England Books

When Beth Smallwood is found bludgeoned to death in her church, where she had gone late one evening to put out fresh candles, DCI Neil Paget and his team of investigators have to dig into her ordinary middle-class life in their hunt for suspects. While keeping in mind that her murder may have been opportunistic: was she simply in the wrong place at the wrong time?

They learn that Smallwood wasn't a wealthy or prominent person. Nor was she in a perilous line of work: she held a modest office job in a local bank. She had reared her only son, now a young adult, as a single working mother. She wasn't a domestic tyrant, neighborhood busybody or small-time blackmailer.

The dour Paget finds plenty of suspects in Beth's modest life. She had embezzled money on a modest scale to bail her sociopath son out of legal jams while living in deep denial about his nature. On the night she died she had finally seen the light, ordered him out of her house, and made an appointment for the next day with the police to confess to lying for him in the past.

But her son wasn't the only one with motive to kill. Beth had been raped at work by a predatory supervisor, after he promoted her. And the male co-worker who had hoped for the promotion, but instead was laid off, burned with resentment.

Smith's protagonist, Paget, is not very interesting or likable - he's emotionally stuck in grief over the death of his wife some years previously and in this novel exhibits all the emotional affect of a frozen flounder. However, I think that Paget is a nice counterpoint to all those interesting and likable fictional British cops, such as Inspector Wexford.

Of course, the author can't rely on Paget's nonexistent charm or his barren private life to keep the story moving and hold the reader's interest. Instead, Smith does that very well with a good plot and solid supporting characters. I was kept guessing whodunit until the last few pages.

Albeit the book is fast paced and well written it has some stories that doesn't belong to the book unless you read the prequel -mind that this is my first book of the series. The gist of writing several books of the same plot is that no-matter if you skip the first book, in the second one you must know briefly what happened in the first i.e. here you don't know what happened with Paget and Andrea. It has other flaws as the one that the dog saw the sprawled body in the meadows and nobody else as well as the guy who stole the bike.

Everyone involved in the investigation seems a bit stunned by the murder weapon and the location of the crime scene. Someone used a candlestick to pound widow Beth Snakewood to death inside the St. Justin Chapel. Detective Chief Inspector Neil Paget and his junior partner Sergeant John Tregalles investigate the brutal slaying.

The problem confronting the two police officers is that the victim seems to have several individuals who have strong motives to kill her. Her former peer on the job is obviously jealous of Beth's recent promotion, which he feels she gained through her figure rather than her figuring. Her boss raped but promoted Beth. The woman's violent son loses his control very quickly. Then there is the unknown person who tipped the police off on many of their early inquiries. The only thing the two cops know is that they have their work cut out for them if they want to identify the killer.

CANDLES FOR THE DEAD, the third Paget mystery (see FATAL FLAW and STONE DEAD) is an invigorating village cosy who-done-it that will grip readers from start to finish. The investigation takes center stage in the engaging story line. However, a subplot involving Paget's personal life adds much depth to the tale. Frank Smith provides fans of the regional (outside London) British police procedural sub-genre with a fast-paced, old fashion, but enjoyable detective story.

Harriet Klausner

Candles for the Dead is a wonderfully written British police procedural that had me guessing until the very end. Smith is a very talented author, (Fatal Flaw and Stone Dead are good reads as well), and I can't wait for the next Inspector Paget mystery to arrive.

A rather bleak, but very good book. CANDLES centers around the murder of a woman victimized by three separate assaults on the last day of her life. And she had endured a lot of misery before that, too. DCI Luke Paget, coping with the imminent third anniversary of his wife's death, investigates, assisted by a whole lot of other coppers. There's an incident room coordinator, various sergeants, criminologists, and many other police personnel. I enjoyed the depiction of these characters' work roles and relationships, and found the book excellent, well-plotted, and very well-written. Smith's FATAL FLAW is also terrific.

The Carpenter's Daughter is an engaging tale full of action, drama, twists and turns in the plot, and characters that seem real. The interplay between the characters and some of their hidden motives will surprise you again and again. The dialogue was lively, and the descriptions were vivid. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This is not your typical romance book. It's smart, it's funny and it has a character you really care about. In fact, she'd be your best friend if she was real. The main character Randalyn has a heart of gold but everyone around her are greedy fools. Thank goodness for the hero of the story - they make a lovely pair. Sweet ending too. Good lovemaking scenes!

