The F Files is an entertaining read about shoplifters in action and the floorwalker who catches them. It is great to read about this kind of 'behind the scenes' occupation. Somewhat similar to a dumb criminal TV show but wrapped up in book form. I found it to be well written. Mr Steele's writing style is easy going and fun. The smiles and chuckles you will get from The F Files will make it worth your while.

In this fascinating new study, Valerie Steele shows how eroticism formed the basis of the Victorian ideal of feminine beauty and fashion, indeed, how the very concepts of beauty and fashion are in essence erotic. Far from being passive sex objects, Victorian women, like their modern counterparts, chose to emulate an erotic ideal as an aspect of their own self fulfillment and were not merely presenting themselves as men wanted to see them.

Fashion And Eroticism is not only a radical revision of our conventional understanding of Victorian fashion; it is also a major contribution to the history of women and sexuality. Steele offers a powerful and convincing new interpretation of the Victorian woman, who has traditionally been presented as strait-laced and prudish, her clothing an outward sign of her sexual repression and exploitation. Steele shows that the Victorians were, in fact, well aware that women had legs. Even the notorious corset was neither fetishistic nor an unhealthy instrument of torture, although its complex and ambivalent sexual symbolism aroused controversy.

Steele explodes the myth that progress triumphed over fashion. She explains how the twentieth century look of sexy, healthy beauty evolved from within the prewar world of fashion, and not as part of an anti fashion or dress reform movement. Her conclusions are based on prodigious documentary, visual, and material research (including the study of costume collections in the United States, great Britain, Europe, and even Japan), set within a sophisticated interpretive framework. Her use of psychoanalytic theory to explain the connection between fashion and eroticism is both lucid and persuasive, and her discussion of eroticism is sensible and precise, a far cry from the usual prurient and anecdotal histories of sexuality. Fashion And Eroticism approaches its subject from the perspective of the most recent work in women's history and concluded that fashion and feminism are by no means irreconcilable.

Valerie Steele received her Ph.D. in history from Yale University in 1983, and was the 1984 First Ladies Fellow at the Smithsonian Institution.

After reading this book I was tuched. To me Mary Steele Made it seem like I were there, in the story. I think every one who has sufferd a "Grievous loss" should read this book. I'v been a reader all my life and only a few books make it to MY top tens list, and this one made it there. It macks me want to volenter and help out my cumunety. I think everyone should read this book.

A First Time For Everything is one of the best romance books I've read, I immensely enjoyed the book and really liked the characters a guy named Thane Addison and a lady named Josslyn Harding. I recommend this book, it's out of print so like me you'd have to find it in a used book store or maybe someone has a used copy to sell and you can read all about the love story of Thane and Joss.

Jessica Steele is the most wonderful writer in the entire world! Her books are so great and FLIGHT OF DISCOVERY is not an exception to the rule! Her characters are realistic and fun! In my own writing I look to her work and the letters she has sent to me for guidance. If you are a fan of funny and touching works of romance then Ms. Steele is definitely the authoress for you!

I first encountered Charlotte Forten Grimke as an adult, when I read the hefty (more than 600 pages) edition of her journals published as part of the Schomburg Library of 19th Century Black Women Writers. I was captivated by her inquisitive mind and vivacious spirit, which clearly came through in her prose.

"A Free Black Girl Before the Civil War" is a selection from the journals of the young Charlotte Forten (Grimke was her married name), all written in 1854. These writings offer a fascinating glimpse into the life of an educated free black girl during the era of slavery. We learn about Charlotte's love for nature, her participation in abolitionist activities, her admiration for the pioneering African American poet Phillis Wheatley, and other topics. Editor Christy Steele and company have provided a rich and colorful assortment of study aids: photographs and illustrations from Charlotte's era, a map of the "Underground Railroad," a timeline, and other resources. At 32 pages, the book is a lot less intimidating than the adult version which I first read!

The book also encourages its young readers to start their own diaries, and offers some tips. A list of relevant Internet sites further adds to the interactive nature of the book. This is an outstanding book for younger readers. Adults who also enjoy it would be wise to seek out the Schomburg Library edition of Charlotte's journals, edited by Brenda Stevenson. Both versions of these historic documents are excellent contributions to the field of African American studies.

The photos are just lovely and lyrical and interesting. It is a fascinating view of Japan that I never saw before.

Genius in their Own Words: The Intellectual Journeys of Seven Great 20th-Century Thinks is an anthology of writings and statements by seven of the greatest thinkers of modern times: Albert Einstein, Bertrand Russell, Jean-Paul Sartre, Martin Buber, A. J. Ayer, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and Hans-Georg Gadamer. A superb selection of scientific, sociological, and spiritual wisdom, Genius In Their Own Words makes for unique, fascinating, insightful, and occasionally inspiring reading.

I remember reading this book as a teenager, and thinking, "Yes, I understand!" every time the heroine, Laura, found herself at odds with the relentless conformity of school society. Set at a turn-of-the-century boarding school in Melbourne, Australia, "the Getting of Wisdom" is a classic tale of a girl who thinks for herself and, thus, is forever out of step with both her society and her classmates. Laura tries desperately to fit in, but never quite does. Still, in the end, the reader is sure that Laura will be the one to soar high in life -- not her more conventional peers. As Richardson says, "She could not know then, even for the squarest peg, the right hole may ultimately be found; seeming unfitness prove to be only another aspect of a peculiar and special fitness." Almost 100 years old, the book's message is still fresh today, which is why Richardson is considered one of Australia's greatest novelists.

This is a wonderfully written collection of short stories. The stories use beautiful, lyrical language and paint a detailed, loving, gentle portrait. The characters are fallible but fun. I usually don't enjoy short stories, but these are the exception - character, plot and gentle humor all in one well written package