Figured in Marble provides a rare opportunity for readers interested in English art to get a detailed insight into the history of sculptural aesthetics. While painting tends to dominate most histories of English art, Malcolm Baker draws on his intimate knowledge of the Victoria & Albert Museum's formidable sculpture collection, to produce a collection of essays that combine the detailed analysis of specific works with a broader analysis of how sculpture has become assimilated into art history.

The book begins in the early eighteenth century, with a minute dissection of the notebooks and 'Lives' by Vertue, Walpole and Cunningham. Baker manages to unlock a surprising wealth of information from these difficult, often opaque texts, by looking for new ways of approaching, reading and understanding their cryptic use of language. This sets the tone of the book, and in the following chapters, Baker continues to glean information from the most unexpected sources. Always approaching his subjects obliquely, the book brings to light aspects of sculpture that often remain unseen, unnoticed, and unexamined.

The first half of the book explores interconnections between sculpture and the luxury trades, the classifying of genres, and the public and private expectations of commissioned subjects, by looking at the conditions under which sculpture was designed and made. The second half links the development of the sculpture gallery with the emergence of aesthetic theory and the growing interest in the effect of the display and 'staging' of sculpture. The final chapter arrives at a very recent event: the controversial, drawn-out, and extraordinarily public affair of 'saving' Canova's Three Graces for the nation. Baker raises pertinent issues about the making, viewing and assimilation of sculpture into the public arena.

Although clearly addressing a specialist subject, the book is much more than a historical study of eighteenth century sculpture. Weaving together close readings of contemporary texts and modern interpretations of individual artists and studio-practice, the author compels his readers to question their preconceptions about sculpture. In Baker's own words, what he does in this book is 'to relate a narrative about changing notions of history and changing ways of perceiving and understanding objects'. Always moving between specific cases and their broader relevance, Baker embraces issues of continuing importance to the understanding of sculpture. Using the historical context as a framework for his arguments, the author questions the development of modern attitudes and ideas.

In a sense, the book could be described as an analysis of the evolution of histories of sculpture. It reveals as much about the eighteenth century as it does about our modern understandings, and (mis-)conceptions, of sculpture. This is an important contribution to the study of sculpture, and is essential reading for anyone with a serious interest in sculptural aesthetics.

Collections seeking in-depth studies of 18th century art in general and British sculpture in particular will find Figured In Marble a specific but well focussed guide which blends the study of English sculpture with the broader topic of art history. Sculptures from the Victoria and Albert Museum and Getty Museum as well as those from private holdings liberally illustrate this case study of categories and genres of sculpture.

This was my first Madeline Baker book, and it got me hooked. The love story between Shukaha Luta and Brianna was one of the sweetest and most romantic I've read in a long time, and really has stood up to be the best after countless other romances I've read. Brianna is an innocent 17 years old girl when she meets her Indian brave, who is a grown man of 30. But, he is imprisoned, and Brianna soon risks everything to free him. They fall in love almost from first sight, but it takes a few chapters for Shunkaha to look past her young age and realize she could be all women for him! After he makes the decision, he commits to her totally. Even after separations they remain true to each other, even after he is feared dead. They always reunite happily. Even after Shunkaha realizes the Lakota can no longer live as they once did and he has to adapt, they remain devoted. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves romance and needs to believe that love does conquer all barriers.
Cyndi

This was the first romance novel that I ever read. It was way back in 7th grade and at that age I probably shouldn't have been reading these kinds of books. But I fell in love with this writer and this story. I felt like I was there with the characters as an eye witness. It will be hard for me to give away the story since it has been a long long time since I read it last, but I do remember that it was a wonderful book. If telling you that this book helped start me out on reading Indian romance novels than that should be good enough for anyone.

I usually buy Lonely Planet guides but have been getting bored with their formulaic structure so I thought I'd give Footprint a try. On the whole, I thought the guide was quite well-written. I also liked the organization of the book (better than Lonely Planet) -- beginning with a brief overview of the regions, highlights and possible itineraries, following with essential information and regional listings and ending with the background info (history, culture, wildlife) that you can read after the rush to organize a trip or while you're on the road.

