, and did nothing about it. There was a price on his head, but unfortunately he got away. This is but one of the valuable gems that you will find in the pages of this most excellent of volumes.

This book is highly recommended and it should be on the bookshelf of every enthusiast of the period. Much useful information and knowledge can be gleaned from these pages, and the author has definitely made his mark with this volume.

J. David Markham has compiled the first English language translation of all of the bulletins of the Grande Armée from 1805 to 1814. In addition, he has included reports from marshals and the major general of the army, Marshal Alexander Berthier. Markham has written an excellent introduction that he calls "A modern view of Napoleon's bulletins" in which he points out the strengths and weaknesses in the use of these documents. The book also contains the bulletins of Marshal Masséna's Army of Italy in 1805; a selected guide to men and their titles; a partial list of other important individuals mentioned in the bulletins; and a very good index, all of which make it very user-friendly for scholars doing research on Napoleon, his generals, and/or the Napoleonic wars.

These bulletins also provide a real insight into Napoleonic propaganda. They were written for publication in the Monitor, the official government newspaper, to bolster moral and support on the home front and to raise the moral of the troops on campaigns. Thus, when he deemed it wise or necessary, the Emperor was given to exaggerate his successes and accomplishments and those of his armies while playing down his reversals and setbacks.

Nevertheless, the bulletins provide a wealth of information on Napoleon, his armies, and men who fought those wars. Markham has provided a major contribution to Napoleonic studies by making the bulletins available in the English language in one concise volume. It will be a welcomed addition to individual libraries and a must for colleges and universities where French history is taught.

John G. Gallaher
Professor Emeritus of History
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
Author, The Iron Marshal: A Biography of Louis N. Davout; Napoleon's Irish Legion; General Alexandre Dumas: Soldier of the French Revolution.

Occasionally a new book is released that is so important to the study of the Napoleonic era that it immediately falls into the "must have" category for both Napoleonic scholars and enthusiasts. Imperial Glory is such a book. David Markham has assembled for the first time, all of the bulletins written by Napoleon between 1805 and 1812. Many of them have never been translated into English before, while others were only available to the serious scholar. Additionally, Mr. Markham also checked the translations of those bulletins that had been translated in the 19th Century and found many errors in them.

Napoleon used his bulletins for a variety of reasons: to inform the public and his soldiers of the progress of his campaigns, to praise his soldiers and their officers for the actions, and to ensure his enemies heard of his triumphs. They were published in the government's official newspaper, Le Moniteur, and often hung on doors and posted in public squares throughout the Empire. The veracity of the bulletins has always been open to question, with one of the most frequently used expressions from the Napoleonic era being, "To lie like a bulletin."

Although many of these bulletins were published for propaganda purposes, Mr. Markham does point out most are "reasonably accurate." Furthermore, he writes "[Napoleon's] losses were sometimes described as 'considerable', and he would list specific officers that were lost, along with the numbers of men killed, wounded or taken prisoners."

In addition to all 183 bulletins written from 1805 and 1812, Imperial Glory contains 170 other documents, many of which have never been published in English before. Broken down by year, the book includes:

1805

37 Bulletins of the Grande Armée (complete)
9 Bulletins of Masséna's Army of Italy (complete)
9 Proclamations
3 Decrees
2 Orders of the Day
3 Letters
1 Armistice
1 Treaty of Peace

1806-1807

87 Bulletins (complete)
4 Proclamations
1 Letter
1 Armistice between France and Prussia
1 Armistice between France and Russia
1 Treaty between France and Prussia
1 Treaty between France and Russia

1809

30 Bulletins (complete)
4 Proclamations
2 Proclamations of the King of Saxony
2 Orders of the Day
2 Reports by the Viceroy (Eugène)
3 Letters
1 Treaty between France and Austria

