It's always nice to see new material devoted to history's greatest detective. Some of the contributions in this new collection are really pretty good. The structure of the book is also ingenious, with the stories presented in "chronological" order as if they were the results of true research. But about ten of the stories are a complete waste of time. I found myself thinking in several cases "What was the point of that?" It is also irritating to have Holmes linked to so many great historical figures of the period, so that, by the end of the book, there is hardly anyone famous whom Holmes has not met and the reader is tempted to play "Spot the Star". The editing needed a much firmer hand: for example, in one story, the name of Holmes's client is spelled three different ways on the same page, and careless mistakes mar some of the others too. But, on the whole, I had fun reading this book and it moved me to reread the originals - yet again!

Mike Ashley has assembled a large collection of Sherlock Holmes short stories, mostly new to this collection (three are reprinted, but I only had the previous appearance of one of these).

If you are someone who is a fan of Sherlock Holmes and is always looking for more, than this is a book you will want. The stories are of a consistent quality, written by authors who are practiced in their art, and involve Holmes and Watson considering problems whose solutions are not normally obvious from the outset.

For me, while none of the stories were particularly outstanding in either good or bad terms. I enjoyed Stephen Baxter's 'The Adventure of the Inertial Adjustor', Peter Crowther's 'The Adventure of the Touch of God' and Zakaria Erzinçlioglu's 'The Adventure of the Bulgarian Diplomat' marginally more than the others.

I'd recommend this book to Holmes enthusiasts, or to those with little exposure to the Great Detective. It is a good collection of decent quality.

This is a wonderful collection! As with any collection of Holmes stories by modern writers, there are bound to be a few clunkers. What impresses me is that, even though a few of the stories are slightly off the mark, the vast majority of the stories are dead on.

Only one of the cases, in which a series of grisly killings are investigated, is not quite in the voice of Doyle (mostly due to the graphic descriptions). However, this case also lets Watson shine. Rather than the standard Watsonish "Amazing!" or "Remarkable, Holmes!" every time Sherlock utters a revelation, Watson gets to do a little detecting of his own, albeit medical. What I particularly liked in the story was that Watson is not left to simply marvel at Holmes, but gets to contribute more than just the use of his service revolver.

The timeline at the end of the book is also helpful in putting Sherlockia in some sense time-wise. When did Holmes first begin detecting, when did he stop, when did such-and-such a case occur? All are nicely laid out.

The book is divided into the early years of Holmes' career, his middle years, and later years. We get to see early cases, and his final case.

The choices of stories by the editor are first rate. This is easily the best collection of new Holmes you're likely to find on the market.

The voice of the Master can be heard throughout the book!

You will see reviews here rated one and five stars - it depends upon who you are. The book is not tremendously written, stylistically, though not bad (redundant in places). If you know the place(s) written about - Mt. Washington and near peaks it will surely be a thrilling and fascinating read. If not - tedium. I know a bit of the area, so it was just ok - a three star book I would only recommend to White Mountain fans.

i just returned from a trip to the white mountains where I came across this book. i was very much interested in the history of the presidential mountain range and this book gave me quite a bit of insight as to the history of the mountain range and mount washington. this book is a wonderful read - i enjoyed it immensely. the book covers the tragedies that have befallen the mountain range and in such detail, i could visualize being there. hats off to nicholas howe! thanks for the insight!

This book is an expanded telling of the story Mr. Howe wrote for Yankee. I climbed Mt. Washington shortly after the original story. I went better prepared for the weather, thanks to Mr. Howe, and was able to assist a member of our climbing party to the "lake of the clouds" AMC hut (with the help of the hut staff and a cell phone). The fog seemed more like a dark blanket that shrunk the world to a few yards. A mile seemed like hundreds stopping every few feet while a fellow with a heart problem stopped to rest. After reading the original article I never considered leaving the man behind. I only wondered if he would be added to the list of those who died. I awaited this book for a few years. I met Mr. Howe at the Capitol City Dinner in Concord, NH after reading the Yankee article. Thank you sir for a great read. Thank you also for the stories that convinced me to better prepare for Mt. Washington. You may have saved a life perhaps two.

Maybe I'm being too critical here. I mean, I like Jon Miller. He's an excellent broadcaster. He certainly knows his baseball. But can he write? The answer (even with assistance) is, disappointingly, no. He has some good anecdotes, and makes some good points, but as I was reading it, I couldn't help wondering, "Where is this book going?" The answer is nowhere. It's meandering and disjointed. He makes all of his "controversial" points in the first chapter, but then offers nothing to back up his theses later in the book. Still, if you want to learn about Jon Miller, to read some interesting stories about the colorful players and broadcasters Miller has encountered over the years, AND get a defense in of Miller's decision to leave the broadcasting booth for the Baltimore Orioles, then go ahead and buy the book. But, perhaps you would feel you're getting your money's worth if you waited for the paperback version or maybe borrowed it from your local library.

