I should say up front that AS Byatt's novel, Possession, is my all time favourite read, so other books inevitably pale in comparison for me - including A Whistling Woman.

I strongly recommend *not* reading this book without first reading the others in the series. It's been a long while since I read the earlier instalments, and I found myself struggling to remember details from the earlier novels that are mentioned only in passing in A Whistling Woman.

It is a refreshing pleasure to read the work of an intelligent author who credits her audience with intelligence, but I found reading A Whistling Woman a bit too much like hard work at times. I'm not intimate with the philosophy of Wittgenstein, or the psychological theories of Jung and Freud; I don't know what a Fibonacci spiral is, and I've never read Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. Byatt made me pay for my ignorance with tantalising but insubstantial references, which left me floundering at times.

As for Byatt's treatment of her heroine, Frederica Potter ... well, please madam, I want more! We are granted glimpses into Frederica's life and mind, but are left (on the last page!) with this most "thinking" of women facing a future where she hasn't the "slightest idea what to do".

I do admire Byatt's restraint in ending this series with a declaration by one of her characters that "We shall think of something". Too often, in my opinion, great novels are resolved to death, and leave a reader feeling flat, with nothing left to imagine ... but, Antonia, what did you stop *there* for?

I did chuckle when I re-read the first chapter and re-discovered Frederica discussing this very issue (ie, books' ends). She asks the rhetorical question "What's a real end?", and concludes that "The end is always the most unreal bit..."

In summing up, I can't imagine any fan of Byatt's being disappointed with A Whistling Woman. On the other hand, I can't imagine anyone who's not a fan of Byatt finding this book terribly rewarding - my advice to non-fans is to read the first in the series (The Virgin in the Garden) immediately!

While reading A Whistling Woman, I kept wishing that more novelists wrote as well, as wonderfully, as A.S. Byatt. A Whistling Woman is a terrific novel, in my opinion almost as good as her phenomenal Possession. The story of Frederica Potter comes to a close (at least for us readers) at the end of the novel, and what a story it is--not for plotting reasons, but for how it is told. A Whistling Woman is an intelligently written, thoughtful and thought provoking novel of ideas focusing on one woman, Frederica, and a number of others who touch her life. Byatt shifts back and forth between plot lines and characters in a manner similar to Iris Murdoch. Like Murdoch, Byatt draws heavily from philisophical learning. All of the characters are highly intelligent and not afraid to show it. This is a wonderful, wonderful novel--one of the best I have read in quite some time. Enjoy!

This book is so much bigger than the pages it encompasses. Yes, it has a weak narrative arc compared with more popular fiction but the layers of metaphor and meaning enrich the story while the ending leaves all things possible. One word defines the core of this book. A word I had not heard before and one I looked up in the dictionary - Syzygy. This word means both "opposition" and "conjunction," and this is what this novel is all about. Opposite schools of thought and scholarly disciplines are seen to be in conjunction when discussed on Fredrica's TV show, the anti-university tries to be opposite to the real university but remains in conjunction in a weird way - it cannot survive as an anti-university without a university, the Ottaker Twins are in a strange syzygy dance throughout the novel and end up scarred by the same experience. Apart from this idea of conjunction and opposition, which I guess defined a lot of the sixties, there are many other wonderful literary games in the book. Fredrica's search for the meaning of metaphor plays a small but important part in our understanding of the whole while Bill Potter's epiphany about art is a fascinating place for this curmudgeon character to end up at. Philosophy is pitted against psychology, science against symbolism and love against destruction and everything ends up being linked at the end of the day. This is my favorite of the Fredrica books as I believe that A.S. Byatt has achieved more clarity here than ever before - or maybe I'm just getting it better!

The book is good for anyone who wants a quick understanding of certain possibilities of why the North won. However, some of the essays(this is no reflection of the actual book) are not that well justified in my opinion.

It seems that much more attention is paid to debating the causes of the Civil War, but as this slim volume of essays reveals there are any number of varying and subtle arguments for explaining the outcome of the Civil War.

It is probably the common view that the North winning the Civil War was inevitable, that the overwhelming preponderance of the North in terms of supplies, industrial infrastructure, and manpower ensured victory. Only one of these authors somewhat accepts the thesis of Northern material superiority. These authors are far more mindful of the fact that mismanagement or deep-seated flaws within the losing side of a conflict can be larger factors in the ultimate outcome than positive actions by the winning side.

The authors all note some inherent advantages of the South: a need to only defend territory, the vastness of the South, a transportation network, the ability to produce large quantities of foodstuffs, a commodity, cotton, of great value in the international market, a huge labor force of three million slaves, and a certain psychological advantage in the defense of a way of life.

But these authors discuss any number of factors that led, not necessarily inevitably, to the defeat of the South. The authors point mostly to both military and political malfeasance, as well as personalities and inherent characteristics of Southern society, as leading to defeat. The manner of financing of the War produced tremendous inflation; the supplies of cotton were mismanaged both as a source of revenue to fund the war effort and as a tool to force European nations to recognize the Confederacy; food supplies were confiscated at below market prices; and manpower was poorly utilized both in recruitment to the Southern army and in the deployment of labor on Southern farms.

