I loved this book. If you are looking for a book that shows you sites deep inside the long lost mansions of 5th avenue, then this is your book. Read it from cover to cover or just skim through the pages over and over again. These photos tell a million stories, from the caen stone interiors to the triple mansions' immense proportions and details to the lives of the architects themselves. This is a great book!

This book is a great look at the stories of all the houses the Vanderbilts purchased or created with their spetacular wealth- and also some of the fascinating stories of the eccentric family members behind the houses. The book is filled with rare photographs and stories of all the Vanderbilt castles.

I found the book to be very entertaining- a must have if you're interested in the Vanderbilt family or the Gilded Age in general.

If that Library Journal reviewer read more than just the Introduction, which contains a couple of typos, he'd have realized this book tells more about the Vanderbilts and their world than any other book on the subject. Obviously, he didn't. It's a great read.

I had to search hard to find this book, because other "Charles Pierces" kept coming up online and it was hidden in "aging" or "disease, listed alphabetically" in the bookstores, but I recommend you persevere -- it was worth it. Somehow the author manages to combine a poignant memoir, exploring the way we're taught in our families of origin to deal (or not deal, in the case of the Pierces) with serious issues, with a highly readable account of what doctors know and are racing to find out about this cruel disease. On Saturdays, I often listen to Pierce on the NPR shows "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" and "Only a Game," and he is very funny. Some of that humor, although darker, leavens this book, which also gives an amazingly understandable summary of what scientists know about Alzheimer's and possible treatments. I hope people will read the excerpt here (or in Yankee magazine) and give this book a chance, even if they don't personally know someone with Alzheimer's. With all of us Baby Boomers aging faster than we care to admit, there are expected (according to last week's cover story in Time magazine) to be many, many new cases that eventually will touch most of us. Alzheimer's disease is depressing, but this beautifully written book is not. Highly recommended.

Fortunately, my family has no history of Alzheimer's disease. My only experience with the disease came from my next door neighbor. An elderly couple moved into the house next store to my family home when I was only 3 years old. The couple became my third set of grandparents. The husband, Howard, died about three years later. His wife began to suffer from Alzheimer's shortly after his death. I remember being very confused when she asked me to fetch her sweater that was upstairs on the sewing machine, when she lived in a one story home. My mother tried to explain her condition to me, but I did not understand how she could not know there was not a second floor in the house she had been in for about 5 years. Her family decided to put her into a nursing home because of an injury she sustained in a fall. She died before the Alzheimer's got worse. Since I never had to deal with anyone suffering from Alzheimer's after my neighbor died, I never learned about the disease. I picked up "Hard To Forget: An Alzheimer's Story" to learn about the disease, and what happened to my third grandmother. I found the book very informative and interesting to read. Pierce wonderfully blends together the history of the disorder and his own family's experiences. I managed to finish the book in one sitting because of Pierce's captivating style. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about Alzheimer's disease, or anyone who is looking for an enjoyable and informative read.

As an Alzheimer's family member, I read "Hard to Forget" with great interest. When my mother was diagnosed 13 years ago, my family went through stages of initial denial and then finally accepting the diagnosis and then coping as best we could...a similar story to the Pierce family - and to so many other families. The difference is that my mother was not an "early onset" patient. Hers is probably not the "familial" Alzheimer's Disease. And the terror is not as great for my sister and I as it is for Charles Pierce. But it is still there.

The author has a wonderful way of describing the emotional toll of the disease but also of shining a light on the heroism of caretakers like his wife Margaret. I've seen the devotion of wives, husbands, children and grandchildren as they pay weekly and sometimes daily visits to their loved ones in the nursing home. The visits go on for years. They watch as their loved one slips away. But it helps to know that you are not alone in this difficult journey. "Hard to Forget" will help all the families who are coping and who are waiting for a cure.

