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Beautifully written, WHERE SHE CAME FROM is also the product of very serious and exhaustive research. It is a magical and haunting book. It brings alive a period of Jewish women's history that is only now being written about in English. Travelling through pre-Holocaust Central Europe with Epstein is an amazing experience: the reader follows both the process of investigation of family history and the emotions this opens up for the writer.

I taught the book several times both in the US and Mexico in classes on Memory and Autobiography. My students loved the book. Many of them bought several copies to give to relatives and friends as gifts. My graduate students (in History and Literature) were impressed by the rigor of Epstein's research, and the skill with which she weaves historical information into her prose.

This is a fascinating chronicle of three generations of the author's female ancestors. It is probably the only book in English that tells the story of Jewish women in Prague in the the first half of the twentieth century. Helen Epstein has a special talent for recreating social history and bringing it alive.

This book was a beautiful personal tribute to the author's ancestors.

I was engrossed in this book from the first page...although it was a slow read for me, because I wanted to grasp the intensity of the generational saga, and grasp the historical facts, correctly. Epstein has more than proved herself in this dramatic memoir of family generations, identity, and history, weaving us through time, each piece of family fabric a part of the final tapestry. The reader is given remnants and squares of fabric in a familial tapestry, of sorts, through history and time, through the horrors of war, and how it affects all the generations, from past to present. From assimilating into society and racial and religous identity, to how one views themselves and what they identify with, Epstein manages to stitch a tapestry of her family, each stitch in time adding to the fabric of her own identity. Bravo for a wonderful read!

In WHERE SHE CAME FROM, Cambridge, Massachusetts-based award-winning author Helen Epstein has penned a meticulously-researched memoir to the four generations of Czech and former Czechoslovak women in her extensive family, from her mother's side of the brood.

While today she associates her public persona to the proud and extensive line of former Czechoslovak Epsteins (see Ms. Epstein's fabulous Amazon Short available off of this site, SWIMMING AGAINST STEREOTYPE: The Story of a Twentieth Century Jewish Athlete), the writer stakes her claim to a noble and illustrious family line which once proudly sported famous Viennese and Prague-based surnames such as Rabinek, Solar, Weigert, Sachsel, Furcht, and Frucht.

Like an experienced batsman for a World Series-winning major-league baseball team, Epstein managed to hang in that old batter's box, waiting for just the right pitch to slug out of the ballpark. In the book world, the analogue was when all the right moments fortuitously transpired to assist Ms. Epstein in securing many essential clues of research which she utilized handily in crafting this excellent book's narrative. Even she'll tell you, the process was far from easy.

Thanks to a dedicated coterie of like-minded collaborators based in points all around the globe as you'll soon read (the former Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic, Israel, South America, and the United States), Ms. Epstein succeeded in cobbling together one of the most comprehensive Czech geneological histories on the public record.

The work is not only emotionally remunerative for Ms. Epstein, to the extent that those missing links in her family chain were finally sewn together, but it's additionally a fine account of several strong women, renowned in their various fields of endeavour, who persevered during the best of times and the absolute horrorific worst of the 20th century.

Starting with Helen's great-grandmother Therese Sachsel, nee Frucht (Furcht), who lived during the reign of Franz-Josef in the last of the Habsburg-ian thrones, passing through her grandmother Pepi's life story during the turbulent First World War and the First Czechoslovak Republic, and finally overlapping the history of her own mother Frances Epstein, Helen pored over hundreds (if not thousands) of archival sources in constructing this cogent tale.

Collectively, these three noble upstanding women belonging to the author's colourful past outlived the worst of the 20th century's ravages, passing fads, and tragic downfalls.

We swoon with Therese Sachsel during the euphoria of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk's (TGM) storied first Czechoslovak Republic (1918-1938), when all seemed possible for the Central European remant of the former Austria-Hungarian powerhouses of Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, and Slovakia. Our hopes and dreams are temporarily crushed alongside her grandmother Pepi Rabinek as we witness the invasion and subsequent occupation of Prague by Nazi hordes, who sweep unchallenged through the former Czechoslovakia's borders after the West's perfidy of Munich. We agonize alongside Pepi's daughter, Frances Solar/Rabinek/Epstein, the paragon of the family and Helen's stalwart mother, as she is dispatched to the Teresienstadt (in modern-day Terezin, Czech Republic) concentration camp, or in the colloquial Czech, the "koncentrak." We also rejoice when Frances is extricated from the hellhole of Auschwitz, and tranported the West in wartime Germany as part of a labour brigade, towards the oncoming Allies from the West, liberated in Bergen-Belsen by British forces at the end of WWII. Finally, we are shocked to discover the insensitivity, sheer apathy, and in many instances -- outright hostility -- that Praguers demonstrated towards the surviving returnees from the Nazi camps, to which Frances and her future husband, famous former Czechoslovak Olympian swimmer, Kurt Epstein, counted themselves.

