England Books

I AM A HUGE SPICE GIRLS FAN ( I HAVE ABOUT 340 PICS IN MY ROOM!!!!) AND I HAVE TONS OF MERCHENDICE! THIS BOOK WAS GREAT READING AND WAS FULL OF BEAUTIFUL PICS, ESPECIALLY OF VICTORIA, WHO IS MY FAVE!!! READ THIS BOOK NOW!!!!

this book is the bomb.i think it is the best spice girls book i own.so if anyone plans to get a spice girl book they should pick this one.i especially like the geri and emma chapters because ther my favorite.

this book is filled with pics. it has a seprate chapter for each girl. even geri.

I thought this Spice Girl book was great! Mainly because it has an individual chapter of each Spice, including Geri. Emma is my favorie Spice Girl and there was some interesting information about her. I strongly suggest to get this book and out of all of my Spice Girl books this one is the best!!

I thought that the book was absolutly magnificent it tells about each one of the girls in a chapter and it tell the truth about why Geri left. It has quotes from the spice girls themselves. I think that if you love the spice girls yoou'll love this book.

Within these pages lies the truth about good and evil. As you read this book be prepared to be amazed at the volumes of information that is related to the reader in such a short time. This is the most compelling compact book of the century being around one hundred pages, but within those pages are inspired words that will touch the very heart of any reader. This is an awesome book and a must have for any library.

This is one of the best Biblically-based books that I have read on the lift of Jesus! I absolutely love it and would highly recommend it to anyone who would like to learn more about Jesus Christ. It's a must buy, in my opinion.

Of Ellen G. White's many astounding books, this is probably her best seller. Literally in the tens-of-millions. A beautiful guide to understanding and personally accepting Jesus Christ and His Grace. The perfect gift for anyone even considering following the Son of God. And despite false accusations from many, after reading her inspired works you'll better understand why she is America's all-time best selling female author, and most widely translated of any gender. A beautiful light to the real Biblical Jesus.

"Steps to Christ" is a wonderful book! If you could just read one book, this would definitely be the best one to read indeed! It brings God's love closer to you than you could ever imagine. It opens your eyes to just how much God really loves you, a love that none of us deserve. This is a must-read classic! I would highly encourage anyone to get this book and read it and pass it on! You'll never be the same. It opens to the heart the great impact of the Gospel and shows the way, the only Way, to salvation-Jesus Christ.

This is by far the best book on religion I have ever read. The case for Christianity is stated in simple language and the basics of this religion are explained very well. Everyone should own this book.

Small boat or dinghy sailing, camping out, excitement, nice people and strong writing: what more could a reader ask for? I first read this book at the home of a boyhood friend about ten years after it was originally published, and I count the series (this is the second of 12) as responsible for my lifelong interest in camping and sailing. More than half a century later, I acquired a set and found to my absolute delight that they read as well and are as powerfully satisfying as ever.

Here, within the covers of a very well-written book, you'll find a group of charming children and a few adults, spanning a wide range of ages and character types. Swallowdale is by turns funny, thoughtful, insightful and so well written it is a distinct pleasure for readers of any age.

Did I mention the writing? It's better written than most current novels.

"Swallowdale" continues very much where its predecessor, "Swallows and Amazons", leaves off, with the Walker children returning to "that remote lake in the north of England" one year after the events of the first book and looking forward to another couple of weeks of fun, sailing with their friends, the Amazon pirates. Plans quickly begin to go awry, however, and Ransome turns events away from the anticipated activity of sailing on the lake to an altogether different sort of fun, as the children take off camping and exploring in the surrounding fells and mountains.

The book has all of the fine qualities that make its predecessor such an excellent read for children (and adults) of all ages. Ransome's prose is a delight throughout, his characters engaging and the events that befall the children entirely believable. As in all of the other books of this series, simple pen and ink drawings by the author add considerably to the enjoyment. If only the world (and the Lake District!) was still like this!

Incidentally, although this was the second of Arthur Ransome's "Swallows and Amazon" books to be published, it is best read after the third volume, "Peter Duck", because it is set chronologically after the events of that book, and makes occasional back reference to it. You will enjoy "Peter Duck" much more if you read it BEFORE you read "Swallowdale". And if you enjoyed "Swallows and Amazons" you will certainly enjoy this.

This was the second book in the series that we read. After the first I did not think it could get better, but I was wrong. We were shocked when their boat sunk, but they seemed to do as well on land as they did on water. My kids will do their chores and finish their homework as long as I read this to them each evening. To me that is quite impressive. Now we are reading Peter Duck...

