Kathrin is sent to America from Germany after the death of her mother. She eventually comes to work for a woman named Violet on Summit Avenue translating fairy tales from German. Violet has secrets, and over a space of time, she begins to tell the young woman her secrets and the two have one night of passion. The confused Kathrin flings herself into marriage with an ambitious young man who fathers her child. She eventually leaves her husband and searches for Violet. Like a modern adaption of a fairy tale, Sharratt's novel is lush and metaphoric in places, and is evocative of the early part of the 1900s, right before and during World War I. It reminded me of Emma Donoghue's "Kissing the Witch", which also used fairy tales in a sort of modern retelling. I was especially impressed with Sharratt's use of the maiden/mother/crone dynamic. If you enjoyed "Tipping the Velvet" by Sarah Waters, then you certainly love this book.

From the first striking page ("How can you weave a life from fairy tales?") to the very last ("And you, like Persephone, will return") Mary Sharratt has created a book that is at once a work of art and an unexpected story of love and loss. You can read this book for the beauty of the words alone, but it offers much more -- real characters who reached out to grab me and a plot that pulled me forward almost against my will. I had no time to read the day I picked up Mary Sharratt's book. I planned to just read the first chapter. But once started, I found I couldn't put it down until I came to the end. Here's a piece of it: "Some people say your soul can leave your body, and not just when you die, but during life. Some people have special powers. They lie in bed perfectly still, their eyes closed, and you think they are sleeping. But they are flying. They can fly like witches in fairy tales. They can fly like wild geese. It's their souls that are flying. At that moment, part of me flew away, leaving that miserable girl behind, that creature bent double over the porch rail, weeping as if she had just lost her mother, that girl throwing up, polluting the fresh snow. I cut myself off from her. I was flying free. A dove bursting through a glass pane. Bursting through pain. The shattering, the shards and splinters. I flew through it all. Flew up through the dark snowy air to a warmer place. Full of light."

This strongly sensuous tale is full of striking images, and I look forward to Sharratt's next one.

This is a poetic novel of longing, the timeless story of a young woman yearning to find herself and her place in an unfamiliar world. As an immigrant steeped in the fairy tales of her native Germany, Kathrin struggles to build a new life in the flour mills of Minneapolis during the World War I era. She perseveres in learning English, dreams of books and college and being loved. Unexpectedly swept into a different world by an elegant and cultured woman who hires her to translate German folk tales, Kathrin soon arrives at an emotional crossroads. The author does a lovely job of blending rich historical detail with the psychological and emotional resonances of ancient folk tales. Readers will be swept away by the story and yet think long afterward about its many layers. This is one of my favorite books of the year.

Well unless you've been living in a cave in Borneo, you know the importance of stretching,not only golf but for better everyday living. The author writes an easy to follow precription on how to best prepare for pre-game warm-up. As a former athlete I had no problem following the Golf Flex routine. But my wife(a new golfer and not an athlete)had difficulty understanding the difference between static and dynamic stretching, how and why they apply to sports performance. Teaching your wife golf is a little like teaching someone you love to drive- its best left to professionals. So I bought the Golf Flex video to give her. It was much more through, and seeing someone do the stretches, showed her exactly what she needed to do. So if your new to stretching, I highly recomend the Golf Flex video. If you have a basic understanding of flexibility, then the book is all you'll need. Well done!

At 49 years old and lately suffering more of the pains of my college sports injuries, by following the stretching exercises in this book not only is my golf game better (handicap is dropping from 14 fast); but I feel much better in general. I had a rotator cuff injury from baseball that would not go away despite visiting the orthopedic surgeon and doing all the prescribed exercizes. If you follow the stretches in this book it will fix you up. Virtually all the soreness in my sholder has disappeared and I'm hitting the ball much better. Smoother swing too! Not only for golf, you'll feel better in general. The exercizes are easy, not time consuming and make an immediate positive difference. I highly recommend it. This book belongs next to Ben Hogan's "Five Lessons".

