Similar storyline to Twain's 'Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' - only this time, it's a Polish engineer in 13th century Poland.
It's a fun read, although I found it a bit convenient that the hero was an engineer - it would have been much more fun & challenging if the hero only had a rudimentary knowledge of how things worked.
A similar book to these that I'd also reccommend is 'Enchantment' by Orson Scott Card. That book and the Stargard series are the only time-travelling in Poland fantasy books I'm aware of.

This is the best time travel series in a realistic timeline ever written. Before these books, L. Sprague De Camp had held that title for decades with his "Lest Darkness Fall", but it was too short. Mark Twain may be the most famous with his "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court", but that is more light hearted than serious, and disappointing at the end. The Conrad series delivers on all the promise, and even after 5 books, it still leaves you wanting more. (There is a sixth book now, but Conrad is a minor character, and I've reviewed it separately.)

I say realistic timeline, because Conrad isn't really from our timeline. I was a little suspicious right from the start, but it wasn't until Conrad reminisced about the Mongols invading France that I thought "Hey, wait a minute". It turns out that it didn't happen to us (even without Conrad). But the historians I read agree that it would have, except the great Khan died and the Mongols had a war of succession which they never recovered from. This is often used as an example of the actions of one person changing history. I never even heard the story, until Conrad got me to look it up. Go figure.

This is an action story, with fighting and sex, where Conrad overcomes insurmountable obstacles, and usually has a good time along the way. The author doesn't just ignore the time travel though. He writes a science fiction sub-plot about that too. In fact, the author is obviously an engineer, not just because it takes an engineer for Conrad to build the things he does, but also from the way the books were planned out and crafted. Obviously the author planned the Mongol invasion and built the series around it, but he also foreshadows romantic sub-plots 3 books in advance.

I love these books, and share other reviewers disbelief that they haven't been reprinted since 1993. If you've already read them, and love them too, you might want to try "The Misplaced Legion (Videssos Cycle, Book 1)" by Harry Turtledove, about elements of one of Caesar's legions travelling into Rome's future of the Byzantine Empire. Only it's not the real Byzantine Empire, it's a parallel universe where magic works. Aside from that, it's Byzantium during the 1100's written by a Byzantine historian. And of course you'll want to read the "Island in the Sea of Time" series by S. M. Stirling, about modern day Nantucket going back in time to the Trojan War. These works are different, but also 5 star time travel books.

I started reading this series with the second book the High-Tech Knight and only realized that I missed the first book after reading the third. It doesn't matter though as Frankowski's writing holds up very well throughout this series right up until the last two books which accelerate quickly downhill.

This book tells the tale of Conrad Stargard's (nee Schwartz) inadvertent journey back through time to medieval Poland. He there finds himself put upon to use his preponderant knowledge of engineering (and future events) to change the course of history. While he enjoys the comforts of the time (ahem) he also works to improve the lifestyle of all the people that surround him. In the process of making friends he also makes several enemies which engenders more than a few exciting moments.

The mixing of the future and the past makes for a tantalizing tale of fantasy, history and science fiction come together. This book starts it all and is well worth the effort to obtain as the information given here is referenced in several of the following books.

I have every single one of these books and excepting the last two books (Lord Conrad's Lady, only average, and Conrads Search for Rubber, which really should be avoided at all costs) they are all exceptional works.

This book offers fascinating new insights into ancient Ireland. The authors actually visited the sites they mention in the text and this gives a great sense of place to the history. They are accompanied on their journey by the archeologists and other scholars who then talk about their current research. I found it fascinating to read that such ancient sites are still there practically untouched by time. It is a great way of telling history and makes for easy reading on some complicated topics as the issue of the Celtic presence in Ireland. We learn about what Irish scholars are currently saying about the origins of Irish race and culture. I especially found helpful how the issue of the Celtic presence in Ireland is presented and the unique Monastic family system and early Irish Christinaity. I have not read anything like this elsewhere and I found it very informative. I also liked the way the final chapter details the variety of events surrounding the English invasion of the twelfth century.
By the way the original series was made by RTE, Irish Television, and PBS, not BBC as someone said.

Collaboratively researched and written by Irish history expert Carmel McCaffrey and television writer, producer, and director Leo Eaton, In Search Of Ancient Ireland: The Origins Of The Irish From Neolithic Times To The Coming Of The English offers a truly fascinating and informative look at the origins of the Irish people and culture from the "New Stone Age" down of pre-history to the Norman invasion of 1167 AD, which brought the country under control of the English crown for the first time. Monasteries, ring forts, mountains, sacred caves, and as much as can be excavated or deduced of ancient history is superbly featured with a wealth of fine detail in this fascinating and highly readable resource. The companion book to a PBS television series of the same name, In Search Of Ancient Ireland is enthusiastically recommended for personal, academic, and community library Irish History Studies collections and reading lists.