1812

29 Bulletins (Complete)
1 Final dispatch from Paris
1 Order of the Day
1 Letter
21 Field Reports, including:
5 Reports from Marshal Ney
4 Reports from Marshal Murat
2 Reports from Marshal Davout
2 Reports from Eugène
2 Reports from Marshal St Cyr
1 Report of Marshal Macdonald
1 Report from Marshal Oudinot
1 Report from Prince Poniatowski
1 Report from Prince Schwarzenberg
1 Report of Russian General Wittgenstein to Tsar Alexander
1 Report from General Wrede

1813

51 Reports from Le Moniteur, which often include reports from multiple days
2 Proclamations
2 Reports from Marshal Berthier
1 Report from General Vandamme
1 Report from Marshal Ney
1 Report from General Milhaud
6 Letters
1 Armistice

1814

23 Reports from Le Moniteur, including two "bulletins" at the end of the campaign
2 Proclamations
1 Decree
1 Order of the Day
2 Speeches
1 Act of Abdication

The collection of material is by campaign, with a separate chapter covering the different campaigns fought in that year or years. Within each chapter, the material is also arranged chronologically. This is an ideal arrangement, for not only does it permit the reader to follow the campaigns as seen through the official press releases, but it also provides great insight into how Napoleon managed his propaganda campaign.

The supplementary material is fascinating. I found particularly interesting the after-action reports on various battles written by the unit commander to the Imperial Headquarters. These reports were not written for public consumption and often were the first communication between a subordinate commander and the army headquarters. These reports contain information that would not necessarily be placed in the bulletins. Mr. Markham also included all the bulletins written by Marshal Masséna in 1805. He was in command of the Army of Italy and operating as an independent commander. Masséna's bulletins are in chronological order and interspersed with Napoleon's. Reading them together will give the reader a good feel for the two individuals' writing styles.

Mr. Markham and Greenhill Books are to be commended for making available to the public, material that has long been inaccessible to all but those with extensive libraries. Imperial Glory is an impressive collection of documents that every Napoleonic library should own. Do not delay buying Imperial Glory. It will be snatched up quickly and soon will be out of print.

Diane Stanley, author of a series of high-quality biographies for children, does it again: Joan of Arc is intelligent and interesting with eye-popping illustrations. Of course the story is tragic, so this is not a good first biography for the young, tender-hearted child. The only thing missing is a real sense of the supernatural, what drove Joan to do what she did in the first place. If you're looking for the miraculous in your retelling of Joan's story, choose instead Josephine Poole's breathtaking "Joan of Arc."

Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc should be recommended for teens 13-16. I thought it was kind of hard to understand because I got 60% on this Accelerated Reader test. I didn't understand the Crowning of the Kings and Princesses very well. I would rate this a 6/10 in a rating.
It taught me about how some people can get so sick of things that you would do anything to save your country. This book is cool because of the pictures of the war.

Not only was this an accurate portrayal of Joan of Arc's story, it was wonderfully written and illustrated. I would recommend it for anyone who is starting out in learning of the saint. It is educational and enjoyable for a child.

Once again, Diane Stanley has brought intriguing facts and interesting tidbits to a book about a well known character, Joan of Arc, which makes the reader interested and excited about the subject, no matter what age he or she might be. Joan was born an illiterate, peasant daughter of a leader in a French village during the time of the Hundred Years War between France and England. She was highly disciplined in Catholicism, and was often teased about it by her friends. At the age of thirteen, Joan began having visions, while in the family garden, of various Catholic Saints giving her distressing messages and that she needed to act in order to save the French Kingdom. Joan was so convinced and moved by these visions that she took on a life long task of saving the French kingdom, although a woman doing this would have been unheard of at the time. She was eventually captured by the Burgundies that occupied Northern France and handed over to the English for a ransom. She was put on trial by the church for dressing in men's clothing and for acting on her voices and visitations which should have only been heard by members of the clergy. She was found guilty, although she gave clever testimony and was not easily disrupted by tricky questioning, and eventually burned at the stake. Charles, the ruler that Joan help restore to the crown, made it his personal mission to have Joan's trial declared a mistrial sixteen years after her death. This act fueled by his guilt for not negotiating for her release from prison helped her to be declared a saint five hundred years later.
This book helps the reader realize that although Joan my have appeared unstable with her visions in modern times, she brought hope and life to a battle that was hopeless leaving many French residents in despair. A note at the end of the book indicates that there have been three theories behind Joan's visions, depending on where one's personal beliefs lie.
Included within the book are pronunciations of French names and places and a map, so the reader can follow the path taken by Joan. This book provides interesting and understandable information for readers of all ages, including adults that want a short but informative look into Joan of Arc's life.