Here is an interesting route to finding the benefits of Golf Flex. I bought this book several years ago because of my back and shoulder pain kept me from playing golf. I thought it to be overly simple, quite honestly didn't think much of it. Played around with it for a few days then let it collect dust. Recently I spent 2 weeks in a health resort. Every morning we performed either tai chi or something know as the Five Tibetans. Very soothing movement with stretching. After two weeks my back pain was gone and my shoulder felt much better. After coming back home I decided that I would try golf again. I picked up Golf Flex again and it was then it dawned on me that the stretches and the movement were quite similar to what I was doing at the health resort. I've continued with the Golf Flex stretch everyday, not only for pre game stretching, but its the first thing I do in the morning. I've added some other movements that I learned in tai chi and the Five Tibetians. This takes me 10 to 15 minutes per day. My back feels great and I'm back on the course. I don't know if the author was familar with these eastern methods or if this is where east meets west. I highly recommend this book. Do not underestimate it because of it simple layout. There is a big reward for those follow this routine.

Thank heaven for Beatle scholarship that this book was written. Competent journalist Hunter Davies spent a year observing the Beatles and interviewing them in their own homes during the heady, fascinating year of 1967. He emerged with a time piece: the Beatles as they were at that time, reflecting on what came before and unaware of what was yet to come. A chapter describing the writing and recording of "With a Little Help From My Friends," "Getting Better," and "Magical Mystery Tour" offers unique and especially valuable glimpses of the Beatles at work. Chapters depicting the home life and personal outlook of each Beatle are also very interesting. I must also say that for an authorised biography, this is remarkably honest. Perceptive readers will be able to detect the whole truth here, and a fine introduction written by the author years later helps fill in any gaps. Apart from being hugely entertaining, this book is a tremendous boon to historians interested in the Beatles.

I'm sure there were books about the Beatles written before this, but this book was written with the Beatles (complete with interviews). Hunter Davies includes some of his own opinions in later editions but this is about the Fab 4, their rise, and where they were in 1968 when this book originally came out (John admits to be bored with life as Yoko Ono had not yet been a household name to us and George was already sick of being a Beatle at the time). The later editions have a section about the breakup, what they did individually in the 1970's, the tragedy of John Lennon in 1980 and more recent interviews with Paul, George, and Ringo. You can trust Davies since he got the Beatles' authorization and respected their privacy (he mentions that George Harrison asked that certain things not be printed). As Davies points out, this story is about the rise and not the fall.

Because this book was the only authorized biography ever written of The Beatles and also because it was written at the time, rather than researched & compiled years later, I felt that I could believe what I was reading. It was facsinating reading comments from John before the breakup when he still enjoyed being a Beatle, rather than the cynical type of quotes from after all the animosity came into their relationships.

When you are as skeptical and cynical as I am, it is rare that you recommend anything to anyone. However, in this instance I felt compelled to pass along some thoughts on this book.

The book is about an African-American man, named Lawrence Mungin, who rose from his inner-city beginnings to earn double degrees from Harvard University, and practice law at some of America's most esteemed corporate law firms. Ultimately, he ends up suing a large Chicago firm for race discrimination, notwithstanding having spent his life resolutely subscribing to the belief that he was a "human being first, an American second, and a black third." The book is not only a great court room drama, but, more importantly, a poignant insight into both the obtuse management of large law firms and the opposing views of racism in middle-class America.

Among the many interesting twists in the book is that Paul Barrett was Larry Mungin's roommate at Harvard Law School. That Mr. Barrett is able to tell as objective a story as he did is as unlikely as it is instructive.

This book, I think, will come to be regarded as an important piece of work in American race-relation scholarship, for it serves as a warning that the most insidious kind of racism can sometimes be that which is the least perceptible.

Paul Barrett has done a superb job of describing one man's struggle to work within a system which later betrays him. Barrett knows his subject well, as they were roommates in law school but he reports Larry Mungin's professional experiences so impartially that the reader is forced to draw his own conclusions. Was Larry Mungin the victim of racism in the law firm for which he worked? We see the evidence and while our hearts bleed for him and the way he is treated, we are invited into the workings of a modern day law firm where the number of hours billed is what counts. We suffer with our accomplished black lawyer as he is humiliated and we watch his career and his hopes for a partnership crumble. Barrett tells the story so skillfully that the reader becomes involved in the intrigue and the book is difficult to put down. Modern law firms are not very pretty places and we begin to wonder if Mungin's treatment differs from that of his white colleagues. Are they all treated badly? This is what the firm claims in the discrimination lawsuit which follows. Racism is sometimes as insidious as cancer and while the judges may not be certain that Mungin was its victim, we know that it exists and that it contributed to the despair of this "good black." This book is a must for lawyers and lay people - for everyone. Barrett has written a masterful work and has left his readers anxious for his friend and even more anxious for the good blacks and good minorities everywhere.