I received this book along with Joe Morgan's as a Christmas present, and it was interesting to read them in tandem, as it shows why they are such a complementary broadcast team. Miller's book is more an anecdotal memoir than a detailed analysis of the game, but that doesn't spoil the enjoyment of it. His tribute to Ken Coleman, the retired Red Sox radio broadcaster, brought back to this Red Sox fan vivid memories of Miller's all-too-brief stay in Boston. The book, however, suffered from an editing job that assumed that the reader had a familiarity with Miller's personal life and career history. For example, there are several references to his first marriage which both assume that the reader knows that Miller was married before and why it ended. But these references are extraneous and add nothing to this picture of Miller as broadcaster and baseball purist -- which, after all, is the book's primary focus.

Had an opportunity to read this book over the Thanksgiving holiday...just couldn't put it down. Jon Miller gives baseball fans and purists an updated insider's view on many of the issues that are of prime concern to today's baseball fans such as: the designated hitter, interleague play, outrageous salaries, current and future hall of famers; and he gives you all the details of his divorce with the Baltimore Orioles and notes interesting tidbits about Baltimore's greedy and incompetent owner -- Peter Angelos.

Easy to read. Easy to understand and enjoy.

The Devil in the Shape of a Woman is a study of New England witchcraft during the 17th and early 18th centuries and its interconnectedness with womanhood. While most studies on colonial witchcraft are concerned with the Salem outbreaks in the late 17th century, Carol Karlsen's approach is to examine New England witchcraft as a whole and argue, persuasively, for its particular influences on colonial women.

To appropriately grasp the history of New England witchcraft, Professor Karlsen argues, it is imperative to understand the role of women in colonial society (xiii). Karlsen further argues that past historians have scarcely noted the misogyny of the witchcraft craze in New England. Rather than continue this practice, Professor Karlsen gains a greater understanding of these witch crazes, through the study of women in Colonial New England society. Karlsen asserts: "Only by understanding that the history of witchcraft is primarily a history of women, however, can we confront the deeply embedded feelings about women".

Karlsen uses a great deal of primary and secondary sources to support her thesis. With nearly one hundred pages of supportive details, Karlsen provides a wealth of documentation. She uses first hand accounts of witch trails. A good example is her use of Cotton Mather's personal writings. Mather provides interesting insight regarding the attitudes towards women commonly held by the colonial elites. Her next major types of sources are court records. These records detail court proceedings, depositions and court rulings. Furthermore, statistics, drawn from these records, provide the basic arguments for Karlsen's book. While she relies mainly on primary sources, Karlsen does use secondary sources on woman's history, colonial society and recent witchcraft scholarship.

In addition to her sources, Karlsen provides an excellent research tool in her appendix. Here she includes an alphabetical listing of accused witches and their brief history describing their cases. This addition makes, The Devil in the Shape of a Woman, more manageable for her readers.

The book begins with a brief history of the colonial witchcraft. Each chapters is structured with an orientation, presentation of evidence and her conclusion. A good example of her structure is in chapter two, on the demographics of witchcraft, here she summarizes the importance of age and marital status in witchcraft accusations--The essential arguments of chapter 2. Following this summary, she provides a good transition into the her next chapter [Chapter 3: The Economic Basis of Witchcraft] in the final sentence of chapter two, "A closer look at the material conditions and behavior of the accused reveals other characteristics-intimately related to their sex, age, and marital status-that set witches apart from other older women in their community."

In substantiating her claim about the importance and the interconnectedness of colonial womanhood and witchcraft, Karlsen examines the colonial beliefs on witchcraft and the rampant misogyny of the period. In this study she addresses the accused and the accusers, the young, the old, the poor and the elite. She even constructs an interesting analysis and statistically significant interpretation of those females who were possessed and why these particular females responded to their possession in Puritan society-[see Chapter Seven: Brand Plucked out of the Burning.]

In order to prove her case, Professor Karlsen mainly uses statistical evidence associated with those who were the accusers and the accused during the witchcraft trails. Through the use of statistical evidence, Karlsen produces her most historically significant findings linking colonial witchcraft and colonial womanhood. On the whole, Karlsen proves that women who were out of the social norms of colonial society were more likely to be suspect of witchcraft. In Puritan New England this mainly meant non-married women, widows and nonconformist females. These distinctive behaviors and demographics were seen as potential threat to New England society, especially during period of great change or social upheaval.

