I would highly recommend this book and CD-ROM package to anyone who is interested in social history of the South or Civil War history. The letters and newspapers sections are especially fascinating. They give incredible first-hand accounts of the daily lives of people of these two communities. The data seems endless. The team that compliled this information is to be commended.

After the great success of "Anne of Green Gables," Lucy Maud Montgomery had to quickly write a sequel to continue the misadventures of the mischievous red-headed orphan on Prince Edward Island. Since the original classic was not intended to be the first in a series, Montgomery had to make some changes. The one that will drive you crazy is that Anne is back to being oblivious about Gilbert Blythe being the love of her life and her perfect match. The other thing that becomes obvious is that Montgomery is somewhat uncomfortable with Anne growing up, even though she is only "half-past sixteen," as evidenced by the infusion of new children into the story because Anne is now teaching at Avonlea school and Marilla has adopted the irrepressible Keith twins, Davy and Dora. You can also throw into the mix the mysterious new neighbor with his parrot and (my favorite part) the eccentric Miss Lavendar who has been waiting a quarter of a century for her beloved Stephen Irving to return to her. Along with "Anne of Windy Poplars," this book is a testament to Montgomery's respect for the teaching profession; the book is dedicated to her former teacher, Hattie Gordon Smith. While this is not one of my favorite Anne novels, it is still a worthy successor to the classic story. However, be warned: If you watch either of the "Anne of Avonlea" movies you will that virtually nothing from this novel ever made it to film.

Anne is a marvellous girl with a big imagination that capt your mind. Besides, she's very impulsive and optimistic. When you start reading this book, you want to not stop. I personally read it in about one day and after that, I re-read it about 6 times without being tired or boring. Lucy Maud Montgomery made characters that are really fantastic. She's a good writer and I admire her. When I read "Anne of Avonlea", I felt myself very optimistic and happy. I advice you to buy this fantastic book. You will not regret that at all especially if you like stirring books.

Anne of Avonlea was almost as good as the first Anne book. It is about Anne's life as a school teacher in Avonlea. Marilla adopts two mischievous twins and Mrs. Rachel Lynde moves in. So life is never dull for Anne at the school house or at Green Gables. You could read it on its own, but I recommend you read Anne of Green Gables first.

We bought this book last summer when we took our two sons to Las Vegas. The guide was very helpful, it gives lots of detailed info such as parking, prices, hours of operation, and numbers to contact. My only "complaint" would be that it is almost TOO much information, they have so many things listed, lots of off beat places, that if you are going there for a short time (like we were) and want to hit just the "big" places, you have to weed through a lot of information to get it. They should have it organized better. But it is definatly worth getting.

I live 3 hours away from Las Vegas and never go because of my kids. I went recently to meet a relative for the weekend and fell in love with the city! Now I cant wait to take my kids...Ive booked a room for 3 nights in March and am looking forward to getting this book...I have the one for Southern California and use it all the time!

Great insights into a potentially overwhelming city! It was almost like I was there with Carol, at times! Call me a Stout-groupie! Great book! Great author!

Admittedly, Anne's House of Dreams IS a pretty good book. Anne and Gilbert finally get married (FINALLY, after we've been waiting for the last four books) and go to Four Winds Harbor to spread their wings. They live in a cute little "house o' dreams" (hence the title) and meet all sorts of new people: Captian Jim, Miss Cornelia, Leslie, Owen Ford, etc., who are all, by the way, wonderfully characterized, as is L.M. Montgomery's signature.

The only real problems that I had with this book was that it had lost the flair of the other "Anne" books, and wasn't quite ready for the mischevious tinge that the following books, which are mainly about the Blythe children, bring with them. Like I said, kind of a bridge between the real Anne books and the books about her kids. I also missed the presence of the Avonlea people like Marilla, Diana, Mrs. Lynde, and so on. But for the most part, it met my expectations. You've got to remember that it had some pretty high standards that it's predecessors had set to live up to.

I have all of the Anne of Green Gable series and continue to read them over again, delighting in each new discovery that I missed when reading it before.

Anne's House of Dreams starts when Gilbert Blythe, who has loved Anne ever since they were children, becomes the doctor he has set his ambitions for. Anne had discovered that she was in love with Gilbert and so they are happily married and off to Four Winds Harbor where they start their new life, together.

Finding beauty and adventure wherever Anne turns she is forever making friends and finding new discoveries. Miss Cornelia becomes a friend as does the forever-interesting Captain Jim.