The information is ample, there are many maps throughout with impressive amounts of detail, and it's a reasonable size and is durable and well-bound. The only drawback is the limited number of photos... but Namibia is so gorgeous, you'll have plenty of your own!

The Namibia handbook is a very useful, up-to-date travelguide, giving you all the necessary information. The size is ideal for backpackers and the hardback prevents the book from damaging. All hotels, restaurants, camp-sites, safari-companies etc. are mentioned, together with their telephone-numbers and if available, a short description based on travel experiences by earlier readers of the book.

Thich Nhat Hanh has updated the traditional Buddhist precepts in this book. His version goes beyond "do not kill," for example, to be mindful of that we might be killing inadvertently. He makes us aware of the broadness of the precepts and thus encourages us to be more mindful. If we are not mindful, we break the precepts. Therefore, he calls them Mindfulness Trainings. Thay's approach frames the precepts in a way that is helpful in our daily life. He makes them relevant.

In a world of deceit, excess, killing, lying and stealing, the present moment works with faith FOR A FUTURE TO BE POSSIBLE by enlightenment from the Buddha, the practice of love and understanding, and ever bigger and greater numbers of communities seeking wisdom, harmony and awareness. Art and meditation send energy into cell nutrition and nervous system health. Mindfulness teaches respect for all life, generosity, responsibility, careful speech and healthy diet for concentration and insight. Nobel Prize winner Thich Nhat Hanh's book is a beautifully reader-friendly steppingstone to THE GOOD HEART by the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, AWAKENING THE BUDDHIST HEART by Lama Surya Das, and LOVINGKINDNESS by Sharon Salzberg.

... is wonderfully done. Caitlyn hates Indians for the killings of her brothers, and that means alll indians, even half-breeds, and even though she saved Stalking Wolf from the hangman doesn't mean he gets off scott-free with her. She has this wall built up around her than no man can penetrate, not even Stalking Wolf... or can he? For she cannot get him out of her mind and his proud bearing and hard body are drawing her defenses down. Madeline Baker is a truly wonderful where indian romance is concerned!

This book is very original. This is why it held my attention. Caitlyn was fearful of Stalking Wolf, but by being afraid of him she was also afraid of her feelings for him. She went through many hardships including her mother's death, then her brother's were killed by indians, and finally her father was killed in their ranch. Now, Stalking Wolf, having indian blood must endure her scolding gaze, paying for something he did not do. Will she put her past behind her and start a new life with Stalking Wolf? Read it and find out! Baker, is there a sequel to this book?Perhaps getting Stalking Wolf's family(father, stepmother and sister) together?

This title has become both a text book and a classic. The author lists all the major theories of second language acquisition with clarity, providing a broad range of approaches to bilingualism.

Baker's book, first edition onward, has been the main text for a number of years in a required introductory course for future bilingual teachers at the university in which I teach. The book has many strengths; it reads well, it has a world perspective on bilingualism, it describes a number of linguistic theories relative to bilingualism, and it provides a clear and thorough foundation for understanding how language policies are designed, and what they are based on. It is important to note that even individuals who have not taken linguistic courses can understand the text because it does a great job of explaining terminology and theories so that the reader can then concentrate on the issues surrounding bilingual education and bilingualism. The text is effective as an introduction to bilingualism because it explores not only linguistic theories, but also looks at sociological and psychological theories that can deepen the understanding of the language dynamics of bilingualism. The premise of the book is that a language is a resource to be nurtured and developed, whether it is a "minority" language or not; this is the opposite of seeing a minority language as a societal, political, or educational problem, a viewpoint that has become increasingly voiced by state-level politicians (with no background in linguistics or teaching) who blame bilingualism for low academic achievement among immigrant youth and have reshaped language policies through state referenda. Baker provides a stark contrast between such perspectives and those in numerous countries in Europe and Asia, where multilingualism is the norm. In summary, Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism is an excellent resource for those interested in this topic.

I completely agree with the previous reviewer's comments. It was a blessing to read. I felt I was partaking of a feast of love while reading this book. It is definitely aimed at the student of Christian Science and reveals tremendous insights into the experiences and lessons which Mrs. Eddy went through. Much can be gained by reading these books which will help the student in his/her understanding and practice of Christian Science.

