It is quite evident in this latest addition to Palmer's stable of victorian mystery novels that the author enjoys an intimate knowledge of 19th century England in general and Oxford University specifically. Had I not read his Bio I would have believed that William Palmer was a "public school" boy raised in the UK. While somewhat less "bawdy" than his earlier contributions, Palmer nonetheless succeeds in incorporating the Dodgson character in to his standard Dickens/Collins partnership, and in the process delights us with even more details surrounding the "Sherlock Holmes type" of Opium prevalence during the period. All in all, this Christmas release is yet another credit to the numerous kudos earned by Palmer with previous books.

Very amusing. The Dons mentioned in the title, except for one now known MUCH better by his nom de plume, are appropriately corrupt/ineffectual, so gentle reader can safely trust that William J. Palmer has indeed been professing for many years, somehere, per the bio. Inspector Field is his usual gruff efficient sage self & the watch of Wilkie Collins, Cub Novelist, disappears promptly. An apprentice detective named Morse appears. One may predict that he will master his work, someday, plus enjoy his beer, ruefully, all around Oxford. Ellen Ternan, light of the life of late great Dickens, begins to materialize, participating as a character actress playing a lovely Irish barmaid snitch. Will she be ravished? Mr. Dickens is not sure he likes this role, much, but controls his inimitable self, barely. Petty deduction for gratuitous allusion, in French, but a good, even explosive, read.

In 1853 London, Metropolitan Protective Inspector William Field asks Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins to identify the corpse of a white man found in a nearby opium den. The tie that the victim wears tells Wilkie that the dead man is a member of Oxford. Another associate of the two writers, Charles Dodgson recognizes the deceased as a history don at Oxford.

At the urging of Inspector Field, the three associates decide to investigate the murder of the don. Although they have worked previous cases, Dickens, Wilkie, and Dodgson remain writers/wannabe authors playing amateur sleuths. Their actions soon place their very lives and that of Dickens' mistress in danger from an unknown assailant.

The fourth Dickens-Collins Victorian mystery is a clever who-done-it, populated by literary references and their associated footnotes. The story line is fun although the use of Victorian era dialect makes one wonder if Dickens is heading in the direction of Chaucer and Shakespeare, difficult to read without a translator. The plot belongs to the trio of writers as the audience sees a glimpse of them beyond the classroom and outside their novels.

Harriet Klausner

Well I must say that I'm not a big fan of reading, but wow these notes make it a brezze. If you are lazy and have know time to re-read that well, buy the notes..I got them [online]and they have helped me [tremendously! BUY THE NOTES!!! I'm only 15 and well Dickens [is a drag] so buy the notes!!! lol

This book helped me a lot i like to read and all but A Tale of Two Cities is a little to detailed and i kind of understood the book but this book helped me understand it completely i recommend this book to anyone that does not fully understand A Tale of Two Cities.

Any high school student that has tried to tackle Charles Dickens knows how hard it can be to decipher his language. When I attempted to read some of the more difficult sections in "A Tale of Two Cities," I had to go back and reread the passage several times before I was able to grasp its meaning. Even then, I wasn't exactly sure if my interpretation was correct or if I was totally off the mark. Luckily, Cliffs Notes came to my rescue. The notes were invaluable to me when it came to interpreting the language and comprehending the entire plot of the novel. I picked up on several things in the Cliffs Notes that I totally misunderstood when I was reading the book. In addition to that, there was so much additional information that I would've missed altogether had I not read the notes! If you are required to read "A Tale of Two Cities" as a school assignment, or even if you just want to read it for recreation, I seriously advise purchasing the Cliffs Notes. Not only does it improve comprehension levels and test scores, but it also turns an otherwise confusing Dickens assignment back into an enjoyable, valuable story like it was meant to be.

Having read her other books, I had actively looked for the appearance of a new book by this author. However, I was a bit disappointed with The Charles Dickens Murders.

For one thing, I never felt that comfortable with the constant time shifts Skom uses to present the mystery, an unsolved murder that occurred when the mother of Skom's sleuth was a college student. Also, I don't know whether it was because there were perhaps too many characters, or whether it was that almost all of them were portrayed as somewhat unattractive people, but when I reached the end and learned whodunnit and why, I found I couldn't really care all that much. Smaller complaints include a romantic coincidence that was too hard to see as anything but a literary device, and an evil pursuer who showed up with very little build-up and then quickly gave up trying to pursue our heroine after one try, OK, maybe one and a half tries. It hardly seemed worth the effort.

Due to my enjoyment of Skom's earlier books I'll still look forward to her next novel, but I thought this one was a bit underdeveloped.

