I never really like reading historical romances until I read this novel that made my mind change. It's my first time reading this type of novel, one of the best entertaining story so far besides those modern love stories. And I'm looking forwards to read more stories like this especially written by Marion Chesney...

I JUST LOVE READING MARION CHESNEY'S NOVELS! YOU CAN NEVER GET TIRED FROM READING HER NOVELS! I THINK THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF HER MOST FUNNIEST AND ROMANTIC STORY I'D EVER READ! IF YOU EVER READ THIS MS.CHESNEY, PLEASE CONTINUE TO WRITE MORE HISTORICAL ROMANTIC NOVELS! YOUR NOVELS HELP ME MORE LEARN ABOUT GREAT BRITAIN'S HISTORY.

I loved this book. Nothing heavy - just a nice, light, funny story about an average guy trying to fit into the U.S. Army. I agree with the other reviewer - it really takes you back to a better time.

I first read this book when I was a teenager. Twenty plus years later, the story is still ethched solidly in my mind. Private Marion Thomas Lawton Hargrove, III is a most unlikely citizen soldier. A newspaper writer in civilian life, he is classified as a cook in the United States Army, just prior to the hostilities of WWII. The story is set in Fort Bragg, NC. The author paints the most wonderful pictures in your mind. The characters, like PFC Thomas Mulvehill come alive. Hargrove peeling potatoes. Hargrove on guard duty. Hargrove cooking his first egg...and it gets used for a tire patch. All this hearkens back to a simpler, bigger world. It is a wonderfully nostalgic view of what part of America used to be like. The book is a humorous chronology of Hargrove's service in the U.S. Army. The author steps back and takes a clear look at some of the absurdity foisted upon those who serve(d) in our armed forces. If you want to enjoy yourself thoroughly, find a copy of this wonderful book and take a nice leisurely stroll back to 1939-41. And when you're done, share it with a friend, because a smile is one of the nicest things you can pass along.

As an experienced psychologist working from a collaborative framework with eating and dissociative disorders, I was delighted to find Shared Grace. It has a wealth of information and makes a unique contribution to understanding several aspects of healing. The book describes two parallel journeys. From the beginning, we are introduced to Teresa, a woman who has endured a life of incredible sadism, abuse, neglect, hatred and pain. To cope with her suffering, she has developed DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder,) formerly known as MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder). Developing many "parts" of herself has allowed her to cope, protect herself and survive a life of horrifying abuse. Her complex healing journey is one centerpiece of the book.

Parallel and interwoven with Teresa's story, is the story professional collaboration between Dr. Marion Billich, a Jewish psychologist, Steven Carlson, a Christian minister and Susan Bonfiglio, a social worker. Together, these three special human beings developed a collaborative approach in working with her towards healing. Based on their shared belief that the core of healing is developing the capacity to love, they help Teresa deepen her spiritual relationship to each of them, God and the universe. They grow with Teresa and from their work with one another

Shared Grace presesnts a broad theoretical framework for understanding the importance of spirituality and love as the basic ingredients of healing. The authors draw from religious, spiritual and therapeutic experts. The book is especially useful in several ways. In one chapter, it offers hands-on, concrete suggestions regarding creating a collaborative professional relationship. In another chapter, the authors delineate a wide variety of techniques that bridge the gap between psychotherapy and spirituality and are appropriate for therapist, minister or both.

When I finished reading the book, I was reminded of the closing line from the film Shindler's List, "If you save the one life, you save the world." If Teresa's story is a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit, the story of Bilich, Bonfiglio and Carlson is a testament to the power of collaboration. As a psychologist with years of collaborative experience, I learned a lot. Shared Grace is a book I will turn to over and over--it is inspiring, uplifting and educative.

As a social worker I appreciate the professional message of Shared Grace--that our work as mental health professionals is enhanced immeasurably by working collaboratively with clergy--and that through that work we can bring a spiritual dimension into our clients' healing. As a human being, I was touched by the story of Teresa, a woman with multiple personalities, whose story is told throughout the book. The description of the collaboration of her therapist and her pastor and how all were affected by that work together was poignant and meaningful. I especially appreciated how each member of the collaboration spoke in his or her own voice, including one of Teresa's personalities, Justin. The book is practical, clinical, and spiritually satisfying all at the same time. This is one book I intend to read over again.

The authors of the book are my chiropractors. They are very well learned and have written a very informative book, containing loads of info.

I recommend it to anyone interested in learning the facts about chiropractics.

This book is a must-have for every chiropractor. If you think chiropractic is just about back and neck pain, think again. The authors have compiled an impressive collection of literature demonstrating the far-reaching effects of chiropractic care.

When The Story of an African Farm was published in 1883, the title gave no indication to readers what the complex scope of the novel was really about.

