Strauss is not content with telling us the story of Lowell's fascinating life--he portrays each milieu in which Lowell worked and lived with a complexity that gives us the tools to understand Lowell in context. For example, he gives us piquant details about life in the upper reaches of Boston Brahmin culture. One of the more interesting stories is Lowell's move from prominence in academia to the position of crank and critic of the increasing professionalization of astronomy.

This is the portrait of a restless mind, worth delving into.

The first fully satisfying biography of a man who helped to change astronomy, sustained its popularity and mystery, and tested the wills of mainstream astronomers.

Strauss' historical look at Lowell is extremely engaging and I found this book hard to put down. Some great historical context about Boston and Japan really give you the feeling of what is was like to be there back in the 1800's. I recommend this to all.

Not to contradict (too much), but "Beau Sabreur" WAS made into a movie in the early 1920s. I don't know if it survives. Also, read the trilogy in the order written and published -- otherwise the "mystery" in Beau Geste is too easy to solve, since Wren gives some of the answers in BS (sorry) and clears up (almost) everything in Beau Ideal. Overall, this second book of the Geste Trilogy moves a little slower than Beau Geste, and serves in large measure to set the stage for the final denoument (did I spell that right?) in Beau Ideal.

This is my favorite novel. Percival Wrens tale is a sequal to Beau Geste which should be read first. It has so many suprises, suspense, and action that modern readers will be left speechless. I have read many books but none has ever compared. Why anyone hasn't made the movie is beyond me. In case your wondering I haven't written much about the plot or storyline. Just read it. Trust me you'll like it. If you even remotely are interested in mystery, action, and suspense read it. It is so fresh and new and unique I want to teach liturature to introduce others to this authors writing style. It is truly different. Read the book, the email me your comments. You won't be sorry.

I would recommend this handbook to anyone who may be seeking an alternative medicine for cancer, rather than the chemotherapy and radiation. We chose Essiac Tea, and my husband is cancer free. This info, along with the power of prayer and faith, will give you a new perspective. It did for us. Best of luck to you.

Gives the complete story about Essiac herbal remedy plus all details I need to have a full level of knowledge about this famous Ojibway herbal medicine. Easy to read, packed with helpful info for the herbalist or natural healer, or those seeking remedies for immune system illnesses such as cancer.

Percival G. Lowe's account of militart life in the pre-CivilWar west is a must read for the military historian, anyone interestedin American frontier history, or anyone who just likes a good read. Lowe's account is most enlightening because it is written from the enlisted troops point of view. Most histories of the day were written by the officers who were better educated and often said little about the enlisted life on the frontier. Lowe's memoir starts with his induction and training in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and his 3 month trip west to his first post. Just the story regarding his travels to his first duty station include canal boats, river boats, mule trains and just plain old foot slogging marches across a raw expanse only recently opened to settlers from the east and Europe. His writting about his troops escort duty on the early Santa Fe trail is also quite informative. The book is written in the style of the 19th century and is a colorful as well as interesting reading. Well worth the price and time involved.

Percival Lowe was a gentleman, even if he was not an officer, and he was also a good soldier and a great frontiersman. If you want to know what it was like to be a Dragoon on the frontier this is the book. If you are interested in the history of the US Cavalry you need to read this book.

Equally impious and improbable, Percival Everett's story of Craig Suder's sacrificing his baseball career to (inadvertently?) end up pursing an unacknowledged life-long dream is likely to disturb respectable folk. Those with delicate sensibilities need not open this wonderfully instructive and sometimes comically funny work. Nevertheless, Everett's finely detailed chronicle of a slumping professional third baseman's journey to self-awareness is an affirmation in the best sense of the word. Bringing in a diverse cast of characters- -including a taxidermically-obsessed baseball manager, an abused run-away sub-teen, and a long-suffering elephant who finds happiness in the Oregon hill country- -Everett leads the slumping pro ball player to an epiphany of the soul which concludes with a satisfying Icarus-like journey that is also a moving tribute to the jazz of Charlie "Byrd" Parker.

