"Ion" is one of many plays by Euripides in which he tried to show his Athenian audience what the gods were liked when judged by ordinary human standards. In this play, Apollo, the god of truth, brutally rapes a helpless young girl, Creusa, and then abandons her. Creusa has a son, whom she abandons in a cave; when she goes back to find the child, he is gone. Years later she marries Xuthus, a solider of fortune who becomes king of Athens. At the start of the play Xuthus and Creusa are childless and go to Delphi for aid. There they are told that Ion, a young temple servant who has been raised from infancy, is the son of Xuthus. Creusa, outraged that Apollo let their own son die but preserved the life of a child begotten by Xuthus on some Delphian woman, tries to have Ion killed. Of course, in reality, Ion is her own child, abandoned in that cave. Condemned to death by the Delphians, Creusa escapes Ion's vengeance by taking refuge at Apollo's altar. There the priestess presents the tokens that allow Creusa to recognize Ion as her own son. Telling him the truth about his father, Ion tries to enter the temple to demand of Apollo the truth.

There is debate over how much "Ion" reflects the noted skepticism of Euripides. After all, we can certainly believe that Creusa was raped by a human and that he child died in that cave and that the priestess who bore Ion was simply setting up a convenient fiction that would make her son the prince of Athens. However, I have always taken "Ion" as being one of the best examples of Euripides's cynical view of the gods the Greeks were supposed to be worshipping. Athena forestalls a confrontation between Ion and Apollo, but this particular example of deus ex machina certainly rings hollow. After all, Delphi is Apollo's holy place and if Athena's words are true, he should be there to reveal the truth to his son instead.

Being both a musician and a fan of the "Little House" books, I saw this at the Laura Ingalls Wilder house in Mansfield, MO, in 1977, and simply had to have it (thanks, Mom and Dad!). Each song features a brief (2-3 sentences) background on the composer, as well as the context of its literary appearance in the series. The songbook is a wonderful supplement to the series, and NO, my copy is not for sale! :)

This book is absolutely an A+. Of all of the required texts I have purchased this year, this one is by far the best. It is very well written. The information is detailed enough without overwhelming a third year student. The book provided short and manageable chapters that could be read and digested quickly. The questions at the end were a life-saver come test time.

These books are the most commonly referred books for operative neurosurgery in my office. It covers most of the commonly performed operations. Experts in the field describe the details and tricks in how to make an neurosurgical operation successful and complication free. They are particularly useful for young neurosurgeons as practical references. On the other hand, they are also useful for experienced neurosurgeons who want incorporate others experience and advices to build up their own techniques.

The Rum Rebellion on Australia Day, 1808 was the outcome of the head-on collision between two of the most determined personalities in Australian history. One was Captain William Bligh R.N., Governor of the Penal Colony of New South Wales: the other was John Macarthur, at one time an officer in the infamous New South Wales Corps, and later a very wealthy and influential merchant and pastoralist.

That the penal colony was established on 26 January, 1788 was a direct result of the American War of Independence, for it would thereafter not be possible for people sentenced to penal servitude in Britain to be sent into exile in the Colonies of New England.

The beginnings of the first European settlement in Australia were therefore altogether inauspicious. Those who arrived in the First Fleet were either convicted felons or the soldiers of the New South Wales Corps who were to be their jailers. The King of England and his government were represented in the Colony by the Governor, Captain Arthur Phillip, R.N..

In the absence of any free settlers and in particular of anything resembling a merchant class, the officers of the Corps were able to control the distribution of all kinds of commodities, including food, that were brought into the colony.

Of particular historical importnce among those commodities was rum: rum which was so generally sought after in the colony that the Corps officers, by their illegal trafficking, were able to establish it as a de facto currency.In rum, wages were paid, other goods were bought and sold and contractual obligations discharged.

No one profited from this ruinous commerce more than John Macarthur who, by virtue of his dominant personality, became the acknowledged leader and spokesman of the officers as well as others, including some emancipated convicts, engaged in the rum trade.

It was only natural then that, when Governor William Bligh arrived in the colony in August, 1806 under instructions to pursue a policy favourable to the small farmers of the Hawkesbury Valley and unfavourable to the interests of the rum traffickers in Sydney, these latter should look to Macarthur to lead their challenge against the Governor and lawful authority.