Helen Epstein's lines draw us inexorably into this story, and once you start you'll have a difficult time finding excuses to stop.

What staggered me as I made my way through this read was Ms. Epstein's formidable discipline. The sheer single-mindedness with which she approached the colossal task of the near-vertical climb to reach the bottom of her family's history. I read with awe how solace was found towards the end.

WHERE SHE CAME FROM will stand as one of the foremost examples of the self-researched memoir. If you need any reason at all to read this book, then let it be thanks to the iron-willed determination which the answers gracing its pages were unearthed by Ms. Epstein.

A book like this needs to be savoured for its significance, appreciated for its illumination, and respected for its purity. There isn't a single letter which graces these pages that wasn't typed, written, or transcribed in the absence of a labour which can only be termed love.

I sit back and wish we all had the staying power of Ms. Epstein. The book is laudatory in the extreme.

As if Ms. Epstein's family history were not enough, there are other benefits to this book too. For those with a keen interest in the past two centuries of life in Prague and the experiences of Bohemia's and Moravia's Jews and its Czech peasantry, WHERE SHE CAME FROM is chock-a-block with painstaking factoids and historical tidbits that'll nudge you gently towards further reading. It will also supply its readers with a glimpse towards the increasingly-distant Czechoslovak past, which, with the passing of the years and the keener integration of this country with the rest of the EU, slips further and further away from the grip of Czech youth.

This book is more than just a reminder, it's a testament to a time which no longer exists. In that respect, it is now part of the permanent historical record.

WHERE SHE CAME FROM is written in a language at once accessible and magnetic. For all ages, for all backgrounds. I can't do anything less than award this superb work of history my highest rating of 5-stars.

I know you will too.

-- ADM in Prague

Although this book has a slow start with a lot of historical information, once you get to the Holocaust section, you will not be able to put this book down. I read it while in Vienna and after I visited Prague. I felt so connected to my surroundings and the author that I literally felt like I was in the book. Makes the enormity of the Holocaust personal and understandable. A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE!

I love this book. It reminds me of being a kid again. I forgot what it was like until I read this book. I can't wait for Ms. Koponen to write another book. I'm going to gobble it up!!!!

Libby Koponen's novel Blow Out the Moon is based on her own experiences growing up. She includes photographs and drawings throughout the book.

At dinner one evening, Libby's father informs her and her siblings that they would be traveling by ship to live in England for six months. Her father would travel ahead and meet them when the ship docked.

Libby would be leaving her home, her school and her best friend Henry, but it was a short-term adventure. That's what she thought. The six months turned into eighteen months and Libby wasn't happy about the extension.

Everything in England was different. She wasn't happy until she left for boarding school. There she meets new and interesting people, learns how to do things the way the English do them and even learns to ride a horse. But she refuses to sing "God Save the Queen."

During Libby's adventure she leaves childhood and becomes a young lady. And just before she leaves England, she decides it wouldn't hurt to sing "God Save the Queen," just one time.

Koponen's book is interesting but it's not particularly exciting. It reminds me of a story one would write for a family member, not the world.

Armchair Interviews says: If you are interested in learning about the way other people live, you might be interested in this story. If you're looking for an exciting novel with a plot, you might not choose this book.

"Libby's joyous times at Sibton Park make you laugh out loud."
--A 6th grader writing in Just Books.

"Koponen's tightly written prose is laced with humor." --Seattle Times

Yes, I'm the author -- but this is what OTHER people said. I get emails from kids all the time saying they loved the book; maybe you will too.

This is the story of Libby, a young American girl who lives in England for a year and a half. She is naturally independent and spunky, yet learns that being polite means caring about others' feelings. Overall, this book is wonderful; it's engaging in a way that too few books are. Schoolgirl Libby is a joy to watch as she travels to England and attends boarding school, encountering difficulties and misadventures along the way. Unfortunately, author Libby Koponen's writing is a tad overly simplified, and she fails to fully transform her voice into that of a true child. Koponen instead comes across as an adult trying to write like a child. Still, that's my sole complaint about this great book.

Libby Koponen's 1950s childhood was given an exciting spin when her family moved to England for a year and a half. Eight-year-old Libby, a headstrong child who loved to write, looked forward to the adventure though she knew she'd miss her friends in New York.

"Blow Out the Moon" is Libby's memoir, written for the 9-to-12 age group. She tells of the family's ocean voyage on the Liberte and their new life in a London flat. The gloomy London winter and her isolated, unhappy days at school tarnished the adventure. Fascinated by stories about boarding school, she persuaded her parents to send her away to school in the Kent countryside.

At Sibton Park Libby learned to ride horses and to behave with proper English manners. Today's more sophisticated children have grown up at Hogwarts with Harry Potter, as pointed out by Megan Tingley, editor in chief for young readers at Little, Brown. They may find 1950s England a bit tame; but as long as there are kids interested in looking over the horizon, charming books like this will be well-loved.

