United Kingdom Books

My daughter and I are part of a mother/daughter book club that meets monthly. We decided to buy the book for some of the ideas on the discussion questions since quite a few of the books we are reading are in this book. It has been excellent, it has also given me the opportunity to get good ideas for other books that we would recommend for reading when our month to host comes up again.

Because of the success of the mother-daughter book club, author Shireen Dodson was prompted to write a book titled "The Mother-Daughter Book Club." But here, she compiled a great number of suggested readings for young girls. And, included are questions to provide discussion, analyze characters motives, actions, etc.

The author feels that good discussion questions broaden reading experience. She believes these discussions with your daughter give her an outlet to listen to mother's opinions, morals and values. This way mother isn't preaching and lecturing rather just discussing things. It keeps lines of communication open tremendously! This approach to your children is valuable!

She also provides an average reading time and the pages. She says the books range for girls ages 9 to 13, some for younger and some for older than 13 years old.

Included is a small blurb about the authors, some author's titles listed a few times. Themes are listed for each book, whether it is cultural, race, freedom, choice, sacrifice, friendship, relationships, identity, self esteem, family, responsibility, etc. After each blurb are suggested activities pertaining to specific books.

And, the author, Dodson, suggests other books that girls might like. For each book listed, she recommends books of similar likeness. The other suggested readings are not necessarily included in her 100 list, which is great because these titles are also referenced in the index. That's what makes this segment wonderful, more books are suggested

This is a wonderful reference as motivation to read!....MzRizz

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this great book. My eight year old daughter and I read Caddie Woodlawn together. We then used Shireen Dodson's very thoughtful discussion questions. The result was a highly satisfying coversation between my daughter and me, and a more memorable reading experience than either of us had imagined possible. This book will inspire mothers and daughters to read books and talk about them, and in the process learn more about themselves and each other. 100 Books for Girls to Grow On is an inspired idea, lovingly executed, and sure to be a hit with mothers and daughters everywhere.

We started a mother-daughter book club last year with 7 4th grade families. We used this book for creative ideas for book meetings, as a springboard for discussion, and as a reference for choosing our books. The moms and the daughters enjoy club every month. The girls especially like having the power to pick what their mother (and other mothers) will be reading too! This book was really helpful and continues to be. The book list has a variety of books for ages 3rd grade through high school. A great resource.

We started our mother-daughter book discussion group 1 year ago and have found this recent publication to be extremely helpful. We pass the book amoung the members to aid in the next month's selection. The discussion questions are great and the activities help us get a start.

This was a book I found hard to put down, and is probably one of the best books on the Anglo-Saxons and specifically the Battle of Hastings that I have ever read.
Maclynn's attention to sources, and critical analysis of those sources, is excellent. And I found the chapters covering each of the main protaganists illuminating. Covering the behind the scene machinations shows just how much Harold II had to contend with, how great a king he would have been had he not been killed, and the great disservice that has been done to him historically simply because the Normans were victorious.
You very much get the feeling as to who the victors of this battle should have been, the Anglo-Saxons, and it was so very close too.

We have a tendency to view people of long ago as simple in their lives and politics. This well researched and written book opens the door to an age much more rich in the scope and depth of its political intrigue and subsequent warfare. In setting the stage for the climactic battles of Stamford Bridge and Hastings, Frank McLynn takes us back thru a generation of tangled politics, alliances made and broken, power won and lost. He details the long relationship between the Godwins and Edward the Confessor, King of England but beset on many sides by powerful enemies. McLynn sketches the life of Harald Hardrada, who served lords of Kiev and Byzantium before becoming ruler of Norway. And he shows how William, Duke of Normandy consolidated his power and administration in preparation for the invasion of England. In the process McLynn puts a critical eye on his sources, recognizing that they may have been written to enhance the reputation of the winners rather than with a strict eye to truth. And he isn't afraid to say that some things we'll just have to assume or guess, because the sources are so scant, so obscure or unbelievable. This is not my favorite period of history, but I found this book most readable and reasonable, and the story very absorbing. A very fine job.

