Hardcover, 180 pages, 10.5" by 14.5" ...Yes, I said fourteen and a half inches tall!

Its a great book for children & adults who love famous palaces & castles of the world. Many color photos, history, floorplan, and a beautifully colored cutaway drawing of each of the 12 residences. They include: Windsor Castle(England); The Alhambra(Spain); Neuschwanstein Castle(Germany); Peterhof(Russia); Red Fort(India); Katsura(Japan); Versailles(France); The Doge's Palace(Italy); Royal Palace of Stockholm(Sweden); Topkapi(Turkey); The Potala(Tibet); Hearst Castle(California).

This book is one of my favorites, and has been for many years. Its beautiful color illustrations are grouped by the period and country in which they were created. The book presents works (mostly paintings) from many countries (mostly Western) beginning in the Byzantine era, extending up until the early twentieth century. Many of the works are accompanied by art historical abstracts which offer insight for both the inexperienced and learned art enthusiast. This is a great book to have around as an extensive survey of Western painting.

This book is a must have for anyone who is seeking truth. The information leads you to a brink of brand new enlightenment.Nile Valley Contributions... is the beginning of the real story...

Socialwk@mail.com- email me if you come across another must have such as this

For anyone who doesn't know about John Beecher, he was THE American social protest poet. (He died in 1980) His poetry is not technically complex, it's far from high art, but that's the point: it's poetry for common people about common people. His voice of protest is so heavily laden with the truth that it's impossible to ignore. In one poem in the book, he describes how standing up for the right thing isn't hard when you accept what the right thing is and don't accept anything less - in a world where money interests rule so many parts of life, Beecher's is a much needed voice.

This exquisitely wonderful biography is one which is, quite truly, a must to read! 'Our Miracle Called Louise' chronicles, with such accuracy, the lives of Louise Brown's parents, whilst they struggle to cope with the prospect of being unable to conceive a child.

All hope appeared lost, until they discovered a doctor, of whom was pioneering a technique, in order to provide hope for couples unable to conceive naturally. This strategy is now known as In Vitro Fertilisation.

As a result of this doctor's efforts, the world's first test tube baby, Louise Brown, was given life.

I so enjoyed reading this novel, and am able to relate, in utmost entirety, with the pain and heartache Lesley Brown endured, before being able to conceive, for I am on quite a similar path, myself. I especially was touched when Lesley found herself, for the very first time, able to relate to another woman, who also was attempting IVF, and therefore, had endured much the same trials and tribul! ations, as did Lesley.

I found this book not only to be the very best biography ever having been written, which portrayed In Vitro Fertilisation in a positive image, but also, one of which must be read and cherished by everyone (especially those of whom are finding themselves upon the road to IVF).

John and Lesley Brown's heartfelt love and devotion for their daughter shines through the page, and warms your heart, to the very core.

In conclusion, 'Our Miracle Called Louise' is a treasure, much worth reading. It shall provide hope for those couples, such as myself, of whom may have become disheartened amidst their struggles. Louise Brown is a perfect example of why one must never give up their wishes and dreams!

This recopilation of 13 essays by 16 different writters is one of the most outstanding pieces ever written regarding this subject. It covers thetrical history from Egyptiand to present day with insightful remarks and comprehensive easy to follow writting style. Definitly a must have for theater lovers everywhere

On March 31, 1621, Philip III, third Habsburg ruler of Spain, met a premature death, reportedly clutching in panic at the same crucifix his father and grandfather had held on their deathbeds generations before. His son and heir, the sixteen-year-old Philip IV, succeeded to what is now known collectively as the Spanish Empire - a vast conglomeration of lands and people whose progressive decline as a political entity has long remained a basic assumption amongst twentieth century historians and yet whose cultural vitality has given its period the title of "The Golden Age of Spanish Art." The accession of Philip IV seemed to inaugurate a new era of reform after the previous regime's mindless inactivity and self-interested grandee domination. As the contemporary playwright Tirso de Molina remarked, "New architects acceded with the new king."

This premise serves as the central metaphor in A Palace for a King. Elliott, a historian, and Brown, an art historian, examine both the literal and political architecture of the reign, charting the complicated, often surprising interrelation between art and politics. The palace of the title is the Buen Retiro - an intended recreational center built for Philip IV with astonishing speed during the years 1630-33, left largely in neglect after the 1640's, and finally decimated by French and English troops during the Napoleonic wars. In reconstructing the circumstances surrounding its construction and initial occupation, Brown and Elliott attempt to furnish the reader with a "total" history of the Spanish Habsburg court during its penultimate representative's first twenty years of rule.