The Swallows return to their favorite lake a year later, but things have changed slightly...the Amazons are dealing with a visit from a tyrannical great-aunt and can't go sailing with them! While sailing about on their own, the Swallows' boat experiences a wreck and their sailing adventures on the lake are in danger.

This book continues the adventures of the brave kids we first met in SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS, only they're a year older and a little nervier. The books' descriptions of camping and exploring are fun, fun, fun; I remember doing similar things as a child. The story also gives some good lessons to kids, although not in a preachy fashion...we see the importance of being calm in a crisis, and how an otherwise bad situation can be turned into a positive experience. Also, the boat-race scene at the end has a great scene of good sportsmanship, as the losers enthusiastically and sincerely congratulate the winners and compliment them on their sailing. And, as present in SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS, there is the element of using one's imagination.

The mountain-climbing scenes are good, with an unexpectedly poignant moment at the summit. The lost-in-the-fog scenes are actually quite atmospheric and memorable.

The book's main problem is that it is rather dated, but for some readers, that's part of the charm. The great-aunt's insistance on Victorian-era manners may not click too much with modern readers, although they'll probably be able to think of their elders who they see as being too old-fashioned. The book takes place in a circa 1930 England, when charcoal-burners and horse-drawn wagons were still commonplace in rural areas; some might find the setting too alien, while others may become absorbed into it.

Despite those few flaws, this is still a 5-star book in my view. Great for parents and children, and a great inspiration for outdoor adventures.

Note: This book makes references to an imaginary character, "Peter Duck," who was the subject of a sort of collective fairy tale that the group made up over the winter holiday. That story is told in the next book in the series, PETER DUCK.

One year after the events of "Swallows and Amazons," the four Walkers return to the Lake to spend the summer holidays, looking forward to more thrilling adventures with the Blackett sisters and their uncle, Captain Flint. To their dismay, they discover that the Blacketts' Great-Aunt--a strait-laced and somewhat tyrannical person who brought their mother and uncle up--is staying at Beckfoot and badly cramping the two pirates' style. And then the Walkers' boat "Swallow" is wrecked on the far side of the lake, forcing them to find a new camp. In dealing with these challenges the six show their mettle once again--and even manage to get away for an overnight climb of Kanchenjunga, as they christen the tallest of the nearby hills. Along the way Roger and Titty get lost when a sea-fog rolls in over the moors, and the outwitting of Great-Aunt Maria furnishes a fair share of suspense. Once again Ransome tells his tale without talking down, seeming to assume a child's viewpoint with an ease matched by few writers. Another excellent family read-aloud that should be owned by every household even if they don't care for boats or camping.

This is another wonderful Thomas & Friends storybook. My son adores it and gets very excited to see the Octopus and Shark. When actually playing with his trains he would replicate the wrecks. Highly recommend this book to all kids who love Thomas. My son is 2 1/2 and asks us to read it every night.

My 2.5 year old loves this big, colorful Thomas story. He studies the illustrations and talks about what all the trains and cranes are doing. Really fuels his imagination!

I love trains and I used to watch the show when it aired on PBS years back. So every now and then I come across one of these books, I snatch it up. Love the stories and art work. I even got a chance to see Thomas the Train when it came into town on one of its tours. Little ones loved it. I highly recommend this series to all those who like a good fun story and especially to railfans everywhere.

What fun! A big aquarium exhibit is coming to Tidmouth and the docks are hustling and bustling with activity. Cranky the Crane is unloading Bulstrode. Harvey is loading small crates of aquarium glass, while James and Salty are busy with their own tasks.

The only problem is, Thomas wants to help and he keeps getting told that he is too small to be of assistance. Sad because he can't find a job `his size', Thomas is about to head back to the Station when he comes across Salty with a huge, toothy shark in a see-thru tank. Surmising Thomas' sad state, Salty takes pity on Thomas and tells him that small engines **can** be useful, which is exactly what Thomas finds out.

When Percy is surprised by the shark in the tank, he loses control and runs right into Henry who then crashes into Harvey's freight car. This accident is so noisy and unexpected that Cranky gets spooked and drops a crate of seaweed on James, causing James to go off the track.

As we say at our home, everything was goomeywammered. And to make matters more complicated, the docks are such a scene of chaos that none of the large engines can move about. They are just too *big*.

On cue, in comes Thomas. He steps up and because of his smaller size, he is `Just The Right' engine to clear up the whole mess. The story ends with everything back to normal and everybody waiting in anticipation for the big exhibit to open.

Five Stars. Good Read-aloud. This book has good artwork (versus the photos that are taken from the TV show). Steamies abound. So many that almost any Thomas fan should be content.

