I used think of druids as mystical priestly figures in Celtic societies. Having read this book I came to change my view. In general Peter Berresford Ellis suggests that the druids were actually less mystical than we may popularly think. At the same time their sphere of influence and interests extented far beyond religious matters. The writer presents the subject matter in very scholarly fashion and without the all too usual over-glorification and mystification of anything Celtic. Logical argumentation and the fact based approach to druids and druidism convinced me. Despite being scholarly Berresford Ellis's text is very enjoyable to read. If you want an objective account on druids and druidism, read this book.

Few figures flit so elusively through history as do the druids. Enigmatic and puzzling, the paucity of knowledge about them has resulted in a wide spectrum of interpretations. Even today, the lack of information has allowed the rise of an extensive "druidic" movement, particularly in Great Britain. Scouring through a wealth of resources and applying many years' work in this attempt to clarify the image of the Druids. He applies solid resources, assessing them rigidly and uses well the evidence has come to light. He's keen to revoke commonly held views. Druids weren't a savage priesthood practicing human sacrifice or arcane mysteries. Instead, Ellis finds them the intellectual elite of the Celtic world.

In sweeping away false beliefs about the Celts and their Druid "priesthood", Ellis provides a fine overview of Celtic society. Instead of nomadic warriors, the Celts were generally pastoralists and farmers in a stable society. Displacements and opportunitistic alliances resulted in societal changes. From an egalitarian society in which leaders were democratically chosen, a hierarchical structure developed as a reaction to intrusions. Christianity, of course, sounded the knell of their open society by demanding an end to "pagan" beliefs. Once forced into this new role, the democratic society became patriarchal.

One major change he notes resulting from this change was the role of women. Unlike their Mediterranean counterparts, Greece and Rome, the Celts held women in high regard, even granting them leadership status in peace and war. How many women gained status in the Druidic elite remains unclear, but he asserts it was only logical that leadership would include intellectual capacity.

Inevitably, Ellis concludes with the "revival" of the Druid concept in modern times. He sees many direct comparisons between the Celts and Hindu society as a modern example. The "caste" system he finds in both societies underwent changes in their respective locales. The mythology of a "mystical Druid" imagery was revived in Western Europe. This image permeated thought among British intellectuals beginning in the 17th Century. From a view of Celts and the Druids as savages, a new concept arose portraying them as "keepers of wisdom". Welsh, Cornish and Irish traditionalists enhanced this view leading to today's outlook of Druidism as a spiritual revival.

This thorough and insightful account of an unknown, but highly mythologised element of Western society is fundamental to an understanding of the Celts and their Druid sub-culture. Ellis keeps the account lively and captivating. Although his scholarship is thorough, it never overwhelms the reader. It should remain an important work for some time. [stephen a. haines, Ottawa, Canada]

Mr. Berresford Ellis' writings were recommended to me by a professional historian, with great respect for his works.I immediately become a fan of his straight forward presentation. This was written for the average person, who enjoys history as a hobby, as well as for those with professional interest. A good read! I would highly recommend this as a high school course to balance the sugar coating of Rome, taught in schools today.

With political controversy far too familiar to this country, A Time to Kill, by Tom Ellis, is welcomed into the world of fiction as it vividly illustrates the wrath of corruption and its effects on the inside, and outside, societies of Middle America politics. The book focuses on the life of Joe Murphy, the man chosen to fill an empty Kansas congressional seat, and examines his gradual change from "typical" college student - with only a few impurities to shade his character - to vicious and unrelenting politician who answers blackmail with even more corruption and deceit. A Candidate to Kill is a fast-moving and intelligent novel that keeps the reader guessing clear up until the shocking ending. Tom Ellis successfully displays his knowledge of politics and Kansas, as well as his talent in writing fiction, in this, his thrilling premier novel.

This is a very interesting mystery involving the political arena in a Kansas setting. It is well written and keeps your attention until the very end.

A spellbinding political thriller. Author has a talent for keen description which keeps you into the story. Then he consistently hits you with new twists you don't expect. This story will make an excellent movie. Author captures the midwest feeling of small town America while displaying an understanding for real political intrigue. It's an easy read, but you won't want to put it down!