In addition, Karlsen has established, statistically, that women who were married, but had no children, women who were married, but had only daughters, and finally, women who were daughters of parents who had no male offspring were more vulnerable to calls of witchcraft (pg. 101). What this shows is the clear linkage of economic interest and the importance of inheritance in witchcraft accusations in colonial society. Karlsen argues, "Inheritance disputes surface frequently enough in witchcraft cases, cropping up as part of the general context even when no direct link between the dispute and the charge is discernible, to suggest the fears that underlay most accusations". Karlsen goes on to assert that women with inheritance rights were more susceptible to accusation of witchcraft throughout the entire history of Colonial New England witchcraft than those women who did not have inheritance privileges.

While statistics were effectively used in several areas of Karlsen's book, I had to keep asking myself an important and relevant question. Is Professor Karlsen an historian or a statistician? Surely she has added significant insight into colonial woman and the history of witchcraft, but it also seems probable that she has, on occasions, overused statistics. Would it not be an historical fallacy to assume something purely based on statistics? While Karlsen does include other forms of evidence to prove her arguments besides statistics, they are, unfortunately, in need of further development. By over-emphasizing statistics, The Devil in the Shape of a Woman undermines its otherwise, excellent argument.

While Carol Karlsen has argues that other historians has neglected the influences of women in Colonial New England witchcraft history, she has done just the opposite. Rather, she has focused her study specifically towards the role of women in colonial society. Since The Devil in the Shape of a Women is aimed towards the women's role in colonial witchcraft history, it is not a complete history of witchcraft in Colonial New England. In view of that, I can only recommend, The Devil in the Shape of a Woman with reservations. Rather, I would recommend that The Devil in the Shape of a Woman be read with other works on colonial society in order place its history in a broader viewpoint. Only through a more comprehensive understanding of the social, political, religious, environmental and generational factors that shaped colonial society can we truly come to terms with the impact women had on New England society and their particular relevance to their witchcraft accusations and the subsequent witch craze.

As someone who grew up in neighboring Andover, Mass, which played a very prominent role in the arrests, trials and subsequent executions, I can't recommend this book more highly. Daring and unafraid to look at newly compiled statistical data surrounding gender, property inheritence, and the perceptions of women in Colonial New England, this is a book which should be read by every student and historian of these events, regardless of whether they end up agreeing or disagreeing with the premise of the book. For me, it was an eye-opening and thought-provoking read.

Being a researcher of the 1692 witch trials, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This particular book focuses on the unjusts that have been done to women in the name of witchcraft,in Salem as well as other areas. Very thorough, and I have used this book in siting my referances when I assist others interested in the subject. There are many authors with many theories, and this is certainly a must to check out.

Graveyard is an excellent collection of real account ghost stories and reportings centered around Union cemetary near the authors home in Conneticut. The book presents some historical lore how family curses followed some of the first settlers of the region. Then documented stories are presented. Most interesting ones are the ghost lady in white pestered by small black creatures, the cross country skier whose death was imminent after meeting the ghost pionneer, and the radio shock jock who changed his ways. There are some photo's in the book but it always seems more interesting pictures's could have been included to make this a 5 star book.

The Warrens are a devout couple who have made it their life long goal to assist clergymen in the rescue of people afflicted or possessed by demonic spirits. Another book, and I think their best book by far, is the Demonologist by Gerald Brittle which deals with demonic cases. Unfortunately the book is out of print. If you can find it, buy it because it is well written and exciting and at the same time sobering to read.

For anyone who has an interest in demonology or the occult, this is book is definitely a must read. The research of Ed and Lorraine Warren is shown along with stories of terror which will chill the bones of even the most stoic reader. Read of how a girl's guilt about her friend's death leads her to dark measures, or how a radio personality is shown that his cracks about the afterlife are not appreciated by some, living and dead. Those who are looking for a spine chilling read, I urge you to also remember...these stories are true!

Sometimes I like to read true ghost stories just to make my insomnia more interesting. The Strange Passenger chapter's opening really made me laugh. It probably shouldn't have, because I know I would have been more freaked out than the man it actually happened to, but the way they wrote it out - prolonging the suspense - was great. I like that they also stress the folly and danger of meddling with black magic and ouija boards. That can't be stressed enough. You could devour this interesting book in an evening.