Our small blue friend gets to be a hero. This confirms for small fry that you don't have to be big to be helpful. This book can even be used to help children to understand that no matter how big a mess is made, if everyone pitches in to help together, that mess can be cleaned up.

"When Thomas arrived at the docks, the other engines were bustling around. Everyone was working hard to prepare for the Ocean Life Exhibit, which was coming to the Island of Sodor. " -From the book

Ocean plants arrive on the docks to be put in the fish tanks to make the fish feel at home. Thomas notes the excitement, and decides to look around. He was amazed that several of the cars were like none he had seen before: they were clear, full of water-and held an octopus and a shark! Thomas looks for his friend Salty and asks where the special cars are going. Meanwhile, Harvey was crossing the tracks with a fragile load of empty fish tanks. Percy was in a hurry, and noticed a huge shark looking at him from one of the tanks. He was so surprised and scared that he ended up crashing into Henry, who crashed into Harvey-yikes! What a mess!

There's a neat set of trains that corresponds to this book-the aquarium cars. I highly recommend those, especially as companion toys to go along with this book. Unlike some of the Thomas the Tank Engine stories, this delightfully illustrated book doesn't promote competition, name-calling, or rude behavior.

Jack Fruchtman has done a fine job of giving us a total picture of Paine, warts and all. This is an intelligent, balanced and humane treatment of the life of a complex man who tends to be either demonized or deified by those who write about him. Highly recommended.

In the hierarchy of founding fathers, Thomas Paine is not in the top echelon, but he is significant. His principal contribution was Common Sense, a pamphlet that spurred the independence movement in the early days of the Revolution.

One of the themes that seemed to run through Paine's life was a commitment to ideology that often had negative effects. While he was a man who backed his words with actions, he did it at a cost: he had few lifelong relationships, he was often broke and he even spent a year in jail, with the threat of execution constantly hanging over him. In the conflict between idealism and practicality, Paine favored the former.

Fruchtman's biography does a good job in describing this important historical figure. At times slow (I feel because there are points in Paine's life that aren't very interesting), it is overall a good, educational read. It makes me feel that if Paine had exercised a little bit more common sense in his own life, he might have been even a greater man.

The American Revolution's roots in the British which many people thought was 'betrayed' by parliament when it restored the monarchy, the roots of common British and American democratic ideals emerging from the dissenting religions and their notions of justice and equality (it's said that British socialism has more Methodism than Marx in it), the frustrations and ideals of British republicans who invested so much of their hope in the American colonies (not then 'United') shows that even in the l8th century (and presumably before and since) there is a community of men and women who, irrespective of nationality, place justice and liberty above all other human aspirations. What we learn from this book was that Tom Paine wasn't just a great British radical, a great founding father of the American Revolution, an active member of the revolutionary French Tribunal -- he was a critic of all unearned or abused authority wherever he saw it -- from George III to George Washington -- and that he foresaw a world in which every soul enjoyed the same rights and liberties. It was his internationalism, his understanding of the drawbacks as well as the virtues of populist democracy, that made him so relevant to modern readers. You can be sure that Tom Paine would have been at the Seattle demonstrations and would have no doubt been considerably more eloquent in his criticisms of international big business than anyone alive today! He speaks to us as clearly and as authoritatively as he spoke to his first readers -- who made his work best-sellers in America, Britain and France -- and this is the first book I have read which does its great subject the justice he deserves. He shouldn't just have a statue in Washington -- he should have one in London and Paris. It is his ideas of common liberty and justice which unite people around the world, perhaps even more now than in his own day. Read this book and you will understand how valuable democracy is and how hard it was to win, how hard it remains to keep it vital and uncorrupted. Everyone interested in modern politics should read this book.

One of the most enjoyable biographies I've ever read. This book is meticulously researched and well written. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the ideas and the spirit of one of the most important figures of the American Revolution.

When asked to name the Founding Fathers of America, most people will name Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin. Those who have read a book or two on the early America may also say Adams, Hamilton, and Madison.

I bet that very few people would name Thomas Paine. That is unfortunate and would be fixed quickly if this book were more widely read.

"Thomas Paine: Apostle of Freedom" devotes little time to Paine's early years, focusing mainly on his life after arriving in America a few years before Independence.

Before reading this fine biography, I had not given Thomas Paine much thought beyond being the author of "Common Sense". I now realize the many roles he played in both the American and French revolutions and in furthering the cause of freedom and liberty in an age of monarchy.

