England Books

Buy this book! Sumptuously illustrated with some really mouthwatering recipes - try the Strawberry Granita for instance. Very good all round.

I've been using this cookbook for a few years and checked to see if she'd written anything new. The recipes are delicious. The cooking instruction is clear. She adds a special touch with her comments that make me feel that I have an expert guiding me in the kitchen. This American cook loves Delia Smith! My family, guests and neighbors love the recipes I prepare with this book and Delia's Winter Cookbook.

If you are frustated by reading colourful and glossy recipes that turn out disasterous the delicious Delia is for you. Her recipes always work. Her UK television programme back room staff ensure that, as most if not all are demonstrated on TV, and even the most acknowledged cooks in the UK will tell you that it will, yes will, work the first time. My wife, a proffesional cook, makes no excuse for always having her volumes at hand for that sudden emergancy. Typical of the main stream of modern British cuisine in the mid 1990s, full of the feeling and flavours of that oh so elusive English Summer.

You have to try the Roasted Peppers recipe - it's easy and I continually impress all dinner guests with the simple dish. The Chicken Basque is delicious and although the fresh fruit terrine needs 24 hours to finish, it tastes great, looks delicious and impresses everyone. It is my favourite cookbook!

Delia, oh Delia. The woman who taught me how to make toast! (I was actually making it wrong all these years...) Delia is one of those television personalities who you really would like to have as a friend. Her books are extremely personable and can literally be read aloud - gives you that "Delia is in the house" feeling. The Summer and Winter Collections are Superb books. Also check out How to Cook One and Two. Excellent. Now, where can I buy the How to Cook video collection?

This excellent survey and resource has now been significantly revised and re-issued with a new title: Family History in the Genes: Trace your DNA and grow your family tree

Like its predecessor, it provides the very latest advice on a fast-moving subject, in compact format and at an affordable price.

And, like its predecessor, it is published by the National Archive. The National Archives is an UK government agency maintaining the official archive for England, Wales and the central UK government, containing 900 years of history from Domesday Book to the present. Its publications are intended to help individuals write their own family histories using "best practices".

Pomery's new volume will help you do so.

Robert C. Ross 2008

Although human genetics have been studied now for over 30 years, the application of DNA to family history is a phenomena of the new millennium. The results of the first study that tested people of the same surname to see if they shared the same male-line DNA were published in 2000. Since then, some 25,000 people have been tested commercially, and over 1,500 surname studies have been set up, half in the past 18 months, of which that on Wells is the largest, numbering 303 participants.

Chris Pomery, organiser of the Pomeroy DNA project, has written the first book explaining specifically how genetics can help genealogists. DNA can indicate whether people with the same surname are likely to be related, and sometimes can show that people supposedly related through the same family tree actually are not. It is a fantastic tool for studying surnames, and investigating groups of supposedly-related people, such as members of a caste, tribe or clan. The results of this brand new science often - and amazingly - bear out ancient, oral traditions attesting to common ancestry. DNA also enables us to map the migration of humans out of Africa, and determine our own places in that extraordinary story.

Excellent features of this book, besides its clear text and useful diagrams, are crisp, boxed summaries at the end of each chapter and a supporting website, www.DNAandFamilyHistory.com, which provides more detail and scientific background on many of the issues covered in the book.

This is no mere guide: this is Chris Pomery's manifesto to encourage us all to have DNA tests and set up surname studies, thus adding more genetic information to the growing databases of human DNA. The more DNA results there are, the more accurate and interesting results will be for everyone.

One of the ironies of genetics is that, just as we are learning how to decode the data contained in our genes, the signal is being lost. Isolated populations, with their distinctive genetic codes, are being diluted into the increasingly homogenised soup of modern human DNA, so data gathered in the future will be far less informative. The traditional marriage of male-line Y chromosomes to hereditary (male-line) surnames is also breaking down. In a few generations' time, far fewer people will have the same surname as their male-line great grandfather, making surname-based DNA projects far less easy to organise. Hopefully, many people will be inspired by Chris Pomery's excellent book and get testing now.

I thought this book was very informative and helpful in my search for my genetic past.

Genetic genealogy is a blossoming market and the number of books in this space is rapidly growing. Major books include: Seven Daughters of Eve, Adam's Curse, Trace your Roots with DNA, and DNA and Family History.

Professor Bryan Sykes' book The Seven Daughters of Eve was a seminal work. This book focuses on mtDNA (Mitochondrial DNA) that is passed down the maternal line. This book is written in an easy to read style that creates the tone and tenor of a mystery novel. The punch line of this book is that all maternal lines can be traced back to seven theoretic women who lived at different places in the worlds at different times. This book is very light reading and similar to picking up a pop culture magazine. This book is not recommended other than as the most basic introduction to genetic genealogy. It also suffers from it's minimal discussion of paternal DNA testing (Y-chromosome) which is the most popular form of DNA testing today.

Sykes second book "Adam's Curse" discusses the long term de-evolution of the male chromosome. It's a shame that Sykes has stooped to pandering to sensationalistic popular culture instead in more serious genetic research. Sykes made a name for himself in this space, but it seems that this segment of science has passed him by.

Two excellent introductory books were published in 2004 -- "Trace Your Roots with DNA : Using Genetic Tests to Explore Your Family Tree" by Megan Smolenyak and Ann Turner and "DNA and Family History: How Genetic Testing Can Advance Your Genealogical Research" by Chris Pomery.

