This has been the best book i`ve ever read. Just amazing. Lots of BLOOD and killing makes it the BEST.

this book was so cooool!!!!! everyone should read it because it is better than anything else and it deserves to have some stars!!!

The book is wonderful and is truly an asset to anyone who loves Dorothy Dunnett's books. All the poetry, historical references, historical figures etc are explained or translated. It is an encyclopedic addition that completes your Dunnett collection. Dorothy herself is helping with the second volume to finish up the Niccolo books and tie everything together. A definite "must-have".

The fine folks at Vintage Books have done a great favor to those of us who are longtime fans of Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond and Niccolo chronicles as well as those who have only just discovered her writing. The Companion first was published in 1994 and inexplicably was allowed to go out of print, so that the only copies available recently were used books that seemed to start around [price]...and up. Some readers of Dunnett's books might have the benefit of a classical education that allows them to understand who all the historical characters are, what all the literary allusions are to, and what all of the quotations in foreign languages mean. For all of the rest of us, Elspeth Morrison has performed the invaluable labor of tracking down Dorothy Dunnett's original sources and fleshing out the details. Dunnett's books remind me of Medieval and Renaissance tapestries--rich in intricate symbolism and detail. You can look at them and enjoy them as fine art, but when you know what the details mean, your experience is that much deeper and richer. Fervent thanks to Morrison for making this illumination available!

As a student of Art History I utilise very many volumes and this one rates highly in my opinon. It is not only easy to use, but it also has the great advantage of explaining art historical details concisely and clearly so that anyone, however unused to art they are, can enjoy and understand what is being said. This book surveys paintings, highlighting those in the National Gallery, London England, between the time of Durer and Veronese. It discusses their function, patrons and the way they were painted as well as having an excellent section devoted to their conservation and restoration.

Apart from being informative, this volume is also very well illustrated and its layout means it can be dipped into and read in sections without the reader loosing the plot. Though it is large, it is not imposing and is the type of book that will definitely become a must have classic for all levels of scholar. If you want a book that covers the 16th century in art in a detailed, concise yet informative way, there is no better on the market at the moment and this one will take some beating. It has the right mix of everything, and is a very necessary volume.

"Durer to Veronese" is a gorgeous piece of art history that transcends the ordinary. This work is a departure from the usual dry discussion of art history interspersed with small black-and-white photos. At the same time however, it offers so much more than the typical narrow view of the exhibit catalog.

Using the National Gallery's (London) collection of sixteenth century paintings, this book offers a thematic arrangement as it explores the various themes (eg "Private Devotion") and methods (eg "Preparing the Panel"). Each theme is lavishly illustrated with the Gallery's collection and several are accompanied by artists' sketches and closeups of important sections of the paintings.

The text is well-written and easily digested by the neophyte art historian. A series of maps showing the sixteenth century European art world and an in-depth timeline for the century are presented at the beginning of the book and serve the reader well throughout the reading of the text. The physical properties of the book are impressive as well. It is an oversized book, but not to a point of being unwieldy and the binding is quite sturdy as well.

A beautiful work. I highly recommend it.

Without a doubt, Furbank's work is a great resource for any student of Forster. While working on my thesis , his book was always close at hand. Forster readers will appreciate the attention to detail that helps enliven any reading of one of Forster's novels.

The must-have biography that almost every researcher of E.M. Forster uses among her/his basic material. Furbank was appointed by E.M. Forster himself as his biographer. The book contains photographs and it covers a lot of detail. Although the extensive detail sometimes gives an impression of digression it in fact enhances the 'scientific' value of the book, since it provides information about E.M. Forster for research from many angles (ranging from Bloomsbury Group to liberalism &c &c). Moreover, the detailed descriptions at times almost read like a novel (for instance the section on E.M. Forster's travels to Italy). Many letters are included - some by E.M. Forster, some to E.M. Forster, some about E.M. Forster - and make for an enchanting account. Very informative.

Most books, as well as movies, have not yet figured out exactly what to say about the Vietnam war. While I'm not sure that this one has all the answers it was by far the most enjoyable fiction to come out of that conflict that I have come across. The story of the American "Gulliver" and his Vietnamese counterpart (and counterpoint) had me searching the used book stores in desperation after my brother lost my copy. Luckily I was recently successfull and I want to tell everyone what a very fine novel this is.

