John Messina is a wonderful person and has much wisdom. I am curious if this book is about the lifes of his clients or not. I know that he was rated in the top five trial attorneys for the entire united states. I know the technical writing of all his other books is incredible. It does make you wonder if the storyline for this book was from his client list and thier sufferings.

It is a page-turner with excellent character development. The surprise ending is wonderfully done.

'Death of the Duchess' is the first novel by Elizabeth Eyre, which is the pen name of two London-based authors, Jill Staynes and Margaret Storey, who also write under the pseudonym of Susannah Stacey for another mystery series.

This novel is the first of a series, and it introduces the main detective character, Sigismondo, a shadowy, moral character of the early Renaissance in Italy. Sigismondo has an unknown background, high in mystery, travel, education, and experience. Equally at home among the street urchins and the courtiers, the politicos and the clerics, he seems to move with ease to find the information he's seeking, and acts with skill (both physical and intellectual) to avoid or, when avoidance doesn't work, escape problematic situations.

Sigismondo is joined by Benno, a character reminiscent of Sancho in Don Quixote. Benno provides support, a 'talking point' (much like Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes), and a bit of comic relief.

The story begins with a kidnapping. There is a long-standing feud between the di Torres family and the Bandini family, both noble families whose continuing feud threatens to destabilise the region. The handmaiden of the kidnapped daughter is discovered dead. As the story progresses, the duchess herself is discovered stabbed to death during a wedding feast, and accusations fly back and forth between di Torres and Bandini family members.

Sigismondo, not one to take anything presented at face value, searches neighbouring villages, monastic centres, and noble houses to search for the truth behind the kidnapping (which seems odd, given the state of preparedness of the house, which seemed set up to be ripe for a kidnapping) and the murder of the duchess, a bold act to take place in the midst of a crowded house during a banquet by a member of the Bandini clan who was bound to be recognised and caught.

During the course of his investigation, in which Sigismondo shows himself witty, skillful, a master of disguise and of discerning subtrefuge and double-dealing, he discovers cracks in the supposedly loyal internal family structures, which serves to heighten the mystery and intrigue. Is the kidnapper also a murderer? To what end was the daughter really kidnapped? Was the marriage between the duke and duchess of Rocca as faithful and happy as had been publicly presented?

In the end, Sigismondo puts together a strange alliance of enemies who had been set against each other to uphold an unlikely ruler and thus solve the mystery, which impacts on the larger ambitions of foreign princes--but, I get ahead of myself here. I mustn't give everything away.

One of the things that makes Eyre's story so appealling is the attention to detail, both in physical description and in political and psychological motivation. Great care has been taken to thoroughly immerse the reader in Renaissance Italy, and Eyre's research has been very good to discover details of menu, house operation, church and monastic life, city life, and minor family political nuances. (The book is dedicated to Niccolo Machiavelli, of fond memory.)

Complete with a down-to-the-wire, suspenseful conclusion, this is a great story, and a perfect introduction of characters who continue in other alliterative mysteries such as 'Poison for the Prince' and 'Curtains for the Cardinal'.

Historical mysteries have seemed to appear with a leap and a bound over the past several years, due to the amazing fascination that readers have with this genre. And Elizabeth Eyre's contribution in 1991 with "Death of the Duchess" is a welcomed--and respected--inclusion. The first of the series, "Duchess" introduces us to Sigismondo, an independent solver of crimes. Set during the Italian Renaissance, the book quickly captivates the reader as the daring Sigismondo is commissioned to find out where an abducted daughter of a local aristocrat. The daughter is from one of the leading families of duchy (a di Torre) and it is suspected she is the victim of a plot by the other leading family, the Bandini, due to an ages-old hatred. Earlier, the daughter, Lady Cosima, had been betrothed to young Leandro Bandini, as per the Duke's command so that the feud could be ended once and for all.

Not that it is so easy, however, for the Duke's own wife is found murdered in her chamber. Young Leandro is found unconscious in her chamber and it appears that he is guilty of the crime. Thus, the plot unravels at an alarming rate from this point on. The authors introduces us to all kinds of people, and red herrings and other points of confusion abound. It is left up to Sigismondo to solve the mystery and to restore peace once more to the duchy.

A man of mystery himself, the muscular (and handsome) Sigismondo is also quite intelligent, witty, and capable of taking care of himself in the martial arts (a true 'Renaissance Man'). He early on picks up Benno, a slow-witted ragamuffin, as his assistant and servant. Benno proves to be more than his appearance allows, however. The two, and Benno's dog Biondello, will appear in the next Eyre novels.

This book, while taking on some very recognizable traits from another Renaissance mystery of "two houses divided," is a delight to read, no matter how familiar the plot. The author (actually a pseudonym of Jill Staynes and Margaret Storey) seems well versed in the period and there is no problem of verisimilitude!

The storyline moves quickly and the characters are convincing. There is enough action, romance, and, yes, even murder to propel the book to its exciting finish, naturally with a surprise or two in its conclusion. It's worth one's time!

