England Books

Pete Best occupies a place in history worthy of a great Shakespearian character. He was the Beatles' original drummer who was sacked in favor of Ringo Starr at the precise moment the band was offered a recording contract by George Martin of E.M.I. Records. Best and co-author Patrick Doncaster tell the whole early Beatles saga, sparing us few details of the carousing, pranks and debauchery, but also imparting the fun, cameraderie, and musical growth of the Fab Four in those heady Mersyside days. I was expecting a fun read when I bought this book, but never expected the haunting, spooky feeling that remained after I finished the last chapter entitled "Down Among the Ghosts." In this short final chapter, Pete describes his emotions today when he wanders down into his mother's basement, the site of the former Casbah Club, one of the original Beatles venues. Here he lets himself travel back in his mind's eye to the rollicking days when Liverpool's musical explosion was going full tilt; and the bands, the screaming girls, the laughter, and dreams of glory were his everyday reality. In these visits, he conjures up the many departed people and former friends who poured downstairs each night. He sometimes takes a few whacks at his little brother's drum kit which sits by the old coffee bar. Then, he lets the cloud of memory evaporate, and climbs back up the stairs as today's Pete Best, a civil-servant living not far from his old home. Really a unique and amazing read!

In a sense Pete Best was a winner of another kind.
He made a succesful marriage for one thing and after 1995 a lot of money.
His recording career in the States came to nothing and yet the songs were typical Merseybeat,mostly written by Waddington and Bickerton who would achieve success in the 70s with a string of hits by the Rubettes.
Also overlooked is the fact that he was the only one of the 1962 Beatles who got a Decca recording contract

Wow. I read this book and enjoyed it immensely. It is the most honest account I have read in years.
Pete Best was with the Beatles during the early sixties, when they had yet to hit the big time. They spent several months in Hamburg, just learning their trade. He was with them through the Cavern Club years and the Decca audition. But just when things started to go right for the band, he was sacked.
Why?
We don't know. Pete says that he still doesn't know after all these years.
You may expect the book to be bitter about the Beatles success - but it isn't. You may expect him to bad mouth the band throughout - but he doesn't. He paints them in a remarkably nice light, that comes across as both honest and believable.
He recounts tales about drugs, drink and girls - and describes the personalities of the big bands they met - Tony Sheridan and Gerry and the Pacemakers for example.
And he also gallently talks about the day he was sacked, and the reasons why he thinks they did it.
The prologue at the end that describes his subsequent career shows that we shouldn't be sorry for him at all... What we wouldn't give to be at the heart of that!

Highly recomending this book for any Beatles Fans.
Anyone who is interested in the early Beatles History
this is a must read....
I finished reading this book in just under two days.
And like another reviewer I also found myself unable to put it down! It just drawns you in.
I came away with a different prospective on Pete,
really not knowing much about him or his life except that he was the original drummer for the Beatles.
I actually bought this book to be autogrpahed as I was going to see him the following week and lucky the book arrived in time..
A must have!!!!!

Just by chance, I picked this book up at a Tower Records, and found myself unable to put it down! Pete Best sounds like a true, honest to goodness gentleman, and I must admit that his firing is by far one of the more seedier, dirtier chapters of Beatle lore. Pete gives excellent insight into these first few years that helped bring rise to Beatlemania. I especially found his story about the George Harrison illness episode to be utterly haillarious! I won't tell anymore about it; read for yourself. The reader is given a very there-as-it-happened feeling. As far as Pete's drumming goes, a Keith Moon he was not, but he did what was required and being a drummer myself, I think the whole thing about not being good enough was a wrong assesment. I was very pleased to read this book and know that Pete has handled himself in his later years very well after the incident involving his being fired from the group. I understand he's now doing the lecture circuit routine. Good for you Pete; you deserve your fair share of acknowledgement; you helped get the Beatles to the level of success they achieved. Highly recommended!

Anne Boleyn is supposedly in my family tree and I was very much interested in yet another take on her life story. Can't wait to dig a little deeper.

Anne Boleyn stands alone in her garden taking in the tranquility and joy of her surroundings, before her life is changed forever when she is summoned to court to serve for Katherine of Arragon - Queen of England. It was while serving the Queen that she caught the attention of Henry VIII - King of England and husband to Katherine. Anne, though, is deeply in love with Harry Percy. It was an innocent day when Princess Mary stumbled upon the two young lovers revealing them to the King. It set his blood on fire and in a jealous rage he separated the two lovers - married one off never to have a private moment again. For Anne it was outrage and anger that drove her into the King's arms as his mistress - wife - mother of his child and the betrayal that led to her death.

