For those readers unfamiliar with Ms. Mansfield's work, let me start out by saying that she does not include the danger and intrigue in her novels that many other Regency authors do. I enjoy those authors too, but Elizabeth Mansfield is a pleasant change from the norm. She uses as her model Jane Austen's character-driven stories. This is one case where that model works extremely well. I won't bother to summarize the plot, as that's been done. Pippa is an endearing heroine, if a bit too willing to sacrifice herself for others' well-being. Her confusion about where her heart truly lies is well-written, and the conclusion of the book is extremely satisfying and heartwarming. If you are looking for a good story with realistic characters and a gentle mood, this is the place to go.

I have collected almost all of the Elizabeth Mansfield regencies over the years and have enjoyed them, but this one, I think, is her best. It has a sweet poignancy to it that gets me every time. Simon, with his gentle, scholarly ways, is one of my all-time favorite romance heroes. If you liked this one, be sure to check out Regency Sting and The Phantom Lover.

If you are tired of the regencies that go on and on and on about nothing...you will enjoy this book. Pippa is a gentle-hearted young lady who thinks herself in love with the rather self-centered eldest son of the family who has "raised" her since she was 12. She is mostly attracted to his handsome face...as she realizes the more time she spends with Simon, the second son. He is the one with true character. To me, Simon is the reason I enjoy this book. Elizabeth Mansfield lets you see inside of his heart throughout the book and he is an endearing character. Someone else mentioned in a review that you don't even know what he looked like. I don't agree. The point was that he had beauty inside and the outside was not as important. Pippa realized that in time, thank goodness. You certainly have the idea that he is attractive, just in a quieter way.

I also enjoyed this book because these characters appear in some of Ms. Manfield's other books. In A Counterfeit Husband, Pippa's mother finds romance. You should read that book before Passing Fancies. It has its fair share of danger and intrigue, love and romance with the hero eluding a press gang and masquerading as a servant in the heroine's emply so that he won't be wrongly accused of murder. You also find out why Pippa is the way she is...why she lets Sybil lead her into adventures. Sybil is another name you'll find repeated in other books by Ms. Mansfield.

I highly recommend Ms. Mansfield as an author. When my roommate and I discovered her books we were immediately charmed. When you read her books you will feel like you know the characters personally...and she usually has a secondary romance going on in the story that adds extra interest.

This book provides a great base knowledge, in the practical understanding of TCP/IP structure. It quickly builds on basic IP addressing concepts, and ties in Subnets, and DNS information very, very well. Thank you for a GREAT book and lifetime reference. One of the books core points that 90 to 95% of networking issues are caused by IP problems, will allow you to solve many of your issues, through focusing on this book.

This book has been touted as the 21st-century upgrade to the classic TCP/IP Illustrated (by Richard W. Stevens), a series which has held a prominent place on the shelves of many a network administrator for the last decade. These are big boots to fill, but Practical TCP/IP does an impressive job. In over 800 pages of well-organized and well-illustrated text, there is no fat, but rather a lean and -- yes -- practical treatment of every major TCP/IP networking concept.

It cannot be emphasized enough that this is a hands-on book, not just a paper tiger. The key difference between it and TCP/IP Illustrated is that Practical TCP/IP walks the reader through detailed exercises at every step of the way. It shows real tools in use, making it easy for the beginner and even the experienced reader to learn new techniques quickly and interactively.

Topics are presented in a building-block fashion, so that sequential progress through the book guarantees the reader will understand each new concept as it is introduced. Those who choose to browse, however, are not left hanging. The author should be commended on an excellent standard of references within each section, pointing ahead, back, or even outside the text to supporting information. It is possible to drop into an advanced topic and still find all the supporting material needed to make sense of it.

Because the book speaks both Windows and Linux fluently, it is hard to conceive a network environment that could not benefit from having it on hand. It's an ideal book for beginners, probably the only one needed for the first and second semesters of a university networking course. Its exercises start with the simplest networking concepts and work up to some of the most complex of the mainstream network topics.