In Trace your Roots, Smolenyak, who makes her living as a professional genealogist, branches out into genetics and DNA testing. She hooks up with Ann Turner, the past administrator of a key DNA message list, to create a good introductory book on genetic genealogy. This book covers all the basics for someone who is considering having a DNA test done. I was disappointed that almost half the book (90 out of 235 pages) was dedicated to starting and running a DNA project. I view this material as fluffy filler since most readers aren't likely to need this information.

A similar book is Chris Pomery's "DNA and Family History". This book also covers all the basics in a straightforward and informative way. This book focuses primary on the most popular form of DNA Testing -- testing of the paternal Y-chromosome line. The book includes numerous references to the book's online site (www.DNAandFamilyHistory.com). This site is supposed to contain supplementary information but many links don't seem to have been activated.

Pomery does a nice job contrasting genetic families that might be derived from a single ancestor with those that might be derived from multiple ancestors. He also discusses the origins of various classes of surnames which is important in understand this issue. Pomery also uses many examples from surname projects that can be found on the web.

One knock on both books is their minimal discussion of what DNA testing can't do. Neither book elaborates on the limitations of DNA testing for genealogists such as testing inability to definitively identify parents and brother and the small and biased sample sizes that home geneticists are using to make sweeping conclusions. Neither book describes in more than a paragraph or two the lasting thinking about haplogroups -- i.e., the origin of R, E, J, etc. Y-DNA clusters. In addition, neither book will aid the experienced DNA researcher.

My recommendation:
If you looking for one day's worth of beach reading, try Seven Daughters of Eve or Spencer Wells, Journey of Man. Also consider getting these books at the library as these seminal works are quick reads that you don't need cluttering up your shelves.

If you are a serious genealogist or are considering DNA testing or joining the National Geographic Genographics Project, then stick to Smolenyak or Pomery. After reading both, I find them both excellent and roughly equivalent. However, I clearly prefer DNA and Family History by Chris Pomery. The book simply contains more information which is presented in a more straightforward fashion.

Kevin Campbell
Campbell DNA Project Administrator

This book is required reading for those researching their English family history and thinking of seeking help from a DNA testing company.
It provides a comprehensive guide to the background for such research, bringing together in one volume elements such as the origin of English surnames, the organisation of a surname project, the choice of a DNA testing company, and a glossary of many of the confusing terms used by the experts in DNA analysis.

The book tells feminist fairy stories that are gentle with the guys too. Jack Zipes, the editor is, after all, a man. I've used the book with students, grandchildren, fellow feminists - all to a warm welcome. Highly recommended.

This is such an amazing book. It's part of what lead me into my research into looking at strong female characters in folk tales. This book is a must for people who don't want to read stories about wishy washy princesses waiting for the prince, and scholars alike. I reccomend this book highly.

This book is divided into three parts. The first, "Feminist Fairy Tales for Young (and Old) Readers," is the selection of stories you want to read aloud to your daughter or son. These stories have sophisticated subjects and good language, but no lengthy exposition of narrative that bogs down a reading out loud. Most set up admirable gender roles, but some, such as "Snow White," are explicitly political, and can help you raise good activists.

The second section, "Feminist Fairy Tales for Old (and Young) Readers," is comprised of more structurally complex stories that invite a silent reader to take time and try to swallow them. Though intended for adult readers, literate children can follow them, and for the most part should be encouraged to do so early and often. Sex roles and social station dominate these stories, but we get glimpses of how these issues are impacted by war, work, and more.

The third section, "Feminist Literary Criticism," is pretty slow-moving. Most of us are already familiar with the idea that fairy tales have detrimental effects on our children, especially our daughters, and while we may be briefly interested in a scholarly explanation of why this is so, the common reader won't get as much good out of this part as the previous two.

Educator, writer, and scholar Jack Zipes has compiled here an excellent antidote to the stultifying fairy tales that molded the minds of most of us when we were young. Zipes is the editor of several thematic books of fairy tales, and this is neither the least nor the last. Whether you approach this work as a parent, a reader, or a scholar, this book is highly rewarding.

I read this first as a little girl, before i knew how to spell feminism let alone define it. The stories captivated me then for their ability to lead my mind into another land more fantastical than my own. Later in life, re-reading this book i was compelled by the issues, thoughts and questions Zipes raised in my mind. It is not feminism that kills you with its anger, it is feminism that makes you think. Sometimes whimsical, sometimes daring, and sometimes blatant, it always stands there to be read and re-read. A constant delight.

this is an excellent book. The stories are well written and varied in theme. I was captivated by the stories for young readers as well as the stories for old readers. buy this book for your children!

Having known nothing of Alfred the Great, I leave this book with a desire to read more about him and more from Joan Wolf! This book was outstanding. It reads fast, but only because it is enthralling. Wolf has an excellent understanding of the historical situation and only simplified a few names to keep like-named characters distiguishable one from another. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in English history. I must just say again - it is OUTSTANDING!

