Regine Pernoud, the most respected twentieth-century biographer of Joan of Arc, noted that everyone can find a reason to love this saint. This book helps children begin to understand why she still haunts us 500 years after her death. I bought a copy of this book for my three-year-old son to introduce him to Joan of Arc's story, and it has been a pleasure for both of us. Now that it is available in an affordable paperback edition, a lot of parents will want to add it to their child's library.

Angela Barrett's illustrations are striking and memorable. In particular, I like the painting of the English bombarding Orleans, as it shows what a siege was like in those days. The cover picture (displayed above) shows Joan on her horse surrounded by the hopeful residents of Orleans who wanted to touch the maiden that God sent to liberate them. Without being heavy-handed, the fire engulfing the banner hints at Joan's ultimate fate, and her face reminds us that she was in many ways a child. This was a true incident, and Joan was said to have been masterful in guiding her horse to water to douse the flame. There is also an outstanding two-page illustration of Charles' coronation, in which Joan is shown standing in a position of honor as befits the liberator of the kingdom. The depiction of angels visiting the imprisoned Joan while she was on trial at Rouen captures the spirit of her faith in God and certainty in her quest. Remember that this uneducated peasant girl held her own for two months in a contest of wits with masters from the University of Paris. The illustrations alone make this book worth having.

Any biographer of Joan of Arc must find a way to explain the inexplicable. Josephine Poole's text is good, beginning with the simple statement that this is a true story. Ms. Poole offers Joan's story more-or-less at surface value. As is appropriate for her audience of children, she simply relates that Joan was a country girl working in a field when she heard voices that filled her with overwhelming happiness. The author includes some details of Joan's story that one could quibble with, but overall the text is solid as biography. I was frankly glad that she did not go into details of Joan's terrible death, concluding instead that a saint, like a star, lives forever. Indeed, Joan of Arc will always live in the hearts of all of us who love her.

Perhaps my son's actions speak loudest about the value of this book. We never go on a trip without "Joan of Arc," and I have heard him tell his friends, in his own way, that Joan of Arc tried to warn Classidas to go home, but that she ended up having to shoot and was sorry when he died. This book has helped my son begin to love St. Joan, and that is the strongest recommendation for it that I know how to make.

I had read this book before, and I loved it. Children will fall in love with this book. This book tells about the heroic story of Joan of Arc, the French maid that helped France win a war against England, and died a heroin. I think children will think she is a saint, and she is a great role model for children. Here children can learn from Joan, about bravery, courage, and patriotism. My favorite quote is, "A saint is like a star. A star and a saint shine forever." Parents, you children will like this book. Plus they learn a little history too on a level they can understand.

I bought this book in my position as church librarian, seeking stories for preteens about people whose lives were changed by God. There are very few books for kids like that out there that don't send a heavy fundamentalist message. There's also the old joke that Noah's wife was Joan of ARK. I needed to set that piece of ignorance straight, too. So I found an excellent book about St. Joan in this illustrated copy. The text is preteen level with historical information like a timeline of Joan's life and map of medieval France, along with the text of Joan's life. This is a nice volume and I would recommend it if you wish to buy it for medieval history, religion, feminist issues, French history or all of the above. The illustrations are well designed and in soft colors, to express the femininity and grace of Joan.