A beautiful book! Diane Stanley carefully traces the life of Joan from her humble beginnings to her tragic end. The book even comes with a pronunciation guide to help those of us who haven't been to France. Although the language is at 8+ year old range, my 5 year old daughter loves it anyway!

We own a copy of 'Little Known Museums in and Around Paris', and after over 18 years of visiting Paris and its many Great museums, we found that we still missed 12 out of the 30 museums listed in her book.Now we can't wait to go back and visit these 12 that Ms. Kaplan has so thoroughly and appealingly described, with the many magnificent photos and well researched text, this is a book to savour in an armchair, or to use to preview your next trip. We have already put 'The Fan Museum' and the 'Maurice Ravel Museum' on our 'MUST SEE', for our upcoming summer trip. Thank you for listening.

Lana & Murray Singer (New York City)

Rachel Kaplan's engaging little book is a fascinating guide to some of the many museums in and around Paris that do NOT make it into the big guidebooks. Everyone has heard of the Louvre, the Orsay, even the Musee Rodin, but what about the others? Some of them are small museums run by devoted individuals; at least one (the Musee de la Marine in the Trocadero complex) is, I believe, run by the French government.

This is a book badly in need of updating. Three years ago, when I used to to visit the Maison de Balzac on Rue Raynouard, the information on transportation, hours, and addresses was of relatively recent vintage and, consequently, more trustworthy.

While Kaplan's contributions are wonderful and the many black and white and color photographs memorable, the publisher did a very mediocre job of presentation. I do not care for the book's alphabetic orientation and deplore the unhelpful single map.

One more negative: There are many other small museums in Paris that are not even mentioned in passing, such as the Musee de la Serrure (locks, keys, and door knockers); Musee de la Poste (mail service); Musee Guimet (Oriental art); the new museum of Jewish history near the Pompidou Center -- to mention just a few.

And yet, I look forward in a couple of weeks to visiting the Musee Delacroix and the Musee Cognac-Jay, neither of which appear in my other guidebooks. This is a very useful book for those who wish to explore lesser-known parts of the City of Lights. I look forward to a new edition which will make it even more useful.

We recently used this guide extensively while in Paris for a week. Having done the usual "big name" tourist stops, we were looking for a convenient way to see Paris in-depth. This book met our needs completely. I am looking forward to more work from this author.

Whether you're on your first trip to Paris, or a regular visitor, Rachel Kaplan's "Little Known Museums in and Around Paris is a gem. Forget the crowds at the Louvre and Orsay! Follow Rachel's advice and seek out Balzac's home, Maillol's or Zadkine's sculptures, Delacroix's paintings ... Rachel's scholarship and lively style make you want to leave the beaten track and head for these less-famous, less-crowded, first-rate museums.

Racheal Kaplan's Little-Known Musemus in and around Paris includes reviews of thirty museums and appealing subjects such as the homes of famous authors (i.e. Dumas and Balzac), museums of science, and the decorative arts. Ms. Kaplan is an exceptional raconteur and brings Paris alive with her use of interesting anecdotes, historical facts, and high quality photographs. For the Paris traveler that wants to put a human face to this beautiful city, I would recommend Little-Known Museums in and around Paris.

Ms. Burleigh's Mirage is an excellent account of the invasion of Egypt by Napoleon's army, and the French intellectual Savants that accompanied the military on this ill-conceived and failed military expedition. The accounts of the physical trials, successes, and failures of the Savants is profoundly interesting.

Ms. Burleigh's depth of research on the subject was very good. She provides many detailed accounts and examples, taken from first hand journals, that provide the reader with first-hand accounts of a very trying period in French and Egyptian history.