It is the second time I have had the pleasure of reading this novel and weeks later I am still thinking and talking about it. Alfred the Great...what a man! I was so enthralled by the life and times of this English King, his insight, morality and courage, an inspiration thanks to Joan Wolf. Alfred was not expecting to become king of Wessex, one of the four kingdoms in England, with five older brothers. Different to his brothers, Alfred was well educated, sensative and very pragmatic. When the threat of a Danish invasion caught England on the back foot, Alfred united his kingdom and led the only kingdom to withstand the Danes. Entwined with passion, love and heartwrenching suspense, the reader is captured by the characters and their lifestyles. This novel enables the reader to experience the thoughts and issues of the time and gives insight to the only king of England to be called "Great". Do yourself a favour and read to your heart's content, you won't regret it.

I've read a few historical novels on the life of this enigmatic King, Alfred the Great. None have compared in the sheer depth of character study the author exhibits here of this great leader. We get to know Alfred through all the phases of his life, from childhood to manhood and eventually king. His life is showcased in a way that lets the reader experience his every emotion, adventure, battle, health crises through his eyes and through his brother's and eventually his wife's, Elswyth.

He was a nobly born man, however, he was the fifth son and was never expected to be king, nor did he want to be. The twists and turns of his family's lives changes all of that. From his father's death, King Ethelwulf of Wessex, to all of his brother's deaths, including his favorite brother Ethelred, who bequeaths the throne over his eldest son to Alfred, his destiny, is forever changed. He is a leader who refuses to give up his dream of a free Wessex and rallies his countrymen to him to continue the fight against the Vikings. He does this with the help of his wife Elswyth, Princess of Mercia, who is a force of her own to be reckoned with.

Together, they will endeavor to save their kingdom, their lives and their people's lives, from the pagan invasion the Danes constantly threaten them with. This is the king who worked so diligently to bring learning to his devasted land. Joan Wolf states in her Afterword: "The educational system of Anglo-Saxon England had been founded on the great monasteries, and these had been devasted by the Danes, leaving Wessex in a state of absolute poverty in regard to learning."

The only complaint I have regarding this book is the lack of a "regional map" at the time of Alfred the Great. I had to refer to another map from another book. I prefer to refer to a map, as I'm sure many other readers like to do, when locations are so important to the storyline in relation to battles, etc., that I really can't do without one. I believe it's integral to the story. More authors need to realize that readers really do need these maps to follow the storyline.

Albert The Great..what a man. I have read this novel twice and what a thrill. Albert, the youngest of five princes in line for the throne of Wessex, different from his brothers, being well educated and sensative yet strong and forthright never expected to be king. The tale unfolds as this young, extraordinary man finds himself the leader of a realm threatened by the devastating onslaught of Danish Vikings invading England. These torrid times of the mid to late 9th century are softened by the passionate, accidental union of Albert and Elswyth. Being both down to earth and haughty, Elswyth captivates the reader by her eternal strength and aggressive personality which compliments Albert's thoughtful and assertive nature. Together, they hold the West Saxons together in a totally captivating and heartwrenching read. I was so absorbed in the lives of the charachters and the trials they faced, but Albert, King of Wessex is the most enthralling charachter I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

A wonderful read, fascinating history. I knew little about Alfred the Great -- the only British monarch ever to carry that title. Incredible finish when it looked like all hope was lost and Alfred managed to carry the day and win the battle for Britain. It's amazing what he accomplished in ways to encourage education as well as on the battlefield.

This book is the third in a trilogy by this author. The first being The Road to Avalonabout King Arthur fighting off the Saxons. Then comes Born of the Sun about 80 years after the death of Arthur about the coming into power of the Saxons (the best of the three in my opinion) and finishing off with this tale about Alfred and bringing Britain out of the dark ages. Highly recommended.

The edition of Edward II I read was the New Mermaid Series one, which had a very good and informative introduction, and has the spelling modernized. The spelling modernization extends to place names as well as general terms. I am not sure how I feel about spelling modernization, as it is nice to see how the work was originally spelled, but it made the work very easy to read. The play itself is amazing, very engaging even though it is a history, and is mostly based on things that actually happened. The language is not as flowery as Shakespeare, but is lovely nonetheless. Some of the characters of the play are very fickle, and seem to suddenly change as you read the text of the play. (Queen Isabella goes from devoted and self-sacrificing wife to cunning adulteress.) It makes more sense on stage, and after seeing this play, it was easier to see how good it is.

Marlowe's final play is also his masterpiece. To be sure, the dramatic events in this play really did happen, but Marlowe shows himself at his best when he paints the picture. At first, Marlowe masterfully allows us to detest Edward for undoing all the fine work of his father Edward Longshanks. We also are able to feel sorry for Mortimer and Isabella. (the eventual villains). Isabella feels neglected and Mortimer can not stand to see the fine work of Edward Longshanks undone. Later, we come to have some respect for Edward II when he shows himself to have some of his father's fine qualities and he crushes the first rebellion against him with courage and intelligence. When the second uprising successful, we no longer are lead into any feelings of admiration for Mortimer and Isabella. Once they have power they are more vile and disgusting than Edward II ever was. By Act 5.1, Marlowe gives Edward II moving soliloquies and does not allow our new won pity to slack for a moment. The final scene of this play when Edward II's 17 year old son Edward III flips the tables, crushes his corrupt mother, has Mortimer put to death, and offers prayers to his murdered father is a scene that is almost unsurpassed in literature. To be sure, this did actually happen, but Marlowe not only tells us what happened, but colors it with his superb mastery of the language.