This book is a great read for people who love romance novels. I found I couln't put it down. It combines romance with suspense. I would highly recommend it.

I really loved this book. The author made you feel as if you were part of the story.

I really loved this book,I couldn't put it down. It was like watching a soap, I could hardly wait for the next chapter to see what happens. This is a great romance novel.

I first read this book 17 years ago...when I was in 6th grade. It is one of 2 books I can remember reading during elementary school; it made that much of an impact. The perfect mystery, and a good introduction to the Sherlock Holmes character for younger readers. A great light read for adults also. Suggested for all any child ages 11 and up...

I love this book! It's perfect for smart 10-11 yearolds-that's when I read it. It's a good beginner Sherlock Holmes, but not like a "My First Sherlock Holmes" book. THIS IS A GREAT BOOK! Andrew Craigie thinks somthing's up when he discovers that his gaurdian is kidnapped. Then someone attempts to kidnapp him! THe case then goes to the great Sherlock Holmes! Take my word for it, this is a great book.

I read this book as a kid and I still enjoy it. The story follows a young boy who finds himself separated from his mother and alone in London. He ends up working for Holmes when he meets the sister of Wiggins, one of Holmes's Baker Street Irregulars. The mystery solved is a good one and the characters are interesting. Holmes and Watson are in character as well. It's a good book for kids who like Sherlock Holmes or mysteries. It's also just a flat-out good Holmes story for anyone who enjoys following the exploits of the detective, despite the fact that it was written for children.

I really love good books, especially mysteries. My favorite male characters are Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poiroit, Brother Cadfael, and, of course, Andrew Craigie/Tillet. Even an adult can read this book and enjoy it. I'd recommend it to anyone, since it's clean, well-written and interesting. Use the little gray-cells, read this book.

I think that this book was a good introduction to children starting to read the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. It showed how he thought, and was a good children's book.

What's to say? The greatest cartoon ever is out of print and can't be seen by anyone. Thankfully his animated work is available on DVD through Amazon and it's a humbling experience. Those were the first animated cartoons and in some respects they've seldom been equalled. His first one--THE first one--is a shocker, like some amateur building the Taj Mahal on the first try. In terms of raw, fantastic, dizzying, imagination coupled with stunning craftsmanship McCay may have no equal.

If this material is not made available pressure should be exerted somewhere, maybe with the Smithsonian, to release new editions. The lack of availability is almost criminal: like finding out that Don Quixote's gone out of print or something. Really, I'm not being hyperbolic. For all the interest there is in comic art these days, all the Manga, Fantastic Fours and graphic novels, this has to be accepted as the medium's Shakespeare.

Although originally published as a weekly comic strip at the turn of the century, time has hardly diminished the charm or imaginative experiences of Little Nemo. As an unscripted character in his episodic dreams, a little boy named Nemo endeavors to keep up with the developments in "Slumberland" as they rapidly unfold. Recurrent characters show up to join in on the adventures, usually already in progress, and to clue Nemo in on where he is expected to go. As in dreams, the logic is usually skewed, and the storylines quickly gain momentum till they peak in a cataclysmic event that ultimately awakens Little Nemo. The wonderfully illogical development of the dreams are still as fresh today as they were a century ago. The only reminder of the era they came from is the quaint clothing and manner of the characters. The innovative story developments, though, are still uniquely fresh, having come from the visionary mind of Winsor McCay, who is credited with being the father of modern animation.

Long before a little boy and his tiger explored the imagination with wry social commentary and surrealism, Winsor McCay did the same with this amazing series of full page newspaper comics. This is a veritable treasure trove of comics history.

Admittedly, the jokes are not the same as Calvin and Hobbes so do not expect the same feelings. I find that Nemo evokes more feelings of wonder and delight while C and H brings about the hearty "guffaw". Also, the ending of every episode is exactly the same in that Nemo awakes to find the night's adventures were all within his head.

On the other hand, this book gives wonderful background of McCay and his world as well as beautiful reprints of the original prints.

I would heartily recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, childhood, comics, or the dreams of past days.