This is not a typical scholarly examination of ancient Ireland. Ms. McCaffrey, accompanied by experts from the various periods, takes the reader on a journey through the Island visiting many of the most important historical sites. And much is to be learned as the most current research is shared. However, the most appealing aspect of the work is McCaffrey's beautifully descriptive reports from the places visited; she incorporates easy to understand discussion into vivid prose that seems to rise from the page & take hold of the reader. Highlights include Patrick's first wanderings & the beginnings of Christianity in the 5th century; life in the monasteries as monks build communities while diligently reproducing & preserving the great illuminated manuscripts--the visits to Clonmacnoise & Skelligmichael are particularly engaging; the Viking raids, which have never before been told with so much realism--the logistics of these sea & inlet manouvers left me with a new understanding of the terror inflicted on the native Irish, as well the way these raiders eventually came to shape Irish identity. Much of that period reads like a well crafted novel. If you want to become well versed in Irish history from the very beginning to 1171, this is your book. Highest rating. (When's the sequel?)

After the spiritual crisis described in Confession, Tolstoy went on to research the answers to the questions that had brought him to the brink of suicide. He continued his search over the next thirty years of his life and summarized the answers in his book "Path of Life," written the year he died (1910). He also wrote a couple pamphlets ("About Immortality" and "About Death") summarizing his views on "death and the meaning of life."

I first read, A Confession, more than 15 years ago, when as a confused teenager, I was looking for some meaning to my life. Who hasn't gone through this? Through reading a biography of Tolstoy, I found out about, A Confession. Immediately after reading this book, I felt a sense of relief that someone had put into words that which is always in the back of all our minds: The question of, What is the Meaning of Life? A Confession is a simple, straightforward account of Tolstoy's religious and spiritual crisis at the age of 50, when his family, fame, wealth, etc., lost meaning for him. The two-year period, on which A Confession is based, details in depth his struggles, and eventual salvation. This memoir gives great comfort, and peace to anyone who asks, "is this all there is." The book also shows the brilliance of the one of the world's great authors in communicating across the ages to humanity at all levels. Mike Gosling (mgosling@bna.com

When reading A Confession I felt as if I were listening to a wise, animated friend. This book spoke to me. Tolstoy convincingly details the reasons not to live only to conclude that the best thing to do is to continue living. Since it is not a particularly well-known Tolstoy work, I thought it deserved some promotion here. It really is wonderful.

I love this book! Definately my favorite! Very descriptive and sad. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

This book has a good story line and it shares the feelings of all the characters quite well. The ending leaves you saying "WOW that was a great ending!!"

This book is amazing! Mia's dream was to return to her homeland,America,but her wish wassn't granted the way she expected. When her bohemian parents got lost at sea,she and her eccentric older half-sisters were sent to their aunt in Tennessee. Orphaned and unable to fit in with other kids,Mia was as unhappy there as she had been in Beirut. She felt alienated in both countries and didn't appreciate her parents until they got taken from her. Then,she slowly reverted to compulsive behavior. I knew how she felt in her isolation,wondering if she would ever catch up to her new friends in matters such as love. I became totally immersed in the story. For anyone who's ever doubted whether they belong,I reccomend this book. Please,Mrs. Freeman,write a sequel! We want to know if Mia's parents ever come back.

In "Her Stories," African American women tell their tales of magic, supernatural and real life, while emphasizing their strength and imaginations. The Cleverness and determination of African American women is shown.

I don't care if you're African American or Caucasian, 6, 16, or 60; if you are female, you should read this book. Not only are the folktales, fairy tales, and true tales here wonderfully spun, but the illustrations are so masterfully rendered that they will take your breath away too.

Stories like these are the foundation of culture. All too often we overlook them as low brow and common when what we should be doing is revering them for the treasure that they are.

When you are finished reading "Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales" you should buy a copy for someone you know.

I had the pleasure of buying the book "Herstories" from the author herself.

It is a "Must Have" book if you've read any of her earlier books. Ms. Hamilton told me that many of the stories in this book came handed down to her.

As you may already know, Virginia Hamilton died on February 19, 2002. "Herstories" is the perfet gift for those who want to keep her memories alive.

