P Books

My Mother passed away and we thought all the paperwork was in order and it was not. I got this book from Amazon and it has outlined every detail and possible stituation. I went and got all the forms and and in the middle of probate right now. Very, very well written for a simple probate case and non complicated estates.
If there are people who will contest the will or complicated properties, business deals; most likely, you will need a lawyer and probating yourself will not work. But if it is very clear and simple, you can probabe yourself. Great book, worh every penny spent on it.

This book really helped my wife go through the probate process for her mother's estate. Highly recommended book!

This is a great book for going through the probate process. It takes
you through the entire process and explains all the jargon. The only
problem I had with it is that if your probate includes anything which
is a little out-of-the-ordinary, e.g., heirs/beneficiaries who may contest the will, it does not help. However, one book cannot cover 100% of
the possible cases. This book probably covers 95% of the probate cases
and is helpful even if you are one of the "odd-cases" and you are not familiar with the probate process.

If you can only purchase one book on probate in California, this book should be your first stop. I am in the process of probating my mother's estate and I will save at least $20,000 by using this book. There a dozens of forms, tips and tons of information on the subject. If you are motivated and organzed, this is the guide to help you avoid the high cost of attorneys in probate. I cannot urge you STRONGLY enough to use this book as your guide to probate in California.

After my mother passed away and I was named executor, I discovered something: California's probate system is a massive, elaborate joke designed to make lawyers rich. It's incomprehensible how convoluted the process is, and how absolutely ZERO help is available. (The court clerks I turned to answered every question with this: "I can't tell you! I'm not a judge!" And, of course, it's not like you can contact a judge.) Imagine trying to file the tax returns for Microsoft without any training or instructions: that's just a hint of what you're in for here.

Armed with this book, though, I got through the process. And -- against all odds, and despite the ridiculous restrictions and obfuscations this laughable legal system imposes on people WHOSE PARENTS JUST DIED -- I got all the way through probate, saving something like $10,000 in legal fees.

So, if your estate doesn't have much money -- or the legal system just bugs the heck out of you, and you refuse to fling hard-earned money at those charlatans -- get this book and thank your lucky stars it exists.

Suffering is the proper word. Anthropology should be totally, completely fascinating -- it's the study of human cultures, for heaven's sake -- but it's often a dry-as-dust class for college students.

This book is not dry. In fact, it's probably the only anthropology book that can bring the reader to tears of laughter.

Which is not to say that the book is a comedy. It's not. The book is a sympathetic and interesting take on the writer's study of the Dowayo people. But the Dowayo people -- like any other ethnic group or people -- have quirks that the people themselves cannot see. Nigel Barley lives among the Dowayo and documents their lives, tells how he does anthropology, and manages to do so in a way that makes the book one I sometimes pick up, open at random, and enjoy.

Stumbling upon this book was total luck! The only motive I had to get this book was a desire to learn more about Anthro as informal as possible- yet have it be completely nonfiction.

I just want people to know that this is my first actual review. That being said, everyone who reads this review should understand that I liked this book SO much that I not only sent it from my house in Japan to a friend in the states, but I also came back here to write a short blurb on it.

I promise any future reviews won't be such a waste of everyone's time! Take a chance and get this book!

I borrowed this book in the early 90s from a British friend (thanks Mark!) and it fast became one of my favorites (a close second to Brave New World). Witty, touching, and hilarious - I would love to have Nigel Barley over for a dinner party! I just wish he had written more books like this one!

