The best book I've ever read. I found it in a bargin book bin at a Shop Rite store and was intreged by the cover. (I LOVE HORSES) I have since read the book many times over, and just heard of Piper at the gate. I hope it's a sequal, and I wish to read it!!!!

This is absolutely the best book about horses I have ever read. The only other one that even comes close to being as good as this one is Traveller, by Richard Adams. I wish Mary Stanton would write a sequel to Piper At the Gate!!

Mary Stanton appears to know horses, thier mannerisims and body language as well as thier incrediably individual personalities. As a horsewoman of 30 years I can honestly say, if you want to know alot about what horses are like, read this book. Of course there is alot of fantasy also but mixed nicely with reality of the pecking order within the herd and mannerisms. I don't think I have read a book of this caliber about horses ever! I have to find copies for all my horse lover friends. This book is a must have for anyone who loves and admires horses! I won't loan my copy to anyone and insist it stays within my sight! I hope they put it back on the presses so everyone can enjoy it! My eight year old daughter is mesmerized by it!

Shelman's portrayal of the young life of Mary Ellen Wilson is astounding. The author takes a very difficult subject, child abuse, and integrates it with the history of animal rights laws, leaving the reader totally engrossed in the story! Definitely a "must-read" book for all appetites!

Child abuse is a subject many people would prefer not to think about. This account of the life of Mary Ellen Wilson will change that way of thinking. This story will open your heart to a little girl who, for much of her childhood had no friends, no hugs, no kisses, no bedtime "I love you" moments. The book will take you from the beginnings of a love story, through death, child abuse, hate, compassion, rescue, and survival. It's a must read for anyone who thinks that one person cannot make a difference in the life of a child. Thank you, Mr. Shelman and Dr. Lazoritz for bringing Mary Ellen into our lives...may the doors of our hearts be opened as a result.

"Out of the Darkness" is indeed the perfect title for the long-awaited telling of these events. For the past 50 years, only students and professionals in the child protection field have learned the profound significance of Mary Ellen's story. This, the first book entirely devoted to this landmark case, brings Mary Ellen to life along with all those who helped her survive.

The story opens in May 1864 on a battlefield in Cold Harbor, Virginia, as Thomas Wilson receives word of the birth of his little girl in New York City and dreams of returning soon to his wife, Fanny, and their child. Shortly afterward, however, he dies in battle.

Amid the hustle and bustle of New York City life, Mary Ellen's mother attempts to care for her little girl, but poverty soon forces her to abandon the child. We learn of Mary Ellen's stay in an almshouse for a time before being taken into a foster home where she is beaten, locked in a closet, burned, and permitted no contact with the outside world. She remains in this home for 6 long years.

Shelman and Lavoritz accurately and poignantly describe the New York City of the 1860s and 1870s, allowing the reader to experience the overcrowding and the sounds and smells of the infamous Hell's Kitchen area of NYC where Mary Ellen is finally found and rescued.

The story follows two threads, first told separately, and then woven skillfully together. We learn of Mary Ellen's plight, while at the same time in NYC, Henry Bergh is working to found the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). We are with Bergh as he enforces the new animal protection laws in NYC. He fights to protect them all --from turtles to horses. He is often ridiculed as he charges, "Turtle abuse!" But he persists. Amazingly, in 1874 there was no agency to aid mistreated children. When Etta Wheeler, a dedicated social worker, appeals to Bergh and his animal rights society to take the lead in the child's rescue, he and the ASPCA's talented attorney, Elbridge Gerry, conduct the then famous trial that ultimately brings Mary Ellen freedom and a new home and results in the founding of the New York City Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, still in existence today.

The story culminates in the standing-room-only trial where Mary Ellen's foster mother is charged on several felony counts. The authors effectively recreate the circuslike atmosphere that prevails throughout the trial at which witnesses from all walks of life testify about what they have seen and heard. The transcripts of the trial are complete and authentic.

While most will read this book as a novel, a complete index at the back provides access to the wealth of factual material carefully researched by the authors. An epilogue tells what finally happened to Mary Ellen as an adult. Adding to the authenticity are a number of previously unprinted photographs provided to the authors by relatives of the principals.

An invaluable reference for those interested in the history surrounding child and animal protection, "Out of the Darkness: The Story of Mary Ellen Wilson is also just "a good read."