Written by South African governess, Olive Schreiner, the book's crux ran along the controversal: the oppression of women, feminism, the existance of God, anti-imperialism, the bizarre transformation of one the novel's characters (not Lyndall) into a transvestite. It goes on and on. The novel was written when the belief of agnosticism was in the early stages of being in 'vogue.' Also interesting, Darwin's Origin of the Species had been published for some time, and the theory had rooted itself in many areas of society.

This was not the traditional Victorian novel that was written in the old English 'bonne bouche' manner on par with Jane Eyre or Emma. The prose of the novel has a broken up fluidity to it; it is not grandiloquent; it is in fact, quite brutal, edgy. As Elaine Showalter writes in the excellent introduction to the Bantam Classic edition, "Readers expecting the structured plot of a typical three-volume Victorian novel were startled by the oddity of African Farm, with its poetic, allegorical, and distinct passages, and its defiance of narrative and sexual conventions." With that clearly explained, it is not a surprise that it shocked old, priggish Englanders with their stiff upper lips and staunch, conservative manners, nor is it shocking that the Church of England called the novel "blasphemous."

African Farm details the lives of three key characters: Waldo, Em and Lyndall. The latter character is the one who seems to bring up the key issues that made the novel controversal. Lyndall is always described as 'little,' 'delicate,' 'like a doll,' 'a flower.' However, she is the one who refuses to marry (with one minor exception to the rule) until a social equilibrium is established between men and women. She desires equality between the sexes, and is willing to suffer for it. And she does, more than what is expected. Odd as it may seem, but considering the period in which the novel was written, the character of Lyndall really had to be physically 'feminized' in order to make up for her strongly held convictions of being a 'total' woman and not 'half' a woman.

If any person reads the novel, the character of Lyndall needs (from my view) special attention, for she questions the values of men, women who accepted the standard, religion and the social hierarchy in which she was born. Her questions seem like cartels, challenges. Why can't she have a job? Why can't she be educated or independent without the stigma 'weirdo' unflinchingly attached to her? Why must she be dubbed 'strange?' The reader must always ask why when reading this book. The three characters, Lyndall especially, endure a lot of hardship, a hardship that mirrored the very author's life, i.e. her cold and distant upbringing, the religious retraints placed on her life as well as the life-clenching grasp that old norms had on women of that period. African Farm was Olive Schreiner's liberty, her freedom from the societal choke hold.

In conclusion, the novel is not one of grace and patrician dogma. It is not a book of nice ladies and gentlemen sitting under the African sun near exotic, wild flowers sipping tea and participating in intellectual banter. No, it is an underscored work of literature where ideas of human aspiration and ecumenical desires are explored under a blazing sun and burnt, sandy plain.

...it would be awfully short-sighted to say it was. I came across Olive Schriner by accident which goes to show that quality is not always given the profile it deserves. But now I'm going to rectify that. Olive Schriner is a genius. This book should be right up there with Woolf's 'Mrs.Dalloway' and Hesse's 'Glass Bead Game'. Read it - that's all. You can't get to the end of your life without doing so, and since that can come at any moment read it NOW.

Women read fantasy too. Beloved author/editor Marion Zimmer Bradley created this anthology in 1984 to address just that issue. At a time when women's fantasy was just beginning to make its mark, MZB created an anthology to define the emerging female protagonist. In her introduction, MZB makes it clear that she wanted to avoid the stereotypical Amazon-type heroine who ultimately gave up her freedom to win love. She didn't simply want recreate the old cliché turned upside down-where the men are subservient to women. She wanted stories that gave women new myths to identify with, powerful stories that could be worth consideration by the men and women who read them. This collection is not your average "feminist literature", these are stories that feature warriors, magic-users, healers and thieves-the women of fantasy, the kind of women to give a new generation of fantasy readers characters to see parts of themselves in, and ultimately make readers think.

MZB must have been onto a good thing. In the nearly twenty years since the first publication, there have been 19 Sword and Sorceress anthologies to date. Having read all of these anthologies, I can honestly say that this remains one of the best. The originality of the stories, the quality, the variety; all of these elements make this particular shine out from the group. Out of the fifteen stories, four are written by men, including well-recognized authors Glen Cook and Charles de Lint. MZB prefaces each story with a short blurb about the author and a few comments of her own. These paragraphs, along with her introduction, enable readers to catch the glimpse of MZB's personality and some insight into why she chose the particular stories she's included in this anthology. It becomes clear that each story was selected with care, polished and set in place to augment this anthology. There are no "filler" stories here.

