Calabash Press will be reissuing BENDING THE WILLOW in a new and updated edition in January, 2001. This book is a moving and informative account of the making of the landmark television series and also describes the difficulties of keeping the quality of the series consistent over ten years through management changes (always the bane of film production) and the declining health of star Jeremy Brett.

Television is still considered a 'second class' medium, so this wonderful series has not received the praise it deserves. Not a single one of the filmmakers were ever awarded for their work, an amazing omission. The best episodes of this show are fine films in their own right, and one does not have to be a Sherlock Holmes fan to enjoy them.

BENDING THE WILLOW is well worth adding to any library of film production books and is also of great human interest.

This book gives the reader an unique perspective into Jeremy Brett's talent and genius. His portrayal of the master sleuth is one of the best in the world even though his own nature was the sort to never "cross the street" to meet Sherlock Holmes if he were a real person. Brett's acting abilities are partially displayed to its true immensity in this book. Finally, a book that gives Jeremy Brett the credit he so rightfully deserved and deserves.

The author captures Brett as few Sherlockians (people who study the Holmes stories) knew him. His brilliant early performances contrast his later portrayals as his manic depression (and the mis-prescribed medications destroys his body) takes over his mind. The book covers every aspect of Brett as Sherlock Holmes but does not delve into his earlier life or roles. A MUST HAVE for all Sherlockians everywhere, I re-read it often. Photos provide a record of the struggle Jeremy had with his weight, depression and the dangerous drugs used to manage his mental state. More like Holmes than he probably realized in the beginning, the two men became intertwined forever. I HIGHLY recommend this book.

The Sight is about a wolf pack in the land of Transylvania. The Drappa (Alpha Female)and the Dragga (Alpha Male) and their pack are called the Lera. The lera means Wild Animal. The Drappa has pups. Two die. Morgra, a power-thirsty she-wolf is the half-sister to the Drappa. Morgra will stop at nothing to posses the legend known as the Sight. The Sight gives the wolf who posses it the power to look in the past, future, through the Lera. (The birds) It also has a powerful ability, to control others minds. Morgra and the Wolf Pack goes against the other. Before Morgra disappears, only to return again, she puts a curse on the pack. One by one, the pack is taken down by the makers of life. Known as the five elements of nature, Earth, Wind, Water, Ice, and Fire. The enemy of the wolves are also involved in this story, Men. The Wolf-Devil, Wolfbane, also test the pack's faith in each other. The book ends in a explosive way. You'll have to get the book and see what happens next. This book is not recommened for youngesters. Ages 12 and up. I really enjoyed "The Spirit". I was practically hooked on this book the second I started it. I recommend that you have to read this book if you like fantasy and wolf packs.

This book is great!
The sight is a power to look through birds eyes and to look into the water and see past, present, and furture, even to heal the mind.I wouldn't call the book nice through the story because there is a lot of dying and killing in it but that's what makes the book good. Its a story about a wolf pack and the alpha female(Drappa) gives birth to cubs.(4 but 2 die)Her evil sister Morgra(who has the sight) knows one of her cubs have even a more powerful sight and needs to get to her(Larka the cub with the sight) but the loving family will do anything to pertect Larka. I would get this book if you are reading this review right now. I will tell you it did make me cry a few times (im sensitive though:'() Hope this was helpful to you! ...

If you haven't read 'The Sight' yet, I don't know why you aren't reading it right now! It is the best book I ever layed eyes on and I'm only half way through it! It is all about a wolf pack on a journey of survival, you see, the Dragga and Drappa (pack leaders) have cubs and one is a white wolf called Larka and she has the sight. The sight is a wolf ledgend that allows you to see through birds eyes, see far off realities in the water and even controll others' minds! When Morgra (an evil she-wolf) puts a curse on the pack, they all start dying and the pack fears it is because of the curse, and the sight! They run away and all get separated and Larka leaves the pack because she thinks if she is not with them, the curse cannot harm them! Then, Larka finds this human child, (which is all part of the ledgend)and that's all I've read so far! He he he... just look at the other reviews to find out more! It is really good and I couldn't put it down! Ok, bye, I'm off to read The Sight!