The Access New York City Guide is divided into sections for each region in the city, with separate maps for each area and detailing, in color code, destinations and places of interest in each area, including hotels, restaurants,(both rated for quality and expense), and shopping. It is the easiest New York guide book I have used, because I am able to find where I want to go, see the easiest way to get there, and know what's there when I do. The guide contains maps for subway and bus travel and airport access. I prefer this area-by-area format because I can see easily all the attractions in each part of the city. This has a distinct advantage over guides which group by topic; for example, I might find a hotel that suits my needs, and by checking the area on the map, I can find a restaurant on the same page, in my price range, within walking distance, and know what's cooking for dinner. Other guides would have you searching another chapter. This is the latest of many editions of the Access New York City guide, and is just as enjoyable from your armchair at home as it is from your tourbus. Also included are such fun tidbits as a list of movies filmed in the city, books written about New York, and little-known facts about the histories of the most famous landmarks. Altogether this guide and its logical format would make your hundredth trip to the city as exciting as your first.

I lucked into buying this guide when I first moved to New York seven years ago, and it served as a perfect introduction to the city. Even in a city that changes as rapidly as New York, I continued to find this book useful for several years after I bought it, and I still frequent some of the off-the-beaten-path restaurants that the author recommends. (But I'm not telling you the names; you'll have to discover them for yourself!)

As much as I liked this book, I can see how it might not be ideal for everyone. For one thing, unlike a lot of guidebooks, it doesn't go out of its way to prioritize the different sites and to dictate what you ought to see as a visitor. Unless the book has changed since the edition I bought, you won't find any walking tours or suggested itineraries. But if you have enough time and are willing to give serendipity a chance, the best way to experience in New York is on foot, exploring neighborhood by neighborhood, with this book in hand. Whether you're interested in architecture, shopping, arts, or history, you will find this book an excellent travel companion.

I found this book to be an excellent guide for New York because it focuses on places to go, not so much the history of the place like other guidebooks. I don't know who comes to New York just for the history, anyway! (There's Paris for that.)But for restaurants, hotels, and even some clubs ACCESS was better than even my hotel concierge. Although there was no way to try everything mentioned in the book, every place I did go to, or restaurant I dined at, was current and good even though sometimes the chef was different. Maybe even more details on the downtown scene would be good, instead of pages on boring Upper West Side, etc., but overall this is a tres bon map to a good time to what is still the greatest city in the world. And that's coming from a Frenchman...vive le New York!

Well, it's like I bought this book called On Bethel someplace or other, right. And its got like this like family and their all kind of screwed up and lonely and dysfunctional and stuff over Christmas. But that's cool, I mean who isn't man? So I starts reading this book and I sees that there's this Indian Chief in it, so I go "Cool, an Indian Chief!" And like he goes into the hospital where there's like this old Russian dude whose like sick or something. And they like start having social intercourse. And I really thought like they would assault each other, or over-run each others' borders or interfere with each other, but instead they have like this beautiful cultural understanding of each other. And there's like these implications of all this mystical stuff and then the family like lives happily ever at least for that moment. And I really like it, because reality is so hard that like the mystical stuff is way cool. I went out and bought a cat and I named it "hello angel" which is totally cool.

Christmas books are usually sappy. "On Bethel Ridge" manages to tell a compelling, convincing story about a real family --including the complex dynamics real people have with one another-- and still convey the angelic magic of Christmas. Phil Austin's prose is exquisite, without being self-conscious.

Now here at last is a book with universal appeal. Kids and adults can both enjoy Phil Austin's compact and beatifully written Christmas tale. "On Bethel Ridge" is a unique work of magical realism, incorporating the day to day problems and emotions of an ordinary family with the power of myth.

As an avid fan of Rona Jaffe,I am always excited to see a new book. I dove right into The Road Taken. It is the story of Rose Smith, born at the beginning of the 20th century,and her family. Following, Rose and her family we see the emergence of the new century , the blossoming women's movement, the death of loved ones, the two great wars. This book is well written and covers most of the pivitol events of the last 100 years, somehow tying Rose and her extensive family into each event. However, the book does not really develop the characters as well as I had hoped, with the exception of Rose's daughter Joan. The characters seem to serve only to introduce events. It was a an OK read, but not what I have come to expect from Jaffe, a minor disappointment.

I'm happy to say that Rona's done it again. Her books never fail to be anything short of entertaining...drawing me in, so much so that I almost feel as if I'm part of this family. The characters are very real, flawed and quirky, just like family members we all know,love, and despise. There are unexpected twists and turns, but not so many or bizarre that they're unrealistic. This is a story about a family that spans the generations...a very good read and one that was virtually impossible for me to put down.

