Based on extensive excavations in the 1980s and 1990s, this is a vivid reconstruction of a medieval siege. More than that, it relates the special problems involved when siege warfare involves the digging of mines underneath castle walls in an attempt to bring them down. In this example, the Irish rebels sought (eventually with success) to undermine the castle walls while the English defenders dug numerous counter-mines in an attempt to stop the besieging miners. Wiggins demonstrates with photos, clear diagrams, and vivid text what the excavation record today tells us of these military methods of more than four centuries ago. We learn that even a siege of mere weeks, such as this one, usually cost many lives. He shows how military engineers relied on the available technology of the time (siege miners were often miners in real life and used the same techniques) as each side sought to bring the siege to a successful conclusion---naturally differing on what that meant!

When I last visited Ireland in 1990, none of this excavation work had been done. You could only see the outside walls of the castle by the river, and could not get inside. The work described here was done as part of a long process of clearing modern buildings to make the Limerick castle an educational tourist site. Based on this volume, I very much want to go back and see the remains of the siege mines and counter-mines which only rarely survive into modern times. After reading this interesting study, you will want to go see the site as well.

Diana Scarisbrick's "Ancestral Jewels: Treasures of Britain's Aristocracy" is a superb overview of the jewels and jewelry which helped to set the British nobility apart--for better or for worse. Scarisbrick doesn't limit herself to the typical earrings, necklaces, tiaras, and so on--there are bejeweled ceremonial swords, stomachers, chatelaines, cups and boxes, and more.

One of Scarisbrick's real accomplishments is to juxtapose photographs of jewelry alone with a photograph of the jewelry being worn in an oil portrait, or showing a piece being worn first as a head ornament and then later as a necklace (a common practice with tiaras, which could often be broken down into smaller parts and used as earrings, brooches, and so on).

The jewels are fantastic, as is the photography. Although I would have preferred that more of the photographs were in color, that's a small quibble when even the black-and-white pictures are so crisp and filled with telling detail. Beyond this, Scarisbrick is to be commended for providing a concise, accurate, and broad overview of British jewelry history. The book is eminently readable, and the pictures are fascinating.

One of the most fascinating parts of the book is the appendix, tellingly entitled "Where Are They Now? Dispersal, Transformation, and Theft." Here Scarisbrick delves into the sometimes shady, sometimes ignoble histories and reputations of dozens of gem-encrusted objects. She quotes here from Anthony Trollope's peerless novel "The Eustace Diamonds" when she writes: " . . . family treasures were preserved 'not so much for the protection of property but for the more picturesque idea of maintaining chivalric associations. Heirlooms have become so, not that future owners of them may be assured of so much wealth whatever the value of the things so settled may be--but that the son or grandson may enjoy the satisfaction of saying my father or grandfather or ancestor sat in that chair or looked as he now looks in that picture or was graced by wearing on his breast that very ornament which you see lying beneath the glass.' "

Scarisbrick understands, as did Trollope, how the aristocracy works and how it clings to the thought of itself as being somehow better than the rest of the world. Scarisbrick's accomplishment here is to show us a history of a rarefied group of people through the splendid adornments chosen by its very privileged members.

This book is a must for all those children who are eager to know more. It's easy to read and keeps the children interested untill the end. My seven year old daughter read it and "played" it for two hours, untill she solved the mistery. I will buy more titles!

Provides a lot of background information on the antichrist King Juan Carlos. Though this book does not have any "satanic pictures" of Juan Carlos you can get that in the Nov.97 issue of Vanity Fair where Carlos is dressed in a black Prince of Darkness robe and red cape with a german sheppard. Look out! King Juan Carlos' day of revealing draws nearer, only now will he continue to work from behind the scenes until that day of infamy arrives. Repent now or face the Great Tribulation under the "iron fist" of King Juan Carlos as his song of the day will be "No More Mr. Nice Guy" as the price for food and to stay alive will be your soul.

Many people find that the KJV Bible is too hard to understand because the language is considered to be "old fashioned".

Mr Vance has taken all of the words which are considered to be "outdated" and compiled them into a form of encyclopaedia.

This book should be put on your "MUST HAVE" list, if you are a avid reader of the KJV Bible. It will not only enhance your bible study but it will also give you better understanding of the LORD's word.

The Archetype Of Renewal: Psychological Reflections On The Aging, Death And Rebirth Of The King by D. Stephenson Bond, (Faculty Member, C.G. Jung Institute, Boston, Massachusetts) is a learned treatise on the eternal theme of "the King is dead, long live the King", and all that such transitions metaphorically symbolize, including exorcizing old processes and systems of understanding for new views and perspectives that are more accurate and effective. From ceremonial renewals of the King practiced in ancient Babylon, to the ever-changing challenges of the modern day, The Archetype Of Renewal embraces both Jungian psychology and the evolving human spirit. The Archetype Of Renewal is a welcome and very highly recommended addition to Jungian Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Naxos recording is an excellent rendition of RIII. The characterization is rich and well done. Full of passion and rage, you don't need to see the actors to "see" the play. The scene with Anne is particularly good.

I was happy to see this book available through Amazon. I have friends in the Military that have been trying to get this book. The Red text is very helpful and the binding is tops.

Imaginative and serious is how I would describe this man's art, two words which rarely dance with each other in the realm of science fiction art these days.

This isn't the usual science fiction art you see; it is more based on the realistically possible than the utterly impossible (exceptions being a few paintings for Star Trek and such), lying somewhere in between the strange imagery of Wayne Barlowe and the illustrations of space shuttles and planets from your childhood school textbooks.

This includes various murals for NASA, science conventions, Disney's EPCOT, and even a church. Also included are some of his concept sketches and cover art for Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: Space Odyssey. While his art isn't as detailed as that of, for example, Frank Frazetta's or Richard Corben's--some of McCall's paintings seem almost possible to file under "impressionism"--he proves more imagination and dedication to the genre than either of the other two forementioned talents combined.

What I like most about Robert McCall's science fiction art is, as stated earlier, it being closer to what's actually possible, while still retaining the imaginative aspects. It only makes me eager for a future which will probably come decades after my generation becomes as old as our parents, one we will never live but our children might. Another plus is the introductory paragraphs by Ray Bradbury, basically interesting musings and anecdotes about Robert McCall and science/science fiction in general.

Excuse me while I go to the moon...

From the DJ back cover: "Who was King Arthur? Variously depicted as the boy who drew the sword from the stone, Celtic freedom fighter pitted against the invading Saxons, and refined and noble monarch married to the beautiful Queen Guenever [sic], he has for centuries inspired storytellers of Europe.

Graeme Fife traces the development of Arthurian literature from its emergence in the mist-filled valleys of the Celtic heartlands of Britain to the candle-lit-banqueting halls of the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine. He examines the great Arthurian themes of chivalry, courtly love, hunting, heraldry and pageantry, magic and the Holy Grail and argues convincingly that the rise of the romances was inextricably linked to the development of the Christian Crusading movement. Ever present is the immortal figure of Arthur himself, once and future king.

Just thought you should know something about the book you are thinking about buying.
Actually a very interesting book.