P Books

Sanders sheds light on the Jewish Jesus; Jesus was creating an eschatological (end of the world) Jewish movement; his execution came from challenging the political authorities (overthrowing the tables in the Temple), and his followers expected his return to restore Israel (which including Gentiles worshiping the God of Israel). If you are looking for a source about Jesus and his Jewishness then I would recommended this book; it shows that Jesus was not in opposition with the Pharisees as he did not transgress any part of the law and that his followers followed Jewish law and kept it after Jesus died.

This is one of the books written by E P Sanders that swept biblical studies from the grip of Bultmann and his followers to a new direction. Today it seems strange that so many scholars could, for so long, ignore the fact that Jesus was a Jew.

E P Sanders, a true historian, very cogently argued that not understanding the culture and beliefs of Jews during Jesus' lifetime was to not be able to grasp the historical Jesus at all. And it was a very good argument.

In this book, Sanders points out that "the biblical laws seem to have been widely observed" (p 184) since ritual baths were everywhere. The temple was central to belief and to sacrifices (p 64). Purity laws were kept by most people, although most involved "corpse uncleanliness... menstruation, intercourse, and childbirth" (p 182) and not hand washing.

There is a long discussion on why Jesus overturned tables at the temple. The temple was central to sacrifice, so why be upset at the money-changers who helped the practice of sacrifices? "The obvious answer is that destruction, in turn, looks towards restoration" (p 71).

There were charges at Jesus' trial about him threatening to overthrow the temple. Even during his crucifixion, Matthew and Mark report people taunting Jesus with promising to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days.

Sanders investigates the "two questions 1)whether or not a complex of prophetic themes (the gathering of dispersed Israel, the rebuilding of the temple, and the entry of the Gentiles) continued in the post-biblical period; 1)whether or not a word s and gesture indicating the destruction of the temple would imply the expectation of renewal" (p 87).

'Jesus and Judaism' by E. P. Sanders is a superb model for how to read Christian scriptures in the light of the world of Second Temple Judaism, without a lot of sociological baggage. Sanders is a pure historian, who is looking for how and why things really happened. There is little I can add to the other four current reviews, since I certainly agree entirely with their overall evaluation. My only modest suggestion may be that when one wishes to embark on a study of the gospels, one begins by reading at least a few chapters from this book. Of course, if you are taking on Paul's letters, Sanders has even more important books, such as 'Paul, the Law, and the Jewish People'. This book leaves no doubt on why Sanders has become the most influential writer on New Testament issues in the latter half of the 20th Century.

The arguements of Sanders in this book have marked a decisive point in scholarship after which ignorance concering and derisive stereotyping of 1st century Palestinian Judaism juxtapose to Jesus and primitive Christianity is inexcusable. For this reason, texts written before Sander's work or texts that neglect his study seem to be outdated and obsolete. While some revolts in American scholarship have occurred since this book was written (e.g., Crossan, Borg, and the Jesus Seminar), the foundation of this book have remained firm and unshaken. The primary reason for this is Sander's moderation and erudition. He distinguishes very well between what we can and cannot know about Jesus and is not given to speculation.

The most powerful result of his book is how he brings to light why in fact Jesus faced opposition and eventually suffered martyrdom. This he does through an articulate examination of Palestinian Judaism in the 1st century and a scathing critique of past scholarship which generally failed at doing this task.

Recommended for those who are seriously searching for the history of Jesus and his society. Casual readers who do not have much background in this field will be perplexed or overwhelmed.

Sanders is more of a historian than a theologian. He is concerned to uncover the real, historical Jesus. He explains his methodology in some detail. That is a good place to begin, because it enables the reader to evaluate both Sanders' methodology and his sifting of the historical evidence.

Sanders explicitly bases his reconstruction on the facts of Jesus' life, rather than Jesus' sayings. He is on the cynical end of N.T. scholarship -- he believes that it is impossible in virtually every case to establish the authenticity of Jesus' sayings. However, he believes there is considerable agreement about many of the facts: e.g., that Jesus threatened the destruction of the Temple, that he appointed twelve apostles, and that his followers sought to convert Gentiles.

Sanders agrees with Schweitzer in setting Jesus' ministry in the context of Jewish eschatology. That is, Jesus believed that the end was at hand: God was about to intervene and create a new order of existence, including a new Temple. At that time, God would appoint Jesus' apostles to rule over Israel. When the end of the current order did not immediately come about, Paul (and other early Christians) set out to convert Gentiles -- a necessary stage in the process leading up to the end.

On the other hand, Sanders rejects some of the traditional interpretations of Jesus' life and work. In particular, he denies that Jesus was killed for his teaching about law vs. grace. Sanders (who is widely acknowledged as an authority on extra-biblical Jewish literature) argues that all Jews believed in grace, including the Pharisees. If Jesus had brought about the conversion of notorious sinners and offered them forgiveness on condition of repentance, he would have been hailed as a national hero -- not crucified as a heretic.