Mclynn's book is the clearest and most profound of the many which have centred on the events of 1066. The background into the three 'big men' involved (Harald Hardrada, king of Norway, Harold Godwinson,Earl of Wessex and King of England, and William Duke of Normandy) is extensive, but written with real sense of the demands of narrative. This is not a dry academic treatise. It is a well paced, yet thoroughly researched book. I especially liked how he went deeply into the political machinations of the time. These were not simple people. They were canny, shrewd, calculating, and Mclynn exposes the dealing and double dealing that went along with magnate status in the eleventh century. He tackles several historical traditions and beats the snot out of them, Harold's death by arrow in the eye being one. An immensely readable book,and one of the most well thumbed in my collection

I cannot praise this slim volume too highly as a resource for the study of the 11th century in upper Europe. Dr. McLynn is a superb writer, balancing the need for exhaustive details and character insights with a narrator's gift for storytelling. Focusing on the three major players of the invasion of England in 1066, William of Normandy, Harald Hardrada, and Harold Godwinson, he not so much writes concerning the actual battles of 1066 as about what led to them, leading the reader on an epic journey through political intrigues and lavish landscapes, from Norway to Byzantium. And if he uses the word "contumaciously" far too often, one can forgive him in favour of the grandeur of the tale.

What I especially admire is that McLynn has no fear of discounting or disagreeing with popular impressions. His take on 1066: the housecarls' favoured weapon was not the double-headed axe (although they used it), but the pike, of which they had many varieties; Harold was not killed by an arrow to the eye; the supposed superiority of the Norman military engine versus that of Anglo-Saxon England was nonexistant, as seen in Harold's 1063 war that brutally smashed the feared Welsh. These tidbits and more await the reader of this highly recommended work.

In this impressive volume, Professor McLynn takes the reader through not only the crucial year of 1066, but the decades preceeding this fateful year, slowly building a picture that shows the early medieval period as a vibrant and often chaotic period, rich in political intrigue, economic uncertainty, and devastating military undertakings.

Unlike many books that use 1066 as the centrepiece, McLynn doesn't use a chronological narative, rather he uses the personalities of time to tell his tale and explain his conclusions (many of which run counter to the common understanding of the period).

Particularly insightful for this reviewer was his analysis of Harald Hardrada; as well as the analysis of the Saxon vs. Norman fighting methods and warfighting equipment. Most interesting though was McLynn's dispelling of the myth of the 'arrow through the eye' for Harold Godwinson, arguing instead that Harold was literally assissinated by a group of knights hand-picked by William toward the conclusion of the Battle of Hastings.

The final element that McLynn uses to support his arguments is that of logistics. His method is reminescent of how Hans Delbrück makes sense of the fantastical claims associated with the size of ancient armies. McLynn clearly shows that Napoleon's dictum that an 'army marches on its stomach' couldn't be more true.

This book is a great read for any person even remotely interested in these pivotal events that defined the future of England and also for the serious student of the early medieval period.

Enjoy.

This is the definitive source on the British peerage up to 1938. (Vol. XIV, printed recently and sold separately, updates the saga to the late 1990's.) This 4 to 1 microprint version of the original pages still leaves reasonably legible print; having a reader's magnifier might also be useful for some. The vols are well produced and come in an embossed slipcase, and though sturdy my slipcase was significantly damaged in transit (two front-to-back edges totally broken so that the case would not hold together) with subsequent pleas for amends falling on deaf ears.

This is a reprint, printed in 2000, reducing 4-1 the pages of the orignal 13 volumes into 6 volumes. The orignal was published between 1910 and 1938, so this set does not include information more recent then 1938. Be sure to track down Vol. XIV, published in 1998, to complete the information. Otherwise this is excellent information.

Begun by George E. Cokayne, the Clarenceaux King-of-Arms, this set is to the British peerage what the Oxford English Dictionary is to the English language -- absolutely the best thing of its kind. Citations to primary sources frequently fill 3/4 of the page and anecdotal text-notes put some meat on the bones. Far superior to the 19th century Burke's Peerage publications. Don't attempt serious British research without it! The numerous appendices at the ends of the volumes also are highly recommended as instructive essays.