Also check out:

- "Tom Paine and Revolutionary America" by Eric Foner
- "46 Pages: Tom Paine, Common Sense, and the Turning Point to Independence" by Scott Liell
- "Tom Paine: A Political Life" by John Keane

Highly Recommended!

Professor Malcolm does a very thorough job of showing how the notion of a right to arms contained in the English Bill of Rights of 1689 (and which appeared in a broader form in the U.S. Bill of Rights) was developed during the English Civil War between King and Parliament, contrary to the claims of Parliament who described the right to arms as being one of their "ancient rights and liberties." Others who have examined this provision of the English Bill of Rights have sometimes let themselves be taken in by this high sounding language, but Professor Malcolm has been careful to look beneath the surface.

The last chapter of the book examines how this right ended up in the U.S. Bill of Rights. While necessarily shorter than my detailed study in _For the Defense of Themselves and the State: The Original Intent and Judicial Interpretation of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms_ (Praeger, 1994), it is still a fine telling of the process by which the Second Amendment was adopted.

I like how the author explained exactly what he wanted to

Ms. Malcolm nicely lays out the history of the tension between English rulers and subjects over the control of weapons. She made me realize that the current dispute in this country over access to firearms has a long pedigree. Her depiction of the circumstances under which England, in 1689, declared the right to bear arms "true, ancient, and indubitable," when in fact it was none of those is particularly interesting. (See p. 115.) She provides evidence for her view that "it is particularly ironic that some modern American lawyers have misread the English right to have arms as merely a 'collective' right inextricably tied to the need for a militia" (p. 119) when by 1689 the opposite was true. I'm not a historian or a gun enthusiast, but I find all of this quite fascinating.

When the book turns to the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, however, its energy seems to flag. I am sympathetic to the argument that the Second Amendment confers a right on "the people" respectively, i.e. as individuals, "to keep and bear Arms." But Malcolm's argument is undermined, however slightly, when she urges that "[s]ome" i.e., more than one, nascent American state constitutions "included a specific right for an individual to have firearms for his own defence" (p. 150), but quotes and cites, as best I can discern, only the Pennsylvania bill of rights in support (pp. 148, 149). Is there more than one, or not? Another apparent example of waning energy toward the end is the treatment of an argument that "like the Convention Parliament in 1689, the senators [debating drafts of the Second Amendment] rejected a motion to add 'for the common defense' after 'to keep and bear arms.' " (P. 161.) To me, that point seems crucial, but Malcolm does not explore it further, beyond providing a footnoted reference to another source.

Finally, some minor quibbles. Noting the author's regular use of English spelling, I thought she was English until I realized, on reading the penultimate page, that she is an American (p. 176). Perhaps Malcolm was reared and educated in England, but nevertheless her anglicizations are distracting and seem affected. It also seems affected to spell "dissension" archaically as "dissention" (p. 153), and to print "u" as "v" in quoted material, as in "Vs" (Us) (p. 41) or "vpon" (upon) (p. 59). If one is going to do that, why not also ask the typesetter to print quotations with the long "s" that looks similar to the lower-case "f"? (Actually, I wouldn't so much object to that, though it would also come across as affected: at least the long "s" is still an "s," though of archaic form, whereas a "v" is not a "u" at all.) These are, of course, trivial items, but when I encounter them, I think, "Come on, Harvard University Press copy-editors, get with it!"

After all the foregoing griping, it may appear that (1) I am a detail-obsessed curmudgeon of uncommon degree, and (2) I disliked the book. The first point may be true, but the second is not. I look forward to seeing how others eventually build on Malcolm's scholarship.

From T. Markus Funk, "Is the Second Amendment Really Such a Riddle? Tracing the Historical "Origins of an Anglo-American Right" 39 Howard Law Journal 411 (1995):

Few topics of contemporary social, moral, and political debate can provoke as much raw emotion and open hostility as the Second Amendment, particularly in relation to the topic of gun prohibition. This subject routinely causes many well-intentioned people of whatever view to give up all pretense of courtesy and reason in favor of ad hominem attacks on those with whom they disagree. Readers of history professor Joyce Lee Malcolm's To Keep and Bear Arms: The Origins of an Anglo-American Right will find these ugly by-products of the contemporary conflict refreshingly absent. Malcolm clearly keeps her distance from any broad normative judgments about the social utilities or costs of civilian firearms possession, offering instead a sober, scholarly, historical discussion of the Amendment's origins. Meticulously tracing the British history of regulations on firearms ownership from the Middle Ages on, she provides a detailed and illuminating history that includes the English Bill of Rights and, a century later, the American one. Because it is only in this historical context that the Second Amendment's meaning can be fully understood and appreciated, Malcolm's book is essential reading for anyone interested in this complex and controversial subject.