Sanders argues that, when the Gospels speak of "sinners", we should take the word at full force. Jesus taught that, in view of the imminent end, wicked people could enter the kingdom without repentance and reformation of life. Thus the Pharisees and other Jews were understandably offended by his practice.

The value of Sanders' work is: (a) His cynicism leads him to be very careful in his handling of the evidence -- no speculative leaps. (b) His expertise in extra-biblical Jewish literature enables him to refute some of the stereotypical caricatures of Jesus' Jewish opponents -- particularly the Pharisees. Such caricatures are still being expounded in pulpits throughout North America, and Sanders sets the record straight.

On the other hand, I think Sanders is too cynical. He rejects conclusions which are widely accepted by other scholars. In specific, his opinion that Jesus accepted the wicked without requiring them to repent stretches credulity.

Nonetheless, this is still a five-star work. A careful reader will learn much, and be considerably challenged. It isn't the last word on the historical Jesus, but it does go some way toward defining the parameters of the debate!

Every thing it's all rigth, but
Not to send to me never more with DHL, it is a true disaster.
I order 3 items the same day.(My country it's Italy)
The first: Uncommon places by Stephen Shore it has been delivered after single 6 days.(thanks,thanks, thanks, thanks, UPS)
The other two "5X7" by William Eggleston and "American Prospects" by Joel Sternfeld. It has been delivered after very 16 days seeeexteeeeen days!!!!
(The DHL disaster!!!!!)
However, thanks Amazon
Gastone Scarabello

JOEL IS A GOOD NAME AND THIS IS A FABOULOS WORK.This man is travelling a lot!!!I want only says that J.Sternfeld is able to meet people and discover particulary little object too that can be fundamental for go inside these pictures,he use colour in a cool way too,soft traditional in colours but in meanings is not really traditional expecially if we related his work in the world of landscape's photography.He use landscape like it was reportage.It is a way for put something else inside.That picture could be sometime strong somentime enchanting but always are intresting me.Put something strange in your picture and maybe that landscape could change his own value.
I like a lot
ciaoooooo

The title of this review suggests that I am exaggerating, but I promise that I am not. This book of photography blew me away the first time I opened it. How had I gone for so long without hearing of Joel Sternfeld?

This book is full of large, beautifully printed color photographs of a quality I couldn't have expected. Each image is beautifully thought out and perfectly executed. The photographs are sometimes humorous, sometimes somber, and always carry a visual impact. Stephen Shore is an obvious point of reference; both photographers were working with similar materials right around the same time, both traveling the country capturing their view of America. I find Sternfeld's photographs to be placed on a somewhat grander scale, while Shore's photos suggest a more offhand manner. Both have a permanent place on my bookshelf.

I can't recommend this book highly enough, I suggest that anyone interested in serious photography buy it right away.

What a refreshing twist on the usual coffee table photography book. Sternfeld's photographs of the natural and manmade environment are so interesting. They almost have an old-fashioned hand-colored postcard-feel to them, but the images are often startlingly futuristic. Great contrasts of the ugly and rusting and vacant with beautiful natural landscapes. The publishers did a wonderful job of cleanly presenting the photos to speak for themselves and putting all the verbiage up front.

if you want to know where the comtemporary obsession with large format color "street" work came from, this is it. newer books, by artists like alec soth and other color documentary artists, are excellent, important books, but it must at least be noted that the true groundbreakers were working a generation ago, putting out these kinds of books before it was the accepted trend. and simply put, this work along with shore's 'uncommon places' and eggleston's 'guide', are still, in my opinion, unsurpassed.

on top of that, the size and reproduction quality of this book are mind-blowing. i can't imagine any photography fan not loving this book, or any serious student not wanting it (for a decent price, of course, which this actually is with the discount.)

Take the ultra-researched science of a Michael Crichton novel (with only a slightly milder level of paranoia), the challenging futuristic conceptual philosophy of a Philip K. Dick novel, mix in the self-evolving computer premise of David Gerrold's superb novel, "When Harley Was One," and what do you have? You have "Julia and the Dream Maker," the brilliant science fiction debut of P.J. Fischer. Fischer combines computer technology, cellular biology and the angst of three post-doc college students in a very near future to bring us the story of a prank experiment gone rogue, and the aftermath that leads to a unique possible future for humankind. With believable characters, a compelling premise and a natural story-telling style, Fischer's debut is a must-read not just for science fiction aficionados, but for anyone who likes excellent, page-turning fiction.