In large part the conflict between the rum traffickers and the proper authority of the governor manifested itself in a series of legal actions brought by Macarthur against anyone who seemed to threaten his previously unfettered monopoly, and found expression in formal reports by the Governor to the Colonial Office in London as well as in less formal despatches from Macarthur to influential members of the English aristocracy whom he considered likely to support his cause.

The crisis came on 26 January, 1808, exactly twenty years after the establishment of the settlement in Sydney Cove. On that day, the officers of the Corps led their soldiers - most of them emboldened be liberal quantities of rum - in a march upon the Governor's residence. It was, as Evatt wrote "... an organised attack, not only in military array, but by officers and soldiers with loaded guns, fixed bayonets and all the panoply of war."

Governor Bligh was arrested and supplanted in executive control of the colony by a junta of military officers and John Macarthur.

It is one of the more bitter ironies of Australian history that this treasonous outrage occurred on the very day upon which, every year since Federation in 1901, Australians celebrate their nationhood.

Bligh has been much maligned by popular history both in Australia and elsewhere, and Evatt's book did much to set the record straight. It brought to bear upon the events and relationships narrated the objectivity of analysis and the fair-mindedness one would hope should characterise an author of such eminence. Dr. Evatt has, in addition, performed the estimable service of making otherwise cloudy legal vistas clear and accessible to any interested lay reader.

A distinguished jurist, Dr. Evatt was, at various times, a Justice of the High Court of Australia, Attorney-General and Foreign Minister and, in 1948-49, the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation.

We order a used version of this book and are amazed by how good of condition it came in and all! It was great and a personal note was included in the box which made it all the better!

This book, first published in 1921 in Britain and New Zealand, and now reissued in the United States with a generous and enthusiastic introduction by William Cronon, is certainly one of the strangest and at first sight most unpromising works of environmental history ever written. The book is basically an extraordinarily detailed account of the environmental history of a single sheep "station" (sheepfarm) on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand written by the lessee of the property, Herbert Guthrie-Smith. He describes in great detail the environmental transformations that he himself brought about as he cleared the forest cover from the steep hills, grassed the slopes and stocked the property with sheep. In many ways Guthrie-Smith regretted what he had to do in order to make a living.The book describes everything: clearing the land, changes in birdlife, the local geology and archaeology, the spread of noxious weeds, accelerated erosion, the complexities of exporting wool, etc etc. Guthrie-Smith was from Scotland and the book is written in an old-fashioned heavily literary style, but it is well worth persisting with. One of the most interesting aspects of the book is Guthrie-Smith's descriptions of his Maori landlords, from whom he leased his farm but who were a lot poorer than he was. One can see from his pages how the present day sheepfarming landscape of the North Island was created, and at what cost: a true classic, but for serious environmental historians only.

First off, I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed Part I and absolutely adored Henry V. Having said that, I found Part II to be enjoyable, yet perhaps leaving something to be desired - like more action. Falstaff and Prince Hal both come off as somewhat disingenuous and calculating Machiavellian individuals. Disappointingly, Falstaff speaks poorly of Prince Hal while unwittingly in his midst. Conversely, The Prince of Wales prematurely takes the crown before his King Henry IV's death as well as disassociating himself with Falstaff after he is crowned King. These instances, along with others throughout the play, show the self-serving tendencies of both characters.

However, we can proudly witness the maturation of the young King from wild & dissolute young Prince Hal into one of the most revered monarchs in English history, King Henry V. Part II remains an intriguing play due to its paradoxical nature, yet unfortunately rarely acted out today. Now that I have read Henry IV(I&II) for the first time, I gladly move on to one of my personal favorites, Henry V. I recommend both parts(Folger editions) for all Shakespeare enthusiasts - they have given me greater insight into the young Henry V - when he was more concerned with downing a pint of ale rather than downing the French at Agincourt.

2 Magnificent Quotes from Henry IV Part II -
"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." - King Henry IV
"He hath eaten me out of house and home." - Mistress Quickly

This is the play where Henry IV squashes the Percy rebellion but himself becomes ill and dies. So, Price Hal becomes King Henry V and this leads to the next play of that name.

The wonderful Falstaff is also on glorious display. This is also the play with the famous tavern scene (Act II, Scene IV) that can be read endlessly with new enjoyment.

Everyone has his or her own take on Falstaff and his treatment at the hands of Henry V, but I dislike it even though I understand it. Prince Hal and his transformation into Henry V is not someone I admire a lot. Nor is Falstaff's manner of living, but his wit is so sharp and his intelligence so vast that it is easy to still delight in him.

