Once a powerful judge, Ellis Portal was convicted of a felony and disgraced. His life style has changed drastically. He is now living as a homeless person in a ravine along a Toronto river. While working in his vegetable garden, he finds a ring with a black hand attached to it. Ellis recognizes the ring as one of five that was exchanged between himself and four other law school graduates (all of whom were white). When the rings were exchanged, they were accompanied by a vow that each of them would perform one favor, no questions asked, for each of the others. During the book, this favor is called in twice for Ellis.

In order to solve the mystery of the ring, Portal needs to go back into the civilized world. When he does so as a vagrant, he is treated without respect. When he goes through great lengths to appear "normal", he is accepted. He first visits another street person, Queenie, who cannot help him but asks him to see how a young woman named Moonstar is doing. Moonstar is a prostitute who spent some time at a hostel called "Second Chances". She is convinced that the well-to-do hostel is responsible for spiriting away several people, including newborn babies of some of the women who reside there. Although this seems implausible to Ellis, he agrees to look into it.

His main connection whohelps in his investigation is a reporter named Aliana who treated him fairly during his worst ordeals. She is kind and helpful. She also serves a useful purpose in the story of being able to tap into information that Ellis needs to investigate Second Chances and the other lawyers with whom he made his pact.

The first two-thirds of the book were thought-provoking as it made the reader consider attitudes toward the unfortunates of society. However, the last third veered off into fantastic events, clichés and unbelievable happy endings for almost everybody. Aubert writes with great sensitivity about the intricacies of life on the streets as well as other issues such as prostitution, homosexuality and the vagaries of the justice system, all of which make this a book worth reading in spite of the overly fortuitous plot resolutions.

Hero Ellis Portal was once a judge but now lives in a hut in Toronto's river park area. The novel is as much the story of his mental and emotional recovery as the solving of a crime. Aubert vividly describes the life of the homeless and the class barriers we all, often unintentionally, erect. Superb writing overcome a somewhat weak and rushed ending. Kathleen T. Choi, HAWAII CATHOLIC HERALD

Although this book is now out of print, it would be worth hunting for because the main character of the book - Ellis Portal - is definitely a different type of hero.

Although street people are not people I normally come in contact with, I began to appreciate the problems Ellis Portal faced the more I got into the book.

This book is definitely work looking for and reading.

I found this book tedious, to say the least. I have followed Annie Lennox's career since the early eighties, and having read plenty of interviews all through these years, I expected to read a book that might shed new light on this wonderful performer. Instead I found a comprehensive body of work regarding the description of every single song and video performed by her. That is great for die-hard fans thirsty for details, but fails to grasp the reader's attention for long and should by no means be the final goal of any biography! Besides the authors failed to bear in mind that most A.L.'s fans are over their 30's and that the biography was Annie Lennox's and not Shakira's, for the use of storytelling-like idiomatic expressions (e.g. "...at the tender age of six...") and the lack of depth in the subject matter of the book is more suitable for a teenage pop idol biography! All in all, buy the book if you crave for the info, otherwise avoid it!

In my view, this bio will be best appreciated by very serious fans of Annie Lennox and Eurythmics. The authors are extremely thorough, describing at length practically every song ever sung, every video ever shot, every costume ever worn, every photo ever taken, etc. As someone who enjoyed Eurythmics and Lennox's music and thought a Lennox bio would be an interesting read, this level of detail quickly became tedious. The book also suffers from not having the direct cooperation of Ms. Lennox, lacking the life that comes from in depth interviews specifically for the purpose of a biography, as opposed to various previous interviews put in the context of a biography. Finally, at times the authors made sweeping and grand statements, which left me with the impression that perhaps they were too in awe of Ms. Lennox to write a truly objective biography. Still, for those who are serious fans, they will likely appreciate the level of research and detail that went into this comprehensive bio.

This book is a MUST for anyone who has followed Annie Lennox throughout her entire career! With mind boggling research, some never before published photos and incredible insight, you find yourself unable to put it down. It leaves no question unanswered, and gives insight into this enigmatic woman, like no other biography has been able to. All holes in stories of the past are quickly filled in in this book. There are very intelligent commentaries on every song Annie has ever recorded, with and without Eurythmics. The authors talk to ex-lovers, friends and co-workers in Annie's life, and uncovers literally everything you could want to know. Highly recommended.

