My sister and I read the Moomin fantasy stories in the 1960s, when we were children. We STILL share jokes about plot lines today! When my son was 5, I bought them and we read them. We could hardly put them down, and he wanted to read the entire series through again the minute we finished. I hadn't realized how entertaining they were for adults. Maybe it's the wry humor of Finland coming through. While these are chapter books, they do have some absolutely charming illustrations. My son ... prefers them to Harry Potter (which he is hearing aloud again at school). It's best to read them kind of in order, as there is a time line to the books insofar as characters are introduced. Comet in Moominland is the first one, in my opinion, and Moominpappa's Memoirs is last. You can read the others in any order, in between. Moominsummer Madness was a little bit weak, I thought; but the others are just terrific, children's classics! Also great take home messages subtly presented, such as: even orphans can find a family; friends help friends out of jams; people go through moods, and it's OK; people who look scary and behave strangely, can maybe just be misunderstood. I credit these books as major contributors to his outstanding love for reading. The characters are beautifully drawn, diverse and imperfect; while there is a mother, a father, and a son, family structure is not stereotyped; the plot lines keep your attention; and the prose created by the translators is superb. They may be hard to find in libraries but they are WELL WORTH the search (or purchase).

I'm sad that not too many people my age have read these books but I highly recomend them. I wish Tove Jansson wrote more books because I like reading about the Moomin Family and friends' adventures. I like reading them over, and over, again, because I remember that they were good books. My favorite character is the Snork Maiden because I like how she can change colors. The characters weren't ordinary animals like cats and dogs, but characters that you've never heard of before and want to know more about where they live and what they look like. Sometimes I forget what the book is about and want to read it over again so I can picture the characters more clearly so as to read the next book. I hope more kids and adults will read the Moomin books so that they can get transported into Moominland. And also learn about the wonderful characters and world of the Moomin Family and friends.

Bearing in mind that this book was originally published in 1946, one realizes that the ominous comet that is seemingly destined to destroy Moominland is none other than the atom bomb. Jansson has achieved the feat of calming children's fears about the nuclear age (she may have been the first to tackle the subject in a children's book)---and she has done it delightfully. In this charming, whimsical, and profound story, Moomintroll and Sniff journey to an Observatory somewhere in the Lonely Mountains to find out if the great comet that Moomin has seen will really come to destroy the Earth on October 7th at 8:42 pm (or possibly four seconds later). On their journey they meet up with the solitary traveler Snufkin, the Snork, and the lovely Snork Maiden (soon to become the love of Moomintroll's life), the Hemulen, and other fascinating creatures. The bleak reality of the comet is in stark contrast with, and ultimately powerless against, the loving relationships of the characters themselves. Highly recommended, perhaps the best of the Moomin books to start with for those new to Jansson's work. There is hardly a modern problem or anxiety that Jansson does not address, in her childlike wisdom, somewhere in her books. A major overlooked children's writer in this country (though quite popular in Scandinavia and, interestingly, Japan).

I too, read this book when I was a child... it was a treasure I found on my Gandparents bookshelves. They gave their copy to me and I'm now reading it again, 25 yrs later. It is an intense story of two sisters; one who is ambitous, strong and stubborn, the other who is sweet, caring and easy going. Both of excellent character and intentions. It reflects an ageless story of childhood devotion blooming into infatuation or love. And the odd twists in life that send us down different roads. My oldest impression of this book was the way these roads led one of the sisters to meet her soul mate and the other to meet her soul's salvation. In all things destiny controls. This book has adventure, travel, love and colorful characters. All in all, a very good read.

I really enjoyed this book. I had kept this book around with many others in my library for years and finally read it this year. It was enscribed as a gift to my aunt in 1945.

Elizabeth Goudge has captured my heart in her writings of Green Dolphin Street. She offers an interesting story of two sisters in love with the same man and the twist this takes in all three of their lives, as well as an ability to express life philosophies that mirror what I have felt and believed throughout my life. I was so surprised to find these insights into human nature so wonderfully written in a novel, that I found myself marking pages to read again.

