If you love things historical but don't necessarily love reading history, this book is a delightful way to learn about the South--not from a historian or a scholar, but from a mother teaching her children how to live in the times they were born in, nearly 100 years ago.

Sometimes we meet a person in a book we'd like to claim as family. Reading these letters of Ina Dillard Russell's found me wishing I were one of her 13 children--with a few dozen of these letters to call my very own.

The letters themselves are full of life-- as it was lived by real people-- in rural Georgia from the early part of this century to the Great Depression. They tell the story of a remarkable Southern family, headed by a remarkable Southern woman.

Born in 1868, Ina Dillard Russell grew up during Reconstruction. She married an Athens lawyer and future chief justice of the Georgia supreme court in 1891, and raised her family (which included future GA governor and U.S. senator Richard Russell) with a generous spirit, prudent advice, and loving guidance.

It's all there in the letters, which Ina wrote on any scrap of paper handy, usually as she held a baby on her lap! I found her comments on the challenges life presents and on how to rise gracefully to them, her tips on hygiene, diet, manners, and fashion, on study, perserverance and spirit, not only a tonic and a charm, but a key to the tenor of the times.

Since we can't all be Ina's children, the recipients of most of these treasures, we have Ina's editor (and grandaughter) Sally Russell to thank for selecting them from the nearly 3000 letters Ina wrote and passing them on. Russell's editorial comments to each of the five chapters are rich in anecdote, history and heart. She explains just enough about the people involved, and then wisely allows Ina to speak for herself.

For the letters themselves tell Ina's story better than narrative ever could. She gives herself so freely to the page, expends her energy so fully on paper, that by the end of the book I'd come to feel I'd actually met her, had spent time with her in the kitchen or on the front porch swing. She's part of my family now, and I refuse to let her go.

I feel this book captures many of the answers that transgendered people are seeking. It is both scientific in approach and easy to read. It is unfortunate that this book is out of print. It may be dated, but covers a lot of ground.

This book is among the best myhology books I have ever read. It is expanded to the best and most popular of Greek Myths. For example, The Labors of Hercules, The Quest for the Golden Fleece and more.

Richard Green has captured the spirit of independence and the Native American in this fabulous collection of pages from Te Ata's diary and notes from her husband Clyde Fisher.

The Consolation of Philosophy is the last work that can be described as classical. Boethius, a Christian scholar (De Tractes)and public servant, penned the Consolation while awaiting death by torture on the orders of Theodoric, Ostrogothic King of Italy. Boethius consoled himself by writing an allegory in which Philosophy, in the bodily form of his nurse, comes to him to clarify his mind, weighed down with unhappieness over his misfortune. The style is called the Menippian Satire, which alternates prose sections with short verse stanzas that serve to reinforce the points made in the subsequent prose. Philosophy shows Boethius that he is not abused by Fortune because, as Boethius agrees that God exists, that He is good, and all-powerful, that nothing can happen which God does not permit. His treatment of divine foreknowledge and free will is sublime, as is his discourse on Time and Eternity. Boethius is heavily indebted to Plato for much of his natural theology. This book became the bedside companion of many people, and was translated by Alfred the Great and Elizabeth I. All this, in a work that runs less than 100 pages, depending on the edition.

This is a must for any student of philosophy. Boethius is the transition from Roman and Neo-Platonic philosophy into the Medieval Period.

I would also recommend this book to those facing doubt in their studies, or college students thinking of quitting. It is a short work, easy to read and great in its comfort.

"Be not overcome by your misfortunes, for the gifts of fortune are fleeting and happiness is not to be found in temporal goods. Only by being like God, who is the highest good, can lasting happiness come to man." Lady Philosophy counsels.

Although the work is neo-Platonic Aristotle and Porphyry are heavily drawn from - so the advanced reader could consider those volumes too.

Most people don't expect medieval literature to be easy to read, let alone relevant,immediate, and moving. Yet the Consolation is all that and more. As other reviewers here point out, Boethius wrote it under great personal duress. After rising to a high position and enjoying a distinguished career, Boethius is awaiting execution and the Consolation details his gradual movement from despair, grief and anger at the hand he has been played by fortune to a remembrance of his "true nature" and that of the universe...aided at every step by Lady Philosophy. Although the arguments are often familiar to anyone versed in ancient philosophy, and the structure rhetorical, the terrible context and the passion behind the arguments make this about as immediate and real as it gets. PS The medievals thought so too...it is just about the most quoted and imitated book of the period...

