England Books

In short: a strait-laced Professor is asked to write a tell-all book about the less-than-perfect Petrefacts.

To the average writer, this scenario could probably get a little tee-hee from the readers, but leave it to Sharpe to throw into the mixture the riotous "Ablution Bath", some midgets (or PORG - Persons of Unrestricted Growth), a sex toy factory, an outrageous interrogation / Silence Of The Lambs-themed chapter, and a crazy carwash incident and you get Tom Sharpe at his best yet again. Even the scene where Lord Petrefact explains to Croxley what he'd like served for dinner is a gem on its own.

Now, I'm the type who throws a book to the nearest bin when the ending is less than ideal but somehow, whenever I read Tom Sharpe's books, as far off as they are to having conventional happy endings, I always manage to put them back on my shelf with a huge smile on my face. So do yourself a favour and grab this book - I'm sure you owe yourself a good long laugh!

Tom Sharpe writes some very wicked satire. His victims are typically the upper class, snobby English or, in his earlier works, the hypocritically rascist South Africans. Although very popular in the UK, his books are almost unknown in America ... too bad!

In 'Ancestral Vices' we have a loosely stiched story about a crusty and warped aristocratic family, a befuddled biographer, victimized dwarves, and a murder. It's a total farce. However the author's wit and humor are lethal, and the story somehow holds together until the very end (or near so).


Bottom line: perhaps not a classic but 'Ancestral Vices' does Tom Sharpe some justice. Recommended.

Introduced to Tom Sharpe's work by a Brit friend, I can't get enough of this amazing author! "Ancestral Vices" literally made my cry with laughter. Yapp's horrifying experience with the "Ablution Bath" sent me into gales of giggles, as did the run amok motorized wheelchair scenario. Lord Petrefact, Willie Coppett, the sex toy factory...all of it was enough to make a cat laugh. Sharpe is warped, twisted, and totally delightful! Simply, hysterically funny!

This book is funny - if you can stand grown-up humor and aren't one of those sexophobic weirdos. And besides being hillariously funny (had to laugh out loud just thinking about it), it is very highly intelligent, massively satiric, thrilling and thoroughly British. Not too intellectual, but not for dimwits either. If you don't like this book you are probably dead.

Tom Sharpe is the most hilarious writer. Ancestral vices is another piece of mad cap mayhem from the master.Fast paced laugh out loud parts. Its always one thing after another with Tom sharpe. Left-wing academics(Yapp)put up against,right-wing capitalists(the Petrefacts),throw in a sex toy factory a bunch of country bumpkins,and dwarves and this is what you get. Like I said total hilarious mayhem.

I've used other editions and they've been great - but this latest edition is big in every way. I like it best for restaurants - but have also made some great antique finds from using it and love the tips. Anyone who lives in Greenwich, or is thinking of living in Greenwich or lives near Greenwich should own this book.

A fabulous compendium of what to do and where to go in Greenwich. It's a great guide for newcomers to the town as well as an enlightening read for Greenwich natives who have likely overlooked some of the notable resources the author has unearthed. Just imagine - 180 restaurant reviews - fitness and sports, culture, entertainment, schools... Move over Zagats and make room for Anderson's Enjoying Greenwich!

Know somebody that just moved to the area? Don't give them a plant...give them the guide! This book is an invaluable resource to anybody looking to get the full Greenwich experience. It gives information about everything, from dancing to dining and tennis to taxi listings. There's nothing the Anderson Guide to Enjoying Greenwich doesn't cover.
If you are new to the area, this is essential reading. When I came to the area, a friend that has lived in the area for years gave me the book. After I included her in some of my adventures, now she owns a copy too. Whether you're a guy or girl, single or part of a large family, the Anderson Guide to Greenwich will find you something fun to do.
I cannot say enough good things about this book, and don't have the time to continue. I'm headed out right now to grab my guide, and head out for a night on the town!

The Greenwich Guides are invaluable for those who live, work, or play in Greenwich. They are exhaustively researched and contain an incredible range of useful information. Each edition has been bigger and better than the one before, and this one is huge.

This is a fantastic and irreplaceable resource for residents and visitors of Greenwich. It gives reliable reviews of the best restaurants and shops in town. The guide also explores the town's parks, beaches, and festivals. Most importantly, the authors have exquisite taste! After some research I've found this is the most complete guide to enjoying Greenwich, far more valuable than internet resources. This well-written, affable book makes you feel as though you have a friend showing you the best spots in town. I highly recommend it!