But it is not a book just for beginners. In a straw poll of our network colleagues, everyone found clear treatment of information they had not yet mastered. This is true in particular for the Windows networkers, because much of Windows networking is hidden by simplified user interfaces in the Microsoft tools. These tools work well when everything operates as expected, but when the network is broken, Windows network troubleshooting is daunting. Even the UNIX / Linux professionals found a trove of useful information, particularly in the use of common (free) tools to pick apart network activity and identify problems both glaring and obscure.

Practical TCP/IP can be unreservedly recommended for anyone planning, operating, or debugging a TCP/IP network. It is a major work and easily lives up to its billing as the next TCP/IP Illustrated.

(Note: one Amazon reviewer mentioned a printing error that duplicated some pages and dropped others. We have not experienced this, but you may want to check your copy before buying.)

This book is an excellent book for taking your computer
networking career from mediocre to top notch. Excellent advice
on designing, using and troubleshooting TCP/IP networks.

Okay- I know that this is a seminal work re: the Middle East, but it is as dry as any other history text that you might find on the shelves of MiddleEast 101. In comparison to Price of Honor or other more reader friendly texts that in my opinion carry as much critical information about the volatile region, it pales in comparison.

This books provides a special insight about the Middle East. Since the author lived in the region, he has a close perspective of its intricacies. In the book, the author explains certain of the big differences that some of the countries of the region have with each other.
Hot topics such as Palestine, Israel and Iraq are also dealt in an excellent way.

This book is a very solid introduction to the modern history of the region. Although it covers a much longer span, the first chapter is subtitled "from Ancient to Modern", the book spends 34 pages on the entire period prior 1800. Rather skimpy. But, it does well given its limited treatment of pre-1800. Another problem is the lack of spirit in the book. One can tell that author is British just by the style.

Having said the above, it does a very good job of summarizing the major history since 1800. And, I would recommend it to any seeking an introduction to the Middle East, esp. the modern world.

This has a fairly predictable, and common, plot line: Moira, in a fit of temper, tells her father that she'll marry the first stranger she meets. The following morning, she wanders into the stables and finds what one would normally expect to find in the family stables: a vagrant asleep, close to unconsciousness. So she brings the man into the house and introduces him as her fiance.

Oliver Sherrard, the 'vagrant', is actually the younger brother of an earl. Feeling stifled by his position as scion of the aristocracy, he takes off on a walking tour of the country, dressed in rough clothes and only 30 golden guineas in his pocket. As we could have predicted, he is relieved of his wealth - and his boots as well - and left for dead within 24 hours of leaving home, and this is why he has taken shelter in the stables. He goes along with Moira's plan because... well, because it suited Ms Mansfield for him to do so, but whatever his rationale was for doing so was not something she chose to share with her readers.

So the man everyone assumes is a penniless common vagrant is invited into a viscount's home and treated as an honoured guest and the potential fiance of the daughter of the house. Ummm... why? But this is merely one of the many elements of the story which left me puzzled and frowning in disbelief.

First, just why does no-one (well, except for Horatio, who for some reason decides to say nothing to anyone) even suspect that Oliver is not what he pretends? People notice that his accent is cultured, quite like that of a gentleman. Moira and her sisters and brothers-in-law are around members of the working class all the time - house servants, grooms, gardeners, people in the village - so would it not occur to them that their accents and modes of speech are completely different? Oliver may have been wearing rough clothing, true, but his hair will have been elegantly styled and well cut. His nails will have been well looked after. His hands will not be rough and full of callouses, all signs that he couldn't possibly be a vagrant or common labourer.

And the biggest clue of the lot is when Oliver asks for something to read, and goes on to display his familiarity with contemporary novels. Now, what common labourer, or even any member of the working class, could even afford to buy or borrow books, always assuming that they could read in the first place? And if they did, would they read novels? At the time, novels were very definitely regarded as a luxury.

If, after all that, Moira still believed him to be a penniless vagrant, she's even stupider than she appeared to be at the start of the book.

There is also a scene involving some elements of violence on Oliver's part towards Moira, which I found off-putting. In all, not a book I would be interested in re-reading.