A mysterious young woman capitivates Anne's curious attention however and she finds that the young woman's name is Leslie. She cannot forget the beautiful but sad creature who seems to be hiding something. Enters Owen Ford and by chance mystery starts to be slowly revealed ...

This book was (and still is!) a fantasic read and I recommend it to anyone! As well as any other "Anne" books!

First of all, I must confess I'm not a huge Anne fan. I don't read this book so much for Anne and Gilbert as for Leslie and Owen. Their story is so romantic, so dramatic, fairy tale like, and sort of sappy. It's not the sort of book you are always in the mood for, but when you are it definitely 'hits the spot' as they say.
Picture a beautiful, love starved, miserable girl suffering silently on a gorgeous harbor in a gloomy house. Watch as she is transformed and comes to live happily ever after. Definitely all- girl and definitely fun.
The way Lucy Maud Montgomery describes the scenery, the ocean and all at Anne's new home is beautiful. Leslie's story is beautiful. If you want something sweet, fanciful while not fantasy, and just. . . lovely read this book.
Only thing I don't like is Captain Jim. He is boring and sort of drives me crazy, but he is in the book a ton. I often just skim the parts he's in.
Miss Cornelia is another new character, and she is sometimes annoying but on the whole is amusing.
I guess that's it. I also like all the Biblical references in the conversations. A lot of them are somewhat obscure, so they're probably some I'm not even picking up on, but they're good.

Dear Mr. Chitham,
I do not know whether you are among the living, or not. I am writing my praise in a public forum because it must be said. Somehow, despite a dearth of letters and surviving diary papers, you have written a masterful biography of the "baby" of the Brontes. The one who struggled to balance a philosophy of Realism and an Evangelical's emotional introspection, sister to two high-strung tempramental Romantics.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to extract Anne's story from the accounts of other people (especially Charlotte's best friend and her biographer). Even in her introspective potery, she is surprisingly complex and circumspect. Yet this is what you have managed to do: to trim away the legends and mistaken impressions to reveal an active imagination, a deep faith, and a life lived to the tempo of a different music.

Thank You.

Sincerely yours,

"Monmoth"

I remember once Edward Chitham saying to a conference of Bronte enthusiasts 'I am an Anne person' and his resultant biography, A Life Of Anne Bronte', shows both great sensitivity and a just awareness of Anne's considerable literary skills as a writer. He also shows us that Anne was interesting in her own right both as a writer distinct from Emily and Charlotte and as a person with a life of unfulfilled dreams. Far from being the weak sibling with the nun-like veil as Charlotte preferred to view her youngest sister, Chitham views Anne as the sister who stuck it out longest at being a governess in the outside world and as the sister with the strongest courage and sense of duty.

Chitham doesn't sensationalize his material but sifts it for truth and light. He is very aware that original source material on Anne's younger days, her time at, and reason for leaving, school, her two governess positions, her possibly strong feelings for her father's curate, William Weightma! n, and her fluctuating relationship with her sister, Emily, are scant and too reliant on Charlotte's screening. Nevertheless, Chitham tries to piece together what he can from Anne's five surviving letters, her poetry, her two great novels and other circumstantial material surrounding the Robinson family with whom she stayed with as a governess. However, as with most other Bronte scholars, he cannot finally prove that Anne loved Weightman or that Branwell left the above same Robinson family as a result of indiscretions towards the Lady of the House (Lydia Robinson) or towards the 12-year-old pupil in his charge, Edmund Robinson.

Edward Chitham is also cautionary about the use of Anne's novels as biographical material. Far from quoting parts of Agnes Grey verbatim, he shows us more where such sources are unreliable. However, in areas and tone where Agnes Grey and the life of its heroine, squares with Anne's poetry and life, Chitham is happy to show the ways in which the lik! ely facts of Anne's life unfold to the diligent researcher ! of the truth.

All in all, this is a great biography, and until more letters become dusted down from hidden, and as yet unknown, lofts or boxes, it is likely to be fairly definitive in its balance and appreciation of Anne Bronte. Chitham knows where the sources are weak and he also knows what future researchers will want to look at if any more sources unearth themselves. Should we be lucky enough to find more of Anne's letters to or from Emily, Charlotte or the Robinson girls she once taught and kept in touch with, then would be the time to write another and fuller biography of Anne's life. Sadly for both writer and reader, Chitham can only but leave us with an incomplete picture, many broken jigsaw pieces and an overwhelming desire for more.