The Herla (deer) live a simple and traditional life in ancient Scotia. That is until Drail, with his evil right hand man Sgorr (who is literarily the brains behind the operation) strip the Herla of all the traditions they have. They get rid of Anlach, the competition that finds out who will be the leader of the Herla each year, and then brutally murder all the Outriders, including captain Brechin. On that very night Brechin's mate, Eloin has a young male fawn named Rannoch. But even Rannoch's first night his life is filled with tragedy when they discover that he was meant to fulfill an ancient prophesy. To prevent him from being murdered, Rannoch much become a changeling. And as he grows he faces challenge after challenge, surviving only with the help of friends. But what will happen when he's forced to make his final stand by himself. Read this book to fund out.

Once I saw that the author of the amazing Watership Down had recommended this book, I knew I had to buy it. I've always been a fan of animal fantasy and this one is one of the best I've ever read. Rannoch's story is moving and exciting, there's rarely a dull moment in this book. The characters almost have human-like quality while staying true to the way of the deer. I'm defiantly going to pick up the second novel by this fine author, The Sight. I recommend this book to fans of animal fantasy, or just animal lovers in general.

Have you ever wondered about what it's like to be a deer? Well in Fire Bringer you find out that being a deer is not so easy. "In a dark and troubled time, a prophecy is about to come true..." This is a book about the life of a young deer named Rannoch. He is born with a fawn mark shaped as an oak leaf, which can only mean the prophecy... Are the gods awakened? Now evil forces of deer are gathering for war and there can't be any good ahead.
Fire Bringer is a story of war, friendship, survival, and a young deer's adventure to escape death. During the whole book, I could not wait to flip to the last page and find out the mystery behind all the war, Sgorr's terrible secret, and especially the forbidden prophecy. This is a book of suspense and action.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes action and personification. Fire Bringer is the kind of book you will read under the covers late at night and you won't be able put it down. Fire Bringer is the best book that I've ever read, and the most suspenseful book too. It has touched me deep inside, and will definitely do the same for others.

There is a prophecy amongst the Red Deer - one that speaks of a deer who will be born with the mark of an oak leaf, and who will do wondrous things for his people. In the time of Drail this prophecy has become even more important for the deer - as Drail is cruel and changes the way of life for the entire herd. On the night of his fathers death a fawn is born who wears the mark of the prophecy. Rannoch will be on the run for most of his life - but he has a prophecy to fulfill and one day he must return to his people to take what is wrong and make it right.

This book just blew me away. This book is one of the few books that reaches out to teenagers and adults alike and blows their minds. I read this book in one day because I could not bear the thought of having to put it down and leave the characters behind. It is both a well written book and a powerful story - both elements combine to make this one of the best fantasy novels that I have read in the past six months. I would easily compare this book to some of those by Mercedes Lackey or Tamora Pierce.

This story has it all - a hero who is totally "human" and who has no idea of the great future that awaits him, a prophecy of a saviour from an oppressive ruler, villains that make you want to take them down, and good guys that you cheer for. This is a novel on a grand scale that will not soon be forgotten.

I HAVE JUST FINISHED READING THE NARRATIVE OF DAVID CROCKETT FOR AN AMERICAN HISTORY CLASS AND HAVE TO DO A SHORT THREE PAGE PAPER ON THE BOOK. I WAS HOPING TO GET SOME IDEAS ON THE INTERNET TO HELP OUT WITH THE PAPER, AND SAW THIS LINK. THE BOOK WAS GREAT, EASY READING, AND INTERESTING TO THE READER, MYSELF. HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED IT AS WELL AS I DID!

It is a great book, a real whopper. And I'll be skinned alive and burned by an injun if it aint one of the moost enthralling books I've read. Colonel Crockett didn't have the greatest spelling, or punctuation, but it was a great book. In the 1830's, Edgar Allan Poe wrote a review of the book, criticizing its grammar, but what he forgot to say was how it was exciting, and easy to read. At the time, it was the bestselling book in the nation.

