The book weaves in alot. The culture of India is vast and so the author has tried to include this. There is alot of religion and philosophy making the book confusing at times. If you running out of things to read...get this...if not find something better.

This is an anthology written predominantly by Asian-American psychotherapists for their peers of all races. In this book, they attempt to elucidate how Asian and Asian-American clients may be different from others and how to serve them most effectively. The topics are divided into descriptions of specific ethnicities, Asians in different phases of the life cycle, and special Asian populations (refugees, the monolingual, gay Asians, etc.). This book is neither too academic for lay readers or too plain for academic readers. This book varies on its authors' views about whether Asian clients should be given same-ethnicity therapists. The chapters are quite short. My big problem is that the chapters in total repeat themselves often and verge into the stereotypical. After reading a chunk of the book, you'd think all Asians were shy, academic, family- and community-cloistered, etc. I would recommend that all therapists in Boston, Hawaii, and the West Coast get this text. Still, it left me unfulfilled in some areas.

With so very few books written about beaded purse collecting, it is not difficult to encounter this book if you are looking to learn more about the history and construction of these works of art. Unfortunately, the text is written in an ostentatious style and really gives little serious historical information. The section on restoration actually shows very little real restoration for a book titled "Restoring and Collecting...". The price on this book is a bit steep too. There's a picture of a tile stove in the middle of the book -- with no explanation or continuity in the text. A tile stove? In a book about purses? The purses that appear in the book seem to be mostly from the author's collection, who apparently has found a great way to write off her collection and trips overseas with a book on collecting.

This book does contain some valuable tidbits of information, but it is more than a little disappointing. Having created and restored purses of my own, I was expecting this book to provide definitive information about the restoration process. But alas, the author's instructions are vague in most cases - she offers "tips" rather than true instruction. In her historic overview, one also questions whether or not she has ever made a purse herself - she doesn't seem to understand the process of knitting in the round.

This volume does contain some beautiful pictures and is very nicely put together. Slightly overpriced, it is still an interesting book for purse collectors and those interested in restoration, but don't look to it for the answers to all of your beading questions.

I was a little disappointed with some of the content, the information to repair should be a little bit more detailed but thats just my opinion.

The best thing this book has going for it is the Bibliography - because if you read that you will be enlightened as to some other books which you would be far better off investing in. Apart from that the book has a 'pretty' cover - so if you want to waste your money on a 'pretty' picture & a good Bibliography then go ahead & buy this book. Do yourself a favour - skip this one & invest in something like Joan Haslip's 'Marie Antoinette' or 'The Fatal Friendship' by Stanley Loomis, or even 'Louis and Antoinette' by Vincent Cronin.

I agree with the sentiments of reviewer who wishes that publishers would take a vacation from publishing M.A. books for awhile...sadly I am sure we will see more...

They will push authors in their stable to crank out yet another rehash...

This book is also indicative of another lamentable trend...editors are spell checkers not fact checkers...while this is not as bad as Schom's book on Napoleon which lists both dates Josepine died in the index (both are wrong) it would be nice if they could have people who know the subject give it a fact read.

I agree with the sentiment that the Fatal Friendship by Stanley Loomis is a good book, however I suggest Le Notre's biography of M.A. as a more balanced and better researched book than some of those mention...what gives Loomis balance is that he has written some "essays" (I can't say he is a biographer)in his book Paris in the Terror. It is also what gives Le Notre balance. He has done excellent biographies of Robespierre and a misnamed biography of M. F-Tinville which goes into great detail on the trial of M.A.

Castelot and Cronin are journeymen who certainly do an adequete retelling...but they were written for the popular market...as were their other biographies of Napoleon, Louis XVI, etc.

Le Notre is definately the person you want to discover...no really good library is complete unless you have a complete collection of the Le Notre books of time period...I also suggest his books on the September Massacres and the Noyades of Nantes.

Michael La Vean
Fellow, International Napoleonic Society

As the author of two novels and the creator of the award-winning website, Marie Antoinette: LET THEM EAT CAKE, I am a die-hard fan of the fallen Queen. I am also a stickler for facts and for dispelling myths. I enjoyed this book, for the colorful cover and the engaging "story", but I was bothered by the copious use of conjecture and supposition. The author makes a lot of unsupportable statements. This concerns me. The myths that surround Antoinette are fierce and hard to shake. Many still believe she said, "Let them eat cake." It concerns me that an author writes an historical book about Antoinette but adds a spin that, while romantic, can not be backed up with proof.

That being said, Evelyn Farr is a superb writer. I enjoy her descriptive style and her clear voice.

