Complaints first: I wish the author would have done a better job of chapter and topic placement (See History of the Modern World). It's very hard to jump right in on a topic you're interested in and the indexing is very clumsy and not very accurate. I found myself trying in vain to search out mundane figures such as Caterine the Great with little success. Praise Second: If you're the type of person who is going to read this like a novel, your apt to find this book fascinating. The writing is lively and with good insight. Roberts does a good job of avoiding flat facts and dates, which is the bane of a lot of history books. Bottom Line: If your a actual student looking for history nuggets to quilt into your term paper, forget it. If you simply want a good narrative, this book is about as good as it gets.

The problem with writing a History of the World is that every student of history has a different idea of what's important and what isn't. Since the book can't be of infinite length, the author has to leave a lot out. Roberts has left out most of African, South American and Asian history and has concentrated his work on Europe and its colonies.

Roberts may be accused of Eurocentrism, and perhaps with some justification; but he's European, and by definition sees the world as a European in the same way that an American writer sees the world only from an American viewpoint.

His scholarship is sterling, though, and his judgments sound. I read the book from cover to cover (and those covers are pretty far apart); it's well-written, engaging, and accurate. However, if you're looking for a history that encompasses the globe, this isn't it.

If you're like me and have a apalling lack of historical perspective, then this is the place to start. It's not a boring set of dates and events, Roberts' aim appears to be as much to show why things happened as what things happened. If you read this entire book, twice, then you will have a wonderful base upon which to build out a deep understanding of world history. If you're the type that tends to wait until things comes out on video, though, I recommend forgetting about this book - it's pretty darn hard work.

For those seeking the famous tale on which the recent film wasbased, this will sorely disappoint. This is Scott's tale of a youngEnglishman, son of a prosperous middle class businessman, who is sent to live w/distant cousins in the north of England (just below the Scottish border) because of his failure to live up to his father's mercantile expectations of him. Here he becomes involved with all manner of intrigue and gets pulled into a vortex of events involving rebellion against the English crown, a scheming cousin, a beautiful girl and that famous Scottish outlaw and freedom fighter, Rob Roy. But the outlaw, certainly the most interesting character in the tale, is only a side player, so to speak, and makes a number of appearances, often in disguises ( a favorite Scott motif), only to guide and/or rescue our blundering hero. This is most definitely not a tale of high adventure and derring do, and the complex and twisted intrigues of the plot do not sustain the book adequately. For those who like period pieces or the works of the masters (and Scott was certainly one), this book might be okay. But this is one of those rare instances where the movie, based apparently on Scott's preface to his book (in which he sketches out the life and times of the historical Rob Roy), is better. And frankly the movie wasn't half bad; far superior, in fact, to that other film of historical Scotland of the same vintage with Mel Gibson. Oddly enough, the Rob Roy film did worse @ the box office. Who can account for some people's taste? -- Stuart W. Mirsky

Sir Walter Scott is widely acknowledged as the creator of the historical fiction genre. His best known book is Ivanhoe, which I have not read. I instead decided to read Rob Roy, a book I became familiar with due to the 1995 movie of the same name starring Liam Neeson and Tim Roth. Rob Roy, written in 1817, takes us back in time to the 1715 Jacobite uprising.

Surprisingly, Rob Roy is not the main character of the book. Rob Roy's appearances in the book are spotty, at best. Instead, Francis Osbaldistone is both narrator and main character. Francis, we quickly find out, is more interested in poetry than in business. His father, who hoped for Francis to take over the family business, becomes angry with his son and banishes him to his brother's estate, Osbaldistone Hall. Francis's relatives are all country hicks, with the exception of Diana Vernon, an astonishingly beautiful "cousin" who stays with the Osbaldistones for reasons best left unrevealed here. Francis also encounters the treacherous Rashleigh Osbaldistone, the cousin who is to replace Francis at his father's business. Francis soon becomes embroiled in several adventures, usually with Scottish sidekick/groundskeeper Andrew Fairservice and Glasgow businessman Nicol Jarvie at his side. Needless to say, Francis falls in love with Diana Vernon and becomes entangled in the machinations of the Jacobite rebellion.