History documents well the chain of events that led up to Anne's execution, however many authors are not able to capture the woman, Anne was so passionately human - flawed yet unique. It was interesting reading Anne's perspective on things, how her anger at the control a King has over one's person drove her ambitious greed. She was not well liked by the public and yet held her head up high. She had her moments of complete grief and guilt over events that transpired to her and her family and ones who were fiercely loyal to her. The flow of the novel, richness in details, and characterizations of well known historical figures are spell binding, enhancing the feel of the period, transporting you back there watching on the sidelines.

BRIEF GAUDY HOUR was originally published in 1949 - I did not know this until after I read the novel. While it was certainly tame in the sensual sense, the tension and desire between these two people was abundantly clear - right up to the end of the novel where Anne was secretly hoping for a reprieve. One that never came from the man she had come to love over the years. Margaret Campbell Barnes developed and told Anne's story with raw emotion, that drew me in and made me feel for her and I developed a better understanding of what life was possibly like for her and the personal tragedy she surely endured. Brief Gaudy Hour is a novel that captures the spirit and essence of Anne Boleyn, and it's a novel that any historical fiction enthusiast will enjoy and ponder over for days to come.

The basics of the story of Anne Boleyn are well known, but the person herself is another story. Was she a witch? A vindictive, heartless seductress? Did she commit adultery or incest? Numerous presentations of Anne exist in literature and history; Margaret Campbell Barnes brings the woman to life in this ageless historical novel.

Barnes' portrait of Anne is logical and realistic. How much power did a woman in the 1500's really have in her own right? Beyond the running of a household, very little! The Howard and Boleyn family men strove for power and position in the court of Henry Tudor, and used the young women of the family branches as strategic pawns in their grasping ascension to the top.

Anne Boleyn was raised in the country, schooled in flirtation and manners in the French court, and brought back to England to make a "successful" marriage. History documents that she and Henry Percy of Northumberland fell in love but were forbidden to marry, a decision informed purportedly by the King's jealous coveting of Anne. Anne's sister Mary is widely believed to have been the King's mistress, and one Boleyn simply wasn't enough for Henry. Anne finds herself trapped in the sights of a King whose selfishness, obsessiveness and possessiveness were infamous then and now. That Anne was able to ward off his advances for years and use the attention to her personal gain & that of her family is the real mystery to the story.

Margaret Campbell Barnes provides rationale for Anne's behaviors (desire to hurt one who hurt her by denying him the thing he most wants), and also humanizes them by showing Anne softening to Henry, admiring him, basking in the attention and power he gave to her, and truly growing affectionate to him over time. She feels torn between necessity and guilt over her interference in his relationship with his daughter Mary. In a society that did not value women beyond their ability to bed and breed, Anne used the only things of real value she had (her looks, charm and body) to sustain herself and flourish as long as possible.

This is a classic, easy to read and easy to believe story of Anne Boleyn's life.

"Brief Gaudy Hour" will always remain by far my favourite tale of Anne Boleyn. Indeed, there are some historical inaccuracies as it was first published in 1949 before the advent of several definitive Boleyn biographies, but the author has an engaging style and a keen eye for rich period detail. I first devoured this rather surprisingly sexy book over 30 years ago and I can still recite some of its more dramatic sentences. It is a must-read for Anne fans. I am perhaps most impressed by the book's restrained ending. Margaret Campbell Barnes does not over extend the story but simply ends it with the exact minute of Anne's death - "And in that moment, mercifully, the French executioner swung his sharp sword and struck." Wonderful stuff. The author's sympathy for Anne and for many of those who surrounded her "verily" shines through. The book launched me on a life time journey into Tudor history and I will never forget the awe I felt when tracing the entwinned H&A hidden in a stone archway in Hampton Court.

This is a wonderful work of historical fiction in which the author weaves gossamer threads of fact and fiction around Anne Boleyn, one of the most intriguing and enigmatic women who ever lived. She was a woman who would change the face of England by holding out for a crown that she would wear for a scant three years. Her will to be crowned a Queen would pave the way for the Reformation to take root in England.

About a third of the book is devoted to establishing Anne's relationship to her family, friends, and early admirers. It details her first love affair, that with Henry Percy, the heir to the Earl of Northumberland, said to have been the love of her life, until Cardinal Wolsey, at the behest of King Henry VIII, nipped it in the bud, causing him to incur Anne's lifelong enmity. This portion of the book sets the tone for the rest of the book, grounding the events that were to follow in the context out of which they arose.

