Good for you if you are preparing business plan, but lack of marketing idea. Just follow the ideas in this book.

"The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudiah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, The African, written by Himself" is the story of an African man, Olaudiah Equiano (slave name: Gustavus Vassa) who was (evidently) born in 1745 in what is now Nigeria. He was captured by African slave traders, taken to the Atlantic coast, and sold into the slave trade. He was taken to the Caribbean, then Virginia, and eventually Europe. He served a ship's captain and sailed the Mediterranean and on a voyage to explore the North Pole (Greenland). He obtained his freedom and became an author and early anti-slavery activist. The publication of this book made him the best-selling black African author ever (up to that time). This book became a prototype of the "up-from-slavery" autobiography (typified by Frederick Douglass) and is a classic among Atlantic slave narratives.

The book is autobiographical and arranged chronologically, the author detailing events of his African childhood and his years as a slave and eventual self-emancipation. One notable thing about the book is the extent to which it is a travelogue: Equiano clearly enjoys telling travel tales more than decrying the horrors of slavery. His depictions of being a "stranger in a strange land" (e.g., the first time he encounters a clock, a painted portrait, books) are memorable.

The Norton edition is filled with related texts pertaining to Equiano and his times: articles and excerts by other writers about Africa, slavery, abolition, Equiano's birthplace, his literary influences; a useful map; a diagram of a sailing ship, etc. A good choice among several editions of Equiano's book.

Andre Norton's Iron Butterfly is the story of a girl meeting the father that she has never known--the ruler of a small country. When her father was forced to return to his own country, leaving behind the American wife and daughter that his father did not approve of, he left only an iron butterfly as a rememberence. Now dieing, he wishes to meet the daughter that he has never known. And so the adventure begins. . . Part of the mystery is WHAT does the iron butterfly mean. If she can discover this, then all will be revealed.

John Donne was truly a poetic master. Preeminent among the metaphysical poets, his talent shines brightly in both his early secular and later religious poetry. This volume is particularly useful in its helps with the texts and its discussion and analysis of the meaning and impact of his work. I find these aids useful indeed with a more "difficult" poet like Donne. This book is a good starting place for the study of John Donne's poetry.

This is the first book read to us by Mrs. Marion Congdon in 4th grade. She'd read one chapter every other day if our work was done. A good mystery novel full of intrigue, recommended for students in grade school.

Lawrence D. Bell went to the nation's first air show when he was a teenager and devoted the rest of his life to aviation.

He worked for Glenn Martin and then started his own company, Bell Aircraft. The Bell company built about 10,000 P-39 and P-63 fighter aircraft in World War II. After the war, the company gained fame as builder of the X-series aircraft, including the X-1, first airplane to fly faster than sound.

Probably Bell's most important contribution to aviation was his work with helicopters. Bell Helicopter today is one of the world's foremost helicopter companies.

The book traces Bell's very private personal life. He never had children, divorced late in life and died a lonely man.

He said if he had it to do over, "I'd never have put my name out front. Everybody goes after you when you do."

I believe there were only four 'Magic in Ithkar' volumes, which is a shame because Norton and Adams did a great job of soliciting (and editing?) these commonly-themed fantasy shorts. Each of the four collections has the same prologue by Robert Adams, which explains how the fair originated in Ithkar (a religious anniversary turned pilgrimage), the set-up (temple, campgrounds for the merchants, docks and canals for the riparian traffic, etc.), and the difficulties encountered on a pilgrimage or trading voyage to Ithkar (Death Swamp, dragons, outlaw wizards). All weapons must be surrendered before entering the fair and wizards are discouraged from glamorizing shoddy goods with their spells. Of course, as at any large festival, the fair at Ithkar has its share of rogues, piratical merchants, bravos, potion-makers and witches, troupes of entertainers (not a few of them turning tricks), and gullible pilgrims.

A sampling of stories:

"The Goblinry of Ais" by Lin Carter - a rather pedestrian story on the theme of 'be careful what you wish for,' especially if the genie in the rock happens to be a goblin.

"To Take a Thief" by C.J. Cherryh - A young apprentice-thief's master hangs from a gibbet down near the docks. How will he survive at a fair already overrun by thieves, and worse?

"Jezeri and her Beast Go to the Fair and Find more Excitement than They Want." by Jo Clayton - this story about a young girl and her mysterious telepathic pet is written like a chapter taken out of a novel. It's a 'day in the life of' rather than a story with a true ending. I checked Jo Clayton's bibliography to see if Jezeri and her Beast came whole-cloth out of a novel, but didn't find anything to indicate that it did.

"Fletcher Found" by Morgan Llywelyn - One of my favorites. A young fletcher is robbed of his wares on the way to Ithkar, but manages to replenish part of his stock of arrows with the help of a peculiar wild magic. His new arrows are not precisely saleable.

"Well Met in Ithkar" by Patricia Mathews - A blind jewelry maker is fighting long odds when she identifies a priest of Thotharn as the man who ruined her family.

When I first read it, I had my doubts because I had never heard of it before. But as I was reading it, I could not stop; I had to know what was going to happen to the characters in the next chapter.