Set in the near future and opening with a courtroom drama, Julia And The Dream Maker is the story of graduate students who find themselves caught up in lives of ambition combined with rapid advances in technology compelling them into "a seminal moment with evolution". Steven his friends are preparing for academic careers in the field of biology. These gifted students feel that there is nothing they cannot do or accomplish. But a science project they become involved with sets of an unexpected chain reaction dramatically altering the very pattern of human evolution, and do so, create a doorway to Julia's world and an uncertain future for them all. P. J. Fischer has a true storyteller's talent for creating very real characters and catching them up in a series of plausible events and fascinating dilemmas. Highly recommended and entertaining reading for science fiction fans, Julia And The Dream Maker will leave the reader looking eagerly forward to the next book in Fischer's deftly crafted series, Julia And The Song Of The Soul.

I am a science fiction fan and computer scientist, my wife (very proudly) is not. Rarely do our paths cross on books. When my wife suggested the book to me after her book club enjoyed it, I was a bit hesitant, the cover suggests something a little too squishy for my tastes. I was pleased to find that it blended a compelling story with sound science. The science is not overpowering, but when it is used, it is appropriate and correct. The author did a very nice job of predicting the advantages and pitfalls of technology we might find in the near future. Highly recommended to nerds and non-nerds alike.

Science Fiction/Fantasy books generally hold no interest for me, and to label this book a part of that genre alone diminishes it as it is so much more! It is part literary thriller, part mystery, part romance. It is educational and provocative. It's funny and poignant. Left breahtless from page-turning to find that the end is only the beginning, I can't wait for the sequels!

Talk about "integrated curriculum"! This is a book that weaves science, computer technology, social studies, literature and the one thing that always grabs students - romance, into a page-turner that I know will leave my students begging to know "what happens next!?!" I am not usually a sci-fi fan myself, but found this book so relevant to today's headlines about scientific discoveries that will change the very way we live and view the world, that it was not hard for me to get engrossed in it. I highly recommend it for high school teachers looking to integrate science into their literature curriculum, or literature into their computer technology curriculum, among others. And, like the students, I can't wait for the sequel!

Ms. Sam Grabelle
Providence, RI

Jamestown, founded in 1607, was the first permanent settlement established by the English in what was later to become the United States. But more attention has been given by most Americans to the 1620 founding of the Plymouth colony, partially because it is more easy to romantically mythologize the story of the Pilgrims who came seeking "religious freedom" than the largely commercial interests of the Jamestown colonists.

However, the Jamestown story has its own set of myths, the most obvious being the supposed saving of John Smith's life by Pocahontas. Horn does an effective job of demonstrating this to be a likely falsehood. Instead Smith is shown to be an arrogant leader who was despised by most of the colonists and ended up returning to England a failure. He was replaced by Sir Thomas Dale, who turned out to be a somewhat more effective leader. But it really wasn't until the discovery of tobacco as a viable cash crop that Jamestown became anything approaching a commercial success. Prior to this the colonists lived on the verge of starvation, dependent on the Indians for corn in order to survive.

But Horn also shows the high level of tension and violence that existed between the English and the Indians from the beginning. The Powahatan chief, Wahunsonacock, viewed the English with great suspicion that later grew into contempt and a desire to prevent any further incursions of English into Powahatan territory. This resulted in the Indian uprising of 1622, where hundreds of English were killed in a single day. But the English settlers continued to arrive in ever greater numbers and the colony was made permanent.

But this permanence was hardly inevitable. Spain was keeping a close eye on Jamestown as well. They sent several ships up from Florida to investigate. These were all turned back. But still the Spanish could have likely destroyed the Jamestown colony if they had made it a more significant priority. But they chose not to. The two primary reasons being that they had recently concluded a peace treaty in the Netherlands and didn't want to risk further hostilites as well as the fact that they thought it probable that Jamestown would fail on its own without any Spanish interference, an entirely reasonable scenario at the time.

Overall, Horn manages to tell the true story of Jamestown, sharing his vast knowledge in a way that brings this period of history to life and captivates the reader. I also enjoyed reading the numerous quotes he included from John Smith and other primary sources. Perhaps some more attention could have been paid to the arrival of slaves from Africa as well as the distinct class differences between the colony leaders and the workers, many of whom arrived as indentured servants. But still this is an excellent book and comes highly recommended.

As other reviewers have stated, most Americans know precious little about this early English colonial attempt in America; even fewer remember Roanoke, but many recall the Puritan landing at Plymouth Rock.

James Horn has attempted to correct this imbalance by writing this clear, lucid, and colorful history of the settlers at Jamestown - the only thing missing from his title is that this story is almost one of the colonial efforts of the Virginia Company more than just the story of Jamestown. However, the book does focus on the exploits, trials, and tribulations of the early settlers in Jamestown and surrounding plantations.

The book largely focuses on the early years of the settlement, including the exploits of Captain John Smith and the interactions with the native Americans, but runs all the way through the bankruptcy of the Virginia company and the transition from a private enterprise to a royal colony. Horn speculates as to the value of the Jamestown settlement at the conclusion of the book - although his speculation is well reasoned, it would take multiple additional volumes to bring to fruition his thoughts.

