I have tried to read 3 novels of Greeley's Nuala Anne McGrail Series and quite frankly I did not get past 3 to 5 chapters before I could no longer take the "Irish Overkill." This fascination with the Irish goes way past "normal" fiction. One cannot reasonably cast the character within the boundaries of fiction. The Irish do not possess anything better or less than other cultures and perhaps Fr. Greeley could research the treasure of other cultures with as much enthusiam as he wishes the Irish possessed. Greeley is a fine novelist and wonderful story-teller, he does not need to fill page after page of abberated nonsense about a culture that in reality has alot of beauty but reading one of Greeley's McGrail novels will definitely turn one off of the Irish.

I've just been introduced to Nuala & Dermott--where have I been! I am hooked now, however, and am going back in time to read Irish Gold & Irish Lace to start. Father Greeley has created two wonderful characters in Nuala & Dermott, the language is, as one would expect, typical of Irish-Americans, as is the portrayal of the woman being of strong character. I was tickled by his honest portrayal of Dermott's mixed feelings about their new little baby, and the worry it was causing his precious wife. I was fascinated by the history of the Great Lakes shared in this book, and realized how little I know of other, not so famous shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. So, as well as going back and reading more of Nuala & Dermott, I am going to read up on Great Lakes History as well. Tis a fine thing when an author inspires one to read more about it, tis!

This book is one of the best books I have read in a long long time. The way the writer writes about Naula and Dermot's love, is astounding. Then mixing in what it's like for them to a child, and a protective dog. Then the mystery they wanted/needed to figure was great.

Although published in '97, this book is already quite dated - the Mars and Jupiter system maps are based on Viking and Voyager data. Given the cost of this book, I'd wait until an edition came out which integrated the Mars Global Surveyopr and Gallileo data. Also, the detail of some of the maps leaves something to be desired - most of the locations listed in the Gazeeter are not marked on the maps. Finally, too much expository text is included (in a large type with generous spacing). I would have prefered these pages to be filled with more maps, rather than text I could have found elsewhere.

This atlas gives good information on all aspects of the solar system wether you are a layman or a planetary scientist. The pictures and maps are all-encompassing and beautifully composed. This is a wonderful addition to anyone's library

I can remember being a child poring over maps of foriegn countries and wondering what life was like in those far away places. I was fortunate in that my grandmother had quite a collection of antique reference books, from the 19th century but in excellent shape, that she would allow me to examine.

I remember being impressed by the many beautiful, detailed illustrations and maps, artwork that could entice a young reader to dream. The heavy, well constructed tomes imparted a sense of respect to the reader, for here was True Knowledge, presented with an unmistakeable high quality and with meticulous detail.

Over the years my appreciation for quality reference books has increased. Growing up during the early years of space exploration naturally made me interested in books about the Moon and planets. I have many such books, but there is a lot of variance in the amount of meaningful content, print quality, size, and many other factors.

There are things that will bring on happy memories from childhood, and one thing that brought such a happy memory to me was when I received my NASA Atlas of the Solar System. It is a large, heavy, high quality and very serious book that deserves to be in every reference library. Here you will find, in incredible detail, the sum of mankind's cartographical knowledge of the entire Solar System as of 1997. Would-be space explorers will have a field day with maps of all the planets and their satellites, including many in-depth explanations about the many varied geological and geographical features found on the various worlds.

The maps are not simple composited photos, but are meticulously constructed using various techniques from image processing to airbrushing. Color is used extensively to convey information in many ways such as elevation and geologic age. The scaling and image quality is consistent throughout, and for the first time I've been able to compare a feature on the side of the Moon visible in telescopes and compare it directly to features seen on other worlds. Throughout there is related text that complements the maps.

One thing about this volume that impresses me over and over again is the realization of the sheer amount of information we have concerning our planetary neighbors in the Solar System. There is a lot of real estate out there!

Here is a book that can awaken and re-awaken the dream of space exploration for readers of all ages as well as serve as the ultimate reference book on Solar System cartography, geology and geography for many years to come. Whether for a school, public, or private library, the NASA Atlas of the Solar System should be considered an essential reference.

This book omits several important events in U. S. History up to 1865. But is sufficient for introductory classes in U. S. History. While it does a sufficient job as a survey source, it is not recommended for an in-depth study of any period in U. S. History. Further, Roark seems to emphasize some events that seem less important to U. S. History.

This book is very well written, quite long, though

Cormac MacDermot, High King of Ireland, is cast out of his homeland and wanders the countryside with his slavegirl Brigid (Biddy), and his faithful wolfhound, Podraig, in search of the magic cup and a magical princess. He leaves behind his dying father and his evil witch stepmother and encounters assasins, magical folk, allies, and pirates on his adventure. Although his lust for Biddy grows stronger as she develops into a lucious young woman, Cormac tries to convince himself that she is his foster daughter rather than a potential lover. The two bicker and argue throughout the tale. As Cormac grows closer to completing his quest, he begins to realize that young Biddy may not be the person he--and she--always thought she was.