I found myself amazed at Scott's depictions of women in this book. Diana Vernon is not only beautiful; she's smart, self-assured, and a very dominant figure. Rob Roy's wife, Helen MacGregor, also is presented as strong and domineering. I find this fascinating in a novel written in the early 19th century. Even more surprising is Francis; he is depicted as weak and easily dominated. Between Rashleigh, Rob Roy, and Diana, Francis never seems to know what is happening and is easily brought to emotional frenzies by the other characters. You quickly begin to wonder how this guy can get anything done.

There are two minor problems in Rob Roy. First, I'll mention the Scottish dialect. Scott, in an effort to be authentic, makes liberal use of the Scottish accent. This isn't much of a problem in the first part of the book, but in the second half it becomes a serious issue. Even worse, Scott uses the Scottish characters to reveal major plot points. Therefore, if you can't read the dialect, you're in trouble. This wouldn't be bad if a glossary had been included in the book, but there isn't one. After awhile, I realized that "bluid" was blood, and that "muckle" meant much, but the inclusion of many Scottish idioms had me totally dumbfounded. Other Scott novels in the Penguin series include a glossary of Scottish terms, but not their edition of Rob Roy.

Second, the pacing of the book is most unusual. For some 200 pages, nothing much happens. I've read many novels from this time period, and most move faster than Scott. This doesn't make Rob Roy a bad book, but it does take patience to get to the end. Even when the plot starts to thicken, Scott still takes a lot of time to unfold events. In some aspects, this lends a distinct quaintness to the book. At other times, it can become annoying. It is easy to understand how many people would lose patience with the book and give up.

This is still an entertaining book, and I highly recommend it to those interested in historical fiction. Despite a few problems I had with the book, I would like to read more of Scott's work in the future. I shall certainly look for editions with glossaries so I can navigate the Scottish words. By the way, the man on the cover of the Penguin edition is William, 18th Earl of Sutherland.

Robert Louis Stevenson called "Rob Roy" Sir Walter Scott's finest achievement. I do not disagree. Set shortly after the unification of 1707, Scott tells the tale of the protestant Francis Osbaldistone as he bids adieu to his father's London commercial interests and enters, as an exile, the baronial home of his papist relations in the north. His cousin Rashleigh assumes the commercial role intended for Frank and uses his newfound access to stir loyalist feelings in the Scottish Highlands by ruining the far-flung credit of the Osbaldistone business. Frank, upon uncovering the conspiracy, sets forth to Glasgow with the mercurial gardner, Andrew Fairservice, as his guide to right the wrongs of the scheming Rashleigh. Ever dependent on the outlaw, Rob Roy MacGregor, to intervene in his behalf, Francis Osbaldistone leaps from one adventurous situation to another in his fight to clear his family name. Along the way, Frank meets and falls in love with the outspoken and beautiful Diana Vernon who aids him in his plight. Though a fair portion of this book is related in the Scottish vernacular, there is a glossary in the back of this edition that will easily point the way. Even so, the reader will confidently understand the vernacular when one-third through the book. This is a classic that can be enjoyed by anyone, particularly those interested in period and place.

_Civilization of the Middle Ages_ has many good points, and overall I recommend it for readers with little prior background in medieval history and culture; only a couple of technical caveats prevent me from rating it higher.

The text flows well -- it's clear and easy to comprehend, and informative without being overly prosy, or laden with detail which would overwhelm a reader who is only beginning to explore the Middle Ages. Most readers should have no problem reading this book from cover to cover, enjoying and comprehending all of it, something one cannot always say about a history book. It's focused enough to have a coherent flow and structure, while still ranging wide enough to cover a number of diverse topics; the book doesn't get stuck in a rut of politics or church history or some such, the way some introductory texts do.

