The book is wonderful and is truly an asset to anyone who loves Dorothy Dunnett's books. All the poetry, historical references, historical figures etc are explained or translated. It is an encyclopedic addition that completes your Dunnett collection. Dorothy herself is helping with the second volume to finish up the Niccolo books and tie everything together. A definite "must-have".

The fine folks at Vintage Books have done a great favor to those of us who are longtime fans of Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond and Niccolo chronicles as well as those who have only just discovered her writing. The Companion first was published in 1994 and inexplicably was allowed to go out of print, so that the only copies available recently were used books that seemed to start around [price]...and up. Some readers of Dunnett's books might have the benefit of a classical education that allows them to understand who all the historical characters are, what all the literary allusions are to, and what all of the quotations in foreign languages mean. For all of the rest of us, Elspeth Morrison has performed the invaluable labor of tracking down Dorothy Dunnett's original sources and fleshing out the details. Dunnett's books remind me of Medieval and Renaissance tapestries--rich in intricate symbolism and detail. You can look at them and enjoy them as fine art, but when you know what the details mean, your experience is that much deeper and richer. Fervent thanks to Morrison for making this illumination available!

I recently finished reading the book Embracing the Monster by Veronica Crawford. In a word, my reaction is magnificent. Ms. Crawford describes her struggles in dealing with her hidden disabilities honestly and poignantly. As a clinical supervisor for counselors, and as an Adjunct Professor, I will use her book when training counseling. I recommend Ms. Crawford's book without reservation to parents, persons who have a disability, school personnel, and mental health providers.

Embracing The Monster: Overcoming The Challenges Of Hidden Disabilities blends autobiography with a review of hidden disabilities in a title which chronicles the author's struggles with learning disability, bipolar disorder, dyslexia and other problems. Clinical commentary by Dr. Larry Silver concludes each chapter and provides a physician's perspective on this informative and highly recommended first-person account.

An excellent introduction to the thought of urban conception as a way of life, or even better of living. Michel de Certeau and the others would love to read it.

Everyday Urbanism is a wonderful collection of thoughts, projects and stories about the contemporary urban life in America (more specifically Southern California). Rather than speak about grand utopian visions, Everyday Urbanism investigates specific urban conditions. Each author brings their own perspective and dimmension to this interesting and entertaining compilation.

A few years ago, my father came home from a trip to Russia, he brought some matroyoshka nesting dolls and a gold toned porcelain hand painted serving dish. Now that one of my best friends is living in Russia, I was even more interested in seeing what her new world looks like.

As the largest country in the world, there is so much to see although I would not mind heading over there to see a Siberian tiger! You will love the pictures of the ice festival in which the winter is enlivened with sculptures carved out of ice. There is also some interesting history to the story.

This is a journey from Early Russia to the New Russia. While this book is written for children, adults will find it very interesting for the historical details alone.

Educational!

If you are afraid that you need to read War and Peace to learn about Russia, fear not. Russia (Eyewitness Books) succinctly and beautifully illustrates the life and people of Russia. The content is a bit deep for the audience of 9 to 12 year olds. But there is something here for lovers of things Russian of any age.

Like the first reviewer, I've loved this book for years. You can faithfully read fashion magazine for years and not learn what is in this book. Study it carefully and see what a subtle change here and there makes. It's really fun.

This has all the surprising bits everyone wants to know about the first Grande Dames of Cinema..a definite looksee!

Our school FIDM uses this book as a textbook and all out reference to sewing in the fashion industry. It has detailed step by step diagrams and explains each step. It shows you the easier way to achieving the results you want. I highly recommend this book if you are a beginner or just need a reference book.

There is no other book that will improve your sewing techniques like this one can. Each section shows the home seamstress how professionals approach garment construction. Every part of a garment is put together step by step, and the terrific drawings leave nothing in question. Instructions are easy to understand and straightforward even for the most difficult techniques. This book is a "must have" reference for anyone who sews!