The art work that Leo and Diane Dillon bring to the pages of "Herstories" is like nothing that you've ever seen in a childrens book - they make the stories come alive on the pages!

Readers note: Please note that spell-check was not avalible to me as I was writing this review!

Leo Gorcey Jr. seems to be a self-pitying sort with an over-inflated sense of entitlement.
Despite the fact that his father gave him advantages most people can only dream about, he spends hundreds of pages whining about how he wasn't the center of his father's universe.
There is some interesting information and some new photos in the book but the self-pity is just too much to bear.

I grew up as a Dead End Kid fan and have been waiting for a book like this! I wanted to know more about Leo Gorcey's life and this book was just the ticket. It couldn't have been an easy book for Leo Gorcey, Jr.to write; growing up in a household with an alcoholic parent is painful. Despite all the ups and downs, his love for his father shines through. I look forward to his next book!

"Me And The Dead End Kid", by Leo Gorcey Jr. tells the story of his life with his famous father, who was one of the original Dead End Kids, and later the leader of the "East Side Kids" and "Bowery Boys" as the team came to be known in it's later incarnations at other studios. Although Leo Jr. suffered abuse at the hands of his father, he still loved him, and the last chapter has a fine message about love and forgiveness that is usually missing from other books about abused children of movie star parents. Some readers could be offended by some of the language used by Leo Gorcey in passages quoted in the book, but he did talk that way in real life, if not in his movies.

What better way to explain to a child that it's OK to be different? Leo the Late Bloomer is a classic of American children's stories with brilliant illustrations that bring the tale to life. Leo the young tiger doesn't lead a "normal" child's life and his Father is constantly worried that something is wrong with his son. Leo experiences many of the childhood frustrations that we are all too familiar with such as being unathletic, unartistic or ostracized by your peers. Over time Leo absorbs what the others have been doing and eventually blossoms with a newfound love for life. This book brilliantly conveys the revelation of a child discovering his or her place in the giant world. Leo the Late Bloomer is a timeless classic with a relevant social message and is an enjoyable read for any age child

This is a great book that I like to read to my first graders on the morning of the first day of school. The illustrations are colorful and leave room for the reader to ask comprehension questions while reading. It's a terrific read-aloud, especially on the first day of school when students are nervous about starting the new year.

I value this book most of all because it allows students to understand that it's okay if they can't do everything that their classmates do. We grow in our own good time, but sometimes a five or six year old can't understand why they can't do what the girl across the room does regularly. This book can help alleviate those concerns, leading to greater self esteem on the part of the child. As a teacher, in my opinion this is the best aspect of the book. If you teach kindergarten or first grade, or if you have children of your own at that level, this is a great book to boost their self esteem.

However, I caution you that this is not a book that you should rely on if you are the parent of a special needs child. This is a wonderful read-aloud children's book, especially for special needs children, but it is not a resource guide for parents and should not be viewed as such.

This was a wonderful story and my kids loved it. No matter what his mom always knew he would bloom one day. While his father and everyone was in doubt he mom believed in him. She knew that one day everyone blooms but not everyone will at the same time. When he does he is happy and so is everyone else. I loved this book!

Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. Tolstoy argues, very persuasively, that the core teachings of Jesus have been lost to the modern Christian (as of the 1890's, and still true today). His insight into the nature of man is nothing short of brilliant. Man is too comfortable with the way things are to really adopt Jesus approach to life, one of the core underpinnings being non resistance to evil by violence.

Another reviewer said that following Tolstoy's advice, we (the US, I guess) should have never opposed Hitler. We shouldn't have -- Hitler would have been out of power in short order; he was no threat to us. Forgive this brief aside.

Most of what passes for Christianity today is nothing of the sort. A great deal of it is self-serving. Jesus said salvation is personal -- you don't need a "church" to be saved. As Tolstoy explains, church's are largely the invention of men, who crave a hierarchy and order.

This book is a revelation. Christians take note: you may feel rebuked (convicted?) by the words written here.

Reading this book can, hopefully, change how persons think about truth and non-violence. No doubt Gandhi was overwhelmed by it (and tried to practise it). They lived in the same time. If everyone practices even an iota of the observations and yearning for truth from this book, the world would be a better place to live in. Definitely recommended for all who seek the Truth and are willing to try.

First I couldn't put it down! I never expected it to catch and hold me with such power! It is a book that can change your thinking on many, many things, ie. governments, armies, organized religeon, land owners, employers etc.

Never have I read a more practical and down to earth reason for the use of nonviolent protest in correcting social ills. It works !