I confess, I was first attracted to this novel because of the title. I had not read an Edith Skom book before but am interested in Dickens as well as mysteries. I am very glad I picked it up and can see now I will have to go back and purchase the other two novels by Skom!

The narrative skips about in time some as we spend the first half of the novel living the story of the past (where/when the murder takes place) and then spend the second half with the protagonist as she attempts to solve the mystery. The skipping around in time was not difficult to follow and was actually a refreshing approach to telling the tale.

The characters were realistic and the plot was not at all predictable. At one point, one of the characters compares their situation with the plot of Agatha Christie's classic "Ten Little Indians" (also called "And Then There Were None"). Coincidentally, I had read that book, as well, only last month and thought the comparisons valid.

Enjoy this book, while I am out looking for others by the same author!

Edith Skom is one of the very best of the present mystery writers. Literate, with appropriate touches of humor, she draws new characters in every book with a sure hand, full of variety, while keeping her major continuing character, English professor Beth Austin consistently interesting. This was, in my opinion. the best of the three novels Ms. Skom has written, with riveting suspense and a complex, but lucidly-explained final accounting.

My only adverse reaction is Beth's apparently falling into bed with a different man in each book. Although her affairs are handled with delicacy, I find the implications of promiscuity in this age of AIDS unsavory and ratherhard to believe of so intelligent a woman.

Global Shift is an ambitious look at the changing world geography through the lens of the economic geographer. The book is divided into four major sections that allow for a detailed exploration of the various arenas that Peter Dicken emphasizes. The text is wrought with details that make it occasionally dense to the non-economist or geographer but one of the most compelling elements of the text is the fact that in an ever-changing global civilization the text is applicable to many different academic disciplines. It provides an important background for understanding the process of globalization in its many manifestations. Ultimately the text comes back time and again to the idea that transnational corporations and political states inside a volatile world of ever-changing technology dominate the globalization processes. Although the text focuses on the idea that the economic world is global and transnational corporations are driving the globalization, Dicken states that the idea of a faceless/placeless corporation is really not an accurate description of what is occurring. I was reminded of Tip O'Neil's famous statement that all politics is local. In much the same way Dicken emphasizes that regardless of the multi-national face of corporations there is an important local element that makes the corporation more accessible than one might think. Another important element of the work is the idea that much of what is occurring is not new. There have been tends in multinationals for years and Dicken does a good job of historicizing these ideas before he discusses the current situation. Throughout the book Dicken emphasizes the three important factors of his argument. First, that there are new centers of production and power around the world. Secondly, that there is an emergence of new global finance dominated by transnational corporations. Finally, that technology, the center of industrialization is changing at a rapid pace that creates more and more flux in the global markets. The book is dense with facts, figures, charts and graphs, but its detail in numbers is immediately useful in looking at the other texts related to this subject. This text is less focused on the cultural ramifications of its observations but to understand fully the cultural context of the globalization process we must first understand the economic processes in play.

In light of the other reviews of this book, I am inclined to agree that this is a heady, academic look at globalization. If globalization to you means Mitsubishi cutting down rain forests or Nike exploiting workers, this book may not be for you. It is, as has been pointed out, a textbook and it is one that will challenge your view of globalization. Having come to the book as an opponent of globalization, this book awakened me to the complexity of the problems raised by a rapidly globalizing economy. As a result, I was forced to re-examine my opposition and hone my arguments against globalization. This unbiased, empirical approach makes the book highly recommended for those interested in putting forth the best possible argmuments about the global economy. It is, however, highly academic and not necessarily for most activists.

Dr. Joe Palmer was one of my English professors at Purdue University. This novel (and the two "sequels") display the same enthusiasm and love of the Victorian era he brought to the classroom. These books provide interesting historical and biographical details, but are by no means too high-brow or scholarly for mystery fans. If you like Anne Perry, you must read Joe Palmer.

William J. Palmer's literary mystery stretches the form without crossing the line. Charles Dickens tackles impressively (readers with ancient leg injuries which occasionally act up may wish to avert their eyes) & swims fairly well under pressure. Wilkie Collins conquers a potentially disastrous case of priggishness & may be making serious advances against chronic foppery. Inspector William Field, Irish Meg Sheehey, & the extravagantly gifted Talley Ho Thompson, some sort of grinning dervish genius pickpocket Robin Hood, but watch your watch, all come to life easily & naturally, unburdened by heavy novelistic responsibilities. Ellen Ternan is only awfully pretty so far, but may turn interesting as she ages up nearer to legal. Read the next one, if you can procure a copy anywhere (Amazon seems out), & there may be a third. Palmer can write, & knows how to drop an occasional pearl of wisdom lightly, without needlessly infuriating his patrons. There is a single profoundly unfortunate multi-layer allusion & one short example of illicit typography, but these petty faults are easily overbalanced by genuinely sane handling of the early death of Dickens' daughter Dora plus the best Victorian wenchfight I have ever read. A bonafide romp. This fun is serious. Buy it.

