Dr. Lawrence Frank's exploration of the social, ethical, psychological, and philosophical diminsions of Dicken's work is utterly delightful and highly readable -- a must for any Dickens affcianado or burgeoning scholar! You'll find a whole new level of meaning to all of Dicken's most endearing characters like Mr. Dick (from David Copperfield) and Master Bates (from Oliver Twist).

Egad! It's a pitiful reflection of the almost savage intellectual torpor that has settled upon academia and our nation as a whole that this fine work is out of print. I suggest you try Amazon's execellent out of print books search and order yourself a copy today!

As far as I am concerned, there was ne'er a book on Dickens penned prior to Mr. Frank's superb treatise. I have never been so proud of Mr. Chas. Dickens, a fellow Brit (and, I might add, a fellow writer)--or of Engerland, my home and native land. A true boon to mankind, Mr. Dickens was, and likewise this blessed text. I weep for joy.

I bought two books for my son (7) and daughter (5) to help continue their developing interest in chess. The two books are Chess For Children and How to Beat Your Dad at Chess. The latter turned out to be too advanced for my kids, but Chess For Children is exactly what my kids needed to learn about the game. Written by teachers in Lincolnshire, England, the book uses great techniques to help children understand basic skills. My children already know how to set up the board and how each piece should move on the board, but the methods in Chess For Children help them go beyond "how" a piece moves to "why" they should move it.

For example, the book features the Lincolnshire System, or the "Pawn Game", teaching kids to play with only the pawns. This method develops an understanding for how to use pawns in concert and how quickly the picket line can dissolve when a player doesn't ensure the pieces mutually support each other. The authors also present several other interesting techniques for teaching youngsters how to maneuver (instead of move) knights, rooks and bishops around the board. My daughter's favorite game is the Mad Queen, pitting the queen on one side against all of the pawns of an opponent. The opponent must attempt to get one pawn to the far side before the queen kills them all.

My kids love the games and techniques outlined in Nottingham's book. The authors weave a mix of chess history, years of enthusiasm teaching youth, along with the basics of chess. The product reflects a wealth of experience and a passion for both children and the game of chess. Bravo! Highly recommended!

I bought this book because I did not want to teach my son poor chess habits. He did not read it (to the best of my knowledge), but I was able to extract a few important things in an appropriate order to tell him as we played. I enjoyed reading it too! Results? My son presses me very hard at chess: if I don't concentrate he trounces me. Sometimes even if I do not have a break in my concentration he still wipes me off the board.

I just finished 'China Maze' after one sitting. Entirely believable. The time period from then to when he wrote it was one of unbelievable duplicity perpetrated by those in secret power, ie CIA etc. It is a testament to awaken us to the fact that the military power brokers be held accountable on all levels, and not allow ever again the excuses they use such as "for the sake of national security, we must withold that information or source thereof". Also, the practice of sanitizing documents must be revoked, for that is another way of witholding the terrible truths they want to keep hidden.

I enjoyed this book very much. The proluge is shocking, and reveals how decievable our government can be... since, this is a true story. Everyone should read this book, so they could hear of how several American Marines died in China for reasons that could have been avoided.

This is a excellent book which covers Martin Scorcese's film's.I found it to be an excellent reference book. If you enjoy Scorcese's films get this book.

Martin Scorsese has influenced so many directors in Hollywood that it's mind-blowing.and the casts that he has put together speak Volumes.he is as Important as anyone in the History of film.he takes the Streets and turns it into his own vision.he has directed some of the most important films ever.and he still has a classic or two that he hasn't even begun on yet.a great book.

A wonderful and portable collection of poems about being on the go and experiencing life to its fullest.

Captures the true beat essence in delightful and sundry ways.

A rare joy in the world of poetry.

This book is incredible for both the aesthetic pleasure it offeres to its reader, and the inspirational possibilities it holds. Reading such poetry sparks the seeds of creativity in readers and makes them quite possibly wish to overtake the world with beauty and independent thought (o:. The poetry in this book both pleases the senses and works to defamiliarize the world, allowing us to see it new, through the eyes of the poet. Buy this book!