After graduating from Harvard College, Mungin was determined to gain admission to Harvard Law School and to achieve status and wealth by gaining partnership in a big city law firm. Unfortunately, he never made it. Barrett, his Harvard Law School roommate, tells Mungin's story with remarkable insight and sympathy. In truth, Mungin was a less than distinguished law student, a less than enthusiastic lawyer, and a less than happily adjusted person. Yet given his abilities and credentials, it is hard to believe that Mungin would not have made partner at one of the four firms he tried, had he not been black. That is what an entirely black jury in the District of Columbia concluded in awarding him 2.5 million dollars. And yet the racism at Mungin's last firm was subtle and unintended. Mungin should have further persisted if money and status were all that counted. Can we as a society compensate everyone who fails to reach their highest ambition when--as JFK found it so easy to say--"life is not fair?" The court of appeals decided otherwise and, to my mind, Barrett unintentionally has very powerfully illustrated why.

Hey Bat-Squad Blue Boys and Girls! Greetings from the soon-to-be-no-more No Man's Land! Oh yeah Happy New Year 2000...anyways, down to business. BATMAN: WAR ON CRIME is a phenomenal work by Alex Ross and Paul Dini because it captures the Dark Knight's raison d'etre...to fight crime in all its elements. Whether it be the grim and gritty streets or the jaded halls of high society, Batman/Bruce Wayne is there to go about the business of justice, and it is this principle that is so eloquently captured by this book: justice. It was refreshing to see Batman not just combat the symptoms of crime but also its causes in his guise as Bruce Wayne, and this is something that you rarely see in comics or superhero-related literature. Alex Ross' artwork is breathtaking, and I wholeheartedly agree with the previous reviewer about making a comparison to Norman Rockwell's art...Ross has certainly done 'im proud. Paul Dini once again offers us a concise, heartfelt story that is touching on many levels. All in all, BATMAN: WAR ON CRIME is a worthy successor to the legacy created by the team who did SUPERMAN: PEACE ON EARTH...in fact, I must say that B:WOC is a timeless story that encapsulates the fight for justice in fiction as well as in real life. Until next time, swingin' around the city on a nearly broken line...

- Gary da M3 Jetstorm

This book is a must have for anyone who enjoys comic books, anything about Batman, and a good, thoughtful adventure. Like Superman: Peace on Earth, this story is narated by Batman and tells of an introspective adventure that defines the character. The premise is that Batman stops a theif, only to learn that the guy murdered the parents of a small boy before his eye. Sound familiar? This hits a little close to home for Batman, and so he sets out on a quest to redeam this section of Gotham, and hopefully the boy too, as he has no one else to look out for him. The art, by the famed Alex Ross of Marvels and Kingdom Come, is actually full page paintings, (no, not drawings, real paintings!) with living models used for the characters. His portrayals of Batman in action are excellent, perfectly capturing the grace and power of Batman's moves. So if you haven't gotten the picture yet, BUY THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW AND KEEP IT ON YOUR COFFEE TABLE WHERE EVERYONE WILL PICK IT AND SAY "WOW!"!

First of all, the art is basically the reason to buy this book. Yeah, there's a story, and yeah, it ain't bad, and yeah, Dini can write this stuff really well, but come on, people: ALEX ROSS! That said, the art, in case you hadn't yet gotten the impression, is incredible, as it is in the book's predecessor, Superman: Peace on Earth. One thing you should know: this isn't really a comic book in the sense that you normally think of comic books, as pictures with speech and thought bubbles on them. It's narrated by Batman, and nobody else gets to say anything that we don't hear from Batman's perspective. It's kind of a cross between a comic book and a picture book. If you're a fan of Batman, this is definitely worth owning. Just don't expect it to be in comic book format. Not that you'll be disappointed anyway.

Move over, Evelyn Wood. Instead of speed reading text, Paul T. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger tell you how to speed read the personalities of those with whom you work and play. This book ably explains the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. With a little practice, you can quickly identify your own personality type and that of anyone you meet. If you are already familiar with the Myers-Briggs model, much of this book will be old news. If you aren't familiar with it, and if you want to learn how to "SpeedRead" people according to this theory, this book will benefit you. The authors go into great detail about the four temperaments and the sixteen personality types within them. We [...] recommend this as a book for purposeful study. However, even if you only read it once, you will learn something about yourself or the people around you.