Winsor McCay has been forgotten by the mainstream Nostalgia R' US spoon-fed media circus that we are all tapped into. Winsor McCay was a pioneering creative genius. He may not have been the very first motion picture animator but created some of the first animated shorts which featured CHARACTERS. His first was Gertie the Dinosaur. McCay would actually tour with his short and interact with the dinosaur on the screen, making it roll over and other tricks. McCay's Little Nemo is a feast

for the eyes. His eye for detail gives us a window to the early days of the 20th Century. The characters are completly fantastic. He was decades ahead of his time.

Winsor McCay's "Little Nemo in Slumberland" is a rare combination of artistry and imagination that deserves to be considered the first classic comic strip. "The Yellow Kid" came first, but it never demonstrated the superb craftsmanship of McCay's work, which is done in a distinctive "art nouveau" style that presages the coming of surrealism. Within the frames of his story McCay was able to create illusions of vast size and space, showing a word that was remarkably futuristic. Each of Little Nemo's weekly adventures told of a dream of the tousle-haired boy (of about six?) and concluded with him falling out of bed or waking up. McCay's son Robert served as the model for Nemo. Before working on the Slumberland strips McCay had experimented with other comics including "Little Sammy Sneeze," "Hungry Henriette," "Poor Jake," "Tales of Jungle Imps," and "Dream of the Rarebit Fiend" (the last one under the pseudonym Silas), but none of them even hinted at the splendor of "Little Nemo." In 1909 McCay would go on to create "Gertie the Dinosaur," the first commercially successful animated cartoon, which is probably how most people know of McCay's work. But that can only be because they have yet to be exposed to this comic strip.

The "Little Nemo in Slumberland" comics in this book originally appeared in the "New York Herald" Sunday color supplement from October 15, 1905 to March 31, 1907 and are faithfully reproduced in their original colors from rare, vintage file-copy pages in the hands of a few choice collectors. There is even a special strip that appeared in the European edition of the "Herald" that was never printed in the U.S. The strip continued until 1911 and those strips are published in the other volumes in this series. In these early adventures Little Nemo first enters Slumberland and learns to cope with his unpredictable flying bed, pursues the beautiful Princess of Slumber, searches for the castle of King Morpheus, and endures the ministrations of Dr. Pill. Nemo also meets up with the devilish Flip, a green-faced clown in a plug hat and ermine collared jacket, who starts off always trying to summon the Dawn and wake Nemo from his dreams but then becomes our little heroes boon companion in his Slumberland adventures which involved an impressive array of strange giants, beautiful mermaids, humongous elephants, mysterious space creatures, exotic parades, fantastic dirigible rides, a jolly green dragon, and anything else McCay could imagine.

By both artistic and historical standards "Little Nemo in Slumberland" is the first truly great comic strip. When you look at the great strips that followed, such as George Herriman's "Krazy Kat," George McManus' "Bringing Up Father," Bud Fisher's "Mutt and Jeff," and Frank King's "Gasoline Alley," they are all decidedly different from what McCay was doing, although the use of "art nouveau" interiors and zany byplay by McManus is clearly an homage to "Little Nemo" as far as I am concerned. There is a sense in which those who see nothing similar appearing on the funny pages until Bill Watterson's "Calvin and Hobbes" have a point, although I would acknowledge Snoopy's imaginative life in "Peanuts" as well.

This volume includes "Perchance to Dream," an essay by Richard Marschall, who I think was the single biggest contributor of the strips reprinted in this volume. The essay provides a concise summary of McCay's life and career, with examples of some of his earlier work, "Little Nemo" postcards, and an incredibly detailed editorial cartoon. But the most important thing is that Marschall's efforts have preserved the premier American comic strip for the enjoyment of posterity. There has never been a more magical comic strip. Never.

A book not only filled with wonderful recipes, but wonderful memories too. Cooking for My Family is a book about a very special woman who loved cooking for her family, and who shared her warmth and love with everyone she touched. The recipes are simple to follow and the stories will touch your heart. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to eat!

This book is a must if you love good Italian food and are fond of warm family memories. It is rich in nostalgia and easy to follow recipes. I am of Italian heritage and grew up in Brooklyn. Reading this book brought back memories of my old Italian neighborhood and the wonderful family gatherings, holidays, and good Italian specialty stores growing up in the 40's & 50's. We tried the Chicken with Mushrooms and Wine and made extra for leftovers, but wound up eating it all in one meal. Many thanks to the author!