The book is illustrated with photos of Koponen and her family, and other related drawings and photos. They are somewhat poorly rendered in the book, but come to life on the author's web site, ifyoulovetoread dot com.

"Blow Out the Moon" was marketed in an unusual way: Koponen put the entire book on the internet and after collecting raves from kids, was accepted for publication by Little, Brown. The web site is a feast of photos, reviews, and extra chapters. Anyone interested in this aspect of the book business should check out the Boston Globe article under the REVIEWS section of Libby's web site.

I recommend the book as a nostalgic memoir of another time and place; there is much for children and adults to enjoy here.

I bought this book for my mother in law just before her trip to Italy and she loved it. She said she used it as a resource there and it was very interesting. I gave it 4 stars because it wasn't something I would buy for myself but my mother in law adored it to pieces! Great gift for any Italian or someone planning to visit Italy.

I'm glad this guide book exists. I have found it helpful and informative. I am currently living in Germany, and I find pilgrimages to be a far more meaningful way of exploring Western Europe than more traditional tours. With this in mind, I would like to respectfully suggest some revisions for future editions. First, I would really appreciate more and better maps. A simple blank map of each country with dots representing the pilgrimage locations would have been extremely helpful--- as would better directions and ideas of distances between major sites. More pictures would also be helpful. I plan on eventually visiting most of these sites, but the book on its own is not enough.

A very good book full of information. The only thing i didnt like is that they talk about certain images of The Blessed Virgin , but dont show her. Only the builing... I think more pictures of the statues at the shrine and less of the outside of them would be better. But i gave it five stars for the information. It great for that reason only.

I spent two semesters in Europe and this book was immensely helpful in deciding which pilgrimage sights to go to and then finding them! I love the little maps that are shown for the various shrines. At Franciscan University's campus in Austria, this book in particular is very popular, because it tells about the history of the place and how to find it. If you know a Catholic who is going to Europe and wants to visit shrines, then I highly recommend this book.

My brother and I both lived in Europe (in different places) and we both used this book extensively. The book unabled us to visit shrines that otherwise we would not have known existed. The book was easy to use and included the history of each shrine, directions on how to get there, where to stay and how to contact the shrine. There is also a picture of each shrine, with made it easy to choose which shrines we wanted to see. Our stay in Europe was greatly enriched by the use of this book.

No doubt a prophetic genius, one has to wonder ,though, if Guenon was not also a bit of a fanatical lunatic. His assertions about the tremendous flaws in Western civilization are etched in such clear-cut shades of black and white that they leave no room for argument or compromise. In short, these are revelations that brook no opposition. However, I must admit I felt a powerful sympathy with his description of how unsane our modern world has become. But I am very cautious and skeptical about his proposal of a return to a more "traditional" culture run by an intellectual elite. This sounds like a recipe for another totalitarian system of rule. As always, who is to decide which are the "elite" worthy to rule? Bracing and stimulating, this work seems inspired, but one might wonder by whom or what.

In perhaps his most important work, _The Crisis of the Modern World_, traditionalist thinker Rene Guenon outlines his philosophy and shows how the traditional outlook is opposed by modern developments. Guenon begins by noting that the modern world has brought about a crisis, conceived by many in terms of apocalypse and the "end times" (the coming dark age of the Kali Yuga in terms of Hindu cyclical cosmology), which can only be resolved by a return of the West to the traditional outlook. Taking off from what he had written earlier in a book entitled _East and West_, Guenon notes that the worldviews of West and East are profoundly different from each other, the East maintaining its traditions, while the West creeps towards degeneracy in the form of modernism and materialism. Much of this book is spent contrasting East and West, attempting to demonstrate exactly where the West has gone astray (both in its attempts to colonize the East and in its rampant materialism and modernism). In the East, three great traditions remain corresponding to the Near, Middle, and Far East respectively. These are the traditions of Islam, the traditions of India (especially Hinduism), and the traditions of the Chinese civilization. Guenon believes that only one possible source for traditional renewal remains in the West, and that is the Catholic (meaning "universal") Church, which he opposes to Protestant Christianity or modern day "rationalism", for example. Tranditionalism places an emphasis on both "primordialism" and universality, in line with its Vedantist roots. Guenon also notes several contrasting distinctions between the traditional viewpoint and that of the modern day (the Western materialist/"rationalist" outlook). Part of this involves the contrast between sacred and profane science. Modernists emphasize profane science, attempting to desacralize nature, and place their priority in both pragmatism and the material world. Such a view has come even to relegate metaphysical notions of truth to the realm of the purely pragmatic and utilitarian. Guenon also notes how the modern day world is dominated by a mass democratic levelling brought about by what he terms "individualism". It is this form of "individualism" which has led to materialism and an emphasis on pure pragmatics (quantity as opposed to quality), although he contrasts this to the more genuine view of the traditional man which remains opposed to the encroaching influences of force, through the state for example. Guenon sees much to criticize in the democratic development of the West, seeing in democracy a form of mass levelling. Opposing these developments within the modern world, Guenon calls for a new intellectual elite, who will serve to revive tradition where it is to be found. This revival also centers around the schism between East and West. In this sense, those among the "intellectual elite" must either opt to integrate the traditions of the East (which remain viable) into the West or attempt to restore genuine Western tradition (such as that which exists in a form of decline within the Catholic Church). Guenon remains a champion of the East and notes the Western bias and attempt to dominate the traditional East, citing several sources of this problematic, where he means by the West the modern materialist-driven West and not the traditional West. This book serves as an important introduction to the thinking of Rene Guenon, who is the father of the traditionalist school which also includes Ananda Coomaraswamy, Frithjof Schuon, Julius Evola, and Mircea Eliade, among others. It serves to highlight many of the contrasts which exist between the modern world (undergoing crisis) and the traditional outlook. Guenon notes that while there is a tendency for those among the traditional camp to despair, given the bleak outlook presented by the modern world (which may be destroyed in catastrophe given its false foundations), that this tendency should be overcome, particularly by those among his chosen elite. Guenon quotes several important passages from the Gospel accounts to illustrate his point. Truly the modern world represents the traditional Kali Yuga of the Hindu cycle, a dark age of rampant materialism, and a decline from the once golden age of spiritual tradition.