Thank the heavens that someone finally addressed this neglected topic. Bell's in depth knowledge of the Baptist, and his mimetic style, only deepen the telling of this up-until-now untold story. A must read for Shakers.

Given the current dissention wihtin the Southern Baptist's church this book provides an excellent insight into the formation of the religion and how it gradually reconciled its radical views and became a more mainstream sect. It is particularly relvant given the current turmoil within the Southern Baptists.

Why did the Associate Dean of one of the world's leading business schools read a book on the interplay of religion, history, and politics? I Chair Emory's Ethics Center, and Mark Bell is a young scholar who is being talked about. This book shows why: it is lucid, well-researched yet always engaging, and breaks original ground that taught me a lot about one of the world's great religions. Bell transcends narrow scholarship--his fertile mind and apt pen range impressively over many fields--to create and defend a useful new thesis. This book is clear and concise in its exposition, thus the wisdom and culture it imparts is worth the reader's investment.

Even though I am not a Baptist, I really enjoyed reading this book. I was interested to learn that there was such a diversity of opinion even among the earliest English Baptists. The author's discussion of the way in which some Baptists were more radical than others, and how various elements within the Baptists wanted to accomodate with society is well integrated into his analysis of the importance of apocalypticism. This was not only a highly enlightening book, but it is also well-written and easy to understand.

Excellent read! This author is a talented researcher and writer, a rare combo these days. The political context of early Baptist development and evolution is thoroughly documented and analyzed in this scholarly work. History and religion buffs are sure to enjoy this.

`The Arrows Cookbook' combines 156 recipes from the four seasons of the highly regarded coastal Maine restaurant with a experienced amateur gardener's recommendations on planting and running a large southern Maine vegetable garden for the restaurant. The book embodies the familiar mantra of using fresh, seasonal, local ingredients fortified by giving you the information you need to grow fresh, local ingredients. This is the special slant the book offers, as no publisher has yet gotten the chutzpah to charge $40 for a book without trying to give the reader something extra.

The tone of the book is heavily oriented to their rural Maine terroir in style and content. In Maine, the seasons play a much greater role in daily life than they do in California or even in Manhattan. Therefore, the book's attitude toward its product has neither the mystical reverence of Paul Bertolli or Alice Waters nor the high maintenance, high craftsmanship of Daniel Boulud or Eric Rippert. Even though there is considerable respect for ingredients and home brewed food making here in both the gardening in the Spring and Summer and ham curing done in the Winter. There is also no evidence of high tech houte cuisine (there are no prep or cook times or difficulties ascribed to the recipes) or of Napa Valley chic wine recommendations. This is Maine! This is boiled lobsters, boiled meat, and wild apple country.

The asking price of $0.26 a recipe is a relatively high price for the average cookbook. Many very good books average out at $0.10 to $0.20 a recipe, list. What would make you willing to pay the extra toll for this book aside from the celebrity status of the venue?

1. The recipes are good, simple preparations. Of the 156, there are:
Appetizers 27
Salads 22
Main Courses 26 11 of which are for seafood
Sauces 21
Side Dishes 36
Desserts 24

The relatively high proportion of appetizers, salads, and side dishes to main courses is explained by the fact that the menu is different for each of the four seasons, based on what produce is available in that season. There are few or no tomato dishes in Spring and few strawberry dishes in Winter. The up side to this picture is that this book is a very good source for seasonal salads, appetizers, and side dishes. If one's limited cookbook budget was aimed at either seasonally or vegetarianism, this is a very good book. The attention to edible flowers is especially noteworthy.

2. The gardening information is fairly complete for the straightforward vegetable garden. Its primary value is inspirational and getting one started in the right directions. A good bibliography of gardening texts is included. The supplementary books are needed, because these authors are amateurs. I found at least one botanical mistake, but it wasn't serious. The book's value drops off the further you live from the Southern Maine growing zone and the less space you have available to grow stuff. The greatest value of this part of the book is the inspiration it can give to save money by growing your own. I believe the frugality of restaurant operations and the way they treat their prima materia is one of the most useful inspirations for home chefs. The growing of herbs alone in a Manhattan apartment can probably save someone over $100 a year with a commensurate improvement in their cuisine. Check out the price of fresh basil the next time you are in the tomato aisle of your megamart.