Helen Keller once wrote, "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." These words perhaps portray the making of the future Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret of Great Britain from their celebrated birth to their early adult lives. Anne Edwards, an experienced biographer who has written books such as "Queen Mary and the House of Windsor", "Ever After: Diana and the Life She Led", and "Sonya: The Life of Countess Tolstoy", among many others, is no stranger to the British Royal Family. Her thorough research on the subject, extensive notes, and detailed descriptions highly contributed to the understanding of a reader who started out not knowing much about the hierarchy of the British Crown. A book about the adolescent and early adult lives of the two princesses, I found it to be at times, like chicken soup for the reader's soul. It teaches the lesson of not being bitter and jealous through unfavorable and painful experiences and to love from the bottom of your heart by giving all you have. The royal sisters Elizabeth and Margaret have gone through so many unfair and trying circumstances together, and have truly succeeded in carrying out the message that "the great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it" (William James)--just look at all their contributions to the world!

you will stay up all night to finish this gem, I know i did, it was so fantastic right now i'm loaeded up on caffeine just to finish the work day because i was so addicted on this book that i HAD to stay up all night to savor every little word in this masterpiece! READ IT!!!!!!

I just finished Anne Edwards' biography of Streisand- in one day, and I am not even a fan of the woman. However, viewing Streisand through Edwards' eyes makes the reader root for the insecure teenager, the "homely" girl from Brooklyn, who despite a disturbing lack of support which started with her own mother's criticism of her career choice- managed to blast into world superstardorm as a Broadway headliner, bestselling recording artist and director, producer and star of her own Hollywood movies. She was a little girl who bought into the fantasy of movies- and was placed in the unique position to create fantasy herself, thanks to what Edwards calls her "chuptzah"- a winning mixture of charm, impossibly high standards, and absolute artistic control over every venture she undertakes. Edwards paints Streisand in bold strokes-quite subtly, with her warts and all. The reader may feel unsatisfied though, because although we get a thorough profile of Streisand the performer and businesswoman, it is still Barbra-the-human-being that is elusive. More insight into her relationship with her son, Jason (who happens to be gay) would have been in order. Regardless of these shortcomings- Edwards' biography triumphs as a beautifully written portrait of a wonderfully multi dimensional woman.

In order to be fair I read this book twice. I adore Babs--I live my life to be like hers; I want my resonance to sympathize with her resonance. I want people to spend time with me and to think that they have really been in the company of Babs. Or at least AS IF they had been in her company--I want to leave a similar impression. I really really really do. I approached this book in much the same way. I wanted to think that this book was in Babs' library. Instead, if anything, Edwards' treatment locates this book not in her library but perhaps in her pantry--right between that canned vegatable that the previous owners left behind and the cantalope pie tin. Edwards' doesn't get Babs' main rhetorical mechanism--of putting the world on the defensive to protect her from her own defensiveness. Edward's BUYS INTO Babs' mechanisms rather than calling them out. In a sense, Edwards argues for the grandeur of the Emperor's new clothes. I give it 5 stars because, as the other reviews attest, her fans want to be duped. Hence, I celebrate 5-star stupidity.

I read Edwards' rendition of Streisand on a full stomach--indeed, had I eaten one more bite, I would have choked in a way that would have repulsed the most sea-tested sailor. Perhaps it was this context--a context at once full and barren--that allowed me to plunge into Streisand's persona with such plodding, cautious, phobic zeal. Would this book answer the main question: is Babs a hapless victim; is she an innocent child; or is she an immature hapless brat whose very own defensiveness results entirely in her tireless attempts to put others on the defensive in her presence? Once you are certain the world revolves around you, to put others on the defensive is your only resort when an unnamed discomfort disturbs your fragile psyche--when for a passing moment the reality that you are not as great as you think you are dares manifest itself; and you, with just slightly greater impetus, dare not see it for what it is really is: a truth that threatens the (necessary) house of cards that you --and your adoring lemmings--call reality. Edwards' treatment here sidesteps these questions by becoming a literary lemming. Her introduction and her conclusion are like two pies on a ledge of a house: screaming the warning "don't jump around or the pies may tip over and fall!" Edwards is a fan. That is why this book is so excellent. She loves Babs. I do. You do. Babs does. Andre does. Our president does. Buy the book and share it with your OWN Babs. Cross the line. To make a connection. A Streisand Connection.