Virginia Costanzo Reilly

I bought this cookbook about three years ago when I lived in Europe. When I have friends over to eat, they think I got these great recipes from friends in Italy. I have told a few of my friends about this book, and I was sad to see that it is no longer available for purchase. I have purchased several cook books, only to be disappointed. For Italian cooking or to impress guests, this is the one I use the most. The meatballs and marinara sauce can be made to use as a heavy hors d'oeuvre and they always disappear at a party or presented as a meal. I love many of the recipes, so I do not have any one favourite, but the ones I do use the most are the meatballs, chicken nicoletta, chicken cutlets in mushroom suace, and the chicken parmesan. I hope this cook book is available for purchase again soon.

My wife and I purchased this book after our friends had us over for dinner and made 2 recipes from the book (Chicken Cutlets in Mushroom & Wine Sauce, and Cannoli's for dessert).

We were so impressed we ordered the book from Amazon.com the next day. We've had Cooking For My Family for about 6 months now and can't say enough about it, it's become one of the most used cookbooks in our kitchen library. We also enjoyed the memories and tribute to the author's mother.

A wonderful blend of delicious favorites packed with tradition and family. This is a delightful cookbook, made with the best ingredient - love. Packed full of memories and family favorites, Loretta has brought you into her home to eat with her lovely family. You will enjoy her childhood memories as well as some fantastic recipes from this classic Italian (Hoboken) kitchen.

This book - Cooking for My Family - is a treasure to have in your collection!

What a fantastic book..I have read it twice...I had the opportunity to meet Mary Bea..she is as honest and open in person as in her book..I connected with her as a "sister in spirit" while reading..I laughted and cried and thought she is on the same journey as I only different roads..I hope Mary Bea writes more as she has been blessed to help others through her talent of writing...

Having practiced tonglen for ten years as well as having tired of conventional Christianity, I connected quickly with Mary Bea Sullivan and her new book, Dancing Naked Under the Moon, Uncovering the Wisdom Within. Mary's real middle name must be "Perseverance" - she works diligently on her issues, especially with forgiveness, and she is Pema Chodron-like in her willingness to face and embrace emotional pain. Mary's words echo in me, "It's about slowing down so my soul can catch up with itself." "It's not what we do that matters but how we do what we do." If your path is also dissolving barriers by opening your heart, you may also appreciate Mary Sullivan's life and memoir.

I have never read a story of personal search for faith that I felt was more open and more honest than Mary Bea Sullivan's "Dancing Naked Under the Moon." Through strong, clear writing, she takes you through her compelling journey of self discovery. As I entered into Mary's story, I found myself re-visiting my own faith experiences. In sharing her life so thoroughly, Mary has joined hands with that countless number of individuals who discover that the religion of their childhood does not easily transition into an authentic adult faith. This is a book you will want to recommend to friends.

Harry Durham

This book changed the way I look at interpersonal relationships; particularly those that whose problems tend to repeat themselves again and again. Mary Bea Sullivan's suggestion to look at an old problem with the perspective of compassion one would have upon meeting a stranger and hearing their story was truly life-changing for me. It allowed me to step away from age-old relationship issues and view them with compassion and interest, lighting a new path I'd been unable to notice from my previously dark approach.

It is these simple, yet profound glimpses of wisom that she has gained through some of the toughest experiences that propelled me through this book. In her deep yet digestable wisdom, Sullivan offers hope and insight through coommon human experiences. I bought copies for my friends and family-- her story is laden with wisdom we can all use.

It is very difficult to transcend and universalize one's personal grief, but that is what Mary Bea Sullivan has done in her beautiful book, Dancing Naked Under the Moon.

She has looked personal tragedy in the eye without blinking and from that rare and courageous stance, learned that wisdom can come from suffering. Neither Mary Bea nor this reviewer would suggest that tragedy is "good" or noble, but Ms. Sullivan's book does inspire us to seek the courage with which to accept sorrow, recognize it as an unavoidable part of the human condition, and use that sorrow to find both compassion for all beings who suffer and a strength with which to continue one's journey through this universe, using a broken heart as a gateway to growth and love, rather than an excuse to recoil from heartbreak, surround oneself with emotional armor, and refuse to engage in relationship, that from which all spiritual growth is fostered.