This is the first book of Elizabeth Mansfield which I have read .....once I started I could'nt put it down....I would love to read more of her books.

What a delicious book this is! It features two of the best male characters to be found in Regency fiction as well as a perfectly delightful, absolutely not run-of-the-mill heroine. An off-beat plot only enhances this story of an unusual family and how it copes with the very hard-headed father, Lord Pattinger. Left a widower with four small daughters under the age of six, his word has been law for so long that almost no one has the will--or the heart--to question or challenge him. Except, that is, for his oldest daughter, the feisty, red-haired Moira, still unwed at twenty-six.

It is not her wish to be still unwed at this advanced age, having become nearly betrothed on three occasions. In each instance, however, after being offered an enticing settlement by the Viscount, the gentleman in question has instead become betrothed to one of Moira's sisters. Her father's reasoning is that in each case, the gentleman was not worthy of her. After the third such happening, she vows to marry the very first stranger to cross her path. The very first!

Oliver Sherrard, now twenty-three, having finished his schooling, is ready to make his way in the world, but quite undecided as to what or just where that way might be found. The second son of an earl, his inheritance is almost nil, however he has hopes of a career as a civil servant. But not just yet. Before settling down to life's duties, he decides to embark on a walking tour of England, for as much a year, much to the disgust, even chagrin, of his older brother John, now the new earl of Lydbury.

Equipped with a backpack and thirty guineas, Oliver sets off to explore his world. Unfortunately, he runs into trouble on his very first night. A local prize-fight is being celebrated at the inn where Oliver stops to spend the night, and the next morning finds Oliver beaten, bloody, bruised and left for dead under a hedgerow--minus his thirty guineas, of course. Awakened by the rain in his face, and the urgings of a small dog, he finds his way to shelter--the stables of an apparently prosperous holding, which, at least, is warm and dry.

Of course, poor Oliver in such a state IS the very next stranger encountered by Moira, who arranges for the wounded man to be cared for in the best guest room of the house, to the dismay of her sisters and nearly everyone else, including Oliver. He pretends to be a vagrant, but agrees to her betrothal charade in spite of his doubts. Little pieces of the façade each of them has erected as protection is chipped away as events move forward to a most satisfying conclusion, ably abetted by various siblings and in-laws.

This book demonstrates very well why Elizabeth Mansfield has remained at the very top of the favorite author list of so many readers for the past twenty years or so. This reader hopes she stays there for many more years.

I loved it. It's one of those romances that, by the end, you're dying for the couple to see that they love each other! I won't spoil it for you, but there's all the romance you want in this one and a few laughs, too.

This is a very touching story, different from the run-of-the-mill Regency romance. The theme is original and refreshing and the characters have depth and human feelings and qualities. I was moved to tears by Miles Strickland's unutterable sorrow and grief at his wife's deathbed.Elizabeth Mansfield has skilfully written a heartwarming tale not only full of poignancy but charm.

This is a cut above the average Regency romance. Olivia and her brother-in-law don't get on, though they try to tolerate each other for the sake of Clara, Olivia's sister and Miles' wife; mainly they avoid each other. Olivia is a 'bluestocking' with no understanding of Polite Society or relationships between men and women; she certainly does not understand the physical problems between Miles and Olivia which have led Miles to take a mistress. Thus her condemnation of Miles' behaviour makes it much harder, after Clara's death, for them to accept that they need each other's help and comfort. The way in which Olivia eventually helps Miles to come to an understanding with his children is, in the end, the key to their understanding of each other.

Elizabeth Mansfield's writing is sensitive and reflective as she pictures for her readers the coming to sexual awareness of a young woman who, even more than most in her time, has been sheltered from knowledge of male-female relationships. A number of the arguments between Olivia and Miles are very funny, although others - as they are intended - are saddening as the two of them contrive to drive each other further away by their mutual misunderstanding and pride.

Recommended; I certainly intend to keep and re-read my copy.