This handy paperback volume is a true gem on collecting late 19th/early 20th century souvenir china. The numerous color photos and informative text make this an excellent addition to any collector's bookshelf. Highlights include wholesaler marks and information on manufacturers.

This edition promises to be the corner stone for the souvenir china collector!

This 1998, 232 page book features more than 500 full color, large photos of a great variety of collectible souvenir china. 1998 values are shown. There is a nice introduction to the topic and plenty of descriptive text throughout. It's well indexed for easy item location. Major topics include, Collecting Souvenir China in the U.S., Golden Era of Souvenir China, The Pioneers, Identifying Producers, Shapes, Forms and Styles, and related items. A nice bibliography is provided. Collectors will love looking at the great photos provided. A useful reference.

There are too few Powell books. This one is a solid contribution complete with reviews from publications at the time of the Powell flims' releases. I use it often.

Considering there are very few books that have been written or are still available about William Powell, this is book gives a decent (but small) biography and synopsis of all of his films.

This is the best book that i have. It is a must read for all who can read and all Special Forces. It put life on hold as you read it.

The most moving is "self pity"

I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself. --D. H. Lawrence

This book of poems shares the top spot in my bookcase with Whitman's "Leaves of Grass". They are accessible, highly perceptive, pertinent and intensely personal. My favorites are:

"FIDELITY" - "...The wonderful slow flow of the sapphire..."

"GOD IS BORN" - "...And so we see, God is not until he is born. And also we see there is no end to the birth of God."

"SHIP OF DEATH" (Appendix III version) - "...Pulling the long oars of a lifetime's courage, ...and eating the brave bread of a wholesome knowledge..."

"GRIEF" - "...How am I clotted together Out of this soft matrix... The air, the flowing sunshine and bright dust..."

"WEDLOCK" - "...How sure the future is within me. I am like a seed with a perfect flower enclosed..."

Finally, as a scientist I marvel at his intuitive grasp of relativity in "SPACE" and "RELATIVITY" - ..."As if the atom were an impulsive thing always changing its mind."

I would be delighted to share my enthusiasm with other readers.

Custer was a fascinating personality and this book offers a good look into how Custer operated from a military, staff and personal vantage point. The Court Martial is based on his performance in the 1867 campaign against the Cheyenne, Kiowa and Arapaho and it reveals a lot about Custer under both professional and personal pressure. Custer was charged primarily with shooting and mistreating deserters, abandoning his post and not moving against Indians that killed two members of a detachment from his command that allegedly killed two of his men. Since desertions were epidemic in the commands at this time in the field, Custer, after a bold group left virtually in daylight announced that deserters would be shot. They in fact were when they resisted capture and he made the announcement that medical care would be denied which had a profound of affect limiting future desertions drastically. The desertions were incredulously almost a third of the command and occurred during field maneuvers jeopardizing the entire command. However, the staff physician spoke at the trial in Custer's behalf that Custer announcing no medical treatment was more shows for effect than truth. The other charge concerns Custer leaving his tired and played out command to go east 270 miles to see Libby. Historians have noted that he may have left in a drastic hurry with 72 men as an escort because of jealousy due to the implied attentions of Lt. Weir or that he was worried about her due to cholera that was spreading across several commands. Although some historians lean to the jealousy angle, it appears that Custer may simply have been worried about his wife due to lack of letters and her failed ability to come further west as planned.