Unfortunately, the book is made less useful to scholars by the lack of either a bibliography or footnotes. (There is a recommended reading list, which I usually avoid, but in this case it's wonderfully detailed, and almost worth the price of the paperback edition to a beginner who wants a list of reliable sources for continuing study. But although it's a useful bonus, it doesn't make up for the lack of a bibliography.) This is clearly a book for the beginner or general reader, and one doesn't expect extensive footnotes in such a book, but one does expect to see a bibliography. As it is, the reader who wants to pursue some point of interest must begin from practically a standing start. This is a major flaw, and took about two points off of my numerical rating.

Aside from the lack of citations, I'm very pleased with this book. I feel it's a good introduction for a beginner who's interested in medieval history, and wants more than just a listing of who fought who, who won, and who was king at the time. So long as the reader keeps in mind that history books _should_ be footnoted, and should include a list of sources used, this is an excellent starting point. I found it to be about as readable as Joseph and Frances Gies' medieval books, with considerably less of the lack of specific detail which plagues the Gies' books -- the Gies' will often say that something was done in the Middle Ages, or in medieval Western Europe, or some similar broad reference, without saying specifically when or where, giving the reader the erroneous impression that medieval culture was a homogeneous monolith; Cantor does this much less frequently. Primarily because of this, I'd rate _Civilization of the Middle Ages_ a notch above the Gies' books.

Readers with a firm foundation in medieval history will likely be disappointed with this book, but such readers are not the target audience. The general reader will find the book readable and enjoyable. If the lack of citations make it less useful than it might be, this is compensated for, in my opinion, by Cantor's clear and flowing style. If all historians wrote like Cantor there'd likely be considerably more interest in the Middle Ages, and other times and places, than there is now. In my opinion this is at least as important as source citations.

I was fortunate enough to buy this book the night before coming down with a nasty flu. I barely put it down and it made the ordeal tolerable.

This book is definitely of an introductory nature. My father, a medievalist, read it at the same time and gave it a lukewarm approval. His main complaint was that it contained too many generalizations, but admitted they are tough to avoid in this type of survey.

Now let me tell you the good part. If you know little or nothing about the middle ages and need a meaningful introduction, this is a good one. A strong point is the balance between narrative and analysis; this book tells you what happened but also why it matters. Everything is given proper context. Moreover, the book takes its title seriously; besides the standard discussion of political events, it describes the evolution of society, economy, and philosophy, key ingredients for understanding what a civilization was like. Cantor is accessible to a wide audience. For example, he gives short summaries of both Platonic and Aristotelian philosophies to help the reader better understand some of the intellectual debates of the times.

I have a minor complaint with the organization of the book, which is more topical than chronological. Although this choice certainly has its merits, it makes it a little difficult for someone unfamiliar with the storyline to associate contemporary events that are treated in different chapters. This is the only aspect of the book that is at all difficult for a newcomer and certainly not a serious problem.

The topical organization, however, impresses upon the reader the central themes of medieval history such as the rise and fall of the papacy and growth of national monarchies. Several popes, thinkers, and saints are memorably sketched and their contributions clearly stated. You will understand why Saint Benedict and his organization of monasteries is famous after reading this book.

For those who wish to delve further, a short and long bibliography are given. My only complaint is that the long bibliography contains about 150 entries without any kind of organization, so finding a book on a given time period, topic, or location requires scanning through the entire list. I did find this book interesting enough, however, to pick up one out of the bibliography that is equally good (History of Medieval Spain by O'Callaghan).

[Reviewer's background: I am a non-historian who likes to read history as a hobby. This was the first book on medieval history that I have read. I have previously read one world history survey (ancient to modern times) book.]

This is truly a fascinating book. I am very interested in the history of Christianity as well as its affect on Western civilization. This book was an excellent starting point. From the adoption of Christianity by the Roman Empire through the middle ages, this book gave a great review of how Europe developed. Since the church was so instrumental in this development, it is discussed in great detail of course.