This book not only describes the different types, it gives the reader tips on how to recognize these different types, and then helps you learn the best way of dealing with people based on their type.

This book does not suggest that we should manipulate others. It simply makes the point that all people are different, and it is important to try to communicate with others in a way that makes sense to them. If a listener can't understand the message you are trying to send, they argue, then you have conflict and miscommunication. Such a scenario does not benefit anyone.

The first part of the book helps the reader identify their own type. This is done through a very thorough discussion of the differences in each pair of letters (E/I, S/N, T/F, and J/P), including excellent examples. This is the first Myers Briggs book I have read that allowed me to unequivocably determine my own type. The book then has descriptions of the sixteen types, as well as a discussion of temperment. I found the descriptions of the sixteen types a bit sparse, but the discussion of temperment was the best I have read. I normally find the discussion of temperment and lead functions to be the best, most easy to understand description I have ever read.

The sections on how to identify other people's type and keys to effectively communicating with each type were the high points of the. The authors give readers a number of exercises to practice and develop the skills they are teaching. These exercises really add to the book. The tips on communication all make sense and are easy to implement.

This book is almost guaranteed to help you improve your communication skills. I highly reccommend it.

I'm a nineteen year old student who's been interested in Myers-Briggs personality type for several years, and this is one of the most interesting and readable books there is. It's got the best, most accurate profiles of the 16 personality types that I've ever found. To respond to the previous review: I agree that the title of the book, and even the introduction make the book sound like it teaches manipulation. But it does not. Flip past the first few pages, and it will teach you to understand where other people are coming from. I've found personality typing really does help me to have more compassion and patience with people who are different from me. This book teaches some personality theory, but focuses more on putting it into practice. It's very understandable and I highly recommend it, especially for people who are looking for an introduction to personality types.

"The Secret of Sarah Revere" by Ann Rinaldi about the Revolutionary War was suprisingly a very good book. I am a seventh grade student, and this book was a summer reading assignment that i did not look forward to. But after reading the first few chapters, it was hard to put it down!First of all, i really liked the main character Sarah, a 13-year-old girl, because she's a lot like me, and i could relate to her. The book was also packed full of historical content which i found fascinating. My only complaints are that it ended too soon (the book, not the war) and the ending "secret" was a little weak. But overall, its a good story and really I enjoyed reading it. I definitely recommend this book to anyone, especially those who love American history. I look forward to reading more of Ann Rinaldis books.

This was not the first Ann Rinaldi book I read, but it was the one that got me hooked. I saw it on the self of new arrivals at the school library, and I said "Eh, what the heck" I started reading it in Study Hall and I finished one chapter, and I read it whenever I had free time. It is a great story. The charecter of Sarah is highly complex and can relate to almost any girl. Her father, Paul Revere, is protrayed as a loving father and a patriot.

Okay the story: It's 1774. The word on everybody's lips is war, though few dare to utter it. Your home town, Boston is divided between Patriot folk and Tories. You are 14 and your father is the famous Paul Revere and when he is off on his rides you must stay home and struggle keep your family together. Your house is full of secrets. And then one day your older sister tells you that your father's best friend, Dr. Warren, (who is more like an uncle to you) has feelings that are less than honorable to your stepmom. Soon you start believing it too. There is one problem, you are in love with Dr. Warren. And with everymovement you remember the words "What matters? What's true or what people think?"

No surprise, I would no sooner have put 5 stars on EVERY Ann Rinaldi book there is! But, this book was still great. I loved it! It's the story of Paul Revere's daughter Sarah. Practically the whole story is a flashback on things that've just happened to Sarah, between her, her stepmother Rachel, her family, and Dr. Warren. Read this book if you're interested in the Revolution, and you'll be glad you did, no doubt!

The 36-Hour Day touches on topics that will become the stuff your life is made of if you are a caregiver. The book discusses the stages of the disease, behavioral issues and prescriptive advise for caregivers. It is essential reading for those who care for someone with Alzheimer's disease.

This is the most recommended book about Alzheimer's Disease. It is required reading for every caregiver. The first Alzheimer's Association chapter I contacted sent me a copy of it the first time I called them, and for that I will always be grateful. Not until I had read this book did I better understand Alzheimer's and what it was doing to my mother. Read every book you can find on Alzheimer's, but you'll probably want to read this one first.