Leah Marie Brown

This book's first chapter was good. It explained the complete history of Airedales. However, past page 32, they did not even mention "Airedale" (it was only written in the captions). There were Airedale pictures throughout, but they ended in the middle of the book. The rest seemed like an advertisement for Nylabone. In conclusion, if you are looking for a breed specific book about Airedales, I would not suggest buying this book.

I have two Airedale Terriers,male and female. This book does give you the background of the Breed.I never knew the Airedale was a modern dog,being only a century or so old,and that the Otterhound was mated to either the now-extinct Tangrizzle Terrier,or the old Brokenhaired English Terrier to make the Airedale Terrier. I have bought other books on the dog that gives extra information,but this one is a must buy for anyone who owns a Airdale,or any dog.It gives all dog owners helpfull information about caring for your pet,and problems we all experience.

It was a time of unrest. Sovereigns, diplomats, and ministers from all over Europe gathered in Vienna to reestablish order after years of war and upheaval. (In simple terms, everyone gathered to redraw the map after the depredations of Napoleon.)

Miss Helena Devereux was the stepdaughter of the Prince von Hohenbachern. She was in Vienna with her mother, the lovely Princess von Hohenbachern. The two women were different in their looks, as well as, their interests. While Helena was intelligent and kept very close tabs on politics, her mother was downright beautiful and wanted only to have fun again now that travel was no longer dangerous. The prince was not in Vienna. Instead, he remained with his armies on the Saxon border.

Major Lord Brett Stanford was in Vienna as Wellington's aide. He was a war hero many times over and was constantly on the look out for possible spies. Brett and Helena meet, learn they share views on politics, and become partners, of a sort.

** No real danger or intrigue begins until shortly after the first 110 pages. Until then everything is setting up all the players, making sure the reader understands the political happenings, having Brett and Helena meet, and then begin to trust each other. Since so much is required to set up the plot of the book and the players, I found the first half of the novel very complex and often tedious to read through. I had to make sure I understood everything and everyone, which required much back tracking to re-read several sections to be positive I did not misunderstand something. The author did a wonderful job of explaining it all so that people, such as myself, who know little or nothing about the setting's era can understand it all. Yet I could not relax and just enjoy the story until the last half. I had to study history until then.

If you are looking for romance, light reading, or a bit of humor, pass on this one. However, if you are a European history buff you will adore this novel. **

The Congress of Vienna is in full swing as diplomats, politicians and heads of state flock to the city in order to reestablish order after years of upheaval and war. Of course social butterflies have also swooped down to enjoy the dizzy round of balls and entertainments that are bound to ensue once dusk has fallen. But the city is also humming with a different sort of energy, that of political intrigues and secret machinations...

Tired of the dreary isolation that the war had forced upon her, the beautiful Princess von Hohenbachen has decided to sample the giddy pleasures that Vienna has, currently, to offer. And she has insisted that her elder daughter by her first marriage, the quiet and serious Miss Helena Deveraux, accompany her. No mother and daughter pair could be more unlike -- for while the princess enjoys flirting and flitting from one social function to the other, her daughter, Helena, prefers political discussions, reading and riding. But all that changes when Major Brett Stanford catches both the eyes of both the princess and her daughter...

While Major Brett Stanford has been given a diplomatic assignment to assist Lord Castlereagh, his main brief (given to him by Wellington) is to keep an eye on the ladies -- like the Princess Bagration, the Duchess of Sagan and the Countess Edmond de Talleyrand-Perigord -- social hostesses of power and with an eye for political intrigue. A handsome and dashing lady's man like Brett Stanford would be the ideal candidate for what Wellington has in mind. And when Brett first meets the beautiful Princess von Hohenbachen and realises that the lady has a delicious flirtation in mind, he decides that he has been given the ideal opportunity to mix some pleasure with business. That is until he meets the princess's enigmatic daughter, who bewilders and intrigues the young soldier. Suddenly the urbane and sophisticated lady's man finds himself involved with two ladies from the same family! How to extricate himself from such an embarrassing situation? And how to indicate to one lady that he wishes to pursue a relationship with her without angering and alienating the feelings of the other?

For me, "A Foreign Affair" suffered from poor pacing. Evelyn Richardson did a fantastic job of developing the relationship and attraction that was growing between Brett and Helena, and she does a rather good job of showing why these two are a perfect match as well. Where things feel apart for me was when the authour suddenly remembered that there was supposed to be a spy-intrigue plot too, and when Brett began to wonder if Helena and her mother were actually very clever and devious spies. Up until that point, even though the plot was a very basic one that was moving at a somewhat sedate pace, the authour's natural storytelling skills and her brilliantly sketched in historical and descriptive tidbits, made this book rather good reading. I really didn't think that the story needed a boost from the spy/intirgue subplot and felt that it was a mild distraction for no good reason. Fortunately, it only went on for about a chapter or two, but it did spoil the smooth flow of the story for me.