The most complex work Proffitt ever conceived on paper. And what a tour-de-force! I've had the pleasure to read Nick's other two books, which show a constant level of sophistication, character and story wise. The Embassy House is on a higher stratum by itself. You're introduced to the main character as he struggles to define himself against a backdrop of covert intelligence operations in vietnam. One of the many things that make this book special are the supporting characters. Almost each and every one of them is fully realized, whether American or Vietnamese. Another special thing are the relationships that develop across the pages. Reading through you can never feel comfortable relating to any of the characters. It is as if the author deliberately put up a wall between you, the reader, and the characters. This works so well for this book since these walls themselves exist between the characters. Gradually the pace of the war picks up pace and what unfolds is a powerful story weaved together by a highly regarded journalist and author. Do yourself a favor and pick up a used copy. The last I've heard, Nick has lost passion for writing after his third novel. Sad news for anyone who was looking forward for future works.

this was a wonderful novel,and if u have any interest in imperial russia you will be very interested in this book.

I adored this book! Emily is the last book in the Kirov saga, after Anna and Fleur, and in my opinion, the best of the trilogy. It takes place in the declining years of Imperial Russia, and the Revolution. If you liked Anna and Fleur, you'll love Emily!

Have the urge to fill your brain with tidbits and knowledge concerning the science of astrology; then one should read this book, i.e., Encyclopedia of Astrology by Nicholas De Vore. The preface written by Mr. De Vore is well written and a pleasure to read. However, there are some problems with this book that are to glaring to ignore; first there is no table of contents ( which makes the search a bit ardous) and secondly Mr. De Vore forgot to include and index ( which leaves the user feeling quite lost and at times even bewildered). On the wholde this book , i.e., Encyclopedia of Astrology by Nicholas De Vore is very usefull and I would definetely recommend it to anyone remotely interested in the art and science of astrology.

Mr. De Vore has made a science of astrology with his work. I ran across this book at a garage sale a few years ago and I was just beginning to delve into astrology at that time. Though it is out of print, I cannot urge those who are interested in astrology enough to find it somehow. Written before the 1950's and well before the term new-age was a term, this book provides facts about astrology and terms. You will not find anything biased or generalized in this book. I could not have found a better book for any price, much less a dime.

Ok. So this was written by Dad and my Grandfather, but it still absolutely rocks. I used it loads as a kid and it was always better than some of the other, more sedate, and therefore more boring, children's dictionaries.

I cannot believe this book is a `hard to find' item. It is so well written and beautifully presented, a must for all children.

I am reading the book now and enjoying it immensely. It is exceptionally well written and vividly recreates the time of the Roman persecution of the early Christians. The saints come to life and one can't help being moved by the intensity of their love for Christ, other Christians, and even their enemies and persecutors.

I read this book four years ago, and I was enthralled by its characters and situations. Connecting the stories of the martyrs made me think about the way it must have been. This book is an excellent read if you skip around the long chapters detailing the architecture and lifestyle of the catacombs.

I work in a library and when i was looking for a book to read i chose this one cause i had never seen the movie. After reading a few pages i was hooked. From beginning to end you get sucked into the world of John Hobbes who is trying to find a killer that could be anyone on the street and who can change from person to person just by contact. After finishing it i only have one thing to say: where's the SEQUEL!?!?!?!?!?!?!

In the situation of a film being based on a book, it is usually the book which is better. But who would have thought that a book based on a film could be so good? That is probably the biggest surprise about this book, unlike what I expected, it seemed to capture everything the film produced. The atmosphere, the background setting, and the description were all so detailed and the impression one receives from this work is one of extreme hard concentration in order to satisfy the reader to the max. It's any wonder the writer made the publishing deadline with such stunning quality. Fallen is a tale following righteous cop, John Hobbes as he investigates a series of brutal murders. Which, at first, sounds a bit dull to base a story on, and appears to offer no more than most other thrillers. But the original twist to this story is one that pleases fans who were expecting it and surprises readers who didn't see it coming. I can say no more without revealing the plot, but anyone who has seen the film should definitely read the book. As well as explaining any questions or parts of the plot that fans of the film couldn't understand, it also offers a lot more background, a splendidly vivid descriptive narration, and a guaranteed remarkable read. However, the violence scenes and language are more harsh/graphic over suggestive as in the film, and under-agers should stay away. Aside from that, pick this up whether you've heard of this or not, because you will almost definitley be surprised.