It is important to realize that this book is not really about the 2nd Amendment. Instead, Malcolm seeks to chart the development of the English conception of a right to keep and bear arms, which clearly has influence upon the 2nd Amendment. The history of the English right is fascinating. It began as an onerous duty that many Englishmen resented and Malcolm traces the development of the right during the violent 17th century during which many Englishmen were disarmed as a means to stem any armed opposition. The right was created in 1689 as a means of ensuring that an armed citizenry would always be available to oppose a standing army.

I lack the background to critique Malcolm's English history, but there are a few areas where I think Malcolm runs into problems. One is interpretation. Malcolm stresses the change in the 1689 right from a right to bear arms "for their common defence" to "their defence," arguing that this shows a determined choice to abandon a collectivist right in favor of an individual right. I personally think this was more about simplifing language than a fundamental change in the right's conception. But, more importantly, I think this underscores the limitation of speaking about a right in individual versus collective terms. Here, Malcolm concludes that the English right was "individual" and then goes on to lay out all of the collective defence reasons that the right was necessary, i.e. a fear of Catholic plots and of standing armies.

2nd Amendment absolutists shouldn't see this book as their savior because, even if we accept Malcolm's conclusion that the 2nd Amendment was based upon the English conception, it still would not stop gun limitations, or bans, in the U.S. While Malcolm supplies a quote from William Rawle claiming that the 2nd Amendment limits the power of the states, constitutional practice holds otherwise. The 2nd Amendment only limits the federal government because the Supreme Court has not yet, and probably won't in the near future, incorporated it into the 14th Amendment. Moreover, Malcolm's final chapter underscores this fact because she lays out the reasons the 2nd Amendment was felt to be necessary, a fear of federal military dominance. The entire chapter is replet with references to the fear of a federal standing army and the need for states to maintain an armed citizenry. Therefore, the 2nd Amendment was necessary to remove the possibility that the Federal government would disarm the people.

My only other criticism is minor. Malcolm cites the position of the 2nd Amendment as 2nd as evidence of its importance. This a shockingly amateur mistake for a historian to make. The fact is that the 2nd amendment was originally the 4th one proposed on a list of 12, the first two failed to be ratified (though one was ratified 2 centuries later). Both of these where only technical changes rather than "rights" and the fact that the right to keep and bear arms is 2nd is more accidential than by design.

For the most part I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would strongly recomend it, though the limitations on Malcolm's dealing with American constitutionalism should not be forgotten. Readers will gain a much needed lesson in the the English tradition from which the American union developed.

I loved the Jeeves & Wooster books so I was sad when I read the last one. Then I decided to move on to other Wodehouse books and have read a few since. I have to say this is one of my favorites! It definitely compares to the hilarity of the Jeeves/Wooster books. Uncle Fred or the Fifth Earl of Ickenham is one of my favorite Wodehouse characters. He always seems to be dragging his nephew Pongo Twistleton (occasionally mentioned as a fellow Drones club member in the Wooster books) into trouble but always seems to get through it as is typical in the Wodehouse books. Anyway, it is a great read, a good laugh, and a lot of fun. On a side note, if you like Wodehouse, the dvd series of Jeeves and Wooster (starring Hugh Laurie from the tv show House) is also very funny. You will see many of your favorite Jeeves story lines in them and they are very true to Wodehouse.

Professors of literature are fond of writing that the three greatest novelists of the twentieth century are Marcel Proust, Thomas Mann, and James Joyce. In this, they could hardly be more in error. The only contender for the title of the greatest novelist of the twentieth or any other century is P.G. Wodehouse, farceur supreme, or, in plain English, an extraordinarily funny writer.

Wodehouse wrote novels and stories that can be easily classified into several series: there are the Bertie and Jeeves novels and stories, the Blandings Castle novels and stories, the Mr. Mulliner stories, the Uncle Fred novels, etc. The characters from one series rarely appear in another. This novel is an exception. Uncle Fred appears at Blandings Castle, where he poses as Sir Roderick Glossop, normally seen in the Bertie and Jeeves novels (and one story); indeed, he encounters Sir Roderick while traveling to Blandings Castle. Uncle Fred, properly, Frederick Altamont Cornwallis Twistleton, fifth Earl of Ickenham, is a man who "together with a juvenile waistline, . . . still retained the bright enthusiasms and the fresh, unspoiled outlook of a slightly inebriated undergraduate" at the age of sixty or so. It is he who sets in motion the events that enable young lovers to marry and his nephew Pongo to settle his gambling debts. In general, his role is that normally played by Lord Emsworth's younger brother Galahad.

