Ternar synthesizes her own grandmother's experiences in Istanbul with the narratives of Grace Ellison and two sisters who broke the mold of obedient muslim girls to explore Europe at the beginning of the twentieth century, and arrives at a taut analysis of why the Orient and Western European culture consistently fail to understand each other, women, or themselves in constructive ways. As an anthropologist, Ternar shows a breadth of understanding of how cultures clash and what myths inform their interactions; as a novelist, she casts an imaginative gloss on the motives and passions which both cause and result from these clashes.

Probably a little difficult to follow for begining harem readers, due to it's reference to some very old works, Yeshim does a superb job of blending all the known truths about the harem as it was during the last years of the Ottoman Empire, as well as insight into the personal lives of several of the majestic women.I married my own Sultan almost ten years ago and began my search for the truth about the harem. Spent time last year in a couple of rural Turkish homes that still had some facets of this instituion. It was so different than the uninformed would believe. This book was a refreshing look at the history of one of the most interesting subjects in the world. A Special intention for the victims of the earthquake, May Allah bless you and and keep you in His loving arms during this saddest of times.May your strength carry you through as it has so many times.All my love to the people of Turkey. Dawn Curuk

This book opened my eyes to the plight of women

I'm one who has read quite a bit into the Lordship Salvation debate. This debate really is about the gospel and thus it is a very important subject!

This book edited by Horton is definitely a must-read for those who want to explore into this debate. I've been blessed by some articles in modern Reformation (the magazine that Horton edits) which has made me seen the debate in a new light. The magazine articles and this book has also made me changed my thinking from a pro-Lordship, MacArthur/Walter Chantry style, to a more balanced but yet confused (!!) person.

Two complains about this book. Firstly, I think Horton is quite unfair towards Hodges. Though Horton remains one of my favourite authors, I didn't really like the treatment of Hodges in this book.

Secondly, because of the varied nature of the book and the different views of the different authors, there was a lack in unity overall.

But the book is refreshing in that it approaches the subject from a historical view - from the Reformation.

I liked Horton's criticism of MacArthur's teachings - not because i like to see criticism, but because i thought through the criticisms the issues were made clearer. I'm not sure MacArthur has changed totally because of this book, though I know he has changed his views a bit.

Rick Ritche's chapter on "The Law According to Jesus" was enlightening and it provided a very lutheran view on the law-gospel. This view contradicted many a pro-Lordship's view on the "Rich Young Ruler" passage - a passage that many pro-Lordship advocates use to defend their view.

Horton's "Christ Crucified between Two thieves" provided a insightful look into these same issues which occured in Church history.

Riddlebarger's "What is Faith?" chapter is good in that it clarified what faith is - not repentance, but knowledge, assent and trust alone!

And Rosenbladt's chapter on "Christ died for the sins of Christians, too" gave a good Lutheran end to this issue - the importance of realising that Christ's death and His benefits are always there for the Christian.

Once again, a must reading for those into this debate.

Christ the Lord edited by Mike Horton brings sanity and sound biblical doctrine to the controversy over the so-called "free grace" and "lordship" view of salvation. Horton et all reveal the weakness in both of these views in a very fair and precise manner. They wisely bring the light of Church history into the discussion since this controversy has already been dealt with in the history of the church. The authors of this book very persuasively put forth their argument that whereas salvation is God's sovereign free gift bestowed on His Church not depending upon man, it always results in good works. The error of "free grace" is that justification is divorced from the doctrine of good works while the error of "lordship" is that justification is confused with good works. IN other words, justification is always followed by sanctification; justification and sanctification are inseparable but distinct. Horton et al have indeed answered this "controversy" so succinctly and conclusively, it should come as no surprise that MacArther has modified his "lordship" view to be in concord with this book.

In this text, Mike Horton has assembled the best in the Reformed tradition to responded to the so-called "Lord-ship" Controversy. This must reading for anyone wanting to understand the debate, it's historical precedence, and what it means to be a justified sinner. Horton has done the church a huge service. Semper Reformanda

This is probably the author's best--certainly his most original--work. His thesis is that God's common grace to the wicked increases over time, though this in no way implies His favor to them. Rather, it assures an increasingly godly society as the wicked are forced to obey God's law if they are to succeed in their earthly lives.