I have read many books on compulsive eating. This one is a little misdirected. It focuses too much on contol issues. I recommend "Overcoming Overeating" or "When Women Stop Hating Thier Bodies." by Jane Hirchman and Carol Munter. These books emphasize freedom from the inner critic, and body acceptance. It seems as if Victoria Moran got some of her ideas from women like Geneene ROth and the authors of "Overcoming Overeating" ;the concepts are somewhat similar. BUT, there is one main difference... The focus on thinness is too heavy in this book!! How can you really love your body, and build your inner world, when you are try to "love yourself THIN"?! Attention should be focused inward, and not outward on our bodies! Thinness is not the point of spiritual growth!!

This powerful, spiritually oriented approach to compulsive overeating was just the book I needed now: 12 Step friendly, incredibly insightful and practical. Unfortunately, its title doesn't do it justice, and makes it sound like just another silly diet book; it's not! For anyone struggling with compulsive overeating and searching a spiritual path for the answers, this book should be part of your journey.

I am taking the time to write this review becuase I have been moved by the simple yet profound enlightening words Victoria Moran has written. This book taps into your inner core and assists you in the most important motivation- internal love. If you have even a question, do yourself a favor and purchase this book.

This book covers the rise of Mildred Pierce -- a struggling, single mother during the Depression who opens a chain of successful restaraunts. Mildred's relationship with her spoiled daughter, Veda, is detailed and the focal point of the story. In addition, the various men that Mildred encounters in the book, are described as they alter the course of her life.

All in all, this book was good. It isn't your typical Cain hard-boiler... in fact to think so is extremely misleading. I'd classify this book as more literature than anything to do with crime. The movie was also WILDLY different from the book. Their endings differ greatly.

Mildred Pierce is one of those 'tough as nails, heart of gold' mothers who should an inspiration to all women. She kicks out her dead-beat husband, works her tail off to keep food on the table and her daughters happy, and has the guts/brains to start her own successful business. So what's wrong (and why did James M. Cain bother to write about her)?

Unable to face reality, Mildred is the victim of her own blindness to her rotten eldest daughter's ways. Not only is her daughter unappreciative, she actually ridicules her mother as being some uncouth and ignorant embarassment. Mildred's toughness melts when confronting her monster daughter, much to her detriment. While a heartbreaking story overall, the ending is especially moving ... have your hankies ready.

Perhaps many folks reading this review has seen the famous film adaption (starring Joan Crawford) of Mildred Pierce. While the film generally carries the intent of James M. Cain's written word, there are several differences. Obviously Hollywood wanted to over-dramatize, or simply invent scenes. As much as I like the movie I enjoyed the book more; I found it to be more personal , intense and believable.

Bottom line: required reading by all mothers, strongly recommended to everyone else.

I never met a James M. Cain novel I didn't like and this one was no exception. The title is of the lead character who rises to great success during the Depression with a series of restaurants in early California. However, she has one big problem: the daughter she raised alone, Veda. Veda becomes a singer and also a master at deceiving and betraying her mother. Veda does not even consider her mother's spouse, her stepfather, off limits. This showcases the same intense Cain focus on a twisted relationship but this time it is on the mother-daughter relationship, arguably a more powerful one than the lover-lover one. This was made into a movie starring Joan Crawford, who won an Oscar playing Mildred. I thought this film version went too over the top though and veered into being maudlin and soap operaish. Stick with Cain's novel, the far more complex work.

I loved this book almost as much as "The Birth of the Firebringer". This novel weaves fantasy and real-life situations in together to create a believable civilization of unicorns and a compelling hero. Our society could learn greatly from the lessons Jan learns under the guidance of his goddess. I would actually rate this book a 9 and a half. This is a worthy sequel. If you are searching, the third book in this trilogy is called "The Son of Summer Stars".

I loved this book as well as the other 2 in this trilogy! They are the best books that have ever tried to portray unicrons. They have their own land and culture and it magically all comes together as Jan starts on the path of finding his destiny as the Firebringer!