In this short book, the supremely intelligent Rene Guenon manages to crystallize some of the most fundamental ailments of modern society. He is neither afraid to examine from a traditionalist viewpoint all recent intellectual "developments" in science along with the callow, bigoted perceptions of modern philosophy, nor does he shy away from criticizing democracy and the notions of socio-political "progress," or the diluted and comical nature of modern religion. Consistency and holistic understanding are Guenon's hallmarks, and he demonstrates it well with this succinct volume.

This work is genuine treasure for all those capable of fully comprehending reality and naturally find themselves alone and at odds with contemporary civilization. Serves as a good introduction to the general orientations of authentic traditionalist thought. Guenon expands on this work significantly in its companion volume, The Reign of Quantity.

The scholarly world is never too short of what is in vogue as `critiques of modernity' that another addition to this stock would have been redundant. Guénon's The Crisis of the Modern World however, is not simply `another' of this but is distinguished by its profound wisdom, transcending conventional approaches that either diagnosed the symptoms and not the real disease or carried from an exclusively `philosophical' viewpoint, oblivious to the fact that `philosophy' itself is among modernity's offspring. Guénon's theme is sophia perennis, or primordial Wisdom, which seeks to resurrect the sacred metaphysics that lies at the root of the world's major religions.

Guénon begins with the premise that the modern world as we know it corresponds exactly to the period of Kali Yuga (or Dark Age) in Hindu cosmology, similar to the Iron Age in Western traditional doctrine, a time when the forces of matter reign supreme and spirituality has been thoroughly eclipsed. In fact, history itself is a gradual process of declining spirituality and "progressive materialization", so that at the last phase of the human cycle (or the darkest of the Dark Age), mankind shall witness the abundance of material prosperity as has never been witnessed before, while simultaneously impoverished spiritually and utterly divorced from true intellectuality and hence truth itself.

Intellectually, this decline is especially evident in science and philosophy. Philosophy - `love' of wisdom - became wisdom unto itself; `physics' - the science of `nature' in its totality - became a science that deals with only a portion of nature; astrology degraded into astronomy; alchemy degenerated into chemistry; and all that was once meaningful and bound to truth transcending the domain of matter and the world of sensible experience is reduced to bare facts bereft of truth, meaning and purpose. It is no wonder that the modern man today feels alienated from the world, from each other and from himself. The ancient sciences were invariably bound to metaphysical principles found in the world's great religions, made possible by the eminently religious and theocentric character of the earlier people. Truth for them is one, just as God is One. The different orders and aspects of Reality are but reflections of this same, single and universal truth. Whichever angle the truth is approached, contradictions only appear at the surface so that `specialization' would eventually lead to the convergence of the various disciplines, which explains why the ancients were so adept at mastering several different branches of knowledge at the same time, insofar as mastery of certain basic laws underlying all of reality permits their application to many different domains.

Modernity by contrast, is built upon the spirit of opposition to religion (think of the Renaissance, Reformation and the Enlightenment) and therefore hostility to metaphysics and truth. Once the ultimate Truth is denied, the ground is cleared for the manufacture of many different "truths", tending naturally towards relativism and nihilism that are so prevalent in today's world. Indeed, relativism is the logical outcome of rationalism, this in turn being the result of humanism and individualism, which of course, is the "determining cause of the present decline of the West." Descartes' rationalism, instead of raising man to transcend himself towards truth, seeks to drag truth down to the "purely relative and human faculty" of rational thought. The mental outlook that made this possible is materialism, "a conception according to which nothing else exists but matter and its derivatives." Now this is significant even symbolically, for matter is essentially multiplicity and division, hence the source of strife and conflict.