I received an autographed copy of Mary's World for Christmas 2000. This book is an astonishing selection of actual writings from Mary Pringle, a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother in the 1800's. The writer has captured the aura of pre and post Civil War-Charleston, SC. These writings have some spectacular historical significance as some of the homes and plantations discussed can still be seen today. I found the medical practices of this period of time most interesting as I am a nurse. This collection of writings is priceless and I have rarely, if ever, enjoyed a book more. I am an avid reader and love books about the Civil War. This book has shown how the one member of this family, Mary, kept her faith in God and in humanity through times of trial, tragedy, death, war, childbirth, and yes, happiness. This book is a MUST for anyone with the slightest inkling of historic South Carolina.

Angela Yon

Mary's world draws from personal letters of the Pringle family of Charleston to illustrate the life of an elite family before, during and after the Civil War. The book is immensely interesting for the social history/women's history buff, as it details the life of a wealthy planter's wife and her day to day activities in one of the most important Southern cities of the Civil War. The story is complimented by many period photographs and drawings. Sure to please.

Apart from the reading plaesure "Mary's World" provides, I immensly enjoyed this book for the following reasons: foreign history, in this case the American Civil War history, can be daunting for outsiders. Mary's World eases the foreigner not only into the life of the Pringle family but also into history of southern plantation life years prior to the war. This circumstance greatly facilitates the amateur's understanding of the time leading up to the war and the war itself. What I particularly appreciated was the southern view of that history. Even in Switzerland we are familiar with the northern issues of industrialism vs. agriculture (prominent geographically in Europe at that time also), the slavery issue etc. Rarely do we hear about the life and thoughts of Southerners other than the great military men. The history of Mary Pringle written by Richard Cote transports you into a Charleston household in two seconds flat. It is all so lively and easy to imagine that it is hard to put down the book. I felt I knew Mary Pringle and her children! And I felt I had never learned more about the South.

My sister and I both (without the other's knowledge) have been remembering our experience as children when I read this book aloud in its entirety to my younger sister. We have both searched for it with no success and decided to look in Amazon.com. We were amazed not only to find this book, but to find so many reviews by other sisters who read it as children, loved it, and had such long-lasting memories of this delightful, fantasy of a young girl with a tunnel to a fantasy land in her closet. We can't wait to get this book and read it again and will probably recommend it to our young nieces. It was so much fun reading all of the reviews because they were as if we had written them ourselves. This book has given my sister and I wonderful, warm memories of a charming childhood experience.

why, oh why hasn't this book been "rediscovered" by a publisher, and put back on the shelves?

my boyfriend's mom lent me her copy to read to the little girls i nanny. (it was her favorite book as a child, i'm 28). well, i picked it up myself, began reading, and couldn't put it down! what a clever story.

so many children dream of secret worlds existing just beyond the next wall, or over the hill, or under the streets- and this book-with it's good and naughty children, tiny doll people world, and one very odd neighbor- lives up to and beyond the expectations any child might have about hidden, magical places.

publishing houses- bring back this book, along with the other children's book she wrote- loretta mason potts should be reborn on the bookshelves! it's sad that one would have to pay almost $[amount] to buy her fiction, but it also shows how treasured it is!

i'm so curious about the witch book she wrote! maybe one day i'll luck out and find it somewhere (and pay a reasonable price for it)!

I, too, thought I had dreamt up this book, as I could remember it from about 35 years ago but couldn't find it...only trouble was, all these years I'd been looking for "Laura Mason Potts." Google finally found it, even with my error. I discovered it late last night & was so thrilled I could hardly get to sleep! I loved the other reviews; I also remember curling up with this book by the Christmas tree; I remember the boy was named Colin, and the mother wished to "fly away" with her children - my own wish quite often..haven't re-read it yet but can't wait. Such a joy! Will have my own middle-school children & 11-yr. old niece read it! Other authors from my childhood to recommend: Catherine Woolley, Elizabeth Enright, Beverly Cleary, Edward Eager, Eleanor Estes, Mary Norton. So many great books from that time (60's). If you're blue, read "Rufus M." by Eleanor Estes, no matter your age - you'll love it! Well, I'm just so so happy to have found Loretta Mason Potts, and happy that others out there loved this book like I did! Restores my faith in people, in the current cesspool of our culture!!!

A brilliant story magnificently executed in this wonderful Drangonlance novel. Reading "The Dawning of a New Age," I was skeptical in the choices of authors for ushering in the 5th Age. I had my doubts about this book, but they were quickly vanquished as I became more and more absorbed in the story. Tales of honor and justice, the pains of the past and the hopes of the future, all beautifully intwined in this novel of the adopted mother of Steel Brightblade, Sara Dunstan. A **~MUST~** read for any Dragonlance fan. Take my words for it, Mary Hebert did such a brilliant job that I did not want the book to end. I hope she continues to write many more novels for Dragonlance.

