A fascinating collection of essays that reveals, often in unexpected ways, the effects of the Irish famine on both sides of the Atlantic. Ranging from the loss of life to the loss of music among the Irish peasantry, from the pages of the Dublin University Magazine to the pages of American newspapers, from Chef Alex Soyer's famine soup to the famine graves at Grosse Ile, from Irish memory to Irish American rage, this scholarly but readable book provides us with the broadest understanding of this far-reaching event. (William H. A. Williams, author of 'Twas Only an Irishman's Dream)

This book is a major contribution to its field. It contains important details that are missing from many of the previous works on the subject of the famine. The scholarship is sound and is often based on primary sources that have never been examined in this context before. The data are consistently compelling, fresh, and well documented. . . Any college with an Irish studies program will find the book indispensable. (Mary Ellen Cohane, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts)

As a contributor to this volume on the Great Famine in Ireland, I think that this book makes an important contribution to the historiography of the Famine insofar as it may be the only volume to trace the linkage between the U.S. and Ireland during that tragic era. Neil Hogan, author of THE CRY OF THE FAMISHING, Connecticut Irish-American Historical Society.

This is an outstanding, very easy to read, history of a little known and understood country and people, the Hungarians, who are NOT slavs nor to be confused with the Huns. I heard the author give a talk at a dinner in Washington, DC, which prompted to read his book. I have not been disappointed. On the contrary, this is the most readable, entertaining history that I've read in years. Lendvai makes David McCullough look like an amateur, in terms of the scope of the years covered and the masterful way in which he writes, displaying a command of significant details and telling anecdotes. Even those with no particular interest in Hungary or eastern Europe would enjoy this book for its style of writing alone. This should be must reading for anyone planning a trip to Hungary.

Life is full of missed opportunities. How many of us have lamented over that moment of hesitation when we didn't seize the opportunity to speak to an intriguing stranger or take advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity? Fortunately there are also those serendipitous moments that can change the whole course of your life. For Missouri native, Ann Milholland Webb, that moment came when she stepped on the Connemara Bus in Galway City. Bus owner and tour guide, Hugh Ryan, offered Ann much more than a tour of the Connemara landscape and history. He provided a glimpse into a simpler time when his grandfather, Andrew Ferguson, used the original bus as a means for women, especially, to come to the city to sell their wares and visit the world outside the narrow confines of village life. For Ann the journey served several purposes, not the least of which was a means of coming to terms with the death of the major figures in her life, her husband and her father. In addition, she found a sense of belonging and acceptanace within the Ryan's close-knit family. Even more surprising, she found a sense of purpose in life and a reason to go on by developing a cottage industry in the Connemara countryside which benefits the local inhabitants. Travel along with Ann on this trip of healing and renewal in the Connemara Bus. It is a journey well worth taking.

This is a superb work about greif bearing,roots, and the splendid man Mr. Ferguson. A look at the Connemara Region in times forgotten by many or rather unknown to more. A region of natural beauty not to be missed when you go to Galway. You will consider a tour on the Connemara Bus a bargain. If for no other reason, you will have had the company of Mr.Hugh Ryan, the driver, for an afternoon. Buy the book if you go or not. Ann Milholland has a lot to say in her first book.

I visited Galway, Ireland in June of this year and met Hugh and Annon the Connemara Bus which is now a tourist bus. They were great people.

I highly recommend this book to Irish Americans like myself who are interested in their ancestry and finidhing their relations.

Elizabeth Ann Scarborough's "The Godmother's Apprentice" was a masterpiece. It was an excellent display of talent and imagination. Although I was skeptical about it after the first few pages, the plot really picked up and I couldn't put the book down! I recommend it to anyone seeking an adventure that is out of this world, yet thrilling AND realistic...all at the same time.

Sno got rid of her evil stepmother, but didn't find a prince, she decided to be a fairy Godmother herself. Set gorgeously in Ireland, this book describes her training to become a Godmother. It has the same deft twists of old stories into modern fantasy that worked so well for the rest of Annie's books.

Wow, this second book in the Godmother trilogy by Ms.Scarborough is even better than the first! It lets us peer deeper into the domain of Godmotherdom and even introduces us to the Queen of them All. If you enjoy felines, the lovely lilt of Irish brogue and fairy tales, this book will surely satisfy you! The dialog flows wonderfully even interspecies.