This book flowed well and kept my interest. Ms. Goudge's descriptions allowed me to be able to picture and share in the lives of the characters. I would look forward to reading it each evening and not skip to the end as I have done in the past with some books. If you want to experience what I call an opportunity to read a book that offers a depth of talent and character that I don't see today, then I recommend this book for a pleasant experience.

Green Dolphin Street competes with the best of the modern classics. I read this book when I was a teenager and since have read it at least 3 more times. I often get lost in the beautiful scenery and highly imaginative descriptions. The main characters are wonderfully put to life by Ms. Goudge. The love, conflict and fate each one feels is fully alive throughout the reading. If you have ever wondered if fate passed you by and are in the mood for a long-lasting love story... this book is for you!

The phrasing and descriptions may be from another era, but the charm remains forever! The idea that children and adults can work together with respect and politeness is, I fear, completely foreign to today's society. It has become an "us" vs. "them" proposition. Won't you do your children a favor and read this book, or another of Goudge's, aloud to them one night?

I have yet to find any "contemporary" books that can compare to the innocent spirit and adventure of this, and other, Elizabeth Goudge books. It is a tragedy that they are so difficult to find today--I had to do an inter-library loan to get a copy to read.

Delightful escape from the brutal reality of our lifestyle of today, do yourself a favor and try to track down a copy. It will lift your spirits and make your day brighter every time you read it.

I have been reading and re-reading this book for some 20 years now. Every time I read it I find it more mystical and enthralling. I look forward to reading it to my children and watching them get the same joy I experience every time I pick up this book. I would love to find a hardcover copy of this if anyone knows of one available as my paperback is becoming more and more used looking

I first read this enchanting book as a child, and over the years have read it many more times with my daughters. Linnets & Valerians is a magnificent story about the adventuring spirit of childhood and the restorative power of the natural world. In a lush, appealing, way it presents the empowering advantages of higher learning and the great moral value of living an honest and kind life. Linnets and Valerians is also a deeply romantic story about the mystery of family lost and family found. From the first reading I thought this book would one day stand next to J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan and Aurther Ransom's Swallows and Amazons series. And while I found Harry Potter a delightful read, that recent best seller certainly pales next to the world of Goudges's Linnets & Valerians; a place in which good relationships between children and adults foster the growth of those children into wise and responsible adults themselves. I own one copy of this book but had hoped to obtain newer copies for my daughters when they were grown. I have found, to my grief, that this book is out of print. I would love to see Linnets & Valerians rediscovered in my library as Aurther Ransome has been, thanks largely to new paperback edtions with appealing cover illustrations. With the many glowing reviews on this site, won't some publisher consider re-issuing this book soon!

I adore biography - especially those of the great characters of the second half of the 18th and first half of the 19th centuries. I knew of Jane Digby el Mezrab from Irving Wallace's Nymphos and Other Maniacs which I read many years ago and also via several biographies of Sir Richard Burton. This is a well written, carefully and extensively researched book which benefited enormously from the author's good luck in uncovering much new, previously unseen and unpublished family material in Dorset and New Zealand. This, the author says in her acknowledgements, is more satisfying than the publication of the book itself. I agree, for this sort of discovery is palpably thrilling and the author's excitement shines through her narrative.

This biography reads like fiction and Jane Digby, firstly Lady Ellenborough, was one of those larger than life people who followed their own path, irrespective of the mores of their own time. Following Jane's life is a tour through the drawing rooms of Regency England, several European and Balkan courts to the deserts of Syria and Arabia. It is the story of a woman (thrice divorced) who eventually found happiness and fulfilment with a man of great nobility from an entirely different race, culture and religion. Jane's interest in the minutiae of life in Damascus in the mid 19th century makes fascinating reading and her wit and fondness for her adopted "tribe" in the desert is moving.

Highly recommended!

I have read this book and the only thing Scandalous about is is that the publisher has not reprinted it! The herstory of the Middle East has many intriguing women who have done remarkable things. These women like Jane Digby, loved the desert no less than many of the "heroes" we all can still read about today. Yet their travels are scarcely cited. Jane Digby's romantic trysts may have stunned her peers, but today her story is fascinating. Visiting Damascus, travelling to Palmyra, each had such a different impact knowing I was seeing what she saw over a hundred years ago. In a region where the dominance of males, Islam and the harsh desert life is well documented, it is a shame more interested readers cannot learn why a western woman would chose it as her home in the 19th century. The author stays away from judgements about Jane Digby, and presents her as honestly as she was-a rebel of the heart.