When King Henry VIII finally made his intentions clear, Anne had no interest in ending up as the King's discarded mistress, as had Mary, her younger sister. Instead, she led King Henry VIII a merry chase for many years, refusing to become his mistress despite his ardent wooing. He became bewitched by her very being, so irresistible did he find this cultivated and intelligent young woman. Anne, however, always kept her eye on the prize, seemingly oblivious to the pain that she was causing her rival, Katharine of Aragon, Henry's wife and Queen of England.

Henry, who was desperate to secure a male heir for the throne of England, eventually set in motion a series of events that were to have great ramifications for Catholicism in England. It would cause Henry to set aside his wife of twenty years so that he could marry Anne Boleyn and have her crowned Queen of England. It would set the stage for the Reformation in England. It would also bring about the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey, the man for whom Anne had no love and in whose destruction she positively reveled.

Without the cautionary, staying influence of Wolsey, however, Anne would find herself unable to rein in her husband. She would see him begin to turn from a loving husband and genial king into the tyrannical despot he would eventually become. She would find herself powerless against him and without influence but would not realize it until it was too late. When Anne failed to deliver the promised male heir, having only given him the Princess Elizabeth, she found that he wished to rid himself of her by any means necessary. After having been Queen of England for nearly three years, Anne would be convicted of treason of the foulest sort and condemned to die a traitor's death.

This well-written book is one that those who like historical fiction will enjoy. It is rich with period detail, replete with all the pomp and circumstance of the Tudor court. It also paints a well-drawn portrait of one of the most fascinating women in history.

I thoroughly enjoyed this poignant and earthy novel of contemporary sea life - a modern day classic that wrestles with the angst of adolescence, chronicles the siren call of the sea - it's seductive rhythms, drama and dangers, and addresses the coming-of-age transition of young adulthood with its inherent and conflicting forces of rejection and acceptance. At the heart of the writer's understated style lies a belief in the humanity of man, in the quiet strength and unspoken virtue within, that lends a certain dignity to his characters. Recommended to all who enjoyed the book THE PERFECT STORM.

Paul Watkins is an extraordinarily gifted writer. And he is so easy to read. This is a rare combination. He takes you there. And you can easily identify with his characters. The experiences of James Pfeiffer have become my own. Isn't that why we read?

Last year, Paul Watkins taught a Fiction Seminar at my school, and I had the privilege of attending. Not only did I receive personal feedback on my own writing, but I also became interested in his work. Calm at Sunset, Calm at Dawn is one of my favorite books--partly because I have met the author and heard him recount some of the story in person. The style is excellent, and the story itself is wonderful. If this is available on tape, I would recommend that just as highly--having heard Mr. Watkins tell the story myself, I know it will be well worth it.

Paul Watkins is the best fiction writer alive. Like his other books, "Calm at Sunset" showcases his ability to create true to life characters with a journalist's eye for detail and economy of words. As always, at the heart of his story is a moral core that is absent from most modern fiction. Mr. Watkins writes the kind of book you want to own, to read and re-read, and to pass on to your children.

After Archangel, The Forger and Night Over Day Over Night I liked Watkins but felt each book somehow just missed. This one did not. Simply one of the best books I have ever read.

Watkins writes with a grueling sensitivity that is unparalleled. He writes realistically of the hard, dirty, unrelentingly difficult life of a fisherman with a sensitive hand but without maudlin sympathy. Watkins' succinct writing style adds to the tone. You get to know his main character without really understanding him. Indeed, it is clear he does not understand himself. It would be unfair for the reader to do so.

A book of dreams clashing with reality - a place we have all been, especially when youth is meeting adulthood. This is a book you truly will not be able to put down.

This is an excellent book for kids and adults. The book is fully illustrated with drawings that detail how things were built and how they worked. They capture kid's attention better than "Where's Waldo?", but unlike that meaningless book, there's a lot to be learned from this little gem! Lance Greenlee

I read this book while visiting my mother in her Connecticut country home. It was the perfect place to read it as I suddenly made sense of the street names like Old Mill Road and Stoneboat Road. Eric Sloane paints an intoxicating portrait of a boy's coming of age and falling in love with the girl next door (even if next door was over the meadow and through the woods) in the earliest years of the 19th century. Life was a focus on survival, when your days were spent working your land for all the fruits that it bears to sustain you and your family. Close bonds form with neighbors and community is not only important, but a way of life. Aside from being a true (if admittedly embellished) story, it is an intense study of life at that time. How we made and used our tools; the many properties and uses of wood; how the farmer's almanac was an indispensible item in every household. You learn great little triva facts in every chapter, such as... Did you know every house was allowed only ten panes of window glass... if they had more, they would have to pay a stiff tax on each pane.