I'm always annoyed when authors feel the need to portray the women in their stories as "over the top" gorgeous - other than that, this book was beautifully written. I'm glad someone finally got it right about what actually happened during the great potato famine. The characters are interesting, and the descriptions of Ireland are vivid and heartfelt. Gracelin's strength and poise under horrific conditions will stay with you long after you have finished the book. A "Must Read" if you like fiction intertwined with historical events.

This is perhaps the most inspirational book I've read so far this year. It makes me real glad that I am not Gracelin O'Malley ~~ having to see my family and friends starve to a slow death in the great famines of Ireland. I look at my rosy-cheeked chubby babies and thank the fate that I was born in this century. This book haunts you and will transport you back into time. A time of love and death, slavery and drudgery, of dreams and lost hope. And Gracelin O'Malley is a wonderful hero.

Ann Moore did an extensive research on this book ~~ looking through letters and journals to get the Irish voice from that era. She has written of despair and fear so well, that you can picture the characters vividly in Ireland. You can picture the huts and cottages, the men singing and the dancing ~~ the fear in the tenants' eyes once they realize they can't pay rent on thier land. When Gracelin's husband, the squire, beat her, you feel as if he was beating on all the Irish. You sense the deep hatred the Irish feel for the English. Ann Moore has revived a period of history that I know very little of. She has also sparked an interest to know more too.

If you're looking at a novel that speaks of love and honor, loyalty, dreams and despair, the fight between two countries, the courage to go on despite all the death and disease ~~ if you're looking for a heroine like Gracelin who did not let anything stop her from living life ~~ this book is it. You will not be disappointed.

Also, this is one of the most inspirational books you'll ever read. Don't fear, Moore didn't throw the biblical verses at you every time you turn a page ~~ no, she picked out verses that inspire Gracelin and her family to continue on despite the strife in their lives. You sense the strong faith in God throughout this book ~~ and the writing is very lyrical ~~ almost as gentle as the lilt in Irish voices.

This is one of the best books I've read in ages ~~ and it is definitely one that I will want to keep.

3-11-03

Following the story of a young woman, Gracelin O'Malley is a marvelous Irish tale. The trials and tribulations experienced by those in Ireland under English rule are vividly described in this work.

Ann Moore has constructed a passionate novel of dignity, strength and character. Her characters are three dimensional and will become a vivid picture in your mind. Moore's ability to create a setting is sophisticated. She truly knows how to captivate a reader, and sweep them away to another time.

Historical fiction fans will be delighted with this stirring tale. It truly brings life and a personal aspect to the troubles that Ireland once faced. If you are a fan of Irish literature this read will captivate you. All in all, I think this is a novel for anyone with an appreciation for passionate writing.

Enjoy this amazing read, Moore has truly created a work of art, that will move you.

Gracelin O'Malley flees Ireland escaping starvation and the law ,and leaves behind her baby son and Father. Having read the first of this 2 part tale (so far, its obvious # 3 will be coming) of Gracelin O'Malley I find I rated Ann Moore's first effort a little higher. Although Leaving Ireland is a good book and I would surely recommend it,I found it predictable, especially towards the end. It was wrapped up in the last 3 chapters with an amateurs touch and for me that took away from the whole story.

Ms. Moore's portrayal of the passage from London to New York was real. One could feel the torture and pain of the characters portrayed. I wanted to reach out and help poor Liam as he watched his mother and sister die to the fever. But he was oh so lucky to have found the brave soul of Ms. O'Malley who had herself experienced the lost of the one man she truly loved.

Upon their entry to America, though they were afforded the basic needs of life such as food and clothing, they still lack the higher needs afforded to those who did not have the stigma "Irish need not apply".

I found myself a part of these characters wanting so much more for them, for it seems those who have suffered so do deserve so much more. I hope Ms. Moore creates a third book which will reunite her with her son, and with the man man who truly loves her.

If you loved Gracelin O'Malley, then Leaving Ireland is a must-read! Fleeing an Ireland full of pain and suffering, tragedy and broken dreams, Grace journeys across the Atlantic to build a new life in America. The plot is action-packed from the start and, in my opinion, much more uplifting overall than the first book. Familiar faces return and new friends and nemesis are made along the way as Grace continues her struggle for survival and her fight for a better life in a new world. Through it all, Grace perseveres with courage, dignity, unwavering faith, an indomitable spirit, and a heart of gold (thank you Ann Moore for creating such an inspirational character!). Although Leaving Ireland is a wonderful novel in itself, I recommend reading Gracelin O'Malley first. You'll find your enjoyment of the story even greater having met the characters before. Grace seems to be on the road to happiness and I eagerly await the third installment of her story!