The states rights and independent political stance of Southerners seemed to prevent a coherent national posture being formulated in winning the Civil War. One of the authors points to the anti-statist views of all Southerners as interfering with producing a disciplined army. Southern units elected their superior officers and were disinclined to follow orders with which they disagreed. In contrast to this aggressive independence, some of the authors point to a general weakening of the Southern psychological state and even a "loss of nerve." The Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, is viewed by one author as a huge factor in the defeat of the South. Davis incompetently micromanaged the war effort, pursued flawed economic strategies, was personally difficult to engage, and exhibited an ineffectual indecisiveness and conservatism in times needing forceful and visionary actions. But the one-party system in the South prevented the rise of an effective opposition that could have addressed the original poor choice of President.

Beyond any material advantage, the authors generally contend that Lincoln and Grant were trump cards for the North. Both were better suited to their jobs both in temperament and competency than anyone in the South. Some would almost suggest that Lincoln and Grant being on the Southern side could have reversed the result.

This book was reissued in 1996 after first appearing in 1960, but it is as readable and relevant as anything being written today. There is some overlap in the material covered in the essays, but the ideas are interesting and challenging. You won't see all of these ideas in a general book on the Civil War.

Reissue of a classic collection of essays from the 60's...Currents's "God and the Strongest Battalions" is alone worth the price!...Economic, political, social, etc., aspects are all considering by the "big-gun" historians of 40 years past...Scholarly enough for the serious student, yet very reader-friendly for the novitiate...recommended in the strongest possible terms!

It could be argued that this format (what people who knew Pollack say about him later) is the laziest form of biography. But it is quite interesting to read exactly what tales his friends and colleagues can tell us. It was light reading, lacking the kind of sequential factual details a meticulous biographer strings together.

Title implies sensationalism rather than a sober study of the man's life; indeed, the book leans a bit too much on gossipy bits of scandal, drinking, violence, and angst. Does nothing to dispel all the galmourization and star attraction of Pollack, which is unfortunate. The book's lack of art criticism does a disservice to the artist, and places Pollack under an unfortunate spotlight of personality. Reader can leave this book erroneously imagining Pollack was a fake, or at least pathetic.

Worth reading to augment exhaustive research, but not the full story. There is a better biography available.

I felt that the format of this biography took too much away from the content. I will never buy another " oral biography ". The book will make a nice coaster or bathroom reader.

Amazing book! Wonderful writer! The only book ever written with a honest and intimate account of Jackson Pollock's life. Jeffrey Potter displays yet again his mastery of talents to create a unique work of literature.I look forward to reading more of his writings.

As a practicing Celtic shaman, I'm not sure how useful these cards are. The method for using them is confusing and not really enjoyable. The artwork is (in my opinion) pretty bland & amateurish. There really aren't a lot of people out there writing about Celtic shamanism; some people don't even believe that the Celts practiced shamanism at all! Seems like if I want a book on the subject, I'm pretty limited to John Matthews, & his work is not always very enlightening or organized. Such is the case with this deck.
You don't need this deck to practice Celtic or any other form of shamanism, but some better decks might be "The Druid Animal Oracle", "the Celtic Tree Oracle" & "the Greenwood Tarot." It doesn't have to say "Celtic Shamanism" on the box to be of use to you.

These cards have a special format that is not like any other card/rune set that I have ever encountered. You have several families of cards to deal with and must draw from all of them. Happily, they are set out to provide a full reading. Also, the artwork on them is bright and energetic. Not if you are feeling in a meditative mood

This deck is not a standard tarot meant for divination, and thus can be difficult to use well for that purpose. For a practicing Celtic shaman, they are indispensible for planning and focusing a journey into the Otherworlds.

If you are a Celtic shaman, this deck can become a truly sacred object. Those seeking to use it as a regular tarot should have some tarot experience first; even then, it may not work as you expect it to.

Well yes i go to a french school and, yes i know french. I finished reading this book and it is really not the same...I don't really like it at all...I mean, look at the cover!!!
The English one is MUCH better because well just because!

Harry Potter is back at Hogwarts, his wizarding school, and thankful for it. He had the worst summer with the Dursleys, his aunt, uncle, and cousin, whom he hates. He met a house elf, who caused him to be locked in his room for 3 days, with next to no food at all. Then the Wesleys come to rescue him, in a flying car. But that is not all that happends, Harry and Ron can't get through the wall to the Hogwarts train that awaits them on the other side. Then they remember the flying car. After a rough journey to his school and an even rougher landing, Harry Potter thinks that it can't gets worse, but it does. A cat is found hanging on a lamp post in front of Harry, Ron and Hermione, not quite dead, but not really alive, it was Stunned. Then, even worse, a student is next. Everyone, but a couple of his friends thinks that Harry did it. And when people keep getting Stunned, no one belives that he is innocent. It is up to Ron, Hermione, and Harry to find out who is really doing it, before the Hogwarts students get killed off one by one......