The great value of this book is that it is the first to suggest a theoretical mechanism for postmillennialism.

The wheat of special grace and the tares of special wrath are on opposite courses through history. Both are maturing in their respective conditions. The great irony is that the tares can only survive and flourish when they try to look like wheat and feed on the spill-over of God's common grace rain and fertilizer.

This is North's best work. He must think so too given all of the places it has shown up: several appendicies, this book, taped lectures, and essays.

One word of warning, don't buy into the grief North gives Cornelius Van Til. CVT is well worth reading - even if he is difficult.

I agree with Andrew Sandlin: the great value of this book is that it is the first to suggest a theoretical mechanism for postmillennialism. Without this sort of understanding of common grace, it is difficult to see how the Christianization of the world could progress in the way postmils believe, and North alone has produced it. Kudos to him!

While it can get a bit technical at times, overall, this book is very good at explaining why we should care about poor and hungry people in our country and around the world. It also gives people the tools they need to be citizen advocates on hunger -- going beyond helping at soup kitchens or donating money to good causes. It shows how we can use our power as citizens to affect the root causes of hunger and poverty, and not just put a Band-Aid on the problem. A great book for anyone who cares about this issue, but especially for Christians who understand the teachings of Jesus to mean that we are obligated to care for all of God's children.

If you are not put off by all the god-talk, this is a wonderful book, filled with important information and clear analysis. Ever wondered how much money it would take to feed, clothe, educate, and provide running water for all the world's people? About 40 million a year, or one-sixth of what America alone spends on National Defense annually. Ever wonder how the national budget breaks down: how much money is spent on international aid, or how the US compares to other industrial countries on these issues? It's in there. Ever wonder what practical steps you can take to alleviate national and global hunger? It's in there, along with many other important facts. My only complaint about this book: The authors of are too Christian and rather biased about the IMF and the World Bank, one of them having worked within the WB for many years. Even with its flaws, though, this book has a very important message. Check it out.

The insightful authors, both Lutheran ministers active with Bread for the World, start with a careful overview of the biblical teachings related to hunger and poverty and then examine the state of the hungry in the USA and throughout God's world. There is plenty in the book to celebrate: the percentage of those living in poverty in the USA has dropped in the last forty years, child mortality in developing countries is one half of what it was in 1960, world grain production per acre has doubled in the same time period, the global population's rate of growth is slowing, the proportion of hungry people in developing countries has fallen sharply, and the number of people who die in famines has also decreased in the last few decades. There is still far too much bad news: the percentage of U.S. children living in poverty (one in five) is triple that of other industrialized nations; thousands of children are dying daily in developing nations because of hunger (one child is dying for every breath we take); and less than one percent of our national budget goes for foreign assistance. The book's question and answer format makes for easy reading while its content can be troubling, but also inspiring for people of faith who can make a difference.

Being a bit of a romantic, I was very curious about a woman who would marry a man the night before his execution. I wanted a number of questions answered: Why did she do it? Did she ever re-marry? What was life like for her after his death?

The author does an excellent job of reporting the facts and offering opinions on how events in Grace Gifford Plunkett's life shaped who she was. After reading the book, I could answer all three questions, and the book satisfies at that level. Ms. O'Neill puts her subject in the context of the times, and she explains what is going on in Ireland at the time the events occur. In other words, the reader does not need to be intimately familiar with 20th century Irish history to enjoy this book. Grace Plunkett supported herself as an artist, and the author has the good sense to include these drawings in an attempt for the reader to understand the subject.

Again, I am a bit of a romantic. The love story of Joseph Mary Plunkett and Grace Gifford never came alive to me during the book. Their story inspired the beautiful Irish ballad, "Grace," about that fateful night of the execution. Ms. O'Neill quotes from their love letters, and one sensed she could not get some important sources about this aspect of Grace Gifford Plunkett's life. After all, his death did occur 84 years ago.

Nevertheless, the book is a good read, and it would probably make a decent, watchable movie.