On the whole, however, "A Foreign Affair" was a rather nice story about a serious minded wallflower and the dashing major who captures her heart.

A warmed-over "channeled spirits" tale. What better way to get one more squeeze out of the old channeling teat then to add space aliens?? The human capacity for self-delusion is matched only by that for exploiting the deluded. Dave rates it one and a half Prozacs(tm).

Most decidedly not your usual book. Nor is it fictional. Dr. Fuqua undertook a new type of journey and exercised great care to present her findings in an accurate manner. For those of you studying the essence of what constitutes consciousness, and the essence of "Being" itself, this book is well worth the read. And for those of you sensitive to the actual subtleties of essence within one's "Being", you may find that your awareness of self expands and deepens. I am privileged to know the one called ATHOR, and invite you to read the book opening your heart and mind to its implications.

The plot is straight out of Georgette Heyer's 'Regency Buck.' And since Heyer is by far the best Regency author of them all, this book is a pale imitation. I'm sure that if she come up with an original plot Richardson could cope, but there is no way I could read this book without remembering how Heyer did it.

The other reviewer was somewhat scornful of this book as "derivative" of Heyer's "Regency Buck." Perhaps there are plot points similar in both cases (and I note that they are plot points shared by quite a few other Regencies, including other Heyer books). But that shouldn't diminish the depth of characterization that is common in Richardson's books. While there is definitely an interesting plot in "GG," the book concentrates on the development of the relationship between the two characters. The growth of friendship and love in the relationship is well-paced and believable, and the secondary characters are delightful.

C'mon, let's face it -- Heyer is the best of the best. But that doesn't mean that other authors out there aren't contributing lively, interesting stories with well-developed characters. Richardson is definitely one of those authors.

While I must admire the author for trying to write a book about Bjork, I began to wonder if she really was, or was just trying to write about her social view towards God knows what. I mean I know it's trendy and all but Labeling this and that conservative and calling former mayor Rudy Guliani an ---hole was not only in bad taste but has nothing to do with the book. If she wants express her liberal ideology kaka she needs not look far, just don't put it in a biography about Bjork, who is quite the fox I might add.

Wow, who would of thought a book about the awesome BJORK would be dull. Instead of getting some interesting facts about Bjork, all we hear are the author's opinions over and over and over and over. It's like this, "Yadda yadda yadda yadda yabba dabbo do!" Boring!! Like fans don't already know how great she is. I put this book down after the first two chapters. All the information that IS in the book you can get from the Bjork webring. Don't waste your money, instead just buy the OFFICIAL BJORK book. Great stuff! heheheheh.

I couldn't help but smile while reading this book. I found it to be a fresh outlook on Bjork. Instead of hearing someone who knew everything, we see Bjork through the eyes of someone who started out knowing nothing about her. It's a first hand evolution of the bjork fan. I find it to be almost a representation of the crossing over into that place where it is hard to return. Once I became a fan, I was a fan for life, and I admire this author for sharing this raw, intimate experience she had. I enjoyed the book, and I feel it only brought me closer to Bjork's music. I think every Bjork fan could relate to this book.

I disliked this book mainly because the hero was a womanizer, and only a few pages from the end of the book, he is getting ready to make love to his "fancy piece." He changes his mind, of course, when he realizes that it is really the heroine that he loves! Where is the romance in this, I ask? There was little explanation for what the hero and heroine saw in each other. The story started out so slowly I got bored. I tend to like Evelyn Richardson because some of her books have good plots, and well-developed characters. This isn't one of them. I would recommend that you read her "The Bluestocking's Dilemma," rather than wasting your time on this one.

When I bought this book I expected the lead character to be chased by a mob of fortune hunters. Instead she receives only 2 offers of marriage- both from old friends who had to be almost bullied into asking her. The story is mainly about the actions of a French spy and a British lord's attempts to have the English military take him seriously. I was really dissapointed. The title of the book should be "The Eager Spy".

While I agree with the other reviewer that perhaps the title is a little misleading, that didn't detract at all from my enjoyment of the book. I thought all the characters and relationships were very well-developed. Unlike many romances, where the "romantic relationship" seems to suddenly burst into bewildering flame, the romance in this case seemed well-founded on conversation and friendship. I very much liked this book, and will be looking for others from this author.