Anne Edwards does an exquisite job at portraying the life of Princess Diana. This novel takes the reader through Diana's rough childhood, family background, marriage to Prince Charles, public work, divorce and her death in 1997. The book takes the reader by surprise because many people saw Diana's life as a fairytale, but learn through the novel that Diana's life was not as perfect as it seemed to be. Readers will learn a great deal about the life story of Princess Diana. This novel is appropriate for young adults to grownup.

i Stumbled upon this book shortly afer i read the bodyguard's story. Anne Edweards portrays Diana as the loving woman she was. this book was a breeze for me to read even though it had alot of the same informatiaon most have it was more of novel to me and it was pleasure to read . i recommened this book to many of my friends and anyone else who is looking for good book to read on the Princess of wales Thank you Anne edward for this wonderful tribute

i give this book 5 stars

I was an admirer of the late Princess but, unlike many other people I know, in no way could I be considered a "Di-junkie." I make this distinction only to show that I am not indiscriminate in my fascination with the poor woman. As a result, I have not read most of the slightly hysterical Di biographies, and I have been offended by the few that I did read. Still, I do have a certain curiosity about what really went on behind the poised and gracious facade of the public Diana. Here, Anne Edwards has written the definitive work, scholarly to be sure, addressing the Princess of Wales as an author would any other historical figure. According to her own notes, Ms. Edwards began this project before the Princess' sudden death. The book is detailed and filled a multitude of exactly the kind of facts that are valuable to anyone with a background in historic research. There is a thorough explanation of who the very sweet and young noblewoman was in terms of her own family's prestigious history and expectations. The clear conclusion is that this innocent girl was used, callously and deliberately, to satisfy both the breeding needs and the media relations requirements of the Royal family. Yet at no time does Ms. Edwards appear partisan toward Diana, nor does she engage in imaginative psychobabble to attempt to understand what made the much-loved (by everyone except her ex-husband and his family!) Diana tick. The result is a book which is the Diana resource that historians will rely on in centuries to come. I look forward to reading other works by Ms. Edwards.

For anyone who has read any of the other historical mystery anthologies, this latest will seem weak in comparison. I'm trying to recall at least one story that stood out from the rest...can't do it!

Much Ado About Murder is a collection of seventeen mystery stories stiched together by the common thread of Shakespeare's plays. All were written especially for this anthology edited by Anne Perry. Some put new twists on characters or plots lifted from the plays while others are about the actors performing the plays or about the Bard himself.

In the former category, Marcia Talley tells a humorous tale starring the three witches from Macbeth. In the title story, Kathy Lynn Emerson transports Beatrice and Benedict from Padua to Bloody Mary's England for an adventure. Lillian Stewart Carl has Twlth Night's Duke Orsini send Viola/Cesario to Olivia's castle as a spy rather than an intermediary. Posing as a kitchen maid, she solves the poisoning of Olivia's brother. The Tempest, Henry V and VI, Hamlet, and Anthony and Cleopatra serve as launch pads for other writers' imaginings.

In the latter category, my favorite is P C Doherty's The Sperpent's Tooth which offers an interesting answer to the puzzle of Shakespeare's death and his epitaph. Also enjoyable is Peter Tremayne's Elizabethan sleuth, Master Hardy Drew, solving the murder of an actor in the first production of Henry V. Perry herself contributes a mystery set in a Victorian production of Othello.

The only story that seems out of place is Richard's Children by Brendan DuBois. It's connection to Richard III is tenuous and the plot belongs with the likes of Robert Ludlum.

Kudos, applause, and a standing ovation for Anne Perry and this fantastic book of short stories. There are so many truly unique and amazing stories that it's hard to choose which is best. Some involve actual Shakespearean plots, including two of the funniest: Too Many Cooks, which is a hilarious take on Macbeth from the point of view of the three Weird Sisters, and The Fall of the House of Oldenbourg, which will assure that you never think of Hamlet the same way again. Those Are Pearls That Were His Eyes combines characters from The Tempest with Portia & her husband Bassanio of The Merchant of Venice as the most brilliant and beautiful Doctor of Laws solves a murder with Caliban as the accused. The beautiful Viola (disguised as Caesario disguised as Viola--shades of Victor/Victoria and Shakespeare in Love!) solves the murder of Olivia's brother in A Dish of Poison. Even two of the lesser known plays, Cymbeline and Measure for Measure feature in the stories. Some, like Anne Perry's excellent Ere I Killed Thee, deal with the players who perform these works. The bard himself appears in several of the stories, including Exit, Followed. . .and All the World's a Stage, and his death is investigated in The Serpent's Tooth. And Richard's Children can only be described as chilling. I wish that there had been stories based on Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and Midsummer's Night's Dream, but perhaps there will be a volume 2. One can only hope. This is a fantastic book for mystery lovers and for Shakespeare lovers, but heaven for those who, like myself, love them both. Buy it, read it, and recommend it to your friends!