Have fun!

This book has a main character, Craig, who's a professional baseball player who has hit a major slump in the major leagues and takes some time off. While soul searching and trying to maintain some semblance of sanity, Craig takes the reader through his abnormal childhood and reflects on the antics of his mother who was mentally insane. Although the ending leaves much to be desired, the content of the book will make you laugh, and say, "WHAT!" several times. Craig and his mother will stay with you long after you've finished this novel. The most memorable scene for me was the baseball game with the mother being an unofficial coach to Craig by showing him how to run the bases while wearing a full length mink coat. Happy reading.

I received two presents for my birthday a few weeks ago and this was the one I truly wanted. I read the book during Xmas Eve and Xmas while lounging around. This book is another classic by a writer who is fast becoming my favorite living author! The wit, the sarcasm, the vocabulary, the idea itself makes this book one of my favorites. It's not an "easy" read at all. I found myself reaching for the dictionary on a few occasions and I wasn't upset at all. Aren't you supposed to learn something from what you read??? Anyway, if you're fed up with those typical novels full of sex, violence, and 3rd grade language, then this book will surely make you smile! Mr Everett, keep up the good work!

Vincent Lopez

Everett is fast becoming one of my favorite authors, though I get the feeling that between this one and his "Erasure" I've read all of his generally accessible stuff.

The story is told by a baby that is born a genius and is almost immediately set upon by forces trying to capture him. With incredible wit and tons of intellectual property, so to speak. The baby has a wicked sense of humor.

A bit heady, and not for the faint of intellect, but a great pay-off.

I picked this book up because of the pretty cover. I read the dust-jacket blurb, was intrigued by the premise (a baby who won't talk but can read and write! Neat-o!) and started reading. I had no fore-warning about it's "wit, satire, intelligence." After 20 pages I had to put it down-- it was that good, that I had to reflect on how good it was. I was amazed. Yes, I suppose, all that stuff everyone says about post-structuralist posturing and the hemophilia of the literary brotherhood, its all true-- but I haven't enjoyed well-crafted sentences like these since Berger and Leyner.

Impossibly, a "structuralist" dialogue is accomplished between Everett's obvious genius with what words can do and with what words are for. A new "parole" and "langue"? Ralph would easily make fun of me for that one.

Just read it. You don't need to know nothing about nothing. It's not erudite-- it's fun.

These stories are wonderfully rich and dynamic. Everett blends well the elements of a simple, rural lifestyle with complex characters; characters that struggle to find their place in the "big picture". The result is an intense, sometimes dark, but always satisfying read, and there is a unity not always found in a collection of short stories. Read it.

The book provides useful research and comment on a subject that can be very intimidating for the uninitiated. This book was written and published after the Internet stock bubble had burst so the rhetoric is tempered with sensibility. I believe the view presented is a balanced one and I enjoyed reading it. It has provided me with useful insight into the e-commerce landscape internally and externally. I liked the graphical and statistical data provided, but then that is to be expected in any publication from "The Economist". One of the issues I found particularly enlightening was the huge volume (of transactions) that seems to be needed to make e-commerce models work (Ch 5 p 99). This is now becoming evident as the bursting Internet stock bubble has made us painfully aware. Overall I regard the publication as well worth it.

A book about weather everything from the history of meteorology to the formation of hurricanes. There is a lot of information in each page, information about different equipment used to track and measure the weather. Photographs and graphics are used to describe the weather and how to track it. In the back of the book there are pages devoted to making a home weather station to track and record the weather. The book is indexed in the back for easy access to information. It makes the book a good choice to have for easy reference or a young student's weather project. The material is not presented in a boring matter. Some younger students may find too much information to understand at the first reading.

I found this book interesting. One thing that most people don't know about the Irish Potato Famine is just how much the British Government is to blame for all those deaths. Any food that an Irish person had in their possession was seized and then shipped to England and other countries. This is the dirty little secret of the British Government.