This is by far the most complete and enjoyable peerage resource, in that it gives the full history of EVERY peerage created up to the 20th century. You cannot get more complete than this. The new edition means that people can actually buy it without going bankrupt and it will be an invaluable resource for genealogists and for people who like to look up old books just for fun as well. Christopher Catherwood, author of CHURCHILL'S FOLLY: HOW WINSTON CHURCHILL CREATED MODERN IRAQ (Carroll and Graf, 2004)

For those who are interested in the history of Britain, the Complete Peerage is a necessary reference. Unfortunately, CP does not come up to the present day. Addenda & Corrigenda brings the peer-by-peer history up to the present day, filling in the gaps and allowing a continuity of study of particular families and titles. A bit pricy, it is however a necessary completion for anyone who uses the Complete Peerage.

Anita Roddick is truly an amazing woman. This book is like a mini-biography about Anita Roddick and the creation of the Body Shop. This is a great book for people who believe in social responsibility and have concern for the well being of people and the earth. It is rare that one will ever read about a busineess woman that will use her business not just for power and profit but as a vehicle to social awareness. I bought this book for a management class and it is a great reference book for non-traditional management. Roddick truly draws humanity and spirit back into the white collar world.

Interesting to note how few reviews there are of this book. The Body Shop does not kiss the ring of greed and avarice, but shows how holding true liberal priciples of social justice, economic growth through trade, local effort, AND profit go together. Given the lack of female role models in the business world, I would have Body and Soul as a part of any business curriculum. In fact, I am going to do that in my own company's internal training work.

This is very unconventional business book. This is a story about Anita Roddick and her leadership role at cosmetic company called The Body Shop. Anita Roddick exposes the common myths about management. She illustrates perfectly that to be successful we need the only tool - a vision. When her first The Body Shop opened in 1976 in Littlehampton, England, this hippie woman borrowed money for a beginning of her business. She wants her stores to be clean, exciting, and the people who work there to be passionate about their work. And now she do not like to hire anybody from Harvard Business School, but her The Body Shop today is comparable with Revlon or Este Lauder, her unachievable rivals.

I loved it.

Anita Roddick exposes the myths about mangement. She illustrates pefectly that to be successful we need a vision. Her vision was simple. Employ people who care, employ people who are proud, employ people who will question, employ people who will rattle the cage from within. She perfectly illustrates, in her story about borrowing money, how fickle the typical bank manager was in the 1970's - how we would like to think things have changed.

She is also a realist - she pulls no punches she says.... "Im in this for me!" - yes sure she has an ego to satisfy .... dont we all? - her great quality is that she admits it. Most people do not have the honesty to say it.

I just love how she roots her beleifs about business success in common sense ...... like welcoming new ideas and original thought, trusting your staff and listening to your customers - and then change things.

She also has values that are explicit and wants people who work with her to! also work from a values base

Thank you Anita for a wonderful read - here's to the next edition!!

This is the noteworthy story about Anita Roddick and her founding, and leadership role at The Body Shop. More than any single point, she stresses the importance of PASSION (in what you do) with religious zeal.

You'll enjoy reading about the life of this fascinating entrepreneur, and the loyal and dedicated people that helped elevate The Body Shop into the international success that it is today.

This is not a conventional business book. Just thumbing through, you'll notice page-after-page of illustrations, photographs and an inspiring and unique way of looking at the world--both in a business sense and a humanitarian sense. I was so inspired after reading this story, that I felt compelled to visit The Body Shop nearest my home.

Anita Roddick isn't afraid to tell you how she feels. I wish I could've been there when she delivered her speech to an audience of advertising executives and their clients on, "Why I would never use an advertising agency."

Funniest Line in the Book: "I'll never hire anybody from Harvard Business School." You've got to read the book to appreciate it.

She wants her stores to be clean, exciting, and the people who work there to be passionate about their work. This book should be recommended reading for WAL-MART executives, and there employees.

Actually, it's a good book for anyone interested in business, the environment or serving as a didactic for what women can achieve in this world. I plan on encouraging my daughter to read it when she grows up. Good work Anita!

I love this book.
Admittedly I am a sucker for beautiful presentation, but this book is beautiful far beyond its visual appeal. Each recipe is the pinnacle of its kind. The pancake recipe, for example, outshines any I've ever tried. The salads are spectacular and have been the talk of many a collaborative dinner party. I haven't yet come across a dish I even slightly dislike. The recipes are accurate, as well. The quantities and cooking temperatures/times yield the perfect product. I can only assume that this accuracy comes from years of meticulous testing and tasting. The effort is well appreciated and results in recipes that are not only perfect every time, but are destined to become the classics you reach for time and again. The recipes, photgraphs, the quality of the binding and printing, the book in its entirety is simply wonderful.

