This Latin and Old Irish codex contains the only complete Irish liturgy to survive the supression of the Irish churches by the Roman Catholic English Normans.
It provides a valuable means of understanding the Christianity of the pre-Schism Irish churches and what was lost in their submission to Roman practices.

This book really is very well done! It is very informative of Maryland throughout its years. George Hahn has obviously put lots of work into this really wonderful book that basically sums up the history of Maryland. I was really impressed by the pictures he had of this state that I really never knew could be so interesting! Another reason I liked it was because of its combination of a scrapbook and an interesting story that leads you through this state's history! This book is 2 thumbs way, way, up!

This book is one of the 3 Pisces "Dive Into History" series and is a very well researched and informative book on present-day U-boats wrecks complete with excellent underwater color photography, line drawings and wartime historical photographs. It covers the events leading up to and the circumstances of the sinkings of several U-boats. From the standpoint of the maritime archaeologist, the U-boat historian, or anyone interested in the history of war beneath the waves, especially technical scuba divers, it is a must. The other 2 books in the series I have read, "Warships" and "U.S. Submarines" are equally essential and well done. No submarine book collection is complete without Volumes No.2 and No.3 (U.S. Submarines and U-Boats).

I have 32 different books concerning the U-boats in WWI and WWII in my collection, and some of the most striking images of U-boats are to be found in this book.

The genius of Mark Twain is that his work is still enjoyable, and funny, to this day. This book, originally published in 1871, is Twain's account of his journey from Missouri to Hawaii (called the Sandwich Islands in his day). He tells story after story of his adventures along the way, starting with the stagecoach ride on the Overland Stage Line to Carson City, Nevada, around 1861, and then telling of his stay in Nevada, then California, then his visit to Hawaii. The stories are informative, humorous, and all-around entertaining. He lampoons everybody he can--nobody is safe--including miners, pioneers (emigrants), politicians, Mormons, Blacks, American Indians, Chinese, newspaper reporters, "desperados", even himself on more than one occasion. Sometimes his stories are so outrageous that you wonder how much is true and how much is embellishment, or just outright fiction. Even he understands this by telling the reader on occasion that he has not made up a particular story, to demonstrate that truth is often stranger than fiction, but also to imply that he has taken liberties in other places in the book. (I wonder if the Mormon Church has ever banned this book for the things he says about them.) Even while he is being irreverent, however, he often demonstrates a sensitivity toward people, with an awareness of the situation of others that seems to me to be ahead of his time. For example, he has a chapter on the immigrant Chinese population in the West, and while he pokes fun at them in some respects, he spends the time detailing their lives and culture, as much as he could understand it, with a respect that was uncommon in his day.

I bought a copy of this book years ago because I am a native Californian, and knew that there was some material in here about California in the early days (my copy is an old hardcover published by Grosset and Dunlap). As Twain states in his Prefatory: "...There is quite a good deal of information in this book. I regret this very much, but really it could not be helped." I enjoyed reading about the "old West" from an eye-witness, although most of it deals with Nevada, not California. While some of it sounded familiar, like something from any Western-genre movie, other things were like nothing I had ever heard of before, describing the "Wild West" from an original point of view. In that respect, this book is a great resource.

This book falls short of five stars due to some minor flaws. He often digresses with text that is not only marginal to the point, but not even written by him, reprinting someone else's text. I skipped over some of that. He would also spend pages detailing coversations between other people that he could not have possibly remembered verbatim. While I understand that it was a common writing style of his day, it sounds like bad jounalism today. Those complaints aside, this is some great writing by Twain and some valuable American history.

Twain's escapades in the West make fascinating reading. His encounters with the Mormons in Utah are particularly interesting. Anyone afflicted with Mormon missionaries on his or her doorstep ought to bring out a copy of this book and read aloud the chapter in which Twain discusses the absurd Book of Mormon. Nobody can match Twain in skewering foolishness and pomposity dressed up as religion.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of travel logs, journals, reports, diaries, etc. that tell about the American West in the mid-nineteenth century. This book by Mark Twain, however, is both unique and one of the best. This is travel writing as it should be. Twain, traveling across the plains from Missouri to Nevada in the early 1860's, and spending seven years loafing about Nevada, California, and Hawaii, collected and compiled his experiences into this extraordinary book. One of the best things about Twain, of course, is his unique view on things. This tale is told in Twain's wry, humorous style, and is very enjoyable.