This decadence even manifests itself in the social order - from the separation of religion from the state, the triumph of mediocrity over the wise (democracy), the spread of `mass education' (which compromises the uniqueness of each individual) to the rise of the cult of `originality' in the intellectual domain, for whom it is better to create a new error than repeat an old truth. All this are but manifestations of the same catastrophe - neglect of spirituality, hence the loss of unity.

Materialism is also tied to Western domination. The East has been traditionally religious, but in the face of (material) challenge and encroachment by the modern West, is now compelled to adopt the materialistic worldview to compete in this profane realm and in this regard, its religious past is certainly no guide. Where else would they seek guidance and `light', if not from the very civilization in which materialism organically springed forth? This is in fact how the present age fits neatly into that last phase of Kali Yuga as Guénon understands it, namely that the darkness of materialism will ultimately bring the whole world into its dominion (long before `globalization' and `end of history' became common lingo), marking finally the end of an era, i.e. the end of a human cycle, or Manvantara, where `the wheel stops turning.' This is when chaos, conflict and strife will erupt as never before, a time known in Christianity as the reign of the Antichrist and in Islam as the era of Dajjal.

There is a way out - for the establishment of a spiritual elite to lead the masses out of this darkness. This elite necessarily has to operate covertly, like a secret puppeteer when others could not see the strings, for the masses have become deeply entrenched in their materialism, which continuously creates in them more artificial needs for materiality than it can satisfy. In the West, the only institution capable of bringing about this change is the Catholic Church, which alone is in possession of the sacred traditional doctrine of Christianity. Yet even then, Guenon remains skeptical and calls for the Western world to summon aid from what modicum of true spirituality is left in the East, unadulterated by the `modernized' outlook that is fast making headways throughout the Orient.

This book show us the roots of our modern world. This book is for those that, unsatisfied with the course os the modern world and it?s oppressive materialism, are looking for convincing explanations, out of the common political and economical vision. The author examines the deep factors that conducted our world to it?s present unbalance, demonstrating that, since the Middle Age, the Occident went further and further away, with increasing velocity, from the principles that ruled all the humanity until that momment. Principles that presume an hierarchy of values, from the highest (spiritual) ones to the basic (material) ones; principles that are within the essence of the traditional civilizations, that harmonize man and nature. We find examples of traditional civilizations with the north-american native tribes (as the Hopi and Sioux, among others); the Tibet, before the chinese invasion; the medieval Japan... Ren? Gu?non (1886-1951), with this book that is at once masterly and accessible, don?t give us illusions about the future of our civilization. Instead he provides us with new and wide horizons, with tools that enables us to evaluate and stand up to the great challenges of the modern world crisis. It's the best way to make a first contact with Ren? Gu?non and the traditional view.

Luiz Pontual (irget@reneguenon.net), director of Ren? Gu?non's Institute, April 9, 1999. See our site irget@reneguenon.net and buy our book at Amazon.com

Of the several guidebooks I've bought in three trips to Istanbul, this is the one that stays with me at all times when I'm finding my way around that most fascinating city in the world. The maps of the Old City and Taksim are the best and most accurate I've seen, and the bird's eye view cutaway shots of places such as the covered bazaar are extremely helpful. If you get only one Istanbul guide, let it be this one.

This book made my trip to Istanbul much more enjoyable than it would otherwise have been. Very well organized and jam-packed with helpful information. You'll still need a bigger street map of the city when you get there, but that's true about any destination.

Even my native Turkish friend, who is originally from Istanbul and whom I visited this past spring (with this book in hand), was fascinated by this book! He was really impressed with the layout, all the detailed and pertinent (and sometimes unique/unusual) information, the photos/drawings, the maps, etc. It also has good info about places outside the city.

I accidentally left the book behind after I put it down to pay for some things in a photo shop and didn't realize it was missing until a few hours later (I was with my own personal "tour guide," after all ;-)...my Turkish friend made his way back to the shop just to retrieve it for me (and thankfully the shop owner had kept it safe in hopes of the owner returning for it...and even he had looked through it and commented how good it looked)!

Going to Istanbul? GET THIS BOOK!

I just got back from Istanbul and I can say that this book was one of the things that made this a memorable vacation. The information is complete and (mostly) up to date (visa costs had been increased) but otherwise I found it easy to use and informative. The only other book I would recommend is "Imperial Istanbul" for the true history buff traveler.

This is THE BOOK to get for your travels to Istanbul - or Constantinople to us Greek Orthodox :-) I used this book when I was there five years ago, and let me be frank: it got me around every street, every landmark, every side alleyway, every bus route, every boat ride. The City is covered from head to toe in this book, with tons of useful information about hours of operation of mosques, churches, museums, and restaurants, plus great maps of the City and its surrounding neighborhoods, with detailed bus and tram schedules. In the back, it offers all the up to date information on hotels and hostels, plus important addressess and phone numbers for police, tourist bureaus, airports, and bus stations.