"In the summer of 1998 I bought Ellis Amburns book about Buddy Holly in England. Buddy was my favourite music hero in the end of the fifties. My first record was "Peggy Sue got married". I always imagined Buddy Holly as a clean cut american singer, who fundamented modern popmusic. I was rather amazed about the facts Amburn states in this hardcover edition. Buddy is written down as a fundamental Christian in one way, and a gambler and drinker in the other. I couldn't find any balance in the behaviour of this forerunner of the Beatles. All the facts about Buddy's hometown life as a good boy and son of a loving family are interrupted by facts about a brutal sexlife in his early youth, gambling during the tours and even violence. Thre are a lot of quotes in this narrative, which the author found in other books, so the story doesn't seem much comprehensive to me. There is also a story about a fight in the plane during Buddy's last moments of life, concluding in rumours that Buddy Holly shot the pilot. I cannot prove that is is untrue, but I think it is rather ridiculous. The coroner must have found some clues. In the book there is also a discography of Buddy Holly. I always was convinced, that I had all of Buddy's recordings, but that is not true. I was very amazed that Bob Dylan, the artist I admired most in the sixties and afterwards, attended one of Buddy's last concerts in Duluth. The book was in more than one ways an eyeopener.

The true story of Buddy Holly told by his friends,family,wife and fans. I loved this book i hope you do too! This book traces Buddy's career from the day he was born to the day he died (and after). This is the best book on Buddy Holly i've read (i am a huge Buddy Holly fan). So,if you want to know about Buddy Holly this book is for you!!!!

I have read and studied Buddys Music and life for many years and found this book to be a very detailed accout of both. I also wish the movie would have been like this book. Yes, their are a few disturbing facts in the book not only about Buddy but about some of the other pioneers of rock. Little Richard. Jerry Lee Lewis, Eddie Cochran etc..This makes the book that much more of a good read. Those who condem this book need to watch the documentary "The Real Buddy Story" done by Paul McCartney for the BBC some years ago. I think it validates allot of the stories in the book, except some about the last moments before the crash. Whose to say these are not true? I have yet see or here anyone that can say for sure what did happen. Buy this book and the documentary (both avaiable from Amazon) you will enjoy them for many years.

This is a wonderfully illustrated book, except it is terribly written. Mr Ellis may have a good eye and hand, his writing is full of stock expressions and canned phrases. He seems unable to focus on any particular idea for more than a paragraph or so, and he meanders, but not in any reflective or thoughtful way. The text is full of paragraph length verbatim quotations from other books, even when there is no real need for it. He seems unable or unwilling to even attempt any sort of synthesis, even a personal one, of the themes that are supposedly the subjects of the book. He does have a good bibliography though, and it is probably more rewarding to skip his text and read the originals.

The real problem with the book though, is as a book of popular science, it is full of inaccuracies, mistakes, and contradictions. Among others, he writes red light has higher frequency than blue, when it is the other way around. There are many others like this, not really deep mistakes, but simples ones that should have been easily found. It seems the book was simply sloppily, superficially researched, and not carefully written and edited at all.

For a much better popular book, try William Broad's "The Universe Below".

I would truly love to meet Richard Ellis, the author of this book. He has produced a very eclectic bibliography on life in the sea. I understand that he began his career as an artist and all of his books are beautifully illustrated. This one in particular makes liberal use of scratchboard art which does a fine job of bringing the creatures of the abyss to life. The first section deals with the history of deep ocean exploration. I found it particularly interesting. Proceeding sections deal with the myriad of ocean geology and biology topics. Ellis' treatment of these subjects is effective, particularly for the person with interest but a less than advanced background in science. I don't think you will find all the information here in another single source. Ellis, if not a marine scientist, shows a mastery of research and bringing his topic together. Some of the information is a bit disjointed but all in all a very good read.

I've enjoyed everything I've read by Ellis, and this is no exception. Like his other books, this one too seems to suffer from some mediocre editing, but the content more than makes up for it. The book is basically split into two sections, one describing the oceonography of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as a history of human exploration of the murky depths. The second section, which i found to be the more interesting of the two, is a broad survey of the animal life found in the deep areas of the Atlantic Ocean (and hence the title). I wish he was able to go into more detail about some of the bizarre and amazing animals that he discusses, and I wish that he could have included even more of his wonderful drawings, but despite those reservations, I still thought the book was great.

Abused women, do NOT read this book BEFORE therapy or before you are well on your way to recovery. This book will RETRAUMATISE you. Dr. Ellis, whilst a well-respected psychologist, misuses his authority by speaking the truth WITHOUT love. He does make some very valid points, but the book is permeated with the idea that others have the perfect right to run roughshod over anyone who can't "stop" them. Yes, we all own our emotions. Yes, we each create our own responses to how others treat us. HOWEVER, we, each and every one of us, ALSO are responsible for HOW OUR BEHAVIOR effects others. This is especially true for abusive people who brutally control others through threats, intimidation, double-bind situations and the misuse of trust inherent in intmate relationships. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT, even if a notable psychologist says it is.