Edward the second, or to give it its full title, 'The troublesome reign and Lamentable death of Edward, the second king of England, with the tragical fall of proud Mortimer', is famous for being an Elizabethan 'Gay play', but this is only one of the subjects contained within the play. Politics, cruelty and the Feudal System are all important themes in this, one of the great masterstrokes of Elizabethan literature. The play itself is a history play, set in the 14th century featuring Edward and his previously basished lover, Gaveston, who returns after the death of Edward's father. This return enrages the barons, who were sworn to Edward's father that Gaveston would never return. This is the catalyst for a plot that races around like a cheetah on speed, culminating in one of the most excruciating deaths ever portrayed on stage. "Shakespeare? Who? Marlowe was far better!"

Christopher "Kit" Marlowe (1564¯1593) has faded into the background over the centuries, little remembered by the common man, unlike his contemporary William Shakespeare. But, in his own time, Marlowe was known as one of the greatest of playwrights.

This play tells the story of King Edward II, who ruled England from 1307 to 1327. Edward shocked medieval England with his openly bi-sexual relationship with Piers Gaveston, and his barons rose up against him in a series of wars, finally culminating in Edward's death. (Rumor having it that he was horribly murdered by having a red-hot iron thrust up through his rectum!)

Now, this play is not entirely historically accurate. The theatre of the day did not specialize in accurate historical portrayal, but strove to entertain. However, that said, this play does do an excellent job of telling the story of Edward and his reign, in an entertaining and informative manner in a mere 25 scenes.

Overall, I found this to be a very interesting read, and I couldn't help but wonder why I have not heard of it being played today. It is still very entertaining, and you would think that modern play producers would want to put it on. This is an interesting play, one that I do not hesitate to recommend.

(By the way, just in case you didn't realize, this Edward was the effeminate son of Edward I, Longshanks, in Mel Gibson's movie Braveheart. That portrayal of Edward was well done by actor Peter Hanly, but was even less accurate than this play. I suspect that the character Phillip was based on Piers Gaveston. Longshanks did indeed hate Gaveston, but certainly never threw him out of a window!)

+++++

(Note that this review is for Dover Classics "Edward II" published by Theatre Communications Group in 1999.)

This play in five acts or twenty-five scenes, written by Christopher Marlowe (1564 to 1593, born the same year as Shakespeare) is a history play that chronicles the reign of Edward the Second. The actual name that Marlowe gave his play was "The troublesome reign and lamentable death of Edward, the second King of England, with the tragical fall of Mortimer." (Mortimer is Edward's nemesis in the play.)

The precise date of this play is not accurately known, but it is generally thought to have been written circa 1590.

Marlowe condenses, omits, elaborates, and rearranges actual historical events in order to gain dramatic effectiveness, and to bring out Edward's character and the results of his weakness. So the action in the play covers a historical period of just over twenty years (near the end of the fourteenth century) even though such a period of time is not suggested by the play itself.

Marlowe effectively succeeds in giving a true, as well as a powerful picture of the character and fate of Edward the Second. This play masterfully shows the delineation of character, the construction of plot, and the freedom and variety of the mostly blank verse.

Readers of Shakespeare's plays (especially "Henry the Eighth" and "Richard the Second") should find it quite easy to read this relatively succinct play. Even those not familiar with Shakespeare's plays or even Elizabethan drama should have little difficulty with this play. Footnotes are minimal.

Unfortunately, this play has been labeled a "Gay Play." This is not quite accurate. Edward was bisexual because he had a queen who he had a son with (the future Edward the Third) and, as well, had a male partner (named Piers Gaveston). Gaveston too was bisexual since he was not only attracted to Edward but also to Edward's niece! Edward's queen is heterosexual because she is later attracted to Mortimer after Edward starts ignoring her.

Sexual orientation is actually a small part of this play. The play is about a king who loses control of his kingdom. Edward's brother says this early on to Edward: "My Lord, I see your love to Gaveston / Will be the ruin of the realm and you."

Finally, the last scene of the play is truly magnificent as Edward's son, now King, gets revenge for his father's murder.

In conclusion, this is a great play that can be enjoyed by those who are heterosexual (like myself), bisexual, or homosexual. Also, in my opinion, this history play closely rivals Shakespeare's history plays.

(this book first published 1999; play written circa 1590; 95 pages)

+++++

I loved this book, its very detailed and goes into the real lives of the people, inculding their letters . If you love real history, not fiction, this is the book for you. Loved it. For real Tudor buffs!!!

Gives the account of the ever-interesting relationship between Elizabeth I and her Master of the Horse, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. If you love Elizabeth, you will LOVE this analysis on her famous, and sometimes infamous relationship. Very interesting section analyzing Amy Dudley's death and her possible murder/suicide/accidental death...

With the primary documents basically known and castles and historic sites fully documented, 21st century writers are providing general readers with more focus on specific aspects of Tudor history and more interpretation. Recently I've read : The Pirate Queen: Queen Elizabeth I, Her Pirate Adventurers, and the Dawn of Empire, Edward VI: The Lost King of England and After Elizabeth: The Rise of James of Scotland and the Struggle for the Throne of England These books, like this one, are devoted entirely to a particular aspect of a Tudor reign (or as in the case of one, the end of the Tudor reigns).