However, not pursuing the Indians that shot two members of a detachment is the most interesting charge. Did Custer in a driven pursuit of a rendezvous with his wife leave behind two men that were shot, one of which survived? That is the most fascinating issue and if true paints a picture of a man more concerned with his personal desire to see his wife than taking care of fallen members of his regiment. The trial in my mind never completely addresses the situation because it is not clear that Custer knew that a man was wounded, only that two men were shot and killed and abandoned by the rest of the detachment that never put up a fight to save them but ran. An infantry unit went out and recovered the bodies one of which turned out to be a wounded soldier. His defense has been challenged as he states that he was told that two men were killed, that the Indians had evaporated long before he could get there and that the infantry was able to perform a body retrieval service. More than any other aspect of the trial, I wish the author had explored this further. In addition, I wish the author reviewed the courts findings and offered an opinion whether the findings were valid and whether the suspension for one year was as lenient as suggested by General Grant. Excellent descriptions of the campaign and the loss of Lt. Kidder and his escort that was trying to deliver a message to Custer. Custer did in fact make an active arduous search for the elusive Indians such as Pawnee Killer who ended up massacring Lt. Kidder's party. The other half of the book covers the trial, actual witness transcripts, defense statements along with the prosecution's argument, newspaper accounts and the controversy over the Court Martial board that included several officers junior to Custer that was an item of complaint since it is improper and since 3 or more members were associated with General Hancock who made the charges against Custer. Interesting that Custer's commanding officer, Colonel Smith, actually gave Custer his regards to his wife after Custer left to board a train to see her a few miles east. Does appear to be more retribution against Custer by Hancock for a failed campaign. Interesting that after 9 months of a failed Indian campaign that Custer was recalled to do the aggressive fieldwork, which was his role in the LBH campaign.

This non-fiction work reviews the court-martial of Brvt. Maj. Geg. G. A. Custer. Following an unsuccessful campaign against the Indians in Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado, Custer was charged with a multitude of infractions, including absence without leave and murder. This book traces the evolution of both the historical and legal aspects of this unique case, and it includes the verbatim court transcript and record. It also traces Custer's return to command after he was declared guilty.

First let me express my thanks to amazon.com for locating a copy of this book for me even though it had been out-of-print for more than thirty years.

This book traces all areas of life involving the various classes of noblemen such as Lords, Barons, Earls, Counts, Duke etc. and their relationship with the crown with particular reference to the reign of Elizabeth, Charles and James. It showed the noblemen as a group involved with extravagant expenditures and often died in heavy debt in order to maintain the high social status required of their position. This 'status' thought was also associated with the fact that arranged marriages were the norm in the middle ages. It also showed the development of 'education' from being trained soley in military skills to moving into the academic world. However, not all nobles were really 'noble' as a quote from Sir Walter Raleigh will put it in the best way. "The Justices of Peace in England have opposed the injustices of war in England."

What fascinated me was the fact that at various times in history ANYONE could have become a Baron, Earl, Lord etc. if he/she had enough money to buy the title! Throughout the middle ages, monarchs often sold titles to raise cash! The sale of the 'Baronet' started as a new title in on the market in 1611. The sale of titles ceased in 1629 when even an ex-convice, Ralph Buckinsham was sold a title! However, sales continued again in 1641 with a renewal by King Charles. It is interesting to note that the first round of sales led to the (temporary) abolition of The House of Lords and the second rounds from 1891 to 1921 led to a severe reduction of the political powers of the Lords.

Stone, who died in 1999, established his international reputation with this work, one of the most important books published on Engish history in the last half century. He examines the decline of the Court centered aristocracy as against the provincial squires, with the consequent loss of Parliament and the country. He also mentions the remarkable sequel: the Aristocracy regains its power and prestige, this time leading Parliament. Like all of Stone's work it asks large questions , and dares the reader to analyze it independently. It is a great temptation. I admit that my own prejudices incline me to the view that the landed gentry who backed Cromwell, and the landed gentry who were loyal to the King were not that different from each other, which is why Cromwell was successful (he could easily conciliate his former enemies, who were just like his gentry supporters) and why Cromwells revolution was swept away in an instant with no oppostion(the gentry decided they wanted their King back). It is a testimony to Stone's book that I was forced to think these things through, and that I am still not sure wie es eigentlich war, as Ranke said.

Rest in peace, Professor Stone. A light has gone out in Princeton.