Part of the reason Dickens uses his "flowery" language, despite the effectiveness in creating vivid imagery, was that he was paid by the word. Therefore, his wordiness should not solely be considered an artistic choice, which makes you a bit more sympathetic to how long winded this book can seem. It is however a classic for good reason, with a compelling plot, even without very memorable characters. Still a good book to read for its historical context, and if you can handle the language it, for its good story.

Probably the first thing I thought about when I first read Charles Dicken's A Tale of Two Cities was, 'There's WAY too much detail in thing dumb novel!' Well, as I read on it occurred to me that Dicken's uses his amazing flowery language for a reason. It gives you the 'reality' feeling, like you can actually see and picture in your mind what is going on. The novel grabs you in places and lets you feel the sorrow or happiness the characters feel. His rendition of London and Paris are extraordinary because he lets you see the injustice and the anguish that the peasant class felt at that time. The use of detail and language in this novel is one of its most effective elements and truely I would rate this book as one of the best.

"How can you print a piece of your own soul," Dickinson, p. 51

This is the 2nd in the Krull and Hewitt's "Lives of ..." series. The book contains 19 chapters on 20 writers in birth order: Murasaki Shikibu (973?-1025?), Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616), William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Jane Austen (1775-1817), Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), Charles Dickens (1812-1870), Charlotte & Emily Bronte (1816-1855 & 1818-1848), Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), Mark Twain (1835-1910), Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924), Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), Jack London (1876-1916), Carl Sandburg (1878-1967), E. B. White (1899-1985), Zora Neale Hurston (1901?-1960), Langston Hughes (1902-1967), Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904-1991)

This is a perfect book for young adolescents and pre-teens who as they grow and mature frequently feel awkward. Krull introduces us to the idiosyncrasies of the literary. Some of the authors were loners, eccentric, a wee bit peculiar. Michael Jackson's behaviors might seem normal when held in comparison. Some retreated into themselves. Some sought out adventures. Some as adults were unsuccessful at the ordinary.

Some worked at a young age to support the family. Some took daily walks, very long daily walks. Some were not healthy and therefore wrote in bed. There were some similarities and some differences, but they all shared a singular conviction to write and write they each did well.

Hewitt's delightful portraits of the writers are precious. My favorite portrait is of Frances Hodgson Burnett of "The Secret Garden" fame. Her hat is the secret garden.

Given the high price of the book, I was surprised that Krull did not include a list of the authors' books and/or poems and the publication years. END

This book is a fun and informative book. The pictures are filled with humorous meanings and hidden information. The book keeps the reader's attention by keeping the included information short and simple, but also makes sure that the reader gets as much possible about the author. This book is great for kids and students to use as a report source as it is filled with great information. Kids would rather use this book as an information source rather than an encylopedia since the information is easy to understand. Authors in there are some you may not know, ( Murasaki Shikibu) and some well know ones ( Charles Dickens). I am glad I purchsed this book. I really liked the pictures which are so vibrant with color. This would make a great buy.

Though not entirely scripturally acurate, this is a nice little book. Read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John first so that you can catch the errors in Dickens story before you read it to your children.

"[A Christmas Carol] is Dickens's widely acclaimed masterpiece of Christmas. But his The Life of Our Lord, written in a very personal way, without adornment or flights of fancy, and written for the children he loved, carries with it not only a beautiful narrative but a compelling admonition: 'Remember!--It is Christianity TO DO GOOD always--even to those who do evil to us.'"

"Such is the simple telling of a beloved author. In his time and during the generations that have followed, his great novels have been read by millions upon millions. But his story of Jesus' life, written with Dickens's own pen, and without editing of any kind, was for 85 years a family treasure and secret. Printed with all of the editorial mistakes of the original writing, it has delighted many others beyond his family."

President Hinckley, Ensign, December 1994

I have heard Pres. Hinckley, world leader of the Church of JEsus Christ of Latter-day Saints, talk about this book, and believing that there is some merit in reading the same books that the president of the Church reads, I picked it up.