The book opens with our young protagonist lying in bed, staring out through four brand new panes of glass that his parents got him for his birthday, watching the snow fall. He is as happy as can be for having these simple panes of glass. Nintendo pales in comparison.

Read it! It's short and well-paced. The boy's slowly evolving love story with the neighbor's summer guest is an involving, if underplayed, spine.

I love this book! It is so real and life like! The drawings and all the actual entrys from his diary. I sent this book to a friend who lives in africa and HE LOVED IT!

While rumaging through an old house, Eric Sloane came across the diary of 15 year old Noah Blake. Written in 1805, the diary has short entries about Noah's life on a farm. Sloane uses these brief notations as a starting point to recreate a compelling story about farm life on the American frontier. Eric Soane's talent as an illustrator takes this book to the next level. It is one thing to read about early American life and it is another level of pleasure to see beautiful illustrations that explain the material culture in which Noah Blake lived.

The audience for this book is very large. Written at a high school freshman level, this book will be of interest to anyone interested in learning how common people lived during the Federalist Period. This book will also appeal to all those who are interested in the material culture of 19th Century America. Sloane provides beautiful illustrations of how things like a water mill worked or how a simple wooden bridge was built.

Personally, my interest in American vernacular architecture. I loved this book because Eric Sloane has done a masterful job of explaining early American building techniques. I knew that one had to be very knowledgable to survive 200 years ago and this book only reinforces my admiration for our ancestors. For those who like these types of books, check out the illustrated works of Edwin Tunis, another talented artist with an interest in material culture.

I read this book as a young adult. It was like turning back the clock one hundred and fifty years, but unlike a lot of history books, it has no political, social or moral agenda. Indeed, it paints a luminous picture of rural life, while giving more useful information in the text of the diary and in the annotated pen-and-ink illustrations than most "country living" manuals. Check out Eric Sloane's barn books as well - more masterful work!

I wish I could give this book 10 stars. From the clever plotting to the interesting characters to the smooth writing style and the endearing quirks (like the funny character names), it was a joy from beginning to end. And it kept me guessing as to the murderer's identity. I'm sad to discover that the author has only one other book listed on Amazon. Mr. Beechey--please write another!

this is some of the best writing i've enjoyed since terry pratchett's earlier discworld novels. the plotting is superior to most serious mysteries, the thumbnail descriptions of minor characters are amazing (and the major characters are incredibly well drawn), and the humor is of the put the book down and laugh out loud for several minutes variety.

alan beechey has only one other book listed here on amazon, written in 1999. after that, nothing. why, oh why not??? two is not enough. perhaps he will emulate 'the cat who' author and resume, though i hope he won't take twenty years to do so.

maybe he went back to england. i think i'll check the brit amazon site....

this is some of the best writing i've enjoyed since terry pratchett's earlier discworld novels. the plotting is superior to most serious mysteries, the thumbnail descriptions of minor characters are amazing (and the major characters are incredibly well drawn), and the humor is of the put the book down and laugh out loud for several minutes variety.

alan beechey has only one other book listed here on amazon, written in 1999. after that, nothing. why, oh why not??? two is not enough. perhaps he will emulate 'the cat who' author and resume, though i hope he won't take twenty years to do so.

maybe he went back to england. i think i'll check the brit amazon site....

this is some of the best writing i've enjoyed since terry pratchett's earlier discworld novels. the plotting is superior to most serious mysteries, the thumbnail descriptions of minor characters are amazing (and the major characters are incredibly well drawn), and the humor is of the put the book down and laugh out loud for several minutes variety.

alan beechey has only one other book listed here on amazon, written in 1999. after that, nothing. why, oh why not??? two is not enough. perhaps he will emulate 'the cat who' author and resume, though i hope he won't take twenty years to do so.

maybe he went back to england. i think i'll check the brit amazon site....

After a night of snark-hunting, Sir Harry Random, a well-known children's author, turns up dead in a fountain in Trafalger Square. His body is found by his friend Oliver Swithin, a fellow snark-hunter and part-time children's author who has created one of the most malevolent characters in all of children's literature, the ferret Finsbury. Sir Harry is but the first in a series of corpses, all of whom seem to be the work of a zodiac serial killer. Oliver's uncle Mallard is a Detective Superintendent in the New Scotland Yard whose attractive young assistant Effie Strongitharm is a budding love interest of Oliver's. The story of their search for the murderer is a cleverly written and twisting tale, fast-paced and most of all, FUN!