This is the first book by Greeley that I've read, and that perhaps colors my opinion of his writing. Greeley includes a few pages of notes at the end of the novel to explain the origins of this ancient Celtic myth and how it later became translated and changed into a more Westernized and romanticized version of the Arthurian legends. This is perhaps the most interesting part of the novel, and the reason I rank this at 3 stars. I also appreciated Greeley's feel for the Irish countryside; his characters move in and out of these rich sounding villages and kingdoms, and that helps to create a very vivid atmosphere for the book. However, much of the novel focuses on Cormac fighting his desire for Biddy, on Biddy biting back at Cormac with an acid tongue, and on the two of them playing a will-they-won't-they sexual intrigue. There are a great many pages devoted to how some young wench looks in a wet gown. I found this to be quite tiresome, especially with lines such as "One could, after all, eat cheese and kiss a girl." I like the Arthurian legends, and I was looking forward to reading something that came from an even older myth. This is not the novel that I hoped to get lost in because I was constantly rolling my eyes at the descriptions of sexual chastity or voracity. This is, however, a quick read that most readers should be able to finish in an afternoon. You might want to read the afterward by Greeley first because that contains quite a bit of interesting history of the legend on which this tale is based.

The Magic Cup is wonderful. It is a romantic story with a plot that hinges on a prophecy much as does the movie Willow. The girl is adorable, the guy is great and both are believable characters. It is somewhat reminiscent of Morgan Llewellyn in its strong ties to historical events and the author's obvious familiarity with all the specifically Irish elements of myth. Lovers of her books and also of Diana L. Paxson are likely to treasure this hard-to-find book.

This coffee table book has nice photos and is easy on the eyes, but if you're looking for a collection of striking photographs, you'd be better off with any of the wolf calendars. It also has numerous typos and rampant editorializing. For instance, it uses the generic man regularly, in places where it would be easy not to, and in the very first chapter manages to blame the wolf's endangered status on the spread of Christianity. The verbal descriptions of the wolf's prehistoric ancestors directly contradict the drawings given of the same ancestors. I don't know enough about wolves yet to judge the accuracy of the factual information presented, but when the rest of the editing and writing is so sloppy, why should we trust the factual research not to be equally sloppy?

The beauty of the wolf is difficult for any one to capture, but in this book, Maureen Greely brings the reader closer to this fascinating animal and its infinite wisdom. The author satisfies the appetites of both those who love looking at wolves and those who love learning about them. Greely goes into depth when describing the history, breeds, lifestyles, and current status of the wolf. But that depth is matched by the eyes which come forth from the pictures she has included. Read the info, look through the eyes, see the wisdom, see the beauty.

an astonishingly bad book. i'm amazed a respectable university press would put something like this out. incredibly breezy, sloppy writing, many typos, little theoretical sophistication...just atrocious.

This book is a short sociological discussion (an argument actually) of the way that Catholicism views the world. As the author asserts, Catholics have an "enchanted imagination" and see the presence of God in earthly things. Catholicism is also filled with metaphors relating nature and human relationships to the nature of God. This is evident after an examination of the inside of almost any Catholic church: statues of the Virgin Mary, votive candles, stained glass, and holy water adorn the interior. These symbols are more than just outward tradition, they are a physical manifestation of the Catholic imagination. Protestants (whom Greeley contrasts with Catholics throughout the book) , on the other hand, are more likely to emphasize the distance of God from our world and hence the image of a stereotypical Protestant church as four white-washed walls. Protestants don't see God's presence in the world in the same way as Catholics and hence they don't surround themselves with these images. Neither view is better or worse than the other, simply different. In essence, this is what the book is about.

Greeley presents the results of many sociological studies and surveys among Catholics and Protestants and then gives various models (interpretations of the data). I won't discuss any more of the results that he arrives at or the data that is presented because these are, interestingly enough, not the strong point of the book. After all, poll results can be skewed by a multitude of factors. And although Greeley's interpretations of the results are certainly plausible, they are obviously only one of many such interpretations. The real importance of a book like this is not in arriving at definite answers as to how Catholics think but, at least for those of us who are Catholic, in its ability to consciously remind us how we often (subconsciously) interpret certain images. I must say that, being Catholic myself, I found much of what Greeley said very accurate of the way I view the world (or at least the way I view the way I view the world). Maybe I just like to think I view the world in this way. Even if that's the case, the book still gives me a vision to cultivate.