Rick Bass is not your typical hunter, and The Deer Pasture is not your typical hunting story. An admitted "tree hugger," Bass uses his family deer lease as the setting for a narrative essay that deals with everything from hunting ethics and wildlife conservation to family values and romantic love. His observations on Texas Hill Country society (including the dogs--especially the dogs) are thorough without sounding scientific. Bass's Mark Twain-style humor serves as comic relief to the very serious issues that he tackles. This book is destined to become a Texas literary classic.

This is a great book for all deer hunters, especially those who hunt in the Texas Hill Country. Bass goes beyond the hunt to take a light-hearted look at why we go back to deer camp year after year. The essays put into words the excitement and wonder of hunting, the Hill Country and all the small things that make deer hunting so much more than just the hunting of deer.

I first read Mattingly's book as a grammar school (high-school to readers on the other side of the pond) history student in England in the 1960s, and have been coming back to it regularly ever since for the sheer pleasure of it. My old paperback copy wore out, so my family gave me the hardback version.

The great strength of Mattingly's treatment is that he went far beyond the purely naval aspects of the campaign. He set it squarely in the context of the politico-religious struggle for domination in western Europe, with England and the Dutch Protestants on one side, Spain and all her allies and dependencies on the other, and France paralysed by a ferocious three-cornered internal struggle. He is particularly strong on the events before and after the battle of Coutras which prevented France from either pursuing the ultra-Catholic preferences of the house of Guise (of which Mary Queen of Scots' mother was a member), or the traditional French policy of opposition to the house of Hapsburg, which the Catholic King Henri of Valois and his Protestant heir-apparent Henri of Navarre would both have preferred.

I do nevertheless find two serious gaps in Mattingly's handling of the geopolitical context. The first is the Dutch, who after all had been fighting the war, and suffering the casualties, longer than anyone else except Spain. Mattingly ignores their internal dynamics and skates over the detail of their relationships with England, in both areas doing far less than justice to a key element in the strategic equation. The second gap is the lack of treatment of the Scottish dimension. Scotland, ruled by Mary's son James VI, was the dog that did not bark in the night in 1587-88, and the reasons for that deserve analysis. Yes, after his mother's death James was nearest heir to the English throne, but just HOW did he dissuade the Scots - over whom his power was strictly limited - from using the excuse for their usual descent on England?

Mattingly's general strength on the geopolitical aspects does not mean he is weak or lacking in detail on the naval and military aspects: quite the contrary. Coverage of Drake's raid on Cadiz is pretty much obligatory in a history of the Armada, and Mattingly gives it blow by blow (incidentally revealing what a thoroughly impossible man Drake was to work with). But he is equally strong on Parma's capture of Sluys, which he hoped would be his troops' embarkation point, in the face of dour resistance by the Dutch-English garrison. When it comes to the Armada itself, his grasp of detail is supreme. Mattingly was probably the first of all the many hundreds of Armada historians to read a tide-table and work out that Drake really would have had time to finish his game of bowls - had he ever played it. My only quibble here is over the Dutch naval contribution: they were never in contact with the Armada itself, but their presence scotched any possibility of Parma's forces making a rendezvous. Mattingly acknowledges their importance, but I personally would have welcomed more detail.

Mattingly belonged to the bravura school of English-language historians (Gwyn "The Vikings" Jones is another great exponent), which is both a strength and a weakness. His magnificent prose and grand narrative sweep carry the reader along on a flood tide - sometimes to the extent of concealing omissions and even (for all I know, not being a professional historian) errors. A few of his stylistic mannerisms grate a little nowadays, notably his use of "men" (as in "men said that ...") when a modern viewpoint requires acknowledgement that half the population is female. But these are minor quibbles - buy it and read it!

The defeat of the Armada inaugurated a period which, for English history at least, culminated in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the triumph of a bourgeois science-based way of life.

In this book, Mattingly, unlike many others who have concentrated on the naval aspects of the episode, explores the motivations of the states and individuals involved. In brisk, experienced vignettes, he presents the dilemma facing the English government faced with the intractable problem of the putative heir to the throne, Mary, Quen of Scots, a Catholic, at a time when Elizabeth's throne had been explicity threatened by the Pope.

We see the weakness of France; the relentless attempts of the leading Catholic power, Habsburg Spain, to suppress the Protestant inspired revolt of Holland, which involved military action close to the Kent shore, and action in which England was already heavily involved and expensively subsidizing.

The cutting of the Gordian knot by the execution of Mary precipitated the Spanish attack. Philip II hoped to achieve several objectives at once: to remove Elizabethan Protestantism from Europe; to end English interference with his military action in Holland; finally to crush the Dutch Republic and re-establish the unity of Christendom.

The social and religious motivations of the actors are brilliantly portrayed by an expert in the diplomatic records of the period.

Perhaps the most telling thing you can say in favour of this book is that it is not written for the professional historian, but cannot be ignored by any of them.

I found this book an easy read with many examples from daily life. The chapters were not too long, which made it easy to read one and think about the ideas presented. Mrs. Murphy's provides the reader with advice and help to parents and students themselves in helping to appreciate and understand one another. The first chapter is essential in understanding Mrs. Murphy's approach in using the type-theory.