Every once in a while a writer comes along who refuses to indulge in the illusions we rely on to bolster life in the modern world; she refuses to pander to the need for sentimentality and the romantic belief in the perfectability of human nature;she graces us with a dark lingering pathos and we return again and again because we believe that in the process some crucial feauture has been restored to our humanity, some insight bequeathed to us which leaves us wiser and more grown up but not cynical. Such a writer is Josephine Hart whose unique and dark vision can be found in her three previous novel. The Stillest Day, perhaps her most chilling, is a tale of the obsession, love and cruelty that lie below the artifices of civilization, artifices that are really cosmetic gestures we devise to prevent ourselves from killing each other. Bethesday Barnet, artist and teacher, falls for Mathew Pearson. Why? We don't know. She sees him. She is hooked, so to speak, and the rest is pure tragedy.She finds herself inexorably pulled to a destiny whose outcome she knows will end in her destruction but which she cannot resist. Like the moth drawn to the flame she honors her destiny and fate by succumbing to the will of the gods who plan it all. The last few pages of this novel are among the most chilling I have ever read. Hart also allows us to own our shadows in the process of witnessing her dark characters. We can't really like these people, partly because they teach us about the sides of ourselves we wish didn't exist. We are drawn to her strange and twisted characters because they lead us out of the darkness by allowing the integrity of their lives to shine through their every action--even the deceptive ones. In the process we attain spiritual freedom, or perhaps enlightenment because we leave with an expanded consciousness and a sense of new moral realities which they have traversed and which have cost them their lives. Apart from all this, however, Hart has some really beautiful turns of phrase. She is simply an exquisitely beautiful craftsman whose writing is lean, mean and cold as a tombstone. She is a writer of wisdom who, in the style of the pithy aphorism, sheds more light on the human condition than a room full of many a philsophical treatise. Among some of the gems are: "Small societies practice best a democracy of silence. And sins of omission and commission fall softly into a collective, selective amnesia." And further: " I fear that our honesty has a quality of finality about it. When there is nothing to preserve, only then are men and women honest with each other." Here is the description of the first time she set eyes on Mathew: "His rain-washed face was what I first saw. It was turned to the heavens which drenched the wetness further, so that rivulets of water ran down his white skin. And in that instant I longed to let my hair loose to dry the unknown wonder of that vision." An elegant craftman who lets you into the minds of her characters just enough to let you recognize yourself before shattering the temptation to pity you might be inclined to feel because of this self-recognition, The Stillest Day is an invigorating and disturbing read.

The book starts off slow, but gradually rises. The language is beautiful, though the middle to the end is a bit disturbing, to say the least...

I am speechless. Speechless because this novel is written with such brillance and intellect that few writers can achieve such a feat. Speechless, too, because even though I consider myself a good reader I do not think I understood the ending of this novel. I closed the book saying, "what happened?" After re-reading the final 10 pages 3 times I feel I have a grasp of 90% of what the author was illustrating with her characters; yet, I'm still perplexed by the remaining 10%. I cannot divulge too much of what I do not understand for fear that I may ruin it for other readers. I only hope that other readers who partake in this novel may respond as to the conclusions they draw upon its ending. The first half of this novel tells the story of Bethesda Barnet, an unmarried artist and teacher living a life of routiness. She takes care of her invalid mother, paints and teaches day after day after day. It is not until she lays her eyes upon Mathew Pearson that her life becomes a sea of obsession. Bethesda uses her artistic abilities to obsessively paint Mathew on mirrors. Ms. Hart brillantly weaves the reflections life and art have on the soul; and, in essence, this theory becomes the heart and soul of "The Stillest Day." And, after a major event occurs, which one may call courageous or violent, Bethesda's life is severely changes. And, thus, we enter into the second portion of this novel which examines Bethesda's life and state of mind. Often times, it seems like Ms. Hart becomes overly dramatic in her story-telling; yet, when one considers gothic pieces of literature, Ms. Hart seems justified. Ms. Hart display much of how I find truly gifted English novelists to be - sparse language steeped with complexities. One must read in-between the lines to understand Ms. Hart's writing. And though I did not understand this novel entirely, I can appreciate the brillance. One will always look at a major traumatic event in one's life as "The Stillest Day." This is a difficult novel to read but I think one which people should be exposed to. Please, I hope someone out there will explain to me the final 2 scenes of this novel.

Following the life of Josephine Bonaparte, from her birth in Martinique to her death in France, this biography gives insight into the woman behind the man, Napoleon. Knapton shows Josephine in her true light, neither praising nor criticizing her, but allowing the reader to draw his own conclusions.
Through the use of many primary sources, including various letters involving Josephine, the story of the troubled life of an empress emerges. Though known for her life under the shadow of Napoleon, Knapton focuses most of his research on Josephine, the woman, with emphasis on her life before and after Napoleon.
The book is the story of Josephine, but the reader learns about the days of the French Revolution and its aftermath as he follows the story of one of the greatest women of the nineteenth century. Under the Terror, Josephine was imprisoned for her connections to her former husband, Alexander. The story of their life together is truly a story of the Revolution and its horrors, though it began as a means to set the people free.
Knapton uses the biography of Josephine in two ways. First, he contributes to historical scholarship by presenting her life in a way that was not done before. He shows Josephine, in all her majesty and with all her flaws, in a more human light. Secondly, he uses the biography to tell the story of a society in social upheaval and cultural ferment. Tracing the life of Josephine is following the story of the French from the monarchy, through the Revolution and the Terror, on to Napoleonic France, and the restoration of the monarchy.
The book is well-researched and presented in a way that can be read by the scholar and the lay-person alike. The drama of the story mixed with the history of France makes this an excellent read.