Of course, any reader of Wodehouse novels knows at the start that things will turn out all right for any sundered hearts or frustrated lovers, as he knows that, any time the efficient Baxter appears, he will be discredited despite being thoroughly correct. The fun is in discovering just how it happens.

And what fun it is. Wodehouse's mastery of the English language is unrivaled. He succeeds in producing prose that not only is enjoyable in its own right but also moves events ahead at a pace that is nigh exhausting. In the Bertie and Jeeves novels and stories, it is Bertie's narration that does this. In this novel, it is the dialogue as much as the narration that moves events ahead, establishes the characters, and gives the reader immense pleasure.

If you have ever read "Elements of Style" by Strunk and White (and if you haven't, then you should be legally prohibited from writing even so much as a thank-you note), then this book, like all Wodehouse books, is a perfect example of how to violate almost every rule in the book.

Consider the following: "The ninth Earl of Emsworth was a man who in times of stress always tended to resemble the Aged Parent in an old-fashioned melodrama when informed that the villain intended to foreclose the mortgage. He wore now a disintegrated air, as if somebody had removed most of his interior organs. You see the same sort of thing in stuffed parrots when the sawdust has leaked out of them."

How's that for failing to "omit needless words"? And how's that for vividly portraying the feeble-minded Lord Emsworth, one of Wodehouse's most memorable of his many memorable and hilarious characters?

The plot here is typical Wodehouse: a few love-stricken young people see their dreams of eternal wedded bliss threatened by either misunderstandings or lack of cash or both, and a young ne'er-do-well has run up some gambling debts, a circumstance which puts him in danger of some painful bone-crushing. Enter Uncle Fred, an aging playboy with a manipulative mind and a sense of adventure. He orchestrates a plan involving a visit to Blandings Castle (the Emsworth estate) which results in everyone living happily ever after.

But, of course, that plot outline is pretty much the plot outline of every Wodehouse novel. What makes it (and every Wodehouse production) a 5-star novel is the delicious phraseology, the preposterous and yet believable characterizations, and the continuous twinkle in the author's eye. You either "get" Wodehouse or you don't. If you don't, then go to a doctor and get it fixed immediately!

This is my very favorite book, and I have been reading it about once a year for the past 15 years or so. I still laugh out loud at every reading. The very complex plot deals with Pongo Twistleton and his Uncle Fred, who visit Blandings Castle as imposters (Sir Roderick Glossip and his secretary, to be exact) in an effort to prevent the Duke of Dunstable from stealing the Empress of Blandings, Lord Emsworth's prize pig, and to keep him from smashing the drawing room furniture with the fireplace poker. Polly Pott (daughter of private investigator Mustard Pott) is also in attendance, pretending to be Sir Roderick's daughter. The story also involves the Duke's two nephews and their romantic problems: It seems Horace Davenport has hired a private investigator (none other than Mustard Pott) to tail his fiancee Valerie (Pongo's sister) and she has called off the engagement as a result, and Ricky's jealousy of his fiancee's attention to cousin Horace has landed him in the onion soup. Money won and lost at Persian Monarchs, the slipping of mickey's into people's drinks, and a Duke who throws eggs at people who whistle The Bonny Bonny Banks of Lock Lomand outside his window add to the hilarity. Of course, Mr. Wodehouse's unique turn-of-phrase doesn't disappoint in this delightful novel. I recommend this book to anyone who seeks diversion from reality. A must-read.

A complete Wodehouse fanatic, I would have trouble giving less that five stars to anything I have read so far. Uncle Fred is a particularly good one to add to the guest room bookshelf----incredibly funny and nice light reading for a few days away from home.

I am taking this book slowly and am nearing the end. It is terrific and I find, on the days I take off from reading it, that I miss Virginia Woolf and want to go back to the "place" that is her life. I thank Ms. Lee for giving me a closer intimacy with Virginia Woolf.

this is the best biography of Virginia Woolf to date. The book is broken into four parts based on four broad periods in VW's life: 1882 - 1904; 1904 -1919; 1919 - 1929; and 1929 - 1941. The chapters, however, are theme-based; for example, Chapter 15 is "Bloomsbury"; Chapter 19 is "War"; Chapter 24 is "Monk's House"; and Chapter 37 is "Fascism". This then serves as a wonderful reference book to go back to read about specific events (war) or themes ("Bloomsbury") without having to search through an index for disjointed entries. Of the four biographies I have read of VW (Quentin Bell's, Hermione Lee's, Julia Brigg's, and James King) I recommend this biography as the one to start. King, 1994, was willing to write more about her personal relationships (read, "sexual") and is a good follow-on.

