Very verbose, little power, read Patey if you are truly interested in Waugh. It is a pity someone of such little breeding has addressed Waugh at all.

As literary biographies go, this is pure excellence. One gains a better understanding of not just Waugh's writing, and not just the personality behind the writing, but also the social and historical context that helped shape Waugh. Martin Stannard has done an incredibly comprehensive job. But the fascinating Evelyn Waugh stands up to such scrutinizing detail.

What was once a distant event of the future is now a reality as Lady Althea Beauchamp finds herself in the midst of her First Season in London. Trained from the cradle to be an Incomparable among Incomparables, Althea is the catch of the season due to her family's fortune, incredible beauty, impeccable manners, and exquisite fashions. All Althea craves, however, is a return to her beloved friends and animals in the countryside instead of being on display like a thoroughbred horse at Tattersall's. She despises the envying glances of marriage-minded misses and the leering looks of fortune-hunting bachelors. Althea wants to be seen as her own person instead of a diamond of the first water.

Frustrated at escorting his mother to every ball and rout in town during the Season, Gareth de Vere, sixth Marquess of Harwood, is looking for a distraction from his dear Mama's attempts to marry him off to someone with a fortune large enough to keep her in the height of fashion. He prefers to worry about their estate in the countryside, not keeping up with the ton. Having enmassed a comfortable fortune of his own by playing a deft hand of cards, Gareth sees no reason to marry...until he meets the "Ice Princess," Lady Althea Beauchamp. No slouch at the card table herself, Gareth is intrigued by the woman's ability to beat him at his own game. To amuse himself, he follows Lady Althea around town. Soon his title of the "Bachelor Marquess" is in danger of becoming obsolete.

An endearing cast of characters, depth of emotion and an original storyline make FORTUNE'S LADY a delightful read. Not your typical Regency romp, road trip or guardian tale, this book takes an interesting turn in the development of a relationship between two lonely people who first become fast friends that champion each other. Instead of slowly breaking down frustrating walls of silence, Althea and Gareth are not loathe to reveal their secret desires and empty childhoods to one another. Dialogue sings between all of the characters, and even though we are privy to many characters' thoughts and feelings, Ms. Richardson's smooth transitions make them hardly noticeable and unobtrusive.

I highly recommend FORTUNE'S LADY as a fresh contribution to the Regency genre, and I look forward to reading more of Evelyn Richardson's work.

Although most of "Fortune's Lady" takes place during the London Season, this is not a light hearted drawing room comedy of manners. Rather, this novel is mostly about two lonely people who discover that they have a lot more in common than their ever thought probable, and how this shared bond of unhappiness, loneliness and restlessness, leads to the blossoming of a deep and enduring love.

Neither Gareth de Vere, sixth Marquess of Harwood (also known as the Bachelor Marquess) nor Lady Althea Beauchamp, the only child of the Duke and Duchess of Clarendon (also known as the Ice Princess) believe that they ever could have anything in common with each other. And indeed, at first sight, they each take the other into great dislike (even as they are both physically drawn to each other): Gareth thinks that Althea is another cold hearted and demanding beauty much like his mother, while Althea thinks that Gareth is just too arrogant for words. However, because of Gareth's marriage-minded mother, the two meet and get to know each other. And both Gareth and Althea are struck by the similarities of their situations: both are children who have never known parental affection, they both abhor the social and hectic London scene, and both are loath to marry. As the Season progresses, so too does their friendship, as both Gareth and Althea discover how much in tune their minds and desires are with each other. Could it possibly be that the Ice Princess and the Bachelor Marquess are fated to make a match of it with each other?

"Fortune's Lady" is a bit of a 'muted' read. The chemistry between Gareth and Althea is a little subdued because, while both characters do not deny their attraction for each other, they spend much of the time denying the depth of their feelings. However, while the romance aspect is a little subdued this novel is by no means a dull read either. This novel is refreshingly different in that it deals realistically with how a young woman who has no desire to partake in the fashionable London scene at all, but who has very little say in how she my lead her life, may feel. One of the novel's greatest strenghts is 'seeing' Althea's real persona peek through the stiff facade she has erected. And reading along as she gradually comes into her own made for some really satisfying reading indeed. "Fortune's Lady" may be a little of a somber read, but it definitely is a compelling one nonetheless.

This book helps teens express their feelings about stuff they don't even think about. But some questions in this book most teens think are lame. This book should have been more researched on what teens are interested in today. Good book but should be more up to date.