Ok, I just bought this book today and two other ones and this one looks the best out of the three so I can't wait to read it!!!! It looks good! What do you think? All I know is that Mary-Kate and Ashley have out cool books and this one looks good.

I love mary-kate & ashley!!they are so cool!!This is a great book!!!You have to read it.At first I thought the scarecrow had got up and walked away.Boy,was I wrong!!!

This is such a cool book. these two really no how to solve a mystery!

While Ellis' "Celtic Women" is the best book I have yet read on the subject, it suffers from peculiar inconsistencies, as well as the author's tendency to disregard or dismiss evidence which contradicts his thesis. This work is definitely preferable to Jean Markale's book of the same title, as Ellis seems to be more of a scholar and less of a mystic. Ellis focuses on material from the Classical authors, native Celtic law texts, and vernacular works of literature and history in painting a vivid picture of the many roles of Celtic women and Celtic female divinities. This work is not without flaws, however, for one must ask, would a book about Celtic men include an overview of Celtic male gods? Female divinities are also prominent in Greek mythology, but I find the argument that the stature of goddesses reflects the status of women in the culture which worships them to be, at best, highly speculative. While there is definitely evidence that women could attain high social positions in Cletic societies, Mr. Ellis seems to gloss over the fact that ruling queens and influential female Brehons (judges) were notable exceptions to the rule. In addition, while there is much material introduced from native law regarding women's rights to property and divorce, nothing is said concerning women's rights to child custody. The reader is left to wonder whether nothing is said in these law texts about such an important and revealing point as a woman's right to her own children, or if the author considered it to be of no importance. As a woman, I would love to look to the Celts as an example of the "original egalitarian model" that the book's jacket claims, but as a scholar I feel that Mr. Ellis overstates his case, a failing of many of his otherwise fine works. Perhaps more disturbing, there are sections of the book that strike a strangely discordant note in view of the overall theme. For instance, Mr. Ellis devotes an entire chapter (out of 10) to the subject of personal adornment. In this chapter, he discusses not only the costume and adornments of women, but of men as well. Does this suggest a view on the part of the author that the whole subject of dress is a concern specific to women, or is this material introduced solely by way of comparison? While I would recommend this book as being the best available on the subject, I believe that a truly 5 star book on Celtic women has not yet been written.

After researching for years and looking desperately for a good resource on Women in the Celtic times, this book was an amazing find. I was thrilled by the information I found here. I learned things about Celtic Women that I had never imagined could be true. I know that I will be using this book for many years to come.

There are many non-fiction books written on the Celts, but only a few on the subject of Celtic Women. This book is well-written and researched with care. Most interesting to this reader, was the chapter on a Celtic woman's legal status during different times of history. If you like this book I would also suggest the Mr. Ellis' book on the Druids, aptly named, "The Druids".

This is a complete book regarding oral surger

I think that this boog y very good, it's easy to understand, and very clear and gives information very important and useful for the clinician.

The previous edition (2nd) was recommended in "A Basic List of Recommended Books and Journals for Support of Clinical Dentistry in a Nondental Library" in Bulletin Of the Medical Library Association, July 1997.

Linda Ellis has put it all together in this easy-to-read, fact-based crime novel. What more could you want - murder, sex, good police work, suspense and a surprise ending. A great read for a rainy day or long plane ride.

Linda Ellis is a business writer who specializes in writing columns for daily newspapers. Death At A Dumpster is her first book, and is a fictional crime novel cobbled together from extensive research of police files and medical records. The story is set in New Jersey, and covers the period from 1982 through 2000.

Felicia Cusack, 44 years of age, who is a housewife, mother, worker, community organizer, and beloved citizen of Cullwing Cove is brutally murdered in an alley on March 20, 1982. Felicia's husband Larry, who was a police officer, was present, but not nearby. Larry left Felicia alone when he discovered that his keys were missing. Someone stabbed Felicia 22 times and fled with her purse. She died in the hospital, but not before suffering tremendous pain and suffering. Her husband Larry could not explain why he was unable to come to her aid when she was attacked. Cullwing Cove had a population of 5500, and nearly everyone knew and loved Felicia.