By the light of two guttering candles in Kilmainham Gaol's Roman Catholic chapel, Grace Gifford married her fiance Joseph Mary Plunkett hours before his execution by firing squad. In doing so, Grace became forever linked with Ireland's struggle for independence, because her husband was one of the signatories of the Proclamation of Independence. So begins Marie O'Neill's biography of the woman who "became a powerful symbolic figure of the republican ideal for which her husband had given his life."

Twenty-eight-year old Grace, the daughter of a Dublin solicitor, was second youngest in a family of twelve children. Born into a prosperous home, Grace and her siblings were surrounded with comforts, a wide circle of friends, and educational opportunities. Grace, a gifted artist, chose to study at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, then continued her studies in London, and finally returning to Dublin to begin a career as a caricaturist. A chance meeting with an Irish journalist in London introduced grace and her sisters to a broadening circle of friends, including the poet and painter known as AE, William Butler Yeats, Constance Markievicz, and Maude Gonne. The opening of St. Enda's brought them in contact with the future leaders of 1916.

Raised a Protestant, Grace's increasing interest in her father's faith also led to a deepening friendship with Joseph Plunkett, whom she met at St. Enda's in late 1914 or early 1915. By winter 1915, the couple was secretly engaged and planned an Easter wedding following Grace's baptism into the Catholic faith. Through the War of Independence and the Civil War, Grace barely made ends meet. A lifelong Republican, Grace was never a member of Cumann na mBan, the women's auxiliary organization that worked to support the Volunteers. Still, she was arrested and served time in Kilmainham Gaol, along with other Republican women. After her release, Grace, who remained a widow for the rest of her life, struggled to make a living from her art. Many times she was reduced to poverty, and life only became easier after Eamon deValera and his party came into power and she received a civil list pension.

Grace continued to draw, and her cartoons showed an incisive wit. Quiet and moody, she remained in Dublin, working until her health began to fail. She died in 1955, presumably from heart failure. She was accorded a funeral with full military honors.

O'Neill's biography is a sensitive portrayal of a little known woman in a generation of extraordinary Irish men and women. Her history is important so the world can remember Grace Gifford Plunkett, a quiet woman whose immense talent and charm make her more than simply the "tragic bride of 1916."

It is fitting that I first became aware of the tragic story of Grace Gifford Plunkett (1888-1955) when hearing the song "Grace" sung at an Irish pub in Savannah, GA called "Kevin Barry's." The pub was named for the Irish teenager and medical student who was executed by the British in 1920 and became a national hero. In fact, On the day of his execution, scores of his fellow students at all the Irish Universities joined the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

I listened to the song "Grace" with tears in my eyes as her tragic story was revealed. As the fiancée of Joseph Mary Plunkett, a member of the IRA and one of the heroes of the 1916 Irish Rising, she married him just hours before he was executed. I couldn't get the haunting melody and lyrics out of my mind. The chorus goes, "Grace, just hold me in your arms and let this moment linger, For they take me out at dawn and I will die. With all my love, I place this wedding ring upon your finger, we won't have time to share our love for we must say goodbye." I had tears streaming down my face by the time the song was over.

When I returned to Washington state, I couldn't wait to find out more about Grace. I was so glad to find this book of Marie O'Neill's which tells Grace's story. It's a short book, but packed full of details of Grace's life. It's illustrated with Grace's own cartoons. O'Neill interviewed people who had known Grace including nieces who shared many personal stories of their aunt.

This book is recommended for anyone who would like more details of the 1916 Rising, told in a very personal way.

...with the extra added flair that this author /chef brings through his "magic hand" and colorful adventures in the U.S. and abroad. The reader is regaled with sumptuous feasts created by him and shared with family and friends (many famous in their own right). The imagery conjured up is that of pure delight - of people who not only enjoy food, but love life! Pure joy! (and the recipes work too!)

This was well written! I could almost smell the food as he described the meals, not only what they ate, but how the food was prepared, the moods of the people preparing the food.

I was reminded of the movie Soul Food and the connection between family, friends, and our love affair with good, well-prepared meals. I even tried his recipe for fried chicken and I got rave reviews from my family.

He's led an extraordinary life, one that adds to the notion that African-Americans are truly multi-facted people. The combination of Soul Food and Opera is one that doesn't come to mind immediately, but Alexander Smalls expands our thinking and shows us that anything is possible with enough drive and determination.