For those interested in this period of colonial French history; interested in the Egyptian art, architecture and culture; and the practical application of 18th century science to the infancy of archaeology, this is a must read for you.

This is a terrific book. I highly recommend it to almost anyone. All you need is an interest in history or science or adventure or foreign affairs or botany or ancient Egypt. On many levels, this book is fun and informative. And it's all true. For flavor, it's like Indiana Jones meets Albert Einstein meets James Audubon. It's hard to put down.

The story concerns Napoleon's foray into Egypt in 1799. Ostensibly it was to expand scientific knowledge of this ancient and mysterious land. In reality, it was the start of the anticipated conquest and annexation of Egypt. As the British did with India (i.e., creating a far-east outpost), the French were hoping to do with Egypt. But things did not go exactly as planned.

In other books on the subject, the focus is on the military aspect of the expedition. About 50,000 soldiers and sailors accompanied Napoleon. In Mirage, the author (Nina Burleigh) focuses on the 151 scientists (or savants) who also accompanied him. Here, the savants are the "heroes." We learn of their trials, tribulations, and successes.

Each chapter concerns a different savant and their respective expertise: botany, math, medicine, engineering, art, etc. Through the eyes of learned gents, we learn about Egypt, the parochial views of 19th century Europe, and the folly of imperialism. It's a terrific perspective that is told in an easily accessible style.

Burleigh keeps up the suspense. She covers many academic fields but does not overwhelm a reader. It's a fun read and you can't help but learn. For example, she describes the savants' discoveries while stuck in desert sands. She puts discoveries in the context of the time and shows how some still apply, like Fourier's math work.

The only knock on the book, and it is minor, is that it lacks a map of the region. Readers should print one before starting the book.

Though I normally don't read nonfiction, Mirage immediately drew me in with its vivid descriptions of this strange, historic expedition. Aptly titled, the book chronicles Napoleon's disastrous foray into Egypt in pursuit of some exotic, orientalist fantasy that never existed in reality. Aping Alexander, Napoleon took with him some of the best and most adventurous French intellectuals of the time. These scientists and academics, or "savants," become the core of the narrative -- distinct and eccentric characters that I followed with interest. Some of the situations the savants found themselves in were truly surreal -- but despite the hardships and suffering they endured during the journey, they were able to expand their fields of study -- and even discover the Rosetta Stone!

I knew very little about this expedition -- or this period in history -- but the book is enormously informative, with loads of facts as well as being entertaining, and in spite of myself I learned a lot! As I read I kept thinking of our current fiasco in Iraq, which seems to repeat in so many ways the arrogance and ignorance of Napoleon and his French soldiers. So the book is amazingly timely as well.

A great read and a well-written, fascinating book! I recommend it highly.

Nina Burleigh paints a vivid picture of the curious minds of the scientists who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt, a land beyond their imagination.

The scientists' desire to understand what they were seeing and to map, catalogue, paint--and in some ways, dominate--this exotic place feels real. Though the cast of characters is large, and occasionally unwieldy, the book draws fine portraits of individuals, many of whom are worthy of their own biographies. And Mirage projects a sense of excitement about learning that is contagious.

Many people have read about Napoleon's invasion of Egypt and of the many scientists and engineers who accompanied him. However, many history books usually allot but a few pages perhaps to this important event, which led, among other things, to the discovery of the Rosetta Stone. The author of this book has done an excellent job of focusing entirely on Napoleon's Egyptian campaign with particular emphasis on the many "savants" who were charged with studying and documenting this ancient land. The many hardships that they endured are vividly described, as are their relationships with the French military and the local inhabitants. The author's writing style is accessible, friendly, authoritative and most engaging, making this a work that is difficult to put down. This account indeed forms an excellent link between the decaying ruins of an ancient civilization and the birth of modern Egyptology. This is a book that can be enjoyed by everyone, but history buffs, particularly those with a fascination for Egypt, will likely relish it the most.