But, you certainly don't need me to tell you anything about Shakespeare. Like millions of other folks, I am in love with the writing. However, as all of us who read Shakespeare know, it isn't a simple issue. Most of us need help in understanding the text. There are many plays on words, many words no longer current in English and, besides, Shakespeare's vocabulary is richer than almost everyone else's who ever lived. There is also the issue of historical context, and the variations of text since the plays were never published in their author's lifetime.

For those of us who need that help and want to dig a bit deeper, the Arden editions of Shakespeare are just wonderful.

-Before the text of the play we get very readable and helpful essays discussing the sources and themes and other important issues about the play.

-In the text of the play we get as authoritative a text as exists with helpful notes about textual variations in other sources. We also get many many footnotes explaining unusual words or word plays or thematic points that would likely not be known by us reading in the 21st century.

-After the text we get excerpts from likely source materials used by Shakespeare and more background material to help us enrich our understanding and enjoyment of the play.

However, these extras are only available in the individual editions. If you buy the "Complete Plays" you get text and notes, but not the before and after material which add so much! Plus, the individual editions are easier to read from and handier to carry around.

henry iv is misnamed since the play isn't really about king henry but about his son, prince hal, and his enemies, especially henry percy (aka 'hotspur') who is a rival to hal. hotspur is one of the leaders of the rebellion against the king and, at a tender age, is already an accomplished soldier. his story provides the drama of the play. hal, on the other hand, has fallen out of favor with the king, and is whiling away his days in the company of dissolute company, led by sir john falstaff, one of shakespeare's great characters. his adventures with sir john provide the comic relief. fortunately for the king, hal sheds his prodigal ways in time to save his father and his crown in the battle at shrewsbury, where, coincidentally, hal meets and slays his rival, hotspur.

this is one of shakespeare's best plays. the story of the rebellion is intriguing, and the adventures of hal and falstaff are laugh-out-loud hilarious. the culmination of the two stories in the final battle scene is wonderful. this is a fitting sequel to richard ii.

note that there are some historical inaccuracies and even outright inventions in this play. foremost is the character of falstaff who is pure invention (and genius). the story of hal's adventures stems from his reputation, enhanced by legend, as a playboy. falstaff was the perfect foil for a carousing prince. the biggest inaccuracy is hotspur's age. he was actually of the generation of henry iv, and not as young as he's depicted in the play. shakespeare made him younger to enhance, maybe even create, the rivalry with hal. there are other inaccuracies here, but better for the reader to consult 'shakespeare's kings', an excellent book by saccio that explains the history of the period and the discrepancies in the play.

This is a beautifully and lavishly illustrated, textually rich book. Its heavy, glossy pages demand the reader's undivided attention and are sure to enthrall all mystery lovers, Everest aficionados, nostalgia junkies, history buffs, and climbing enthusiasts. This book is sure to provide the reader with many hours of enjoyment.

The book chronicles the search for George Mallory and Andrew Irvine by the 1999 Mallory & Irvine Research Expedition. It juxtaposes the dramatic turn of events during their expedition with those of the 1924 British Everest Expedition which saw Mallory and Irvine attempt a summit climb, only to disappear into the mists of Everest, never to be seen again. It makes for a spell binding narrative, as past events are woven through present day ones.

The 1999 Mallory & Irvine Research Expedition was a meticulously well prepared and well organized venture. With its discovery of George Leigh Mallory's body, it enjoyed much success. The research and analysis that went into its ultimate, well thought out conclusions were comprehensive and fascinating, with its strong reliance upon forensics and deductive reasoning. Their reconstruction of Mallory's and Irvine's last climb is riveting. Unfortunately, the ultimate question still remains unanswered. Did they or did they not reach the summit of Mount Everest back in 1924?

The beautiful photographs of the personal effects found upon Mallory's person underscore a certain poignancy about the discovery of Mallory's well preserved body. The photographs which memorialize this discovery are amazingly lovely and tasteful, considering its subject matter, and hauntingly illustrate the finality with which Everest may deal with mountaineers, no matter how accomplished.

The photographs also highlight how ill equipped for the harsh climatic conditions were the early Everest expeditions. It is amazing, and a credit to those early expeditioners' courage and fortitude, in braving such an inhospitable and harsh terrain with the inadequate clothing and equipment available to them at the time. Mallory and Irvine were certainly intrepid explorers!

This book is a fitting tribute to two men who sought to make a historic summit and, in their attempt, would forever be a part of Everest.