If Jane Digby had been a man she would have been Prime Minister. As a woman living in the early 1800s, she had little scope for her brilliance and personality except in romantic intrigue - and what intrigue. I was breathless after the the first few chapters, and yet there were still husbands aplenty to come, as well as passion and drama. Who of us now would throw caution to the winds and live in a cave with a brigand, or marry an Arab sheik 20 years younger? And yet she did so in a time when women were far more confined and limited in their options. Her ability to withstand society's strictures and disapproval, and go where no European women and very few European men had been before bespeaks a very strong mind. Her strength, intelligence and obvious sex appeal she would have made her a formidable woman. Mary Lovell is obviously fascinated by her subject and the pace never falters in her narrative, although the content is exhausting. A thoroughly wonderful read- I have given this book to many friends and they have all loved it. Besiege the publisher to do a reprint.

This book reads like a gripping novel. Logical explaination is followed by statistical proof, showing the hazards of our modern diet. Chapter 3's Voyage through the Digestive System is interesting, undertandable and a compulsive read. Problem identification and theraupic solutions are simple, and again very logical. I would recommend this book for anybody working in the health profession especially natural therapists. It is also very understandable for the layperson with little prior knowledge of how the digestive system works.

For health professionals and lay people alike, this book presents a clear and useful description of the digestive process and its fundamental importance in health. Many of us do not want to know about this vital system, or else we take it for granted. Lipski does a superb job of helping the reader learn, heal and prevent further problems regarding digestion. If you've ever had the common sense notion that poor digestion needs to be fixed before a healthy diet or supplements will do much good, this book is for you. If you've never had such a thought and you get totally bloated after meals, you might want to check it out as well. A thoughtful and easy read!

Not only is the list of difficulties caused by poor digestion lengthy, it includes many health problems that people don't immediately associate with their digestive process. Most people know that bad breath, indigestion, hiatal hernias, and Crohn's Disease are related to what happens in the digestive tract. Clinical nutritionist Elizabeth Lipski, M.S., C.C.N., also includes arthritis, autism, fibromyalgia, psoriasis, and schizophrenia in the list of digestion-related ailments.

Lipski cites all the latest research and studies on digestive disorders and therapies in her new book, Digestive Wellness, Updated Second Edition.

Digestion begins in the mouth and continues through the stomach and intestines to the colon. Each organ has an important role to play in helping the body break down foods so that their nutrients can be absorbed. Lipski says that "most of us don't think much about digestion unless it isn't working well," adding that "many people with chronic digestive problems continue to eat poorly, never realizing that their food choices are causing their ill health."

She starts with an exploration of the causes of digestive illness, which is often related to lifestyle choices. She then describes how a healthy digestive system works, and explains where and how the process can get out of balance. Lipski also includes information on how to pinpoint the source of your particular digestive disorder and provides recommendations and therapies for restoring wellness.

She emphasizes that each person has different biochemistry, and that what works for one will not work for another. Although health professionals can order lab tests (and she explains these tests fully), healing usually involves modifying individual eating habits. Accordingly, Lipski devotes one section to self-care strategies, with the intent of exposing readers to "more plans, new ideas, and the tools to be your own health expert."

She ends with a resource list of nutrition experts, health professionals, laboratories, and suggested reading.

Lipski says that Digestive Wellness "is about taking control of your lifestyle to increase your chances of getting healthier and more vibrant each year." It's an excellent resource for everyone suffering from any kind of digestive disorder and those who care about them.

Elizabeth Davis has produced a beautifully laid out and well-written book on the both the mystery of birth as well as the concrete practice of birthing. Covering all aspects of prenatal care, birth, and postnatal care, this is an excellent work for both professional and expectant parent. Expectant parents should be aware, however, that Davis responsibly addresses the many possible complications of birth from a professional standpoint - information that might inform one future parent while alarming another - so parents should use their self-knowledge to determine whether they wish to read those parts.