Well worth reading!!

This wonderful book transported me to an delicious world with incredible new sights, sounds and (literally) tastes. To be a part of Mr. Smalls adventures from a small southern town to the prominent people and stages of the world.This book allows you to get inside Mr. Small's mind and experience his journey along with him. The only problem is that I didn't want the book to stop! I've read it twice and have been an absolute hit at dinner parties with the recipes from the book. I've bought this book for friends and always get a great response as well as edible treats in reply. I recommend this book to anyonewho relishes food, adventure and family.

If you want to learn about Granuaille, this is THE only accessible source that pulls together the various threads of research. So -- forgive the writer her stylistic inadequacies. Forgive the inferences and the gaps left by the record, and learn about this incredible pirate-warrior-patriot-lover-mother-wife IRISH WOMAN.

As the author, Anne Chambers states, Granuaile (Grace O'Malley) "broke the mould" for women of Western Europe in the 16th century. For all of the achievements and acclaim accorded to Elizabeth Tudor (Queen Elizabeth I), Granuaile's story is even more remarkable. Elizabeth might be famous for unleashing her infamous "sea dogs" (e.g., Drake and Hawkins), but Granuaile was a "sea dog" in a man's world, plying her craft on the western shores of Ireland (Galway, Connemara). Granuaile did not just order men into battle from the safety of a castle, she actually led men into battle herself. And, she did not, like Elizabeth, forgo marriage and children. She became a notable Gaelic chieftan in a time when the old Gaelic order was under assault and in decline.

This biography is scrupulously researched and well written. I found it to be most compelling because the author does not romanticize Granuaile and the troubled era she lived in. Chambers avoids the presentist trap into which many authors fall, when they search through history to find antecedents of Irish/Celtic/Gaelic nationalism. Life was more complex than the simple duality of Gaelic twilight versus English colonization. Granuaile played both sides against the middle in a deadly battle for survival which she won for her self and her descendents. The book's climatic meeting between Grauaile and Elizabeth shows that the Irish chieftaness was able to out maneuver the brutal English overlord Bingham, Gloriana, and her master of wily statecraft, Lord Burghley.

Granuaile's true story is more compelling than any fictional account of pirate queens. She was a great woman whose foresight, strength, daring, seafaring ability, and political acumen provide us all, men and women, Irish and non-Irish, with a fascinating glimpse into one woman's struggle to prevail between the English monarchy and the lords of Ireland in the 16th century.

If you're interested in the women who lived in the 1500s in Ireland, you'll enjoy this book. Grace O'Malley was known in her times as the "Queen of the Sea", the queen of pirates. This was the first of Anne's books which I read while in Ireland, last summer. After finishing Grace O'Malley, I was hooked on her books. Her writing style of the history of Ireland is easy for any reader, at any level, to understand. The story comes to life and you soon find yourself, there, back in time" with the characters in this book.

In this offering of the highly popular American Girls Series, Samantha Parkington learns more about her Uncle Gard's new wife after a new birthday present named Jip gets loose and leads the girls to City Park.

Remembering her strict Grandmother's earlier admonitions to stay away from radical suffragist activities, being caught in the park is a major concern, but Samantha and her cousins are in for a suprise feminist organizing crash course when they learn Grandmary has decided to listen to the lecture herself.

The prospect of American Women voting is no longer exotic or automatically radical, but the book implies connection between the 19th century "first wave" of feminism (suffragettes and reformers) with today's "second" and "third wave" counterparts who are able to enjoy political rights, the real life counterparts to Aunt Cornelia could only dream of using. Instead of being demonized or trivalized, women's political activity organizing on behalf of their own rights is something all women (regardless of age) should become involved in.

Even until the late 1990's, the numbers of American women participating in politics as office holders themselves remained pittably small compared to the percentage of potential elgible officeholders. Reccenty however, the question has shifted from if the United States will have a woman president to when and who that canidate will be.

The book is also notable because it suggests the inevitability of one time opponents eventually embracing feminism themselves as a result of respectful dialouge between both sides. This title technically is a children's book, but the lesson from the encounter between Samantha's beloved Grandmary (who has long expressed sentiments hostile to many progressive reforms) and Cornelia (herself ironically responsible for those same reforms) indicates women of initially different politics can work together and find common ground, if only they listen to eachother's concern's and needs.