I have found that Amazon reader ratings, taken as the averages presented, are pretty true to reality, though I might be slightly more of a critic and give books, in general about half a star less. However, this book lives up to its rating! The only thing I can't figure out is why more people have not read it (assuming the number of reader reviews is an indication of the number of readers). Anyway, if you enjoy well-written, thought-provoking literary works, you WILL want to read this one!

I have to say that the beginning of the novel can only be appreciated once you get beyond it. Taken on its own, it is not particularly interesting and would not have drawn me in. Keep reading. Immediaqtely after the first chapter, the intrigue takes hold. This unpredictable, brilliant novel has received my ultimate praise!

Psychologically deep, well-plotted, heart-wrenching, almost Dostoyevskian grandeur. Haven't been as moved and disturbed by a novel since R Yates *Revolutionary Road.*

This is a powerhouse of a novel that will have you reading compulsively until you've turned the last page, and will leave you deep in thought long after that. "The Fall" has achieved a place on my Top 10 list of favorite works of fiction.

Rob Dewer hears on the car radio that his old friend and mountain climbing partner, Jamie Matthewson, has fallen to his death while making an almost suicidal solo climb. Although the two men have not been in touch for years, the news hits Dewer hard, stirring up a series of memories and strong, unresolved feelings from long ago. He immediately turns his car towards Wales and begins a journey, not only to bring comfort to Matthewson's widow, his old friend and former lover, Ruth, but into the past where decades old secrets and betrayals are disclosed.

Author Simon Mawer writes, "At some time or other you must confront your past. We are our past...There is nothing else, and none of it can be undone." Mawer visits the past of a group of people who are intimately connected through friendship, love, lust, jealousy, competition, hatred and blood ties. The enormous power of some of Mawer's characters is almost overwhelming at times, as is their extreme fragility and vulnerability. His prose is masterful and poignant. The plot is riveting, compelling, almost brutal, in its honesty. I have never been very interested in the sport of climbing, but Mawer's narrative transported me, time and time again, on exhilarating treks up mountainsides; the action so vividly described that I felt that I was one of the climbers. His descriptions of landscapes, both fierce and bucolic, are as visual as paintings. Mawer is indeed a master craftsman.

This is a novel of love, of moral choices and decisions that life forces us to make. Sometimes the repercussions of these decisions echo into the future, for generations to come. This is truly one of the most amazingly original novels I have read in years and it has effected me deeply. I cannot praise "The Fall" highly enough!
JANA

Simon Mawer's The Fall is an excellent work of fiction, one of the most enjoyable novels I have read in a long time. The story concerns several intertwining relationships that span the late 1930s through present day England. The novel opens as Jamie Matthewson, world-renowned climber falls to his death in a climb he was sure to fail at. His old, somewhat estranged friend Rob Dewar hears of the accident over the radio in his car, and immediately heads to attend the funeral and Jamie's wife and mother, to the displeasure of his wife. Rob's return to the climbing world he left behind years ago forces him to recall, for our benefit, his relationship with Jamie and the reasons for its disintegration. Rob's story involves not only Jamie and Rob, but the relationship of all of their parents many years ago. The narrative shifts between Rob's first-person explanation of the Jamie-Rob years and a third-person narrative of their mothers' friendship and various loves during World War II England. The Fall is a fascinating look at many "falls"--falling to one's death, falling in and out of love, falling into sin, the fall of one's life. It's a compelling, well-written read. Enjoy.

I read "The Gospel of Judas" last year. So I chose this book for our book club's reading selection. I can't say everyone enjoyed it as much as I did. Most people were distracted by the mountain climbing scenes. Everyone though it was a great story but I am not sure they got as much out of it as I did. As an english major I am a little more tuned in to seeing under the imagery and the words that Mawer chooses. I loved the play with light and dark. And the thought provoking situations. It made for great conversation in the group. And I got to read an author who isn't crusty all over with boring language. Mawer doesn't beat you over the head with the metaphors, he simply puts them out there and you either enjoy them or you don't. It is a great read for readers of all levels. Something for everyone!

