I picked up this book in the gift shop at the Imperial War Museum. I'd been to Normandy once before, but was planning another trip and wanted something more definitive.
This book covers just about every nook and cranny of Operation Overlord, from Pegasus Bridge to Utah Beach (and,in some cases, beyond). Like other reviewers have noted, it does not punch up the highlights. But, I'd ask any pilgrim to Normandy, "Tell me, what ground is less hallowed?"
This is an excellent, comprehensive guide to one of the most important, and accessible, battles of WW2. We Yanks, while standing in overwhelming grief above the cliffs at Omaha Beach, should NEVER discount what our Allies accomplished to the north. And, while in Normandy, should take time to pay our respects to the battlefields and final resting places of those gallant friends. MAJ and Mrs Holt abley guide us there.
Just a note. Unbeknownst me me at the point of purchase, my book was missing the map. If you have the Michelin Atlas to France (the large, yellow one), the book, and a half-way decent sense of direction you'll do fine.
Oh, and the Normans are fantastic!

I bought this book because I was scouting a trip for my graduate school in the Spring (2003) to do a staff ride for the D-Day landings. This book was with us the entire scouting trip, and I couldn't even conceive of organizing this trip without it.

This book is loaded with color pictures and black & white photos. It covers more monuments than you could possibly see in a visit, so it is great after you've been to Normandy. It would also be handy as you explore because it gives backround on various sites, as well as eyewitness accounts. This is a superb guidebook.

It would be nice to have a general knowledge before reading the book, but the authors have also included a good brief history of Operation Overlord. This is not a detailed account of D-Day.

Maps, photos, eyewitness accounts, limited orders of battle, troop positions, and info on war graves commissions are given. Emphasis is on the Allied Powers, although there is some info on the Nazis.

This is a good armchair tour and indespensible guide for your car if visiting.

Jean Plaidy, beloved author of historical fiction, is known to her millions of fans world wide as Victoria Holt. A masterful storyteller who can weave a tapestry of little known historical facts into an engrossing and well written novel, she tells the story of a young Prince of Wales, who would later go on to become King George III, and a that of a young quakeress named Hannah Lightfoot. When their paths crossed one day, theirs would be a romance that would transcend royal protocol.

This novel, set against a backdrop of political intrigues and aristocrats jockeying for power, tells the story of a young, idealistic Prince of Wales and his deep and abiding affection for a beautiful, young quakeress, Hannah Lightfoot, who happened to catch his eye one day while he was riding through the streets. She, a commoner, would go against all her beliefs for his love, and he, a future King of England, would flout those who would try to control him in order to be with this woman whom he loved with the ardor and devotion of the very young.

Their bittersweet romance provides a birdseye view into the upbringing of the Prince of Wales, as well as a peek into the sybaritic court of George II. Their love is set against a backdrop of manipulative and self-seeking courtiers who would attempt to use their knowledge of the Prince's secret romance with this young quakeress for their personal gain. Theirs would be a love that would disappear into the footnotes of history, until the author wove it into this absorbing and poignant account of a forbidden, first love that would have historical implications.

I have read this book by one of my favorite historical fiction authors, Victoria Holt. Did the future George III of England actually marry in secret, a Quaker girl called Hanna Lightfoot? Ms Holt believes so and I agree. There is much evidence to prove it is true and after George I found out about it, he was upset as any grandfather of a Prince of Wales would be. Young George was not a good pupil, had problems interacting with people and Hanna Lightfoot helped him thru this. Then came Charlotte, a real royal marriage took place, and Hanna fell by the wayside and the secret marriage was null and void. But he never forgot her. That much is true, according to this book and the way I interpreted it. Later in life, he became George III, loser of the Colonies and had bouts of confusion and mental illness. That was his legacy, he lost the Colonies.