Me and my friends love this book. I knew about the other if books already, but finally they wrote one for kids my age. The questions really get you thinking, and lead to other questions and fun conversations. I took this to school, and everybody was checking it out, even the teacher! I definitely think this is worth buying, even if you want to read it alone.

While "Lord Harry's Daughter" is not a light hearted comedy of manners, it is still a wonderful read. Of a slightly more serious nature, this novel is about the two principal characters, Major Mark Adair and Sophia Featherstonaugh, both products of their rather sad family lives, and of one particular intrigue that takes place in the middle of the Napoleonic Wars.

Sophia Featherstonaugh has learnt the hard way what it is to have a feckless and reckless personality in her life. Life with her father, Lord Harry Featherstonaugh, had been quite hellish. The result of which Sophia has learnt to be more controlled and precise in her emotions and actions. This makes her the very opposite of Major Mark Adair. Reacting against his stern and restrictive father, Adair has developed a reputation for being a dashing and fearless officer. And when Sophia and Adair first meet, sparks fly. Sophia sees in Adair shades of her father, while Sophia reminds Adair of his disapproving father. However the war, and Adair's spying activities throw Sophia and Adair together and the two begin to form a friendship, that is until Adair falls under the spell of the beautiful Condessa de Gonsalvo y Coruna. Will this new infatuation of Adair's affect Adair's and Sophia's friendship?

Sophia Featherstonaugh made this novel really enjoyable for me. She's intelligent, gracious, talented and brave. In fact there's a chapter where Adair and Sophia engage in a battle of the sexes, and Sophia actually wins the battle! The great thing is that Evelyn Richardson allows for Sophia to win this battle in a way that is credible and makes sense! And while I found Adair to be pretty much the typical male hero, I liked that Richardson allowed for the romance betwen the two to unfold slowly and realistically.

"Lord Harry's Daughter" may not be the typical Regency romance novel, but it is a really good read.

This is a fun story with plenty of twists and turns. The characters are fairly real and do not become trite with being forced into the genre. This has all the ingredients for a good, curl-up to relax, light-hearted tale. Definitely a keeper. Sophia has spirit but is not outside the realm of possibility while Adair fits the traditional, strong male but with a good sense of humour. Ms. Richardson keeps her reputation well intact.

Although only one side of the issue is discussed (in support of NDEs), this book is a must-read for anyone interested in logical approach to an analysis of NDEs. Valarino interviews scientists from different fields (biology, physics, etc.) and discusses the scientific evidence they have found in support of NDEs, as well as some of the recent theories that have been formulated concerning the nature of the soul (or consciousness) and life after death. The content of the book deserves five stars, although I will agree the format of the book could use just a little work.

Ms. Elsaesser-Valarino takes us through a thorough analysis of the Near Death Experience (NDE) from a number of different perspectives: Philosophy, religious, physics, biology, and psychology. This book is an excellent, in-depth look at the various possibilities of NDE's. I have never read such a complete analysis of this fascinating phenomenon. I recommend this book to anyone who has any interest in NDE's.

The reasons I did not rate this book with 5-stars are:

1 - The analysis would be even more complete had it included an analysis of someone who does not believe that NDE's necessarily imply a life-after-death. Everyone interviewed leans on the side of probability that NDE's imply life-after-death. An interview with someone like a Susan Blackmore would have been very interesting and added to the objectivity of the author's position.

2 - The interview/dialog format used in most of the book is interesting, but does not lend itself to explanation, especially when the discussion get very complex and bogged down in technical details of physics, biology, etc.. A more traditional approach might have enabled the author to more fully define complex terms and constructs in a more effective way.

3 - The two testimonies I believe could have been chosen better. The ones used are marginal and uninteresting.

Mr. Pinfold has become ill from his use of drugs, food and alcohol, and is in general dried up as far as writing goes. In order to "take the sea air" and follow his doctor's orders he embarks upon a cruise. He does not, however, stop the sleeping medications, and is probably seriously clinically depressed as well. the combination becomes the conduit for a series of hallucinations which become a nightmare and a reality for Gilbert Pinfold. Although humerous, the book is crafted in such a way that we see the suffering that losing touch with reality causes, and when Gilbert finally arrives at port and at peace, we are glad we read the book, and glad the author recovered his muse.

If there are any aspiring writers of comic novels out there then I earnestly entreat you to have a quick read of this book. Writing humour is never easy but here is the great Evelyn Waugh showing how to do it. Not a word out of place, the mot juste on every occasion, prose stripped down to the bare minimum.
I read this book about twice a year. It is very short and can be read in a day. And, heavens!, how hilarious it is!
It is based on a true life cruise that Waugh went on in which he really did start to hear voices.
It is not one of his most well-known so it can be hard to obtain; it's well worth it though!