This book by Dr. Ellis sounds like a weak rationalization for justifying the idolization of Darwin's Survival of the Fittest Theory for the Ignorant. It's too bad that it seems to be skewed toward domestic relations where the stronger partner has license to ignore the sensitivity or the humanity of the weaker partner. Unfortunately, this pattern is not limited only to intimate relations but appears upon every street corner as well as every street, if not on every playground. There seems to be little evidence of reactionary refusals included in attempts to set limits on such behavior. In most cases, the "stronger, more intelligent" person refuses to stoop to the level of the ignorant person who uses such tactics to try to control, ideally, to prevent wallowing in the stench of the ignorant persons who use this method pretending it represents control, power, and strength. In most cases, it's not worth the bother since such "acting out" by weak-minded persons don't deserve to have their poorly constructed "arguments" met with legitimate response, and are usually too ignorant to understand the benefit of alternative methods. This "typical bully behavior" that doesn't even rise to the level of legitimate S&M, much less pass for communication, deserves the only kind of response possible in such situations - complete dismissal because of its failed credibility. The public nusiance that it is, however aggravating, is best left to stew in its own disgraced juice, spiced by its own concoction of frustration. Why would it deserve more recognition than acknowledging its failings rooted more in its own ridiculous outbursts than by any legitimate concern that commands attention or authority? How can it be thought of as anything but ignorant? It sounds like a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the differences between black and white in areas where gray doesn't "wear well."

I wouldn't recommend this as a first book to read about verbal abuse. For me, it was a real catalyst for change, but probably would NOT have been if I hadn't a) been in therapy for a while and b)first read a lot of other books, especially books by Cheri Huber, a buddhist teacher with very similar ideas. 100% responsibility for your experience, 100% of the time.

I agree, it is hard to swallow the idea that an abuser has the 'right' to abuse, but really it is true, but not in a specific way, like the way that we have a right to free speech. It is broader than that, and I think is intended more to shift your attention away from what the abuser is doing and instead focus on YOURSELF. I can't explain it, but it has to do with the abuser sowing his own seeds.

I think this is a very powerful book, but also very easy to misinterpret. Save this one for more advanced recovery work.

In the main text book it states that the problems were checked, yet this solution manual has so many errors I have to wonder what grade the reviewer received in his calculus class. Some answers are wrong, and some completely misinterpret the entire problem.

This is intended largely as a response to the review by mjgrey, above.

Having had the fortune to take the class for which this text was intended with one of the authors, I can say that the order in which material is presented makes a lot of sense - for the way the author chooses to take the class. Some faculty, especially new faculty, may have some difficulty scheduling their classes around its ordering scheme, and those attempting to use the book to teach themselves the material would probably be quickly lost.

However, it should be noted that the author says as much in his introduction, and suggests skipping around as necessary to fit the topics as they are being introduced in the class syllabus. If the book is used as it is intended, and the instructor takes a reasonable amount of care, the ordering of topics becomes a much less critical issue.

I have found this to be an excellent volume to turn back to when basic concepts of calculus are called up (as they are time and again in statistical analysis).

I had the priviledge of having Dr. Ellis for two semesters of Calculus. He made alot of since in the lectures and this was reinforced as I read the book at home. It is possible to be taught a reasonable amount just from reading the text and doing the example problems. I would hate to see this book go out of print.

Cade Merrill's cousin Heather Donahue was part of a student project to document a legend of the Blair Witch. After her disappearence, Cade had moved to the tiny town of Blair, Maryland to uncover the legend. He meets a young girl by the name of Lee Harper who seems to be just as interested as he in the myth. When weird and unworldly things start to happen, Cade begins to question all the information he has gathered. Is Lee really the Blair Witches Daughter? Or is she being pulled in to the abiss of the Blair Witch, and can Cade help her? I read a book from the Blair Witch Files called "The Witches Daughter." This book was very realistic in describing the events of the legend of the Blair Witch. I read another book in this seriese, and the way the author writes is amazing. Even in the dedications he is always living the myth. He dedicates his books to those who are lost or who die in the Black Forest. It really leaves you wondering weather or not this is actually fiction. I think compared to other books, this one is just as good if not better then most. The suspension in the end is very tense. The beginning starts out kind of slow, but if you hang on until the middle, then it's all worth the wait. If you are someone who loves action, horror, and suspense, and is willing to wait a little while for it, then this is definately a book for you. If you are someone whom is impatient and can't wait for action, you might have a little trouble with this one.