This book is not quite as pessimistic as Twain's other great travel writing, 'The Innocents Abroad,' but it does include some interesting and unorthodox views which often prove hilarious. Twain spends time as a gold and silver seeker, a speculator, a journalist, and a vagabond (as he himself puts it), and puts a unique spin on each of these occupations. As far as travel writing goes, this book is indispensable, and it also proves quite valuable (odd as it may seem) in any thorough study of frontier life in the American West.

I had very mixed feelings about this book, and it actually made it quite difficult to put "stars" on it. Looking at it as a novel it's quite good. Ms. George has obviously researched her subject well. I read the book through very rapidly, and given its rather intimidating bulk, that says a lot about the way it's written. It's entertaining. So, as a novel, I'd give it 5 stars.

On the other hand, I've been reading a lot of historical fiction lately, including books by Sharon Kaye Penman and Dorothy Dunnett. After reading those wonderfully rendered tales, Margaret George's book feels "flat." It seems to be missing a certain something - an air of authenticity, perhaps. I guess since it's called an "Autobiography," I expected to "hear" the tone of the book differently. As historical fiction, I'd rate the book 2 - 3 stars.

It's worth the read, and it does actually make you think about Henry VIII's character in a different light.

The cover of this book is what intrigued me, to begin with. And I have to admit--the girth did too. I have this bizarre thing about tackling huge books. At almost 1000 pages, this not daunting, especially considering I was in my last semester of law school and didn't have much time to read anything for fun. Fun doesn't even begin to describe this book. I was hooked from the first page. I can't even describe how good this is. George describes King Henry VIII and ALL six of his wives in lush detail that's so real, I cried when Anne Boleyn was beheaded. I would read this for hours at a time and forget that I wasn't actually listening to Henry himself tell the story. You just don't find books like this that often--a complete and utter escape. George's research is clearly thorough, but her vivid descriptions of Henry's thoughts lend a clear explanation to so many things that pure history simply cannot answer. I know it's fiction, but you leave this masterpiece believing every word! That's the best kind of historical fiction!

I don't see how this book can warrant less than five stars. While it may not be the most historically accurate book written about English King Henry VIII, it is certainly entertaining, insightful, and interesting. Don't let the length discourage you; 900 pages were up before I knew it and I didn't want it to end. I became so used to Margaret George's diary-style of writing through Henry that I almost felt as if he were my friend.
The book, written all through Henry's point of view (with clever inserts from his fool, Will) greatly improved my knowledge of Tudor England. Also, it really helped me to see Henry's life through his own eyes. Through much research, Margaret George has delved into his very personality and managed to write about every event of any significance in his life. She also showed how each wife and divorce/beheading came with a different justification for Henry VIII. As I came to understand his personality more and more, there were many times I felt sympathy and sorrow for the English monarch.
I highly suggest that anyone who has any interest in this subject read the book!

The Big Liddell is a very valuable resource, as a number of other reviewers here have observed. It truly is the premier work of its kind. But it has a few drawbacks.

1 - The sheer weight and bulk of this tome makes it a dedicated desk reference. In fact, you might consider building a special shelf or desk just to hold the book.

2 - The offset printing flaws mentioned by other reviewers is a significant problem. Portions of some entries are not even legible.

The Big Liddell is the kind of book that would be much more valuable in digital format than in print. There's been talk about an electronic version for some time, and it looks like we might finally get one soon ...

The "big" Liddell & Scott is the one to buy when you're about to do your doctorate. Until then you would be better off with the Intermediate, and not just because it's only about a third the price and much easier to carry about. The Intermediate has a much clearer typeface and many students find its material more easily accessible.
The ninth edition of the "big" Liddell & Scott has been offset so many times that the print is faint and verging on the illegible. My copy actually has pieces of print missing. The Clarendon Press ought really to have the whole thing revised and reset. But what a daunting task! (It will probably end up being republished on disk.)

This review is for the Abridged Liddell-Scott Lexicon...

I own the Intermediate sized Liddell as well, and I must say I actually prefer the smaller one. When I took a class where we read "The Apology of Socrates" by Plato, my professor recommended avoiding the Intermediate edition. At first I thought perhaps he was wrong, and I used it to translate some passages. After spending a lot of time sorting through it, I found that I agreed with him. The Intermediate Liddell does have locations of word use in original sources, and has slightly more vocabulary, but for the beginning and intermediate Greek reader, the Abridged Liddell is preferable. Navigating through the abridged edition is far easier and it often assumes a lesser knowledge of Greek, thus it includes some conjugated forms, which then point you to the correct verb. So as you can see, the abridged edition should suit the needs of most classical Greek students. Also, the editors took care to make sure that virtually every New Testament word is included.