Nigel Barley is a social anthropologist and this is his account of his first fieldwork, a year living and studying the Dowayo people of Cameroon. Social and cultural anthropologists (also known as ethnographers) travel to exotic locales (sometimes in our own backyard) and live among a group of people for a year or more in order to come to know their way of life intimately and write about it. Most every Ph.D. student in the field will face this "rite de passage" in order to become "a real anthropologist," and is generally given precious little guidance in the matter, which seems cloaked in mystery and is therefore commonly a source of considerable anxiety. In recent years, the situation has been partially remedied with the publication of some texts on methods and techniques, as well as the development of courses on field research methods, but there is still little written on the human dimension - namely, what is life like "in the field"? This book joins a small club, which includes Malinowski's diary and Return to Laughter. What sets Barley's book apart is his wit. He faces some serious problems but - in retrospect at least - laughs at them. It is a very entertaining read. You will learn a lot about what to expect in the field. It will also be useful for anyone who will be living in Africa and possibly other developing regions, such as Peace Corps volunteers and missionaries. I was, however, uncomfortable throughout the book because the author seems to be very distant and detached from the people he lived with and studied. It is hard to find anything very positive about the Dowayo, and the book therefore serves to reinforce negative stereotypes about Africa and bolster Western superiority. I prefer the eloquence and wisdom of Return to Laughter.

This is a budding anthropologist's account of his experience with an obscure and previously unstudied people in the Cameroons. If you thought you might want to be an anthropologist, this will either inspire you or turn you to some more comfortable calling. The innocent Englishman describes in hilarious detail his dealings with bureaucrats, missionaries, village chiefs, and rainmakers, while trying to maintain anthropological distance. You learn a little bit of anthropology from the book; you learn much more about the anthropologist. He may have embellished his story in places, but he probably didn't need to. It would make a great film, but don't wait for that. It's one of the funniest books you'll ever read.

Basically it is a mix between the original 2 scripts for the movie, making it pretty much twice as awesome!

Those random small things that left you hanging in the movie such as where does the Left Knocker lead?

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Ah, another George Lucas movie. Well now its a awesome book. I personally love it as much as Star Wars. Its a strange tale, of a strange girl, who gets trapped in a strange land....wow, does that sound familiar. This is my favourite book! I love it more than Interveiw with the Vampire! and thats alot of love!

If you liked the movie, then you'll love this book. I bought a mint condition copy for about seventy dollars last year, and I couldn't be happier with it.

Like the movie, the book tells of a young girl draw into a fantasy world by her own overactive imagination in order to save her little brother, who has been stolen by the goblin king, who says he is only seeking favor in her eyes, and seems to have fallen in love with her.

The book follows the storyline of the movie exactly, but offers more insight into the characters thoughts and actions. I can remember in particular that the ballroom scene was quite staggeringly more descriptive. A wonderful book, worth the price; espescially if you can find one in good condition.

this book is worth every penny... its a story about a day dreaming girl who wishes her little brother to a land of goblins castles and of course the labyrinth. if you dont want to spent 50 dollars on this book you CAN GET IT FOR FREE.. just google it and youll find the transcript of the book that you can print out and read.. its not like having the book... but its way cheaper..

gosh, i was six when i first saw the movie! now that i'm eighteen makes no difference how i love this enchanting story.

smith brings the story up to another level, as he dwelves deeper into sarah's feelings... and also jareth's. the chemistry between the two is undeniable. i would like to think that in another situation both of them would be together, albeit the fact that she's mortal and he a goblin prince.

smith's writing is of course, very detailed and deep, and he tries to explain all the different meanings and reads between the lines of the movie. he has us vying for the king, and rooting for the good guys, too. he makes us want jareth to have a happy ending, and perhaps one with sarah. he makes us want to see the movie.

well, maybe the movie IS old, and the special effects kind of horrid by today's standards, but truth be, enchantments are timeless.

I first read this book many years ago and bring it out every so often to refresh Two Trees' persona in my mind. This book is full of the author's love for his subject and he passes this on to the reader with great art. The story is in some ways so terribly sad that it is almost unbearable, but Two Trees and his love for nature and his dog can really only ultimately express joy and wonder. I just love this book and hope everyone who reads it follows Two Trees' wish to pass this extraordinary story along.