Like many people, prior to reading this book my knowledge of Jamestown and early American colonization were quite limited and could have fit in a thimble. Author James Horn has done what will soon be considered a classic and a masterpiece on this subject.
From the initial foothold onto American soil in 1607 by John Smith, Captain Christopher Newport, Bartholomew Gosnold, John Ratcliffe and a total of 144 adventurers, we develop an understanding as to the trials and tribulations of colonizing and conquest in a foreign land spanning two decades of time. Hunger, disease, Indian hostilities and moral fiber are at its tautest for establishing settlements in such a vast unexplored region.
Horn's respectable character analyses of Powhatan Chief Wahunsonacock and his brother Opechancanough, along with the great many other personalities involved on both sides, gives this rendition a profound and discerning look into how America began.
An authoritative and lively read.

I found this book to be most informative and interesting. Horn paints a picture of a dysfunctional settlement that barely endured long enough to become a colony. The conventional wisdom is that the Jamestown settlers were adventurers and younger sons of nobility who sought easy riches and refused to do the work necessary to sustain a settlement such as building and planting. In contrast, the Puritans in New England were hard working, pious, and a much better model for American colonization. I don't know whether the Puritan myth is true, but Horn seems to agree that Jamestown's myth is fairly accurate.

He seems to be ambivalent about John Smith: while he doesn't seem to like Smith much, he describes him as one of the few seeking to get the settlement self-sustaining rather than putting up with idleness and depending on the Indians for food. In this portrayal Smith is very arrogant and makes some serious mistakes, but no more than others, and he does try to establish productive relations with the Indians, which subsequent leaders failed to do.

I particularly liked the author's liberal use of quotations from source material. They made the narrative more lively and more personal. I hope Dr. Horn keeps writing.

"A Land as God Made It" tells in magnificent fashion the story of the formation of the Jamestown colony in what became Virginia, the first permanent British outpost in North America. Established in 1607 and therefore approaching its 400th anniversary, the colonists of Jamestown contended with an entirely new environment, with Native Americans, starvation, interpersonal difficulties, and a host of other challenges to succeed in creating this colony. The work narrates in an exciting and accessible fashion the dramatic actions of Captain John Smith and his troupe in Virginia. The most critical element of their early survival rested on Smith's relationships with the Powhatans, the native peoples of the region who helped the colonists through several difficult experiences. Author James Horns also tells here the story of Smith and Pocahontas, a story both more complex and intriguing than that offered in the Disney version of American history.

In search of wealth, glory, and the conversion of the natives to Christianity, the Virginia colony survived by a thread for its first decade. It survived a succession of crises until John Rolfe proved that tobacco could earn a profit, and thereby placed the colony on a path toward self-sustainment. The very success of the colony demonstrated that the British were a serious threat to the Powhatan way of life and in 1622 they rebelled in a bloody war that lasted several years before the native peoples were defeated. Although the Virginia colony survived this war, but just barely, it decimated the joint stock company that oversaw it, and in 1625 Virginia became a royal colony under the suzerainty of the King of England.

This is a very skillfully written account of the first twenty years of the Virginia colony, demonstrating very clearly how the British established a foothold in North America. It is a worthwhile and at times exciting reading experience. Enjoy!

If any of the following applies to you, go ahead and put Life, Inc. in your Amazon shopping cart and enjoy the ride:

* Worked in an office and can appreciate the fact that most people in that setting are imbeciles
* Appreciate insightful, edgy and sharp wit... fans of the TV show Arrested Development understand what I'm talking about
* Fan of science fiction...but not in a dress up like characters on the weekend kinda way...but a fan who appreciates M. Adams, F. Herbet, L. Niven, R. McCammon, J Morrow; have DVR'ed episodes of X-Files and Twilight Zone (in color or black and white); and thinks Battlestar Galactica is genius.

Life Inc. is well-paced and thought provoking. You'll often find yourself nodding your head in reluctant agreement or utter disbelief... an excellent combination for any novel. The author brought to life truly original characters the reader can pity, despise and love all at the same time. Enjoy. Bryan - Chicago

A surreal and spiritual fable, Life, Inc. spins the reader through adventures that navigate the insecurities littering the lost path to the authentic self. Davis also moves corporate familiars into entirely new territory. By turning common office annoyances inside out, he inspires audiences to find their own story. Closed minds need not enter - this book breaks all the rules.

The Author has brilliantly created a word picture of our universe that we have only imagined in our mind. A world in which the mysteries of the space between life and death have plagued us forever. The story explains a possibility of what and why the balance in GOD'S master plan works.
Terrific book with no excess language for the reader who likes to think.

Life, Inc. is a fascinating mystery that held my attention from the getgo...as my introduction into the sci-fi genre. The word-pictures the author uses are so appropiate and crystal clear that I found myself dwelling on each one. It is obvious that J. Davis has put much thought into figuring out LIFE and that he has been blessed with a creative dramatic mind. A fast moving book that can be read on many levels. Thought provoking. A good conversation starter.....would make a good book club read for a group discussion.