This is a delightful book that operates on a number of levels. First the exquisite photographs capture the beauty of the mundane doings of the Rose Bakery. From the simplicity of a zested lemon to the ruddy faces of the apple suppliers to the delivery truck to the ooh so chic clientèle, the pictures transport the reader to this Paris cafe.

Then there is the author's story, a tale of a woman who loves food and people. With no formal training and a belief in natural, fresh and unpretentious dishes, Rose Carranini built the wildly successful business. Her sense of purpose and commitment to quality and sustainability is impressive and her affection for her patrons is palpable.

Finally, the recipes themselves are superb. Basically, there are two types of people: those who follow recipes to a tee and those who view recipes as a guide or starting point for their own creativity. The author advocates the flexible approach. She encourages the cooks to use their favorite ingredients and substitutions, cautioning that it is the method as opposed to the ingredients that is crucial to the ultimate success of the recipe. She correctly points out that cookie cutter results are impossible when using natural ingredients...the juiciness of a piece of fruit, the humidity,the weather, the rainfall or lack thereof, the temperature of the room all impact the final result. The amateur cook should not be deterred. While some of the recipes are a bit labor intensive, they all are fairly easy. Additionally there are plenty for vegans and vegetarians.

The author embodies the joy of cooking. Food should be fun not fake. Her secrets are all revealed...always buy fresh, seasonal and local; use organic and sustainable when possible and remember the most important ingredient is love.

What a charming and wonderful book this is! From the lemon, rice and polenta cake to the Pistachio cake using a bit of wheat flour and ground almonds and pistachios, to the Eccles Cakes (cookies that use pie dough as cases) filled with raisins, spices, lemon zest and brown sugar to the lamb shank with cumin, eggplant and chickpeas, it's all wonderful. I've tried several other recipes, and, although I've only had this book for a few months, it's covered with smudges and bent pages.

I love this book!

I have noly cooked a few recipes from this book, but there is a carrot salad in here that is one of the best things I have EVER eaten. I don't like carrot salad; I would never order it in a restaurant. But this is am amazing recipe.

I've made it 10 times in the last year--every party we serve it at people love it and ask for the recipe.

I'm sure there will be other recipes just as good--if I can only get past the carrot salad...

I noticed the book Breakfast, Lunch, Tea by Rose Carrarini being mentioned in the Lifestyle magazine that came with Sunday The New York Times newspaper. The idea of little meals caught my eye. Over the years I have handpicked cookbooks into my small collection, but I'm constantly on the market for something that I might like or might not have imagined. The latter appeared in the form of this book. I ordered the book, opened it on a random page and - it took my breath away, literally, with its structure, beauty (needless to say - Phaidon press)and a promise of finer things, food included. I opened it on a back flap, which quoted Rose Carrarini saying "Life can be improved by great food." Oh yes - they are my kind of people! The Carrarinis prefer and prepare their food simple and natural, preferably, but not necessarily organic. They put vegetables above meat or fish with ambition to blur the line between home and restaurant cooking; they have put together menus, and based on them, a cookbook that is too filled even to be read in many sittings. Rather, it is to be enjoyed by tiny morsels that make your lunch, snack or day. A thousand thanks for this masterpiece!

The USS Macedonean (originally HMS) is largely forgotten today, but her legacy is intertwined with the early days and wellfare of the young American republic. She was the first English warship to be captured by the American Navy, and was instrumental to putting an end to the Barbary pirates, and even had a hand in the reopening of Japan to the world.

It is only fitting therefore that a book would be written about her. De Kay's book, "Chronicles of the Frigate Macedonian" is an extremely entertaining read, one that well worth the time. There aren't many single ship biographies out there about the American sailing navy, which makes this book a solid gem.

Chronicling the Macedonean from her construction in a shipwayd in england, to her (What was left of her) final destruction at the hands of a fire in 1922, De Kay weaves a entertaining account of the ship, her glories and her more tarnished incidents. The true cast of character is diverse, ranging from the honorable John carden, who lost the Macedonian to the USS United States and never commanded a ship again, to Commodore James Biddle, who's own tenure as captain was filled with sickness and death on the ship, to "Commodore George DeKay" who successfully used the Macedonian to bring much needed relief to an Ireland suffering from famine.