Flatland is Edwin A. Abbott's depiction of A. Square's (the story's narrator) odyssey though the spaces of many dimensions. It was written in Victorian England and is a very stylized piece. The book is divided into two parts. In Part I of the book Abbott describes Flatland and particularly its social structure in a satirical nature (akin to Animal Farm). Part II of the book is where the more mathematical and geometrical concepts are expounded upon. This section of the book is also written in the spirit of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. A. Square (analogous to Alice) ventures back and forth through Pointland (no dimensions), Lineland (one dimension), Flatland (two dimensions), and Spaceland (three dimensions). A. Square even eventually speculates the appearance of the inhabitants of a land composed of four dimensions! Flatland will appeal to both mathematicians and lay people alike. If you are curious about dimensionality and the world in which we live, and would like to see it presented in a playful and charismatic manner, then Flatland is the book for you. Although initially taken at face value, Flatland is very deep and fully of many hidden mathematical and satirical jokes waiting to be discovered by its readers (again similar to Alice in Wonderland). Furthermore, Abbott's style tends to be very wordy. To that end, his sentences are jammed packed with ideas. These final two aspects of the book may deem a reread useful. Nonetheless, Abbott blesses us with phrases such as "dimensionable Dimensionality," "Thoughtland," "Spacious Space," and perfect perfection." Brilliant! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Flatland and Sphereland are very well written books, but for entirely different reasons. Flatland is a fun story that takes you into the 2nd (and 1st, and 0th) dimensions to see what life is like there with its final goal to make you speculate on what the fourth dimension would be like. Flatland, the first book, excels at making you grasp the concepts and has a very good story to go along with it. The story seems to be the main focus, rather than the other aspects.

Sphereland is entirely the opposite. Sphereland deals with ideas such as the expanding universe theory others. This it explains even clearer then flatland did. But Sphereland's focus was not on the story, but rather on the theories that it tried to convey. This may be a good thing in some people's minds, but I enjoyed the story of flatland and didn't like it pushed aside to explain the theories. I also didn't like the fixing of flatland to make it less backwards (Besides giving equality to women) since flatland to me was backwards.

So If you want to learn complex Ideas simply and with fun, these are the books for you.

From the square character's world of two dimensions in Flatland to the Sphere's three dimensional Spaceland, one comes to recognize the role of dimensions in geometry and in thinking in Abbott's Flatland. Both a mathematical essay and a satire the book challenges readers to discover dimensions for themselves in an unusual story. Beyond the story of the square lawyer protagonist and his adventure with the Sphere is the satire on Abbott's English society. Women are depicted as lines with the power to destroy men with there sharp, pointed ends. They are forced to remain in a constant waving motion as a courtesy to men in order to remain visible. An interesting predicament surfaces when coloring becomes a popular practice in identification. Women from certain viewpoints appear the same color as priests, much to the priests' chagrin. In sum, the women appear to have an inferior role to the multi-sided men as women faced inequality in late 19th century society. Secondly, the shapes themselves present a hierarchy of society. From the irregular figures to the noble Circles, each shape has its own ranking and occupations. Moreover, each shape is subdivided into figures that have a higher status in the Flatland world. For example, the equilateral triangle is seen as superior to any of the other isosceles triangle with top angles of less than sixty. These shapes have little hope of progressing; hope lies in their offspring which may possess a more respected number of equal sides. This can be seen as an analogy to the lower classes struggle to achieve success in the society dominated by the wealthy or aristocratic. While the story of Flatland may be a mockery of Victorian England, its heart is its mathematical meaning. It serves as an interesting and understandable window into the subject of dimensions. From Lineland, which knows no left or right directions, to the abstract Fourth Dimension, where it is possible to look inside a solid object, readers are introduced to new ways of thinking not usually encountered in math class. Most importantly, the text of the book is not beyond the scope of someone with a casual interest in the topic. Anyone can appreciate the search for the meanings of dimension and truth in easy to comprehend analogies presented by the author. Another math topic addressed is the discovery of new ideas themselves. Abbott shows that math is a field where anyone with an interest has a chance to succeed just as the main character stumbles upon the meaning of dimensions from thoughts from his grandson. He pursues his hypothesis on the dimensions of Spaceland as well as develops the ideas for the Fourth Dimension on his own. Although he is imprisoned for his thoughts and attempts to teach others, the square keeps his theories, not letting the views of society interfere with his work. It is interesting that he faces this fate when trying to educate the public about the truth of their world and beyond. On the whole, Flatland is more than just a short book with intriguing mathematical ideas. It is an opening experience to the search from the truth behind the world through the subject of dimensions. While mocking the English , the book also introduces readers an odd world of shapes and figures. Lastly, math is encouraged even though it may go against the grain of society. Any book that introduces readers to a new way of thinking is worth reading.