Are there drawbacks to the Liddell-Scott? The Victorian English often gets frustrating. We rarely use words like hither and thither anymore. Also, when more morally explicit Greek words are defined, their definition is in Latin. Also, the original printing abnormalities, such as certain parts of letters being cut off from words, remain.

Learning Greek is a rewarding, but daunting task. The task is often made more difficult by grammars and lexicons that assume the reader knows more than he or she does. The abridged Liddell is perfect for the average student. When you want to dive in deeper, learn word origins, search sources, or just want to say you own the most complete Lexicon out there, you should buy the full size Liddell-Scott. Until then, the abridged edition works!

In "Progress and Poverty," Henry George starts off by calling attention to numerous revolutionary advances in labor-saving technology, and then observes that:

"Where the conditions to which material progress everywhere tends are most fully realized -- that is to say, where population is densest, wealth greatest, and the machinery of production and exchange most highly developed -- we find the deepest poverty, the sharpest struggle for existence, and the most of enforced idleness" (p. 6).

With the paradox of increasing poverty amid advancing wealth clearly in mind, he then asks a simple yet important question:

"Why, in spite of increase in productive power, do wages tend to a minimum which will give but a bare living?" (p. 17)

George devotes the next 265 pages of his book to discovering the answer to that question. He analyzes various conflicting theories and, through a process of elimination, finally concludes that:

"The reason why, in spite of the increase in productive power, wages constantly tend to a minimum which will give but a bare living, is that, with increase in productive power, [land] rent tends to even greater increase, thus producing a constant tendency to the forcing down of wages" (p. 282).

The core premise on which this conclusion is based is summarized by George as follows:

"Three things unite to production -- labor, capital, and land. Three parties divide the produce -- the laborer, the capitalist, and the landowner. If, with an increase of production the laborer gets no more and the capitalist gets no more, it is a necessary inference that the landowner reaps the whole gain" (p. 222).

Put another way, the root cause of poverty amid progress is private collection of land rent -- land rent being the portion of the "produce" that goes to landowners for the use of land. Since land (being a free gift of nature) is in fixed supply, the more wealth that the relative many who own little or no land produce, the more wealth the relative few who own most of the land are able to confiscate by raising rents.

Since this increase in the rental value of land is a result, *not* of what the holders of land-titles do, but of the growth and activity of the surrounding community -- and since land itself is that to which all humans have an equal right of access -- George argues that this value rightfully belongs to the community, and should be taxed accordingly. At the same time, he argues that both wages (the return to labor) and interest (the return to capital) are the result of individual effort, and therefore belong exclusively to the individual.

On that basis, George concludes that, to simultaneously end poverty while unleashing the wealth-producing power of free enterprise, we must "abolish all taxation save that upon land values" (p. 406).

This proposal later became known as the "Single Tax." While the implementation of the Single Tax wouldn't solve all our economic problems (we're also in desperate need of a debt-free money system -- see "Rights vs. Privileges" by Robert De Fremery), I'm convinced it would reverse the alarming increase in wealth disparity that has occurred in recent decades; would increase general prosperity to unprecedented heights; and would establish true equality of opportunity *without* enforcing equality of outcome in the process.

"Progress and Poverty" is a timeless classic that is just as relevant today as it was 120 years ago, and is a must-read for anyone who desires to reconcile the seeming conflict between economic liberty and social justice, but isn't sure how to go about satisfying that desire.

People do not argue with the teaching of George, they simply do not know it. And it is impossible to do otherwise with his teaching, for he who becomes acquainted with it cannot but agree.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this book, written over a hundred years ago, is the accuracy of the predictions that Henry George made on what would happen if solutions other than the one he proposed would be followed. The only alternative to his sollution which he said would also work to reduce the difference between rich and poor was the use of government regulation. This has to some extent been taken up in all countries of the world, and while it has indeed slowed the processes which Henry George described, it has led to exactly the problem he predicted. "For instance, to take one of the simplest and mildest of the class of measures...--a graduated tax on incomes. The object at which it aims is good; but this means involves the employment of a large number of officials clothed with inquisitorial powers; temptations to bribery, and perjury, and all other means of evasion, which beget a demoralization of opinion, and ptu a premium upon unscrupulousness and a tax upon conscience..." That seems to be a pretty good descrition of civic life today.