Finally, here's a story that challenges the intellect and still reads well. While a work of fiction, it makes you ask yourself, "Who am I?", "Where am I going?", and "What am I doing?" as you ride along with the protagonist through his journey. Definitely worth reading.

Book arrived quickly, in new condition. The old-time favorite story with underlying moral....easy to read....many colorful illustrations that young ones like.

This was my favorite book as a child and I still love the idea for the story--working hard to enjoy the fruits of your work, while those who do not contribute cannot expect to enjoy those same rewards. Last year I started a small project of giving this book to everyone I know who has small children. I even sent stacks to friends in other states who then gave them out to people they knew. I received some very kind thank you's and comments from people I did not know who appreciated the message of the book. I would recommend this book to both children and adults.

Growing up my mom read this to me and my brother. I had forgotten how much I loved this story until we unearthed this book for my sons. Now they love it too! They loved it so much that I am forced to order another copy because my copy is worn out!

This book has a lovely repetitive rhythm that engages children to remember and repeat.
It is simple and gives a nice message about helping, the simplicity of the story also makes this a good book for beginner readers.

I'm surprised anyone still reads this. It is about the value of working and teaches the lesson that those who don't work should not share in the efforts of those who do work. If the major media and the federal government find out that people are still reading this you can expect it to be attacked or banned.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is well written, has colorful characters and the plot is great. I couldn't put it down.

Muriel Spark's Loitering With Intent (1981) is a remarkable autobiographical novel based on the author's experiences on the intellectual and literary fringes of post-World War II London; the book may be Spark's greatest achievement following The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961).

Wise, poised, hilariously funny, and almost seamlessly written, the book is also wonderfully instructive: Spark was fairly impoverished in 1949, and Loitering With Intent reveals not only how an individual can successfully combat the banal evil of the everyday, but perfectly illustrates Camille Paglia's maxim that "hunger is no excuse for groveling." In fact, the voice of narrator Fleur Talbot, Spark's stand in, is not unlike the voice of Paglia at her determined, sharp-tongued, pretension-piercing best. Fleur, like Paglia, calls it as she sees it, and isn't afraid to acknowledge that some people are irredeemably and aggressively awful. But Fleur doesn't avoid such people as a matter of principal: she accepts them as inevitable and lives a life of creative "infiltration": "I was aware that I had a daemon inside me that rejoiced in seeing people as they were, and not only that, but more than ever as they were, and more, and more." Fleur reveals other unusual skills as the story develops: like many artists, she is a bit of a mystic, a bit of a shaman.

Also like much of Paglia's work, Loitering With Intent is something of a blistering attack on high WASP hypocritical good manners and social decorum. While Fleur clearly believes in human decency, fair play, and politeness, she also believes in determined counterattack when duly provoked ("I was not any sort of a victim; I was simply not constituted for the role"); and her responses can be volcanic ("I was glad of my strong hips and sound cage of ribs to save me from flying apart, so explosive were my thoughts"). Fleur uninhibitably recognizes her eventual adversaries as "swine," "stupid," "awful," "hysterical," "insolent," and "self-indulgent fools." The Baronne Clotilde du Loiret is "so stunned by privilege that she didn't know how to discern and reject a maniac," homosexual poet Gray Mauser is "small, slight, and wispy, about twenty, with arms and legs not quite uncoordinated enough to qualify him for any sort of medical treatment, and yet definitely he was not put together right," and a friend has "the ugliest grandchild I have ever seen but she loves it."

Loitering With Intent is partially a transposition of Spark's experience as General Secretary of The Poetry Society in the late Forties. In her autobiography, Curriculum Vitae (1993), Spark stated that she was "employed, or embroiled, in that then riotous establishment." In the present novel, Fleur becomes workaday secretary to the Autobiographical Association, a crank operation run by social snob and blackmailer Quentin Oliver, who also suffers from a messianic complex of vast proportions. Ever perceptive, Fleur is confident that what she is witnessing around her is pure collective madness.

In Spark's first novel, The Comforters (1957), protagonist Caroline Rose slowly awakens to the fact that she, everyone she knows, and indeed her entire perceived universe are actually only the fictional creations of an unknowable author composing Caroline's history on some unrealizable, presumably higher plane. In Loitering With Intent, almost the opposite is true: as Fleur nears the end of completing her first novel, she becomes aware that the members of the Autobiographical Association are genuine human doppelgangers of the characters she has created, enacting an identical drama to the one she has constructed from her imagination. Thus, Fleur has foreseen the future unaware, and hazily anticipates the unavoidable disasters to come to those who are manipulative, vain, foolish, arrogant, petty, and power crazed.