Gristwood zeros in on the unique relationship of Elizabeth and Leicester who has been euphemistically called her "favorite". Griswold explores what this might be a euphemism for. There are lots of possibilities, but the author sticks with what is documented and what is credible. She also sticks with her focus, and brings in issues and people only as they relate to her main subject.

I did not know of Leicester's role in sending Mary of Scotland her second husband, nor his role in Elizabeth's French flirtations. I knew of the death of his wife, Amy, but nothing of the other two women in his life. While I had assumed his motives in this royal romance, I never considered his emotional state as he waited for Elizabeth with whom he had shared the experiences of having a beheaded parent. Gristwood, who has obviously poured over every word related to these two as a couple, interprets her findings in a wonderfully readable way.

I eagerly await the many more of these focused Tudor histories, that I presume are in the works. I'm guessing that the next generation of writing will provide more psychological analyis. Some of the topics are suggested by this book. They could be how the royals and their courtiers respond to the socially repressive dangers of the times or how their behavior or political posture results from the trauma in their respective families. One such interesting history could be a serious study of the Essex revolt through a psychological lens.

Sarah Gristwood's new book is good, especially for understanding Elizabeth's relationship with her chief favorite, Robert Dudley, later Earl of Leicester.

Gristwood tells the familiar story of Elizabeth's background and upbringing, and the not-so-familiar one of Dudley's. His father and grandfather were supporters of Edward VI and Henry VII, and were executed for their pains. The narrative picks up with earnest at Elizabeth's accession and appointment of Dudley as Master of the Horse. Rumors soon began about the queen's relationship with him, and Dudley's wife died in mysterious circumstances not too long after. Gristwood evenhandedly examines the possible explanations for her death, and with plenty of hedging, suggests that Cecil was the main beneficiary.

Immediately after his wife's death, Dudley fell out of favor with Elizabeth for some time. Reconciliation followed, as did many more fallings out and reconciliations. Her many suitors were a source of conflict (and Dudley was one of them), as were the ladies at court who caught his eye and that he secretly married or promised to marry. Nevertheless, Dudley was at Elizabeth's side through most of her reign, influential and supportive, resented and admired.

But this book is also disappointing in some ways. There are passages where so many rhetorical questions are used that the implications aren't clear; and awkward modern phrases occasionally intrude (e.g., regarding the birth of his long-awaited heir: "emotionally he must have been in the money"). Charts of family connections would also have been useful, especially for the Dudleys and Elizabeth's maternal relations.

This subject is timely, what with all the recent interest in Elizabeth I and her favorites (Leicester and Essex respectively in the two parts of the HBO miniseries with Helen Mirren, Elizabeth I; and Leicester and Raleigh in the two movies with Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth (Spotlight Series) and Elizabeth: The Golden Age). For an introduction to Elizabeth's life and reign, I prefer Christopher Hibbert's The Virgin Queen: Elizabeth I, Genius of the Golden Age. I recommend Sarah Gristwood's book for thorough collectors of Elizabethan material, or for people specifically interested in Leicester himself (books about him are somewhat hard to come by, but Derek Wilson's The Uncrowned Kings of England: The Black History of the Dudleys and the Tudor Throne is an alternative).

Fun-to-read book about the romance of Elizabeth I and the Earl of Leicester. There seemed to be a lot of information compiled from many sources to make this a fascinating "tell-all" which is no small feat considering the limitations of digging up such old records which were often all but scarce. This book not only showed Queen Elizabeth I as a woman who could love, but also showed her intelligence in using her head as well as her heart to make her relationships work also to her advantage as queen and for love of her country and able to keep Leicester loyal to the crown until his death. The author did a great job.

*Warning: there are some plot spoilers in this review!*

Jane Austen has a reputation as a witty, humorous writer with a keen eye for human folly and failings, and with this novel she certainly lives up to her reputation. While Emma isn't as popular as my personal favorite Pride and Prejudice, I believe that Emma is so popular, and can be considered "literature" (that is, a piece of art) because the story really has a universal quality to it. The fact that we can relate to the situations and characters in Emma some 300 years later is what makes it seem so timeless, and why the Emma movie with a "modern twist", Clueless, was so wildly successful. When you compare both Emma and Clueless they show how little has changed and that privileged teenagers (and young adults) will find themselves in the same situations and social patterns, whether they are in 19th century England or 21st century America.
Of course, while the wealthy and bored teenagers in Clueless might try to set up their friends on dates, the stakes were a bit higher in Emma. Emma (the heroine) attempts to match her new friend Harriet Smith with the new minister Mr. Elton not just for dating, but for marriage as long as they both shall live (remember, divorce was rare, if not nonexistent in early 19th century Britain.) Unfortunately, this plan backfires when Mr. Elton becomes interested in Emma, not Harriet. The problem was that Emma (already conceited because she successfully "guessed well" when she matched her tutor Ms. Taylor with a local widower Mr. Weston) failed to get to know Harriet and Mr. Elton well enough to figure out if they were, in fact, right for each other. Emma shows her class-snobbery when she (through some very adolescent mind games) convinces Harriet to reject the proposal that she receives from a local farmer (Mr. Martin, the man Harriet likes and eventually falls in love with), in the hopes that Mr. Elton will propose. Emma was too self-centered and (to steal the phrase from Amy Heckerling) clueless to notice that Mr. Elton was not, in fact, interested in Harriet, but in herself--a fact that leads to Harriet's heartbreak. Of course, this is only one part of the multi-faceted story that Jane Austen created about the life of a "handsome, clever and rich" woman living in Highbury, England, but it gives you a sense of the life and times of Ms. Emma Woodhouse (as we see them in the book)
Fortunately, all is well in the end when Emma learns her lesson about matchmaking and toying with emotions and discovers that she loves her brother-in-law and well loved family friend Mr. Knightly. This is a classic "happy ending by way of falling in love with the best friend that you had all along," but with a slightly dated feel. First, he is sixteen years older than her and he, in a way, helped to raise her (at least, in principles). The fact that he admits openly to having been "in love with (her) ever since (she) was thirteen at least," slightly bothered me. Who, in the 21st century, would admit to having a crush on their 13 year old sister-in-law? In the context and time of the novel it's romantic. Now Mr. Knightly might be described as a pedophile. However, the dated dialogue (like the above) is the only qualm I had about the book, and I hope that it doesn't discourage anyone from reading Emma. Overall, I would recommend this book to any Clueless fan, romantic-comedy fan, or anyone who wants to read the wonderfully universal writing of Jane Austen.