I bought this guide expecting that it would give a brief high-level overview of the main thinkers and ideas in political philosophy. It didn't do that -- it was more of a political philosopher "sampler", rather than an overview which outlines the high points in the intellectual history of the field. The first 10 pages of the ~50 page essay made some good distinctions & definitions, and emphasized that one should read the "great books" of political philosophy (though it doesn't give a list of those books until the appendix). The rest of the essay wasn't as informative, and just touches on some of the ideas of a couple major philosophers (e.g. Machiavelli, Plato, etc.), and tended to be slightly more interpretive than I like to see in an introduction (intro's should be more objective, because a beginner has a hard time distinguishing opinion from fact). Overall, this book only gave me a "feel" for what political philosophy is, without giving a sense of the entire scope of the field, the connections and/or debate between the various schools of thought, or the relative importance of the various thinkers. Granted, it's hard to give a comprehensive overview in 50 pages, but I think the essay could have been structured better. On the plus side, it is a very short essay -- 50 pages, double spaced.

This book is a very short summary of political philosophy. Perhaps it is wrong in assuming that a student would not be able to read about this subject in greater detail. After reading this, though, one will want to know more about political philosophy, why one can be both politically active and philosophical, and why politics is important to students, and not just leftist politics. Also, one wonders which political philosophy the author has, as he seems to comment wryly on both conservatism and liberalism with great acuity. A fine read, if somewhat incomplete.

Harvard University Professor Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr., is well known within the discipline of political theory as one of the great figures of our time. Profoundly influenced by Leo Strauss, he also brings to his work a concern for the institutions of constitutional democracy which was a staple at Harvard during the era of Carl Friedrich. He has made original contributions to the study of Machiavelli and recently completed a translation of, and commentary on, Tocqueville's Democracy in America.

Mansfield's lectures on ancient, medieval, and modern political philosophy are famously dense and provocative, forcing students to confront the deepest problems posed by some of the greatest minds in Western history. In this remarkable guide, Mansfield conveys with subtle precision the contours, the twists and turns, that political philosophy has taken over the centuries, from Plato to Nietzsche.

For any student of political philosophy, this is the place to begin. This slim book can be read at a single sitting, but what Mansfield has to say may keep you thinking for the rest of your life.

Compared with Mansfield's other books, this one is average. The Scottish brogue in many places diminishes the pleasure of smooth reading. This one is unlike her other books e.g. the Fifth Kiss or The Magnificent Masquerade which would evoke tender, warm or poignant emotions from her readers.Anyway, any book by Mansfield is delightful.

I have to admit that I am a sucker for old-fashioned, "sweet" romances. This one is definitely a keeper for me, and ranks up there with the best of Mansfield, in my estimation. I didn't have any problem with the Scottish brogue, but that is because I am a lover of all things scottish, and I have read so many books with brogue in them that I already knew a lot of the words. Besides, they were either explained, or easy to figure out from the context. I thought the hero to be a true hero--gentle, warm, funny, and honorable. I liked the fact that he became fond of the heroine's family members, and that they reciprocated his feelings. The heroine was a bit arrogant at the beginning, and the author did a good job of showing how she had her faults revealed to her and how she had a change of heart about things. This book was a "clean" read and reminded me of some of my favorite old-fashioned romances. Definitely going on to my "keeper" shelf after my mom finishes reading it!

Martha Saxton does a fairly good job for a simple basic chronological biography on Jayne. Saxton sticks to the point in the picture she has painted of Jayne. From Jayne's simple basic middle class upbringing to her zealous tinsel-town lifestyle once star struck in Hollywood. Many details of Jayne's personality and behavior I feel were left out or just indeed forgotten. My only argument is the argument many have had on the real fact whether Mansfield was really literally decapitated. Terrible rumors have flown around over the years that her head even ended up in the backseat of the car! The book said she was decapitated, however I have actually seen the death picture and the head was still attached from what I could tell. The ending of the book provided rather interesting information though about the settlement of the estate. Many of the more serious fans or collectors though may still be left somewhat hungry after reading this book. However I would still recommend reading it for those wanting to know whatever they can possibly find out about Mansfield as she was indeed a true Hollywood legend.