Mary lost her closest friend to cancer and her marriage to the ways of the world, but in this poignant and remarkably candid book tells us how she found the strength (through her ever-evolving, but by no means simple faith) to go on, to grow an even more honest life, somehow intuiting the gist of Goethe's meaning when he wrote (to paraphrase him) that "in boldness there is genius and magic, we need only to begin."

For those (like me) who dread trite tales of fundamentalist come-to-Jesus salvation, rest assured that Mary Bea's Jesus is neither a wimp nor the stiff nonsense of doctrinal fundamentalism. Her thoughts on Christ bring to mind C.S. Lewis's line about Aslan being a good, but not tame lion. Nor is her spiritual journey categorical, but quite ecumenical, as you will find in this book the wisdom of not only learned and evolved Christians, but the insights of many enlightened beings, including Buddhist monks.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I "found" this book when I walked into a store and almost ran into Mary Bea, who quickly struck up a conversation in her inimitably gracious style. I knew instantly that I must read a book written by so open and warm a person and was richly rewarded. Dancing Naked Under the Moon is a smoothly written and inviting memoir about one woman's journey, or should I say pilgrimage, from devastation to hope. If you seek solace, encouragement, insight, humor and a downright good read, this book will not disappoint.

I thought this book was amazing! It was so interesting that Frank and Joe didn't even know their criminal until the very end. I also thought that it was very cool that Frank and Joe were able to see a tooth that was a voice transmitter called the Molar Mike. Soon after they see it, it is stolen and what they have to do to get it back gave me chills just reading it. When Joe got pushed into the way of an oncoming subway that would have scared me so much I think I probably would have quit the case! The way the author was describing all the wax figures in the museum was creating pictures in my mind because he was giving so many details! I would totally recommend this book to anyone: boy or girl. I enjoy them and I know that some of the boys in my class read them. The Hardy Boys Series are definitely one of the best series I have ever read because there is so much detail and specific word choice in it! I love the way the author describes things and makes them come alive! I also love the way he has all the clues leading up to the revealing of the criminal. I've loved reading this series ever since I was very young and I'm still reading them today!

I thought this book was amazing! It was so interesting that Frank and Joe didn't even know their criminal until the very end. I also thought that it was very cool that Frank and Joe were able to see a tooth that was a voice transmitter called the Molar Mike. Soon after they see it, it is stolen and what they have to do to get it back gave me chills just reading it. When Joe got pushed into the way of an oncoming subway that would have scared me so much I think I probably would have quit the case! The way the author was describing all the wax figures in the museum was creating pictures in my mind because he was giving so many details! I would totally recommend this book to anyone: boy or girl. I enjoy them and I know that some of the boys in my class read them. The Hardy Boys Series are definitely one of the best series I have ever read because there is so much detail and specific word choice in it! I love the way the author describes things and makes them come alive! I also love the way he has all the clues leading up to the revealing of the criminal. I've loved reading this series ever since I was very young and I'm still reading them today!

I thought this book was amazing! It was so interesting that Frank and Joe didn't even know their criminal until the very end. I also thought that it was very cool that Frank and Joe were able to see a tooth that was a voice transmitter called the Molar Mike. Soon after they see it, it is stolen and what they have to do to get it back gave me chills just reading it. When Joe got pushed into the way of an oncoming subway that would have scared me so much I think I probably would have quit the case! The way the author was describing all the wax figures in the museum was creating pictures in my mind because he was giving so many details! The Hardy Boys Series are definitely one of the best series I have ever read because there is so much detail and specific word choice in it! I love the way the author describes things and makes them come alive! I also love the way he has all the clues leading up to the revealing of the criminal. I've loved reading this series ever since I was very young and I'm still reading them today!

The Hardy Boys are in London visiting their friend Jax, who has just perfected a tiny radio transceiver capable of being fitted into a tooth! When a mysterious fire occurs at an exhibit Jax was working on in the Tower Of London, authorities are suspicious of him. Later, Frank, Joe and Jax are attacked and finally the invention is stolen from a hidden wall safe! Frank and Joe track down the clues which seemingly involves a Russian spy and solve the mystery is a twist ending.

I have to admit I was intrigued by the title of this book and the cover art. The story is one of the better Hardy Boys stories in a while. The writing is good and the author creates a good atmosphere for the setting, which is London England. The mystery involves one of the Hardy's friends, Jax who has invented a transmitter that can fit inside a tooth. Lots of suspects, red herrings and a surprise ending make for a great read!