Readers skimming the contents will quickly recognize quite a few of the author names; Glen Cook, Emma Bull, Charles de Lint, Jennifer Roberson and Diana Paxson to name a few. For Emma Bull and some of the other authors listed, this is their first sale. That is an additional bit of delight in these earliest Sword and Sorceress anthologies. So many writers made their first sale, or were just beginning their careers at the time. As to the stories themselves, they are as varied as the authors. For sword and sorcery duos, "The Garnet and the Glory" by Phyllis Ann Karr and "The Rending Dark" by Emma Bull are good examples. For darker, emotionally charged reads, try "Severed Heads" by Glen Cook, or "Sword of Yraine" by Diana L. Paxson. On the lighter side there is "Taking Heart" by Stephen L. Burns, "Daton and the Dead Things" by Michael Ward, and the finale of the anthology, a short-short story by Dorothy J. Heydt, "Things Come in Threes". My particular favorite story-although I admit it is hard to choose just one, all of them have had a powerful impact-is "With Four Lean Hounds" by Pat Murphy. This is a beautiful, fairy-tale-esque story that is as powerful in its message as in its unfolding adventure.

Any reader who loves good fantasy, particularly short stories will likely enjoy this. Women readers especially-but in no way exclusively will appreciate the chance to read about women as protagonists of the epic fantasy story. When this was first published, there were much fewer female fantasy writers and stories available. This has changed dramatically over the intervening two decades. Despite that, it does not diminish the quality of this first anthology-and the stories remain as strong today as they were when published. On a side note-these are all fantasy reads-MZB as a rule does not include science fiction stories in any of her anthologies, although the right story can make her break the rule just a bit. If you can find this anthology, buy it-read it and treasure it.

Happy Reading!

Sword and Sorceress is the original. This book has given rise to a series spanning 15 other books, and set the precedent for all future books in the series. All the stories in S&S I are about stong female characters, but the stories are diverse. Some are written by men, some by women. Some have only a female protagonist, others have male and female protagonists working together. The protagonist's talents range from shapeshifting, to magic, to swordsmanship. Or should I say swordswomanship? All in all, Bradley has put together a collection of stories that will entertain every fantasy reader. I was especially pleased to find so much variety and quality in one anthology. I like Bradley's novels, and as an editor she is no less disapointing. I highly reccommend any books in the S&S series!

This is Marion Zimmer Bradley's second anthology devoted to exploring the fantasy genre and the women that inhabit it. These aren't romance stories, or tales of Amazons ultimately defeated by a superior man, or domestic stories. These are tales of adventure, where the protagonists are women of the sword or magic staff who actually do something. Despite the cheesy "pulp-fantasy" cover that this second anthology had the misfortune to display, the stories are anything but cheesy. They cover a vast array of tones and styles, ranging from the epic struggle, to the tongue in cheek, to the rough and tumble. These gals aren't waiting for the handsome Hero to step in and rescue them. And with skilled editor Marion Zimmer Bradley selecting the stories for this anthology, each short story has something to offer.

Those of you who have read through the first anthology in the series will note the presence of a number of the same authors, as MZB herself mentions in her foreword. "A Night at the Two Inns" by Phyllis Ann Karr continues the adventures of Frostflower and Thorn-- Karr's gentle sorceress and tough swordswoman duo. Likewise, Diana L. Paxson continues the story of her character Shanna with "Shadow Wood". Other returning authors include Stephen Burns with "The Black Tower", Charles Saunders with "Shimenge's Mask", "Fireweb" by Deborah Wheeler, and "Cold Blows the Wind" by Charles DeLint. Jennifer Roberson also returns with "The Lady and the Tiger" which features, I believe, the first appearance of her now famous Tiger and Del characters.

Warrior women, thieves, craftswomen, sorceresses and assassins all populate these pages. Some stories are straight adventure and epic fantasy such as "The Black Tower" by Stephen Burns and "Shimenge's Mask" by Charles Saunders. Others are biting and surprise the reader with their endings. Try "The Lady and the Tiger" by Jennifer Roberson or "Hunger" by Russ Garrison. Still others are just sincerely funny. Don't miss Elizabeth Thompson's "On First Looking Into Bradley's Guidelines, Or Stories I Don't Want To Read Either" which does a fine job at elaborating the things that Marion Zimmer Bradley didn't want to see submitted for this anthology. The editor was tickled by the poem; I suspect readers will be too.

Beyond the varieties, there are a few tales that defy simple definition, and shine out in this collection. Popular author C. J. Cherryh pens "The Unshadowed Land"; a story that gave the editor goose bumps-not to mention me! The other one I will note is "The Wound in the Moon" by Vera Nazarian, this was the authors first published story and is truly a beautiful, disturbing and thought-provoking piece.