She was not the most beautiful woman in Paris, nor was she the most intelligent. Her music, art, and wardrobe was good but never tip-top. But she had the combination of qualities which made her the most captivating and powerful woman in Thermidorian France. Her ability to influence Napoleon caused, in turn, an influence on French history itself. Age, her biggest enemy, finally overtook her and in the process led to divorce. Napoleon himself was the big loser in the divorce because is ego was freed from her control which then led to disaster.

Knapton's documentation, analysis of sources, measured interpretation of women's politics is the strength of this biography. After finishing the book, the reader feels that he knows well Josephine, her environment, and the craft of historical interpretation as well.

I got this book through interlibrary loan for the simple reason that it was cited in a reference to the "male clitoris". I didn't learn much of use on that account, since the author's premise here is that the embryological analog in the male is covered by the penile glans. However if you can get past this author's blatant hubris is renaming the tip of the clitoris after herself (the Lowndes Crown), or the idea of a psychologist reinterpreting medical research, it's actually quite an engaging and informative book. I wish she had spent a little more time citing modern anatomical/urologic research or discussing her own research on female fluids, than she did on the philosophical or social implications of the situation, but all in all the book opened my eyes to some intriguing aspects of male/female genital homology. Specifically the idea that the true female glans (as opposed to just the tip of the clitoris) surrounds the urethral opening just as in men and that the carina dividing this region from the entrance to the vagina is similarly analogous to the male sulcus (or coronal ridge) is very useful information indeed given the extreme sensitivity of those areas in the male. Also the suggestion of the homology of the male foreskin and labia minora was new to me. This along with the clear delineation of the corpus cavernosa and corpus spongiosum erectile bodies was quite instructive, allowing one to begin picturing that which has variously been referred to as the Grafenberg spot, gspot or urethral sponge as an almost penis-like structure embedded between the clitoral body and the anterior vagina. Along the way I also learned some things about the male genitals as well, namely the existence of the bulb of the corpus spongiosum behind the scrotum analogous to the vaginal bulbs and distinct from the tails of the corpus cavernosa (which split off toward the sitz bones essentially anchoring the penis or clitoris in both men and women).

I definitely think possessing a clear understanding of the genital homology of men and women has great value if for nothing more than helping the sexes to understand each other's physical sexual responses. And while I can't vouch for the author's credibility in medical circles this is interesting reading nonetheless and she surely has the advantage of her own experience as a woman in guiding her interpretations. As a side note this was definitely more evenhanded and male friendly than Rebecca Chalker's rather shrill and heterophobic "Clitoral Truth" which seemed loosely patterned after this book and was indeed the citing reference that brought me to it.

This book received little notice when it was first published, most likely because its subject is rather technical and involves a discussion of embryology. If you are the kind that enjoys a technical approach to sex, then this book is a must read.The gist of it is a comparison of the female and male genitalia, and how they formed through evolution. I found this book fascinating and profitable. You might too.

Because the minor arcana are not very rich in symbolism, I am not sure how affective a divinatory tool this would be. However, as someone studying the Qabalah, the major arcana cards are excellent meditative tools for pathworking. Great deck.

This is my first tarot deck; I chose it in part for the strikingly beautiful artwork and in part because I am somewhat familiar with Kabalah (or Qabalah, as most new age/Pagan sources seem to spell it). Disks replaces Pentacles, Princess replacing Page, and Prince replacing Knight.

The Major Arcana are richly detailed, retaining much of the original symbolism of the Rider-Waite decks. Also, each Major Arcana card is drawn taking place over the appropriate path between Sephiroth, along with the appropriate Hebrew letter and astrological sign. The included book indicates that all 78 cards can be arranged in a Tree of Life, but I didn't get the feeling that would work or be very attractive to the eye if it were done as I've messed around with the deck.

Details on the Minor Arcana are somewhat sparse; usually a simple figure constructed with the number of the suit symbol, and the appropriate astrological sign somewhere. The circular border color is appropriate to the Sephiroth within Briah (as should be expected). Almost all of the Rider-Waite details are abandoned in the Minor Arcana, which will either suit you or not depending on whether you choose the Qabalistic interpretations or the traditional Tarotic interpretations.

