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Book reviews for "England,_Barry" sorted by average review score:

Peter Warlock: The Life of Philip Heseltine
Published in Paperback by Oxford Univ Pr (1996)
Author: Barry Smith
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THE BEST WORK TO DATE!
Philip Heseltine. taking on many pseudonyms in his short life but better known as Peter Warlock, was editor of "The Sackbut", a publication that took a long time to materialize but was short lived. Generally controversial, the Sackbut was highly regarded by many and especially those who wished to see the "establishment" in the field of British music taken to task. It was Heseltine's pleasure to be one of, if not THE most vociferous critics of his time and history shows that his eloquent and learned use of the English language was used to its fullest degree.

This special paragraph

" . . music is neither old nor modern: it is either good or bad music, and the date at which it was written has no significance whatever. Dates and periods are of interest only to the student of musical history. . . . All old music was modern once, and much more of the music of yesterday already sounds more old-fashioned than works which were written three centuries ago. All good music, whatever its date, is ageless -- as alive and significant today as it was when it was written . . ."

can also be found on page 197 of Barry Smith's highly acclaimed book as titled above. Published in 1994, the centenary of Heseltine's birth, this book is perhaps only the second major and authoritative work on the subject of a controversial figure such as Heseltine. The first one by Warlock's friend and some time companion Cecil Gray, has been out of print for many years.

Published by Oxford University Press, this is an extremely well researched and written work. Warlock scholars are recommended to add this book to their small but unique collection of literature pertaining a figure (in the musical sense) of inimitable quality. Hardback and Paperback now available.

Richard Valentine


China Watch
Published in Paperback by Johns Hopkins Univ Pr (1979)
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Excellent no-nonsense account of a commercial organic farm
Many books on organic farming concentrate on the theory and or the morality of organic methods. This book give a practical account of how a large commercial farm has successfully been converted to organic methods. It's also readable and very entertaining.


Play and Learn Addition Workbook: Balloon Workbook 400 Stickers
Published in Paperback by Sterling Publications (1998)
Author: Balloon Books
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A monument to the life-long vision of the late Sam Wanamaker
"A lively,funny and very moving account of a remarkable theatrical dream" - Kenneth Branagh

"An extraordinary document of human endeavour. When I got to the final pages I found there were tears running down my face." - Rosemary Harris

"A breathtaking achievement...this massive history of the rebirth of Shakespeare's Globe (tells) a long and complex theatrical,political and architectural story across some very story years." - Sheridan Morley

"Reads like a political thriller" - Time Out


Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe : Studies in Culture and Belief
Published in Hardcover by Cambridge University Press (1996)
Authors: Jonathan Barry, Marianne Hester, and Gareth Roberts
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Essays centered on Keith Thomas' classic
This is another fine collection of essays on witchcraft. To be able to fully appreciate the contributions, one should have read Keith Thomas' classic study "Religion and the decline of magic", as most authors refer to the chapters on witchcraft in Thomas' book, and to the related research done by Alan Macfarlane. This is what binds the contributions to this book together. A very interesting essay is the one by Brian Levack on state-building and witch hunting, but that may be my personal bias, as Levack's "The witch hunt in early modern Europe" (another classic) first got me seriously interested in the subject a few years ago. Apart from Levack, there's an essay referring to Dutch witchcraft material, and a contribution by Lyndal Roper, which is identical to chapter 9 of her "Oedipus and the devil".


Portland Undercover : How to Visit New England's Hippest City Without Looking Like A Tourist
Published in Paperback by Maine Publishing (01 June, 2000)
Author: Chris Barry
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we love tourists
This book is a little silly. We are told to tip the waitstaff well since they really could be artists (as opposed to a mother trying to support her child?) If you can get past the hype about the city, and it is a great city, the book is well organized and offers solid suggestions for exploring the town. There is a section on the history of the town describing Indian raids and the destruction of the city twice by fire. The final rebuilding in the 1860's and 70's accounts for it's consistent architectural style.

Restaurants by category, wine bars, biker bars, coffee houses, dance spots, theatre, where to hear live music - this book tells all. It is exhaustive enough to provide plenty of suggestions but not overwhelming in it's coverage.

As far as looking like a tourist, don't worry about it. We love tourists, and I picked up a copy myself.