This work would also be invaluable for the professional midwife interested in mentoring students or for the future midwife wanting an overview of midwifery practice and information on entering the profession. Extensive resources and bibliographies are presented. Highly recommended.

I'm happy Elizabeth has continued the momentum of the first Heart and Hands. I remember seeing her hard at work in her kitchen 'writers corner,' between taking care of her kids and helping San Francisco area mothers-to-be that were lucky enough to have found her. I admired her determination then to put together a book encapsulating the most important things a midwife and mother to be needed to know. I was lucky enough to witness her attending a birth once in the wee hours of the morning, and was impressed with her incredible blending of professionalism, sensitivity, instinct and grace. To see that translated into a text was a miracle, and she did it well. I haven't seen my copy of it in many years, as I loaned it to too many expectant mothers and one time it never made it back. *smiling* It is not only full of vital information, it holds some of the essence of the magic that is midwifery. I recommend it as highly as possible.

Newly revised, this book is an old friend of mine. One of the first midwifery books I read, it covers an enormous breadth of information, yet is understandable for the beginner. It is still one of the 2 or 3 books I refer to first when I need to look something up. Elizabeth Davis just revamped and revised this book in 1997, and it is better than ever, with new sections on herbs and homeopathy, working with apprentices, hepatitis and HIV, midwifery practices, and issues of legalization, NARM, and MANA.

The book is very well-organized, with lots of excellent illustrations that make concepts easy to understand. There are many boxed areas for quick reference on herbs, and issues for pregnant women reading the book. These include questions to ask a potential midwife, self-care in pregnancy, danger signs in pregnancy, and many more. I recommend this book to consumers as well as midwives, as I think educating yourself during your pregnancy is very important, and this book is a wonderful resource.

My only criticism with the book is that the information is not very well documented- Davis will mention that research has found such-and-such, but doesn't cite the researcher or where it was published.

Child of the wolves is a good book about a dog named Granite, that runs away and he is in the wild all by himself but a pack of wolves find him and Snowdrift a female wolf adopts him and he wants to please everybody.

Child of the Wolves is a touching, suspensful, and action filled book about a dog named Garnite who has run away in an attempt to not be sold, leaving his brothers and mother, Seppala, behind. Garnite, somewhat injured, is found by a wolf named Ebony in the tundra of Alaska. If not for Snowdrift, Ebony's mate, the poor husky would have been killed on the spot. Snowdrift had lost her pups to the wolf/hybrid market, and Ebony, the alpha male, allows her to keep the injured pup. Through constant tourment, Granite must learn the rules of the pack and earn his place in his newly found family. Through all Granite's attempts, he fails to earn the love and respect of Ebony. That is, until Granite saves the injured and blind Snowdrift from falling down a cliff. Not until then does Ebony finally accept the dog in the pack. Child of the Wolves is a heartfelt story that will keep the pages turning. It also tells about the feelings of wolves that were once regarded as "truly human". I haven't read such a great book since Animal Farm by George Orwell. Come read and watch how Granite earns his place in this new, challenging world.

Child of the wolves is about Granite, a siberean husky that runs away and gets lost in the woods. He befriends a wolf named Snowdrift, and she lets Granite join the pack. He tries to please the rest of the pack, especially Ebony,the dominant male.

I loved Elizabeth's Holy Hell. I am always on the look out for a quality book with a strong woman as the main character. And what a character Lillian is! It's a perfect mix of humor, crime writing, and spirit. I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth.

Be sure you have some time because you won't want to put this original murder mystery down. This beautifully written Lillian Bird novel gathers momentum as it goes. Join Lillian in her pursuit for justice as she challenges Bucky with an X-Acto knife, meets Minerva for dinner at the Great Enchilada Place by the Bridge, and encounters danger from other quirky characters. Elizabeth Sims maintains suspense well with surprises for even the veteran mystery reader. Will Minerva survive for another book? Is Lou just a big puppy dog or a vicious stalker? What crime will Lillian Byrd solve next?

I'd never heard of Elizabeth Simms before finding "Holy Hell" reviewed along side my own book. The story sounded so interesting that I had to read it! Simms is a master at character development and weaves a plot with just enough twists and turns to keep the reader enthralled without getting overly complicated. Lillian Byrd is a fascinating character, and I hope we haven't seen the last of her. As long as Simms keeps writing, I'll keep reading.