I really love when an author can make a story like this out of a seemingly small placed character. Mary Herbert did a fantastic job on Legacy of Steel. I have read quite a few DL novels and this one is right at the top, almost as good as MW and TH. This book may not be a must read, but it is one that you should take the time to read, trust me you'll enjoy it. All the characters are great, even the love to be hated un-honorable Knights of Takhisis. There is also a good deal of suspense in this book, it's well paced, and the fighting scenes are excellent (including plenty of dragons). If you are a major DL fan and you haven't read this book yet then get it right now, and if you just read Dragonlance time to time then you should get this one over all the others (save for the mainstream MW and TH books of course).

What a wonderful Book. I recieved it, and read it cover to cover all in the same day! I don't usually do that, but what a damn good book.

This story is centered around Sara Dunstan, whom is still grieving over her adopted son Steel Brightblade three years after the summer of chaos. In the begining, she is living as a exile from the Knights of Tahkisis, and is pretty miserable. Then she starts having some dreams that call to her for help. Eventually, she sets out to find the source of the dreams and comes upon a wounded and riderless blue dragon whom she nurses back to health.

Thats all I'm telling you about this book. But It was page turning. I just added Mary H Herbert, to the list amazing Dragonlance storytellers, right under Richard A Knaack, whom we all know is the best. I Cannot wait to learn more about the "Leigon Of Steel" which is founded in the end of this work!

By Huma's Shield, this was a Fantastic Book!

Once in a while, a picture book comes along that is a perfect marriage of story, words and illustration. The Sea Chest is one of those books.
The story is a lovely one, taken from a Maine legend. As I read, I _was_ the narrator, Maita. I felt the loneliness she felt as an only child living in the isolation of a lighthouse. I worried with her through the "fearsome storm," and held my breath with her as her Papa opened the chest that washed up on the shore the next morning. The ending brought a smile to my lips and a tear to my eye.
Author Toni Buzzeo writes with lyrical, vivid language and a sea-like rhythm that begs to be read aloud. Mary GrandPre's illustrations, in a palette that made me think of the bits of sea glass I used to find as a child, capture the rhythm and warmth of Buzzeo's words.
I have recommended this book to every librarian I know, and I eagerly await the arrival of Ms. Buzzeo's next book.

This stunning picture book brings to life an old legend. In the midst of a storm, when their ship is about to sink, parents place their baby in a sea chest then cast it overboard with the hope that the baby will survive.

Buzzeo's poetic language convey's the emotional mood perfectly. She carries the reader along for every heart-stopping moment, from the first crashing of the storm to the catch-your-breath scene when the baby is found by the lighthouse keeper and his lonely daughter, to the very satisfying conclusion at the end of the story.

Grandpre's stunning oil paintings are the ideal visual for this poignant story.

This stunning new picture book reminds us that waiting for a baby to arrive is a timeless, and achingly poignant, event.
Toni Buzzeo's story opens with a small girl and her elderly aunt holding a dream in their hands - a care-worn photograph of a newborn the girl's parents have gone off to bring home. While the girl, an only child, waits with longing, the aunt tells her how she got her own sister, generations earlier.
The aunt's story is a Maine legend - based on an actual shipwreck that occurred off the coast in the mid-1870s near Southport Island. The ship went down, but one bundle tossed into the gray waves bobbed and rolled until it reached shore, near Hendricks Head Light. The keeper found it - a collection of feather mattresses fastened together with rope. Inside, there was a baby, still alive, with a note from the captain and his wife, "committing the child into God's hands."
Buzzeo's dramatic retelling of this legend is well-served by the vivid, engaging illustrations by Mary GrandPré, best-known as the artist who brought Harry Potter to life in the American editions of J.K. Rowling's series. GrandPré, who lives in St. Paul, has a warm style that makes an isolated island in the North Atlantic look like a jeweled place to live.
Buzzeo has paced the story expertly, creating mystery and one turn-of-the-page that is certain to produce a gasp from unsuspecting readers. This is a beautiful book to share with a child. The language is lyrical and demands repeated readings, but it is one of those rare picture books many parents will not mind reading over and over again.

This was a really good book for me because it actually dealt with an issue most historical novels only dance around. Alcoholism had to be huge problem among the title in England but you never really read how it affected gentry once they left London. I loved the characters because they were both strong and sensible. I thought the revealing of the heroines true self was a little "too grand" to fit in with the spirit of the story but over-all the story was a good one. Mary Jo Putney really does her homework when she is ready to share a story with her readers. This one was well done indeed.