The Georges Bank lies about 120 miles east of Cape Cod. It is no place to be in a small boat; especially when the weather turns bad. Wind-driven waves building from the fetch of the Atlantic collide with the shallows beyond the continental shelf and can build to frightening proportions. And weather in the month of November on the Georges Bank can be extreme. Ordinarily, automated buoy data provide the National Weather Service with information that enables relatively accurate forcasting. But in November 1980 the National Data Center's Georges Bank Buoy, located 170 nM east of Hyannis, MA, was not functioning. It had not been for some time. With inadequate data, the National Weather Service issued a benign forecast. Based on this forecast, four deep sea lobster boats headed for the Georges Bank. They did not expect a killer storm packing 100 knot winds and 50-60 foot seas. One boat pitch-poled; it's lone survivor spent 50 frightening and misearable hours in a rubber raft before rescue. Another boat badly damaged by a rogue wave and leaking badly fought on and eventually limped back to port. Brave men and women of the U.S Coastguard, in spite of fatique and grave danger to themselves, doggedly attempted to rescue the crews of these vessels. Fatal Forecast is a story of survival, duty and triumph of the human spirit. The book is well-written and grabs you from the Prologue and does not let go. In fact, I read this book at a single sitting. I could not put it down. When I got to the end I read the Epilogue and even the author's notes. I did not want it to end.

Spellbinding! An amazing true story of a fishing trip that turned into a disaster. Excellent writing and the author weaves multi-tales of many people caught in this non-forcasted storm. Very readable, the book you can't put down!

Probably my favorite catastrophe book yet! Very well written, making it so hard to put down once you start reading. I got this for Christmas and finished it within 3 days! Tougias not only rendered an awesome account of a real life dramatic fight for survival but also relayed vividly the other events that occurred in the lives of the men and families affected by the disaster at sea. A must read for those who enjoy seeing man triumph over the most trying adventure.

Well written, gripping account of tragedy at sea. Worth reading if you like the "disaster book" genre, but not quite as good as The Perfect Storm.

If you liked "The Perfect Storm," you'll love "Fatal Forecast."

Michael J. Tougias' book is a gripping page-turner about fisherman fighting for their lives amid a severe storm off the New England coast.

Tougias' taut storytelling puts the reader in the middle of the action. Like the best survival stories, you can feel yourself in the characters' place, trying to figure what to do next.

I also like that Tougias includes related stories of fishing boat disasters (and near-disasters).

I do have one small complaint. This book, like many of this type, includes a batch of pictures in the middle. I suppose it's cheaper to print the photos altogether like this rather than insert them at the appropriate place in the story. But in this case, if you look at the pictures (and what reader wouldn't?), some of them give away the ending of the book.

That said, it's still a great story. Allow yourself plenty of time when you pick up "Fatal Forecast" -- it's hard to put down.

Anthony Trollope is a favorite author of mine, and this audio CD version of Framley Parsonage, read by Simon Vance, is well worth the investment. Deft use of language and a keen sense of human motivation, time, and place characterize all Trollope's writing, and those who enjoy period literature will be more than satisfied with this book. It starts slowly, as Trollope's stories often do, but once the background information is given, there are many interesting social, political, financial, and romantic plot developments to engage the reader and listener. Simon Vance's reading is superb, as always. The only caveat is that his rendering of the voice and character of young women is not as good as his pitch, tone, and inflection when narrating the voices of mature women and all men. His skill in rendering different dialects for different social classes and geographical regions is matchless. By all means, listen to this book.

In this novel we find one Mark Robarts, clergyman and parson of Framley. He is an ambitious young man desirous of rising in society. He is friends since childhood with Lord Lufton who makes an unfortunate introduction in the person of Sowerby who seduces poor Mark into signing his name to a debt which the parson cannot afford.

Mark Robarts's father passes away early on and his sister Lucy joins Mark and his wife at Framley Parsonage where Lord Lufton falls in love with her. Two more couples form and while I won't reveal how any of these relationships work out it wouldn't really matter if I did. Trollope's plots usually vary from bad to good but they are hardly ever of any importance anyway. What is important in a Trollope novel isn't what the plot is or how it concludes, it's how it works itself out and how Trollope paints his characters.

The characters in Framley Parsonage are a little whiter and blacker than those of the previous novels in the Barsetshire series. Sowerby is by far and away the blackest and Trollope was so effective in painting him black that towards the end he clumsily appeals directly to the reader and assures us Sowerby isn't really as bad a fellow as he seems.

Dr. Thorne and his niece Mary Gresham appear (from Doctor Thorne) as do the Grantlys and the Proudies (from Barchester Towers). Lucy Robarts is a fascinating woman even more headstrong here than Mary Gresham was in Doctor Thorne, but my favourite character in this novel is Lady Lufton. She opposes her son's desire to court and marry Lucy but does so politely and with consideration. At the same time, Lucy behaves in way Lady Lufton can only find irreproachable. So of course, not having anything with which to reproach Lucy, Lady Lufton has nothing with which to oppose her son's suit. And yet she does. How will this three-sided battle of wills, pitting Lord Lufton against his mother against Lucy against her suitor, resolve itself?