I was however bothered the book did not mention women of color this increased climate of mutuality and respect. Although part of this was due to the very real biases of suffragists themselves (glossed over in the book)it also gives the impression of first wave feminists being more guilt-free of bias than they actually were. Having been raised by the same dominant society that freely proclaimed segregation and African American inferiority, these first wave feminists were unware of how it affected their work, or understood and placed potential southern support (whose elected officials were determined to avoid enfranchising black women) above earlier anti-racist committments.

I LIKE BOOK. IT GIVE MORE SUPRISED WHEN I START TO READ IT. ITS A
GREAT BOOK. I TITED YOU THIS BOOK.

That brat Eddie Ryland ruined Samantha's perfect birthday party! Sam is so disappointed, until Agatha and Abigail get an idea! Read about Sam's trip to New York, where she chases a dog, sees a new side of Aunt Cornelia, and learns about women's rights.

I picked this book up at a library sale, and have been browsing through the stories one at a time. The origins of the historical mystery in Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series is explained, and Cadfael is what turned me onto this genre in the first place. Some of the stronger stories are the story by Steven Saylor(featuring Cicero and an elegant explanation of the Archimedes Principle) and a story featuring Sir Francis Drake and several sailors on the High Seas. A story about a Regency dandy turned detective reminded me of other Regency-based mysteries authored by Rosemary Stevens and Alice Chetwynd Ley (however, I found the "fancy" names given to servants slightly unconvincing); the motive was compelling and the plot well-researched. "Death of a Place-Seeker" which I read three times, seeking to spot all the clues I had missed the first time. [That, in my view, is the true test of a strong story]. I made a mental note of certain authors I intend to try later, having already discovered Steven Saylor and Peter Tremayne from other anthologies.

While this anthology has been interesting and entertaining, there were some weaker stories, notably the contribution by Anne Perry, where the story seemed oddly incomplete (what happened to the villain? What did the hint about the villain profiting from the letters mean exactly?). On the other hand, the story about Mrs Hudson as a sleuth-cum-social worker was delightful - and it was rather fun to see Sherlock Holmes get his comeuppance. The story about the Salem witchcraft trials was interesting to me, given my study of the patterns of accusation at some point in my college career.

The reason I assign this collection only four stars (about 4.4) is because some of the stories seem incomplete or hastily written. Some of the historical settings seemed unconvincing, while others were simply brilliant. Compared to the second volume CRIME THROUGH TIME II (which I read first), this collection comes off badly. If possible, I would recommend reading the volumes in order. On the whole, this is a good introduction to many interesting authors.

Luckily, you don't have to have a history degree to enjoy this book. The joy of an anthology is finding new authors. In this book, there is a broad span of well-known writers, and some that are not so well-known. It will be fun to find other works by some of these writers. It's worth the money

Worth it for the Steven Saylor Roma Sub Rosa story alone..

I really enjoyed this book. I had read the first Crime Through Time book and I think this one is better because the settings and situations were more intriguing. One of my favorites is the delightful "Murder One" about the worlds first caveman murder. I also liked how there were segments of history not always focused on; such as the contribution of the chinese to the advancement of the railroad and the feelings of an Irish frontier woman. There is also a nice mix of main characters who are doing sleuthing for the first time. There was only one story that was obviously part of a series and not able to stand alone. I found it to be the exception however and not the rule.

I really enjoyed this sequel to "Crime through Time" more than the original. I thought the stories were much more insightful and interesting. My favorites were the first two stories;( especially "Murder One") for their wit and pacing. The collection of writers and story locations were mostly far removed from the first book as well. A delightful read!

If you want to pick up one anthology to represent some of the best writing in the historical mysteries genre, this is it. Better by far than the Mammoth books (although they are good bargains), and better than the first and third CRIME THROUGH TIME. Some of the stories that stuck in my mind were the first murder (in the Stone Age), and the chilling story of a young Venetian woman. Most of the stories stand very well on their own, and some might tempt you to read further works by their authors. Some of the authors I was already acquainted with, while others were completely new (and delightful surprises) to me.