The scope of the book is immense. In a prose that is precise and elegant, if at times monotonous, it describes the political and economic issues of the day as well as the relationship between the continuously vacillating king and his powerful minister, the Count-Duke of Olivares, who until 1643 held the true control over Spanish government. It then goes on to analyze the palace of the Buen Retiro itself, exploring the process of palace-building and the symbolism of the palace as a repository of the values of the ruling class. Simultaneously, it looks at Spanish baroque painting, theater, and architecture and their inextricable connection to the court at Madrid, which, itself, was in so many ways like a giant theater. Elliott's inquiry and interpretation of the troubles besetting the institution that was then called the monarquía española and of the role played by Olivares makes for particularly rewarding reading.

The book appears to be extremely well-researched and provides an abundance of evidence from primary sources as varied as confidential memoranda, secret expense accounts and drawings of architectural plans; the endnotes alone constitute twenty of its almost three hundred pages. However, it is its very wealth of references and information that also lies at the core of its greatest weakness. Too often, the text becomes bogged down in statistics, where apparently meaningless figures about who paid whom and whose plot of land was where replace any real insights. The authors seem to become trapped in unneeded details, losing track of the larger picture that they originally intended to convey. As a result, in certain chapters, more attention than necessary is devoted to the actual logistics of building the palace and, consequently, not enough to the palace's political, social, and economic implications.

Still, aside from these slightly irritating flaws, Brown and Elliott's work remains a highly absorptive and very informative look at subject that has thus far remained sadly underrepresented amongst the scientific community. The sheer extent of the information to be found makes this book a valuable resource for anyone interested in the period, while the distressing lack of similar studies makes it absolutely essential for those at all curious about Spain's architectural history. It is, in my mind, a fascinating complement and worthy companion to R.A. Stradling's landmark Philip IV and the Government of Spain.

When I picked up "Pere Goriot" about a year ago, I had only vaguely heard of Balzac and had a sense of "cultural obligation" in reading one of his works. While it took me a while to get rolling on the novel, it soon proved impossible to put down -- a work of incredible depth and beauty, combining the vividness of Lawrence, the emotional power of Dickens, and the universality of Shakespeare. I'll admit I haven't read the other novel -- "Eugenie Grandet" -- in this collection, but "Pere Goriot" was a reading experience I will not soon forget. Don't miss it!

This book is a must for any library of an ESL teacher or someone wanting to know about second language acquisition (SLA). This book is compiled of 9 papers by nine authors who have clear and concise definitions and explanations about SLA. It starts with an introduction by the editor and an explanation of Chomsky's 'competence' and 'performance.' I would order one for yourself and one for a friend!

All U.S. presidents must confront and solve problems, some more unique than others. There are a few whose difficulties are unprecedented and will never recur again. John Adams was such a president and his effectiveness as a chief executive is often underestimated. When he took the oath of office, the nation was still young and in many ways not yet a nation. Regional differences, which sixty years later would explode into civil war, were powerful and could have led to a similar event during his administration. The governmental structure was idealistic, novel and untested. There were many who felt that it was unworkable, and with minimal communication infrastructure, it was difficult for the central government to project its' power quickly and effectively.
The framers of this government were highly talented, ambitious men, who were now faced with the task of governing. As history has shown us so many times, the talented revolutionary is often mediocre at governing. Political parties began to form and like all births, involved a great deal of fits and starts. George Washington commanded such respect that no one could reasonably hope to challenge his authority, and yet he was wore down by the political battles. Succeeding such a towering figure would have been difficult for anyone. Europe was also currently engaged in a general war as a consequence of the revolution in France, and there were strong forces driving the United States towards involvement.
Into this horrendous mix of conflicting forces, John Adams became president. There is no question that the crises he faced rank in the top five of all presidents. Forced to face and solve these problems, he performed admirably. There is no more telling measures of his success in that he angered many in both parties and one of his strongest enemies, Thomas Jefferson, continued his policies when he succeeded Adams.
Brown does an outstanding job of describing these circumstances, for without this knowledge it is impossible to understand how successful Adams was. He also describes many of the details of John Adams' relationship with his wife Abigail. Although the times dictated that women play secondary roles in society, it is clear that many women wielded substantial power behind the scenes, if only to provide the strength for her husband to do what was right. After reading this book, you cannot help but be impressed with the power and intelligence of Abigail Adams, one of the most talented first spouses that this country has ever had.
This book serves a necessary and overdue purpose. It shows John Adams as more than just an adequate successor to Washington, but as a president who stood firm and always placed the interests of the nation first. He was a great man, showing that many of the men who made the American revolution were also, and perhaps even more skilled, at making and executing a government. I will forever be in awe of their political genius.