At a time when fantasy books are becoming popular once more, many of them badly written at that, you would think a lyrical story about unicorns, true love and prophecy would be a best seller. Wrong. This book isn't even in print anymore, sadly, although it deserves to be. If you've never danced at moonrise upon a summer shore with your true love, or ran the plains with the free people, then you don't know what you're missing-yet. Though extremely hard to find, they are worth every effort in a world filled with Harry Potters and Dragonlance. Once you fight a wyvern, or dare imaging taking one simple sup of the dragon queen's waking dreams, then you too will know what we are talking about. And you'll never be able to go back again. Skywater, Vice-President of the Firebringer Fan Club.

Whatever else we might think of Huey Long, most Louisianans would agree that, as governor and then senator, he was a populist -- right? In the summer of 1934, many residents of New Orleans had reason to think otherwise. The senator and T. Semmes Walmsley, mayor of the city, had once been uneasy allies, but began feuding on many fronts. In January 1934, after Walmsley defeated the Long candidate, the senator denounced what he claimed was election fraud by the Democratic "Old Regulars." Then, never one to bother with courts and the law, he clinched his argument by bringing in the Louisiana National Guard (functioning as the senator's private army) to take over the Soule Building, which housed the voter registration office. The guardsmen quickly set up machine guns at the windows, aimed at the mayor's office across the street. Both sides finally agreed to a monitoring process for the September election, which was swept by the Long slate. The Old Regulars deserted the mayor the following summer and flocked to the senator's banner, thereby setting him up nicely for a run at the presidency in 1936. Long's march on Washington, however, was interrupted by an assassin's bullet in September 1935 (fortunately for all of us, probably). This is an exciting, well-documented, and very well-written account of one of the more unnerving episodes in this state's history.

I am fascinated with Southern history. This is quite possibly the BEST book I have read on it. Huey Long was a remarkable leader who tried to pull the South into a modern era; but he was held back both by the same ancient forces that were responsible for the Civil War as well as his own dangerous impulses.

The author brilliantly presents Huey in all of his costumed roles; similarly he gives to the reader a picture of New Orleans that is equal to Faulkner's Mississippi: compelling and vivid.

A fantastic accomplishment!

I read the remarks of the professor from Tulane who thought this book was too conservative and wondered what he was talking about as I read this book last summer and did not detect any political bias on the part of the author, Mr. Boulard.

I have since reread the book, and still don't know what the guy from Tulane is talking about. Mr. Boulard says great things and bad things about Huey Long; he similarly goes after New Orleans Mayor Walmlsey and the Old Regular political machine.

I have since given this book for Christmas to my uncle and another friend, and both of them said they thought it was great.

Perhaps the reason the professor from Tulane thinks Mr. Boulard's well-balanced treatment is too conservative, is because he may be too liberal--it's possible.

This book works particularly well against T. Harry Williams big biography of Huey Long. Williams gives us the life, Boulard gives us a year in the life. Together they are two great books!

First off, I am a very tough grade. I never give more than 3 stars unless a book is exceptional. This book is THE FINEST introductory book every written on information theory!! ... (Lemme explain briefly: In the golden era of information theory, there were many people who sought to "jump on the information theory bandwagon". In fact Claude Shannon actually wrote a brief paper about that. You had all kinds of people trying to apply information theory to the fields of investments and even psychology, ad nauseum. This book has chapters that deal with that... With respect to Pierce, it's junk bogus science... and he really shouldn't have sunk to that level.... even thought there continue to be many Thesis and Dissertations today which still try to use information theory to justify economics and group psychology... Believe that stuff if it makes you happy).

This book is practical, it get's straight to the point and tells you what information theory can actually (and is actually) used for. Alot of information theory books don't
have any practical value whatsoever (Reza, Ash, Khinchin) as they seem to be written more by mathemeticians than scientists/engineers... Pierce has written several books in the golden era, and he is one of the very best authors. His insight, knowledge and clarity of writing are almost unparalleled by no other author. Only Claude Shannon, Bernard Sklar and James Massey rival John Pierce in exceptionally simple writing style.