Much of Miss Plaidy's historical novel is in line with historical facts collected by my family over the years - we all still have the name Mackelcan, which is referred to on page 233. It is interesting to note that John Mackelcan, Hannah's son, was baptised at St Mary's, Newington, Surrey on 12th April 1759 and at the age of 15, under the wing of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, he was commissioned into the Royal Engineers. In 1795 at the age of 36 and without having seen active service he was promoted to full General. In a Will dated July 1778 Hannah wrote "Provided I depart this life, I commend my two sons and my daughter to their Royal father, my husband." The cover-up began in 1866 when a Mrs Ryves sought to establish her direct descent from George III's brother, the Duke of Cumberland; the case was heard by the Lord Chief Justice and the Baron Justice acting with a special jury. Acting for the Crown were the Attorney General, the Solicitor General and the Queen's Advocate. On the back of what appeared to be a certificate relating to a marriage between Cumberland and Mrs Ryves was the following certificate "This is to certify that I lawfully married George, Prince of Wales to Hannah Lightfoot on 27th May 1759 and that two sons and a daughter are the issue of that marriage " It was signed by J Wilmot ( a Doctor of Divinity and a friend of the Royal Family in the 18th century) and witnessed by Chatham and J Denning. The LCJ forbade Mrs Ryves to speak in Court; no other witnesses were called and the case was put straight to the Jury who found for the Attorney-General. Even as recently as 1997 officials at the Public Records Office told a researcher that the documents were not avaialable but they did eventually produce the impounded marriage certificate. Miss Plaidy's book puts the relationship between George and Hannah into a very readable context but perhaps the sequel is just as fascinating?

This book is a terrible representation of the Navajo Indians. None of the information that is in this book is a valid representation of their traditions. The information that we are teaching to our children from this book is false and very stereotypical. It should be taken out of every school.

An Indian boy asks his Grandfather to tell him about the night he was born, and the Grandfather ties another knot in the counting rope. The night was windy, and when the boy was born, they thought he might die. The Grandfather took him outside and two blue horses came by and gave him their strength. The boy lived, but lives in darkness. He begs begs for a promise that his Grandfather will always be with him, to which the Grandfather replies, "I love you, boy; that is better than a promise!" A gentle story of love, blindness, and some pretty illustrations make for a memorable book.

this is a book that has more intensity and insight with each new reading. it is the story of a physically handicapped child who with the support of his grandfather takes on a difficult challege and competes to his highest potential. the story integates overcoming challenges, uncondition parental love, hard work, and aging while finishing with a realistic outcome. the reader will be moved with pride and hope.

This is a nice little information book if you are just starting to look for corset info. Instructions are vague at times. No expense was put into this little book. The size chart goes to size 6, so you'll have to do the figuring if looking for smaller and doll sizes. Materials chart looks to be misplaced and put on page 12. You do need sewing experience for these instructions.

This teeny volume shows b/w hand-drawn construction diagrams for reproduction corsets from the eras of 1700, 1750, 1860, and 1890, plus basic chemise and basic drawers. Drawings are very clear, and include some suggestions on fabric selection and decoration. Text covers step-by-step construction, fabric/notion requirements, and a chart to assist in getting the right number of the right size of corset bones. Anyone who has attempted a corset without instructions has probably ended the attempt in frustration, but this inexpensive guide and a friend to help with fitting, that will change. No historical info is included, this volume is about simplified construction and it hits the mark. Not for beginning sewers, but that's because of the project nature, not the book. The only improvement I'd like to see would be more detailed guidelines to determining correct dimensions of cut pieces, maybe even fullsize pieces. But the information contained would be worth twice the full price. Certainly cheaper than a single period pattern for a corset, regardless of your source, and those are a gamble with regard to adequate instructions. This compact book is ideal for amateur costumers, especially Ren Faire or re-enactment folks. Professional costumers will probably not find any new information here, but it's really a gem.