Some people talk about spirit like it is taught in "Indian 101", but you can experience something very soulful and ancient in the words and earth here.

Joe Two Trees is the last of his tribe. New York in the early twentieth century is not for him. Or is it? As a native New Yorker with a passion for the past, I loved this beautiful story. Whenever I return home, I can no longer visit the Bronx (especially Pelham Bay) without thinking of Joe and his relationship with Theodore Kazimoroff's father. The writing is lovely, and the story evokes all sorts of feelings at so many levels. It was my Aunt, a former teacher, who told me that I should read this book. It has become one of those novels that I recommend to others regularly.

The Last Algonquin is a sad but heartwarming story about a man and his attempts to come to grips with his place in the world. The fact that this man, Joe Two Trees, is the last of his tribe of the Algonquin's makes his journey that much harder and more interesting. If you are looking for an official history of the American Indians, this isn't the book for you. However, if you are looking for a deep and touching story of one American Indian, and what we as a nation have lost by ignoring the heritage of American Indians, then you will enjoy this book. Mr. Kazimiroff has done an excellent job of preserving the story given to him by his father and keeping the memory of Joe Two Trees and the Algonquin Indians alive.

This is a must read, especially for those of us raised in the Pelham Bay section of Bronx. The tale of The Last Algonquin is inspiring and heartwarming. And, I hope that Mr. Kazimiroff realizes that he has given The Bronx, the Algonquin Indians and his father the immortality they truly deserve.
Remember as long as someone tells( hears or reads) this tale, the story of Joe Two Trees will continue to live on among the rocks and trees of Pelham Bay Park.

As a first grade teacher I used this book as an intervention tool with my ELL students last year. It helped with voacbulary as well as phonics. The activities are hands on and we were able to create several games using the lessons as well. I recommend this book to anyone in the primary grades. It is great as an intervention tool, large group activity or as a center.

This book is great! There are many word activities to choose from, which I find very helpful and a time saver!

This concept keeps kids interested. They want to figure out the little words and the big words created by the letters, so it's an excellent one for phonics. If you already use Open Court, it would be a good supplement. There is some prep time involved in writing and cutting the letters, unless you're smarter than me and use die-cut letters from a bulletin board!!

This book is wonderful for primary grades as well as ESL classes. It's interactive and the kids love it. We use it every morning when we enter the "Wonderful World of Words." There is also a Making Big Words for intermediate grades! I definitely recommend it!

This is the best spelling book I have seen. I am a homeschooling mom of 2 boys (9 & 8) and this is the easiest method and they enjoy it too!

Having been interested in independent Catholicism for many years, I rejoice that a contemporary scholar (and an IC bishop) has made the movement a subject of his academic study. This is an approachable book on a fascinating subject, one that has resided too long in the shadows.

Pastors: This is a good book for your personal library. It shows the many kinds of catholics that are today working in our society. It will help you to identify the people that is coming to your church and how to address what they believe. Let me tell you, you will be horrified by some of them and their new age doctrines. Beware: the author believe that lesbians and homosexuals can be normal christians. This is contrary to the biblical truth, but the book is only a resource, REMEMBER IT!

Excellent groundbreaking work by a scholar of the history of Christianity. As an academic working in the same field and also writing my dissertation on independental sacramentalism, I deeply appreciate Dr. Plummer's extensive research and fresh insights on this subject, which has long been ignored by the academy. The book is well crafted and fascinating. Highly recommended for those interested in exploring the subculture of independent sacramental churches and communities.

if you enjoyed this book, you should also read Dr. Plummer's "Living Mysteries: a handbook for the independent priest" available [...]

Dr. Plummer, a bishop in the Independent Catholic Christian Church, has done something quite laudable in his new (2005) survey of the independent sacramental movement—he has brought together elements of the amorphous, constantly changing periphery of sacramental Christianity into a coherent if somewhat schematic whole. Covering history, liturgy, theology, and leadership in significant detail, Plummer brings a number of other sources up to date while providing an insider's view of the movement.