My personal favorite aspect of this book are the detailed pictoral discriptions of some of the great landmarks of the City: Hagia Sophia, St. Saviour in Chora, the Blue Mosque, Suleymanie Camii, Topkapi Palace to some of the more "off the beaten path" locations, such as the Church of Pammakaristos, the Basilica Cisterns, the Church of Sts. Sergius and Bacchus (Kuckuk Aya Sofya), and the residence of the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church. Rather than other guides such as Fodors simply writing it all down, Eyewitness literally "shows" you the information, so it's not only a great book to help you navigate the City, it's great to help you navigate the locations!

I carried this book with my at all times when I was in Turkey. I cannot recommend this book more than Amazon allows, but I'd give this book 10 stars if I could. It is the absolute best travel guide on the market today! I hope it will also serve you as well as it did for me!

A very helpful, organized tour of Florence for foodies. As many times as I've visited Florence, the abundance of great places to eat is overwhelming. This book lays out great places to eat in the various neighborhoods and their nearby tourist attractions. It also helps define where the locals like to eat. Very helpful.

I found this wonderful guide while preparing for my return to Florence this past Fall for more research on the sequel to my novel, The Giuliana Legacy The author's helpful and concise reviews were amazingly accurate in every case. Moreover, she helped us to find wonderful restaurants, cafe bars and wine bars that will be much-loved favorites for years to come. There are fabulous tips on restaurants in every price range, but we especially enjoyed the small inexpensive local spots we might never have found on our own, like the charming and delicious Casalinga in the Santo Spirito. We returned there again and again, and once home, wished we'd gone there every single day of our all too short stay in Florence.

Ms. Wise Miller, the words "Thank You" cannot begin to convey our gratitude for your splendid little book. I have already bought several as gifts and will continue to buy them for all Florence-bound friends and family. Brava!

I liked this book very much it has many affordable restaurants listed with their addresses and hours of operation. I loved the little facts and tips provided throughout. It also has maps in the back, so you can find the places listed. Most helpful are commonly used Italian words and their definitions. I am looking forward to going back to Florence and visiting the recommendations by the author!

The reviews in this book were perfectly on point. We found ourselves trying to schedule in more time to eat so we could continue to try the recommended restaurants. This book is a keeper for our next trip.

You cannot go to Florence without this book! I was in Florence for five days and I wore this book out; I ate exclusively at places from this book and have never had a better culinary experience in Florence! Emily Wise-Miller takes you to the hidden gems and out-of-the-way places that tourists dream about! Writing this review is making my mouth water and my heart beg to go back, just so I can eat more delicious Florentine steak, pasta, gelato and drink the wine!

If you are planning a trip to Florence/Tuscany or simply want to learn about the culture and history of of Tuscany's culinary roots, BUY THIS BOOK! You will not be disappointed!!

What's really terrific about this book is the way that it sets the story of Van Meegeren's forgeries within the personal biography of the forger and the history of the period. In fact, I'm starting to think that this is the way that art should always be looked at, because I suddenly saw these fake Vermeers in a completely new light. I've heard people ask how anyone could have been fooled by these pictures, but through really simple side-by-side comparisons, the author makes it totally clear that the paintings really looked like the pictures that people of the time saw around them. So Van Meegeren's early forgeries (which look a LOT like real Vermeers) also resemble movie posters from the 1930s, and his late forgeries (like the famous one he sold to Hermann Goering) resemble Nazi propaganda pictures.

As a side note, I also just want to say how impressed I was with the way that the author clearly did a huge amount of research, but made the book a really engrossing one to read. None of that academic stuff that you find in a lot of books about art. But at the same time, treating the subject in a very serious way. And it's a very serious topic. Van Meegeren held truly despicable fascist beliefs, and his forgeries expressed them.

I found the book totally eye-opening. I definitely recommend it!

Aside from being the most finely researched and best written study on the spectacular forgery case of Vermeer paintings by Han van Meegeren, "The Man Who Made Vermeers" holds a gem. Perhaps its most far-reaching accomplishment is that for the first time Lopez provides the answer to the central question which has either been tactfully avoided or inadequately addressed by those who has taken up the subject: how could have the most renowned museum curators, art dealers and private collectors been taken by fakes which appear almost laughable today?

Lopez reveals, with unusual perspicacity, that Van Meegeren discovered "first and foremost, that a fake doesn't necessarily succeed or fail according to the fidelity with which it replicates the distant past but on the basis of its power to sway the contemporary mind." Armed with this knowledge Van Meegeren ruthlessly exploited the vanity, greed and visual vulnerability of his time cynically turning them into immense profit.

Time will tell if we have learned more from art history studies and scientific progress than Van Meegeren did from the foibles of his time. Until then, we have been adequately warned.

"The Man who Made Vermeers" is a striking book in most every respect even for someone like myself, who loves Vermeer but has been coldly immune to the case at hand.