Well, that would be telling, wouldn't it? Let's just say that Lady Lufton has painted herself into a corner and let us leave it at that.

All in all, another fine example of Trollope's mastery of moral calculus.

Vincent Poirier, Dublin

Framley Parsonage is the fourth in Trollope's Barsetshire novels. Trollope (1815-1882) wrote the novel as a serial in the influential Cornhill magazine in 186-61, This novel along with the others in the series: The Warden; Dr. Thorne, The Small House at Allington, Barchester Towers and the Last Chronicle of Barset is a delightful return to mid-Victorian middle class society in a rural mythical county named Barsetshire.
In this long novel of over 600 pages there are several stories. The main character is the Rev. Mark Robarts, a
doctor's son, who at a young age becomes the vicar of Framley Parsonage. He has children and a kind wife Fanny. Mark has visions of grandeur in his head. He lends money to the unscrupulous Member of Parliament Mr. Sowerby. As a result of this fatuity Mark falls into debt. His friends rally to his aid.
Mark's sister Lucy Robarts is novel's heroine. She falls in love with the wealthy Lord Lufton who lives at Eustace Court with his formidable mother Lady Lufton. Lady Lufton wants her son Ludovic to wed Griselda Grantley the statuesque but dull as dishwater and cold as a cucumber daughter of Archdeacon Grantley. Lufton is torn between these two women. We see Lady Lufton overcome her prejudice against Lucy. Lucy is a kind girl who minister to the family of the poor clergyman Josiah Crawley. She wins over the heart of Lady Lufton and the reader.
Secondary plots concern the midlife romance of Miss Dunstable and good Doctor Thorne. Olivia Proudie daughter of the fussy busybody and scold Mrs. Proudie and the uxorious Bishop Proudie weds a clergyman Mr. Tickler who is a widower. Griselda Grantley is courted by the stupid Lord Dumbello who possesses a name and title to the Hartletop lands and fortune. Will she win Lord Lufton or choose Dumbello?
All's well that ends well in this classic Trollopian tale. Long before Jan Karon, Anthony Trollope wrote humorous, moving and plot driven tales of the lives of the clergy dealing with real life problems, romance and challenges. In my opinion, an Anthony Trollope novel is a good way to spend a quiet evening before the fireplace. Enjoy this wonderful author and the world he created.

I'm reading the Barset series in order and have not been disappointed yet. Framley Parsonage is substantive, richer than The Warden, more serious than Barchester Towers, similar in much to Doctor Thorne, and slightly more intricate than DT. I enjoyed the introduction of a healthy dose of political gamesmanship in the form of descriptions of the parliamentary machinations and electioneering strategies. One also learns how to conduct financial shennanigans with horses, farmland, and public forests. The characters in FP are textured and almost always believable; there's only a few caricatures here. As always, the Everyman's edition is accompanied by a lucid introduction and helpful timetable.

The fourth of the Chronicles of Barsetshire, Framley Parsonage (1861) is a gentle novel filled with memorable characters, including many characters from The Warden, Barchester Towers, and Dr. Thorne. Mark Robarts, a young vicar with a devoted wife, has a comfortable situation at Framley Parsonage on the estate of the indomitable Lady Lufton. Her son, now Lord Lufton, had been a friend of Mark Robarts at school, and it was their friendship which resulted in Mark's position. Mark, though conscientious in his duties and grateful for his situation, is ambitious, however, anxious to expand his horizons beyond Framley.

Lady Lufton, who rules with an iron hand, is appalled when Mark decides to spend a weekend with a "fast" crowd, one which he believes can advance his career. Young and naïve, he becomes the dupe of an aristocratic "con-man," an MP named Nathaniel Sowerby, who persuades him to help him out of a financial jam by signing a note for five hundred pounds (more than half Robarts's yearly salary), allowing Sowerby to draw funds on Robarts's name. Though Sowerby swears he will resolve the problem within weeks, he needs an additional four hundred pounds when the note comes due.

In the meantime, Robarts's sister Lucy arrives at Framley Parsonage upon the death of their father. Lucy, a sweet ingénue in mourning, soon comes to the attention of Lord Lufton, who is fascinated by her naivete, a marked contrast with the women he has known to date. Though Lady Lufton has much more "significant" matrimonial prospects in mind for her son, the courtship begins, and though Lucy declines Lord Lufton's initial proposal, she remains in love with him. As Robarts's financial miseries become more pressing, and as Lucy's misery at having turned down Lord Lufton increases, the scene is set for a final showdown.