I am not sure which parts of the book I liked best. The first few chapters were excellent, but I literally could not put the book down for the last two chapters. I really mean this. I was on a plane when my glasses broke. I was so into the book that I struggled to read the last 50 pages without my glasses, at times holding the book at arms length and squinting really really hard.

If you enjoy history, I would most heartily recommend this book.

Snowboarding to Nirvana is so exciting that I finished it in only 2 nights - I couldn't put it down. There are really cool spiritual lessons in this book that I will never forget. I've read plenty of books on Eastern philosophy and religion but this one is by far the most fun and inspiring. The meditation techniques explained in the book are great - they are easy to practice and they really work. My intuition is stronger, I feel I'm more energetic throughout the day, I'm happier and more optimistic, and negative feelings and anxieties don't stick around as much! On top of that, the book is full of many adventures and romantic encounters intertwined with some really cool tips on this awesome sport - snowboarding. After reading this book I had to give it a shot! For the women out there - you gotta try it! Read this book and get on the slopes. But beware - you'll get hooked!

Of course I was going to buy ths book! I read the first release, Surfing the Himalayas, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. The first book explained meditation and mindfulness in a more clear and entertaining way than any other Buddhist or Eastern philosphy-type book I've ever read. The second go 'round of Frederick Lenz's intense adventures in the snow covered peaks of the world's largest snowboard park had me crazily wanting to go there myself. I started boarding after reading the first book, and it has effected my whole life - literally. The second volume of Tantric Buddhist knowledge and wisdom is a western Buddhists crown jewel! These days, people who practice self discovery need something different to re-inspire their journey to enlightenment. If you want a new slant on ancient Buddhist teachings, this is what you've been looking for. It's easy to say, but the messages were so clear that I'm literally a changed person because of them. If you read this, Thank you, Frederick Lenz! I love snowboarding, and I love your books! THANK YOU! I am eagerly awaiting your next epic.

This is one of the best books I have ever read on Tantic Buddhism. In order to improve mentally you just need to simply meditate and see where it goes unstead of spending your money on book after book on how to improve your life. The strange thing is that the author killed himself in 1998 after it was discovered that he was running a semi-Jim Jones type cult and was responsible for a lot of mind control and sexual exploitation. It is strange that since, he was known to start of with good intentions in the 70's that such a good book came out as late as the ninties when he was in full swing with his cult. One would think that anything of quality would've came out before his ego got the best of him with the money homes and cars.

The first 100 pages sets up the basic premise and characters before launching into a nail-biting hostage drama and a chase across Europe for the kidnappers that leads back to the US. Although the character Quinn, the negotiator, is fully fleshed out along with the kidnapper Zack, the story is far fetched when it comes to the detective work. The kidnapping case comes to a climax half way though the book and I found everything fully believable and enjoyable until then. After this pinnacle part of the story it looses the believable part and just becomes strictly enjoyable. Unlike his other novels "The 4th Protocol etc.", it seems to miss out on keeping the story simple and believable.

This novel is a bit like "Hannibal" in many ways. There are lots of disturbed villains with their own tastes and a great memorable character in the form of British gentleman working for the KGB, but alas it really does have some big plot holes and "chance" discoveries that leave you thinking that the book could have been planned a bit better with regards to that. Although the writer does go to great pains to tell us that detective work needs a bit of "luck" or a "break" in the case for things to work out, the breaks that Quinn gets are all too much to really believe. Other than that the novel is extremely easy to read and you will not put it down until you have finished that "next chapter". Good show, shame about the severe bending of reality though. Keep it real Fred!! I much preferred the detective work in "The 4th Protocol" compared to this.

Forsyth continues to amaze me with his attention to detail and mastery of his subject matter. The information he has between his ears about espionage, military tactics, geography, rules of engagement, etc. would make any policeman, detective, or military leader drool. I have read about five of Forsyth's books, and The Negotiator ranks up there with the best of them. As always, the book is fast paced, entertaining, and leaves you wondering how the hero is always one step ahead of the bad guys.