This is a collaborative effort of the men who put together an expedition to Everest in 1999 for the purpose of obtaining more evidence on whether or not George Mallory and Sandy Irvine reached the summit of Everest in 1924 before they both mysteriously perished.

This is a beautifully produced book. The paper is heavy and glossy, the photographs are fantastic and the makeup is flawless.

The content I would have to say is uneven. The electrifying discovery of Mallory's body is well written and in good taste. The trials and tribulations of getting financial support are well done. The duplicity of the good and gray BBC is an eye-opener. No punches are pulled about the various expedition team's strengths and weaknesses. However, it shows the faults of a book written by committee and the continuity is sometimes poor. I felt the pages and pages devoted to oxygen tanks were, to put it kindly, far too many.

The 1999 expedition uncovered a treasure lode of documents and artifacts about Mallory and Irvine's last day on earth and can be considered a total success. The big question: Did Mallory and Irvine summit Mr. Everest some 29 years before Sir Edmund Hillary? Maybe. To this reader the most compelling evidence was what was not found on Mr. Mallory's body: the picture of his wife that he always carried in his billfold. He had said he was going to leave her picture on the summit of Everest. Maybe he did.

The authors of Ghosts of Everest manage to gracefully pull off the telling of two fascinating stories at the same time: one about the historic 1924 expedition of Mallory and Irvine, and the other about the authors' own expedition in 1999 to search for clues and pay homage to the 1924 climbers. The two stories work wonderfully together and are set within the context of interesting and appropriate photos and poignant quotes from Mallory himself. The whole work flows flawlessly and is not only a "must read" for Everest afficionados, but also for the broader reading public sharing admiration and interest in the human spirit of adventure. The spirit of risk and adventure and human grit demonstrated within this book is truly compelling. Of special note also is the tasteful way in which the authors present a few photos of the body of Mallory as found on Everest 75 years after his disappearance. Despite early public criticisms for the publishing of these photos, I saw them as a deeply moving, almost breathtaking, but absolutely necessary part of the story. Without them, the impact of the team's find, the sights and the moments they shared upon the discovery, would be lost to the reader. No words can begin to tell us what those men experienced with Mallory up there that day. The reverence toward Mallory has been well documented, and the photos of Mallory's final resting pose do him justice. All in all, a research job well done, a book well written, a story well told!

a ghost story of the classical style. strange things starts happening on a ship. is it haunted? are there ghost pirates trying to take over? it is well written. well worked. but somehow, the real horror escapes.

A profoundly effective horror tale. Hodgson writes with a command of the language and has a seemingly thorough understanding of what it takes to raise the reader's gooseflesh. It surpassed my expectations, in terms of the thematic implications of the story that there are dark forces lurking below our perceptions of reality, forces that can and will strike without notice. Well-written and very effective in terms of the scares it provides, it will resonate with you long after you've read it, despite the fact it's an old fashioned ghost story. Those of us who are familiar with Lovecraft will readily detect the influence that Hodgson had on Lovecraft. Highly-recommended.

Seaman Jessop doesn't believe the stories about the Mortzestus being haunted, attributing them to the usual superstitions sailors develop. But from the time he signs on board the merchant vessel and departs from port in San Francisco, nothing aboard the ship seems right. Shadows appear to board from beneath the sea at night, and leave the same way, without a trace. Indistinct figures stalk the masts, and sails inexplicably come loose to knock men to their death on the deck. Voices are faintly heard, whispering conspiratorially. And eventually, ships even seem to be sighted - beneath the surface of the water. No one believes Jessop, at first. But one by one, as occurrences aboard the haunted Mortzestus become more difficult to explain away, the doomed crew start experiencing the apparitions themselves - and fearing for their very lives.

This book is a masterpiece of maritime menace. Nothing is ever overtly seen, but always hinted-at and suggested. There is the constant feeling of something malignant always just out of sight, ready to pounce on the unwary bystander when he least expects it. Author William Hope Hodgson was a merchant marine himself, between the ages of 14-22, at the turn of the last century, and his characters and dialogue are fully authentic as a result - he makes the reader feel the salt spray, and the roughness of the rigging as sails are secured. H. P. Lovecraft was heavily influenced by Hodgson's works, and it shows.

It's wonderful to see this long-neglected horror classic back in print. There is another edition out as well, combining this excellent (though short) novel with Hodgson's "Carnacki the Ghost Finder" stories.