You know what they say, "Reformed rakes make the best of husbands." Reggie makes a great rake, but even better is his struggle to reform. The way the author writes this book adds realism and credibility. While most romance books prefer to not broach serious topics like alchoholism (usually they get a bit dark and depressing), Ms. Putney does an excellent job at entwining it with the romance. I liked this book very much.

The heroine isn't bad, but the hero is delightfully complex, and just this side of delectable. The whole book was utterly realistic until the end, which I thought was a bit stretching reality, but that's really the most I can find to complain about. This book was absoloutly wonderful.

I'd recommend this to someone that wants a romance with realistic characters and a good plot. This author's writing is very good.

Reginald Davenport is the exact opposite of the typical romance hero: villain of a previous book in the series, he's an alcoholic, a gambler and a rake who is offered one last chance to atone for his past mistakes when he retires to Strickland. The first surprise awaiting him there is that the skilful manager of his new estate is a woman, Alys Weston, strangely beautiful and very competent.

Alys is afraid to lose her position as Strickland's manager when the new master settles on the estate, seemingly for good. But Reggie, although intrigued by this woman who dresses in pantaloons and supervises the estate in a masterful way, doesn't dismiss her, and he quickly treats her as his equal. It's not just her managerial skills that fascinate Reggie, but also her uncommon beauty. She's taller than the average woman and her eyes don't match, but what she sees as flaws makes her even more beautiful in the eyes of her new master.

The unusual relationship that develops between them keeps the reader enthralled from start to finish. If Reggie's reputation as a rake followed him to Strickland, Alys doesn't let it destabilise her. She fears for her wards at first, especially the lovely and innocent Meredith, but Reggie is quick to reassure her that he has no interest in the young woman. Indeed, his fantasies are set on Alys herself.

One aspect of the book that was particularly interesting is Reggie's fight against his addiction to alcohol. There are several powerful scenes that show how far alcohol can lead, and without any voyeurism or overboard drama, Mary Jo Putney draws her hero's journey through this delicate part of his life, as well as Alys' influence on his behaviour.

Alys' character is as complicated as her male counterpart's. She hides a background and a life that Reggie doesn't suspect, but can her secrets compromise the future of any relationship that might settle between them?

Once again, Mary Jo Putney draws three-dimensional characters whose attitude takes root in their tumultuous past. The world she pictures in her novels is never black and white, and The Rake is no exception to her outstanding writing-style.

This book was the subject of a PBS drama in he early 1980's. However as good as that BBC television play was the book itself is far and away a better experience. If you are interested in the "Great War" and it's effect on the battlefield and Western culture then this is a must read. Vera Brittain was born into a upper middle class British family, exactly the generation that so willing risked their lives for their Country, King and Empire. The effect upon her, her family and friends as well as her generation is overwhelming and gaves a human face to the great events of this last century. You will not be able to read this without feeling the overpowering effect that the Great War had on those both at the Western Front and at home. A great and often overlooked book, one of the few of it's type written by a woman, a real hidden classic.

Vera Brittain is not always easy to like. She's frequently disagreeable, usually opinionated, always challenging. But she also has more courage, strength and vision than most people you will ever encounter. As part of the first generation of women to achieve a university education in England, she put her studies aside to volunteer as a nurse on the front lines of World War I. This seminal event in world history profoundly altered her philosophy as she suffered the heartbreak of losing the two men she loved most in the world. Her triumph over tragedy should be inspiring to anyone who has ever lost a loved one, as she turned her grief and anger at the war into a lifelong committment to the cause of pacifism. Brittain is a beautiful writer with a sharp wit and an incisive mind. Her portrayal of the brutality of war and the tragic consequences of "God and country before all" makes for perhaps the most powerful anti-war book ever created. This is not only a testament to youth, but also to the courage and resiliancy of the human spirit.