The Macedonian's history was filled with political intruige, madmen, jealousy, courage, an death. De Kay chronicles it all in vivid color. If you enjoy C.S Forester, Patrick O'Brian, or Naval History, I'd strongly suggest this book.

You don't often find a biography of a ship. Especially a ship which has a history as rich and varied as this one. The lives, careers,countries this ship saw. Wonderful history. It ties time together and does what few teachers can, makes history live. With a broadside!

The USS Macedonean (originally HMS) is largely forgotten today, but her legacy is intertwined with the early days and wellfare of the young American republic. She was the first English warship to be captured by the American Navy, and was instrumental to putting an end to the Barbary pirates, and even had a hand in the reopening of Japan to the world.

It is only fitting therefore that a book would be written about her. De Kay's book, "Chronicles of the Frigate Macedonian" is an extremely entertaining read, one that well worth the time. There aren't many single ship biographies out there about the American sailing navy, which makes this book a solid gem.

Chronicling the Macedonean from her construction in a shipwayd in england, to her (What was left of her) final destruction at the hands of a fire in 1922, De Kay weaves a entertaining account of the ship, her glories and her more tarnished incidents. The true cast of character is diverse, ranging from the honorable John carden, who lost the Macedonian to the USS United States and never commanded a ship again, to Commodore James Biddle, who's own tenure as captain was filled with sickness and death on the ship, to "Commodore George DeKay" who successfully used the Macedonian to bring much needed relief to an Ireland suffering from famine.

The Macedonian's history was filled with political intruige, madmen, jealousy, courage, and death. De Kay chronicles it all in vivid color. If you enjoy C.S Forester, Patrick O'Brian, or Naval History, I'd strongly suggest this book.

Fascinating account of how the capture of one ship from the British during the War of 1812 boosted national morale and elevated the United States in the international arena. De Kay skillfully illustrates how the US's leaders shrewdly manipulated the Macedonian's psychological power by sending her on highly visible missions. As a result, the Macedonian was there for over 100 years' worth of some of the US's most fascinating history, and captained by some of the most colorful officers in the United States Navy. De Kay masterfully ties the Macedonian's history with our history. Excellent!

During the War of 1812 many early land battles ended terribly for the United States. Our soldiers were volunteers who lacked the training to sustain the fierce attacks of the seasoned British troops who had just defeated Napoleon.

America needed a boost of confidence to thwart those in the land who would capitulate to the British rather than fight what they saw as a loosing battle.

In a short span of several weeks, two sea battles took place against the British. These intense conflicts with cannons blazing and men fighting as they never fought before, resulted in victories for the U.S. Navy.

This turn of events brought the British government great shame in their own country and gave the Americans much to celebrate.

In the first battle, the British ship sank, but in the second the Macedonian was captured by Stephen Decatur and his brave and dedicated crew.

When this ship was brought to America's shores the people were greatly motivated to try and fight everywhere to save their country. the War of 1812 is often called the second American Revolution and could have marked the end of this new form of government.

The defeat and capture of the Macedonian was so grand and uplifting to the U.S. Navy and the American people that it remained in service and was kept as a reminder of our strength for about 100 years.

The story that unfolds about this ship brings so much rich history about the United States and its people that it is well worth getting excited over.

It's interesting to use the word "read"; this cassette presentation of the immortal Winston Churchill allows the 'listener' to picture in her/his mind the late, former PM of England and to capture those great and perilous moments of early 20th Century history. Well done!

I enjoyed the speeches compiled for this two tape series. They were quite informative, and reflected the mood of the man and the country before, during, and after WW II. I was disappointed the publisher didn't make an effort to clean up the radio static recorded. With digital editing these days, the static could have, and should have been removed.

Just after the tragic death of Princess Diana in August 1997, Mr. Churchill, a distant relative of the late Princess, began showing up in my dreams. Though I had never been much interested in history before, the dreams compelled me to consume every fact and facet of Winston Churchill's life, and his life has deeply inspired me.

Months ago, I wished aloud that I had an audio tape of Mr. Churchill's speeches -- and then I discovered these tapes from Amazon quite magically. Coincidence? Perhaps. Or maybe the enigmatic Mr. Churchill still has influence in our world.