I found this book to be helpful, but only if a person already knows a little about what they are doing. Some of the intructions are vague, leaving out important information. I found her scale a little difficult to figure out at first. Other than that the book is pretty good and I don't regret adding it to my collection!

For a first business enterprise, who needs murder, death threats and threatening notes every time you turn around? That's what Kelly Sanders finds when she invests her inheritance and her dreams for the future in Holt House, boarding house and Bed and Breakfast to be.

An impulse trip to a local estate auction of the well known former house of the mysterious Holt family finds Kelly struck with her own image. In a painting, that is! The locals agree that she bears an uncanny resemblance to the late Mrs Amelia Holt. The small town of Serenity had their own stories about the Holt family and as Kelly sets up business with the help of her best friend Sharon some of the secrets of Holt Houses's mysterious past seem to be revealing themselves in present day terrifying reality.

A little romance, a little classic spooky house mystery, a little humour, "Secrets of Holt House" is a stand alone second novel for Nevada author Marja McGraw. The cast of characters makes for a smorgasboard upon which to cast your suspicions of whodunnit, and all is revealed upon conclusion in somewhat Scooby Doo style. An enjoyable quick mystery read, definitely for the cozy reader female of the species.

I've enjoyed both of Marja's published mysteries. The genre is definitely her field.
She develops interesting characters who feel very real and plots that are both realistic and surprising.

Marja's sense of plot development grows with each new book. "Secrets of Holt House..." actually sent shivers down my
spine as her heroine explored the deepest heart of this intriguing home. Good job, Marja!

This was a pleasant surprise. The characters are well defined and you get to not just like them, but be involved.
Like her earlier Big Trouble for a Little Lady (with characters
you can get VERY attached to) this shows an interesting plot line that is intriguing.
I reccommend it to anyone that likes mysteries

This book could have been a real "keeper" if not for the editing problems. It leaves me wondering about the accuracy of the content. There are four diagrams within the first few chapters that have exactly the same caption. Only one is correct, the other three are clearly out of context.

The use of a single highlight color (blue) is annoying. For a subject that is so dependent on color codes, full color illustrations are a must. This is one corner that should not have been cut.

I am a first year electrical student and this book is one of our textbooks. Sometimes this book is a little hard to read because of some grammatical errors and word usage. The diagrams are very well drawn. The author is very well educated on the subject. I have to ignore the Code references for the most part because I am working out of the '96 code edition of the book and the '99 Code is going to go into effect towards the end of March.

The National Electrical Code (NEC) states that it is not intended as a design specification nor an instruction manual for untrained persons (90-1(c)). The code authors understood that training and reference books would be essential for a clear grasp of the meaning of the NEC. The book "Understanding the NEC" by Mike Holt is one such book which can help in the study of the NEC. The first four chapters of the NEC are intended to apply "generally" to the majority of the installations that the electrician makes daily. It is the first four chapters of the NEC which are the scope for this book by Holt. The "Nuts and Bolts" type of installations that we encounter daily are what this book is made of. Holt provides clear explanations and very helpful illustrations to explain the topics that are not always made clear in the NEC.

As an instructor in a post secondary technical school, I have used the 1996 version of this book in my Associate's Degree level classes since it became available. I have found this book to be very informative and clearly written for use by students with little or no field experience, including very helpful illustrations. There is also a workbook available that enhances the use of this text for use in a classroom setting, or for the individual who wishes a more extensive study of the NEC's "Nuts and Bolts".

hello, i am on my 3rd year of french(texas) i have to say that i have had the hardest time this year because of this text book. it lacks in grammer and i feel i dont learn very much. with the exception of cultural information...which is interesting, but i am interested in pursuing french as a possible career option, and i feel that this book is not preparing me for a future in fluent french speaking.

Bonjour! I am in my first year of French, and I have found Allez, Viens to be one of the most thorough foreign-language textbooks that I have ever studied with. Cultural notes and useful expressions are highlighted to grab the students's attention, and each chapter studies a different francophone (French-speaking) country. I would highly recommend this book.