When I have mentioned Henry George, the usual answer has been "Who?" Those who had heard of him mostly thought that his ideas only applied to agrarian societies. In fact, he recognized that land was only one (though the most fundamental) form of monopoly, and he makes it clear that he included all monopolies, not just land, into the realm of the rights of the community rather than a private owner. In this day, he would certainly hhave comments about how the airwaves have been distributed, for example.

The main surprise to me about this book is how completely unknown it has become. Anyone who reads this with an open mind will be convinced by Henry George's arguments.

The author was a journalist who made a point of noting key thoughts when he came upon them while reading. Thus, the book is mostly one person's presentation of what he read during his life, which is fine.

In general, quote books can be unsatisfying since they present small, out-of-context snippets of ideas. That was expected. The issue here turned out to be the title.

"Great thoughts" generally suggests ideas that have stood the test of time and been found to be true. This book devotes 8.5 pages to quotes from Freud, about as many to Marx, Lenin, Nietzsche .... you get the point. While these people have certainly affected Western civilization, at least recently, they have also been proven to be totally wrong, often at tremendous cost to the civilization they have experimented upon.

Can erroneous thoughts be "great thoughts"? If you think so, this book will be fine for you. Me, it drives up the wall.

The author deliberately excludes quotes from religious figures, assessing there is so much already out there, it's redundant. This seems to undercut the idea of illuminating the underlying ideas of civilization, but I guess Marx and Lenin need more exposure.

In skipping and out, as quote books require, I found little from those who opposed such ideas, repeated in this book of "greats", even long before they enslaved billions and collapsed the societies who adopted them. The author rather grudgingly admits conservatism is part of western tradition, but that's about it. It is significant the book was picked for update/revision after the collapse of the the Soviet Union. Do "great" thoughts need revision? These do.

Basically, if the book had been called "Influential Ideas of Modern Material Humanism", there would be no complaint here.

A much better book of short anecdotes might be "Condemned to Repeat It: The Philosopher Who Flunked Life and Other Great Lessons From History"

This book was originally put together by a very successful journalist who had access to the most famous people of the times. Interestingly, various editions are, or at least, have been available in either author or subject categorized.

I really like the quotes Seldes selected and this is one of the 30 or 40 books (from among the 400+ quote books I own) I use most (in the subject listed format) to dig up quotes for topics I am researching.

It's not one of the top five I'd buy, but if you see one one sale, grab it. It's a nice one to add to a quotation collection or to give as a gift. ALso, the price is better than many others, and it's another book you can often get for just a few dollars at a used book shop or through one of the used book web vendors.

The Great Thoughts was the first quote book that I used for writing cases in Lincoln Douglas debate in High School. I found that the quotations were thorough and wide-ranging. The Great Thoughts contains many useful authors from all time periods and all races. I have used quotations from Mahatma Ghandi to Plato. Another added bonus is that the book comes with longer quotations. A longer quote insures that a reader won't take a quote out of context. I've used The Great Thoughts for Debate, for school papers, and for my job as a writer at my school newspaper. I reccommend the Great Thoughts without any hesitations.

Charles Dickens has been one of my favorite authors since I was forced to read him in high school. I had not picked up one of his stories since, but upon reading that David Copperfield was Dicken's personal favorite book he had authored, I decided to try him again. I was not disappointed. Dicken's creates an incredible cast of characters and paints a vivid portrait of 19th-century England. Aside from fulfulling those crucial elements of writing a novel, Dickens tells a terrific story. The initial serialization of the story into 19 monthly parts required Dickens to create many dramatic buildups and twists and turns that kept the audience buying the next installment. When it is all put together the novel is an unexpected roller coaster that has many climbs, dives, loop-the-loops, and sharp curves. In the end everything of course comes together beautifully and the characters all get their just desserts. This is yet another clinic by Dickens in how to write a well organized, though unpredictable, novel that maintains the interest of a reader through approx. 900 pages of writing. It is a wonderful experience that all lovers of good fiction should at least attempt.

For those who don't have time to read for pleasure, or perhaps spend too much time reading as part of their daily job, audio books are a godsend. You can play them while travelling to work, and you're suddenly transported to another world, if they're any good.