I Loved this book. I hope they wright a nother one. But hey!.
I hope that the Thoroughbred books don't shut down after book 72.
Sign the partishen and save the books. Created by Joanna Campbell.
Jamie Smit

One reviewer said that Darkling was "depressing." I did not find it so. Yes, it is dark, like many of Peyton's books. Compared with the popular series books of today, which are formulaic, predictable, and always have a happy ending, Peyton's books are far more realistic. Life isn't always perfect; things are not always easy. But that is not depressing--it is simply normal.

Peyton's books spoke to me as a child in a world that often seemed to be conspiring against me, and they speak to me still as an adult who knows that the world does not care enough to conspire! Like Jenny in Darkling, all our lives consist of difficulties to be overcome, risks to be run, and chances to be taken. I find Jenny's handling of those difficulties, risks, and chances to be uplifting, rather than the opposite.

Try it, and other K.M. Peyton books, such as Blind Beauty, Fly-by-Night and the Team, the Flambards series, and the new Small Gains (not yet available in the U.S., but try Amazon.com in the U.K.!).

when i read this book i was totally captivated & throrughly enjoyed and recomend it to any one who loves horses and racing.

I loved this book. I have read it 5 times! I have been reading it since i was in 6th grade! It's kinda sad but it gets better. It gets better everytime i read it.

Darkling is very very depressing. There is simply no other way of putting it. Every beautifully written line of it practically weeps with the sorrow and folly of all human relationships. The book is set in the modern day, and tells the tale of a young girl named Jenny, who lives in desperation and poverty, longing fruitlessly for the gorgeous boy next door and the success of her colt, Darkling in the racing world. Jenny is a sympathetic and very well rounded lead character. Her story is a fascinating one... but brace yourself for realism over sweetness.

This book is an excellent guide to where you want to go and how to go about getting there. Time tables, open and close time, where to eat and what to avoid. I've used this book on two separate trips to London and it has saved me frustration and time. If you want to take a vacation and base yourself in London this book is worth its weight in gold!

Used this book for a few local trips. Some of the prices quoted need to be update but good book overall.

Although I rely on Rick Steves' travel books to explore major European cities, I never leave home without Daytrips if I intend to day-trip by rail to smaller towns. In England and parts of Scotland, the Guy Friday bus tours make it easy to explore a town on your own without a tour group, and are highly recommended. However, Daytrips will cover in detail sites worth seeing, good hotel recommendations (better than Rick Steves), good restaurant recommendations, and fairly good maps (bring a compass). Very reliable and solid guidebook for travellers who enjoy walking. Certain cities are recommended with a star and from experience, it is extremely accurate.

I have used this volume extensively, over a number of years, and have found it to be exceptionally useful. Pair it with a Brit Rail flexipass, and you will never need to join tours or be at a loss for new places to visit.

The descriptions and maps make it possible to explore locations at a leisurely pace, noting spots one would find of particular interest. Though the 'walking tours' outlined are within the reach of most, those who cannot walk distances should not be deterred, because there nearly always are local buses (if not Guide Friday tours, which are convenient and relatively inexpensive) that can bring one from the station to the town centre. I have never had difficulty exploring a new city using the Daytrips maps, and I am by no means gifted with any sense of direction.

Though not aimed solely at those with Brit Rail passes, this book can help those who hold them to have maximum benefit. (Those travelling from the States, used to a country that is geographically massive, and where major cities of interest can be separated by hundreds or thousands of miles, often need time to adjust conceptually to that one may see much of England by travelling by day return. One cannot get the full benefit of rail passes unless one gets away from the mindset that any journey means an overnight stay.) Since, for example, the most common flexipass allows one four days of travel, not journeys, using Daytrips to select destinations, then returning to the home base in the evening, means exploring four cities - not going in one direction on the first and returning on the next 'day of the pass.'

The sixth edition of this helpful guide replaces our well-worn fifth edition (published 1995). In addition to being updated, it includes five additional day trips (Hastings, Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, Cardiff, Wells, and Chester).