This book provides a well organised and carefully edited introduction to international law. Exerpts from relevant cases, international agreements and juristic writings are interwoven with insightful commentary and questions. Each topic is introduced and explained in the text. As an earlier reviewer noted, some aspects of the book are now outdated, and it is to be hoped that a revised edition will eventually be published. Also, the chapters on jurisdiction and immunity therefrom, concentrate, in large part though not entirely, on the legislation enacted in the United States, which may not be of interest to readers who reside elsewhere. I read this book while studying a basic course in international law, which covered the sources of international law, the law of treaties, the United Nations system, jurisdiction, immunity from jurisdiction, the use of force and state responsibility. I found that the level of detail presented in the book corresponded closely to that of the course itself. I also found the text to be an excellent starting point for research, although as I turned to more specific areas of international law it became necessary, as one would expect, to consult more specialized references. In conclusion, this book, though out of date in some respects, still provides an outstanding introduction to the subject which I would definitely recommend.

If Akerhurst's Modern Introduction to International Law can be said to be a quick overview for students beginning to study international law, Henkin's International Law is for those who already have some study behind them and are ready to delve more deeply into specific issues. At first the format of the book may seem confusing, for unlike introductory works like Akehurst in which the author writes the entire text in his own words, Henkin is filled with actual case judgements, tribunal decisions, articles of law, and the opionions of other journalists (although less so than Harris's International Law : Cases and Materials). At times, the actual text of the book seem little more than footnotes to the the above. However, unlike Akehurst, which tends to stick to one viewpoint, this vast amount of material enables Henkin to illuminate the areas of controversy in international law and helps the reader to build his own opinions. One problem with this book, however, is that the third edition came out in 1993 and is therefore rather dated, especially in terms of international economic law. For instance, it fails to take into account the WTO and EU. However, the traditional areas of international law are well documented, and even the dated parts of the book still have relevance to the issues important today. This is definitely a book to have at hand when making a study of international law in general or dealing with a specific issue that involves international law.

This is indeed an interesting book about the life and career of the late Joan Crawford. The text about her 80 movies is interesting, but even more fascinating is the author's collection of pictures. The pictures chosen show the transformation of one of silver screen's most underrated actresses. Her face undergoes such interesting changes as the years went by in her career. Truly this coffee- table sized book is one of my most cherished books I have on the late actress. Surely everyone who has been interested in Joan Crawford and her career would find the book very interesting.

I was delighted to find this book several years ago. It is indeed a treat to read the information Alexander Walker gives about my favorite actress. The factual information he gives is well-written. Even more important to me than the accuracy of his words, however, is the myriad photographs he has included in this marvelous book. For those who have not followed the late actress' career, the book will be a treat to see the many ways Joan Crawford changed her "face" to meet the needs of her audience. The book is a lovely tribute to a very fine actress. I believe she would have been pleased herself to see such a lovely book. It is a pity it is now out-of-print.

Isabel Crawford, a Canadian woman, came to southwest Oklahoma and was a missionary to the Kiowas for ten years. This book is a compilation of her journals which she kept faithfully throughout her years with the Kiowas, with entries that include personal reflection and testimonies from the Kiowa people. Crawford brought a unique perspective to life on a Native American reservation at the turn of the century. Crawford showed that most Kiowas respected her and she also had a favorable view of the Kiowas.

Most of her entries were written from a Christian's perspective and how she tried to share gospel with the Kiowas and in fact, many became Christians because of her. Crawford also with the help of the Kiowas built a church at Saddle Mountain, Oklahoma. Unlike some missionaries who preached to save the "savages", Crawford truly respected their cultural identity and in fact sought a middle ground, where cultural exchange took place. She told them that becoming a Christian would not change their identities.

This book is valuable because it contains speeches, conversations and testimonies given by the Kiowas which can help to increase our understanding of both their culture and the complexity of their relationship with missionaries.

Isabel Crawford came fearlessly among the Kiowa Indians; among the last of the tribes to be confined to reservations. The work of all the missionaries transformed the lives of some of the Kiowa people and gave them a spiritual path that the Kiowa continue to follow. Crawford's recording of the words of these early Kiowa converts have the power to make one laugh and to weep. How poigniant the words of the old Kiowas, the so-called savages.