I picked this book up on my "return to classics mission" and was disappointed. It is the story of a Welsh coal-mining family at the end of the 19th century told by one of the younger boys in the family.

The story lacked depth. As one might expect, all the characters in the family were tried and true and terrific with a few minor exceptions. When a family member fell from grace you could be sure he or she would rise up again. The devotion of a younger brother does not make for tension. There was little conflict in the book even though strikes and strife with the mine owners were chronicled.

There just is not a lot to say about this long family saga other than it is a long family saga. The writing was good and the Welsh dialect attractive. However, I did not think the writing transcended the flatness of the plot.

I first read this book in High School. I loved it, but wasn't always sure what was going on - why would Huw be bed-bound for two years just because he fell into a stream? But the lyricism of the language captivated me; Llewellyn writes the way the Welsh people I've encountered actually speak - he does a better job of capturing the voice of a language than any other writer I know.

I have two problems with this book. First, I find the characters somewhat flat - they are all so perfect, and play their roles so well, that they are somewhat predictable. If they were negative, you would call them caricatures. But I'm sure there are people who are that genuinely GOOD, if perhaps occasionally more interesting and human. And I always enjoy "sweep of history" books that trace a family or people through time. My other problem, which is related to the first, is that time doesn't seem to have affected the characters in this book - they are essentially the same at the end as they were at the beginning - they seem quite unaffected by the events that occur in their lives. So the characterizations could have been more realistic without losing "gravitas."

Having said that, I rank this among my favorite books - I recently reread it, after many years, and while I still don't know why Huw was bed-bound, it's still a terrific book and my ears still ring with the language!

From the very first line of this book, I knew I was in for an interesting, unique experience. This novel was beautiful~ the flowing language, the flashes from present time to the past, the intricate detail of each character. The simplicity of the narrative of this story carries the plot line along. The descriptive use of words, especially adjectives, sets the reader right in the middle of all the action. Although the characters seem too "good" a lot of the time, I think the reason for this is because the society which they inhabit is so. They do have their bad qualities which they acknowledge and try to remedy. Llewellyn chose to write this book with simple Welsh language; a wise choice I heartily agree with it. The reader can feel the words coming straight from the heart, and can therefore connect well with the characters. This book had me captivated from beginning to end, and even when it ended, I found myself wishing for more. This book is definitely one that I count among my favorites~ and I do not think it gets the recognition it deserves a lot of the time, which is unfortunate because it is a true classic that is timeless...

Written in the late forties, Orwell's 1984 is clearly a product of its time; a time when the advent and eventual use of the atom bomb threatened the end of civilization. I admire Orwell for the amount of thought and imagination he must have put into the development of this book. It is an example of how a powerful imagination can teeter between extremes of pure optimism and, in this case, paranoia. In 1984, Orwell's vision of the future is grim: war is constant; freedom, as we know it, is an ancient and outdated concept; and love, for anything but government, is perverse. Winston, the book's protagonist, struggles with a lost sense of self and his fear of a government (the Party) that punishes the pursuit of individual fulfillment. Most disturbing is that, in the end, rather than die as a martyr, he embraces his oppressive government fully aware his capitulation will precipitate his own death.

Orwell's commentary on the evolution of totalitarianism is profound. Orwell asserts that post-Neolithic governments, with the benefit of written history, were, over time, able to reduce the threat of overthrow using lessons learned by fallen predecessors. Orwell argues that throughout history people have been divided among high, middle and lower classes; and that, with the advancement of successive governments, the intent of the higher class to maintain power over the lower classes has become less explicit. This has left the lower classes less inclined to revolt. In 1984, the proletariat is under the illusion that their government represents their interest. The Party fosters this illusion, in part, by constantly "updating" any record of the past. As a result, people are unaware of how terrible their lives are relative to the lives of those who lived before them.

Newspeak, the language created by the ruling party in 1984, is amazingly detailed and seems feasible. It is based on the English language, and its vocabulary grows smaller instead of larger every year. An appendix, included in the book, enumerates some of the terminology and syntax of the language, and explains how the language is designed to control the thoughts of those who utilize it.

Orwell's prose is not noticeably good or bad. The book's strength is in its power to make people think.