The Negotiator is thrilling in the James Bond sense: you are amazed at the same time you say to yourself, "Oh, come on." You know that there will be a plot twist, but you can't necessarily predict where it will come from, and/or which good guy will turn out to be bad. Forsyth's descriptions of landscape alone, from cities in the Netherlands to the rural Vermont countryside, demonstrate the author's range, never mind his accounts of weaponry and combat. Out of sight.

This book is an absolute must-read for every mystery-thriller fan. Frederick Forsyth here develops an interesting and ultimately shocking plot that involves the top government officials of the cold war era superpowers and how they try to come to grips with a heinous act of terrorism with the aid of a master hostage negotiator.

Forsyth develops his characters admirably providing a detailed background and motivation for each without dragging the plot down in any way. The story maintains its realism and suspense from the very first page right upto the last one.

I have found this to be Forsyth's best work since his masterpiece "The Day of the Jackal."

This is Dickens' book (and some would say lecture) on the theme of selfishness. Martin Chuzzlewit is structured around the three variations on this theme: personal selfishness in all its many manisfestations, institutional selfishness by way of an insurance scam, and national selfishness in the form of hypocrisy served up American-style.

To illustrate the theme of personal selfishness, Dickens' parades his usual circus of colorful characters before us, each representing some aspect of the theme. There is hypocrisy appearing in the persons of Pecksniff and Mrs Gamp, thoughtlessness dressed up as young Martin Chuzzlewit and Mercy Pecksniff, suspiciousness and distrust disguised as old Martin Chuzzlewit, greed and villainy personified by Jonas Chuzzlewit and Tigg Montague (or Montague Tigg), and so on. There are also the usual cast of good characters to set off the bad.

The American interlude takes young Martin and his sidekick, jolly Mark Tapley, to the U-nited States where they meet various members of the American establishment: media moguls, literary luminaries, the American aristocracy, multifarious military men. One and all, they extol the virtues of Democracy and Freedom, American style. Unfortunately, the young travellers' experiences don't quite live up to the advertising. Not to give the story away, but let's just say they find themselves going up a river without the proverbial paddle.

The insurance scam illustrates the idea selfishness when it grows in stature to encompass more than those in one's immediate environs. It's dreamt up by Tigg Montague, but quickly takes on a life of its own and swallows up the likes of Pecksniff and Jonas Chuzzlewit.

On the whole, these themes are convincingly illustrated. The problem with the book is not the structure, but the tone of the narrative, or how Dickens tells the tale. When dealing with personal selfishness, Dickens takes a caustic, condemnatory tone, frequently obtruding in the narrative to rain insults on his poor characters. Pecksniff, in particular, is the unhappy recipient of a lot of this authorial abuse. By contrast, when Dickens narrates the American episode, he takes a combative, indignant tone, and far from obtruding, he is happy to hold his pen and let his characters incriminate themselves.

It's this inconsistency in the narrative that mars this book, particularly Dickens' habit of interjecting his moral imprecations. Indeed, the narrative is sometimes so earnestly didactic that it feels like a lecture. A more artistic way to get your points across is to let your characters make them. After all, that's what they're for.

Not a bad book, especially the American episode, but clearly the work of a still maturing Dickens. If you are new to Dickens and are looking for a place to start, look elsewhere. Come back to MC when you've read two or three of his other books.

If nothing else, one can come away with images of use in your daily lives. Read this book to understand the hypocrisy of Pecksniff and Mrs. Prigg's interesting friend, Mrs. Harris. These two things pop up as literary references all over the place. Now I finally understand the "Harris" reference in Murder on the Orient Express!

There are all sorts of deceptions and selfishness going on in this book, but by far, Seth Pecksniff is the most perfect character to be found of all Dickens' comic characters. There is a darkness in the profile of Mr. Pecksniff, but he is made to ridiculed, and Dickens does not let a chance pass to ridicule Pecksniff.