I thought Blair Witch Files: The Dark Room was alot better than this book. Cade Merill barely has a part in The Witch's Daughter, which is disappointing since he is the one trying to uncover the legend. The books ending is also disappointing, resolving things easily and quickly - not as professionally as The Dark Room did - but somehow still leaving thoughts to the imagination. That said, The Witch's Daughter is a page-turner. You want to read it, you're interested in the plot and the characters are all descripted accurately, giving you a good measure of what they look like and how they feel. The best part of this book is Lee Irwin-Papert's diary, which is chilling to the bone and the most intriguing part. Cade Merill deserves a pat on the back for his great mythology work in this one, and even though - I've said it once, I'll say it again - The Dark Room is better, his first shot at the Blair Witch files is still one to be cherished.

In this fiction/horror/action/mystery book called The Blair Witch Files : The Witches Daughter a teenager named Justin Petit went to the Springfield State Hospital in Sykesville, Maryland to visit his grandfather Harper Kemp, who had fallen down the steps in front of his house. Harper Kemp asked Justin for his help, his help to survive. His grandfather blamed his fall on something that had happened in his past. He told him the horrible story about how, when he was a boy, he and his friends at the Oak bridge Home For Boys pushed around and teased what they thought was a frail boy named Lee Irwin and the strange deaths that had happened to the bullies. Lee Irwin was different from the other boys and was very weak. So that meant that it was easy for the other boys to abuse him. Lee had a secret that they would soon find out. Justin, while in the hospital, also meet a volunteer from the hospital named Leslie Wolf. He would soon find out that Leslie played a bigger role in his grandfather Kemp's story then he ever imagined. This book gave a lot of hints about the characters and the strange occurrences that you don't realize until you've finished the book. Then it all comes together. It was packed with action and suspense with a dark quality that not many books pull off.

I had to buy this book because I was taking an algorithm class (2 years ago) and the instructor was the co-author of the book. I didn't learn much from this book. As far as I can remember, part of contents are copied from another yet poorly written book by Horowitz (can't recall the name). Almost everybody in my class had to buy another algorithm book (Cormen) to pass the class.
This book was useless to me and many other students in my class.
Don't buy it!!

The most interesting fact about this book is that, as far as I know, it is the only one to provide general guidelines and explicit strategies for algorithm design. It covers most of the known techniques for exhaustive and heuristic traversals of decision trees and should provide an invaluable background to all those that have to solve new problems. More than an introduction to algorithms, it develops a true methodology.

To be fair, this book is not bad. Compared to the usually 1000+ pp. algorithms book, this one is neat and succint. It offers a cleay structure demostrating the materials, focusing on the overall designing method. After the basic introduction and data structres, each one of the following chapters, namely titled as Divide-&-Conquer, Greedy, Dynamic, Search-Traversal, Backtracking, occupies one chapter in its own. These five chapters are the core part of the book.

After that, the authors turns to some deeper topics (FFT, NP, etc) and closing the book on the Pram, Mesh, Hypecube algorithm. This approach is different from the ordinary algorithm book.

I must say that the organization of the materials is very succint. It is at the same time the merit and the drawback. Indeed sometimes it is too succint to comprehend. The materials usually under the same chapter scatter among the chapters. for example, the various sorting algorithm. Readers should read the whole book to learn these technic.

Even the exercise lacks the easier ones to convince the students in learning. (regardless the exercises of the first section (to look up a dictionary for the meaning of "algorithm", et al. ) The FIRST EXERCISE of the whole book is to DESIGN AN ALGORITHM ABOUT HORNER's RULE AND ANAYLYZE IT. It's gone too far and incredible. (No wonder some students dislike the book...)

BTW, I find myself appreciating the decent typeset and the pseudocode system used in this book.

