Palmer's third book in this "series" continues to capture Victorian England; he is able to evoke the landscape and atmosphere of the time, of the place, and of the characters. Most don't. Aside from Anne Perry and Michael Crichton's "Great Train Robbery," I have not read such convincing Victoriana and the accompanying hypocrisy. Palmer is able to sustain the reader's interest throughout, particularly with his use of other "real" characters such as Florence Nightingale. He is able to make Dickens quite the human character!

This is another great book by this team of authors who really know how to present information in a lively, easy to read format, with wonderful illustrations! Book features new crafts revolving around themes from the books and the period, time lines of events happening in the world during Laura's time, information about the real life stories of the Ingalls and Wilder families. An enjoyable book for child or adult readers with lots of projects that can be done together. If you have not read the other Collins / Eriksson books, I highly recommend searching though Amazon for the others, they are all fantastic!

Interesting, very intersting. If you have ever wondered what made J.R.R. Tolkien write his epic master piece, or are curious about what he was like growing up, this book is a must fo you. Of course being a biography it can be a bit dull at times, but so what that how life is boy! This book afirmed that the respect and admiration I have for J.R.R. Tolkein was not just me blowing his importance out of proportion, for he truly always has, and always will be, a master of fantasy!

I'm sure the book is just as good! The movie is witty, charming, and has the most handsome men! The movie belongs on the "keeper" shelf for years to come!

Mr. Shaman's work in this area is completely awe-inspiring. His research is impeccable and his writing is lucid. A remarkable achievement.

The is a great book for a step by step guide on how to conduct inmate disciplinary hearings. It provides the reader with the tools to conduct inmate discipline correctly, ensuring that the inmates "due process" rights are not violated. A must read guide for correctional administrators and those they supervise.

I enjoyed this book as it reveals the stories behind the stars. It is suprisingly inspirational. This wonderful book prompted me to read Barbara Barrie's equally wonderful book, Second Act about her bout with colon cancer. Both Books givew great insight into life. Fame, beauty and Stardom matters not. One does not feel alone after reading these two wonderful books. One never knows what waits.

This is a nice companion book to the Little House series. The book is filled with diagrams of what the houses that Laura and her family lived in may have looked like, simple activities suitable for children, recipes for foods that are described in the Little House books, and other background information about the books and Laura's life. Each chapter revolves around one of the nine books in the Little House series and the book contains an introduction about Laura Ingalls Wilder. The back of the book contains a time line of different world events that were going on during Laura's lifetime. This is a nice book to read after you have read the Little House series.

This charming book is a must for Little House addicts. The partial family tree is interesting (though did Grandpa Ingalls really give two of his children the same first name? That struck me as odd). The book contains lots of recipes and activities, and a nice summary of the Ingall's family travels.
A few minor caveats, however:
Except for a brief introduction and the timeline at the end, the book follows the LH books, NOT Laura's actual life. So it isn't all factually accurate.
WHile a few of the "Little Houses" still exist, most are long gone. So the author's floor plans are imaginary, and they don't always follow the descriptions in the books. (For example, when Pa added the bedrooms onto the claim shanty at the beginning of "Little Town on the Prairie", Laura describes it as "building the other half of the house," meaning, to my mind, that the rooms should have been side by side; the same size as the original shanty room. THe author here shows them as being one behind the other, and taking up only half the legnth of the shanty.)
The recipes, while interesting, seem less historically accurate than the ones in the "Little House Cookbook." (Almanzo's "Long Winter" pancakes probably wouldn't have had eggs in them.)
And there are a few other minor factual errors, both in relation to Laura's real life and to her life as portrayed in the books.

Still a very worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in the book series.

The World of Little House is an excellent book about the history of the "Pioneer Girl", Laura Ingalls Wilder. Deborah Maze and Garth Williams did a wonderful job of illustrating the book with beautiful pictures. This book includes "How to Make Projects" such as Laura and Mary's Nine-Patch Quilt Squares along with "How to Make Recipes" such as Molasses-on-Snow Candy. Besides telling about Laura's life, the book includes interesting topics of what it was like to live in the 1860's through the 1940's. Such topics include information on general stores, prairie schools, covered wagons, medicine and housekeeping on the prairie. If you like Laura Ingalls Wilder, you must buy this book. It will be money well spent!

Engrossing, densely textured read.
Could claim greatness on the basis of the Wragges and Madame alone, but also contains one of the most original heroines in Victorian fiction,and draws a fascinating portrait of venality, social corruption and hypocrisy -- at times, it reminded me of both 'Pere Goriot' and 'Les Miserables'.
And it's full of those little concrete details that make nineteenth century fiction so deliciously materialistic. Don't miss out on the Oriental Cashmere Robe!