The book has very few mathematical equations. The ones he presents are so simple it's basic middle school mathematics. In lieiu of math equations, Pierce explains information theory in plain english. If you know nothing whatsoever about information theory... this is the book I would highly recommend first.... ...

Claude Shannon died last year, and it's really disgraceful that his name is not a household word in the manner of Einstein and Newton. He really WAS the Isaac Newton of communications theory, and his master's thesis on Boolean logic applied to circuits is probably the most cited ever.

This is the ONLY book of which I am aware which attempts to present Shannon's results to the educated lay reader, and Pierce does a crackerjack job of it. Notwithstanding, this is not a book for the casual reader. The ideas underlying the theory are inherently subtle and mathematical, although there are numerous practical manifestations of them in nature, and in human "information transmission" behavior. On the other hand, this is a work which repays all effort invested in its mastery many times over.

Pierce is an accomplished scientist/engineer, and was influential in the development of information theory/signal processing. This book has some mathematics, but lays a solid qualitative foundation for understanding the material. This book is a classic, good for computer engineers/scientists (as is his book Signals: The Science of Telecommunications). The presentation is accessible, and first hand accounts of important discoveries motivates a real appreciation for Pierce's contributions.

However, the clarity of the presentation tends to obscure just how profound and deep the thinking involved really is. During the first reading, Pierce's insights made the material seem almost obvious. Later I would get doubts that such straightforward approaches could be correct, and then would think about the correctness of his assertions. This is why this is a great book, because it focuses on important stuff, and doesn't shy away from deep topics. This is a great book for those interested in the basis of information theory, on a side note Shannon's original papers are also quite readable.

This series (Song of the Lioness) is about a sheroe, Alanna, who pretends to be a boy so she can learn to be a knight. Hiding her true identity as girl for around seven years, she faces many hardships on the way to win her shield. This series deals with everything that I could think of about growing up, including puberty, love, bullies, and dealing with life in general. Instead of having a a typical idiot bully who steals lunch money, this one could be real. I found that I've read these books six or seven times, each time getting more from it.

The Song of the Lioness Quartet is about a girl named Alanna of Trebond who dreams of being a knight, but because she is a girl she can't. Her brother Thom of Threbond is to be a knight, and he wants to be a mage. They decided to trade places... and that's where the advanture beings.
Alanna fights other kinghts, a bully, and defeats a sorcerer duke. She befriends Prince Jonathon and the King of the Thevies George Cooper, both whom she eventually falls in love with. She has Sir Myles, one of her teachers, become her adopted father. Alanna fights for a jewel called the Domonant Jewel for the glory of Tortall, fights an old stupid shaman, trains three pupils to become the shamans of the tribe of the Bloody Hawk to replace her, and she tried her hand at hand-to-hand combat called Chang.
Set in the last reign of King Roald and Queen Lianna of Tortall and the first reign of King Jonathon and Queen Thyet of Tortall, readers will love the Song of the Lioness!

Tamora Pierce's _Song_of_the_Lioness_ Quartet is her best ever. Set in the realm of Tortall, she tells the amazing adventure of a ten year old girl, determined to become a knight, and eventually, a heroine set in her self-made and fully deserved legend. These books will keep your fingers extremely busy turning pages-i would know! You'll read Alanna's story from the beginnig when she first arrived at the palace, made her first enemy (and friends), up to where she gets her period and reveals her true sex during a life threatening battle, all in just the first book! In the second book, you'll find yourself captivated once again, if not more so by the many changes and fast paced events of her life as a squire- that includes LOVE, a pregnancy charm, pretty girl clothes and the Ordeal of Knighthood!
Like many of Tamora Pierce's quartets, Alanna is special and manages to make an impact on everyone around her. The story continues with the fourth book in which Alanna travels all over the country, saves more than a few lives, makes new friends, experiments with new lovers, battles a god for the Dominian Jewel, and saves her country from a war, all the while in the company of her burly friend/manservant Coram. Not to be left unnoticed and forgotten are the characters from Pierce's first quartet as they dance around in your head, acting accordingly as you read.Audiences world wide won't be disappointed. If you loved this series follow up on Alanna in later years through Pierce's _The_Immortals_ and _Protector_of_the_Small_ quartets, and her soon to be released book _Trickster's_Choice_, novels about Alanna's daughter Alianne.