Numerous peripheral characters, many of them known to readers of the series, add to the drama of the primary action. The implacable dowager Lady Lufton, wishing to maintain her family's social position, staunchly opposes the Duke's relationship with Lucy Robarts, pushing Griselda Grantly, daughter of Archdeacon Grantly, as the Duke's suitor. The competition between the (Archdeacon) Grantlys and the (Bishop) Proudies for suitors for their daughters adds great comic relief to the story, and the internecine manipulations among the clergy provide gentle satire in a novel which seems to be remarkably domestic in its focus.

Trollope provides a full picture of Victorian life, representing many aspects of society, and though his view of the clergy has in earlier novels been a bit jaded, he is sympathetic to many of its representatives in this novel, seeing them as humans, rather than as types. A sweet novel, part love story and part social commentary, Framley Parsonage is charming, memorable for its characters and picture of Victorian England. n Mary Whipple

The Warden
Barchester Towers
Doctor Thorne (Barsetshire Novels)

i bought this book after seeing the sargent show at the met in new york. i have been studing it ever since. mr ormand, ms. kilmurray please hurry. you have brought the works of this great american master to life as no one has done before and i look forward in anticipation to vol 2.

i bought this book after seeing the sargent show at the met in new york. i have been studing it ever since. mr ormand, ms. kilmurray please hurry. you have brought the works of this great american master to life as no one has done before and i look forward in anticipation to vol 2.

This book is for Sargent lovers. His incredible talent oozes in these pages. I can't wait for Vol 2 of this beautiful production of Yale University Press. I got me a magnifying glass and have spent hours looking at the unbelievably grand flesh tones that Sargent commanded. You'll love reading the background data of these portrait commissions during Sargent's career. I would give it six stars if I could. See it to believe it.....if I could only paint like he did or anything barely close. One of my best of collection. Hurry up Yale and give us Vol 2.

By all means, buy this book! This is one of the most engrossing art books that I have come across. Each reproduction has crystalline clarity and the accompanying information makes for very interesting reading. You find yourself really interested in all the people depicted.
This is an excellent combination of art and text, without the book becoming a glorified textbook, but still being useful for research. I purchased the book mainly for the art and I am not disappointed! It's not one of those 'trick' art books that promise lush full color reproductions and actually consist of mostly black and white images. The only black and white included here depicts paintings that are lost. If you love J. S. Sargent's work, this is a great introduction to his earlier work and he only gets better!

This book is such a treasure, it is such a wonderful tribute to an American icon. The pictures are just amazing and the text highly informative. It is truly an amazing compelation of his early work. It is the first in a series of three and they are all consistantly good. If you are a fan of Sargent you will definitely what to possess all three. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an appreciation of great art from a one of the masters.

The first half of the twentieth century was filled with constant change and development; it was an exciting time to be alive. "A Journey into Dorothy Parker's New York" is a focus on the woman herself, but a bigger focus on the city she lived in and its constant change through two world wars, a great depression, and so much more events. Filled with countless photos, both color and black and white, "A Journey into Dorothy Parker's New York" is a seminal look at the woman and the city, sure to please fans of her work and New Yorkers alike. "A Journey into Dorothy Parker's New York" is highly recommended for community library biography collections and students of the history and culture of New York City.

This book provides an armchair walking tour of the meaningful places for the writer Dorothy Parker in NYC. It is also an excellent accompaniment to the Portable Dorothy Parker.

You hear the words "Dorothy Parker" and you think of New York.
I really enjoyed this book and it was a pleasure reading about Dorothy's apartment's and frequented locations. I knew a bit about Dorothy, from her works and "What Fresh Hell is This", but did not know about New York - I did not know where Uptown was or where Downtown was (I think NY is the only place that has both) but now I do. Plus with all the other interesting items and photographs makes this an essential book for a Parker enthusiast to have and use on their visits to New York.

(A good book for a novice,like me, wanting a nice introduction regarding the life of Dorothy Parker---with photos)

This is a well-written and well researched book about Dorothy Parker.
This book is very compact and therefore this is a wonderful introductory book about the famous writer.

This book is filled with photos of all the places that Dorothy Parker lived throughout her life. Dorothy moved ALOT & therefore the author had to research all the places that Ms.Parker frequented & resided at during her entire lifetime. Also, the author interspersed information about Dorothy's life ,the famous places she loved to visit (eg: THE ALGONQUIN)and all the people that she associated with (eg: Hemingway, F.Scott Fitzgerald,etc...).

There are no places or points in time like New York in the 20s. Dorothy Parker wrote about it, and now we write about her. I wish I could slip into a time machine and drink a martini while spying on the Round Table. Amazing. I would love to take the tour.