This is an exciting and thrilling book. I couldn't put it down! It was so exciting to find a book that I enjoyed so much! The part with the basilisk. If you are a young Harry Potter lover make sure you get to read the first three books. Read the second one slowly and make sure you understand it. You will indefinetily find it very thrilling!

This is generally not considered one of the better plays of Aeschylus; yet, I did enjoy it, even though there is very little action. Perhaps it is because it dealt with a subject of contemporary interest to its original audience. In fact, it is the oldest surviving play based on an event of recent history. The play was first produced in 472 B. C., only eight years after the Battle of Salamis. The speech by the Messenger in the play is the earliest known historical account of that battle. The play takes place in the Persian court and simply presents the arrival of a messenger carrying the news of Persia's defeat and is followed by the entry of a disgraced Xerxes. This play also contains the earliest known appearance by a ghost in a drama.

"The Persians" is a minor work in the extant plays of Aeschylus, but has considerable historical if not dramatic significance. The play is the second and only remaining tragedy from a lost tetralogy that is based on the historical events of the Persians Wars. The play was performed in 472 B.C., eight years after the defeat of the invaders at the Battle of Salamis. The speech by the Messenger is assumed to be a fairly accurate description of the battle, but the focus of the play is on the downfall of the Persian Empire because of the folly of Xerxes. After the ghost of Darius, father of Xerxes and the leader of the first Persian invasion that was defeated at the Battle of Marathon laments the ruin of the great empire he had ruled, Xerxes offers similar histrionics concerning the destruction of his fleet.

The play is interesting because Aeschylus presents Xerxes, a foreign invader, as exhibiting the same sort of hubris that afflicts the greatest of mythological heroes in these Greek tragedies. Laud and honor is given the Athenians for defeating the Persians in battle, but Aeschylus surprisingly provides a look at the Persian king's culpability in the downfall of his empire. There is a reference in the play to the tradition that Xerxes was descended from Perseus (for whom the Persian race was therefore named), but even so it seems quite odd to turn him into a traditional Greek tragic hero. Aeschylus had fought the Persians at the Battles of Marathon and Salamis, which certainly lends authenticity to his description of events.

Aeschylus won the festival of Dionysus in 472 B.C. with the tetralogy of "Phineus," "The Persians," "Glaucus of Potniae," and the satyr play "Prometheus the Fire-Kindler." Phineas was the king who became the victim of the Harpies, while this particular Glaucus was the son of Sisyphus and the father of Bellerophon who was torn to pieces by his own mares. Consequently, this particular tetralogy clearly has the theme of kings brought down by their own folly. But even within that context, the fact that Aeschylus would write of a historical rather than legendary figure, not to mention a Persian rather than a Greek, remains more than a minor historical curiosity.

"Persians" deals with a people trying to exceed mortal limits. The king of persia blinds his people into believing they can accomplish deeds that exceed the laws of the divine and it's natural order. The king invades Greece despite bad omens. The people in Persia are told they are defeated by a messenger and mourn in mad disbelief. Searching for answers they summon the spirit of a once great king who cannot undo what has now been done. Persia's once proud army, security, and young sons are perished. This translation is excellent. The ending of the play through subject matter is sad enough, but the helpless lines delivered by King Xerxes and the chorus through dialogue toward each other at the end of the play is devastating.

In When Agnes Caws, you can learn about different birds you never heard of (like the Pink headed Duck) before and how they sound. I would call this book a great one.

My daughter chose this book for the beautiful pictures, but we found a fun and enriching story. The mother/daughter teamwork is a rewarding part of the story.

My daughter and I read this book nearly every night. It's a wonderful story about a mom and her daughter, bird lovers both, a story about exploration, courage, and doing what's right because it's the right thing to do. The illustrations are captivating. And dust off your vocal cords, because you'll be singing like a bird before you turn the last page.

Not bad, and it's suitable for light reading, espeacially for kids, and it provides further insight on the characters of the book. My younger sister loves it.

with good ideas for those who love telling stories Harry Potter The Characters of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Stained Glass Art Through "Education World " - best resources Addition to the Great Books Guide to Grammar and Writing who we called HarryPotter Quoteland! Good on style and culture; excellent launchpad for any researcher into Harry Potter world! 5 stars product!!!

There are three stories in this book, the first of which is the Tale of Peter Rabbit. I think that this edition could be better organized, given its intended audience: First of all, you need to be able to read the table of contents to know where one story ends and the next begins. Also, the binding is very tight, making it difficult for the "baby-preschool" age group for which it is intended to flip through at the book independently. In my copy, at least, about half the story of Peter Rabbit is included a second time, presumably in error, after the third story. A small child might do better with a smaller, hardbound version.

This children's classic tells the adventures of mischievous Peter Rabbit. Entertaining read-aloud stories. Author Beatrix Potter was a teacher and wrote this masterpiece for the purpose of delighting a sick child.