A truly remarkable book. It is well written, and very easy to read and follow, providing a background in this disease and what can/will happen to those afflicted. Providing extremely helpful insights and strategies for those of us who are caregivers, spouses, sons, daughters, and other family and friends. Personally, this book helped me to understand what was happening to my mother, helped me to be more understanding and less frustrated and annoyed with her. This book provides a great deal of insight and allows the reader to get a "feel" for the current situation and possible future situations. I have recommended this book to my personal physician to pass along to her other patients who may be in the same position as I am.

I think this is one of my most treasured books. I had a book written by Bragg about 20 years ago that became so ragged and torn that evenutally someone pitched it out thinking it was junk. I was so delighted to see this book on Amazon.com and am thrilled to have a copy. I'm going to purchase another copy as a back-up in case it goes out of print. It is kind of a simple book in both its typeface changes and the way it has poems and drawings right next to text. You can really tell it's a family written book. This truly is a super book on fasting. I got much encouragement from it and I never felt the authors "Brag" about themselves unless you count constantly talking about their good health as bragging. That's what I WANT to hear! You want to know that the authors and their clients are in super shape! I love it that Paul Bragg died at like 97 in a surfing accident (!)-to me that says a LOT about how this book will help you gain good health in your 30's, 40's etc. The back cover has some great endorsements by Clint Eastwood, Jack LaLanne (A super endorsement I think), and the authors of "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" and "Chicken Soup For the Soul". Personally I love it that the Braggs message has been so broadly accepted for so many decades that they don't feel the need to slick up their book and make it more "high tech". Please try this book I think you'll be so pleased. They make you feel like you can do anything. You can't help but think "Hey, I'm only 40-if HE can do it so can I".

I have read many books on fasting but none as good as this one, Not only does Paul Bragg take a stand for his faith he tells it like it is! The challenge I have always had with authors, is one simple fact...they rarely are an example of practice what they preach! This is the exact opposite of the Bragg family and they do it well! I believe that if you are challenged in any area, spirit mind or body, that you must take the advice of Paul & Patricia Bragg to heart. I accomplished a 70-day juice fast four years ago and thought I had all the answers! It wasn't till I took an afternoon to digest (no pun intended) the truthful and loving words of this book that I regained that faith. I started my first 3 day "true" water fast the next day. On another note...I was shocked at the "great" price of this book and believe every home should skip one trip to the fast food joint and use the money more wisely... GO FOR IT...I did!!!

Fasting cleanses, renews and rejuvenates (it will even cut your annual food bill ). The Miracle of Fasting is more than an abstention book; it is a guide to a new healthy lifestyle.

For coverage, click on Table of Contents in the left-hand column of this page.

Do not be confused by the low price on this book. Health Science prints in such large quantities, they can afford to keep their prices low. This is a very popular book. Forty-Seventh edition, now enlarged and revised.

Paul Bragg started the health food movement over eighty-eight years ago. His Daughter, the Amazing Patricia Bragg, is accelerating their tradition of promoting the healthy lifestyle. She publishes a number of health-nutrition books and markets her own brand of apple cider vinegar, olive oil and aminos. See her picture on the bottles.

I have known Health Science and Patricia Bragg and have followed her healthy lifestyle program for over 20 years.

As the author of 113 books (including revisions and foreign-language editions) and over 500 magazine articles, I highly recommend Health Science books to anyone not tired of living. DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com.

I really like this book. I'm fairly new at electronics and have found this book extremely useful. The theory is there, complete with all of the laws and formulas that you need to analyze the behavior of circuts. The real strength of this book is the examples. It has examples on every subject it covers, and it covers a wide variety of subjects. It's expanations for some parts are a little weak, but if you work at it you can understand them. Overall it is a very good book.

It's probably safe to assume that the majority of people who read books about basic electronics do so because they intend to build things. This book caters to such an audience. It provides theory and examples that allow you to build your own basic circuits. The concepts aren't easy, but the author helps you understand them.

I haven't seen a book so complete and so well writen. This book, along with the ARRL handbook and internet are the practically the only resources I use when doing electronics. We used this book as a semester text book. I wouldn't pass this book buy, especially if you're just starting out. I noticed, like a few other reviewers, that the book has typos and some mistakes. My professor, however, mentioned that the author made corrections to the book, and that the newer printings are supposed to corrected. I checked it out at the bookstore and it seems to be true. In all, a great book.