One of the book's most fascinating elements is the chronically antagonistic relationship between Fleur and the aptly named Dottie, the maudlin wife of Fleur's bisexual lover, Leslie. Dottie is 49% friend and 51% enemy, and thus their oddly symbiotic relationship is of a kind most readers will recognize as having experienced at some point in their own lives. "I don't know why I thought of Dottie as my friend but I did. I believe she thought the same way about me although she didn't really like me. In those days, among the people I mixed with, one had friends almost by predestination. There they were, like your winter coat and your meager luggage. You didn't think of discarding them just because you didn't altogether like them."

Loitering With Intent is also one of the most acute examinations of the artistic temperament ever committed to paper. "When people say that nothing happens in their lives I believe them. But you must understand that everything happens to the artist; time is always redeemed, nothing is lost, and wonders never cease." And: "I have never known an artist who at some in his life has not come into conflict with pure evil, realized as it may have been under the form of disease, injustice, fear, oppression or any other ill element that can afflict living creatures. The reverse doesn't hold true: that is to say, it isn't only the artist who suffers, or who perceives evil. But I think it is true that no artist has ever lived who has not experienced and then recognized something at first too incredibly evil to be real, then so undoubtedly real as to be undoubtedly true."

The novel is also a celebration of applied self knowledge and the self confidence that evolves from it: Fleur repeatedly realizes "what a wonderful thing it was to be a woman and an artist in the twentieth century," and, regardless of the formidable enemies positioned against her, continually "goes on her way rejoicing."

In keeping with the era in which it is set, Loitering With Intent also includes a brief portrait of Osbert, Edith, and Sacheverell Sitwell as Leopold, Cynthia, and Claude Somerville, owners of The Triad Press, the publishers who eventually accept Fleur's prescient first fictional work.

It's hard to believe this book is out of print (as it appears to be in many editions). Spark is the finest living English writer (as of early 2000, she's still with us) and this is one of her best novels. It folds back in on itself. It's obviously autobiographical even with the kind of foreshadowing and self-reflection of the author, who doubles back the flashback, first seeing herself, then seeing herself remember herself.

The plot is fascinating and a constant undertow back into the same themes of the true reality of a book. Is this memoir (fictional) told by an unreliable narrator? I think so. It's hard to know. Some events seem Kafkaesque in their bizarreness, but then turn out to have plain explanations.

Ultimately, evil bizarrely destroys itself; good triumphs with sacrifices. All is never as it appears with Ms. Spark.

There is a sense of the autobiographical in this novel which in fact is quite appropriate when one considers the actual pivot around which the whole plot revolves. As a note of caution however I must add that I make this statement without having any knowledge at all of Muriel Spark's actual life. As the author spins out the plot she manages to capture the essence of the main character's experience as a secretary for a group of people organized by an individual with the sole aim of writing their biographies so that they may be put away in a safe place for seventy years and their contents not actually revealed until all the people mentioned in these sets of memoirs are actually no longer alive. The idea is that this will be of interest to the historian of the future. Not that the novel itself concentrates unduly on the efforts of this group but rather on the intellectual and emotional reactions of the novel's main character, a young writer whose main concurrent aim in life is to get her first novel published. She is quite a likeable and attractive character and in fact she seems to be the only normal person amongst the rest of the characters portrayed in the novel, even though this impression may in fact be subconsciously and gradually formed in the reader's mind by the first-person point of view of the novel since everything is seen and judged through the eyes of the novel's main character. Even though this is a rather short book it is rather rich with experience and latent meaning well beyond the mere surface of the mostly humorous type of entertainment that pervades it from beginning to end.

An aspiring writer striving to complete her first novel, young Fleur Talbot finds herself loitering in post WWII London with the intent of gathering material for her literary debut. When she is offered a job as secretary to an eccentric troupe of autobiographers, it seems like just the thing. And it is, but in stranger ways than she could have foreseen. And what an eye has Fleur for the foibles of her employers, who, being Very Important People, lead Very Ordinary Lives. As Fleur incorporates what she is learning into the fabric of her novel, some of the VIPs begin to sense that art is imitating life - or, is it the other way around? Perhaps her book is a little too good, and it's nearly lost before this serious but amusing literary tour de force draws to a close. But Fleur is no English Rose, she's one smart cookie who, after a series of mis-steps, beats her nemesis at his own game.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Just thought it ended too abruptly, maybe because I didn't want it to end...

This was the first romance novel that I have read and it still is in my keepers shelf. This tale of passion starts with Sara, who is impersonating her actress sister Delight. To give Delight time to run away and get hitched to her paramour, Carlo,Sara needs to trick Marco (Carlo's brother) that Delight is really in town. After their meeting,Marc "kidnapps" Sara via his private plane and takes her to his mansian. Yeah, being the Duca di Cavalieri has certain advantages ;). The dialogue between Sara and Marco is amusing to say the least. And the pool scene is diabolic! No more said, you have to read it to get the rest of the story and the details. All in all, the sexual tension between them startS with A SPARK AND TURNS INTO AN ALL OUT BONFIRE!! Oh my, enjoy

Poor Sara! Golden haired and beautiful, sensitive and romantic, she is still forever overshadowed by the other women in her family. Mama Mona is the most glamorous movie star in Hollywood. Half sister Delight is the most wickedly adventurous porn star in the business. Sara is in the middle, wondering -- will any man ever find me desirable?