Though not her favorite novel, Austen's Emma shines as one of her most beloved. The character of Emma is both believable and lovable. This particular edition is a great keepsake, one you can pass down to your own daughter.

Emma is basically a darling snob. She has a kind, loving heart, and really wants to do good, but makes a tangle of everybody's lives, including her own. I'm sick of flawless, shallow, empty heroines, so Emma's faults and conquering of faults endear her. The unabridged book is slightly complicated (such as old-fashioned language) but if you savor it slowly it is well worth it. The plot is clever, sweet, funny and leaves a satisfied, warm kind of glow in the pit of your stomach. The perfect ending makes you want to cry. Don't spoil THIS novel with any trashy sequels.

TRY WATCHING the Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam "Emma."

Emma Woodhouse, to me, has always been the "truest" of Austen's heroines. Emma's flaws are so real. I don't know any woman who is completely innocent of vanity, so it's refreshing to find a character, like Emma, who is drawn out for us in all of her "princess syndrome" glory. The "good" Austen characters, like Jane Bennett or Fanny Price, often leave me with a false feeling that I can't relate to. Emma Woodhouse's story intrigues and envelops me. I've read it over and over again...and the book never stays on my shelf for long.

Jane Austen perfects the art of character development in Emma. The long, twisted plot carefully and slowly develops each character using rich detail that makes the characters come alive with personality. Without the rich detail and character development, I do not feel this book would have stood the test of time and become the classic that it is. Emma is a heart-warming book with enough orneriness mixed in to make it amusing.

I am a law student in the university of Plymouth and i would like you to send me some information that this book contains, concerning the subject of the separation of powers. Your advice will be of great help. Thank you.

First, to the reviewer looking for the doctrine of separation of powers: you'll find it in Montequieu's "Spirit of the Laws". Also check out "The Federalist", number 51.

Now then, Bagehot, like Madison, describes the operation of a modern liberal regime. The trick for founders of liberal government is to produce a government that permits the people civil liberties, but does not permit the people to abuse those liberties, or in the words of Madison, to create a government that is "democratic yet decent". Madison and the American Founders accomplish this end by so constructing the institutions of government that mens' selfish natures will be turned against each other ("ambition is made to check ambition"), rather than united in tyrannical concert.

Bagehot too describes the operation of a system of government that rules by the consent of the governed, yet which does so by restraining the vices of those who ought not to rule. Bagehot argues that the English government is moderate and decent because of a division of government into the "dignified" and the "efficient" parts, and a "noble lie" about the relationship between the two. It is this noble lie that permits the government to operate without the interference of those who would turn it away from the public good. But to discover the noble lie, you'll have to read Bagehot.

Warner Winborne

Professor of Political Science

Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney, VA

This book stimulates the little gray cells. Every time I watch Prime Minister's Questions, the superiority of the Cabinet system over the Presidential system is painfully obvious. If Bush were subjected to the kind of scrutiny, in Congress, that Blair is subjected to every week in Parliament, he would have been exposed as an impostor long before supreme executive authority was placed in his hands. Refering to our Civil War, Bagehot wrote: "The notion of employing a man of unknown smallness at a crisis of unknown greatness is to our minds simply ludicrous. Mr. Lincoln, it is true, happened to be a man of... eminent justness... But success in a lottery is no argument for lotteries."

Well, we used up all of our good fortune in the 1860s. We've come up craps in this millenium.

If this is the unaltered version of the book of the same name and same author that I read about 30 years ago, it is a classic. It describes how the classic English Constitution worked, before Britain joined the European Union. Especially it explained how it worked without being written down, largely by constitutional convention which was morally binding but (quite often) not legally binding.

Walter Bagehot was a journalist and a social and political thinker of the middle Victorian period (1850s and 1860s). His classical work "The English Constitution" comes as a collection of polemical assays upon the structure of the British political system. Cabinet, monarchy, Houses of Commons and Lords, execution of political power, and the foundation of the systems of checks and balances are explored in the book.

