This book was an absolute exciting read! I love the adventures of Sidney and Graham as they both found themselves caught up in murder, deceipt, romance and high speed chases through the streets of Las Vegas! I never wanted it to end, but what an ending!
Keep these stories coming Blair Wing. You have another new dedicated fan for keeps!!!
Victoria Schneider
Laguna Beach, California USA

Blair Wing has done an outstandng job with her debut solo novel. The characters are vivid, the plot is sound, and her dialogue is crisp. House of Cards will pull you in and shake you all about. A great way to begin a writing career!

Blair Wing does an excellent job on this book. The characters are full bodied and the plot keeps you turning page after page. I highly recommend!

It's easy to see why Tarleton's Wife won the Golden Heart award from Romance Writers of America. This is what historical romance was meant to be. Ms. Bancroft captures the desperation and courage of the British Army's struggles in Spain against Napoleon's troops and brings it to a very personal and compelling level through the lives of the heroine and her hero. And then, when the story returns home to England, I was equally captivated by the heroine's struggles to help the hero's tenants. The characters are memorable, the story great, the writing equal to the task. This is a heroine and hero to cheer for. Please, Ms. Bancroft, keep writing historical romances like this one.

That's what our heroine is in Tarleton's Wife. In the questionable role of wife to an Army officer she had to leave for dead in Spain during the Napoleonic wars, our heroine girds her loins and becomes the salvation of his lands and tenants. I enjoyed her stick-to-it-tiveness and I really admired how Ms. Bancroft made her into such a class act. The secondary characters beg for a sequel.

This is the best Historical Romance I've read in years. In the beginning, I'm right there on the battlefield, feeling it all, smelling it all, seeing it all. Very well drawn characters and plot. Well done, Ms. Bancroft. My hat is off to you.

As a native Virginian, I don't know why it took me so long to discover this book. It's a great reference to have for both residents and visitors. I spent the first two hours just looking up points of interest and trivia about the Old Dominion. Virginia has so many historical sites that touring the state is like taking a class on the formation of America. A tourist can visit Revolutionary War Sites, Civil War Battlefields, scenic old towns, and the beautifully restored great houses, like Mount Vernon in Alexandria , Monticello in Charlottesville, Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg and, of course, the James River Plantations. Williamsburg is a must see for everyone.

This book's Introduction gives a little background of Virginia and some general history. The handbook is then divided into the five regional areas of the state. They are the Northern, Central, Coastal Plain, Southwest and the Shenandoah Valley. Within these divisions information is given on the counties and major cities. In each place, the historic sites, annual events, shopping places, museums, hotel accommodations, recreation areas, dining and local transportation are all listed and given detailed descriptions.

I think that the best way to truly critique a guide book is to read about an area that you know pretty well and see how the authors handled that region. All of the major sites were mentioned in my area and the accommodations and things to do were all covered. I checked out the restaurants listed and there were eight mentioned. I would have left out two. One major restaurant was not included. Other than that minor point, the authors gave a pretty accurate description of my area. This book is very concise and I believe it to be a very helpful guide to traveling in the great state of Virginia..

"Recommended for visitors who want to research a trip ahead of time and take the book along for repeated reference. Covers the parks, scenic highways and historic attractions of the state, including tips on everything from shopping and dining to hotels and entertainment. An excellent destination guide." The Bookwatch

Comprehensive coverage of the state for visitors and Virginia residents alike. The rolling hills of horse country, Shenandoah Valley, the Blue Ridge Mountains and numerous wineries are among the state's offerings. Here's a guide to the national and state parks, the cities, towns and villages. Accommodations and places to eat, along with historical sites and attractions.

This book is absolutely fascinating. You will be amazed by the evidence Dr. Justice presents of the amazing effects of how the human mind can cause sickness or promote health. Not a "heavy" read, it is enjoyable and compelling, while delivery accurate, well researched scientific facts. Highly recommended.

Dr. Justice's book is an excellent summary in non-technical language of the interconnections between mind and body and their effects on health. Thoroughly researched, broad in scope and reader friendly, this is both a good solid introduction to the field of psychoneuroimunology, and an excellent reference source of information. I would find it difficult to believe that anyone with an honest interest in healing would not find something between the covers that was usefull and relevant.

For a more technical and theoretical work, check out "The psychobiology of mind-body healing", by Rossi.

