The late Michael Wilks is perhaps the foremost scholar of John Wyclif's political thought of the twentieth century. This collection of his articles on Wyclif's philosophy, eschatology, and political theory should prove useful to anybody wanting to get an understanding of Wyclif's transformation from an Oxford don specializing in logic and metaphysics to a significant political theorist whose ideas angered popes and sparked the Lollard movement. Anne Hudson, the collection's editor, has done the scholarly world a great favor in gathering together the fruits of forty years of Wilks' scholarship.

Had this been a collection of stories and essays by anybody else, I would have thought it was nothing special. But having read the Diary of Anne Frank first, the stories and essays make so much more sense. You can just see her whiling away the dull moments of the life in the secret annex, honing her writing skills. It is easy to see her skills as a writer increase from story to story. But even more interesting is to read the messages contained within her works. The writing skills she displays are obviously that of a teenager, although much better than most people her age. But the real value of these pieces are the insights which she brings to them; her life experiences and her approach to life's big questions. The last essay in the collection is entitled, "Why" and seems to sum up her short life. Read this book, but only after you read the Diary so the essays will be meaningful.

In her now famous Diary, Anne Frank said "I want to go on living even after my death". As of 1998, The Diary of Anne Frank had reached sales of 25 million copies and been translated into more than 50 languages. (source: TIME, October 5, 1998). It has been required classroom reading for half a century now! In a way, her wish has come to pass.
This subsequent publication "Tales From The Secret Annex" combines short stories, reminiscences/vignettes, and even an unfinished novel to show us yet another dimension to this remarkable person. Reading these stories and little essays confirmed my personal opinion that Anne Frank was a childhood genius with unlimited potential to achieve anything she would have set her mind to. It's hard to imagine this thirteen year old girl writing with such depth and perception, while living in seclusion, terror and fear for her life. She was writing from her heart, not with an expectation of being published. And yet these stories shine with a polished brilliance, and a certain unforgettable quality. I read this book for the first time 8 years ago, and have returned to it now, remembering the stories as though I had read them just last week. My favorite is entitled "Kathy". In three short pages, Anne captures every emotion experienced by a kid who is misunderstood by her mother, assaulted by schoolyard bullies who mock and rob her and cause her to lose the gift she was bringing home to her mother.

Here is how she ends her essay entitled "Give":
"If only our country and then Europe and finally the whole world would realize that people were really kindly disposed toward one another, that they are all equal and everything else is transitory!
Open your eyes... give of yourself, give as much as you can! And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness! No one has ever become poor from giving! If you do this, then in a few generations no one will need to pity the beggar children anymore, because they will not exist!
There is plenty of room for everyone in the world, enough money, riches, and beauty for all to share! God has made enough for everyone. Let us all begin by sharing it fairly." (written March 26, 1944).

Anne was sent to Bergen-Belsen, where some time during March 1945, she, her sister Margot and hundreds of other prisoners were stricken with typhus. Their captors, preoccupied with the advancing Allies, left them to die.
World... read her book!

These stories and essays are well-crafted, yet easy to read. There are lessons to be learned from each piece, and these lessons can be identified easily. But the themes and ideas remain in your head and leave you thinking long after you set the book down - thinking about Anne Frank's life in the Nazi-occupied Europe as well as her ideals. Anyone will discover some aspect of their persona mirrored in Frank's characters, whether it may be through Paula or Kathy or Eve or anyone else.

You should approach the book with an open mind and respect for the writing. If you see that Frank was an intelligent young human being, and not a little kid whose writing you can deal with condescendingly, read this book. Otherwise, skip it. This is honest, wise, well-crafted work, and it should be treated as such.

I absolutely LOVE this book. Of course, I love all Hanson bio books, because they're about my fave band! It's got lots of facts about Taylor I didn't know about, but I do now! If you don't have it now, get it NOW! I mean, beg your legal guardian to drive you to the local bookstore and search high & low for it, because it's worth finding!

Well, I think this book is the coolest and the best book i ever read!!!! I love tay and now, I know more since I have read this book!!! I also have Taylor Hanson "totally taylor" and is so cool too!!! oh yeah!!! hanson are the best group!!!! see ya..

I loved this book. It was the best ever! The color photo insert had great pix, and there was alot of info in it. I think everybody who like Hanson or at least Taylor should get a chance to at least read this book.

Previously, all Anne Rice books were tedious and extremely difficult to read. Yet, suddenly, I discover a copy of this book and read the back cover--lo and behold, here's the perfect novel for me!! As an ancient Egyptian history buff, I could appreciate the way Rice writes in characters like Rameses the Second and Cleopatra herself, and as a romance/Stephen King fan I could appreciate the twisted love story of Julie and Rameses--and the rebirth of the remains of Cleopatra. I have read this book about 20 times, and the story NEVER gets old to me--the characters are perfectly developed, and all of the events are well plotted and thought out by the author. It is a rare case indeed when one person can find their favorite book of all time and posess it--and I must admit that The Mummy has fully fulfilled my wishes when it comes to the perfect book. Anne Rice--you deserve a big shout out and an adamant THANK YOU!! PS--Why doesn't Ms. Rice write more novels like this??? Books like Pandora and Servant of the Bones bore me to tears, but this jewel of a book is absolutely spellbinding!!!