She has great insight into the personality. I especially found her examples helpful in explaining the types and their behaviors. If someone is looking for a book to understand theirselves, their children, thier students, or even their spouse, this book is worth the buy.

One more thing. This book is for parents, educators, or anyone trying to grasp the concepts of the MBTI. Since I have read it many times, I have a clearer understanding of personality types.

This book explains the individual preference in a very concise and easy to understand format. Through its explanation, one can see why children behave differently. It offers tips on how to help children grow in a more balanced way so that they can enjoy the strength of their preferences and minimize the impact of the weakness from their preference by learning effective coping skills.

I purchased the movie 'The Sorrow and The Pity' first--this led to a lot of questions about the French--the occupation, resistance and overall attitudes and behaviors in WWII. In light of the French attitude concerning the involvement of that country in conflicts around the globe, I picked this book up out of curiosity and found a lot more than I bargained for. I was immediately swept up in a harrowing and depressing story of struggle and betrayal, written from the perspective of a French Woman who lived through it all with her family. A real eye opener--an extremely enjoyable book, if that is I word I can use here. I do not recommend it as the first book in the trilogy to read. Characters appear and disappear with the assumption that the reader has read the first two books. After reading this I located and purchased the first two, 'The Blue Bicycle' and 'Lea' and then ended up reading 'The Devil Laughs' a second time. The three novels are the French 'Gone With The Wind' She writes well from a perspective that would be called Anti-French from anyone else. The characters are real--what they feel--the confusion, pain, frustration and horror are well communicated and the reader is drawn into the story. This is a novel that is experienced as well as read. An extremely visual story that would make an excellent film if someone had the nerve.

In 1944, the World War 2 was about to finish. It was the moment of revenge. Léa Delmas was involved with French Resistance Operations, consequently her life was in dangerous. Far away from her love , François Tavernier, she must fight to recover him, with the same force as she combat the deutchs enemies. Passion, adventure and honor are the ingredients that make "The Devil Laughs Again" an involvent and exating book till the last page.

I hope to heaven that there was a great deal of poetic license taken in telling this story. It would be too painful to read if all was true. In fact, I have been afraid to finish it. I am happy to say, that she is healthy and happy now regardless of any perceived past. Also, she is in process of writing a sequel about Molly's recovery. I look forward to its completion.

This book is disgustingly realistic in it's portrayal of the drunken Punk Rock underworld, Ms. Martin's life, and and what is surely the L.A. band Popdefect. The scary part is that most or all of it probably really happened. Yikes!!

Unlike the other reviewer I am a regular reader of sf & f, especially feminist and/ or GLBT-themed sf & f. I love(d) this book!!! I loved it when I first bought it in the late 70's and it is not at all dated. (I re-read it last year and was touched and amazed and overjoyed all over again.) The love story, the space opera and the primary conflict between the two men is as real and vital now as it was when it was first written.

I admit I'm not a fan of sci-fi and the first time I saw it, I was kind of ticked off by the cover. If it wasn't by Elizabeth A. Lynn, I'd have left it alone. But when I started reading it in the bookstore, I just HAD to take it home. It's a wonderful story of a painter, Jimson Alleca, who's fate is to die during a time when a being may achieve immortality. He may live for thirty more years if he stays in his world, but he longs for freedom and wishes to find his love, Russel O'Neill. And maybe, just maybe, he'll also find a cure for his sickness. A truly wonderful story that can only be written by Elizabeth A. Lynn. I read this almost everyday.

This book cuts right to the chase for the Christian. Elliot puts forth the truth with a punch. I was personally challenged on how I live my life. As I read and reread this book it focused me on what is really important and that changed my life for the better. I refer to this book often and quote it more times than I can count. Excellent investment for any Christian wanting to grow and mature.

This is a really good book where Elisabeth Elliot draws from her own experience in surrendering to God. She speaks about how surrendering to discipline is something that will make life better rather than giving it all up. And like all of Elliot's books, it is incredibly well written.

If Disney is your thing this is a wonderful book for you. It takes Disney characters and puts them into their own little Christmas stories. The stories iclude 101 Dalmations, The Little Mermaid, The Aristocats, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Winnie the Pooh, Bambi, Pinocchio, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Oliver and Company, Dumbo, A Bug's Life, Lady and the Tramp, Mickey Mouse, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tarzan, Robin Hood, and Toy Story.

Each story is enchanting in it's own way, and the illustrations are incredibly beautiful. Bring this book into your home this holiday season. You won't be disappointed.

This storybook is an elegant (complete with silver-edged pages) companion to other Disney stories. We have a 2-1/2 year old daughter who loves reading and is enjoying longer, more envolved stories. This book places her favorite characters in holiday stories that are consistent with what she is familiar with.

For example, the story of Snow White is set with the seven dwarfs during the time she is staying with them. It is easy to simply say that she stayed with them for some time before the Queen and Prince finds her in the forest.

Plenty of stories with all your favorites including Cinderella, Little Mermaid, Hunchback, etc. Each one is 10-20 pages long, so this isn't for kids with short attention spans.