Among the book's strong points are its scrupulous fairness to communities whose views, it is clear from the appendix, the author does not share, as well as its clear organization and extremely readable style. At 134 pages (plus bibliography and endnotes), it is somewhat short, but you feel like you have read 50 pages and gotten 300 pages worth of information. That it was published so recently makes it even more valuable for a movement that has received infrequent and shallow attention until now.

From my own perspective as an independent catholic seminarian, the greatest service The Many Paths does is to provide a rich bibliography of sources for further study, especially articles and books available on the web. There are some 360 endnotes compiled mostly in 2004, filled with citations and further information about the clergy and jurisdictions involved in the contemporary independent movement. Dr. Plummer's account is indispensible for all those interested in this growing segment of the American church.

I needed this book right away for a Summer school class, and I received the book less than a week after ordering it!

In my view, this book (which looks like a collection of articles gathered up under several rubrics) shares typical achievements and flaws of all popular-math literature; namely, it's enjoyable and enlightening as far as historical and philosophical aspects of the material presented, yet when they authors actually get to mathematics, it becomes fragmeted, jerky, and confused. Symptomatic of this is the chapter on nonstandard calculus: the historical narrative is very interesting, yet the math proper is confused and incomprehensible. Perhaps that is because it's impossible to express it fully and right in a popularizing context; perhaps it is so because I'm too obtuse to have understood it (but then the most of the target audience is probably no better); or maybe it's because the authors didn't do a terribly good job of it. The next chapter (Fourier analysis) suffers from the same.

Overall, I say, it's a good, although overrated, book. Read it, get what you can out of it and don't fret about the rest: the book is really a collection of articles, apparently written for different purposes, at different times, and for different publications; the quality of writing varies from section to section, although the overall structure and topicality are unquestionably very good. The book has an extensive and diverse bibliography along with a rather mediocre (close to names-only) index. Well, no book is perfect, including this one: overall it's solid four stars -- recommended.

The authors deal with various important aspects of mathematics and about practising mathematics. They also deal with the philosophy of mathematics. By and large, they do it engagingly. Specifically, they tackle why mathematics seems to 'work'; how a mathematician actually goes about doing mathematics; they offer some light treatment of a few mathematical topics, and they illustrate mathematical thinking as well.

This book is best read by students thinking about choosing mathematics as a career, or even just as a field of study. Although, any layperson will come off with a greater appreciation of what mathematics is, and what mathematicians do.

Back in the early 90's when I was an almost-penniless mathematics student I was standing in front of a bookshelf in my local bookstore and had to choose between this and Gödel, Escher, Bach. I chose this book and I still don't regret it. [I have also subsequently bought GEB :-)]
Driven by their obvious love of the subject, the authors do a credible job of tackling just what it is about mathematics that makes mathematicians love it so much, often to the bafflement of the rest of the world. A particular personal favourite is the series of four conversations between an "ideal mathematician" and, respectively, a University Public Information Officer, a philosophy student, a positive philosopher and a sceptical classicist.
I would recommend this book to students of mathematics at any level beyond the elementary, especially those with an interest in the foundations of their subject. The authors do however acknowledge that some parts of the book will seem alien to the layman.

The Mathematical Experience by Philip J. Davis and Reuben Hersh
1981 Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston

Is all of pure mathematics a meaningless game? What are the contradictions that upset the very foundations of mathematics? If a can of tuna cost $1.05 how much does two cans of tuna cost (Pg. 71)? If you think you know the answer, don't be so sure. How old are the oldest mathematical tables? What is mathematics anyway, and why does it work? Can anyone prove that 1 + 1 = 2?
This is a book about the history and philosophy of mathematics. I'm certainly not a mathematician, and there are parts of the book I will never understand, yet the balance of it made the experience well worth while. The authors presented the material so that it is interesting and (mostly) easily understood. They have a creative way of making a difficult subject exciting. They do this by giving us insights into how mathematicians work and create. They live up to the title making mathematics a human experience by adding fascinating history. Frankly I was shocked when they pointing out how even mathematicians have made questionable assumptions and taken some basic "truths" on faith. They show the beauty of math in the "Aesthetic Component" chapter. Ultimately the question that comes up again and again is the question of whether or not we can really know anything about time and space independent of our own experience to make an adequate foundation for a complete system in mathematics. If you have ever wondered about the world of mathematics and the personalities involved you might consider this book. If you are a mathematics teacher you should read this book. If you are a mathematician you could find it quite unsettling.
It contains eight chapters, each one broken up into many subtitles so if you do get bogged down in the mathematics it isn't for long. There are 440 pages. I'd like to see a much more complete glossary for people like me who need it.

I'm happy to see that this book is still being sold. It was my bible when I had my kids over 20 years ago and it's the one book I would give to any woman who is considering breastfeeding. Straightforward, realistic, full of practical tips and loaded with information. Beats any other book on breastfeeding that I've ever read. It's the reason I was able to nurse each of my three kids until they were over a year old.

I am purchasing a copy of this for my daughter-in-law,who is expecting a baby any day and is going to nurse the baby. I used this book 30 years ago for my support and information when nursing my first child and I know it will be just as relevant today. I find it fascinating that there are other women who wrote reviews praising this book from using it 30+ years ago. Not many things are as worthwhile today as in they were in the 60's and 70's. That must make this book a CLASSIC!!!!!!!Laurel Ryan, Grafton, Ohio

An excellent resource that I turned to many times over the course of almost five years, for solutions to problems as well as just the pleasure of reading such an informative, thorough book. It combines the practical with the scientific. I found it when my second baby was six weeks old. To our surprise and dismay she had lost weight at her first newborn checkup and had continued to gain weight poorly. At each feeding I would nurse her, then pump, then give her a bottle, and by then it would be time to start all over again; she still gained poorly. I had an 19 month old as well, whom I had nursed successfully while working full time. All the time and emotional energy focused on my newborn's feeding could not continue. I was incredibly sad at the thought of having to stop nursing, but it seemed the only choice. I was in the bookstore just before my final decision to stop nursing, and I found this book. It changed everything. I found answers to my questions, solutions to my problems, and the motivation to keep going. I nursed as often as possible, sometimes every hour, stopped pumping, and gave just one bottle per day, around dinnertime, instead of at every feeding. My baby started gaining the way she should. I continued to nurse her for sixteen months. I have Karen Pryor to thank for turning things around. We had a third child two years later, successfully breasfed for almost 2 years. I have given this book to all first time moms along with the baby gift.

... It was read prior to my daughter's birth and constantly referred to while I nursed her.I was no longer unsure of myself due to lack of information and I recommended it to girls who were first time Moms in the hospital when I had my fourth child. My daughter had a baby three years ago with some medical problems and I met Moms and their Moms that were terribly grateful for a reference book so their baby could continue to be nursed and not believe the short interruption would ruin their desire for the baby to be a nursed baby. My daughter needed to relactate and the hospital gave them the machines to make it possible, knowing ,especially babies who have had a rough start need to be nursed even more for their health if the parent is willing to follow the instructions and there is a lot of support for mothers to nurse, knowing what we do today about breastfeeding. For "To Be" Mothers this is a wonderful gift for them to understand and decide if they are going to breastfeed, and to stand up to the bullies who usually have weird reasons why they oppose breast feeding. Instead of being intimidated, you will wonder which category they come from, and you will be a much stronger , confident mother. Mrs Symmington

I had a copy of the womanly art of breastfeeding and found it to be long on preaching the joys of breastfeeding and short on addressing real concerns and problems. This is the book I dogeared and referred to again and again. It is practical, friendly, and full of useful information I didn't find anywhere else. There is a long bibliography of sources at the back, but you also get the sense that you are being talked to by experienced realistic moms who are sure you can do this - much more helpful when you feel desperate at 2 AM in the first week than another lecture on how wonderful and easy this is supposed to be!