Each author contributes a wonderful tale that is set in the magical place of Ithkar. Just when I think I know what will happen, the story takes an unexpected turn into a new avenue of adventure. This book makes me want to read all the other Magic in Ithkar books.

This is one of those books that you assume cannot work: an anthology of fantasy-science-fiction-Christmas stories. Somehow it manages to, despite a large gaping flaw near the end.

It kicks off on a strong note with Julian May's heartrending "Star of Wonder," in which a saddened starship commander comes to Earth on a fateful night, and encounters a certain baby born in a desert stable. Dennis McKiernan's "Ornament" is sweet and poignant, although readers may not fully absorb the point of Rufous the fox and the Pysk Tynvyr without reading his other works. Andre Norton provides a sweet "Very Dickinsy Christmas," in which a young woman encounters a ghost at a Christmas ball.

Christopher Stasheff provides a delightful "What are we going to do with Grandfather?", in whichwe see a funny, endearing SF story about charity and Christmas cheer. "I Sing of a Maiden" displays Judith Tarr's great skill in atmosphere and beautiful language, where a young intellectual encounters Thomas Becket, who helps bring the spirit of Christmas back to her. Gael Baudino's "Tidings of Comfort and Joy" is the only blot on this collection: its only purpose seems to be to let her obnoxious, self-absorbed Wiccan protagonist sleep with a Catholic priest. The main character seems to have no identity beyond being a witch; virtually every thought and sentence reflects that. Fortunately the collection sprinmgs back into style with Richard Christian Matheson's "Holiday," complete with a sunbathing Santa.

If you can bypass Baudino's disgusting story, this is a sweet collection of heartfelt, inspired stories about Christmas. Delightful read for Christmas and fantasy buffs alike.

Ms. Norton's tales in this instance (two full length novels bound into 1 volume) are set in Karen Kuykendall's Outer Regions, which previously appeared only in artwork, without actual books to provide a backstory (to the best of my knowledge). Yes, we finally have here not only a reprint of _Mark of the Cat_, but its long-awaited sequel. I'd provide separate reviews of both, but the sequel has so far appeared only in this volume, and a detailed discussion of the sequel presupposes knowledge _Mark of the Cat_.

Overview: The Outer Regions are desert country, mostly lacking open water, where life depends on occasional algae pools, where in a famine year (mercifully, rather rare) the Ministers of Balance may be called out to decide which animals live, and which die - and even which people. The great sandcats of the desert are greatly feared, and are hunted despite their intelligence. Paradoxically, the great leopards forming the Emperor's guard are much revered, and as for ordinary cats, killing a 'kotti' is a capital crime.

The people depend on trade between the 5 queendoms: Kahulawe, Thnossis, Azhengir, and Vapala, which have roughly similar governments (all ultimately answering to the Emperor) but somewhat different cultures. These aren't purely hereditary offices; an Emperor competes in various deadly trials to win the office, designed not only to ensure fitness but an acquaintance with the lives of his people. Even to be recognized as an adult, a youngster must pass his or her 'Solo': the youngster is knocked out and stranded in the desert, and must find his or her way back to civilization alone.

Both books alternate between 2 narrators: Hynkkel of Kahulawe, and Allitta, last survivor of a fallen noble house of Vapala. Allita provides us with a close-up view of the capital in the last days of the dying emperor Shank-ji, whose son (against tradition) intends to try to win his father's office. Allitta is also apprentice to the doll-maker Ravinga, whose enchanting miniatures aren't the most magical thing about her. Primarily, though, this is Hynkkel's story.

As a herder and the least-respected member of a warrior clan in Kahulawe, Hynkkel comes to his Solo late since his father doesn't think he amounts to much. The lonely rock 'island' where he awakens isn't entirely deserted, however: a swarm of the vicious rats of the desert occupy it in such numbers that they've killed one sandcat, and would have pulled down another if Hynkkel hadn't intervened with his slingshot. So it is that Hynkkel not only sees the sandcats' dance and song, but gains a blood-brother: Murri, the half-grown cub of the sandcat he rescued. So it is that Hynkkel doesn't return to his clan after his trial, but seeks a new life, leading him eventually to the capital and the dollmaker's shop.

_Year of the Cat_ picks up shortly after the first book, during the preparations for the coronation of the new emperor - when a fallen house such as Allitta's can request reinstatement, if she comes out of hiding. The emperor's first official progress through the Outer Regions will be marked by trouble: the water table is dwindling, and the desert rats are endangering the trade routes that tie the queendoms together. Soon the sandcats and humans must decide to end their enmity, or both peoples will fall to the evil coming out of the Plain of Desolation...

One distracting misprint: the name "Vapala", that of the Diamond queendom where the Emperor holds court, is misspelt all the way through this 1st hardcover printing of _Year of the Rat_, and I mean *every* occurrence, even though it's spelled correctly throughout _Mark of the Cat_ (1st half of the volume). Of the 5 queendoms, this is the worst name to get wrong, since it's named most often. It distracted me to the point where I had to go look it up, wondering if I were imagining things. I got over it, but one wishes it hadn't happened.