The court cards can be arranged in such a way as to construct the lower four sephiroth, all the Princesses combining for Malkuth, for example. Otherwise, some people may be offended by the propensity of the artist to display breasts hanging out of clothes wherever possible (mainly Princesses and Major Arcana, the Queens given a sort of additional respect in additional clothing). At first I found it somewhat awkward, but it was easy to get used to.

I am finding that although it is a beautiful deck to work with and the cards are well-constructed and rich in their own sort of symbolism, it is rather difficult to learn from them. I'll be purchasing the Light and Contrast deck soon, which seems to deviate less from the accepted standard of interpretation (Rider-Waite symbolism). I think that most people these days have a strong reaction against the Rider-Waite deck as ugly and encouraging a strong negative reaction in people, but the symbolism does seem to be valid and standardized for the most part.

brought this one on vacation for some light reading and couldn't put it down - just had to know what would happen next. mystery, romance, family & betrayal - a great read.

"Lily Josephine" is a dazzling and beautiful piece of work, delicately woven together by the brilliant story teller that Kate Saunders is.

As transfixing as she sounds, Lily Josephine was named after the story of Joseph in the Bible and the faces of the Lilies on the River Nile that would turn their faces up to Joseph as if he were the sun... Centralising around this intoxicating character forms a story of the lives Lily-Jospehine affected when she was alive and the generations she continued to influence long after her untimely death. I loved this story; for the passion it stirred in me, the betrayal it cast upon me, the anger it found in me and the wonder it awoke in me. In every quite minute I could find, I dove into the pages of Kate Saunders masterpiece and lost myself in Lily's world of love and intrigue.

This book is a rare find...a sweeping tale of passion, betrayal, destiny and what becomes of those who truly do follow their hearts. An enthralling read for a quiet day, a most loyal companion to your cup of something and a saga that will most certainly leave your mind and heart aching for more.

As I said, it really is a contender for Cinderella's fairytale...

Yes, I was. I know what you're thinking and you're way off the mark! I finished this book just last night. It brought back so many memories of Vietnam past and present. Having been with the author this past summer in Vietnam on a humanitarian project, I can vouch for the authenticity of her life and the very personal story she shares with the reader about that life. The book kept my interest quite well. I thought the early chapters and especially the later chapters were moving and personable. Nothing phony here. You will be come away from this book impressed with all she has accomplished in spite of incredible obstacles! If you ever wondered what life was like during the war for the average Vietnamese family, Phin's story will take you there. It will leave you with an appreciation for those that served as well as the South Vietnamese who had to endure the war on the home front. She wrote the book as she speaks today, so your reading experience will be genuine and personable. Quite a remarkable story about the resiliency and desire of a young woman who had to earn everything in her life and do so completely on her own! A triumph of the human spirit and a testimony to the greatness of the "American Dream!" Enjoy!!!

This book has a flow to it that is so beautiful. As I read it I could hear her accent. I could see
the buildings and the people. I could hear the sounds of the city and smell all the wonderful
smells.

The book is a wonderful story on several levels. First it is an inspirational story of a girl born
into circumstances more difficult than most of us could ever know. A dysfunctional family, a
national economy in shambles and a nation in the darkest days of a losing war. Still what ever is
placed in her way can not stop her. She not only survives, she flourishes. As each hardship is
thrown at her she rises to it, and above it, and with all that has happened there is not one word of
bitterness or self pity in this book.

On another level it is a love story, but not a warm and fuzzy one. It is a solid love that, like
our heroine, takes the pressures of life and, instead of being weakened, grows stronger.

And still on another level it tells of life as a bar girl in Saigon, during the war. This is an
important story since these girls were often dismissed as having no value. Now we find that, at
least this one, had values, hopes, dreams, strengths and a spirit that would take her from the
emptiness of the Saigon bars to a full and exciting life.

She once asked would her friends still be her friends when they had read the book. As I read it
I gained more respect and admiration for her with each chapter. I feel like I know her. I feel like
I have always known her.

This book is a trip! You really have to pay attention while you read the book because they give clues all the way through it. There is a twist at the end that is totally unexpected. I had to re-read the last few chapters to make sure I read it right.