Nicely told, and the story's completely new to me. Gives very nice historical background details and good observations and comments on paintings. Excellent historical photos illustrating the text. Fun book.

I like to read widely in non-fiction, especially in art history and history, but I'm no expert; so I often consult the reviews of other readers. In that spirit, I want to recommend this book I recently finished.

The Man Who Made Vermeers tells the story of an ingenious art forger working in Holland prior to, during and just after World War II. I bought this book because I enjoy reading historical biographies, particularly of "unknown" people living during times of momentous upheaval.

Van Meegeren's life is fascinating and the author of the book gives his readers keen insight on the artist-forger's motivation, mindset and aesthetic savviness. But, reading this book has left me with not only with an interesting biography to consider but also with a far greater appreciation for the political context of life in 1930's-1940's Europe.

For me, it's Lopez's ideas about how forgeries generate their own appeal to their contemporary audiences and how an individual's political ideology pervades his actions and words, regardless of what might seem to be an apolitical activity - painting forgeries for money. The author's analysis provides a lot of meaty food for thought about politics and societies more generally and I look forward to any other books Lopez might write.

Finally, I want to add that the author's congenial writing style made this book a genuine pleasure to read, so even if you aren't sure you are interested in Dutch art history, you will definitely enjoy the experience of reading this book - and come away wiser for it.

Jonathan Lopez presents an insightful look at the mind of Han van Meegeren, as explores his Nazi sympathies, manipulative tendencies, and general deceitfulness. Lopez seamlessly weaves the story of Nazi rule in the Netherlands, and the tale of World War II, into van Meegeren's biography. While Lopez's work is certainly scholarly, I did not find it to be "above my head" (as an individual without a strong background on Vermeer and Dutch painting in general) nor, frankly, was it "dumbed down" for uneducated readers. In short, I highly recommend this book; it is a page turner from beginning to end!

I love the connections, briefly and elegantly painted, between people in this book. Great story, so well written. Highly recommended. Not the average kind of historical fiction.

I basically agree with all the reviews so far. I read this in my teens and it left a lasting impression on me. I've re-read it since on a fairly regular basis. Brilliant evocation of an early culture far removed from our own but peopled with those whose emotional reactions one can so empathise with - doubt, uncertainty and deepening friendship.

I am delighted it is back in print, although a bit ambivalent about the cover design. When will "The Sword at Sunset" be re-printed - preferably unabridged and with the map that some of the early editions had?

Even though I am adult, I have read a lot of books by this author. I find that with this author, the fact that it was written for young adults just means she is leaving out stuff I would rather not read about anyway (graphic rape scenes, graphic torture scenes, or whatever). The characters are good, plots are generally good, and pacing good. However, this book is not one of my favorite Sutcliff books. The plot is about the main character taking the place of the heir "horse lord" who was blinded by a rival years before. Sort of a "prince and pauper" storyline. Didn't like it and didn't find it believable. The heir's family was dead and he hadn't been seen in years, but it really wasn't believable to me that he could fool anyone who had known the heir before. I would recommend Eagle of the Ninth or Frontier Wolves instead.

The "Mark of the Horse Lord" is a beautifully written story of loyalty, honor and sacrifice. The ancient Scottish setting and characters are masterfully portrayed and the story line grabs the reader on the first page and holds on tight to the very end!
Rosemary Sutcliff writes wonderfully engaging historical novels. While her books give the reader a great feel for the time period and setting, story line is never compromised! Most of her books are written for children and young adults, however, this book is more appropriate for adults and older teens. Younger readers may find the wording a little difficult to follow. Highly recommended!

I really love this book. I picked it up in high school for a book report and got sucked into Rosemary Sutcliff's world. I'm glad to see a new printing is coming out, because you couldn't find this book anywhere, and the copy I have I stole from school, that's how much I love this book. I also highly recommend The Sword and the Circle, a telling of the Arthurian legend.

Hi there,

What an interesting book. Sebatsian Haffner did a great job in this book to explain how Hitler rose to ultimate power and also what enable to fall of him and the Third Reich. Haffner's review of Hitler's "successes" is something you very rarely see. Part of these successes caused the rise, fall and Hitler's betrayal of the German people. I was born and raised in Germany and my grandparent's accounts of the time match Haffner's thesis very well.

still AGREAT BOOK TODAY AS IT WAS IN 1979WHEN PUBLISHED . SHOULD BE REPRINTED.

There have been huge volumes written about Adolf Hitler. These have gone into great depth about the nature of this evil man. Haffner writes a concise brief book about what Hitler was really about. He shows the man in all his details including successes, and crimes. Haffner experienced Hitler during his early life in Germany. He then emigrated to Great Britain and went back to Germany after WWII. Haffner details all the essentials of this man and his history. He shows the true evil of this man, and how Germans were fooled into following him. In the end, Hitler treated the Germans as a enemy too, and sought to destroy the nation.