What makes these anthologies stand out, besides the exceptional stories and powerful heroines, is MZB's own introductions to each story and author. Her comments are almost as delightful to read as the stories themselves. For anyone who likes this anthology, I highly recommend you check out the first Sword and Sorceress anthology if you can find it. The good news is there are now nineteen Sword and Sorceress anthologies to read and discover, but I will firmly uphold that the earliest anthologies, particularly the first three, are some of the best.

Happy Reading! shanshad ^_^

The best of the anthologies that MZB put out, the stories in here are some of the best. Sadly, content has sharply declined in the last five or six. I can't bear to waste money on them anymore, but I still read this one. This has some especially potent stories that are more than that, they are alive.

This is well worth the price to reorder it! Good fantasy, from when fantasy was actually good.

Yes, I knew Marion. After helping me sell my first novel, House of Zeor, she became my writing mentor for many years, and I can safely say she taught me maybe 80% of what I know and today teach about writing -- maybe more -- in workshops such as the one at Westercon.

Sword of Aldones was my absolute all time favorite Darkover novel, and that's still true today -- which was a disappointment to MZB.

You see SoA was her first actual forray into attempting to take the embarrassingly juvenile "Sevener" series she wrote for personal amusement (as we today write Star Trek and Buffy stories)and turn it into a professional product.

It's sale was a milestone in her life and professional career -- but she always knew and felt that it had technical and structural flaws. She felt the characters did a lot of running around, and people, issues and things popped out of nowhere, and the whole thing lacked a central motivational backbone.

But you see - that is what I love about it.

I just made up all the missing parts and never missed them.

Thus while the rewrite of this part of Darkovan history is now the actual basis of the series, and SoA is ignored -- I found the rewrite less enjoyable because it told me the answers to all the unanswerable questions posed in SoA (which I had so much fun answering for myself).

Because MZB and I are so very - VERY - different people, of course what I made up to explain the inexplicable is very different from what she eventually supplied.

However, if you are as much of a Darkover fan as I am (I found Darkover when I was a Freshman at the U. of Calif at Berkeley - which is when I also discovered Theodore Bikel -- these two having literally changed my life) -- then you need to read and compare these two books and decide for yourself which is the actual foundation of the Darkover series.

At the same time you will discover one of the foundations of my own Sime Gen Universe, now available on amazon.com. Sime Gen: The Unity Trilogy is much more like Sword of Aldones than it is like Sharra's Exile.

Live Long and Prosper,
Jacqueline Lichtenberg

I can't believe I'm the first to review this book. Where are all you loyal "freinds of darkover" hiding. Anyway I never read "Sharra's Exile" but I am well aware that this is the original story of Lew Alton and his dealings with the Sharra Matrix. Which is why I never bothered with Sharra's Exile, shoot read The heratige of hastur and this one and your all caught up. I like this one because it doesn't go to far into the characters, cause they always have the same problems no matter what family they come from, which actually makes me read more to actually find out what is going on. The ending is anti-climactic but who cares, Sharra's dead right? NOT!

This is a great book. The directions for the projects are explained clearly. I never thought I would enjoy working with tin until I read this book.

i am an art teacher and it helps me with my work.

I was deeply depressed about my marriage (of 27 years) and my home life and family. I was about to throw in the towel when a friend sent me a copy of this book called the "Virtuous Woman". When I first looked at the title I didn't want to read it but God kept bring it back to me. It seems as though ever where I turned in my house I came across this book. One day I picked it up and sat down and started to read it and as I did I could not put it down until I had finished. Everything I had thought, suffered and wondered about from God was finally answered. I sat and cried as God spoke to me from the pages of the book. I found answers that never seem to be answered at my church and from my Pastor (and he is a wonderful pastor) but there were always some things he would say that would never be at peace deep down inside of me. After reading the Virtuous Woman God used the words from each page to change my life, my marriage and my family. I am at peace! Now who I last loaned my copy of this book to I can't seem to remember. So many of my friends lives have also been changed and have been blessed by it as well. I am hoping to get a copy to share with my co-worker at work. Thanks Amazon. I highly recommend this book.

"The Virtuous Woman, And The Answer To The Submission Question" - by Marion J. Wade, is an excellent book that filled with "Powerful" revelations and godly answers about submission and obedience. As I read this book my eyes were opened to truths about submission and obedience, husbands and wives that I had always wanted to know about but never seemed to find the answers. Pastor Wade writes from his 25 years as a Pastor and counselor to many Christian couples and he really points out why submission has been a problem in years pass. Yet, through the revelation's he says given him by God, he writes answers that are not only good but practical to live by every day. The book, I believe reveals the answers that God had in mind when he said husband and wives should submit to one another and the wife to her husband as the church should to Christ. If you are tired of answers about submission and obendience that don't work, then get a copy of this book you will not regret it.