This edition follows the format of the prior one with each of the fifty-five destinations being allotted its own chapter. A brief introduction to each place is followed by directions for getting there that may include transport by underground, rail, car, boat, or bus, as applicable. The discussion always includes the distance from the city, which London train stations service the area, a summary of the schedule ("at least hourly from Victoria") and the duration of travel. The guide then cites a few pubs and restaurants in the area (generally those providing English fare), with a one sentence review. A walking tour is provided with a map and commentary on the various sites of interest encountered along the way. Also included is a section entitled "Practicalites" that lists the dates and times major attractions are not open to the public, the address and phone number of the visitor center (although they spell it centre), and other information pertinent to someone planning a visit.

Destinations vary from those within London itself (e.g. the City, and Westminster), to those located fairly near the city (e.g. Windsor Castle, Richmond and Hampton Court), to those located over one hundred and fifty miles from London (e.g. the Welsh city of Cardiff, and York). The latter destinations can take two hours to reach by rail (each way) and may be more amenable to an overnight stay than a one day visit.

Also included is an excellent section on managing the British rail system (it really is quite simple).

The major advantage of the guide is that it tells you how to get to and explore many places of interest in southern Britain without having to join expensive and restrictive organized day tours. It gives you the freedom of choosing your own itinerary; if you want to spend your time lingering over a long lunch, shopping, or just enjoying the ambiance, you can do so. There is no: "The bus will leave at exactly 2:15 this afternoon, be sure to be here."

For the first time visitor to London who only wants to take in the grandeur of the city, the book seems to be of limited value. But if a trip outside London, such as to Stonehenge or Bath, is contemplated, the guide can prove quite valuable. It is highly recommended.

Ms. Himmelfarb remains the current authority on all aspects of Victoriana, with each of her dozen or so books explicating one aspect of Victorian England in great depth. "De-moralization" writes adoringly of Victorian virtues, a set of rigid standards that spanned all classes, genders, economic levels, politics, and religious groups -- her chapter on Victorian Jews is priceless! Heavily documented and written in "textbook" style (many footnotes, a few charts and graphs), Himmelfarb uses her Victorian books as propaganda to show how removed today's "values" are from our ancestor's "virtues." Her weak link here is in documenting the damage such change has wrecked on our current social scene, although she makes brief references. Her idealistic take on the Victorians shows them as models of excellence, charitable, hardworking, bonded, intelligent, and responsible, without dwelling on the negative aspects of industrialism, ethnocentrism, or racial and sexual discrimination. Still, the wealth of facts she has accumulated is invaluable if one does not get caught up in her conservative rantings and broad assumptions. Can we return to the best that the Victorian era offered? Himmelfarb makes it clear that this would be impossible without an organized society and a strong moral leader who could "lay back and think of England!"

Gertrude Himmelfarb provides an interesting and thought-provoking analysis of the Victorian Age. Her formidable logic, study, and sources enable her to break down the stereotypes of Victoria's Britain. In doing so, she constructs a far more realistic, fair, and honest portrayl of Victoria's reign. Do not be fooled, Ms. Himmelfarb does not simply lavish praise on the past and turn her nose up at modern culture; she provides a reasoned and valuable look at the two times.

This book should be read by anyone who seeks to understand where we have been and where we are going.

I was brought up to think of all things Victorian as stuffy, repressed and backward. It was a pleasant surprise to realize that far from being a social wilderness, Victorian England and America had much about them to admire.

The belief in God, country, indisputable truths, and loyalty to family were the hallmarks of the Victorians. It is regrettable that in our own time we have no constant stars to guide us as our recent forbears had.

The advances in medicine and science are all good. But it sad that with all these scientific advances, people feel more isolated and insecure than the erstwhile Victorians encumbered with all the constraints of that age.

At last, a readable, non-revisionist, and quite relevant discussion of the history of our "moral" system. Professor Himmelfarb is an excellent writer who makes history for nonhistorians come alive. I will never again read Keats, Shelley, Wells, or Mill without placing them in the historical context presented in this book. It is a relief to know that some realism remains in the debauched, angst-filled, revisionist halls of modern academia. This is a wonderful book!

Wisdom and temperance are two of the virtues that the author discusses. She says that wisdom is the virtue that most of us would most like to have and temperance is the virtue that is most needed by our society.

This book is a readable and relevant discussion of the history of our moral standards. The author is an excellent writer and she makes history come alive for the reader. She is the current authority on all aspects of the Victorian age. She writes adoringly of Victorian virtues, a set of rigid standards that spanned all classes, genders, economic classes, politics and religious groups.