The photographs in this book are very gratefully limited to special sections and are of a reasonable quality. I have given up assigning demerits for photos, which have the center of a plate in focus and the front and back out of focus. All are about the food. No sous chefs hamming it up for the camera. Very commendable. One regret I have about the photography is that the book gives special attention to a very large arrangement at the restaurant entrance which changes at least seasonally, yet they give not a single photo of this great work, even after giving a detailed description of how to construct one. There are also many small black and white photos related to the text, but with no caption. Occasionally disorienting. Lastly, I miss a few more photos of their extensive garden and greenhouse(s). I start to get the sense that, like Emeril's recent cookbook, this book is aimed at being an elaborate advertisement for the restaurant.

This is good and more than commonly useful book. At a discounted price of $30 or less, I recommend it.

When I need to plan a dinner for friends that are not foodies this is the first cookbook I choose. The recipes are delicious, easy to prepare and are not over the top. Every recipe has been meticulously checked and all have proven to be delicious. The book helps capture the feel of eating at the restaurant. The seasonality of the book's organization helps us northern new englanders plan an appropriate meal.

This book is a must have. The recipes are fun and easy to prepare. When my family goes to their restaurant we are always treated as family. So many of the recipes are great that I can't even pick a single one as my favorite. What really puts this book into the next level is the way that they use seasonal ingredients. A must have.

As both a cook and a gardener, this cookbook is a treat. Oganized by season, the recipes use fresh fruits, herbs, and vegetables found in the garden and at the farmer's market. There are ambitious recipes that call for a lot of time and preparation, as well as extremely simple fare. The book also gives hints and instructions for everything from freezing berries and shucking oysters to building raised beds; even providing advice on whether or not to buy a greenhouse! You can plant the authors' "10 veggies that let you have a life," and then use their recipes to create such dishes as Red and Golden Beet Salad or the very simple Ginger-Roasted Parsnips. Armed with my seed catalogs and Frasier and Gaier's cookbook for inspiration and ideas (not to mention a slice of Super-Moist Apple Cake and a cup of coffee), I am looking forward to planning my garden for 2004. I can hardly wait until next year's harvest!

Anyone who's ever visited Arrows Restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine, knows the owners are sticklers for exquisite detail. From the views of the lush and meticulous one-acre garden out the freshly painted farmhouse windows, to the seasonal food artfully arranged on the plate, the experience is a treat for the eye as well as the palate. With the garden full of flowers, herbs, vegetables and heirloom tomatoes for inspiration, the food is creative and bursting with bright and subtle flavors.

The owners' first book reflects this with a balanced presentation of recipes, gardening advice and personal details. Organized seasonally, the authors showcase Maine staples such as lobster, Maine shrimp and cod and halibut, fiddleheads and blueberries. But the fiddleheads come served in brown butter with Bundnerfleisch, a German cured beef (you could also substitute prosciutto or smoked salmon); the lobster comes in an Asparagus Soup with Lobster, Morels and Chervil, and the lobster salad is served, not with mayonnaise, but with Tomato-Tarragon Vinaigrette.

The authors cross cultures freely and do not mind a little extra effort for a spectacular result. The skewers for the Chinese-inspired Grilled Lamb Brochettes on Basil Skewers with Spicy Basil-Cilantro Marinade, for instance, are basil stems left to dry over the winter.

Each chapter opens with a short essay on the season and state of the garden (which provides 90 percent of the restaurant's produce) and business, then moves on to feature appetizers, main and side dishes, sauces and desserts. Recipes are prefaced with short, useful notes on growing (even in Maine, "tomatillos grow like weeds"), selecting (the best piece of bluefin tuna, for instance), variations, accompaniments, and cooking tips.

Interspersed with the recipes are short gardening pieces - how to grow tomatoes or peppers, growing and using herbs, watering with soaker hoses, using up zucchini, making the most of a small space, edible flowers, saving seeds and lots more.

But the food is what Arrows veterans are looking for here. For a tantalizing taste of summer, try a Sweet and Sour Fennel Salad or a simple plate of Marinated Tomatoes or a Sugar Snap Pea and Rock Shrimp Salad. Then maybe some Maine Sweet Clams with Risotto and Arugula, or Grilled Rib-Eye Steak with Herbs and Caramelized Onions. Accompanied perhaps by some Thai-Style Corn-on-the-Cob (soaked in coconut milk, grilled), or Yam and Leek Gratin, and your own Onion and Rosemary Focaccia. Topped off with Cinnamon Basil Shortcakes with Peaches or Blueberry Ice Cream or Steamed Raspberry Pudding.