I nursed my first baby until he was 18 months old, after a very rocky start - took me three days to get him to nurse at all, and then it took 45 minutes to latch him on properly for a while after that! So I really appreciated any guide that admitted how hard it can be to start breastfeeding and gave a wide variety of practical advice on the real problems. I tossed a lot of popular books that carried on about how breastfeeding is easy and natural and wonderful - it was all that once we got over the hard part, but getting over the hard part was when I needed good advice and real facts!

Some of the unusual information included here - baby behavior, innate parent behavior, nursing frequency and patterns, how nursing changes as the baby develops, how to take good care of yourself physically and emotionally. There is a great chapter for working/pumping mothers, and even some advice on how to keep the house tidy enough so it doesn't depress you, with a minimum of effort. Also - getting your milk back when you had to stop nursing for a little while, nursing toddlers, tandem nursing, weaning, pretty much any breastfeeding topic you can think of seems to be covered.

The index is not great (you can't find 'thrush' or 'pain' in it, even though there is a section on yeast infections), but I read the whole book and didn't have much trouble finding what I needed in it after that. Several chapters deal with age specific information ('birth to six weeks' etc) which made it easy to look up problems I was having in that particular time period.

this is a very well-written book. The lifeline flows in order which makes it easy for the reader to keep track of events as they occurred. This provides a very different perspective because it is from that as a child growing up on 'Hilter's mountain', as well as that of a German citizen. This provides a very good inside look at what life was like in these most terrible of times.

This book makes it clear under what pressures kids and teens grew up in the thirties and forties in Germany. The writer shows the big riff between the older and younger generations in Germany during the Hitler era. It is personal and detailed. It reaffirms many of the stories I heve heard from my parents and grandparents. A must read for every interested in keeping peace alive.

This proves to be an interesting and somewhat insightful look from the perception of child. Irmgard Hunt spent her first 11 years of her life living in Berchtesgaden, under the shadow of Hitler's mountain retreat. She even had a honor of being on Hitler's lap and her parents must have been die-hard Nazis themselves to be allowed to live in that Bavarian village so close to their Fuhrer's own mountain home.

Hunt's recollection proves to be informative on how life was for people who lived in that village where Nazism was so strong. Many of her stories actually make great deal of sense to anyone familiar with the Third Reich and it made whole lot of sense to me especially since, the author was living in Berchtesgaden.

However, I do wondered how much of the book reflects reality. After all, she was very young when all this took place, most normal people do have a hard time remembering what they did, felt or thought when they were eight, nine or ten years old. The author may remembered very few details but I doubt if she could remembered all of it without being compromised by passing years of faded memories.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the story of an ordinary German girl growing up in one of the most nazified villages in Germany. But I would also caution these readers that you are relying on a memory of that child who is now a grown woman and asked yourself how much of your childhood you remembered with such details.

Excellent story of WW2 from the perspective of an ordinary little girl. I loved this story because it was a whole new look at this era of world history, a view not often captured. A must read for any enthusiast of the era.

I lived in Germany in the late 1970s with a family who would have been young people during the War. I was vastly curious about their experience as "average Germans" but they were evasive and would say very little. Irmgard Hunt, who grew up just 30 miles from my foreign exchange mother during roughly the same years, gives us a portrait of what it was like for the average German citizen. Relying on her mother's diary, and interviews with family and friends, it may be some fiction, as an earlier reviewer states, but it rings true to me. You'll enjoy this book more if you know some German.