I ordered this book in hopes of finding what it promised...some fresh new material that could possibly give one "an unfair advantage" in the audition process. In spite of a few negative reviews I'd read on these pages, I chose to believe the positive ones because I had some important auditions coming up and I WANTED this book to be all it promised. I NEEDED it to be ~~ and it wasn't. I eagerly read every single piece and there was not one monologue appropriate for or worthy of a serious adult actor or actress, no matter what his or her level of experience. These might be "okay" for introducing high school students to drama. But with all due respect to Pierce and Onorato, as an acting teacher as well as performer, writer, and director, I just couldn't justify asking a student of ANY age to chose to commit to any of this material over the works of some of our great - and even not-so-great - playwrites.

This book has some good monologues in it, but its mainly a technique training book. ALSO.....ALL of the monologues are 2 minues and under - this is important for some actors to know.

.P Peirce is one of my many acting coaches. This summer I went to New York to compete for an acting competion. We had divivsion. You had to cover 5 catogorys. One of the was monolouge. He helped me with my monolouge. Thwe monolouge I use was in this book. Its a great book!

I truly enjoyed this book. This was a novel about a family that many people can relate to. The main character faced many challenges as being the spiritual leader. It is a glimpse of what "having a calling" on your life is all about. Not every book is to minister to every person. It had very meaningful message. This type of a novel is an "out reach" tool. As Christians we have to realize that not everyone is going to "get it" if we beat them over the head with the Bible. Furthermore, when you are walking out your purpose, and I believe Ms. Nails-Pierce is, you are less inclined to judge so harsely (as one reviewer has). I applaud Ms. Pierce's efforts. Writing fiction that includes the Word of God is a mighty task. We need to get the Word out through various mediums and this is one of them. So, it may not be a witness tool for everyone, I am sure it has ministered or delivered someone. I am sure God wouldn't mind that at all. Stay encourage Rebecca, keep on writing!

My book club read this novel it was a sure winner in our discussion of how good vs evil daily. The Blakmans family devotion to each other could be a help to many familes. Zara the oldest sister, is a minister stuggling to gain accceptance at her church as a female leader. Her stuggles do not end their she has a family that pull every limb on her body. Damon the oldest brother in a fight with temptation, lust and betrayal from his career and marriage. He realize soon that he can not make it with out God. Taylor the middle son fresh off the bachelor truck ready to sort his role oats. He changes his way of thinking when he runs up with a sister and the Lord. Deja the baby of the family,who refuse to release a self destuctive relationship with the father of her children.The Blackmans family devotion with each other and the Lord helps them to conqur their stuggles with good vs evil. Wonderful novel to read you want be able to put it down.

This book was very fast paced, exciting and entertaining. It was a very family oriented book about love, being loved and wanting love.

The Blackmans are a typical family with good morals. But each family member struggles with their own tribulations. I loved this book, because it dealt with everyday people who were making a living and wanting to be love and give love in return.

What I really like about the book, is how the family was a close-knit family, that talked about there problems with each other.

I give props to Rebecca Nails-Pierce. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it goes to show you, that no matter where you are with God, that God is always there by your side and he will bring you out of any situation.

It was an uplifting book, that gave good scriptures and praises to God. I'm looking forward to Rebecca's next book.

My favorite character was Taylor, I thought he was a little wild but exciting. I also liked Deja, she had problems with her ex, but soon she woke up and got her life together and found someone decent and godly.

All the characters were well written, even Ms. Lilly. She was a meaniee, but she had a good heart. She loved her family and she truly did love her husband. I hate she had become sick, but through sickness it brought the family much closer. I won't tell all the story. This is a book, you will enjoy and it is an easy read too.