K.C. Kartchner was my grandfather, and I barely knew him when he passed away in 1970, when I was eleven years old. However, this book, K.C.'s unfinished memoir, paints a vivid picture of his youth, as well as the historical, religious, and geographical context whence he sprung. His early career as an intinerant fiddler, which began around the time his father was serving a Mormon mission (during a crucial period in K.C.'s life when he sorely needed fatherly guidance), made him a sort of "rock musician" of his day. In that framework, it is much easier to understand some of the later events of his life. In any case, he had some interesting adventures.

How exciting to see this novel back in print. I first came upon this story while patrolling the intricate rivers and canals of the Mekong Delta during the Viet Nam War c. 1968-1969. A public library had donated several books to the ship's library, this enchanting story being one of them. I have since read this hard-to-find book (usually via special searches at the Los Angeles Public Library) several times. This epic novel about the experience of a single woman travelling alone from England to Algeria can best be appreciated when read against the social and cultural contexts of what constituted appropriate behavior for respectable ladies in 1905 England. A young woman travelling unescorted to a far-off exotic land was quite a titillating piece of literature which might not be appreciated from a 2001 perspective. That aside, Robert Hichens' ability to capture the rich historic texture of Algeria at the time, juxtaposed against the deep complexity of one of the novel's primary characters, and the "dark mystery" with which the author so effectively teases the reader through the second half of the story, has not lost its intrigue in the almost 100 years since its writing. The author's talent and sensitivity are displayed in his ability to convey to the reader the hot sultry climate; the din and cacaphony of high-density Algerian cities; the sensuality of romantic and exotic evenings; the rhythms of ethnic Algerian music and the smells of Algerian food wafting through the reader's nostrils. In fact, the author's talent, love and respect for the cultural backdrop of his story can perhaps be more appreciated by today's readers who are more competent at modern global cultural competency efforts. This book is an absolute treasure which delivers a somewhat disappointing denouement only because the shame that in 1905 is the mystery of one of the principle characters, to readers in the second half of the last century, may not only be viewed as not shameful, but perhaps even as liberating. During my first reading of this enchanting work, at the moment when the great shame is disclosed to the reader, because social mores have changed dramatically since this book was written, the revelation was anti-climatic. Nonetheless, the story is as enchanting as it is intriguing. Not only is this book worth the reading; adding this book to your collection is worth the investment; and I guarantee that like me, you will read this book more than once if you are one who enjoys re-visiting earlier literary expereinces. (And yes, from this novel the screenplay for "The Garden of Allah" starring Charles Boyer and Marlene Deitrich was written.)

Chuck Pace, MPH West Hollywood, California

This book is an excellent example of how to synthesize a wide variety of archival and secondary resources. It provides a deep analysis the relationships between the Holy Roman Empire and the Scandinavian countries. There is much to learn from this book in order to understand European relationships with foreign countries. A must read!

The small book contains a wealth of information on that geological wonder, the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The author covers everything from the history of people's interest in it, through the flora and fauna of the area. The book is quite interesting, and my one (and only) complaint is that the book does not contain a comprehensive map of the Causeway.

Father Jon Kirby's study of the religious system of the Chakosi began with his earlier linguistic work in Twi, for this laid the foundations for working in another Akan language, found isolated in northern Ghana and Togo as the result of an earlier movement of armed warriors. The area in which he carried out his studies is highly complex, consisting of a ruling estate of Akan origin, a Muslim estate of Hausa and Mande descent, plus autochthonous peoples speaking Komba, including many of slave origin incorporated into this warrior kingdom. In such a situation, there is no simple cultural unity. Practices differ in the various groups, territorial and hierarchical. So too do basic ideological notions, such as the extent of the commitment to a single, all-embracing spiritual agency, the High God. Individuals themselves move between various schema, in ways that they do not find contradictory but which create puzzles in the patterns. Indeed the extent to which there is a structural pattern as distinct from individual patterning is a matter for debate.

Dr. Kirby presents us with the first extensive study of a religious system of one of these 'polyethnic', 'polycultural' states of the savannah zone. The situation resembles in some respects that of the ascephalous 'tribal' peoples that Fortes and others have studied but in other ways it is very different. For here the elements of a religion of the book came into contact with the tribal practices and beliefs, in various ways depending upon the groups and individuals involved. It is Dr. Kirby's achievement to have thrown light on this highly complex situation, not only by an anthropological analysis of his own field data but by placing this in a historical regional context.

This book's no-nonsense approach and impeccable research puts it in a category of its own. Getty's mistake was using her first name, identifying the author as a woman, and thus pre-condemning the book in many an eye simply because a man didn't write it. She expresses herself elegantly, with no sloppy sentimentality. You get the true facts behind early Buddhist idolatry. For example, Getty's explains how, during the first two centuries after Buddha's PariNirnana, the only images of the Tathagata were of an empty chair.

This is a wonderful book, well written and offering a rare view of how people in the the Gilgit region really live. The author spent some time in Gilgit living with a local family. She also spent time in Baltistan and offers a view of the life of locals that mountaineers often miss entirely. A fine book.

As an avid Golfer, traveling with my spouse who does not golf. This book has given us a new lease on life to start planning our next getaway without a fight. There are things for both of us to enjoy.Perfect!

A must read for those interested in the history of the American Southwest or Northwest Mexico. Together with other recent books about this area there is developing understanding of the dramatic events in the southwest (Chaco, etc.) and their link to the original Aztlan.

Little Mary Ann and her family are poor and live in
Mulhattan's Hall. With strong, child-like belief in the
powers of her beloved Da and the Catholic Holy Family,
however, the child herself lifts the family out of poverty.

She accomplishes this by bullying and charming rich,
powerful Mr. Lord, into giving her occasionally-alcoholic
father a farm job which should keep him off the booze.

This a a strong novel about families. In view of recent
books describing family systems, Mary Ann is the young
Star of the family, her loyal, strong personality overshadows
her brother Michael. Her brother takes after their quieter
mother Lizzie, a rational woman who has fallen in love
with a sometimes irrational man. He loves his wife and
family but Mike just can't give up the booze whenever his
self-esteem takes a blow, or if things aren't going well.
Keen Mary Ann senses this, and time and again protects
and now we would say enables her drunk father. She won't
even say the word drunk, her Da gets "sick" occasionally.
Lizzie the mother and Michael the brother can't handle
Mike's drinking, but Mary Ann, so like her father, knows
just how to deal with his episodes, no matter how harsh
or embarrassing Mike becomes.

Parish priest Father Owen, knows all about these family
issues from young Mary Ann's Confessions, she poignantly
believes that the priest in the confessional is tempararily
blinded and can't know who he's talking to. This frees
up the priest to be Mary Ann's shoulder to cry on. Mary Ann
also gains comfort from kind-hearted neighbor Fanny McBride,
her father's only champion.

A sometimes heartbreaking look at father/daughter love, and
the first gem in the shining Shaughnessy series.