A similar book by Rona that was also very good, another generational saga, but involving friends is "The Room Mating Season". I highly recommend that one as well.

Rona's quickly become one of my favorite authors. Happy reading!!

I loved this book! It could have been anyone's family, I agree, but it was a trip in time. The author took you through a time capsule with her references to historical happenings and historical inventions. With each time period I was remembering where I was during that time period and how old I was. Even though it started well before I was born, it related to times in history that my family spoke of.

I loved Jaffe's characters. She touched on all kinds of different scenarios and personalities in this family. She was proving that no family is spared from tragedy or joys.

I found the book to be a very fast read, probably because you really didn't want to put it down. I was sorry it ended. It is nice to know that a story can be told and keep your attention without violence and sex. I have been telling everyone about this book. It has to be one of the best reads I have had for a long time. What a delightful change!!

One might say that about all of Irving's books (ok, maybe not the little part) but just about all of them have some redeeming qualities that make you overlook his tedious, heavy-handed style and reach for metaphors. However, I couldn't find them in this book.

Like all trashy novels, this was oddly compelling in a voyeuristic sort of way. But whenever I thought it would improve and become a creative and interesting character study, it headed further down some disgusting path (not just the sexual content). Some reviews describe this book as erotic - to me it was just lewd and gross. WHO would want to have sex with any of these people? or read 245 pages about them?

John Irving fans should not overlook this gem of a book, though it departs drastically from the style that Irving is known and loved for. While there is little of the over-the-top humor and element of the absurd that made him famous, the deep-felt humanity and compassion that fills his characters is here in abundance. This is certainly the leanest, most serious, and yes, the saddest of his many fine novels. It tackles a thorny and complex subject - the effect that a ménage a quatre has on the two couples involved - with honesty and grace. For one of his earlier works, this book shows a surprising level of maturity, both in the terse, precise prose and the nuanced, layered approach to the subject matter. Irving's exploration of human emotion and the consequences of our decisions and actions are remarkably reminiscent of similar work by Philip Roth and Richard Ford years later.

"The 158 Pound Marriage" is another example of John Irving at his best. He masterfully explores the consequences of infidelity in a modern marriage through a story of two couples, each in love with another's spouse. Though the wrestling imagery can get tiresome after a while, it's a fitting theme for a book whose characters are wrestling with the choices they have made in their marriages. The characters are all well developed, and the non-linear plot flows with ease. The one warning I would give is not to pick up this book looking for another "Garp." There is, was, and will always be only one "Garp." Let "The 158 Pound Marriage" stand on its own merits and you will not be disappointed.

Thought I'd like this book, since I know Vermont, have lived through a similar mountain vs. ski resort conflict in New England and am fascinated by dowsing. BUT - the characters are not well developed; they are unconvincing. Hence, the plot doesnt' work. It's essential to the plot that we believe in the conversion of the main character from "cynical lawyer" to environmentalist. This conversion is not believeable. In addition, the writing itself is wooden: heavy-handed metaphor, cliche. The sex scenes, especially the second one, seem irrelevant to the story, too. Not a great book.

The story, at heart, of one man's acceptance of who he is. Scottie Winston is a lobbiest for several large resorts in Vermont. Resorts which use (or abuse) the environment. He is also married into a family of dousers, who, along with many others, oppose the current development in their neck of the woods. Through the processes of time, the timely intervention of three wildcats, and, most of all, love for his wife and daughter, he becomes true to himself. This is a nicely written book, with well-defined characters, a coherent plot, and a happy ending.

Chris Bohjalian's book, Water Witches, is a fascinating study of one Vermont family. Laura and her daughter Miranda are "water witches" - they are able to use rods, and their intuition, to advise people where to place wells so as to have clear, drinkable water in their homes. Laura's sister is also a dowser - however her power extends beyond water, and she is able to find lost items and people.

Scottie is married to Laura. After moving to Vermont, he took the highest-paid job he could find, as a lobbyist for the ski industry. While he has built a name for himself, this job has pitted him against environmental activists. However, Scottie finds himself in a bind when his current employer, Powder Peak, wants to build new trails and tap a depleted river for water to make snow. Scottie, however, becomes a reluctant convert to the environmentalists' point of view when he spies a catamount, an endangered Vermont mountain, where the ski resort was planning on placing the trails. He must wrestle with himself and his commitments to do the right thing.

The ending of the story is incredibly powerful, and winds these two tales together with astonishing grace.

Overall, this book is highly recommended for fans of Bohjalian's other books, including Midwives, and readers who are interested in the often delicate balance between environmental preservation and economic growth.