Lilian Jackson Braun's mystery series of "The Cat Who..." books are definately the cats meow, and a must read of any cat and mystery lover! This is a compilation of three of the early books from "The Cat Who" series. They are fast reads, the type of books that one can not put down! One thing I like about this series is that they focus on the same group of characters, which lends continuatity from one book to the next.

In "The Cat Who Saw Red" reporter Jim Qwilleran is given an assignment to work on a food column. While working on this assignment, Jim and his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum are surrounded by strange incidents, among them disappearance and murder! KoKo and Yum Yum goes about helping Jim solve the murders.

In "The Cat Who Plays Brahms", Jim Qwilleran and his two Siamese decides to get away from the big city and go to a lake house, belonging to a family friend. This is the book which explains how Jim inherits his fortune.

"The Cat Who Played Post Office" is the first book that actually details the City of Pickax and the various communities in Moose County. Jim is living in the K mansion and soon a murder takes place. KoKo goes right into action, and proceeds to *assist* Jim into solving the murder. I liked it that the continuation of this book was that the characters of Arch and Hixie have followed Qwill to live in Moose County.

By the continuation of characters from one book to the next, I have really found myself looking forward to each new book in this series. I highly recommend this book series!

But don't assume you'll have an easy read. Saviolo is not writing in his native language, and it shows. He doesn't describe motions very well, and occasionally appears to leave out a foot move in a long sequence. Di Grassi never wrote in English. This manual is a sixteenth century English translation of his Italian manual. People who deride the "negative campaigning" of today will get quite a surprise when they read Silver's virulent contempt for the rapier and the foreigners who teach it.

There is also the language issue. Yes, it's written in English, but sixteenth century English doesn't always mean what you think it does. Saviolo tells you to come on guard with your right wrist against your knee, your right foot against your opponent's right foot, and your point against his face. Obviously, something has been lost in four centuries. In this case, it's the fact that "against" meant "opposite or across from", not "touching". You are now armed against one problem, but it's still not the language you think it is. (Hint: an Oxford English Dictionary is a very useful companion volume.)

Also, don't assume you can do this in modern fencing. The blades were longer and heavier, and they don't work like modern fencing weapons. Furthermore, these are very basic lessons. We know that the advanced moves were jealously guarded, and not written in books.

With all the difficulties, this book remains essential - it's a direct link to the fighting methods of the Elizabethan fencers. Di Grassi is the easiest to follow. Saviolo is particularly helpful for research, because he spends some time explaining why he does things differently form others, thereby documenting both styles and explaining the thinking process of fencing masters. Silver prefers the short sword to the rapier, and shows us that the Renaissance held many different views.

This books stands alone -- there is just no commercially available substitute.

Your stage combat will look better, your re-enactments will be more real, your understanding of the sword will be sharper.

The time in which these manuals were published was crucial: there was a gradual transition from the medieval sword techniques to the renaissance rapier ones. At the time (and long afterwards) the french schools of fencing were not existent and the main flow was latin: two of the manuals were written by italians and the swords used in latin countries were rapidly evolving from medieval sword towards the rapier. Those were times of frequent wars and of deadly clashes involving different cultures and ways of fighting. Very different from the later "civilized" duels between long-haired make-uped "gentlemen" which originated the french schools of fencing from which our childish fencing appeared.

This work is the real thing! It shows the experience of three sword masters, in a time where expertise was gained by fighting often and staying alive doing it, and mastery was achieved by recognition from a world where everyone was a swordsman ready to challenge such a person just to get fame.

Forget for a moment modern sword-"play" and read this book about real swordsmanship!

I wonder is it true in the last book I saw it suppose to be a forth book. If so can't wait.

I didn't actually walk any of the suggested walks, but did see many of the sights highlighted in this book.

This little book is packed full of information. It's arranged in a logical manner and it's inexpensive. What more can you ask for?

Eric, for the most part, focuses on pure paddling technique and skips any superfluous information.

Using the exercises Eric recommends here will certainly improve your river running.

Additionally the opening section of the volume answers a series of fundamental questions (e.g., What is the "Silver Age"?) and tells you want to pay attention to if you are new to collecting (cover variants, issue condition, etc.). There is also a Photo Grading Guide and Guide to Defects that will help you grade your comics, along with a system for maintaining an inventory of your collection. Each two page spread includes one small comic book cover in the upper right hand corner of the right page, which give you glimpses of both classic issues of Batman and forgotten titles like "Gold Key Spotlight" featuring Tom, Dick and Harriet. Consequently this is a solid volume that can be used to keep track of what you have and what you need to track down: already I have been using it to make a list of issues I need to pick up because stories begin in comic books I am collecting but then get continued in some title I pass on. At 800 pages this might be a bit much to tote around to Comic Book shows and conventions, but the alternative is copying all this information into some other format.