When the thousands of Lucy Maud Montgomery fans make their pilgrimage to Prince Edward Island every year they expect to find everything in its place. Nancy Rootland, a writer from sunny California, has some insights to share about this in her illustrated book entitled Anne's World, Maud's World: The Sacred Sites of L.M. Montgomery (Nimbus). Her text slides easily from Montgomery's childhood, memorable moments and quotes from Anne of Green Gables to Rootland's own feelings as she enters these 'sacred sites' and experiences the places she has only ever read about but of which she feels so much a part. Add to this a collection of high quality photographs and you have a book that is a delight to the eye and a joy to read. Rootland delights in placing herself in scenes from both Maud and Anne's lives. Looking at herself in the china cabinet she sees the reflection of Katie Maurice. She visits the beach and watches Nate, Maud, and Amanda talking about their teenage hopes and dreams as the sun sets. She stands on the platform of Kensington Station with Maud and her grandfather waiting for the train that will take them to Prince Albert. Rootland surmises that in 1880 they did not know the future anymore than she does for herself a century later, except that she knows she will return to the sacred sites someday. Rootland experiences deja vu. Everything is where it should be, right down to Marilla's amethyst brooch on her night stand, "where it belongs", where she, and thousands like her, expect it to be, every day, every year, now and forever.

"The Sacred Sites of L.M. Montgomery" seems a pretty silly subtitle for a book unless you're a total fan of Lucy Maud. I am not one. However, to my surprise, I found this small book, titled Anne's World, Maud's World, to be readable, enjoyable - even at times - thought-provoking. How Nancy Rootland came to write it is a remarkable story in itself. "In January of 1981," she relates, "I was browing in a bookstore in Southern California when the title Anne of Green Gables caught my eye...I slid the book off the shelf and started leafing through the pages - and that was it. I could barely put it down long enough to get over to the sales desk, and while I was driving home my eyes kept wandering over to the package on the seat next to me." She finished the story in one sitting, amazed at how Anne's experiences paralleled her own. She found she shared the author's and Anne's perception of nature. That summer she read all 20 of L.M. Montgomery's novels. For 11 years, Nancy Rootland learned more about her favourite author while waiting for the time when she'd be free to make the long journey to Prince Edward Island. This book is the record of what she found there and how she reacted to the "sacred sites." She was not disappointed . A fine writer herself, Rootland knows how to convey atmosphere, feelings, the sense of past and present meeting - all that's so difficult to articulate without sounding silly. She doesn't sound silly. Here's an example. "Such is the beauty and spiritual grandeur of this enchanted isle and the remarkable sons and daughters of its history, that access to the sacred, which thrives in sites both natural and constructed, is always possible. So convinced am I of this power of place that I invite you, reading these words, to come here and find out for yourself. All you need to take with you on your journey is an open heart and a bit of imagination." No need to spell out how Anne's World, Maud's World, conveys the spirit of home. Rather I'll mention what a beautiful little (110 page) book this is. Fine, coloured photographs of the " sacred sites" alternate with Rootland's commentary, which, in turn, is studded with quotations from Montgomery. First we see Anne's World, then Maud's. Two simplified maps at the end show the relevant places of PEI and in the Cavendish area. For an Anne-lover or Montgomery-lover, this book would make a perfect present. But anyone who's wondered about the mystery of how a character can some alive enough to fill an area with his or her presence will also appreciate Anne's World, Maud's World.

Nancy Rootland's book explores environment of Montgomery and Anne. Through the writing of LM Montgomery, the world has an opportunity to look in on a beautiful rural community. A sense of home and of belonging are strong themes in the Anne books and Nancy Rootland uses this message to show us some of the places that were so dear to the author of Anne of Green Gables and places that have become sacred to readers. In Anne's World, Maud's World: The Sacred Sites of L.M Montgomery, Nancy Rootland has transported us to that place where Anne and her people live. Rootland expects to see Anne and Marilla or Matthew emerge from the fields or orchard at any time, and so do we. The photographs of the places that are so pivotal to the world of Anne and of Maud herself, will captivate the reader and invigorate the imagination of those who have read and re-read the books. The author invites the reader to experience this incredible place and uses her prose to evoke the writing style of Maud Montgomery, the pictures lead us on a journery of discovery for Anne and for our own sense of peace and tranquility. Rootland's background in teaching and as a teacher of child psychology provides some of the insights for her portrayal of the emotional story of the orphaned Anne and the lonely Maud. There is real feeling and caring for the child that Anne charaterizes and that Maud really was. Beautiful photos, and evocative text permit the reader to join Anne and Maud on the journey home.