The citizens of Cullwing Cove, however, did not love Larry. It soon became apparent to the investigating officers that Larry was having an affair with a young woman named Amy Lee Halford. This was the beginning of a series of discoveries that would ultimately lead to the arrest of the murderer: "Law enforcement personnel were more troubled by the fact that Cusack had done nothing at all to help his wife as she lay dying in the gravel and dirt of the alley, brutally pushed against an overfilled garbage trough. It was despicable, but it was impossible to make any assumptions from that failure to act other than that Cusack didn't care about his wife, alive or dead. Police couldn't invent a charge against a fellow cop because of something he did not do, but they would sure make him pay if they discovered any evidence against him."

Written as a docu-murder, Death At A Dumpster immediately stands out as a sort of documentary similar to the Dragnet television series in the 1950's. All that is missing is Joe Friday's dry commentary. Ellis herself adopts a straightforward narrative, which grows steadily in scope as she patiently makes her case against the murderers. Death At A Dumpster is not a whodunit...it is rather a case report which includes the crime, the sex, and the revenge.

Interesting, suspenseful, and filled with terrific characters! Ms. Ellis' fact-based crime drama was an excellent read, & I couldn't wait to find out how the investigation would finally be resolved. You'll probably think that you've figured it all out, but will be very surprised by the turn of events & final climax.

Edward Robb Ellis' "A Diary of the Century," a 578 page book collecting selections from diaries spanning 68 years, opens with a typically stylish introduction by Pete Hamill and closes with an index, the latter being the first place I looked after acquiring this mammoth volume. Searching for familiar names, I found Elvis Presley to whom Ellis refers on page 539 in an entry dated January 8, 1993, what would have been the King of Rock and Roll's 58th birthday: "Elvis Presley stamps went on sale today, much to my disgust. Years ago, when he was being discharged from the army, I was one of many reporters interviewing him. I remember asking him how he could justify his enormous wealth when school teachers were being underpaid. He gave me a non-answer with a smile and extreme politeness."

That little passage suggests that, though he may be an excellent diarist, Ellis must have been a lousy reporter, one completely lacking in the objectivity supposedly required by the

profession. If Elvis had had access to Ellis' diary, he might have answered Ellis' question with a question of his own: "How can YOU justify asking ME that question when you did not ask it of Grace Kelly, who not only acquired enormous wealth in her acting career, but married into more millions by bagging Prince Rainier of Monaco?"

Ellis interviewed Kelly in 1956, an experience detailed in his entry of January 11 that year. His questions to her are never more challenging than this one: "Will you see the prince today?" (p. 232) Ellis didn't ask Clark Gable's widow how her late husband justified the millions he made when school teachers were underpaid, nor did the reporter grill composer Irving Berlin on the matter either. Apparently it was alright for Kelly, Gable, and Berlin to make millions because Ellis appreciated their "talents," but Presley and rock and roll didn't pass muster with "America's Greatest Diarist," as Ellis is called on the jacket of his book, and, therefore, it was wrong for Presley to strike it rich. The question, if it was worthy of being asked at all, should have been directed at a society that values performers more than it does the teachers in whose hands our children's education is placed.

That being said, Ellis' book is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in fine writing and a purely subjective (and, as noted, sometimes hypocritical) account of life as it was lived and observed by Ellis in the 20th century.

I rec'd this book in 1997 and have relished it ever since. It's a wonderful read and gives great insight into the last 80 or so years. Ellis died in 1998, but his books leave a lasting legacy.

First rate. A good luck at the past century by a keen observer

Charles Doolittle Walcott was a great man... a hard working, self taught scientist and dedicated administrator. Unfortunately, in Yochelson's overblown biography we are subjected to detailed descriptions of every ailment suffered by Walcott and his immediate family and after 468 pages are abruptly told that the final 20 years of his life constitutes another story. The two decades that include Walcott's tenure as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution represents a period that would certainly be of greater interest to most readers than the day-planner chronology that occurs here. At times, Yochelson had this reader captivated with accounts of Walcott's Cambrian discoveries with a fine presentation of the rigors of fieldwork in the remote west of the late 1890's. Most fossil collectors and armchair paleontologists will enjoy these sections. I only wish the bulk of this biography was equally compelling and completed the story of Walcott's remarkable life.