A great book to find hidden secrets in Portland
I actually live in Portland - but I still love this book, and I often turn to it when I'm looking for somewhere new to eat or something new to see. It gives an insiders look into all the different restaurants, bars, beaches, and shopping experiences that you could want. Though a couple of the restaurants he lists are now closed - this book can stand the tests of time. Portland is full of tourists in the summer, so don't worry about sticking out. Just get this book to make sure that you don't miss out on any of the great things the city has to offer.

Essential!!
We just got back from a mini-vacation to Portland and it was one of the most enjoyable trips we've had. A lot of that is thanks to Mr. Barry's handy guide. We've been to Portland previously, but had not seen or experienced it the way we did this time. We would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is going to the area for the first time or even, like us, has been to the area before. We both probably still looked like tourists, but I bet that we experienced many things not normally experienced by other tourists, unless they had purchased this guide.


Final Justice: A Badge of Honor Novel
Published in Hardcover by Putnam Pub Group (27 January, 2003)
Author: W. E. B. Griffin
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The Malcontenta: A Kathy and Brock Mystery by Barry Maitland
After having read and enjoyed "The Marx Sisters" by Barry Maitland, I was eager to read "The Malcontenta". While entertaining, it is not as excellent as his previous work.

Kathy and Brock still make a good team and I am looking forward to reading more of these books.

"The Malcontenta" is set in a Health Spa. I have found, over many years, that although Health Spas and Cruise Ships would seem to be ideal settings for mysteries, they usually disappoint.

Nonetheless, this is a good read and I would not hesitate to recommend it, particularly to lovers of English mysteries.

Kathy and Brock are back
THE MALCONTENTA marks the return of Detective Sergeant Kathy Kolla and Detective Chief Inspector David Brock where they join forces again to solve a murder.

Kathy has been working light duty for the last few months after recuperating from her injuries sustained in THE MARX SISTERS. Her commanding officer gives her and her partner instructions to go investigate an alleged suicide at a posh health spa. When Kathy starts to investigate she finds inconsistencies with the suicide finding and suffers from obstructions of justice brought by the staff of the spa. When Kathy starts creating waves she is yanked off the case by her commanding officer.

Kathy decides to visit Brock. Since their work together in the previous novel they share a mutual respect for each other. Kathy tells Brock about the case and her concerns and he decides to join the spa in order to find information.

Kathy grows in this novel after the foolhardy way she worked her previous case. I like that the author is taking his time in exploring her characters as he did with DS Kolla this time. He describes her home as well as her neighbors and introduces a possible love interest for Kathy. Brock is still mysterious and in every book we get to know a little more about him but not much about his personal life.

The supporting characters are rather diverse but very interesting. Everybody seemed to hate the dead victim and everyone had an opportunity to kill him in one way or another. It is interesting in this book how one person can affect a whole group of people in ways that affect them indirectly. The story is very involving till the very end.

My only complaint in this book was Kathy herself. There were several characters that were hindering her investigation that she should have arrested for obstruction. Maybe the English have a different way of doing things than the Americans or perhaps the author thought it would have served no purpose. No matter, I enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading THE CHALON HEADS.

Solid read, buy the paperback version....
THE MALCONTENTA by Barry Maitland will keep the reader thoroughly entertained on a long flight or wait at the doctor's office. The book has several strenghths and a few minor weaknesses.

First, Maitland creates relatively strong settings. Maitland teaches university level architecture and in THE MALCONTENTA he has inserted interesting material about 18th Century architecture -- the Italian influence on the English country house (Palladio)-- which will appeal to anyone familiar with the Italinate influence on the Neoclassical Age in England. And, despite what the reviewer says, the house in this story is based on an Italian design (Palladio) -- the original in Vicenza and known as The Malcontenta.

Second, Maitland does a pretty convincing job of developing his characters, though some are more adequately drawn than others. One character in THE MALCONTENTA, a woman with a serious illness is quite real and her discussions with Brock are so authentic I felt as if I was overhearing a conversation.

Maitland won't keep you in suspense for long. He has too many characters and they fall all over each other and drag down the action (Kathy's room mates and co-workers should be thinned out). The plot of THE MALCONTENTA is fairly believable although there are some nonplausible moments. I just don't think good cops travel without cell phones. However, Maitland is far better at avoiding mad plot twists than many of his contemporaries who boggle the mind at times.

All in all, this is a good and entertaining book, and I like it well enough to read other books by Maitland.