This book tells it like is, no holds barred. Anyone who has Chronic Fatigue Immune Deregulation Syndrome (CFIDS), Fibromylagia, Gulf War Syndrome, MS, etc this is a must have for their bookshelf and reference library. Our thoughts become images thus resulting in chronic illnesses passed on to generations. One might think themselves sick and become sick. The scary part is that it is all true. What we think, we become.

The book is a really easy reading and the best thing is about its understanding of Asians. The 360 degree branding concept is especially good at simulating readers to think about the unlimited possibilities of what a brand can do. Being an Asian, I am tired of reading books from Westeners who actually don't recognize the characteristics of people living here. This book, on the contrary, impresses me by discussing some interesting differences of Asians against Western people in the first chapter. The observations are deep and valid. And I truly believe that this understanding is crucial to every one working in the Asian branding industry.

I really enjoyed the book, and thought that it was a very easy to read, easy to understand book about branding in Asia. It's examples are entertaining and sometimes surprising, and what has been achieved in the Asian market is a good example of the future of world-wide branding. If anyone is even vaguely interested in branding, and not just in Asia, I recommend you read this book.

"Recommended for visitors who want to research a trip ahead of time and take the book along for repeated reference. Outdoor activities in Bermuda, from coral island hideaways to touring the parishes. Also exhaustive information on hotels and restaurants. An excellent guide." The Bookwatch

"These useful guides are highly recommended... " Library Journal "[Adventure Guides] direct you away from the theme parks and into the great outdoors... the information on trekking routes, canoeing, wildlife refuges - even golf courses - is well researched." The Sunday Telegraph "...intended for the adventure-minded travelers with special affection for the outdoors and nature. Each Adventure Guide packs in outdoor-oriented activities set in different regions. There's something for nearly everyone." Midwest Book Review

I have been a long-time lover of Mark Twain's books. And being analytical, I want to know why something is written the way it is; I want to know the historical details behind his expression. So when I find that the Mark Twain Library has published Huckleberry Finn the way Mark Tain wanted it (unlike every edition that's ever been published, including the first!), I had to get it. Using all the explanatory notes--which are NOT cumbersome--and the glossary, and other notes about the text, I came away knowing that this book was truly what it is proclaimed to be: the best American novel ever written.

Having read just about all one can get their hands on by Mark Twain, this shed all new light on what Mark Twain was really saying when I read Huck Finn this time. The humour was more obvious, the sarcasm was more justified. The book itself opens up this door, but it helps to know what was in Mark's brain throughout his writing career.

Truly a must have for anyone into Mark Twain. I have purchased all that the MTL has put forth so far, and put my other editions in the yard sale box as errant texted that no longer interest me. I think any fan of Mark Twain will be tempted to do the same. Why read errant editions when one can have the author's intended, authoritative publication--with the original neat pixtures, too. I was so taken by this last reading of H. Finn that I've taken to memorizing some of the glossary terms. They are truly classic; bring'm back.

I am reminded of E. A. Poe's expectation that his works be published only as originally intended. This should not need to be requested by any author. To modify an author's writings for any reason is a type of sacrilege. Of course, even Poe's books are published different than he wanted. But thankfully, there are publishers who seek to restore the only versions worthy of publication. The Mark Twain Library is doing this, and any wanta-be authority in Mark Twain will never be such with "Penguins" and other bird-brained mass-market editions sitting on the shelf, or rather, in their hands.

There are many reasons to read "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" --

1. It is a great American classic novel
2. It documents a period in history from the common-man's viewpoint.
3. It is banned by some libraries and schools (a must-read, therefore on my list always!)
4. It can teach you to write.
5. It's a great adventure story that can be read aloud to groups, or enjoyed by yourself!

The Fischer et al. edition attempts to reconstruct "Huck Finn" in the way Twain probably intended. In particular, there is a section showing how Twain revised the "Sunrise on the River" passage to perfectly reproduce the sound of English as spoken by Huck --so reading this is almost as if we are listening to a tape recording of Huck talking. If you are unsure about "Huck Finn", turn to the Sunrise passage and read it aloud. Then tell me you AREN'T an admirer of this novel.

As a lesson for writers, Twain's search to perfect his craft and reproduce the very sound of his characters, along with a splendid use of language and an ability to create adventuresome plot are unparalleled in American literature. Banned? Are you people NUTS? This is possibly one of the greatest American books ever written.