This book may be considered a follow-up to his immortal classic "A Christmas Carol," where, instead of an allegory dealing with three spirits working on the Scrooge-of-all-Scrooges, he retells the story of the life of our Lord.

The book was geared for his children, so it is a quite easy read. Having read "A Tale of Two Cities," "Hard Times," and "A Christmas Carol," I was impressed with Dickens's flexibility. In fact, it is almost as if we are reading a transcript of a fireside chat. So this book is very readable for anyone of any age. It would be an ideal gift for a child between five and ten years old, or helpful to someone with a learning/reading disability. You could conceivably kill two Goliaths with one stone: get them familiar with the life of the Savior AND expose them to great literature!

The only drawback with the book is the theology, but that is understandable since we are of different faiths. Dickens focuses mainly on the ethical aspects of Christ's life, which is good, but incomplete. Another presdeint of the Church of Jesus Christ, President Howard W. Hunter, once gave a talk called, "Ethics Alone is not Sufficient." If you remember in "A Christmas Carol," Scrooge makes a conversion to ethical ideal, but not a conversion to Christ. He is going in the right direction, but not far enough. But it is a great book nonetheless.

The cover is stellar! It looks as important as its contents. The internal organizing and lay are also up to the stature of the author. It is nice to see that books are returning to their former glory of being both functional and beautiful. It would makes a great gift book, or a beautiful addition to any Postum table.

This book had been submerged for a long time due to Dickens's desire to keep his beliefs uncommercialized. I am glad that his estate has published this book, so we see the complete man.

This is a wonderful summary of the Gospels by Charles Dickens. Basically he tells the story with a few of his own instructive comments inserted for the benefit of his children's benefit. It was never pulished in his lifetime and he never really intended for it to be published and in part because of this it is quite different from his other works. It is a easy and quick read (very different for his other works). The reader is also given great insight into the character of Charles Dickens particularly his love for the Savior and his children. The work is both touching and warm hearted.

I hate to sound like an ingrate writing this review: Herb Ryman has done some great illustrations. Unfortunately, this book spends too much time showcasing Herb Ryman's non-Disney art--which is pretty mediocre--and not enough space showcasing his Disney work. The highlight of the book--Ryman's first illustration of the soon-to-be-built Disneyland--is spread across two pages, but the page break makes it nearly impossible to decipher what's in the middle of the drawing. (It should have perhaps been on a fold-out, or at least on a single, uninterrupted page.) Other great illustrations, especially early renderings of Tomorrowland, are printed in extremely small 3" images, making them very hard to read. All in all, I'd say don't bother with this book. Ryman's best drawings are already showcased in many other books.

As a general book about the person Herb Ryman, it is very pretty and well made, and deserves 5 stars.
But as a source of info for the Disney historian, all I can say is: get the public library near you to buy a copy.
Personally, I feel I should have waited to buy it until I had the chance to have a look at the contents...

i have a herbert ryman oil painting that i would like to sell if you are interested please call robert (562)435-4833

I was tired of waiting for the next Lemony Snickett book for my boys and bought this. It's truly a disappointment. The humor isn't very good, the plot is boring in fact my children never asked me to keep on reading as they do with their other favorites. Save your $$ and buy something else.

Let me first say, that as I read Mr. Ardagh's work, I couldn't help but think that he was the British version of Lemony Snicket-similar topic and writing style, complete with asides explaining the origins of certain words and phrases.
Even the pencil illustrations by David Roberts look like the drawings in the Snicket book.

Not that this is necessarily a bad thing.

In the preface of A House Called Awful End it is explained that the story came about as a series of letters written to cheer up Mr. Ardagh's nephew Ben while away at boarding school.

Eddie Dickens, 11 years old, has a mom and dad with a strange illness that makes them go yellow and all crinkly around the edges and smell like hot water bottles. Until they are well, he is sent to live with his mad uncle Jack and mad Aunt Maud (who, by chance, carries around a stuffed stoat). Eddie travels to an inn where Uncle Jack pays the people w/ dried fish, meets some traveling theatre people and eventually ends up being sent to an orphanage, which he leads in liberation.

This book is rather an enjoyable read. Fans of Lemony Snicket will love it

My dyslexic son bought this book and the sequel while we were in
Oxford, England and we absolutely loved them. We could readily picture all of the characters and the things they were involved in. My son was 11 at the time and loved having it read to him every night. We have just purchased our first Lemony Snicket book as we grew tired of waiting for the final book in this trilogy. Perhaps we found it so entertaining as I am an upper elementary teacher and his father a middle school teacher and we know these characters on a personal level. It is well worth exploring. I have also read it to my students and they beg for more.