This is an attractive, personable, conversational book, as much fun to cook from as to browse. The recipes are not difficult, though some are time consuming and many feature ingredients you can find, but not necessarily at the local supermarket (but isn't a new discovery half the fun?). A delightful book and a kitchen inspiration.

This book was a real pleasure to read very slowly. It is a room by room description of Beatrix Potter's Hill Top farm house and includes the gardens. Beatrix started journaling about what she loved in a home from the time she was nine years old and this house is the cummulation of a life long interest in interior and exterior design theory. She fit in with the whole Arts and Crafts movement of the time. The house was deliberatly her largest artistic creation, she didn't actually live there very much. Again, it is a beautiful book and has many fasinating details about Beatrix Potter, her family and her times.

Being the big fan of Beatrox Potter, the woman and not just the author I was overjoyed to get this as a gift recently and the book is a treat for the eyes. While it has pages and pages of stunning photographs as well as her own water colours, it is the text and complete history of her farms that is awesome.

That and reading and seeing photographs of her as well as her farms and reading why she bought each property and the breeds of sheep she raised was of special interest to me. I loved seeing the inside of her farms, although I had seen the inside of a few, via the National Land Trust to whom she left her properties.

I loved the photographs of Beatrix and how she was so eccentric, kind yet firm and a woman ahead of her time. And it was nice to read that she was a true homestead style woman who had the waste not want not mentality, as well as a deep appreciation for quality and hated to see old bridges torn down for modern ones, although she was quick to make sure the stones and plants, wood and other things being discarded by some, didn't end up in some dump area but were recycled into new walls and buildings and plantings on her property.

This is a book a cottage gardener, keeper of sheep. painters, stone masons and anyone who loves working with their hands will love. As well as sincere environmentalists and organic gardeners and farmers.

A gorgeous collection of photos and information
about one of my most favorite children story writers.

What a beautiful book. Clear, inviting photos, and interesting information. A book you will enjoy reading and sharing.

AT HOME WITH BEATRIX POTTER is a delight to the eye and the spirit for those who love this children's author and her "little books." It is written by Susan Denyer of Britain's National Trust. (Potter's property was left to the National Trust.) The focus of the book is Hilltop Farm, the first farm Beatrix Potter acquired. Although she lived across the road in Castle Cottage, Potter often used Hilltop for its library, guestroom, and workplaces. She also used it to display her "treasures." This book reveals her love of nature, the English Lake District, and of old things--carved dressers, chests, spinning wheels are a few of the "gems" portrayed. Two-page color spreads convey the beauty of the Lake Area, where Potter became a major landowner, sheepfarmer, and a happily married woman. It is wonderful to see the original places, buildings, and objects that she incorporated into her books (examples are shown side by side). The book's layout, photographs, and design are first-rate. Reading this book reminded me of THE PRIVATE WORLD OF TASHA TUDOR and its wonderful photographs by Richard Brown. Like Tudor, Potter drew what she knew and preferred country to city life. (Tudor also was a working farmer in New Hampshire.) Finally, this book presents information about Beatrix Potter and the things and people she loved in an informative and respectful way. This book is not a biography, and Denyer avoids the biographer's temptation to "sum up" or "explain" Beatrix Potter. Rather, we draw our own conclusions after being exposed to the things Potter loved. The select bibliography at the book's end provides a list of works on and by Potter (her journals and letters have been published) that is very helpful to those who want to know more about this author. This is a book to treasure.

Reading this collection of stories is rather like travelling Britain via its country lanes. Occasionally you can hear the far-off hum of the motorways, but it never interrupts your enjoyment of Britain's traditionally non-conformist landscape, physical and mental. The word quirky has so often become indistinguishable from twee, but here recaptures its original meaning with this collection of stories and recollections distilled from a lifetime of observation. With all due respect, forget Bill Bryson, this is the authentic voice of a Britain hidden in plain sight.