While I thought the writing of this book was smooth and well-done, and the plot was interesting, I was disappointed in Rogers' handling of the plot.

Sam pursues Charlie almost to the point of stalking her, not taking her rejection of him seriously. I became a little uncomfortable with Sam's pursuit, especially since I found it a bit unbelievable to begin with.

My biggest disappointment was the complete lack of real communication between the characters. Charlie has deep-rooted fears about her ability to handle the conjunction of intimacy and commitment, and those fears are genuine. But Rogers fails to take advantage of an opportunity for Charlie to discuss her failings and fears with Sam in a serious way. Somehow, the obstacles between the two dissolve with no real communication and no discussion of her previous relationship, and, as a result, the ending seems trite and cliche.

On the other hand, Charlie and Sam are wonderful characters, and Charlie's elderly patient/friends are an appealing addition to the story. However, the sudden relationship between Roger and Charlie's best friend was a bit difficult to take.

All in all, this book was a pretty standard contemporary. I read it quickly, and enjoyed it, but was all too aware of weaknesses in the plotline while doing so.

After five years of a miserable marriage to Roger "The Rat" Ryan, Dr. Charlotte Hamilton obtains a divorce. However, being the Rat, Roger blames their failed marriage totally on Charlotte. He insists that if she was less frigid in bed, he would never have wandered. His final humiliation about his ex occurs in his lawyer's office when he announces to the world that Charlotte was a lousy lover.

In spite of her professional accomplishments, Charlotte's inferiority complex explodes and she leaves totally debased. She heads to a nearby hotel bar for a drink where she meets a handsome man. They get a room and share a night of bliss. A very confident Charlie vanishes. Her lover, sports reporter Sam Blake knows he has found his soul mate, but does not even know her name. Using the bribe of tickets to the Alamo Bowl, he learns her name. However, she is his friend's ex-wife and has reason to loathe him.

SECOND OPINION is a warm, witty, and wonderful contemporary romance that explains why readers love the works of Evelyn Rogers. The story line is a war between the sexes storyline starring two strong individuals with deep rooted fears. Charlie's elderly patients augment the tale as they try to match the once burned doctor with their choice of the golden man, Sam. Ms. Rogers provides the audience with an entertaining novel that needs no SECOND OPINION.

Harriet Klausner

This book was ok. If I had seen it before I purchased it, I probably wouldn't have bought it. It does give a good overview of how to decorate a church for all seasons, but I think for an established church with established ways, it won't help. However, it would give one fresh ideas.

It gave me lots of wonderful ideals to use in my decorations. I liked the history and background it gave and the different meaning behind past trends. It was very helpful and I know I will use it as a reference guide for years to come

And she says:

This is a good visual reference book, especially if you are a collector of dolls 100 years old (and older). The beautiful wood dolls on page 10 are from the late 1600's - I think a museum would have something like that, but not me. The book is divided into 11 chapters, based on the material the doll is made of, or unusual subject matter such as who they depict. The funniest page is called Patriotic Character Dolls, with all the photos depicting Political Figures (men) from 1890-1918.

The text is somewhat sparse, but the photos are stunning. It seems that every page has color photos on it, making this a good buy for an "art book". As an amateur collector, I do not feel that the information in the book is adequate for me to identify a valuable antique from a reproduction.

There are interesting suggestions for restoration, so this book would be a good addition to a museum curator's reference library if your museum has old dolls to display.

This book is for adults, and its reading level is too advanced for children under 12.

Doll collectors and fans will find Caroline Goodfellow's Ultimate Doll Book to be a fine, colorful guide showcasing more than 400 dolls ranging from 18th century simple peg woodens, to 19th century French fashion dolls, down through today's Barbie & Ken. Chapters are packed with color images and even more important, provide portraits of the dolls clothed and unclothed along with identification tips based on structural details. From rag dolls to baby dolls and national dolls, this is packed with insights.

I loved this book. What a character! Not only did she travel the world, but she did it with her own money and under her own leadership. Admittedly, she hired lots of support (whole entourages in some cases) but nevertheless, the journies were hers and hers alone. I've done alot of traveling as a single woman, and even these days it takes some courage and self-reliance. I have much admiration for Isabella Bird, who went to all these far-flung places before there were all the modern conveniences and attitudes. Phenomenal woman!