Allez Viens is a well planned, comprehensive text book. I was exposed to it in my first year of teaching French and plan to use it until the end of my career.

I alike the first reviewer did get this book from the library to read.Unfortunately, "read" was the operative word in this case as most of the 300+ pages book is taken up with various illustrations and sources.
Although the translation is excellent and there is evidence of painstaking research, Delouche fails to deliver somewhat on the writing side of things. At least a quarter of the book is taken up with the renaissance era, so very little attention is placed on what should be, the big themes of this book. For example, there is very little, if anything on 17th century Britain; the civil war, the great fire, the plague, and the gunpowder plot. Two measly pages are devoted equally to the first and second world wars aswell - there is more material on architecture than the whole of the 20th century!This i found was both unnecessary and irrational.

A Good Book if you're a keen student of the renaissance period and equally of Italian architecture in general, yet not really for any other reason.

Danny Boy$ Enterprises

This is quite an interesting book, and it is too bad that it appears to be out of print. As a casual student of European history, I must say that this volume, though not intended to be an exhaustive reference (or even a comprehensive overview) of European history, is quite enjoyable and provides clear presentations of historic themes for the non-historian. The book is lavishly illustrated, and one of its real strengths is the artistic presentation of material throughout the volume (and if you sneer at such comments, think of all the hideously illustrated books you have seen over the years ... this is no small feat). At any rate, if you can get a hardcover edition of this, I would recommend it.

I just finished reading this book. I got it from the library, and was so impressed I was interested in purchasing a copy of my own. Unfortunately, at this time it is listed as out of print. In high school I missed out on European History due to a schedule conflict. This book did a great job of finally providing that information. It covers the whole of European history, and is a great resource to understand the world today. There are lots of maps, lots of pictures, lots of quotes. I applaud the several European authors in their successful undertaking.

This guy is a psycho-boomer looney. His book serves best as kindling.

The New York Times called this book "astonishly cogent," and I agree. This is one of the most insightful and thought-provoking books I've ever read. Sadly, 30 years later almost nothing has changed. While the ACLU fights for the voting rights of convicted felons, a 17-year-old "child," no matter how sensible or informed, cannot cast a ballot in the United States. Millions of children are shipped off to school every day, where they are mostly taught to do as they're told (no matter how arbitrary or pointless) and above all, conform--lessons which will serve them all too well for decades to come. The transparency of Holt's writing should also be an example to authors everywhere. It is a tragedy that this book is out of print, and Holt no longer with us. The world desperately needs more like him.

This is my favorite book of the many Holt has written. It does not cover any aspects of learning/educational issues as do his other books. Instead it addresses the matter of looking at children as whole individuals who should be treated respectably, as any adult would want to be.

Our culture too readily encourages parents, and adults in general, to use their voice in a excessively authorative manner which only serves to bully and demean children. No one would want to be spoken to or treated in such a condensending manner. This book will open your eyes to the damage we are doing to our beloved kids when we accept the cultural standard way of parenting. Highly recommended!

I really enjoyed reading about the childhood of some of my favourite stars and why they chose the profession they did. I am a big fan of Cher so I was particularly intrigued by her upbringing. Also the section on Jodie Foster was fascinating. Anyone who has an interest in show business on a more basic level will find this book a very good read.

saw this book sitting on the coffee table of a friend and as i waited began reading it. the next thing i knew, it was on its way home with me. was never to fascinated by celebrity mothers and children, but i found this book very compelling and it drew my interest immediately. if you are into celebrities behind the scenes get into this book.

This book was a good read because, let's face it, we all have a curiosity about what propels certain people towards stardom. This book delves into the childhoods of the world's top celebrities, from the destitute to the very privileged, with information derived from actual interviews of the celebs' mothers and/or mother figures. I found Star Mothers very entertaining, informative, and at times, inspiring.