This is the best-plotted book I have ever read. The intricacies of the ingenious cat-and-mouse game kept me unable to put the book down (despite its length, and my general impatience as a slow reader). Unlike other books I've read by Collins, this one is also extremely funny, largely because of one character who is an incredible rascal and scoundrel. This is really one of the most enjoyable novels I've ever found.

It is to Wilkie Collins' credit that more than a century after he wrote his novels, they still engage the reader and make sense in social terms. In "No Name," two sisters by the last name of Vanstone find out that they are illegitimate. Their formerly comfortable lives are disrupted to the core as their lose their places in society, their friends, their inheritances, and even, literally, their names. Collins makes their predicament alive and vital despite the fact that today this sort of news would barely stir a social ripple.

Laura Fairly is the innocent, the young, sheltered, Victorian maiden who abides by her departed father's wishes. On his deathbed, he bids her to marry Sir Percival Glyde. Enter villainy. The grasping, frightened, short-tempered Sir Percival insists on a speedy wedding. He handily dispatches any obstacles thrown up in his path; he is damned and determined to wed Laura--and her fortune. But Laura has a sister, Marian, a strong-willed, independent, fiercely loyal sister who at first champions the marriage and then recoils once she realizes the true nature of Sir Percival. The man is a monster. And Marian will do anything to protect her sister. Heroism, and then some. There is also another, a drawing master named Walter Hartright, commissioned to teach Laura and Marian the fine art of watercolors. He falls in love with Laura, and she with him--before her marriage to Sir Percival. The drama should be obvious.

But what of the title? Who is the Woman in White? Her chance meeting with Walter Hartright on the road to London provides the catalyst upon which the entire narrative turns. She is at once and both the key and the puzzle. She is a victim. She is a harbinger. She scares Sir Percival out of his wits.

This book offers vivid portrayals of Victorian England, its mannerisms, its wardrobe, its inhibitions, its attitude. This book eerily reflects our own time, our own angst, in the 21st century. Once you read it, you'll know what I mean. Deception has no age.

P.S. Whatever you do, don't turn your back on Count Fosco!

Laura Fairly is the innocent, the young, sheltered, Victorian maiden who abides by her departed father's wishes. On his deathbed, he bids her to marry Sir Percival Glyde. Enter villainy. The grasping, frightened, short-tempered Sir Percival insists on a speedy wedding. He handily dispatches any obstacles thrown up in his path; he is damned and determined to wed Laura--and her fortune. But Laura has a sister, Marian, a strong-willed, independent, fiercely loyal sister who at first champions the marriage and then recoils once she realizes the true nature of Sir Percival. The man is a monster. And Marian will do anything to protect her sister. Heroism, and then some. There is also another, a drawing master named Walter Hartright, commissioned to teach Laura and Marian the fine art of watercolors. He falls in love with Laura, and she with him--before her marriage to Sir Percival. The drama should be obvious.

But what of the title? Who is the Woman in White? Her chance meeting with Walter Hartright on the road to London provides the catalyst upon which the entire narrative turns. She is at once and both the key and the puzzle. She is a victim. She is a harbinger. She scares Sir Percival out of his wits.

This book offers vivid portrayals of Victorian England, its mannerisms, its wardrobe, its inhibitions, its attitude. This book eerily reflects our own time, our own angst, in the 21st century. Once you read it, you'll know what I mean. Deception has no age.

P.S. Whatever you do, don't turn your back on Count Fosco!

Laura Fairly is the innocent, the young, sheltered, Victorian maiden who abides by her departed father's wishes. On his deathbed, he bids her to marry Sir Percival Glyde. Enter villainy. The grasping, frightened, short-tempered Sir Percival insists on a speedy wedding. He handily dispatches any obstacles thrown up in his path; he is damned and determined to wed Laura--and her fortune. But Laura has a sister, Marian, a strong-willed, independent, fiercely loyal sister who at first champions the marriage and then recoils once she realizes the true nature of Sir Percival. The man is a monster. And Marian will do anything to protect her sister. Heroism, and then some. There is also another, a drawing master named Walter Hartright, commissioned to teach Laura and Marian the fine art of watercolors. He falls in love with Laura, and she with him--before her marriage to Sir Percival. The drama should be obvious.

But what of the title? Who is the Woman in White? Her chance meeting with Walter Hartright on the road to London provides the catalyst upon which the entire narrative turns. She is at once and both the key and the puzzle. She is a victim. She is a harbinger. She scares Sir Percival out of his wits.

This book offers vivid portrayals of Victorian England, its mannerisms, its wardrobe, its inhibitions, its attitude. This book eerily reflects our own time, our own angst, in the 21st century. Once you read it, you'll know what I mean. Deception has no age.

P.S. Whatever you do, don't turn your back on Count Fosco!