Throughout the book a comparison and contrast of Cabinet system and the Presidential system (a.k.a USA) is a constant theme. Bagehot does not hide it preference for the Cabinet system, which in his view is a both more dynamic and more effective. One of his main points is that direct popular election is a myth, since most of the electorate are ignorant of the nature of the political power (and moreover are forced to this ignorance by the effective uselessness of the legislative debate in the USA as opposed to the UK). Moreover, a result of the direct election is a static Presidential term of 4 years, which allows the executive branch to execute almost unchecked control of the political process. According to Bagehot, the indirect electoral system of the Commons, where people vote for the MPs and they then select the PM amongst themselves produces a more effective government, which is more responsive to the popular will since it can fall at any time due to policy disputes. A hidden secret of British success according to Bagehot is a fusion of legislative and executive powers in the Cabinet system. In the latter chapters, Bagehot exposures two forms of power - the dignified power (in the person of the monarch and the lords) and the effective power as exemplified by the Cabinet. Dignified power serves as a façade of legitimacy under which the dynamic and opportunist real effective power can subsist. He follows through to explain how each of the minister of the government exercises its power for the common goal, what are the legal powers of the monarchy and how it is exercised indirectly via control of the composition of the peerage and the power to dissolve the Commons.

Bagehot's style is clear, flavorful, his knowledge of political process is profound (with a qualification of more so of British then American), his research is well done, and he is a master of dramatic tricks to keep the reader interested. I would recommend the book as both a scholarly reference, and a well presented popular case.

This book is very well written and heartfelt, but realize this is NOT a book you read when you need cheering up! If you wish to explore human emotion, however, this is a great way to explore that through fiction. Good read!

I was surprised to receive this very thin, small novel, but within those 175 pages, Edith Wharton has woven a supremely delicate and beautiful tale. If you're looking to be taken away to another place and another time - but only have a few hours - this is the book for you! Anita Shreve's introduction is equally impressive.

Edith Wharton filled her novels with a feeling of ruin, passion and restriction. People can fall in love, but rarely do things turn out well.

But but few of even her books can evoke the feeling of "Ethan Frome," whick packs plenty of emotion, vibrancy and regrets into a short novella. While the claustrophobic feeling doesn't suit her writing well, she still spins a beautiful, horrifying story of a man facing a life without hope or joy.

It begins nearly a quarter of a century after the events of the novel, with an unnamed narrator watching middle-aged, crippled Ethan Frome drag himself to the post-office. He becomes interested in Frome's tragic past, and hears out his story.

Ethan Frome once hoped to live an urban, educated life, but ended up trapped in a bleak New England town with a hypochondriac wife, Zeena, whom he didn't love. But then his wife's cousin Mattie arrives, a bright young girl who understands Ethan far better than his wife ever tried to. Unsurprisingly, he begins to fall in love with her, but still feels an obligation to his wife.

But then Zeena threatens to send Mattie away and hire a new housekeeper, threatening the one bright spot in Ethan's dour life. Now Ethan must either rebel against the morals and strictures of his small village, or live out his life lonely. But when he and Mattie try for a third option, their affair ends in tragedy.

Wharton was always at her best when she wrote about society's strictures, morals, and love that defies that. But rather than the opulent backdrop of wealthy New York, here the setting is a bleak, snowy New England town, appropriately named Starkfield. It's a good reflection of Ethan Frome's life, and a good illustration of how the poor can be trapped.

Even when she describes a "ruin of a man" in a cold, distant town, Wharton spins beautiful prose ("the night was so transparent that the white house-fronts between the elms looked gray against the snow") and eloquent symbolism, like the shattered pickle dish. There's only minimal dialogue -- most of what the characters think and feel is kept inside.

Instead she piles on the atmosphere, and increases the tension between the three main characters, as attraction and responsibility pull Ethan in two directions. It all finally climaxes in the disaster hinted at in the first chapter, which is as beautifully written and wistful as it is tragic.

If the book has a flaw, it's the incredibly small cast -- mainly just the main love triangle. Ethan's not a strong or decisive man, but his desperation and loneliness are absolutely heartbreaking, as well as his final fate. Mattie seems more like a symbol of the life he wants that a full-fledged person, and Zeena is annoying and whiny up until the end, when we see a different side of her personality. Not a stereotypical shrew.

"Ethan Frome" is a true tragedy -- as beautifully written as it is, it's still Wharton's description of how a man merely survives instead of living, hopeless and devastated.

The Romeo and Juliet of its time, Ethan Frome is a suspenseful story about a man shackled by marriage to the lady of his nightmares, and when he finds the love of his dreams he is torn to shreds by what he should do and what he needs to do. An excerpt from the story that best summarizes his predicament is "With the sudden perception of the point to which his madness had carried him, the madness fell and he saw his life before him as it was. He was a poor man, the husband of a sickly woman, whom his desertion would leave alone and destitute; and even if he had the heart to desert her he could have done so only by deceiving two kindly people who had pitied him." As you can see the story has an intricately designed plot that keeps you wondering until the end.

Aristocratic New York woman residing in Paris writes about impoverished New England man's demise in love - a formula which few would encourage today, and certainly was a misanthropic venture in 1911 when this book was published.

But, Wharton excels in her delivery. The dialogue incorporates much of the Massachusetts' accent. The description of the countryside: magnificent. "On a road I had never traveled, we am to an orchard of starved apple trees writhing over a hillside among outcroppings of slate that nuzzled up through the snow like animals pushing out their noses to breath." And, the story - Bronte meets Sterling. Depressing, grey as the winter weather, and as cold as a Massachusetts' December.