Of the many literary biographies I've read, only Peter Ackroyd's "Dickens" seems to me as "definitive" as Ms. Lee's terrifically compelling book. One finishes it with the sense, however illusory (see Janet Malcolm's extraordinary "The Silent Woman" for a convincing argument that it must be), that the Virginia Woolf found in its pages is essentially identical to the actual woman who lived and wrote and died. Anyone with even a slight interest in her must consider this book essential reading. I found it a real page-turner throughout its considerable length despite being unconvinced of Woolf's literary eminence (except for her sparkling correspondence) and finding her character unattractive (i.e. snobbish, frigid, a false friend, etc.) even by the usual standard for writers.

Probably the best bio of Woolf we are likely to see for some time. Lee has succeeded brilliantly and gracefully in that most elusive and troublesome task of capturing the "spirit" of another human being and then conveying that without simplification or reduction. What is most moving is that Lee allows Woolf her complexity and contradictions, her courage and cowardice, her generosity and meaness, without indulging in a sort of inconoclastic glee in smashing received images of Woolf as victim or feminist icon (or any other of the several and various "Woolfs" to be found these days.) Lee's bio is a stunning feat of sympathetic imagination and rational scholarship which ranks with the other "best" bio of the last 20 years or so, Deirdre Bair's marvelous and beautiful "Simone de Beauvoir." I am grateful to both of these writers.

I enjoyed the book, but have a fairly detailed knowledge of Woolf & her contemporaries. I think a new reader of Woolf & her work might get lost in the maze of essentially unexplained personalties & their relationship to Woolf & her circle.

Tanner has obviously put an extreme amount of thought and effort into the unique concept of viewing the past. His imagination has given him access to a vast range of ideas for potential follow-ups and I can't wait until the sequel hits the shops. The book is also clever in the way it weaves in the main plot with the sub-plot, and the tension rises as the stakes get higher, and there are more and more people to keep this revolutionary secret from. This book will undoubtedly give many readers inspiration for both writing and scientific exploration, recreational or advanced. Tanner has targeted the best age group to inspire with his scientific and tense story, which will leave thousands of children and adults of all ages shaking in desperation and anticipation for the sequel! Good luck Geoff!

Tanner has obviously put an extreme amount of thought and effort into the unique concept of viewing the past. His imagination has given him access to a vast range of ideas for potential follow-ups and I can't wait until the sequel hits the shops. The book is also clever in the way it weaves in the main plot with the sub-plot, and the tension rises as the stakes get higher, and there are more and more people to keep this revolutionary secret from. This book will undoubtedly give many readers inspiration for both writing and scientific exploration, recreational or advanced. Tanner has targeted the best age group to inspire with his scientific and tense story, which will leave thousands of children and adults of all ages shaking in desperation and anticipation for the sequel! Good luck Geoff!

This book is so incredibly cool. Tanner explains things so even I can understand it. He is a wonderful writer and hopes he has e sequel coming! Tanner's bookwas invigorating and wonderful. I liked it a lot. I could actually think I was with Jackie and Jonathan when anything exiting happened. It was incredible.

So 5 stars to Geoff!
Hip Hip Hooray!

I couldn't wait to get my copy of "Window on the Past." Based on the book description, I looked forward to reading a great book, and FUN it was!

Young readers not living in England would probably find the British dialect easy to understand, and possibly something interesting that they have not have had much exposure to! Kids need to experience how others live around the world to grow up to be more productive adults.

The author explains electronics in a way everyone can understand. Tanner didn't go overboard with too many intricate details and kept my attention. I thought this was a big plus.

The author did an excellent job as he breathed life into the characters, which resulted in believable and unique personalities. The kids, Jackie and Jonathan, and their parents were realistic and I felt as if I really knew them. This was also true about the other characters.

As I read, I tried to predict how the story would end. For the most part, the book was not easily predictable, unlike many TV programs, making the book much more interesting and definitely worthwhile.

Why not treat a young reader to a fun book instead of too much television?

Is Tanner working on a sequel? I hope so!

This book was gripping, and realistic, and funny, and insightful and i coud go on all day listign it`s good points. The idea behind the book is both interestign and novel, and Mr Tanner managed to exaplin all the complexity of the electronics in teh book in a single page, and in a way that anyone can understand, without the details detractign from the story.

The characters are realsitic, and so differant that each one comes to life for the reader. It is a story that can be enjoyed by anyone. I highly recomened it to anyone.