I really enjoyed this book! I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a interesting, well written book that is not too complex, and easy to get through. Perfect summer reading.

This well-crafted story is the best book I've read so far this year. I savored each chapter-stretching out its 234 lyrical pages over many days. It cannot be called a "fast read." A gifted writer, Elizabeth Inness-Brown fills her paragraphs with stunning and flavorful detail as she tells the story of Marguerite, "Tante," and her adopted son, James Jack and their life on a remote, frozen island. It is both heartbreaking and liberating, and I highly recommend this book.

From the author of "I'm Living Your Dream Life," McKenna Publishing

Already a master of the short story, Elizabeth Inness-Brown now proves herself to be an exceptional novelist as well. BURNING MARGUERITE is one of those rare books that lives beyond its pages.

The novel begins simply: James finds his elderly "guardian" Marguerite dead in the morning snow. What follows, however, is anything but simple: we learn of the complex relationship between James Jack and his Tante Marguerite, of Marguerite's unconventional and tragic past, of what the future might hold for James. Every detail is related with vibrancy and relevance so the reader is constantly engaged in this touching novel of love and death. The world created here is as full and as real as one can find in 250 pages.

Inness-Brown has an astounding talent for narrative and language. She has a deceptively direct style; the words are ordinary but the images and emotions they convey are extraordinary. Her characters are so expertly drawn that they have a depth and humanity that few novelists achieve, let alone in their debuts.

I highly recommend this book. Although readers of literary fiction will be naturally drawn to this novel, readers of more commercial works should also find much to delight them. This accessible tale has a universality that should appeal to a wide range of readers.

I have little that is critical to say about this book: I bought it with certain purposes in mind (to find a few authentic recipes for certain classic French dishes such as Coq au Vin which I first tasted in Manhattan in New York at a young age) and to find a few new ones for French HOME cooking (and not whatever is 'nouvelle cuisine,at that, about which I have only read, in any case), and it has more than fulfilled them. The recipe for Coq au Vin de Bourgogne (which I have yet to prepare but have read carefully and will be making before long), for example, is not just presented in a cut and dried fashion, but the instructions for what Elizbeth David calls "A typical Burgundian recipe, from the Cloche d'Or in Dijon", are given and then discussed by the author as to ways of proceeding, given the difficulties that she has noted, in practice, in making it. (In the case of this recipe she does not just say in her list of ingredients that is made with red wine, but specifies a sound red Burgundy, Beaujolais, or Macon. Since I had never made it, and had viewed making it with some trepidation, I appreciated the fact that not only has she included an obviously excellent recipe for it, but she has, in the course of her presentation and discussion, persuaded me that, even though I know I can't make it adequately well, perhaps if I pay attention to what she writes in this cookbook, and I just follow the(this) recipe(s), more or less, what results may be food which will be (just, at least?) good enough. Of course I was interested in her recipe for Boeuf à la Bourguiginone (which is something which, as of this time, I have yet to make, but had more than planned on cooking at this time, in that I had prepared it to the point at which it could be stored to be completed later, which became necessary, since I got into a car accident recently, and am still recovering from some trauma, so this wonderful dish has to wait until I am truly fine), which is is worth reading and paying attention to, although of that, I have others which are not to be dismissed either. A further remark or two. This cookbook has so many interesting recipes that I haven't had the time to read all that many of them (nor have I owned it that long). One section, not to be overlooked entirely, is on the preparation of vegetables, and I was grateful to read there not only a recipe or two for the lowly leek without its necessarily being the leek in leek and potato soup, or the same in just leek soup, but, the leek as, yes, a vegetable, in good standing, WITHOUT her calling it "the asparagus of the poor"!! Finally, there is a recipe for Escargots farcis for which I cannot find the 'ingredients' for in my area . The 'ingredients" I am referring to are BOTH the shells and the snails which were sold separately in a local chain supermarket in my neighborhood, years ago, on the upper East side of Manhattan. Unfortunately that supermarket is no longer there. I am glad that the recipe for Escargots is included in David's French Provincial Cooking (the cooking of the various regions and provinces of France, not just Provence, is discussed in her wonderful introduction, followed the recipes from the same), since I hope to find them here at a later date. This cookbook, then, is quite a find for me, and it will continue to be in times to come. To some extent this review is premature because I have not actually made, or even read, all that I would like to of her recipes yet, but it seems to be that time anyway, which means that already this has proved to be a wonderfully helpful cookbook (if , for example, you know how to make mayonnaise but haven't done so for a while, and need help, and even calming, along the way, what she has to say in this cookbook is well worth reading and may even help you with all of that), which I highly recommend.