Zeena, originally thought to be named Zenobia, is Ethan Frome's wife from hell. They live in the aptly named town of Starkfield. Zeena, ill and nagging, haunts Ethan as her querulous droning echoes in his psyche, whether he be in the home listening or safely outside working in the farm. Zeena's niece, Mattie or Matt, comes to aid her ailing aunt. And, without any appreciation, she does her chores.

Frome's exclusive enjoyment is seeing Mattie's face each morning - so much does he like this that he commences shaving every morning to look right for her. The amorous affection is not a one-way road. Each becomes increasingly more entranced by the other. And, when Zeena leaves for an overnight stay at a doctor's, opportunity knocks.

But, this is Wharton and written about people in puritanical Massachusetts in the late 19th century - much of the book is reminiscing in 1911 about what transpired 20 years earlier. Illicit love is the forbidden fruit. Contract or arranged marriages delivered sexual pleasure, not love of the heart. Wharton's characters often are prisoners of their societal marriages - Ethan Frome being worse than others as he also lacks any societal privileges or money. True love is doomed too often in Wharton's books: Selden in "House of Mirth", Newland Archer in "Age of Innocence" and Ralph Marvell in "The Custom of the Country" lead similar demises.

The ending is tremendously depressing. I will not detail what transpired, as that would be unfair to readers of this review. But, its twist is what reminds me of Sterling or O'Henry. It was both alarming, and perfect.

If you liked and read the first two books in this series, then you will not be disappointed.

I hope there are more to come!

Melanie's writings truly bring characters to life. The books are well researched. I like how the characters deal with real life situations and problems. God's love shines through the series without being preachy.

Reviewed by Rebecka Vigus for Reader Views (12/06)

Ms. Jeschke writes a wonderful book that spans two generations. "Evasions' tells of first love, of love lost, war, love, separation, misunderstanding, fear and deprivation. Through all of this, love of God prevails. With his love all things can be faced.

In the first part of the book Stuart asks for Natalie's hand in marriage. When her father suggests that the young man consult Natalie, he hesitates and goes to pave the way with his own father. That is how Eric and Annie begin to tell the story of their love to their children.

Eric's first love was Laurene. She was a beautiful Scottish lass who was stations above Eric in the social class. Her father agreed that they could be engaged, but not marry until Laurene had finished college. He then decided on the brink of World War II to send his daughter to the United States to keep her safe. As it turned out, that was not the wise thing to do as the ship she was sailing on was hit with a torpedo launched from a German ship. Eric, devastated by this turn of events, turns from his religious studies and enlists in the Royal Air Force (RAF).

Annie is an impetuous young lady from Virginia who is in London visiting her brother Jeff, a student at Oxford University. Annie does not get on the ship for America and is not lost at sea. With the impending war, she finishes her nursing and begins work at St. Bart's in London. Jeff visits frequently. On an evening out, Eric approaches Annie with a theater ticket. Jeff pretends to be her boyfriend to scare Eric into behaving.

Jeff, Annie, and Eric become fast friends. As Eric is stationed nearby he comes to visit Annie often. He even proposes to her and they take their vows in a small church near his base. Although they are not truly married they spend the night together.

Jeff, meantime, makes arrangements for Annie to stay with C.S. Lewis and his family in Oxford should the time come when she must evacuate from London. When this time comes Annie sends a letter to Eric.

Eric has been moved to another base as his was bombed. He does not get the letter and gets frantic as to Annie's safety. When he goes to look for her, he is told she moved out and that one of the girls was killed. This only makes Eric more frantic as he doesn't know which girl has been killed.

Annie has decided that Eric has chosen to forget her. She confides in Mr. Lewis that she is not truly married.

Mr. Lewis is engaged to speak to the troops about religion. While he is there, Eric seeks him out in the hopes that he may know where Annie is. A surprised Lewis asks if Eric can get time off and takes him to Annie, where the two lovers reunite.

The book returns to the present in Scotland where the family has gone to celebrate Eric's fiftieth birthday. All are present but Stuart. Natalie is unhappy and goes to the hillside to think and pray. This is where Stuart finds her.

I will not tell you how the book ends or all the details of Eric and Annie's relationship. Ms. Jeschke tells a marvelous tale that leaves the reader wanting more. I do hope she will continue with this series known as the Oxford Chronicles. It gave much insight into what life was like in London during the war and also much insight into C.S. Lewis and his cronies. The book is well written and transitions easily from present to past and back.

This book is well on a par with John Jake's series "War and Remembrance." `Evasions' is a book to last for the ages.

The Oxford Chronicles is a must ready for anyone, especially those that love romance. Evasions is Melanie Jeschke's third book in the series. Each book is better than the next, but Inklings book one is amazing. She has a way of making the characters come so alive, that you feel so connected to them and feel what they are going through. You will not want to put this book or the other two down!! Evasions has the added bonus of being set in World War II, which is one of my favorite time periods to learn about. This book includes not only romance but history and a story of redemption that anyone would love and be hooked! Buy and read this book and her first two!!

This is the third book in a series-the first book is Inklings, and the second one is Expectations. I would highly recommend all three of these titles to anyone who is an Anglophile and/or a fan of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. These books are very well researched, and very well written. I got interested in the characters right away, and couldn't wait to find out what happened to them.