The author researched his subject over decades and the book represents a labor of love. Geologists, of course, will appreciate the subject, however, it will be of interest to all who follow the history of science. Ultimately, the book is not about rocks and fossils, but about a person. The author weaves in excerpts from Walcott's extensive diaries, so that we follow Walcott's thoughts, his methods and dealing with adversity. As a teenage amateur collector of fossils, Walcott came to the attention of such greats as Agassiz. While working on a farm, he was eventually recognized for his talent and was hired by the newly formed Geological Survey in 1879. He was subsequently sent to the Grand Canyon. In 1882-1883, he spent more than a cold winter month in remote and rugged areas, some never previously visited by other than prehistoric Native Americans. He displayed discipline and fortitude by recordinmg detailed and comprehensive data under hazrdous conditions and extremewheather. Walcott may not have finsihed high-school, but eventually became the Director of the U.S. Gerological Survey and Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. While starting his career as a "scientist," he was adept at dealing with congress and adminsitrations. His administrative duties did not prevent him from continued major contributions to science.

Yochelson does detail the early career of an important American scientist by bringing together all of the relevant source documents. The context is the XIXth c. amalgamation of classical geology and paleontology. From the perspective of the late XXth c. we see the geological debates in which Charles Walcott was involved as our "big picture" stuff--the ordering and naming of rock and time sequences, major rock correlations, index fossils.

This book is not literature, but rather, an example of the meat-and-potatoes variety of biography that is long on factual reportage and short on speculation and imputation. Nonetheless Walcott, the man, shines through as the last of a dying breed--a decent, unpretentious and hard-working scientist.

Readers need to be aware the book stops well short of Walcott's collecting trips to the Burgess Shale in Yoho National Park, British Columbia.

His previous work shows that Richard Ellis is certainly a man of artistic talent with a broad interest in all things aquatic. With Encyclopedia of the Sea he has tried to bring together as much information as he can about the ocean. Everyone should know that this can't be done in one book, especially of this size. I don't think that this was a serious attempt to produce the master treatise on the ocean. If that is what your looking for look elsewhere (it doesn't exist but good luck).

However, this book is good! Hard to put down even. I have curled up with it a few times randomly going from page to page appreciating the entries chosen and, as always, Ellis' illustrations. You can go from a description of a pirate vessel to a definition of a group of fishes. This book might have the most eclectic batch of information ever gathered in one binding. It should truly be a joy to any person who has a bit of the romantic in their own quest for information. Get it because you want it, not because you need an encyclopedia on the ocean.

This is a wonderful coffee table book. The pictures are just fabulous- like nothing I had ever seen before. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to look at unique and interesting books.

Ellis is a leading world expert on aquatic life and ocean lore, and his Encyclopedia Of The Sea is an impressive compendium of facts and information gathers years of investigation from various sources to provide the first comprehensive illustrated reference on almost everything known about the sea. The A-Z reference will prove an invaluable guide and a 'must' purchase for any strong science library collection.

This book has a premise--that fairy folk are interfering in the world of humans--and not much else. The plot takes fully half the book's length to get going, and results in only one real event. That would probably be okay, if the rest of the reader's time were spent with the fairies, or immersed in Welsh culture, or in historical flashbacks. Sadly, though, we are treated to the dreary company of three not-very-likeable women: an insufferable young artisan, her neurotic mother, and the mother's dull friend. If, however, you have read and liked this book, I'd like to recommend Kathryn Davis' "The Walking Tour." Also set in Wales, with a slight element of the supernatural, and a bit more life to it.

This story is so cute and kooky that it deserves a read. Young Eloise, living in the Welsh countryside is bored just sewing old fashioned flowing dresses and begins thinking about having a baby.

She goes off for a walk one day through the fields and returns with a baby that she insists is her own. And it just gets odder from there!

This is just a wonderful read, perfect for settling down in a comfy spot on a wintry day and devouring.

I have read only four of her books, but each one is a masterpiece. Once again Ellis creates an uncanny brilliant story, best described as 'supernatural comedy of manners'. The spiteful interactions of all her characters are spot on and funny. This is combined with the eerie story of being attacked by the fairy folk. Excellent authoress, excellent book.