Oil Painting Handbook
Published in Paperback by Random House Trade Paperbacks (1994)
Authors: Ettore Maioti and Ettore Maiotti
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The strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a clasic so, naturaly, I had high expectations. I certainly was not let down. It has a totally unique style with much detail and extensive writing. Yet, this novel is a very quickly read novel, unlike other excessively detailed books like Dracula. This book is not boring. This book is fun. It doesn't ruin the plot with too much detail like other books. Other fantasy books are usually not even close to realistic. Whereas Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is close to being conceived realistic. This book has a general morbid feeling to it where other fantasies are sometimes cheerful and happy. Robert Louis Stevenson is a realy good writer in my opinion.
He uses a very wide range of vocabulary. Stevenson uses many 19th Century terms that seem weird and different to me.
One thing bad about his writing is his punctuation. He uses way too many semicolons and comas. He makes one sentence out of six or seven sentences.
This book was not the best book I ever read, but was not the worst either. it was mediocre. however It was miles ahead of Dracula. Dracula is boring, whereas Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is fast paced, quick, and fun to read. its pritty morbid which is kind of a down side, but Since it is very short it is a good book on my list.

An Enjoyable Classic
Let me first echo the sentiments expressed by others and comment on what a beautiful edition the Univ of Nebraska Press has produced. The margins are indeed wide and the type very readable. This edition is easily held, the illustrations nicely complement the text and the binding is quite durable. The introduction by Joyce Carol Oates is helpful albeit pedantic. Also, those who've read the Univ of Calif Press edition of Frankenstein will notice some overlap between this introduction and the one that Ms. Oates wrote for that particular edition. Nonetheless, the introduction is valuable.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of those stories, like Frankenstein and Dracula, that seemingly everyone has heard of and believes they understand("mythopoetic " in the language of Joyce Carol Oates). Much like the aforementioned works, the actual details of the story may come as a surprise to those who assume they know the story based solely on the popular understanding. For that reason alone I think the book is worth reading.

Dr. Jekyll is a respected if somewhat reclusive London doctor who has, through the course of years of experimentation, managed to create a solution which brings to the fore his evil alter-ego. Unlike many gothic literary villains, Hyde is not imbued with superhuman strength or exceptional gifts of any kind. In fact he is of a smaller and less imposing stature than most men. What he does possess however is a complete lack of compunction with regards to others. Hyde for example ruthlessly runs down a small child who gets in his way. As is the case with Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll creates something that he can't control and which eventually destroys its creator.

The inhumanity that the fictional Hyde displays can be seen in the non-fictious world on a daily basis. As such, there is a realism to the story which is missing from many horror stories past and present. The fact that such a short and captivating work exists in an attractively packaged edition makes this one classic that will be a joy to read for all.

beautiful edition of classic story
The University of Nebraska Press edition of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is beautiful! The illustrations by Barry Moser, woodcuts that progress chronologically through Dr. Jekyll's life as it is described in hints throughout Robert Louis Stevenson's story, are atmospheric and evocative; a picture of a boy being guided by his father, for example, echoes Dr. Jekyll's comments that he has a "fatherly" interest in his alter-ego, Hyde, while Hyde has a son's "indifference" to the father; the cover illustration is a portrait of Dr. Jekyll's father destroyed by Mr. Hyde on a rampage.

Joyce Carol Oates's introduction is worthwhile, especially for those readers who know the story, as most English-speaking people do, in its basic framework, but who have not yet actually traveled the dark road with Dr. Jekyll and his friends.

It is a pleasure to read a classic book in such a carefully crafted edition. Too often books such as this are printed in cheap editions with narrow margins and lousy type; this one fits comfortably in the hand and is easy on the eye as the reader is drawn into this allegorical nightmare.

This review refers to the University of Nebraska Press edition only.


Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now
Published in Hardcover by Henry Holt & Company, Inc. (1997)
Author: Barry Miles
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Beyond my years
As it seems, I'm a 17 year old kid from Canada who's interest level in the Beatles and Paul McCartney is way above the likes of anyone else in my surrounding. For me, Paul McCartney has been more than just a simple pop Rock icon, he seems to take form as some sort of god, Not The God--A God.