This biographical series about Mary Baker Eddy is by all means the best ever written about Mary Baker Eddy and every Christian Scientist should read this and the other two books which are part of the series. We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to the writer. Thank you.

A highly interesting, inspired and lovingly written but sure tobe controversial three volume biography of Mary Baker Eddy, theDiscoverer, Founder and Leader of Christian Science (CS).

From the point of view of Christian Science, this is the best three volume biography of Mrs. Eddy written to date. Unlike the Peel biographies with their secular bent and attempts to paint Mrs. Eddy as no more than a very significant historical figure, Grekel starts where Rober Peel left off and thoroughly explains the spiritual identity and significance of the discover and founder of Christian Science. For Grekel, unlike Peel, Mrs. Eddy represents the human manifestation in the flesh of the the 2nd Coming of Christ found in Christian Science. Mrs. Eddy is seen by Grekel as fufilling both Old and New Testament prophecy from Isaiah to the Gospels of the promised revelator of the Comforter. To Grekel, Mrs. Eddy's spiritual identity is to be found in Revelation as the Woman of Prophecy and only those Christian Scientists that can see this are the "remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.Rev 12:17. It is clear that the authoress, Doris Grekel and co-author Morris are obviously writing wholly from the standpoint of convinced disciples of Mrs. Eddy. Doris makes no apologies for that approach.

While many from within and without the Christian Science movement will disagree with both Grekel's approach and her credentials, few readers will deny that this book is nothing short of a loving "Ode" to Mrs. Eddy. Dr. Robert Putnam, a student of Bliss Knapp, has described this book in a short review of books on Mrs. Eddy and Christian Science as a "flawless account". Others will decry it for a lack of historical objectivity and as a thinly veiled attack on the current and past management of the very church Mrs. Eddy founded, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston Mass.

If it is widely read inside the Christian Science movement, it will be sure to be highly controversial. CS folks who condemned the re-publication of Bliss Knapp's book, The Destiny of the Mother Church, will condemn all three volumes of this trilogy for the same reasons. To say that this book almost deifies Mrs. Eddy is an understatement. There is no attempt to portray her human failings as the recent Gill bio did. This and the other two books take the exact OPPOSITE of the Peel and Gill approach. Hence, while many of the "true believers" will love these three books, the historical so-called professional critics of Mrs. Eddy will decry it as "not objective and not even foot noted" and Mrs. Eddy's traditional orthodox "Christian" enemies will denounce it as Christian Science carried to both theologically and logically indefensible and absurd conclusions. Nevertheless, these books may have to wait centuries until they, like Science and health will be accepted by a wider audience. I think Grekel would agree with this assessment. That few Year 2000 readers would understand much less appreciate the import of this, the first book the Grekel's trilogy is no surprise from the standpoint of Christian Science theology. "the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." John 1:5. Also "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor 2:14

In short, if you love Mrs. Eddy you will probably find much "new" information in these books. The Grekels ably use early CS literature, the CS Weekly - later Sentinel and the Journal of CS, later CS Journal to trace both Mrs. Eddy's thought as well as the growth of her church. They also bring to light much correspondence between Mrs. Eddy and her students and church officers. Unfortunately the book would be more helpful if it had footnoting of the Peel works. The Grekels rely on published and unpublished memoirs and reminiscences of early students of CS to support their intrepretation.

The issue of the Mrs. Eddy's intent in the continuation of the Mother Church following her passing is explored. It is plain however, that the Grekels are NOT at all 100% subscribers of the "Mother Church, A Church Meant to Last" or the "Permanancy of the Mother Church" (Adam Dickey CSJ Article et al) view. They come down more along the lines of the Helen Wrights, the CS Research Foundation and others in their insistence that the CS Board of Directors ignored and disobeyed what they call the "Estoppel Clauses" or those clauses in the Manual of the Mother Church requiring Mrs. Eddy's express consent. The Grekels ignore that this view was the decided minority view after Mrs. Eddy's passing.

I suggest a reader withhold judgement until finishing all three books. While I found them a very interesting source of information for the advanced CS metaphysician, I would not recommend them for the general public at all.