I want to digress a moment, for Dickens did as well -- there is a section where young Martin Chuzzlewit tries his fortune in America. And there is quite a bit of anti-American sentiment to be found in these parts (a fact which caused emnity between Dickens and the American public until he made his 2nd and final tour in 1870 or so). There are two reasons for this: first, Martin Chuzzlewit simply did not have the sales figures of previous novels. Anti-American books seemed to be "the thing" (just like diet books are popular today) in Britain, so he went for that. Secondly, Dickens had just been on a rather contentious tour of the U.S. in which he had been trying to make a case for international copyright. You see, the U.S. was the China of that day -- infamous for pirating works of people from other countries. Publishers in America had been printing their own copies of Dickens novels at cut rates (because they weren't paying Dickens or his British publishers anything!) When Dickens tried to make his plea for intellectual property rights, these same publishers of newspapers did a hatchet job of Mr. Dickens' reputation. So, basically, Dickens had an axe to grind.

In any case, feel free to skip all the Chuzzlewit in America bits. There is a moment of self-realization for young Martin, but it's not essential. All the essential action is going on in England, and Martin will return to finish business. There's also a pyramid scheme-like scam going on as part of a subplot, so now we've got two things involved in this novel that people think are debates of modern origin: intellectual property rights and bad financial info. Just remember, Napster and Internet stock tips are only the latest manifestation of old themes; at the very least, this book will remind you of that.

This is Dickens' tale (and some would say lecture) about selfishness. Dickens' presents characters that embody different aspects of this vice, from the hypocrisy of Pecksniff and Mrs Gamp, to the thoughtlessness of young Martin Chuzzlewit and Mercy Pecksniff, the suspiciousness of old Martin Chuzzlewit, to the vengefulness of Charity Pecksniff, from the villainy of Jonas Chuzzlewit, to the duplicity of Tigg Montague. But Dickens doesn't stop here: the book also explores this theme on the larger institutional and national scales, as well. The American detour can be seen as a condemnation of the hypocrisy of the U-nited States of the early 1800's. And the Life Assurance Co scam is clearly an indictment of selfishness when its ambitions grow to encompass those beyond one's immediate circle. To his credit, Dickens doesn't lay these latter evils at the abstract feet of 'countries' and 'companies', but shows that even in these suprapersonal entities, the original sin lies with individuals.

This well plotted tale of betrayal and hypocrosy in an English colonial outpost is an extraordinarily good read on several levels. The character of Flory who despises the racist hypocrosy of his fellow expats yet is too weak to do anything about it is very well written. Flory is full of contradictions and ultimately these contribute to his tragic downfall. The English "club members" drink and spout racist nonsense while essentially wasting away in a country they really don't understand. A young military officer appears briefly and causes quite a stir since he is judged "worthy" based on title and appearance though in reality he is a lout. The plot builds slowly and Orwell weaves his views on colonialism and racism into the story with great skill. This is a great novel with a social conscience that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Orwell writes an engaging novel that clearly reveals typical attitudes from the side of the master and of the servant. I found that his portrayal of the British men in the lonely Burmese outpost to be believable and probably highly descriptive of common beliefs of the day. I also found his treatment of the subservient native population to be most likely accurate.
Orwell has a way of capturing thoughts and emotions common to any man, and he expresses those so very clearly. He clearly shows the danger and sadness of unrestrained ego, of submission to the baser desires common to man, and of the passions of men in search of significance.
While some argue that the work is not relevant to today, I argue otherwise. The same racist attitudes, conniving spirits, and raw emotions are just as prevalent today in every culture of the world as Orwell's day of 80 years ago and as probably all of history. The novel is chock full of lines worthy to be quoted with frequency.
It is an excellent read for those interested in the British Colonial Empire, the history of subjugation, or just a story of love forsaken.
Likewise, those interested in Indian/British history may consider an equally informative book by Mark Tully called "No Full Stops in India."