Although I have generally found Orwell to be a politically confused thinker, 1984 stands out as one of the best and most forward thinking works I have ever read. The amount of relevance this book has today is overwhelming, considering modern government propaganda techniques and the double edged sword of technology. This story serves as a warning to all who trust the government, especially in regards to privacy issues.

Winston Smith, while not the ideal romantic protagonist, is still compelling in his own right with his inspiring (and finally tragic) fight against Big Brother. The struggle that takes place between Winston and the government in 1984 is psychologically thrilling and intense, and it is still difficult for me to put the book down each time I read it. I am particularly drawn to the character of O'Brien, who represents to me the culmination of a path that all seasoned politicians and government officials travel down.

The year 1984 has come and past, but an extreme statist government similar to the one portrayed in the novel still may haunt us in the future.

1984 has come and gone, but George Orwell's prophetic nightmare of the not so distant future holds as much power now as it did fifty years ago. The book shows what a government placed in complete control would do to maintain its power. The story is based on one man's struggle against himself and the vast web of deception spread over most of the world.

The novel 1984 is centered on Winston Smith, an average, middle-aged man who is living his life in the city of London. London is a part of Oceania, a vast superpower controlling a third of the world. The Party, an oppressive, totalitarian government, governs Oceania and promotes itself through propaganda, censorship, and thought control. The population is controlled by Big Brother, an immense network of cameras covering all of Oceania. The cameras are fixed in the walls of every room, of every house, on every road, in every city of the whole country. All of the cameras are monitored, every minute of every day. Every gesture, twitch, or involuntary movement is intently scrutinized for signs of criminal activities, possible rebelliousness, or internal conflict. It is not uncommon for people to simply disappear without a trace, never to be seen again. As Winston goes through his day-to-day life, the reader becomes increasingly aware of the horrors of his current society and of the terrible atrocities of the government. This book is gripping and thought provoking, and I highly recommend it.

~Reader

This book reads too much like a history textbook for me. Too many dates, facts, and personage, and not enough development of what the man was actually trying to do. Too many trees and not enough forest. Still, as practically the only book that deals with this fascinating man, I'm very grateful to Professor Bramwell for the excellent research and objectivity she has brought to bear.

While it's certainly tricky business getting within a country mile of "rehabilitating" a Nazi, she puts a very human face on a very complex situation. The insanity of Nazi Germany is not moralized as much as it is displayed as an idealogical and political free-for-all where Darre finally was all but totally marginalized for his idealistic vision.

Again, I'm left wondering about Darre. Bramwell doesn't seem to be all that familiar with Green philosophy or environmental history, which cripples her presentation of what she asserts are the roots of modern Green politics. Obviously, Darre was Green, but why? How did his personal vision of a pastoral, de-urbanized Germany develop? Was he the idealogical posterboy of the Nazis? Or simply a political tool used and discarded? Would a victorious Third Reich have eventually gotten back to his Blut und Boden message? I believe monumental, centuries-in-the-making forces flashed momentarily to life under a swastika, but in such a twisted form that we'll forever be wondering how and why.

To me Nazism was just one possible mushroom popping up over a broad field of underground mycelia, and a very poisonous mushroom at that. This field is not gone, it's growing, and the mycelia will produce many more mushrooms, hopefully not as poisonous. Darre represented an outcropping that might have been, and probably will be again. Perhaps these issues need to be covered in another book.

Anna Bramwell's Blood and Soil is a strange, rare little book.I might never have heard of it, had I not seen it cited in abibliography of a book on the S.S.

Richard Walther Darre (1895-1953) was Hitler's Agriculture Minister until 1941. He was also a major figure in the Nordic racialist movement, and was one of those people who was responsible for the "pagan" wing of the Nazi Party.

I got hold of this book expecting it to be just another book on the "evils" of the Nordic Renaissance. I was surprised, however, to read a book that shed light on the fact that the Nordic movement was far more complicated than the "blond hair-blue-eye-let's-breed-superpeople syndrome" so often found in the American press.

Ms. Bramwell writes about many figures in the movement, such as Paul Schultze-Naumberg a nd his wife, Hans F.K. Gunther, Bernhard Kummer, Johann van Leers and L.F. Clauss. I learned a lot about how the Nordic ideal was just that, an ideal, and that not all Nordics were supposed to be blond, for instance. Nordicism encompassed more than just a "racial" stereotype. It was a temperament, a way of life, a philosophy. It was a back-to nature movement, that stressed temperance and healthy living.

