Very few high families in England have had so dramatic a history as the Fitzalan-Howards. All the first four Howard dukes were attainted, the 3rd duke escaped execution only because Henry VIII died that morning (though two of his neices who became queens of England were beheaded), the 4th duke was unjustly executed, the 5th duke went insane, the 6th duke was excluded from public life because of his Catholicism, the 7th duke's wife left him in a public scandal, the 8th duke died prematurely, the 9th duke was childless and saw the end of his branch of the family, the 10th duke died an alcoholic, the 11th duke lost two wives and produced no legitimate children, the 12th duke's wife left him shortly after their marriage, the 13th duke's eldest son died suddenly just before his majority, the 14th duke died young and painfully, and the 15th duke's only son was born blind and epileptic. As the leading Catholic family in England, they were aristocratic outlaws -- yet they were and are that nation's premier peers, hereditary marshals of England, and possessed of great wealth. The author (who is Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary) makes clear that high title is no guarantee of success or happiness. And yet their dukedom has survived for more than five centuries. As Earl Marshal, the 16th duke was responsible for organizing the corona-tions of two sovereigns, the funerals of two more (as well as that of Sir Winston Churchill), and the investiture of the present Prince of Wales; with the advent of radio and television, this made him widely recognized to the public at large. Semi-scholarly (there are numerous footnotes) and heavily illustrated, this volume is most instructive to the general reader and of particular interest to the student of peerage pedigrees.

Given all the books that have been written about the Tudor period it is extraordinary that none has covered Thomas Howard, the 3rd Duke of Norfolk. He lived through the reigns from Henry VII to Mary and played a major part in the maintenance of the Tudor grip on England. He even survived being sentenced to death for treason under Henry VIII, and spending Edward VI's reign in the Tower. Not bad for a staunchly conservative man of Catholic persuasions. (He avoided the block because Henry VIII chose the day appointed for his execution to die). Thomas Howard was released in the reign of Mary and died shortly afterwards at the age of 80. It is hard to think of any other aristocrat who was so fortunate. However, for once in the Tudor period, justice was done; he had backed his sovereign through thick and thin. Indeed, he has been much maligned as being no more than a 'yes-man' to Henry VIII and none too bright with it. But although he made no great claims to learning his contribution was immense. He communicated directly with diplomats, accumulated many works of art (preserving several of the Holbein portraits that are increasingly well-known today). He is perhaps best thought of as the last of the feudal lords, able to raise effective armies almost at will (though always in the interests of his liege sovereign).

David Head is apologetic about the length of time it has taken to produce this work, which has been gestating for over a decade, notwithstanding that it formed the basis of his doctoral thesis. However it is clear to the educated eye that a colossal amount of work has gone into it. It is increasingly rarely that one can read a history book and be sure that it is entirely the work of the person whose name appears on the cover. Possibly the reason no-one has attempted a similar work to this in the intervening period is that its reputation for excellence and academic rigour (sorry, I'm English!) travels before it.

This book is worth every penny to the serious scholar, although it may come as a bit of a shock to those who thought that Tudor History and Antonia Fraser were synonymous!

John A.W. Lock

Norfolk is a brilliant photographer who has taken very difficult subject matter and made beautiful images. He photographed in places which have seen terrible events, past and present: Vietnam, Auschwitz, Cambodia, Rawanda, to name only the most recognizable. The photographs are true, just. No heartstring pulling here. Only clear vision and humane expression. The essay by Ignatieff matches the level of the photograhps. I thank and applaud the authors.

History Next Door is stories of World War 2 Veterans in the Hampton Roads area. Even if your not into history, you'll definitely like it. I am only 16 years old and I read the book and really enjoyed it. It opened up my eyes and made me realize how special these war veterans really are and what they went through just for our country. They are the true heroes of America! The stories of these 18 veterans and increbible! I hope that you will go get this book. The author of the book is David Parker and he did a great job writing it. The way he described it and the words he used were really great. He got to interview and talk to these 18 veterans so he could put it all together and write the book. Go get it today!!!

You would get a hernia trying to carry this around to antique malls. This book weights at least 5 lbs.

It is well laid out with a section on how to use the book. Most of the pictures are black and white with special designated sections called "Colour Review". There is a periods and styles chart. And lots of advertisements with phone numbers. Various disciplines are covered; some are Irish antiques, carousel animals, Poole pottery, majolica, and ceramics, and French provincial furniture.

I actually obtained it for the section on glass. There are several good descriptions and trademark displays. It mostly targets 18th and 19th century glass. I would like it more if this book had described production methods. However it does cover what it promised "Prices"

Seldom have I read a book with which I agreed more completely.

I love reading this book!! Whether I am looking for gardening ideas to steal, gardening mistakes to avoid, or just looking for an entertaining reading session, this is one of the books I read over and over again. I bought it originally as a remaindered book, and have been searching for years for copies to share with other gardeners of my family and friends!! It's great to have finally found a source for this book!! I garden in Texas, a very different climate from Norfolk, England and can still find useful information here. I bet you can, too!

This is an excellent book. As a storyteller I know the impact that stories can have on kids, and this book fills a need that many storytellers have for a thoughtful discussion of stories that teach moral principles. As a parent, I know the importance of a moral education for our children, and this book provides an example for any parent on how to use stories to discuss moral issues. The Norfolks provide stories that can be used in a character education program or read or told to your own child, an account of their experiences in using these stories in character education programs, and a discussion of storytelling's role in character education. Definitely worth buying!

If you collect old African American photographs, you'll love this book.

Ruth Rose has unearthed rare 19th & 20th century images from libraries, archives and personal family collections to visually chronicle historic landmarks, institutions and families within Norfolk's African American community.

A wonderful collection of stories about Norfolk Hunt - both past and present - but can be enjoyed by anyone facinated by the sport of foxhunting. Great for the coffee table.