This blends travel and nature in the finest of methods and traditions, probing the variety and comedy of encounters with animals around the world and lending a chatty, adventure-filled tone which should particularly appeal to fans of Eric Newby. Both a travelogue and a nature title, it covers encounters with both.

An Audience With An Elephant blends travel and nature in the finest of methods and traditions, probing the variety and comedy of encounters with animals around the world and lending a chatty, adventure-filled tone which should particularly appeal to fans of Eric Newby. Both a travelogue and a nature title, An Audience With An Elephant covers encounters with both.

This is just a lovely, lovely book. It is hard to describe it in any other way. It is a series of very short and personal articles collected together which have been written by Rogers. They are part travelogue (and very much about Wales) but mostly very personal stories, nothing about celebrities, and everything about quite everyday sort of people.

Rogers style is quite easy and informal which makes these articles immensely readable. They include mostly quite unusual aspects of the usual, so in here are stories about possibly the last tramp/vagabond in Wales. His life, what he ate, how he travelled, the codes used by other vagabonds to indicate information about houses and properties. There is the story of Ali Pasha the last prisoner of War from Turkey following World War 1 (a tortoise in fact.) There are the lost children from Wales late attempt for independence who were locked in bleak monasteries and convents, a teenage elephant, and the largest sturgeon ever caught.

These are punchy and readable articles which have been collected together, so you can read them bit by bit, skip back and forth or pick them up and put them down. They are linked generally by their personality and style. They are simple but rich and personal stories about ordinary people and events. Very often those at the end of their era (the last tramp in Wales, a 'Bertie Wooster' style fisherman from the 20's etc.)

I would recommend this book to own rather than borrow because it is so nice to dip in and out of, they are really 'heartwarming' in the most cliched but nicest use of the word

Byron Rogers is a highly regarded British Press writer, much like the Human Interest editors of all the major newspapers in the USA. He writes in a succinct, informed, yet chatty way that endears him to British readers and now with the appearance of AN AUDIENCE WITH AN ELEPHANT, a collection of his previously published observations, the American readers can delight in his gifts. This small book is a perfect companion of light reading at the bedside or as an endlessly interesting collection for brightening moments during travels. His topics vary widely - from the tortoise captured at Gallipoli, to a teenage elephant that toured the Bristish Isles as an honored guest at festivities, to the problems with being single and coping with Singles Bars. Though some my see this collection as a variation on Ripley's Believe It Or Not, it is nonetheless continuously humorous and tender. Rogers eccentricites have a way of putting the world in which we struggle into comic relief and allows us to laugh at our own foibles. Good medicine, this!

Wonderful history of the native Indians of the Connecticut River Valley and their ancestors from Canada. As you read each chapter, the author provides you with a visual view of the life of her family and those who played a part in their lifetime. You are left with a great respect for your environment and the care that all of us need to take with it or we may loose it. Ms Parker causes you to pause and smell the sweetgrass, listen to the crunch of snow under your feet and appreciate every living thing for the part each plays in our existence. A thoroughly enjoyable book!

Wonderful history of the native Indians of the Connecticut River Valley and their ancestors from Canada. As you read each chapter, the author provides you with a visual view of the life of her family and those who played a part in their lifetime. You are left with a great respect for your environment and the care that all of us need to take with it or we may loose it. Ms Parker causes you to pause and smell the sweetgrass, listen to the crunch of snow under your feet and appreciate every living thing for the part each plays in our existence. A thoroughly enjoyable book!

Aunt Sarah Woman of the Dawnland was a book I would recommend to anyone who wants to read a book that will give you the opportunity to learn and be amazed at the same time. This book tells the life story of Sarah, a Native American Healing Woman and the 108 years that she lived. The author really put her heart and soul in writing this book. I don't want to reveal too much. I just want to say this is a must read book!

Wonderful history of the native Indians of the Connecticut River Valley and their ancestors from Canada. As you read each chapter, the author provides you with a visual view of the life of her family and those who played a part in their lifetime. You are left with a great respect for your environment and the care that all of us need to take with it or we may loose it. Ms Parker causes you to pause and smell the sweetgrass, listen to the crunch of snow under your feet and appreciate every living thing for the part each plays in our existence. A thoroughly enjoyable book!