The cassettes aretapes of Mr. Churchill's most famous speeches before, during and after World War II when he was the most important man in the world -- the prophet of truth and the architect of peace. The tapes also include some of the more famous speeches of Adolph Hitler, portrayed by actor Tonio Selwart. Other speakers include George VI, Eleanor Roosevelt, Goerge S. Patton and Harry Truman. Two of the world's most talented actors -- Sir Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud lend their talents in reading excepts of Mr. Churchill's memoirs.

The tapes containstunnning oratories by Winston Churchill who reaches through the veil even now to inspire and support us through whatever battle of mind, body or spirit that engages us at any given moment. Mr. Churchill was a Visionary. He always saw the possibilities. He always had hope. His advice to us is, "Never despair!" And somehow, his words, his voice, his optimistic spirit will help see us through our own darkest hour and inspire us to be victorious over the forces of darkness, without or within.

SUPERB WORK AND FIRST HAND ACCOUNT AND NARRATIVE OF THE DESTROYER OF NAZI TYRANNY IN THE WORLD. ALSO THE NARRATIVE IS THE ONLY LEGITIMATE EVIDENCE OF HOW GRAVE THE SITUATION WAS NEVERTHELESS THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER HAD WORDS OF HOPE AND SALVATION THRU HIS OWN MADE DETERMINATION TO SAVE THE NATIONS OVERUN BY NAZI TYRANNY BUT MOST UNIQUE HIS BLIND FAITH AND CONVICTION THAT ALMIGTHY GOD WILL DELIVER THE WICKED MAN UNTO HIS HANDS FOR THE MAINTAINANCE OF CHRISTIAN FOUNDATIONS ON THE WORLD.

As one not old enough to have heard Winston Churchill's speeches at the time he originally gave them, I found this tape simply marvellous.

All one tends to hear nowadays of Churchill's speeches are short excerpts/the highlights. Instead of that, to hear his speeches in full and going back to before the war, is simply a revelation. Has there ever been a greater political speaker? I doubt it.

A must for anyone interested in modern political history and with the added bonus of some brief excerpts from speeches by other notable figures of Churchill's time-eg Harry Truman, FDR, Eleanor Roosevelt.

This is a well-written text dealing with the movement of peripheral outsiders into primacy in the London metropolis. Hancock spends a great deal of time supporting his thesis, though occasionally he does get bogged down in lists and facts. This is not merely an economic history of late eighteenth century trans-Atlantic trade, but an in-depth examination of how a select group of outsiders made their way into the depths and heights of London's metropolis society. Hancock's narrative style makes this an interesting and engaging read. I would recommend this text to anyone interested in how outsiders gained prominence in the London middle class and how those same outsiders became landed `gentlemen' in the late eighteenth century.

"Citizens" is a vivid, readable portrait of a group of men who, by virtue of their merchant enterprises, helped to shape the destiny of the American colonies in the 18th century. The author, while not stinting on historic detail, manages to squeeze in enough lively anecdotes about the men, their times, and their lives, to make "the Associates" human -- and utterly fascinating.

David Hancock has written a striking account of the careers of twenty-three very successful London merchants who invested together in several particularly challenging and rewarding branches of British overseas trade in the eighteenth century. His masterful study is based on intense and imaginative research in Britain, the continent, the United States and the West Indies. From his rich findings, he has developed a thoughtful and probing treatment of topics such as the wholesale slave trade, the Scots element in the City of London and the large government contractors in the Seven Years War. His achievement is most impressive.
Jacob M. Price, University of Michigan (from the dust jacket)

"Citizens of the World" is perhaps the finest study ever written on a mercantile group. Hancock moves gracefully from the counting house to the country house, from slaving to art collecting, in reconstructing the lives of the Associates. Beautifully written and extraordinarily well researched, "Citizens of the World" represents an outstanding scholarly achievement.

Peter Coclanis, Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (from the dust jacket)

This fascinating book has something in it for almost everyone interested in eighteenth-century history. Business historians will find keen analysis of the techniques that a remarkable group of entrepreneurs used to propel themselves from the periphery to the center of Britain's imperial economy. Cultural historians will acquire new insights into what it meant to be British at the moment that identity was being forged. Students of British and American history in general will discover how intricately social ambition, commerce, war, and slavery interacted in the construction of the first empire. And anyone at all who admires intricate argument, imaginative research, and stylish prose will find "Citizens of the World" a delight.
Fred Anderson, University of Colorado at Boulder (from the dust jacket)

The general reader and the scholar should enjoy this book. Holmes does set Coleridge talking.