I purchased this book at a Barnes and Noble in Michigan and for the last few weeks has been the only words written in paragraph form in front of my eyes. As any normal Biography it begins by explaining the time period in wich Paul was born, than continues with his birth, home life as Kid, interest in music, first meeting with John Lennon and his phenominal road to success, story telling the Beatles saga as some sort of Adventure. It's very interesting to read Paul's thoughts on many different matters, song writing, making movies, drugs, politics and being friends with some of eras most famous people. Some people read just for the info but I read and this book paticularly to live the experience--to step inside the mind of Mr. Miles and Mr. McCartney. The book is very well divided into tiltes and Subtitles, marking each special occasion with it's own headline. Stereotypicaly me being a teenager you'd think that my favorite part of the book is where Paul and Barry tell about Paul's uses, influences, likings and dislikings towards drugs. Infact it is but not for the typical teenage liking. It intrigues me to read about the experience and affects it gave Paul knowing that "You'll never be the same again". thats what I thought about this book knowing of and about the beatles for such a long time before this book entered my life, the beatles and Paul McCartney to me where just a part of my daily dosage of music seeing them as four lovable moptop lads from Liverpool, but as I egde my way to the end of this book I realize It's more than skin deep, spiritualy and Politicaly the Beatles affected a whole new and different group of people besides their regular Beatlemaniacs. This book has definitly intrigued me and changed the way I percieve Paul McCartney and the Beatles. I give this book 5 stars. I also recomend reading things we said Today--conversations with the Beatles-- by goeffrey Guiliano and some women that can't remeber the name of.

Thank you for your time on the matter Paul Jutras.

Inside McCartney's Head
Many Years From now is a superb book by Barry Miles. Mr. Miles was and is close friend of Mr. McCartney's dating all the way back to the heights of the Beatles reign. This book gives you the background biographical that most McCartney & Beatles biographies have but what separates this from the others is the oral history from Mr. McCartney himself. His insights into his relationship with John Lennon, the swinging London scene of the 60's, days on the road with the Beatles and most importantly, the stories behind the songwriting and creating of the Beatles songs are revealing and engrossing. Of particular interest are the chapters on Sgt. Pepper's, the White Album, the creation of Apple Records, the first few weeks he spent with soon to be wife Linda in New York City and the ultimate demise of the Beatles. The book is a bit lengthy and some chapters could have been trimmed down (the chapter on the time in India with the Maharishi is one to note), but if you are a fan of Paul McCartney or the Beatles, you will not find a book that matches the insight in this one.

Good
I enjoyed this, and was relieved when it ended with the Beatles break-up, because I could care less about McCartney's solo career. It is a little biased, but, frankly, John and Yoko always went on, as George put it, "that we were idiots and only he and the wife had a clue." McCartney points out how Yoko had a big retrospective show, but since there wasn't enough work for a retropsective, she had to quick make some! (Some career!) And that the other three Beatles were billed for furthering Yoko's ambitions, like this gallery show. Perhaps the three Beatles could have been more receptive to Yoko, but John and Yoko could have been better-mannered themselves, and this book points that out. Also, it was refreshing for Paul to admit that he likes fame. Rather than the b.s. boo hooing that fame is all a burdern. He relates in here how he went in disguise by himself through France for 2 weeks, and got sick of it toward the end, and remembered why he wanted to be famous, so appeared in public as himself again, and was glad to be recognized. A good book.


The Official LSAT Preptest 34
Published in Paperback by Law School Admission Council (01 June, 2001)
Author: Law School Admission Council
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If you've had time for Edna and Les, you should try Barry
A very witty tale by Australia's master of satire
which must in some way reflect the oddities of its authors celebrity lifestyle despite the disclaimer. It makes you feel that you're in the real world of this author. It has wry social observations and is
easy to read.

What they do to the rich and famous
Some very witty insights, including: "This young man had .. made the rather useful discovery that people can usually be persuaded to accept you at your own estimation of yourself."

I personally don't approve of Humphries using his fine intellect to make so many awful comments about people's appearances, but other people might like those bits best.

Also, you must have an interest in sex to get full value from this book.


Birds of Massachusetts (Natural History of New England Series)
Published in Hardcover by Massachusetts Audubon Society (1993)
Authors: Richard R. Veit, Wayne R. Petersen, and Barry W. Van Dusen
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focused record of bird-sightings
Not a field guide, this is a systematic COMPLETE record of bird-sightings in Massachusetts. It is pretty dry, but has information that can interest even a casual bird-watcher (when were Ethiopian Cattle Egrets first recognized in the U.S.?) Since it shows maps of every breeding pair seen of a given species, it can answer pretty definitively whether you are seeing a Black- Chinned Hummingbird or not.


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