Fortunately this Naxos abridgement read by Anton Lesser is superb. I haven't yet found an actor better at handling both the male and female voices, old and young, rich and poor. It's so easy to forget that that is not a large-cast dramatisation -- it's just a a one-man reading, brilliantly executed.

As a story, 'David Copperfield' means a lot to me because it means a lot to my Dad. Now 73 years old, he had a troubled childhood in and around London, and a difficult relationship with his stepfather. While Dickens needed to create some out-and-out baddies such as Uriah Heep and the Murdstones, many of his characters are basically decent folk, rigidly sticking to Victorian values, and I think this is how my father still sees the world.

Much of the detail in this story is specific to England, but the basic human themes are universal. As a first pass at getting into 'David Copperfield', I would very strongly recommend this 4CD audiobook.

In an age when we have not much time to read one short book from cover to cover, few long books will ever be good enough to read twice; David Copperfield is one of them. It has, perhaps, the most unforgettable cast of characters ever assembled in a work of fiction: Mr. Micawber, Uriah Heep, Aunt Betsey Trotwood, the Murdstones, Mr. Dick, Peggotty, and, of course, David Copperfield himself.

The story is simple enough to start. David's mother marries a man, Murdstone, who makes life hell for her and young David. David has the courage to rebel against the tyrant and is sent off to boarding school and later to a blacking factory. For readers who want to compare childhood rebellion to authority in the movies, Alexander's defiance of the Bishop in Ingmar Bergman's great movie, Fanny and Alexander, is equally dramatic and sad.

David runs away and finds his Aunt Betsey Trotwood, who takes him in and supports him, with a little help from her wise/fool companion Mr. Dick. This is story enough for many novelists, but it is only the beginning for Dickens. David has yet to meet one of the great villains in literature, that "Heap of infamy" Uriah Heep. Uriah's villainy is terrible because it is hidden under a false pretense of humilty and service to others. The final confrontation between Heap and Micawber is one of the great scenes in literature.

None of what I have said answers the question, Why read this book more than once? The most important answer to this question for the nonacademic reader is "for the fun of it." From cover to cover this novel gives so much pleasure that it begs to be read again. We want to revisit David's childhood and his confrontation with the terrible Mr. Murdstone. Mr. Micawber is one of Dickens's great creations and anytime he is part of the action we can expect to be entertained. When we pair Micawber with Heap we have the explosive combination which results in the confrontation mentioned earlier in this review.

These brief examples only scratch the surface of the early 19th century English world Dickens recreates for the reader. Some other of Dickens' novels like Bleak House may be concerned with more serious subjects, but none lay claim to our interest more than Dickens' personal favorite "of all his children," that is, David Copperfield. Turn off the television, pick a comfortable chair, and be prepared to travel along with David Copperfield as he tells us the story of his life.

In his biography of Partick Henry, Vaughan complains that previous biographers were unfair to the legendary statesman. Thus, he moves to correct this historical error by bringing forth a laundry list of glowing facts about Henry. While Vaughan does have a point about previous renderings of Henry's life, he does little to paint a more accurate picture of the orator. Rather, he glosses over Henry flaws, and presents us with a candy-coated version of the man. And Henry was a man--a good man, but a man nonetheless. Unfortunately, this biography fails to recognize that.

What a delightful read this book has been. The author displays a clear and deep admiration for his subject, but I find no fault in that. The book reads very easily without a lot of stilted verbiage, making it a wonderful introduction of the great orator to the student.

There is not a lot of detailed analysis here, but I don't believe that was the authors' intention. This work is meant to be an outline and introduction Henry, the Trumpet of the Revolution.

The work is actually presented as three separate volumes in one binding. Part 1 takes the reader from birth to death, touching on the momentous occasions, as well as a good bit of reference to the details of life which shaped the life of Henry. Part 2 gives Henry's views of some of life's virtues, such as Christianity, patriotism and duty and gives an insightful look at the character of this great American. Part 3 concludes with how Henry has been remembered by history, and how he should be remembered.

Overall, a delightful read which I highly recommend to students or anyone wishing to gain a basic insight to a great American patriot.

It was wonderful to see Patrick Henry's Christian values and belief on the LORD JESUS CHRIST openly written about. I enjoyed it completely and would recommend it to any who enjoy studying the Revolutionary War. BUY IT!