Don't miss Owen Barfield's WHAT COLERIDGE THOUGHT if you want to explore the matephysician.

This is the Coleridge I thought I knew through his poetry. Holmes brings him to life in this first volume of Coleridge's early years. The book makes you wish you had known Coleridge personally and shared in his life. His life is complex and challenging and so it must have been for Holmes to research and write Coleridge's life. In fact, Holmes seems to have a special knowledge into the life of one of the greatest poets of the English language. This book gave me insights into Coleridge's works I had not had before. If you want to learn more about Samuel Taylor Coleridge, his life and his works, this is the book to read.

If you think Coleridge was finished by 1804, think again. True, all his great poems had been written but an astonishing life of triumph and tragi-comedy lay ahead. "Coleridge, Darker Reflections" is the long-awaited second half of this award-winning biography of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It covers the period 1804-1834 - a time when, according to popular belief, Coleridge's fertile imagination had dried up and he faced a slippery slide to an opium-induced decline. But not according to the author Richard Holmes, described as "Our best post-war biographer". He is a superb story teller and unlike so many biographers before him, deeply in touch with his subject. His first volume, "Coleridge Early Visions" introduced the poet to a new generation of admirers (including myself who was fired into writing a play for children about the poet's early magical years). This wonderful book will surely establish STC as a troubled but gigantic genius of the 19th century. Holme's own genius is to show us Coleridge the man. "Always on the knife edge between tragedy and comedy" said Holmes at the London book launch this week (21st October 1998) Holmes has worked assiduously through STC's vast notebooks. Like his namesake, Sherlock, the author clearly enjoys the detection element of biography. His is a personal search for the man, his millieu and his place. Holmes retraces STC's footsteps around England - echoing the desperate perambulations of the wandering poet. Holmes tells this astonishing story at a cracking pace - he has the thriller-writer's gift for making you turn the page. We follow STC through his Malta years - a wonderful evocation of Coleridge's chaotic life. The years of tragic opium decline in London are brought to life (I challenge you not to cry) - and yet there are so many triumphs - the marvellous late poems that Holmes has championed in an earlier collection, the seminal lectures on Shakespeare, Coleridge the thinker and radical, Coleridge the father (not a very good one), the years of relative happiness in Highgate where we find Coleridge the guru. Above all is Coleridge the man. Holmes as only the greatest biographers can, brings his subject completely to life and shows us why Coleridge was such a tour de force in the Romantic movement and why Byron called Wordsworth "a fixed star" but Coleridge "a meteor". There is so much to love in this book - it is hard to know what to recommend. If you have never read a biography before, make this your first. If you think you are familiar with the life of STC, this book, so full of new discoveries and insights, will make you reassess the poet. Holmes is clearly enamoured of his subject. It is a book that will make you laugh out loud in places. You will see exactly why Charles Lamb said of his great friend "He is an archangel, damaged."

This treatment of Coleridge's early life is excellent in scope & detail; in fact, it won a prize. But its strength-- objectivity-- is its weakness. Holmes expresses no imaginitive sympathy for his subject. He writes about Romanticism with the detatchment of an entymologist examining a butterfly. And while he treats Coleridge's pathology in an overtly psychological manner, he fails to identify the pathologies he describes -- like a doctor who collects symptoms without making a diagnosis.

The result is an outstanding example of conventional literary biography, but one that is insensitive to growth, imagination, and mind in the act of making the mind -- or why Coleridge was passionate about them. Those interested in these must seek elsewhere, but this volume remains a good place to learn the facts of Coleridge's life, despite its dry prose.

Somehow Holmes produces scholarly biographies that make compulsive reading. He never fictionalizes or puts thoughts in his subjects' heads that he has no authority for - and yet he keeps us turning those pages. Is it the subjects he choses? Shelley and Coleridge both had strongly "plotted" lives. Coleridge married the sister of Southey's wife and fell in love with the sister of Wordsworth's wife. I liked his comment on Coleridge's father's predecessor in the the benefice of St Mary's Ottery.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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