I don't have much more to say about the book but I do want to address a certain point I think is important. It is the role of the physical church, its architecture and its adornments, in the Catholic faith. The discussion of statues and vaulted archways may seem peripheral in the domain of theology (and indeed they probably are) but it is not my intention to elevate such items to the dominant elements of faith. Rather, I simply want to point out their importance beyond simple decoration. Greeley addresses the issue in what I think is the most interesting chapter, Sacred Place, Sacred Time. At the end of the book Greeley calls a Catholic church one that "looks like a church instead of a-heaven save us all-worship center." Of course we all know what he means: Protestant churches are boring. I walk into one and I immediately feel...the presence of God? No! I feel like I've been transported to the realm of Clorox (although, I must admit, this makes for a very clean feeling). My little old country church may have rickety pews, loose floor tiles, roughly plastered walls, and a bunch of ceramic statues that look like they were imported from the local flea market (okay, they're not that bad), but I still prefer it any day over mass in an auditorium. What I mean to say is that a church is not just a place where people of a common faith gather, it is a sacred place where God has left his mark and a hint of his presence, not because that specific place was preordained by God to be special but because we his people have made it special. Those are our works of art and our images in the church but they hint at greater images. They are not images of God but images to help us think about God. They are, as Greeley points out, metaphors of God's nature.

Catholic Priest, socialogists, and writer, Andrew Greeley has written an insightful book. But it should had been a little better developed and bigger, citing more examples (or exploring the examples already presented even deeper), antedotes and history. With the negatives aside, this book still warrants four stars as Father Greeley's talent for writing to a variety of reading levels in one text is outstanding. Whether one reads more academic works or populists books, this book is sure to be a pleasure to read for most.

Greeley's psoition is to write a book to show the differnce between the Catholic imagination juxtaposed against a Protestant imagination in American society in particular. In expressing this difference, the first three chapters exceed in engaging the reader. The fisrt chapter, "Sacred Place, Sacred Time" deals primarily with the Catholic tradition and religious imagery and I think there is a strong difference between the two traditions. As the Protetsant tradition moves further West (I mean West in the abstract), the churches become increasingly more plain and look more often than not as small civic centers, while the Catholic Church, still builds beautiful places of worship, whether the facilities are in an older gothic or contempary style.

The second chapter titled "Sacred Desire" is beautiful. Most of the other chapters are still engaging, but a little less so. The saddest thing is that I think many, if not most American Catholics have lost this imagination. My assertions are mostly from my limiited expierence with Catholics, but besides the strength of family and community, many of the ideas presented in this book do not seem to touch the homes of many American Catholics. This is why, the book should be developed even more and maybe taught to Catholics, because I tthink that Catholics can learn from the book as much as Protestants.

I really tried to read this book. I've read most everything the Good Father has written, both fiction and non-fiction, but I just couldn't finish this. Cinda-Sue's dialect is distracting, incorrect, and extremely offensive. I have lived in the south most of my 62 years and I have never heard anyone begin a sentence with "happen", nor have I ever heard the word "bodacious" used. The "Hollywood" / "Beverly Hillbillies" / "Hee-Haw" representation of the south and Southerners are stereotypes that need to die.
Once you get past (if you can) Cinda-Sue the plot is convoluted, cumbersome, and boring. Don't waste your time with this book.

This was an intriguing plot, and the various church leaders were interesting. Frankly,I am tired of Cinda Sue! I hope she is not in future books. Her "mountain girl" talk is too much for me.I have lived in the South and known many Southerners but they do not sound like her. I especially was interested in the exsoldier priest,who mourned the death of his wife. Blackie is delightful, as usual.

This Blackie Ryan novel was truly entertaining, and is one of my favorites in the series. It's a good one to read around the Christmas holidays. I'll admit that Cinda-Sue's dialect can be a bit distracting, but I found her quite well-rounded as a character once he developed her a bit, and learned to live with her. Let's face it, we all have dialects, but few of us recognize it because most of those around us speak in the same way. I think Father Greeley uses dialects and slang as a means of helping his readers distinguish between characters. In his mysteries, there tends to be lots of characters with the same last names or similar chracteristics, so the dialects and slang are helpful identifiers for those of us who get a little befuddled about who is who after a few days away from the book. I just wish he would drop the "Like-Ohmigod!" valley girl talk he tends to give the virtuous Meaghans and any other teenage girl in his novels. I haven't spoken with a teenager who uses speech pattens like that since 1983. Keep cranking the Blackie Ryan novels out, Father Greeley!