This book is a beautifully crafted window into the heart and mind of a young woman, Simone, who is in love with her art teacher, Otto. Unfortanately, as their unbalanced relationship unfolds, Simone's heart begins the slow process of realizing the truth- that she is not the one special girl that will break the banality between teacher and student. This book clearly portays the power that a teacher has over a student (despite what ensues when class is over) and when Simone's sees her own inablity to be honest for fear of losing Otto, she begins the long journey to finding her true self again.

This book is a beautifully crafted window into the heart and mind of a young woman, Simone, who is in love with her art teacher, Otto. Unfortanately, as their unbalanced relationship unfolds, Simone's heart begins the slow process of realizing the truth- that she is not the one special girl that will break the banality between teacher and student. This book clearly portays the power that a teacher has over a student (despite what ensues when class is over) and when Simone's sees her own inablity to be honest for fear of losing Otto, she begins the long journey to finding her true self again.

One's first impression upon reading the author bio that describes her studying Creative Writing and winning awards is that this is going to be one dull book. The first chapter with its fluid prose and oh-so-precise language doesn't dissuade you from it, nor does the fact that the author constantly switches between first person and third person narrative. These all seem like neat tricks rather than the stuff of literature.

But somewhere around page 50 this book turns into a very well-crafted novel of obsession and relationships and how some relationships may have an effect years later, no matter how much of the relationship was grounded in reality and how much was fantasy. Two sisters -- Jean and Colette -- share an obsession with their neighbor, a world renown pianist. So obsessed are they that they learn Japanese and try imitating everything about him. Set in this past and in the present where Jean suspects Colette of actually sleeping with Yoshi, the pianist, the reader gets a vivid depiction of sisterhood and failed love affairs as well as thwarted ambitions. Colette is married to an idiot (although I'm not sure if it is the writer's purpose to portray that character so shabbily) while Jean is losing faith in music.

There are some definite problems with the book. It feels too autobiographical (her second book is also about a woman getting over an older lover/obsession) and there are parts that seem like cop-outs and the characters tend to be those boring upper middle class people who are fashionable but just a little too well-scrubbed to make much of an impression. Despite those flaws, this book is an intriguing puzzlebox opening up the challenges of the human psyche on par wtih the works of Jean Rhys.

Irish Country is a joyous resource for all who wish to emulate the essence of Irish country decore. Whether a cottage, townhouse, or bungalow, elements of Irish country style leap from each page. Emphasis is on grace and comfort. Inclusion of the expected (Waterford and lace curtains) coupled with the delightful surprise of french toile, georgian and regency wallpapers and textiles, inspire a unique direction for decorating a home today.

As the others have posted this book only wants to show you that you can buy their plans for more detailed designs. Don't waste your money.

I purchase this book I wanted ideas and information on how to do my own landscaping. This book is a scheme, really that is all it is, a scheme to get me and anyone else who wants a how to do it yourself project book to buy they landscaping designs plans. This books show you layouts without details and then tell you where to purchase the plans. I needed do it yourself information and this book could not assist me at all, so don't buy this book if you are looking for do it yourself information because quite frankly there is no help between the [pages.]

In my area of the country, a professional landscape design is very expensive. I consider this book a bargain, even if I have to purchase an additional plan. Each plan comes with a Regionalized Plant & Materials List that is customized for your area of the country, so with some modifications to accomodate your lot, you can have a beautiful professional landscape design for a fraction of the regular cost.

Even if you don't want to puchase a plan, this book is helpful. It describes the basics of an artistic landscaping design: Space, Line, Form, Texture, Color, Pattern, Balance, Dominance, Contrast, Scale and Porportion, and Rhythm. Also covered is how to choose plants and materials in order to provide a cohesive, well designed landscape. But most of all, the plans are beautiful and adaptable to various styles of homes and lot-sizes. Reading this book you may inspire and guide you to create your own landscape design.

Plus, if you plan to hire a designer, this book may help you evaluate the designer. I have had two "landscape designers" advise me to build a low fieldstone wall in my front yard. After reading this book, I realize that a rough-textured wall is not appropriate for my formal-looking house.

Do not buy this book if you are looking for a lot of detailed plant information. If you are interested in good landscape design, this book is an excellent resource.