This is my second book by this author. He was a good political historian of the German people. His treatment of this subject is right on the money. Each sentence is thought provoking and sums up the nature of this man.

As one who has read more than my share on the 3rd Reich and WW II in general, I didn't expect to be too surprised or enlightened by this book. I was wrong; it shows well how Hitler came to the point of being a demigod to many Germans and thus was able to eventually lead them (and Europe) to a destruction beyond their worst nightmares.

The one thing in this book that struck me as an idea that was totally novel to me was the thought that with the near miss to capture Moscow in 1941 Hitler knew that the war could never be won in the manner which he wanted. Basically, Haffner contends Hitler now knew that World Domination could never be attained in his lifetime and he turned to his other goal (mass murder of Jews) as his leading motive in his decision-making process. It is a very interesting theory, especially how it helped lead to his mysterious decision to declare war on America. I wish I could read historians response to his conclusions, but I don't totally buy it (although it is a fascinating view). I think it gives Hitler too much credit.

It may explain some of his strategic inertia but if he truly was resigned to defeat and wanted to kill as many Jews as possible before the end there is no reason for him to commit so many obvious strategic blunders that mounted on top of each other more and more. I think Haffner underestimates the effect of Hitler's drug use, sleeping habits, and his unshaken belief (maybe more than any other German!!!) in the "Hitler Myth".

I hope someone else with more expertise can comment. Also, Hitler's decision to declare war on America had to be madness more than anyhting else.

I know so many people have complimented this book, but I have too also. The insights that Haffner puts forth explain much of the confusion of Hitler's moves during World War II.

The book is powerful in its clear ascersions. It is also highly readable, though there are passages that must be read more than once to probe their depths.

We used this book for our 4th grade girls book club. They really liked it. Melanie is very precocious and aware, and the girls liked her personality and could identify with her thoughts and feelings. They liked reading all the information and history on The Netherlands. The book has humor (the girls loved the poems Melanie wrote) and also covers serious subjects, i.e. breast cancer. Everything is handled very appropriately. The book is well-written and holds your interest, whether you're 9, 10 or an adult. Several girls expressed interest in reading other Melanie Martin books.

Are you ready to go to the Netherlands where bicycal riding, canal site seeing, and tulips are done almost all year long? Do you want to know the real story? Know what's happening with Cicily's family. Join me into a world where the Netherlands are the best place to be!

The sequel to The Diary of Melanie Martin is just as charming and rings with the same truthful voice, as Melanie records the ups and downs of a vacation in Holland with her family and best friend. Melanie is reading the Diary of Anne Frank on this trip, and this historic diary lends a thoughtful note to Melanie's own diary, which includes dealing with the threat of the cancer which has infected her best friend's mom. With the heroine's observations as witty as ever, Melanie Martin Goes Dutch will delight young readers as they experience both van Gogh paintings and topless beaches through Melanie's eyes.

Wishing you could take a trip this summer? The title of this book just makes me smile. Melanie's mother has a grant to study Van Gogh in Amsterdam for the summer and the whole family gets to go along. Melanie's diary of their trip is a fun read. Travel disasters such as lost luggage, an annoying little brother, and a fight with her best friend are not what she imagined her vacation would be like. Melanie is reading Anne Frank: the diary of a young girl. As events unfold on their trip Melanie finds herself empathizing with Anne. Her visit to the Secret Annex is very poignant.

I loved "hearing" the Dutch phrases (complete with pronunciation,)smelling the food and seeing the sights through the eyes of a character who is the same age I was when I lived there. This is a very funny book. The presence of Anne in the background of the story gives the story a sweetness beyond the humor.

When you open this book, you will find yourself peeking into the private diary of Melanie Martin, a ten year old girl living in New York with her mom, dad and Matt the Bratt (aka little brother!). Her mom is an art teacher who teaches her kids to appreciate art, and she loves when they do, even if its only because it includes naked people or blood scenes!
The story starts when summer vacation has just got out, and our girl Mel is getting bored. She and her mom do puzzles. It is one utterly boring day when Melanie's mom gets a phone call telling her that she's got the grant (for her teaching) and they're going to Amster Amster Dam Dam Dam!
They barely get this news before it is discovered that Cecily's mom (Cecily is Melanie's best friend) has got breast cancer.
Mel's mom invites Cecily on the trip and Melanie is overjoyed!
They all leave together for Amsterdam. They all expirience lots of adventures including lost luggage, a topless beach, LOTS of museums and a HUGE argument.
Mel thinks Cecily is getting way too much attention so they silently fight.
Will the fight turn this best-friend bliss into a bummer summer?
Read and find out!
Melanie Martin Goes Dutch is a great book that plenty of kids can empathize with - even grown-ups too!
I hope everyone will enjoy this book as much as I have, including Carol Weston's other fantastic books!
3 cheers, two thumbs up, plus five WHOLE stars as well!