A MUST-READ if you love American literature, or really English language literature in general.

I inherited this book in a box of used books that someone brought over when they left Belize. As such, it sat on my shelf for a while before I reluctantly started it. It didn't take long to hook me.

First of all, it is a history of the selling of TV news; with all of the familiar and unfamiliar names in that business. Stories of now major star when they were first starting out. The sequences of presidents and vice-presidents in the Networks. This may be turget prose to soap-opera fans attracted to the book by the beauty on the cover, but it was interesting to me.

Secondly, it is the agonizing history of Jessica Savitch, obsessively driven to be the queen of Network News, privately anguished by memories of her father, who let her down by dying when she was 12 (he was 31), and more publically tortured by a long distructive co-dependent relationship with Ron Kershaw, another TV news luminary, and the scorn of her co-workers, who hated her self-centered focus on her success.

A young ambitious wannabee in showbiz can learn a lot from this book. I learned:
1. It takes incredible drive (even obsession) to be successful in a competitive business like Network News.
2. You will probably lose all your friends and your life (figuratively, if not literally)
3. Altho you may look happy and successful in public, you may actually be miserable in the midst of it all.
4. Whether you deserve it or not, success is probably more a matter of fortune. In the long run -- scum as well as cream rises to the top.

I already knew these things from a lifetime of living in the very competitive computer business (full of smart, ambitious, driven people) but it underlined an old cliche' -- "The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

Though out of print, this bio can be found in used bookstores everywhere. Because once you read it, you'll want rid of it. Way depressing. Beautiful Jessica Savitch had everything: looks, verve, charm, talent, a personality...she even anchored the NBC evening news (she was actually the White House correspondent, but NBC exploited her in every way imaginable) at age 30! Co-workers considered her a prima donna, but the ratings gods loved her - even when she apologized to the viewership for being absent for a couple of days (it was already well known she'd had an abortion). Her cocaine and alcohol addiction not-with-standing, she was the charter representative of the Baby-Boom generation. After appearing on a "Newsbreak" during which she was so thick tongued one couldn't understand what she was saying, Jessica suffered a nervous breakdown, and retreated from public view.During her recovery, she died in an automobile accident. Her life's chronicle bears an eerie resemblance to another blonde heroine - Princess Di. Remarkable, and deeply troubling.

The Amish are always an interest to my visiting friends and family. Amish Ways is a wonderful gift to give them to keep their memories alive and to show others when they return home.

This hardcover makes you feel like you're right inside an Amish home. I loved the home birth, their education in a one-room school and the way they have church and lunch at somebody's house. I never realized all the ways they shared in their community. The author and photographer must have spent a lot of time with the Amish to do such a good book. The beautiful pictures made me want to visit the Amish

This newly published work is a careful, clear, and concise guide to both the art and the science of teaching the Bible to adults. Dr. Blair presents information on the theological basis of biblical interpretaion, current adult learning theory, and educational methodology, in a way that is creative and challenging and, at the same time, readily accessible.
One of Dr. Blair's gifts as a teacher is her skill at synthesizing information and placing it within understandable frameworks. In this book, she creates a synthesis of several sub-disciplines of theology and education, from which she builds a very useable framework for wholistic Bible study that balances intellect and creativity, tradition and innovation. And she does this all in a very compelling way: using imaginative metaphors but without employing unnecessary jargon or needlessly obscure terminology. The result is a very useful and inspiring guide for teaching, evaluating curriculum, and developing one's own methods and techniques to lead adult learners in listening to, reflecting on, and responding to the Word of God.

In The Art Of Teaching The Bible, Christine Blair (Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Austin Presbyterian Seminary) shows how adult educators can motivate adults to utilize the necessary tools and theological principles for studying and interpreting biblical texts for themselves. Blair presents four models (Conversion; Common Identity with Bible People; Justice/Faith in Action; Spiritual Growth into a Holy Life). Then she examines how and when adults learn best. This is followed by the "5 Rs" of Bible Study: Remembering, Revisiting the Text, Reflecting Critically, Reinterpreting, Respond. Blair then concludes with a chapter on storytelling and a chapter offering nine specific teaching tips. The Art Of Teaching The Bible is very highly recommended, invaluable reading for anyone charged with a responsibility for teaching the Bible whether in a formal seminary classroom, church school setting, or an informal Bible study group.