I was at the Big E in Springfield last year (1998) and I saw a Native American woman that I was compelled to speak with. Her story started coming out at the beginning of the conversation and continues with me to this day. In between I read this book and it was inspiring and yet historical. It was nice to read something about Native Americans that was positive; something that showed their love and devotion to their families; something that talked about their culture; something that spoke about their spirit; something that spoke about the early settlers from their perspective..... I could go on an on. If you want a book that you won't be able to put down -- this is it. If you liked Angela's Ashes and the other McCourt books, you will love this. If you are a Native American you will finally be proud. If you are a human, you will relate to this story. It can have a profound effect on your life.

I spent two years in Boston and I was surprised at the beauty of New England especially in autumn. This book always reminds me of sweet memories in Boston and beautiful foliage in New England.

The photos in this book are exceptional. Combined with the writings of New England authors this book celebrates the wonder and spirituality of nature that we, non-writers, feel but for which cannot find the words.

I spent two years in Boston and I was surprised at the beauty of New England especially in autumn. This book always reminds me of sweet memories in Boston and beautiful foliage in New England.

This is indeed a beautiful book. It was originally published in 1988 and re-published last year. But the photos look like they could've been taken last week. There are 90 photos taken throughout New England (mostly in Northern N.E., it seems) and they vary from woodland landscapes to bayside scenes, and a variety of sorts in between. It's nice to see a little diversity because, believe or not, looking at a book full of Autumn landscapes could actually be somewhat monotonous.

I enjoyed some of the poetry/writings, such as that from Emerson, Thoreau, and Frost, but I didn't take much from the likes of Emily Dickinson and E.A. Robinson. But I'm not a big fan of poetry to begin with.

The "flaw" that I alluded to is something I think any photographic book like this gets nailed with: the pictures are exciting to look at a limited number of times. So maybe you only pull this book off the shelf a couple times a year to browse through and reflect on the joys of the best time of year -- like maybe after a hot Summer day.

All in all they did some good work, even putting together a rudimentary tour guide that points out some viewing hotspots in each N.E. state.

I've never had the pleasure of going to New England during autumn but I desperatly wish to and after enjoying a book like this, the ache is only worse! This is a lovely book to own and browse whenever the hunger for the color of fall leaves, the long stretch of early evening shadows and the smell of buring wood seems far, far away. We have no where near as sectacular (or long) of an autumn in Texas but that doesn't keep many of us from respecting and longing for this most reflective and moody of all seasons. This book captures so much of the romantic, misty images with common and comfortable pictures. This with the beautiful works of great writers including (in my own opinion) the greatest, Robert Frost, make this book a joy. As I write this, it's summer in Texas and near 100. I'm going to crank the A/C down and make a cup of cider....

Known for the wit of his English mysteries, Barnard takes his time setting up the plot elements of "The Bad Samaritan," which revolves around the back-biting congregation of St. Saviour's church.

Rosemary Sheffield, the vicar's wife, has lost her faith, an event she finds liberating. Her husband's congregation does not share her sanguine view, however. Upon her return from a short holiday, which has made her acutely aware of the Bosnian war through her friendship with a refugee waiter, Rosemary finds plots afoot to oust her from her role in church activities.

While not particularly attached to these activities, Rosemary resents the plotters' methods. And when her refugee friend turns up at the vicarage, she must aid him and thwart the tide of gossip as well. The murder, when it finally occurs, bringing in Barnard's black detective Charlie Peace, serves to force all the undercurrents out in the open. As much a witty novel of manners as a suspenseful mystery, "Samaritan" is distinguished by its crisp writing and wry perception of character.

The main ingredients for a wonderful literary feast: Take one Rosemary Sheffield, a pastor's wife who has lost her faith, add one young man named Stanko who has fled Bosnia and what results is gossip, rumors of scandal and even a murder. All of this is liberally seasoned with wit, detail and irresistable dialogue. The psychological suspense will keep you guessing what will happen next and there is just enough complexity to maintain interest without slowing the pace. Very moving, very satisfying and highly recommended!

When a member of the Church of England parish of St. Savior's is found murdered following a picnic, the crime investigation is undertaken by Detective Constable Charlie Peace and his boss Mike Oddie. Charlie is a likeable protagonist who prefers working alone. The dirty tricks and vicious maneuverings of the people of St. Savior's remind him of his own upbringing in a predominantly black parish in Brixton. Charlie plows ahead seeking answers to his questions as he interviews people repeatedly. When Charlie acts friendly, the wise suspect is on guard. Barnard's twenty-ninth novel has enough twists to keep it entertaining and the plot is very tight and believable.