Irish Mist, The fourth book in Andrew Greely's series of Nuala McGrail mysteries gives us another look at an unsolved mystery from the past; who killed Kevin O'Higgins. O'Higgins, who was Michael Collins successor in the effort to have an independent Ireland, is the catalyst for the latest of Nuala's "fey" episodes and her husband Dermot once again does the footwork.(Although this time his physical attributes are often brought into play) Mixed with an almost farcical attempt to kidnap Nuala, a charity concert in Ireland, and a commentary on the nature of lovemaking and its importance to a successful marriage, Greely bites off a bit more than he needs to. Sometimes the central mystery gets lost when there is too much extraneous material floating around, and this seems to be the problem here as it was with the last book in the series, Irish Whiskey. Greely tries to make each book a history lesson and maybe a tale that is completely fictional without the baggage of historical documentation is needed to liven the series up a bit. As it is, the books are getting bogged down in subplots, most of which are not worth the reader's time. The strength of the novels is still the relationship of Nuala and Dermot. Maybe that needs to be the focus.

This is the first book I read from this author of this "Irish" theme and I was not impressed. I liked the characters and the writing is very funny and brings to the reader the 'irish accent', but all in all, the book did nothing for me.

I have read previous books by the author and I prefer them to this kind of "mystery a la Irish".

Drawn to the Irish connection, I was delighted to find an historical connection as well. To stumble upon an author able to create around both my loves is a dream come true! I could not put this book down. Greeley's description of the main characters paints a portrait so vivid, I feel that I truly know them. Likewise, he takes you to Ireland with such verbal mastery and geographic preciseness, I felt as if I were there. This was my first Greeley novel...discovered quite by accident. I have already purchased Irish Gold, Irish Lace and Irish Whiskey and can not wait to begin another priceless journey through Greeley's words.

I think that this is the most poorly written book that I have ever read. A mixture of Chatechism, (romantic) handbook, and U.S. history with some Forest Gump thrown in. I kept trying to figure out how a kid could graduate from High School, serve time in the Army at the end of WW2 and get a college degree by the time he was 22. It took him a couple of more years to win a Pullitzer. If you like REALLY light reading you MAY enjoy this.

It is frighting that any one would find anything real about the family in this book. Rosie the witch, Chuckie the night of the living dead. I found the whole thing so boring. Just because it took place in the 50's does it have read like a book from the 50's. This is 2001. Who talks that way? Pease, more life like chacters. Could have been great....I come from a Irish, Catholic family with many of the problems faced in this book. But, I just thought the book was insulting.

Admittedly, the Chucky O'Malley series is not one of my favorites. I found the others to be more entertaining than this one. This novel basically recycles alot of the previous data with precious little new story. Enjoyable, but not the best.

I have read Andrew Greeley before and enjoyed some of his earlier works, but it seems that the characters in Summer at the Lake are reincarnated from past books. What is his obsession with middle-age women who have incredible bodies, incredible intellects, and have been wronged in love? And what's wrong with a female lead who has a less than "delicately shaped rear end" or perfectly perky breasts at 48? But many of his female leads are crafted this way (and they need rescuing from a male...) All the men are good-looking and moneyed; all the children are smart, beautiful, supportive of their parents and wise beyond their years. I could take this in a couple of the books, but it's getting old. I don't think I'll even bother to finish, because the ending will be so predictable! They'll probably run off to Ireland where Packy will bestow the sacrament of marriage upon their rich, beautiful bodies. Oh, yes, and here's another story with a priest in love with his best friend's love interest/sister/etc. I'm sure it happens, but I don't care to read about it over and over again. The plot is slow, and quite frankly, I don't just don't care a whit about the mystery! Eileen has no character development, and so what about Jim--so he had an affair with an older (beautiful rich perfect-bodied) woman. Disappointing, to say the least. I'm glad I only borrowed it from the library.

What's the true test of whether it's a good book or not? When you can't bear to put it down and you don't want it to end, it's a good book! Greeley has characters with whom you can identify, a plot that keeps you going and a setting that makes you long for those big old houses by a pristine lake on summer days uncomplicated by bumper to bumper traffic and air pollution. I read the other reviews and wonder if everybody is so uptight these days that they can't imagine just laying back under an oak tree and reading a good book - not a great book, not a great work of literature. Just a good book. Lighten up, get a life, smell the flowers and learn to love just a "good" book.

I was referred to Greeley by my mother. The thought of a Catholic priest writing these type of stories intrigued me. I have to disagree with some of the other people writing reviews of this book. This book was a good read. I had a hard time putting it down. The plot involving both the love lost and mystery was very interesting. And, Greely's use of different narrators gives a good perspective on what everyone was thinking and feeling at the time. I feel that the switching of narrators and the flashbacks enhanced the story. As for Greely writing about love, why shouldn't a Catholic priest write about that sort of thing? Like the other reviewer, I was raised Catholic. However, unlike the other reviewer I praise Greely for writing about love and was not disgusted by it. Catholic priests are human too, and Packy's character gives a lot of insight into the fact that priests' experience the same emotions that the rest of us do! Keep up the good work Greeley!