Three stars for the story itself: Interesting premise, especially since I live in the local area. Characters are, at best, OK. I found writing style frustrating - too many seemingly inconsequential details scattered throuhout. (Did I need to know what each character eats at each meal discussed? Maybe this was supposed to help with characterization, but this was lost on me.) ZERO stars for the production: Most annoying is the complete absence of proofreading: BLATANT typographical errors appear on nearly every page. Sorely lacking continuity: at one point a vehicle is first a Ford Blazer, then a Ford Bronco, then back to a Blazer - all on the same page! 2 stars is probably being generous, all things considered.

Laguna Treasure is a good story. Gripping and with a lot happening. I live in the area that was used as the location. The author did a good job. The detail descriptions are great. The characters are NOT one dimentional like another reviewer stated. I found myself rooting for the main characters and couldn't put it down. The publisher could have done a better job of editing, but the story, characters, plot,descriptions etc. are worth taking the time to get involved. The author provides a lot of detail, including some meals, thus giving us some insight into the characters. I'd give it five stars for story, characters and plot and three stars for editing. My overall rating then is 4+ stars.

I've read the other two technical books by the author. They were great. Now he's ventuired into fiction with a female lead. I read a review copy. I couldn't put it down. Fact action, mystery, feelings and vivid descriptions that paint the settings but don't get in the way. I fell in Love with Virginia Davies and her boyfriend Dr. Andy Clark. What a pair. Good mix of fact and fiction. I hope he writes more of these.

I too would have appreciated a glossary. Also illustrations would have been very helpful along with the explainations and descriptions of the various instruments used to attempt to detect gravity.

This book would have greatly benifited from the inclusion of a glossary. Any work covering a subject this complex needs definitions set out and collected together. The publisher's given web site was unavailable.

To the publisher I would appreciate it if the publisher could produce an audio adaptation of this book. I would love to listen to this while I drive to work and to let my 16 month old son listen to it as a bedtime story. Arnold D Veness

I am involved in the SETI@Home project, where idle computer time is used to process data from radio telescopes. That processing is a search for structured signals that could be a message from extraterrestrial civilizations and my children have seen the images on my computer screens and have asked questions about it. While I have explained most of the theories about extraterrestrial intelligence, I also went to our community library looking for a book for them to read. This is the one I found.
The level of writing is just right for children whose age is in the early double figures and the coverage is surprisingly thorough for 32 pages. Images drawn from many areas are used to reinforce the text, and they are appropriate and effective. My only objection to the material is the section called "The UFO Mystery." Not because there is any support for the theory that they are piloted, but because there is no coverage of the serious difficulties interstellar travel presents. One additional paragraph regarding the enormous distances and power requirements of moving from one star to another would have been appropriate.
I generally liked this book and my children learned a great deal from it. I recommend it for anyone who wants to learn the basics of what the search for extraterrestrial life involves.

This book has a few nice pictures, but gives a very limited background on the breed. It feels like a general dog book which has probably been copied to every breed so that they could increase sales. I didn't get the impression that the author really knew much about the breed. Some of her comments about types of appropriate exercise, living conditions, etc. were contradictory to what I've heard from breeders and others in the know. Basically, don't bother with this one...