An engaging mystery of the British cozy variety, wherein a vicar's wife loses her faith and becomes the object of vicious parish political maneuvering that ends in homicide. I bought this book with the intention of reading it over the coming week. In reality, I stayed up reading it most of the night that I purchased it. Highly recommended!

Rosemary Sheffield feels that she needs some time to find herself! The wife of a pastor, she has "lost" her faith; she has become quite disoriented. Off she goes on a seaside holiday to "find herself." And , once again, veteran writer Robert Barnard maintains his true-to-form style in "The Bad Samaritan." While at the resort, Rosemary meets--and befriends--a young Bosnian named Stanko, who's fled to England to escape the horrors of his homeland. Rosemary finally returns home and, anon, soon appears the young man, whom she helps to get a job in her town. Of course, it's not long before rumors begin. The rumors evolve into murder and Barnard's amiable pair Detective Constable Charlie Peace and his boss Mike Oddie are called in to find the murderer. Barnard's writing, full of dry wit, sharp dialogue, a viable plot, all combine to make "The Bad Samaritan" a excellent read. Barnard paces his novels with a brilliance that makes simply turning the pages worthwhile. Well-versed in literature and human nature, Barnard knows that "one good deed deserves another" and "love thy neighbor" are not always to be taken literally! (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

For years, growing up in Massachusetts, I would pass these giant mills in cities such as Lowell, New Bedford or Fall River, wondering about the history. This book brings it to life--the workers' struggles, triumphs and incredible strength and perserverance. Anyone interested in reading about labor history, the struggle of the working class, how capitalism can spin out of control, etc., should read this book. The next time you pass one of these mills, you will stop and think about these brave, hardworking women.

This was another winner for me. I am from Lawrence, Mass and I try to read everything about the area. This book deals with Lowell but it also covers Lawrence - the Bread and Roses strike and the Pemberton Mill disaster. So far this book contains the the most detail that I have been able to find on the Pemberton Mill disaster. If you are interested in Lawrence, Mass. you might also like to check out Bruce Watson's "Bread and Roses" or for a lighter and more fun read my book "A Summer with Charlie" which is about growing up in Lawrence in the 60s. I also cover the Bread and Roses strike in an appendix at the end of the book.

A fascinating topic with many parallels to today's influx of immigrants and the goal of gender-equality in the work place. This book is written the way history books should be written: readable and entertaining, and therefore informative and thought-provoking. Pay no attention to pedantic criticisms that author Moran is not a "historian" but rather a journalists; that is nonsense. Just read, learn, and enjoy.

The next time I complain about MY job, I'll try and spend a moment thinking about what it was like to work in the mills described in this excellent book. Deafness, arthritis caused by repetitive hand motion, young children put to work because their families were desperate for money, fires in the mill, job-related injuries, long hours of work, poor ventiliation and light - you name it.

I heard about this book while watching C-Span and today I'm ordering a copy for a friend in New England whose long-ago relatives came from Canada to work in the mills.

It has strengthened my resolve to visit Lowell, Mass. and see what has been preserved.

It's fascinating and enjoyable to read - I'm just glad I didn't have to live through the experience myself. Highly recommended.

Very few books give enough credit, in my opinion, to the important role women played in the development of American society. French Canadian women are probably at the very end of a long line of feminist ethnic groups frequently overlooked for the formidable standard they set, later a prototype characterized by Rosie the Riveter during America's darkest days during the middle of the last century. The Belles of New England is a well researched history about the development of New England's dinosaur textile and shoe industries and how hard working immigrant women made moguls of their owners. Although the Franco-American woman were a large workforce in these now largely empty brick buildings, hopelessly stuck on the landscape of New England towns, they weren't the only ones to contribute to the industrial age success of these mega-industries. Still, Franco-American women were unusual. Largely from Quebec, they raised extraordinarily large families while working labor jobs to raise money for their extended families. Franco-Americans are different than other American ethnic melting pot varieties in that they could always go home again, to Canada, by train or by foot. But, they stayed, raised their families and contributed to the wealth of a few industrialists who probably never said thank you. So, author Bill Moran has said in "Belles" what the moguls couldn't even conceptualize if their lives depended on it to do so. Nice selection of historic photos, too. Moran gives long overdue credit to the women who helped make New England prosperous.