Enter Marco DeCavlieri, the most intense, passionate, possessive, and GORGEOUS hunk in all of Italy. Worth hundreds of millions, powerful and ruthless, Marco is still brutally protective of his family honor. When he hears that his silly younger brother Carlo has taken up with gold-digger Delight, he decides to take matters into his own hands!

What happens next is just too sexy to be described. It's sort of like mistaken identity, with a bit of kidnaping, only Sara soon finds she doesn't want to escape! Her beauty and goodness inflame the dark duke, so that soon he finds himself giving in to her instead of the other way around. And then -- oh, but I can't go on. Read it for yourself!

Magnificent, epic length, and sexy, this tale of passion between a proper English society girl and an uninhibited Italian Duke is truly the best of both worlds. It has the elegance, luxury and mystery of a great historical -- Marco is really more of a 16th century Corsair than a modern jet setter, even if he does have his own helicopter, sports car and mansion. On the other hand, golden-haired Sara is really more of an innocent, chaste, Jane Austen heroine, even if she is the daugher of a famous -- and sexually adventurous -- movie star.

Even the minor characters are fascinating, like Carlo, the Brooklyn born stepbrother Marco protects, and Delight, the party girl with a heart of gold, and even Serafina, the stern old housekeeper who functions as a mother figure for Sara. Great story, great romance, great settings and characters!

For such a twisted "love" triangle I throughly enjoyed Mrs. Rogers work, and I really didn't want this novel to end. It is a love story on a major detour, and is something I certainly wouldn't have thought of, but I am glad Mrs. Rogers did. As surprising as the plot was, I was even more surprised by the ending, and would really love to hear more about how all turned out in the end. I truly wish that more of the story was still left to read.

I really enjoyed reading this book and I can't help but be a little critical but I wish Rosemary would put a little more sex in her scenes. If you've read "The Insiders" now that was sexy and erotic, it really turned you on at times, but then again there were some scenes that were uncalled for. "The Insiders" was the beginning of my book collection. I also loved "Crowd Pleasers." Anyway, "Love Play" was fun to read. There was a lot of spitting drama between the two main characters which I enjoy. I thought Rosemary could have done a better job with the ending....it was just too easy to figure out that the characters would have been happily in love with each other. I mean she just went into "boy, I think I love you" and it was over. I thought if the two characters were going to keep bickering, their should have been a lot more passionate sex between the two and not in the last quarter of the book. I was getting tired of waiting till something sexual would happen. I've read a lot of Rosemary's novels and think this book will be my last. I've been reading a lot of Kat Martin books lately and I now have a new collection of her books. She has a lot of steamy loving, clean of course, sexy scenes that really turn you on and make you feel good and a very well written stories. You should check her out. Sorry fan readers. I guess I'm just a little more disappointed with Rosemary's books. Anyway, I really think this book is still worth reading. I just felt I had to speak my peace.

I love the writing style of P.G. Wodehouse, this is one of my favorites - so funny. It sort of reminds me of a well written Three's Company episode where everyone gets the wrong idea about everyone else. Attention Hollywood: this book would make a great screenplay! You can pay me a finders fee, of course!

Great books unsually start with great 1st sentences, and Luck of the Bodkins doesn't disappoint with this classic Wodehouse gem: "Into the face of the young man who sat on the terrace of the Hotel Magnifique at Cannes there had crept a look of furtive shame, the shifty hangdog look which announces that an Englishman is about to talk French." How can you possibly put a book down that starts like that! And it only gets better.

The eponomous hero Monty Bonkin is also a minor character in the Blandings novel "Heavy Weather. " This book picks up right where we left him at the end of that book making it a sequel of sorts though you defininately do not have to have read "Heavy Weather" first. Set in London, New York and Hollywood this is a great farce, which will keep you laughing to the end. Another great thing about this is that it the longest Wodehouse novel I've come across at 358pgs. so there's more to love.

Most importantly, make sure you pick this novel up (as well as the other Wodehouse books available) in the exquisite Overlook edition -- the beautifully designed, well crafted uniform editions that will last for generations and only cost a couple of bucks more than the mass marke paperback.

I very highly recommend this book. It's very funny and entertaining. I really enjoy all of P.G. Wodehouse's books, and this is one of my favorites. He is truly a genius at writing and entertaining his readers. I'd give it more stars if I could.