The story is told from Jack Trainor's point of view. Jack is a psychiatrist, and has a younger sister Kate. Kate is a writer, but she seems extremely unstable. The focus of the story is Jack's differing relationships with women. By the end of the story, there is a resolution in both Kate's relationships with men through the resolution of Jack's relationship with women. All this resolution comes because Jack faces the truth of the horrible event that framed their youth.

I would highly recommend this book. The librarian who checked it out to me told me it was strange, but I disagree. It takes a little bit to get used to, but the story grabs you as you get further in. Happy reading!

As with her seductively dark debut novel, Damage (made into a film starring Juliette Binoche and Jeremy Irons), author Josephine Hart once again explores the paths of human desire and self-deception.

A successful London psychiatrist, Jack Harrington, devotes his hours and thoughts to the problems of his patients. Divorced from a wife with whom he had spent time "in the social purgatory that rowing couples inflict upon one another," he seems to lead a well ordered mannerly existence sometimes marked by overly protective feelings for his sister, Kate.

Jack's tranquility is interrupted when his former wife suffers a heart attack, the family estate in Ireland is put up for sale, and the soon-to-be-married Kate develops an eerie edginess.

When Jack and Kate return to the family home, he is forced to confront long buried truths concerning a long ago tragedy and the scars left upon those who witnessed it.

With masterly detail and perceptive psychological insights Josephine Hart has penned a mesmerizing contemporary Gothic tale centering on familial relationships, both beneficial and pernicious.

- Gail Cooke

Waugh uses a biography of Lowell to demonstrate two themes. First, the way that female reformers adopted the language of morality and their Civil War experiences to participate in reform, and second the way that these women adopted organizational models from social science to rationalize charity in New York City. Because nineteenth century ideology restriced women to the home and its environment, female reformers had to convince the public that it was appropriate for them to participate in public debate about reform. They did this by emphasizing the moral aspects of reform movements, suggesting that the female concern for Christian purity and the sanctity of the home and family motivated female participation in reform and made women the best reformers. But reform was often a mess. Different organizations with different goals and different resources duplicated each others' efforts and wasted a great deal of money and time. Lowell saw this problem and worked to solve it by organizing charity organizations into a single, city-wide, group. The result of this effort was job training, child care, improved family assistance, and much better record-keeping.
This book is an important contribution to the history of women in the nineteenth century, and a correction of the common view that charitable organizations simply imposed middle-class ideals onto the helpless poor. It points to the sincere desire of reformers to achieve a better nation, city, and charity organization, and their embrace of the newest tools in that struggle.

This is a truly remarkable book of a remarkable woman from a remarkable family. Professor Joan Waugh elegantly displays her passion not only for this woman's history but of her family and the going ons in life. If one would like to read a fascinating bio, this would be one. Thank You Professor Waugh

My fascination with the Empress Josephine began with "The Emperor's Lady" by F.W. Kenyon. It was published in 1952. Mrs. DeLorme's book sounds like a good complement to this book, with its indepth commentary on Josephine's impact on art, fashion, and her insights into Josephine as a contributing partner to Napoleon's career. If you like historical fiction, you will also enjoy "The Emperor's Lady".

This was a Christmas gift from my in-laws and a real treasure that is hard to put down.

Despite Delorme love affair with the French she is surprisingly honest in this biography of Josephine. There are many interesting insights into this strong female figure, both politically and personally. For instance she is quite a bit like Abigail Adams in that both women were true partners to their spouses political positions and worked deligently on their behalf. Josephine was also a single mother for sometime and realised to late in life that Napolean was the love of her life.

All in all, this is a comfortable read and a great gift idea.

This was a fabulous Christmas gift from my in-laws and is a rather addictive read.

Josephine, via DeLorme, is not whom you have traditionally accepted nor, as was anticipated, was she drawn completely out of proportion by DeLorme admiration for her and France in particular. Instead you find this book lays out some interesting facts about Josephine that I found interesting [the visual of her cool attitude to Napolean, who loved her deeply, out of self-preservation and continued until it was too late and he was forced to divorce her]. Quite the struggling single mom there for a while and, as with Abigal Adams, a strength behind the power whilst she was there. Like I said, not at all whom you have learned about before now.

This is an easy read, not at all text book in style, and yet you are reading about an interesting part of history and some of the major figures involved.

If you know someone who loves biographies this is not one to pass over.