Martha Saxton's 'Jayne Mansfield And The American Fifties' is a fascinating, deeply probing biography on the short, tragic life of a Hollywood ... symbol. Ms.Saxton does extensive research and interviews with all the surviving key players in Jayne Mansfield's life and career,and is able to fit all the pieces of this puzzle together for a well rounded portrait of the star. The author illuminates the tail end of Hollywood's golden age, and how a brunette girl from Texas became a Hollywood blonde bombshell and star! Martha Saxton points out that unlike Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield could speak three languages and showed real acting talent!
This is the book to buy on Jayne Mansfield.

I came at this book from the Mansfield camp and a little exhausted by all of the stale comparisons between Mansfield and Woolf. However, Smith's work is full of well-researched and thoughtful analysis. It's an amazing study--particularly of Mansfield, I think--and one that belongs on the same shelf as Kaplan's KM & THE ORIGINS OF MODERNIST FICTION and Dunbar's RADICAL MANSFIELD. Essential reading for Mansfield scholars and fans alike.

I came at this book with an interest in Mansfield (and to a lesser extent Woolf) and was tired of the countless studies (chapters and essays) comapring the two. Needless to say, then, I approached this study with trepidation and assumed I would not think much of it. But what a surprise! Smith has done a terrific job with her research and has produced a study that towers over the others I've seen. The study smells of sweat and hard work. I put it alongside Sidney Janet Kaplan's and Patricia Dunbar's studies of Mansfield. It is one of the best.

In my opinion, this book represents a very dangerous mix of information, integrating a well researched area (attachment) with an untested, unresearched approach to treatment--even uses "tradional" attachment resources (mixed in the booklist)which it previously rejects. It feeds off the pain/fears of adoptive parents of attachment disordered children, suggesting in the sensationalist story that tradional psychologists/ therapists are at best inept or witless, and their treatment is ineffective, while THEIR approach is "highly effective". Where's the research, outcome measures, proof---and how does this holding down, provoking anger approach differ from abuse the children have previous experienced? Sounds like brainwashing/ cult stuff-they obey too. See Associated Press story "4 Arrested in Girl's Therapy Death", May 19, 2000--Same approach, out of same place: Evergreen, CO.

I am both a counselor and a mother of a now-restored RAD child. While I agree that certain therapies, carried out in a non-ethical way are extremely dangerous and would certainly never suggest that people go the route that was taken in Colorado (not at the Evergreen centre, but by two women who acted independently of the centre-for the record), I find that holding therapy, used in conjunction with more traditional theraputic methods is extremely benificial. It is not my practice to entice others to anger, especially children. However, when a child in my care, or an adult for that matter, has clearly lost control of their emotions and is beside themselves with anger/grief, a properly structured holding experience is indeed extremely healing. I have a number of clients of various ages and with varying degrees of attachment disorders who will report that the safety of being held allowed feelings to come forth that they had previously never dared experience.
What happened to that desperate child in Colorado (again, these "therapists" were not from Evergreen; nor do I work for or am in any way associated with Evergreen) was and is clearly wrong.
As with any "new" approach to treatment, discernment and wisdom is the order of the day. This book outlines the emotional trauma of a child who cannot connect, a child struggling to understand the world in which he lives, a child desperate to escape the walls that both he and others have built around him. Foster parents, birth parents, anyone interested in "what goes on in there" would do well to read this.

This book is a realistic view of life with an attachment disordered child, this book does NOT use scare tactics, but rather is a priceless tool in helping others to REALLY see what goes on. Our RAD son has been helped ONLY by holding therapy. Also, the therapy used in the death of the little girl in Colorado was "RE-BIRTHING THERAPY," NOT "HOLDING THERAPY." Holding therapy is not abusive, it is a nurturing way of helping a child express their rage and anger so as to get it out and resolve it. Little children don't know how to express their anger on their own. Unresolved anger eats away at them and prevents them from trusting and loving. This book is accurate in explaining the anger and the portrayal of holding therapy and its benefits. My son is on his way to love and healing thanks to holding therapy, and my friends and family now understand thanks to this wonderful book.