It is interesting that many of the Nordicists regarded the Nazis as "un-Nordic", i.e. loud, showy, aggressive, and a few even went so far as to suggest that the Nazis were "mediterranean", "middle-Eastern" or "oriental" in their outlook and actions.

In short, this book is valuable to me because it got me on a new path of reading, and I have come a long way since I first laid hands on this book back in 1992. There is an interesting bibliography at the end. Some people will not agree with this book, probably because they, for some reason or another, do not think they are "Nordic", and they may say that this book is seriously flawed, or even repugnant. But, Hans Jurgen Lutzhoft, in his monograph Der Nordische Gedanke in Deutschland 1920-1945, wrote that the Nordic movement was more international and liberal in scope, and the Nazi Party could never completely contain it.

I strongly recommend reading this book, for the education about a misunderstood movement, and about a possible new way of living.

The book Animal Farm is a fantastic illustration of communism in the world today. Fiurst, an old pig on an English farm has a dream about the animals rebelling against the humans. The old pig dies, but his dream still lives on with the animals. Then, the animals rebellion happens unexpectedly because the farmer has not fed them. The humans were run off the farm. Also, there is a rivalry on the farm between two pigs. One is named Napoleon, and one is named Snowball. The rivalry ends when Snowball gets forced off the farm by Napoleon's guards. Then Napoleon is in total control of the farm. He alters the commmandments that Snowball had written. Next, the pigs on the farm have broken all of their animal traits. The animals on the farm are unable to tell teh difference between the pigs and the humans. It's like the pigs are a reflection of the humans. Due to the reason above this book reflects how communism occurs in countries. I would definitely recommend people read Animal Farm. First, this book shows a reflection of human nature in a communist environment. It shows the pigs on the farm taking what they need to get a task done. Napoleon eleminates anybody that gets in his way of ruling the farm. Also, the book shows a great deal of teamwork between the animals. The animals on the farm built a windmill and a storm destroyed it, and they just worked harder and faster to build another windmill. Finally, it shows a good relationship amongst the animals on the farm. Boxer, a work horse, was a role model for everybody on the farm besides the pigs. He would never give up on anything. He always would work harder and faster to get things done. He would make certain sacrifices to help the farm. Overall, I think people should read Animal Farm.

George Orwell's Animal Farm is a superb animation of the Russian Revolutioon. The book is amusing and interesting; it includes a comic element as it synonymously demonstrates the evolution from the proletariat revolution to a totalitarian government led by the swine of the society. Orwell successfully simplified the not-so-simple theory of class stratification and Karl Marx's proposed solution of communism. Orwell's method of conveyance is incredibly inventive. He uses satire in the form of a fairy tale to share his indignation for ideological doctrines that would, if allowed, lead to the eventual destruction of a society. Each character in the story is representative of someone who was involved in the Russian Revolution. Old Major is Marx, and inspires the proletariat revolution by motivating the over-worked animals and educating them on the ways of the human beings, who represent the bourgeoisie. Orwell's creativity convinces the reader that the animals on the farm are intellectual beings, revolting against the tyranny of the humans. Animal Farm offers itself as an example of a responsible criticism of Marxism. The story gives us a peek at the Utopian vision, and then offers a long look at what results from using a Marxist approach at achieving it. I strongly reccomend this book, as it is entertaining and educational. Orwell succeeded in creating a fairy tale that evokes both sadness and laughter, while causing us to feel sympathy and even empathy for the working class animals. The book escapes complexity, but its message does not.

In 1946 when Animal Farm was first published it was obvious to is readers that former Eton boy Eric Blair, or George Orwell had written a pretty savage critique of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. But more than a decade after the final collapse of the Soviet Union, is this story still relevant? Well if it was just confined to the events of the Russian revolution, then perhaps this work could fade in to the fog of obscurity with it's purpose completed, but "Animal Farm" is about so much more, that as long as people walk on their hind legs and live together in any type of society, it's content will be of the gravest importance.

Beginning with the dream of Old Major that there will come a day when animals will throw off the yoke of their oppressors and share the fruits of their labours fairly among themselves, Animal Farm follows that dream to its eventual reality, it's betrayal and it's ultimate corruption in to something darker, more cynical and even farther from Old Major's noble dream than what had been before.