There may be no Jeeves or Wooster, but the Luck of the Bodkins shows that P.G. Wodehouse is still able to produce a nigh flawless novel without his two most well-known characters. Wodehouse is at his creative peak with this comic soap opera about several folks on a transatlantic cruise.

The title character is Monty Bodkin who has pursued his erstwhile fiancée Gertrude onto a ship going to New York. A misunderstanding has made her break the engagement, and though it will soon be resolved, more misunderstandings will follow. Also on board is movie studio owner Ivor Llewellyn who is being coerced by his absent wife to smuggle a pearl necklace to the states; he incorrectly thinks Monty is a customs inspector and thus targets him for some bribery. There is also the actress Lotus Blossom, who is engaged to Ambrose Tennyson (cousin of Gertrude); Ambrose is contracted to work for Ivor, and is also jealous of his younger brother Reggie, who is also aboard and once had a fling with Lotus.

In addition to all these characters. there is the ship's steward, Albert Peasemarch, who in certain ways is the anti-Jeeves: he has a seemingly magic way of making any situation worse. If this is beginning to sound complicated, it is, which is why this is one of Wodehouse's longest stories. There's a lot going on, but it all comes together seamlessly.

As always, you don't read Wodehouse for deep looks at the human condition; instead you get light entertainment, which is a nice escape from the weighty issues of real life. Simply put, reading Wodehouse is fun, and the Luck of the Bodkins is Wodehouse at his best.

Great books unsually start with great 1st sentences, and Luck of the Bodkins doesn't disappoint with this classic Wodehouse gem: "Into the face of the young man who sat on the terrace of the Hotel Magnifique at Cannes there had crept a look of furtive shame, the shifty hangdog look which announces that an Englishman is about to talk French." How can you possibly put a book down that starts like that! And it only gets better.

The eponomous hero Monty Bonkin is also a minor character in the Blandings novel "Heavy Weather. " This book picks up right where we left him at the end of that book making it a sequel of sorts though you defininately do not have to have read "Heavy Weather" first. Set in London, New York and Hollywood this is a great farce, which will keep you laughing to the end. Another great thing about this is that it the longest Wodehouse novel I've come across at 358pgs. so there's more to love.

Most importantly, make sure you pick this novel up (as well as the other Wodehouse books available) in the exquisite Overlook edition -- the beautifully designed, well crafted uniform editions that will last for generations and only cost a couple of bucks more than the mass marke paperback.

This book is a cornerstone of my library. This book covers the uses of herbs since ancient egyptian times into the modern. Ancient recipies for healing, health, perfumery, and of course incenses are included. There is also a large section regarding the use of herbs in cooking.

There is practical, concise info regarding herb propogation and how to maintain a garden.

Over time the price of this book waxes and wanes, depending on availability, so if you can find it at a reasonable price, go ahead and pick up a copy. . .you won't be dissapointed.

I found this book in my home years ago, among the dusty tomes we had collected. As a child, I found this book helpful for the simple things such as what are the best herbs to use when I'm cooking chicken, as well as what tea I should drink when I have an upset stomach. Now that i am an adult, I recognize that it is much more useful than I ever recognized. This book is like an encyclopedia of herbs, book of remedies, a recipe book, a gardener's manual and a witchcraft book all rolled into one.

A "must have" for anyone interested in herbs.

This book was one of the first I bought to learn more about the use of herbs in Witchcraft and Magick. My copy is much love and I adore it. I have since then bought a pile of books on magickal herbalism, they have been stacked up in the hope that one day I will find a book that takes the work done by Paul Huson in this volume to the next level. There are books on my pile by most of the modern writers on Witchcraft, but none of them come close to rivalling this book. They all fail to grab my interest and to be honest most seem to me, to be a rewrite of this classic work.

The correspondences are given in tables which are clear and easy to use. The lovely old illustrations throughout gives the book an extra level of charm. The recipes and charms are magickal and they work.

A great no-fluff, practical, useful and great guide to magickal herbalism - which should be on the bookshelves of all self-respecting witches, wiccans, magickians and pagans who work with herbs. Those who don't have it yet and who are not yet in love with it, should get a copy now - otherwise you will continue to miss out big time.

I first read this book about 4 years ago. I had the oppertunity to read a first edition hardcover volume filled with its owners personal notes. This is truly one of the great herbals in print and I highly reccomend it to anyone seeking the information on the metaphysical properties of herbs.

Mastering Herbalism: A Practical Guide by herbal expert Paul Huson is a marvelous compendium of useful information concerning herbs of all kinds. Countless practical uses for herbs are covered, from recipes for flavorful jams, soups, and teas to creating homemade perfumes and incenses to all-natural medicine. Mastering Herbalism is also packed with gardening tips for growing one's own herbs. Illustrated with line drawings and enhanced with four appendices, a glossary, a select bibliography, and comprehensive index, Mastering Herbalism is simply a "must" for any cook or gardener looking to put a little extra spice in their life!