What I wanted was a book of unfussy French recipes to be done in 15 minutes. What I got was a book with no list of ingredients, no photos, no color, and "a useful dish for those who have to get a dinner ready when they get home from the office" taking 3 hours to cook (Daube de Boeuf Provencale). Obviously, it seemed, I had made the wrong choice.

On further reading, however, what unfolded was something beyond a "cookbook," and ultimately more useful. This is a superb book. French Provincial Cooking should be approached and read as a series of short stories, as well written and evocative as the best literature. The voice is highly personal and opinionated, sometimes sharp and catty, but always true and ultimately sympathetic. It is always entertaining.

And the recipes, it turns out, are less intimidating than at first glance. Most importantly, they work if your aim is to produce the most excellent food imaginable. There is nothing slick here, no L.A. hype or N.Y. blah blah blah, and obviously, they have been tried and perfected; what initially seem to be annoying details (e.g., for omelettes, eggs "should not really be beaten at all, but stirred," whereas for scrambled eggs, they should be "very well beaten") are actually secrets not to be skipped, that elevate a good dish to a superb one. The lesson is that good food should be done simply, but it takes care, attention to detail, and frequently, time.

I find these recipes don't stint on the butter, cream, and wine, making them seem a little frumpy, but every one I've tried has been delicious. Ratatouille, salade Nicoise, terrinee de porc, piperade are all the best I've had. It doesn't get much better than this. Deserts are a model of simplicity and elegance; peaches with sugar and white wine; bananas with sugar, kirsch, and cream; pineapple with kirsch. These ARE easy, and thankfully, E. David had the self-confidence to actually put them down in a book.

French Provincial Cooking is superb in all ways. It's the real thing!

The truly remarkable thing about Elizabeth David was not so much that she could write enthralling and compelling cookbooks ("Mediterranean Food", "French Provincial Cooking", "Italian Cooking"), but that she transformed a glum, drab post-war England by the beauty of her prose and her ability to evoke the sunshine and brilliant colours of the mediterranean. And, further north, the simple beauty of cuisine bourgeoise, home cooking french style.

It was this book that got me started on a lifetime of home cooking. Like all great cookbooks, it can be read and savored without cooking at all. Her ability to evoke time and place is startling -- for example, her recipe for little courgette souffles is wrapped in the story of how she first enjoyed them. Of course, this was in a small country restaurant where the proprietor used his own recipe to make them for her.

She talks vividly about La Mere Poulard and her Mont St. Michel omelettes, for which she offers the original recipe. Roughly translated from the french, it reads: "Monsieur, I get some good eggs, I put them in a bowl and beat vigorously. Then I put them into a pan with good butter and stir constantly. I will be very happy if this recipe gives you pleasure".

I remember, over 30 years ago, the first time I made her recipe for pork chops "to taste like wild boar". They do indeed, and very good they are. Her recipes for classics like Cassoulet, and Bouillabaisse are vivid and provide the cultural context as well as precise directions. Her description of a bouillabaisse on the beach makes you want to catch the next plane there.

She explains the environment of her recipes, their milieu, and their progenitors so that you get right inside the whole theory and practice of french cooking. This is not haute cuisine, though it is not always simple to execute. But her sympathy for the process of cooking and her ability to describe it precisely prefigured writers like Richard Olney and Alice Waters, who owe her, as do we all, a great debt.

In any case, she is directly responsible for the appalling culinary assaults I have perpetrated on family and friends for longer than I care to remember. I still use the book, though most of its pages are now stored directly in my memory.