Hawthorne's Marble Faun is not a book I would recommend to the casual reader, unless you are enthralled by highly exaggerated, unrealistic melodramas involving grossly stereotyped, one-dimensional characters (Miriam and Donatello are more intriguing and less one-dimensional, although this is simply my opinion). One must take into account that this is a gothic novel and is written in a period where "political correctness" is not yet a term, and where puritanical ideals and mores are the central focus of the story-teller.Therefore, one cannot hold against Hawthorne the fact that Italians are depicted as uncivilized imbeciles (for lack of a better word), nor that sin and religion are central themes - he simply wrote in accordance with the time in which he lived. Surely the fact that he is a masterful writer excuses his weaknesses in other areas. The story itself, though overly melodramatic and at times frustratingly so, is interesting in the way soap operas or shows like Melrose Place often are; as nauseatingly emotional as the characters are, and as disgusting as their actions or predicaments may be, there is a depth of raw emotion that draws us in, and something akin to the curiosity one may have in looking at a freak show. We are repelled yet drawn in at the same time, unable to resist wondering what lies ahead, yet partially aware of what will happen, of what must happen, for the story to play through the way it was intended. I myself was drawn into the innocent one-sided romance between Donatello and Miriam that gradually grows into a torrid affair - I truly could not put the book down until I found out how it all turned out between them. However, once that part of the novel was resolved, I found little incentive to continue. Hilda was stiff, did not draw sympathy, and her religious piety mixed with a severity usually associated with bitter spinsters I personally found repellent. Kenyon, the sculpture who seeks a romance with her, was equally boring with his wimpy, "I-agree-with-anything-you-say" romantic tactics. Needless to say, I was as intrigued by their romance as by two limp noodles stuck to the bottom of a pot. My suggestion: Read up till the chapter entitled "The Bronze Pontiff's Benediction" (I won't tell if you skip through the endless descriptions of art & architecture and go straight to the good parts). Then skim for plot ("A Frolic of the Carnival" has some interesting parts) and head straight to the last chapter and the postscript that follows - a must-read, as here we get a few last words on Donatello and Miriam, as well as a summation of the question that forms the novel - here you finally discover what thought process drove Hawthorne to write this story in the first place!

A must for romantics and anyone who enjoys a bit of a philosophical challenge!

Thinking about traveling to Italy? Wait! Do not leave behind your most useful travel companion. Disregard Rick Steve's and Let's Go. The Marble Faun was the premiere 19th Century travel guide to Rome and should be for the 21st century traveler. This book will lead you around the ancient city without skipping any of the awe-inspiring sights. For travelers after The Marble Faun's publication in 1860, the novel was a necessary item for their European escapades. Masterfully constructing his story around four distinct characters, Miriam, Hilda, Kenyon, and Donatello, Hawthorne takes the reader on an adventure which holds as much intrigue as the splendid landmarks these travelers encounter in their own journeys. For one who enjoys art and the discussion of art, this book will provide everlasting enjoyment. Indeed, Hawthorne captures the ex-patriot community of artists who settled in Rome during the 19th century in an attempt to associate themselves and their work with the Old Masters. Through Hawthorne's exceptional narrative, the reader gains further understanding of the mindset of copyists who wish to discover the true essence of such famous works as the faun of Praxiteles. This work experiments in its narrative form and one must be willing to flow with it. The chapters at times jump from different characters and events with out much warning to the reader. In addition, Hawthorne interjects his own point of view from time to time. If the reader is sensitive to this un-structure then they will have little trouble enjoying the mystery as well as the valuable description. Hawthorne changed the standards for American travel writing with this novel. Without it, Henry James, among others, may not have followed his lead. It is time The Marble Faun won the recognition it deserves!

I'm not a big fan of The Scarlet Letter, but The Marble Faun is, in my opinion, the best American novel ever written. Although it can move slowly when Hawthorne describes various architectural sites throughout Rome, the rest of the story is a theodicy of great power and imagination. Hawthorne uses a brilliant combination of mythology, history, and humanity in this piece. A must for anybody who loves Italy. This book has been overlooked for more than three generations now...it's time it was uncovered!

I believe that this book is much more of a picture book than anything else. Within the text, it describes Brother Cadfeal more than it does his gardens or how he planned them or used them. This book is nicely done but it is not worth the price if you are looking for a comprehensive reference for how to grow and use herbs. Please look somewhere else. There are many out there which hold better information.

This is most useful as a guide to Elis Peters' novels. The index of plants is oriented toward the fictional Cadfael and his uses, rather than to mediaval practice.

The pictures are coffee table book quality.

A must for gardeners who are Brother Cadfael fans, or Cadfael fans who are gardeners, but not a serious work.

Not only is this gorgeous books with excellent pictures of plants, it shows a deep insight into Brother Cadfael's herbarium and his respect for plants. I loved the excerpts from the many Brother Cadfael books. I would have liked to have seen a bit more on the layout of Brother Cadfael's garden and perhaps some recipes and potions. Still the authors produced a beautiful book at a reasonable price with the pages crammed with in-depth information on herbs.