Terry Spear's debut novel (Vintage Romance Publishing 2006), Winning the Highlander's Heart won this reader's heart from the first page.

Spear deftly weaves in details of history and culture of 12th century England and Scotland while at the same time creating characters with whom modern readers can readily identify, particularly the comely Scottish Lady Anice.

The story is set during the reign of England's Henry I, known to have had numerous mistresses and illegitimate children while married to his wife Matilda. In the opening scene, Lady Anice--to escape the sexual overtures of King Henry, who's married to her cousin Matilda--slides down a rope from a second story window and unwittingly lands in the arms of Laird Malcolm McNeill.

Spirited, Scottish Lady Anice thinks for herself, wields a mean bow and arrow, and lets no man best her in battle or in bed, despite her innocence when it comes to the latter. In fact, she's so feisty and intriguing that Malcolm soon has second thoughts about taking an English bride. Expect Anice's and Malcolm's romantic encounters to be realistic while at the same time tastefully sensual.

If you like witty dialogue, intriguing cliffhangers, and danger around every curve, Winning the Highlander's Heart is sure to please.

Winning The Highlander's Heart is a delight to read. An engaging romance, a suspenseful mystery, a wonderful hero and heroine, and an exciting and dangerous "road trip," all in one. In addition to all that, it's an intelligent story, with characters who actually think and act as adults. And the reader is firmly ensconced in an accurate historical time and place that adds richly to the story. I strongly recommend this book to those looking for a good read.

Ms. Spear has written an excellent book that weaves history, romance and adventure in a truly engaging style. Anice and Malcolm will draw you into their world and hold you captive until the very end. I hated to come to the end of their story.

This is definitely a book to add to your collection. I can't wait to read Ms. Spear's next work.

Terry Spear's Winning the Highlander's Heart is an entertaining tale of Countess Anice, a spirited Scottish lass, and Highlander Laird Malcolm MacNeill, a man determined to get an English bride and solicit favor with King Henry I. The King's ward, Anice is desperate to avoid his amorous advances and return to her home in Scotland. As Malcolm escorts Anice home to discover who is killing off her staff, the mystery and intrigue unfolds, and the two can no longer deny their love. But King Henry and the Norman baron he insists she wed, stands between them and the happiness they might otherwise find.

Countess Anice would like nothing more than to return to her home in the Highlands and find a Laird to marry. As a ward of King Henry I, she's expected to remain with the court until he chooses a husband for her. Unfortunately, King Henry intends to wed her to a Norman lord. There seems to be no escaping Henry's inappropriate propositions for Anice until she literally drops into the lap of the Lord McNeill.

Lord McNeill is a titled lord without property. Marrying a Scottish lass would be impossible due to a past scandal caused by his father. Malcolm is seeking an audience with King Henry in hope of acquiring a propertied English bride. Malcolm never imagined he'd find the perfect Scottish lass to wed by visiting the English court or the danger that would come from loving Anice.

Anice is forced to flee yet another of the king's attempted seductions. This time she avoids his advances by climbing out the second story window and lowering herself with ropes to the ground below. Of course, her flight did not go unnoticed by the people already gathered in the bailey. One supposed gentleman in particular even thought to help by manhandling her when she refused to jump and let him catch her. Anice recognizes his Scottish burr and can't help wishing that he would take her back to her beloved home in the Highlands. Once she leaves the Scotsman who'd helped break her fall, Anice finds her cousin and King Henry's wife, Matilda, and begs her to convince His Grace to allow Anice to return home. However, Anice never tells Matilda of the king's advances, choosing instead to blame homesickness for her need to leave the court. While conferring with Matilda, Anice inquires about the Scotsman, only to learn that he's looking for an English wife. Lord McNeill's plans are put on hold as the king gives him the position as steward of Anice's holding. Unbeknownst to Anice, various members of her staff have gone missing and foul play is suspected. Malcolm may be her new steward but there's no way Anice is going to allow him to leave for her home without her. After spending time with the determined Anice, Malcolm may just discover everything he could possibly want in the arms of a Scottish lass.

WINNING THE HIGHLANDER is a delightful story right from the very first page. I was easily able to envision Anice in all her stubborn glory as she avoids the king's advances, refuses to allow Malcolm to dictate what she should do, and insists on returning to Scotland in order to help determine what foul play has befallen her people. You can't help but adore Malcolm. He's an honorable man, trying to do the right thing by traveling to England and seeking out an English bride but becomes attracted to Anice even before the king entrusts her estate to him. This story is fast paced, full of witty dialogue, and interesting characters that will keep readers entertained for hours. If you like historical stories about those braw Highlander men, you'll love this book.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)