One of the best Gone With the Wind- type books I've ever read and never wanted it to end. Following 10-year old Fancy Deverell after rescue from a slave and her journey to adulthood, from poverty to fame and fortune makes it a classic epic that I will save on my bookshelf for many years to pass on to future generations.
I continue to look for more books by Ms. Spellman. If you like epic saga books with lots of pages that continually hold your interest, make this one of them.

I absolutely loved this book. At over 800 pages, I thought it would take forever. Well, it did in a way, I'm planning a wedding and couldn't reserve the time I use to to reading. But in the past month, I just couldn't put it down. This book is just such a sweeping saga, you can't help but get wrapped up in the characters lives. It begins in the 1860's and covers over 30 years. I loved the fact that the end is a journal entry 20 years later. This book is definitely a keeper. Hopefully, I can find another copy, because mine is so worn from so long going in and out of my purse.

I was fully totally consumed by this book and was left craving for more. Truly, a one of a kind, epic novel that will leave you wishing it would never end! I read this magical book every couple of years and I am still moved each time. Even the most cynical of my friends break down into tears and swear by the end that this is the best book they have ever read. period. This is right up there with Gone with the Wind! Buy it today!

This truly is one of the best books I've ever read. It was 700 pages long and it wasn't long enough. I wish she wrote a sequel.

What fun and darn near unputdownable! Paint the Wind begins as ten year old Fancy Deverell's parents are murdered and their Louisiana plantation burned by marauding Yankee soldiers. Loyal slave Atticus saves Fancy from the destruction and with no other family left he takes Fancy along as they head west for a better life. After being on the road for a couple of years they meet up with a motley group of misfits in a circus run by Wes Jarvis and the spooky gypsy Magda. After several years on the road the circus disbands and Fancy and Atticus once again head west, but Atticus's health fails them in the Mosquito Mountains of Colorado and Fancy is left on her own as a deadly snow storm hits and she takes a tumble down a mountain side.....

Meanwhile the story switches to that of brothers Chance and Hart McAllister who leave their Kansas home behind at the death of their parents and head west to Colorado where they meet gunman Ford Jameson and miner Bandana McBain. Bandana takes the boys in as partners digging for silver in the mountains surrounding Oro City (soon to be Leadville when the silver boom hits), and on the way home to their mountain cabin Chance spots a bit of red cloth and a banjo sticking out of the snow and a near-frozen Fancy is rescued in the nick of time. Fancy spends the winter snowbound with the boys and stays the summer working the mine with them, as both brothers fall in love with the beauteous Fancy -- but she can only chose one -- will it be the reckless, gambling, womanizing live on the seat of your pants Chance or the steadfast and faithful Hart?

Desperate not to come between the brothers and longing to establish herself as an actress Fancy leaves the boys and after a wild auction to raise money for her grub stake she heads for New York City. Once there, she struggles to support herself and her daughter, and eventually accepts an offer she can't refuse from ruthless businessman Jason Madigan. Fancy's travels finally bring her back to Leadville and the McAllister brothers, now rich from their silver mine, but she can only marry one of the two brothers and a heart broken Jason begins his plot to bankrupt the man who took Fancy from him.

Well that's about all of the story I'm going to tell, there's a whole lot more to Fancy's tale in this 800 page paperback that kept me reading well into the wee hours. The story of Fancy and the McAllister brothers takes the reader through heartache, treachery, great wealth, financial disaster, and more until it finally culminates in a daring escape from a remote insane asylum in the Rocky Mountains along with a delightful sting to catch the baddies who done Fancy wrong worthy of Newman and Redford.

All in all a near perfect read and a jolly good yarn, my only quibbles are that I did find some of the secondary characters to be a bit stereotyped -- the Madam with the heart of Gold, Ford the gunslinger, Wu the Chinaman, the circus folks -- along with a few bits of language that didn't quite seem to fit the period. If you're willing to set those minor issues aside and want to sit back and lose yourself in the past with a big sprawling epic of soap opera proportions set in the old west, this is one book well worth looking in to. 4.5/5 stars.