Although Animal Farm has implications for all past and future revolutions its meaning goes much deeper than just a blue print for what can go wrong. This novel challenges us to look around us and to see the ongoing exploitation of our neighbours, our brother man and perhaps even ourselves, to recognise the truly bewildering amount spin and slant presented to us as pure facts for what it is and to "cast a cold eye" on the society we live in and the way it treats its citizens.

In his excellent teachers notes on the novel Jerome Burg stated, "The essential question raised by Animal Farm is NOT "Could it happen again?" The essential question is "Do I realize that it IS happening everyday all around me?" and "What are MY responsibilities to do something about it?" I couldn't have put it any better myself.

You meet ordinary and strange characters in this book. Every adventure is different, and a spectacular story. They are first class mysteries. Sir A.C.Doyle is a very talented author. You try and break the case before Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes- quite a hard chore. Sherlock Holmes adventures are always fun filled and very, very, very exciting

Did you know that Holmes never, ever said "Elementary, my dear Watson" in any of the sixty stories Arthur Conan Doyle wrote?

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes were initially published in "The Strand" magazine as a series of 24 short stories. These stories saw publication between 1891 and 1893. When they were published in book form, the first twelve were published as "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" and the last twelve were called "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes." Today, when we speak of the original "Adventures," we usually refer to the first twelve Holmes short stories. These twelve stories include some of the best of Holmes: "The Speckled Band," "The Red Headed League," "A Scandal in Bohemia." Doyle continued his Holmes saga with other collections of short stories: "The Return of Sherlock Holmes," "Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes," "His Last Bow," and finally "The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes." Almost every Holmes short story bears the title "The Adventure of . . ." One of my favorite Holmes stories is "The Problem of Thor Bridge." Not only is it a very good yarn, it is a "Problem" and not an "Adventure!" Although Conan Doyle ran out of Holmes stories, the public did not run out of its appetite for new Holmes stories, and production of pastiches continues to this day.

To me, the most satisfying way to relive the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, both original and pastiche adventures, is through the medium of audiotaped radio plays. There are at least four collections of adventures currently available. "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," a publication of BBC shows starring Clive Merrison, reprises the original twelve adventures. This is probably the best radio collection of adventures. National Public Radio has published four "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" consisting of four one hour productions starring various actors as Holmes. The quality is uneven. "Smithsonian Historical Performances: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" has twelve stories, four of which are original. Edith Meiser wrote the pastiches, and John Stanley starred as a rather disagreeable Holmes. Some stories are very good; others are woeful. Simon and Schuster publishes a series of six "New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes." Each collection has eight Holmes stories. Of the pastiches, these are the best. Nigel Bruce stars as a loveable, bumbling Watson, and Basil Rathbone portrays the archetypical Holmes. Anthony Boucher and Dennis Green wrote the scripts and did a very good job. Holmesaholics will also want to listen to "More New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," published by the Brilliance Corporation, and starring Tom Conway as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Watson. These stories are on the whole better than the Smithsonian Historical Performances, but not as good as the Rathbone/Bruce "New Adventures." They also have the drawback of being published as individual cassettes. The avid collector can run to some expense getting all of these.

Holmes survived Conan Doyle's attempt on his life at the Reichenbach Falls; he has survived his creator 80 years without showing any signs of loss of vitality. The latest (and quite enjoyable) addition to the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is the BBC Television series starring Jeremy Brett.

Are you ready to accompany the greatest detective in history on some of his most memorable adventures? Then this book is for you! Each of these stories are wonderfully put together, each with a more exciting and unexpected outcome. I have read them time and again, and am always newly surprised at Holmes's genius and reasoning abilities.

Are you still hesitant on whether or not to read "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes?" Well, I personally am not much of a mystery fan. In fact, some of my favorite books are "Watership Down," "The Hobbit," "A Wrinkle in Time" series, and "The Lost Years of Merlin" books. I also know that mystery books are either awful, by. But Sherlock Holmes and his cases have set the highest of standards for mysteries, which very few others have even come close to surpassing.

Through this great collection, I have come to greatly admire both Holmes's and Doyle's brilliance over and over again. No matter what genre you enjoy reading, this is a book for you!