It is a pity that all the attention on Orwell is always on Animal Farm and 1984, becuase he has in his short life written quite a few other brilliant books of which Burmese Days is one.

Burmese days is the strongest criticism of the colonial past I have read. It is a biting and cynical satire on the life of a bunch of worthless good-for-nothin's in the early part of this century in Birma.

None of the characters is in the least likeable. The main protagonist Flory has his moments but fails miserably at the only instances ( the membership for the Club for his Indian friend)in which he could have made a difference. In a way he resembles Saint Peter but withouth the remorse.

His collegues at the Club are at best an empty headed lazy bunch and at worst outright lower class racists. Ellis would have lived in the slums of London but here in Birma he feels superior to every "nigger"" ( That Orwell uses this word frequently adds to the dark and biting spirit of this novel).

The girl, Elizabeth Lackersteen, is more stupid than Daphne Manners ( Jewel in the Crown) or Adela Quested ( Passage to India) and in her "innocence" ( by Orwell, more than Scott and Forster, poignant depicted as ignorance and stupidity) and causes the same problems for the people around them in particular the Birmese and the Indians.

Is it clear that the Europeans are all sinners, the "surpressed" are certainly not saints. The birmese characters are extremely corrupt and the girls do not display very high moral values. The Indian doctor is wonderful; his whole life he has had only one ambition and that is to be part of the English class. In order to avoid embarrassment he assures the English, however, that when the membership is offered he will be deeply honoured but never use it!

All this is written in a wonderful prose and a very tight storyline; the hand of a master. It helps you to understand how incompetent Colonial Rule has been in some places and in what a mess that has resulted. One has only to visit Birma these days ( as I do from time to time) to see what Orwell meant

Reading the novel fifty years after the colonization ended gives you a severe feeling of embarassment and an everlasting impression of the Colonial past of the European countries. It will change the way you see things and that is what Orwell had in mind with all his social-realist work.

This book had the best descriptions of mania and depression of any I've read. I have personal experience with these disorders through family members. I have collected a library on these subjects, wanting to understand as much as I can. I have often been disappointed with books on the bipolar disorder and clinical depression.

"New Hope..." is excellent for those suffering from not only bipolar disorder, but from clinical depression. I appreciated the scientific information, including images of the brain of a depressed person and a "normal" person. It's phenomenal to see that there is actually a physical difference.

The knowledge in this book is truly hope for those who suffer from depression and from bipolar disorder. It should be recommended for all family members of people who suffer from these conditions.

New Hope for People With Bipolar Disorder is a book that delivers its promise. The authors have contributed their understanding and extraordinary knowledge of manic-depressive illness to help those who suffer from this malady - to give them and their loved ones hope. There is also a cautionary note which details how the all too common failure to diagnose this disorder can disable and destroy lives. This is not done through the simple recitation of statistics, but rather by detailing personal accounts of those who have met the challenge and coped. If I read this book ten years ago, my life would be dramatically different today. So many persons would have been spared the pain my untreated illness brought them. And if everyone would read this book, so much of the stigma which inhibits sufferers from seeking treatment would dissipate and shame would be transformed to compassion.

Which of us will admit that personal mood swings lead us to question our state of mind, as in,"Am I losing it?" New Hope for People with Bipolar Disorder, by Jan Fawcett, MD, Bernard Golden, Ph. D. and Nancy Rosenfeld, Exemplar, legitimizes our question regardless of the answer.

New Hope...is not a "feel good" pseudo panacea directed to sufferers, families and friends of sufferers of what is popularly known as Depression and Manic-Depressive illness. The authors assure their readers that he and she are not their illness. Public awareness, now, embraces most physical illness and disease as having causes that are not the "fault" of the patient. Emotional and mental dysfunctions have not yet been accorded similar understanding and respect. The absolute interconnections among physical, emotional and mental discomforts are valid and necessary lessons we must learn. New Hope...is a mighty blow against overwhelming, prevailing ignorance.