I first read this book when I was not much younger than Vera Brittain was when she "viewed the outbreak of the First World War as an interruption of her plans", and I was immediately touched by her experiences. I have read (and re-read & re-read) this book many times. While I am not of the same social class that she was, I can relate to her desire to make something of her life, first through a university education (then restricted to many women) and later through finding meaningful work. (This is something that we all seek.) She fell happily in love, only to lose first her fiance, then her two male friends, and finally her beloved only brother in the carnage of the First World War. Her experiences as a V.A.D. (Volunary Aide Detachment) nurse in the war--from describing what the wards were like, to the frenzy she faced during a "push", to watching the Americans arrive in 1917, to her life on the hospital ship "Britannic", that's right, the sister ship to "Titanic"--both went down, are unforgettable. When she writes, she does not spare herself, nor seek to make herself look good--and she takes an unflinching look at her own difficulties (a word which does not even begin to describe it!!) adjusting to a post-war world which did not want the survivors. She tells of the difficulties she had fitting in (again, but this time older & wisher) at Oxford, of her mental near-breakdown, and of the bright light that was Winifred Holtby. I cannot recommend this book enough. It should be required reading in colleges and universities, and not just for history, English, and womens' studies majors. Perhaps those who do not understand what all the fuss over "women's lib." is all about should make this required reading as well (both male and female). She is the first feminist role model for me, and inspired me to learn as much as I could about current events AND history (so much so that I majored in history in college, with a concentration in modern Europe). This book is well worth your time and effort, and will probably send you to the nearest library or bookstore to hunt for more books on this era. It is also rare because most of the books written about the First World War are written by men (Sassoon, Graves, etc.), so this is unique in that it tells of the impact of the war from a woman's perspective. History tends to forget that women as well as men have experienced war. Brittain writes both from the view of those back home in Britain (when she is on leave) and from the view of someone at the front, cleaning up the wreckage (as a volunteer nurse). If you are wondering what happens to her, she wrote a "sequel" of sorts titled "Testament of Experience", which chronicles the years 1933-1950. "Testament of Youth" is a wonderful book, one which you will read again and again, and all the more moving because it is a true story.

The book describes precisely how to improve your job survival skills and much more. Don Steele's style is direct and straightforward. He wants the reader to know the bigger picture of how it works: "Principles and facts that lead to understanding are presented before techniques and methods. (...) You can't take full advantage of what you are going to learn about the what, how and when of office politics unless you understand the why". The author wants women to know the score: "Men, beginning with daddy, then boyfriends, then fiancés, then husbands and ending with corporate bosses, never tell women the plain simple truth about us men. The truth about how we think, what drives us, why we behave as we do and what we want from women at work and everywhere else. The truth shall make you free". It takes a lot of thinking before you can utilize all the information contained in Office politics. A brilliant book.

How many books tell the (and sometimes disgusting) truth about how the world really works? Well, at least one does, Office Politics by R Don Steele.
Expect no encouraging words or quick fixes, but a lot of work and thinking on YOUR side. Steele guides you in the process of becoming successful at the corporation (and even at life, too) through his well organized and entertaining book. His style is direct and harsh, and besides it's directed to women it works for men too (at least a 90%).

The book is about americans corporations, so readers from other cultures might find that some parts doesn't apply to their own situation (even in case of working for american companies located outside US), but anyway, a large part still holds.
As a plus, you can call the author regarding these matters to his own web radio show at live 365.

Whether you are a man or a woman, if you're in the corporate world or work in an office, this is an essential book to own. It will revolutionize your earning potential. It covers all aspects of the work experience from interviewing to getting a raise to leaving successfully. His advice about how often you should switch jobs is wroth the price of the book, easily.

R. Don Steele's blunt language is a rare find in today's world, and his straightforwardness helps convey his messages. If you read this book carefully, you'll realize he truly cares about telling you everything he knows about the subject. He is clearly passionate about educating his readers, and his language and thoroughness show that.

I truly wish I had read this book before I had graduated college. I'm lucky I found it during my second job.

This is the second of them Fallen Angels books that I read. What I like most about this book is that Clare is willing to face the censure of her friends and families in order to have things fixed in the village she lives in. Nicholas does not make it easy on her either. Both of them come to realize that their hearts are involved and Nicholas must face his past in order to have the life he wants with Clare. I hope Ms Putney will do a reunion book or the like and bring all these wonderful characters back to be enjoyed again.

I love reading a Putney book because I know I won't be disappointed or bored.This is the 1st in her FALLEN ANGELS series. It is the story of Nicholas and Clare. It is emotional, sexy, enlightening, and exciting. (Read it for the billiards scene alone! Whew!)You will also get to meet the 3 other members of the Fallen Angels: Rafe, Lucien, and a very tortured Michael. All three are fascinating and all three get their own stories in other books! But Nicholas and Clare are the main attraction in this book and they do NOT disappoint. This book is absolutely superb!

I absolutely loved this book! I have read a few of Mary Jo Putney's books and have liked all that I have read, but this book especially stands out. It was wonderful! Clare and Nicholas make such an appealing couple. I loved that they were truly best friends throughout the whole book. What an entertaining story. It was humorous and very touching. The "kiss a day" idea was very erotic as was the gypsy wedding dance. It was clear that they understood true passion and love. I can't wait to read the next book in the Fallen Angel series--"Petals in the Storm." There are two more books in this series "Dancing on the Wind" and "Shattered Rainbows." Also look for related books--"Angel Rogue" and "One Perfect Rose." Thanks Ms. Putney for a great read. This is definitely a keeper!