A reader is encouraged to read the primary sources on Christian Science, the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, the Manual of the Mother Church. Other works such as Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896 and the First Church of Christ, Scientist & Miscellany which traces the building of her beloved church and selected correspondence until her passing in December 1910. All the published writings other than Science and Health were collected in what is called "Prose Works".

I first chanced upon this two-volume collection of recipes almost thirty years ago when I was a student at the University of South Florida, and I became immediately enamoured of it. The author, one Charles Henry Baker, Jr., describes anecdotally how he (seemingly) spent the better part of the 1920s and 1930s drinking and eating his way around the world - several times, rubbing elbows with the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Frank Buck, Douglas Fairbanks and other adventurers of the time.

In his far-ranging travels, Baker ferreted out the most intriguing and exotic restaurants and watering holes of the time from Shanghai to Key West, assiduously recording and compiling receipts (as he calls recipes) and concoctions galore. Baker shares these recipes with the reader in the form of well-detailed and often amusing remembrances of his first and sometimes subsequent encounters with the dish or drink. Many of the establishments he visited and chronicled are now legendary or nostalgically remembered. From the Raffles Hotel in Singapore to Shepperds in Cairo to the Grand Bretagne in Athens, Baker paints the reader an epicure's picture of a very different time and world long lost to us.

Although his prose were probably somewhat tortured even in the 1930s when the book was first published, they make for interesting if not amusing reading today. In fact, Baker's style as a raconteur amplifies and potentiates his narrative of those long-ago experiences, and his sheer enjoyment of life pushes through even the most obscure verbiage. This man was a giant among bon vivants. He lived life to the fullest and with such flair and conviction that one cannot help but be envious - if not in awe - of his exploits and adventures.

Baker, an interesting character, was born in 1895, and when not travelling, hung out down in Coconut Grove - way back when it really was a Bohemian artist's place to be. He was at various times a writer for the old Town and Country and Esquire magazines, penned a few other collections, once even tried his hand at a novel, and he is still quoted in the drink-crafting tomes. But first and foremost - without a doubt - Baker was the Grand Bon Vivant

THIS IS A GREAT COLLECTION OF RECIPES,GATHERED FROM AROUND A NOT SO POLITICALLY CORRECT WORLD.EXCELLENT VARIETY OF SELECTIONS.THTRE WERE ACTUALLY THREE TWO VOLUME BOXED SETS. THERE WAS AN ORIGINAL SET, A REVISED SET AND A "SOUTH AMERICAN SET". EACH RECIPE HAS A STORY ABOUT THE ORIGINATOR AND HOW AND WHERE THE RECIPE ORININATED.STORIES OF EATING MUSHROOMS SMETANA IN A BAR IN SHANGHI,WHILE SIPPING ON AN ICE COLD MARTINI,FOR EXAMPLE.VOLUME I IS TRADITIONALLY FOOD; VOLUME II IS STRICTLY LIBATIONS.TWO EXCELLENT SELECTIONS ARE ST.CECELIA SOCIETY PUNCH AND FISH HOUSE PUNCH. SOMETIMES THE CONTENTS CAN BE A CHALLENGE IE. "WALNUT KETSUP" OR A "PONY" OF PEACH BRANDY. ALL IN ALL A TERRIFIC READ AND THE RECIPES WORK.

Although, by their very nature, the Texas ghost towns featured in Baker's book have deteriorated even more - or disappeared altogether - since the publication of this book in 1986, it remains a classic reference on this material and is a "must have" for the ghost town hunter's library.

The historical research is very in-depth and resurrects these "towns that time forgot" in the reader's mind. The book is lavishly illustrated with black and white photos taken by the author, as well as archival material. Highly recommended!

This is the kind of book you want to take in your car always! You never know in Texas when your going to be near a ghost town! The book has a map and is indexed, with good information on the towns , how to get there and what you will find. A must by for anyone interested in TX history

I enjoyed this book very much, I recommend it to anyone interested in the Paranormal!!!

This is a great book to read on a rainy evening, not least because it is not necessarily fictional. The stories are simplified and well presented, with several plausible cases. I myself happen to believe in ghosts, but even someone who doesn't will find these stories believable. It kind of makes you wonder what is beyond death...