A sufferer with Bipolar disorder is often told to "get over it." or condemned as a moral coward. The authors demonstrate through science, compassion and experience that the diseases' combination of bio-chemical, genetic and environmental factors are real, not imginary.

This is a book I've waited for, although it arrives too late for loved ones who could have been saved by having it available.

The book can be read as a factual presentation into the most prevalent, misunderstood and ignored physical-emotional-mental illness in current society. It can be used as an up to the moment reference and source for personal, medical and psycho-social answers and assistance. Its most important value may be to assault and dispel fear and ignorance about emotional-mental illness. The seamless collaboration by a medical practitioner, a psychologist and a patient on equal terms is an example of the best kind of interactions for all of us.

This is an intimate look into the life of "Vicky," the oldest daughter of Queen Victoria, who is married to Frederick, Crown Prince of Prussia ("Fritz"). Vicky was educated by her father, Prince Albert, and was probably the brightest of their offspring. Queen Victoria was an avid letter writer and expected the same from Vicky. There are numerous, appropriate, excerpts from letters written over the years. The author also manages to weave into the story the political & social climate in Europe that affected the events in Vicky & Fritz's lives. After reading this book I have often wondered if events of the early 20th Century (i.e. WWI & WWII) would have been different had Fritz reigned longer than a few months? At the end of the book, you will feel as though you really "know" the Empress Frederick.

This book is an amazing mixture of biography, political history and peeks inside the royal houses of 19th century Europe. The story of Vickie is the premise of this detailed book but the author has made it so much more than that. "An Uncommon Woman" not only taught me about the tragic life of The Empress Frederick but also presented the story of the German people and creation of The German Empire in such a clear, concise and detailed manner that for the first time ever, German history actually makes sense to me.

It is rare to find a biography so readable and interesting. The Kaiserin's life was very complicated and tragic, yet this author presents the facts clearly. There is a lot of German history presented also, but this is necessary to put the actions and feelings of the Empress into context. In addition to the Kaiserin Friedrich, one also gains much insight into the lives of Queen Victoria of England, her consort Prince Albert, Kaiser Wilhelm I, Kaiserin Augusta, Otto von Bismarck, Kaiser Friedrich and Kaiser Wilhelm II. I hesitated to keep reading this book because I knew that the end would come faster if I did. To me this was a "pager-turner." The author makes Queen Victoria's daughter's life come alive! I highly recommend this book!!

This book has 4 different stories, in all of them appear Spy McCready as a super hero, the book will keep you interested in the stories but is not exactly what I expected from Forsyth.

The first story has 4 stars.
The second story has 5 stars.
The third story has 3 stars.
Don't waste your time with the fourth one.

I've read a few spy novel by other authors, but this one has to be the best I've read to date. It's interesting how Forsyth managed to blend in the character of Sam Mcgeedy in all the four sub stories in one book. Particularly my favourite is the first two stories which involves a phony russian defections and Sam Mcgreedy involvement in a 'cross border exchange gone wrong' in Berlin. Highly intense!

The detail of the story on how the procedure are done in the intelligence community prooves his thorough research on the book. This is rewarded by an overwhelming attachment and sense of realism from the reader. It is really difficult to put this book down, once you started it. Highly recommended for those who seek realism and detailed process in espionage action story.

This book comprises four short stories featuring spymaster Sam McCready.

Story #1 is a masterpiece of action; your heartbeat will confirm this as you turn page after page avidly. The way McCready has to kill the very friend he is there to save is pure drama. One of the best compositions by Forsyth ever -- teachers should assign it for children to read at school.

Story #2 is the state-of-the-art of psychological twist. Until the last page you will not know who is telling the truth or lying. Thank you Fred.

Story #3 does not take after the two previous ones; it is good but not as gripping as those are. You will not let unnoticed the vast research job Forsyth has done to describe places and situations in such a detailed manner. ...

Story #4 -- Forsyth not in his best; he was actually having a bad day.

Because of its fluent prose and intricate plots, I can recommend “The Deceiver” -- a really worthwhile book.