He loved Christ! I had to stop reading and reread Christ's "Sermon On the Mount" from the book of Matthew to fully grasp what Tolstoy was saying. The thought of never striking back no matter what someone else does to you has never been a part of my personality....up to now. It makes so much sence! Can I do it? It's worth trying and worth telling why.

Great, great book. The fact that it was written over 100 years ago doesn't lessen its freshness. The book is timeless. Anyone interested in truth will love it. You will be challenged.

Take your first step towards earlier retirement by saving your $14 and not buying this book. There are better personal finance books available, a topic which this guy spends a ton of time giving a light treatment to. He disquises a basic personal finance concept with custom vocabulary and stretches it for most of the book. The result is a simple concept obfuscated page after page.

The concept? First, do you think there's more to life than working yourself to death? If so, then don't spend money on things you don't have to. Spend it only on what you need and enjoy. Learn to live cheaply and your retirement savings will stretch farther, allowing you to retire earlier or partially retire for the rest of your life.

That's nearly the whole book in one paragraph. Publishers seem to insist on some minimum length of book which leads authors to pad good ideas to the point where it gets frustrating to read through them.

I found the author's near constant parenthetical quips completely annoying.

I did enjoy the last fourth of the book which explained how sources of manipulation (salespeople, the government, businesses) will sap your time and money.

A much better book on the same topic is Ernie Zelinski's "The Joy of Not Working" which is teeming with philosophy (lacking in "Work Less..."), better stories, and more inspiring and practical advice.

A common sense, easy to read book that does an outstanding job of getting the reader to re-evaluate what is important in life. Today's society rates success by the amount of material posessions one has acquired. For most, this process is achieved through increased time at the office, often resulting in increased stress, and a substantial reduction in time for personal activities. This might be o.k. if your vocation is your vacation, but for most, it is not. The typical 40 year, 9 to 5 job is challanged in this book, and provides far more attractive alternatives. After reading this book, I immediately made changes in my buying decisions and lifestyle, and am much happier as a result. Everyone will get something positive out of this book. I hope Steve Catlin has a follow up book sometime in the future.

Finally--a book with practical "life management" advice written in a readable, often hilarious style! Catlin offers valuable tips on how to make the most of one's time and money by suggesting strategies which easily apply regardless of income. Contains many pearls of wisdom!

Just when I thought the only Faulkner book I would ever remotely understand was his Sanctuary---along comes the serendipitous discovery of Light in August. It is a relatively straightforward journey into the lives of yet another cast of tragic Southern characters; a dark, mythic voyage into the subterannean caverns of their souls...or something like that. Faulkner truly does an impressive job of mining the psychological depths of his characters, often through the technique for which he's famous---Stream of Consciousness. If you've stumbled over Faulkner's difficult style in novels like As I Lay Dying and Intruders in the dust then this book, along with Sanctuary, is an excellent starting point. Grab a strong cup of coffee, make sure your reading light is bright, and good luck.

Nothing is ever simple in a Faulkner book. However plainly the people talk, however straightforward that the situations seem, there are layers and layers of things to dig through to find the ultimate truth, if indeed there is any. I've already read Sound and the Fury and as glorious as that book was, this novel absolutely captivated me. It's Faulkner's way with words, he's not flashy like some contemporary authors, preferring to slowly wind his way into your consciousness with his gift of writing. It's only as you read, maybe as you peruse a passage for the second time do you see the little details that you missed the first time out, the choice of a word here, the flow of a paragraph. And his characters, all beautifully drawn, with flaws and cracks and everything, but even the farthest gone of his lowlives has some pearl of wisdom to impart, his pillars all have dark secrets. In short they're just like his, if we lived in the South at the turn of the century. Faulkner captures it all, weaving his characters together with the skill of a master, no seams showing, everything seeming to happen naturally. Even when the story detours to tell someone's backstory, it seems to come at the perfect moment. If I sound a bit fawning, that's because this book deserves it, nothing puts together the picture of a time better than this, and as an aspiring writer I am in sincere awe of Faulkner's ability to reflect even the more complex of emotions with a word or a sentence. He has to be read to be believed and it definitely must be experienced. Just immerse yourself in a time and place thought long gone, that still lurks in the corners of people's thoughts and the traditions that never die.

Faulkner again proved himself a master of American literature with his tragic story of Joe Christmas, a truly unlucky and unloved fellow whose life of rejection has led him to make some truly unwise choices. Crafted in Faulkner's signature intellectual, sometimes verbose, style, this novel is an important examination of some major flaws in the typical American character. We all identify with the characters in this book.