Which might clue you in that this is not Anne Rice's normal fare. If you're into that, you might find 'The Mummy' a bit too typical-romancey, too lovey dovey and happy-endingish. Those wanting a bit more adoring love in their dark afterlife will like this tale.

This is the story of Ramses the Great, who has drank the elixir of life and is now doomed to live forever without the woman he loved, Cleopatra. For those of you historically inclined out there, don't fret over the timeline. I assure you it's all made quite correct in the story, and you won't mind Ramses meeting Cleopatra meeting the modern heroine Julie. It's sort of a mix of time travel, supernatural, and just plain old romance as well as horror. I didn't think it was possible to mix the four of those together and come up with a book that would please all genres, but here it is.

I was completely surprised by this book (bought it on a whim) and I hope you will be too. I'm not normally a follower of Rice's writings, but this turned me around. It's a bit more romancey and fictionesque than her other books, but don't let that stop you. I still thoroughly enjoyed it, and it actually made me go out and buy several of her other books!

First, let me say that I absolutely love the Vampire Chronicles, although Interview with a Vampire is still my favorite. I didn't like the Mayfair witches that much, but I never read Taltos and am curious about Merrick. That said, I was leary of a non-vampire Anne Rice novel. Despite my doubts, I loved this book. I have always found Egyptian history fascinating and enjoyed having this book with me on a long plane trip. The only bad side is that when I reached the end of the book, I wanted more. Hopefully, Anne Rice will someday write a sequel to this book so that we can find out more about what happens with Ramses, Cleopatra, Julie Stratford, etc.

You really do have to be a Catholic to truly appreciate this wonderful book. As a Catholic schoolgirl entering her eleventh year in Catholic school (scary, isn't it?), I can fully relate to this. I honestly don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my entire life.

You know what the funniest thing about this book is? Everything in it is true...from the different kinds of nuns to Father What-a-Waste (sigh); from the description of mortal and venial sins to the purchasing of pagan babies. Well, they don't sell pagan babies anymore, but they did in my mother's day.

Even a staunch Catholic like my grandmother would have to crack a smile at the descriptive, colorful language and the abfab portrayal of the sometimes ridiculous traditions of the world's most scandalous, under-fire church. This book is a must-read for all Roman Catholics, practicing or no.

I laughed all the way through this, which must be a sin! If you are a Catholic like me you will remember everything this book talks about. In fact, I had forgotten a lot of it. I'm a little surprised it did not go into Knights of Columbus Halls (a.k.a. - the Catholic bar) and Bingo (a.k.a. - Catholic gambling) a little more. But heck, they sure covered everything else. I have to go now, I have to finish crossing myself and say a few dozen hail Mary's.

...because if you went to Catholic school, you can relate. I first read this book ten years ago when I was in Catholic school, and the nuns didn't take it away from me (amazing!). I laughed my a** off. For those of you who have read it and aren't Catholic, yes, we do practice for everything, yes, the nuns are that bad (but they don't have clickers anymore). This book is hilarious. Please, please get it and read it, cover to cover. You will laugh every time you read it.

The follow up to Interview With The Vampire is an excellent piece of work told with Ms. Rice's signature writing style, which is sometimes too pansexual and extravagant to allow a reader to take any of her work as serious pieces of literature art. Sorry, Anne, but you've got a problem there . . . Tone it down!

The Vampire Lestat answers some of the questions the first novel posed. I think the underlying theme of the vampire series (which Ms. Rice unfortunately ruins after the third book) is the burning question we all ponder: How did we get here? These vampires question their lineage, and this book brings to light Lestat's knowledge.

I especially enjoyed the part of the novel where Lestat makes his mother a vampire. The characters, in general, are much more interesting in this novel than the first, especially Lestat's mother. The first novel, while interesting, is low brow in comparison to this dynamic follow up. Not to take anything away from Interview but this novel is hands down the best in the series. Apparently, Anne Rice must have enjoyed writing the novel as well, since Lestat, not Louis, became her primary vampire creature.

I was faithful to the Vampire Chronicles until they became ridiculous. Lestat didn't need to descend into Hell. Lestat didn't need to become human again. What's that got to do with the vampires' heritage? In my opinion, Anne Rice should have stopped the series with three novels. And, of those three, The Vampire Lestat is the one I most recommend!

I have some mixed feelings about Anne Rice's "The Vampire Lestat", but all things considered, I truly believe it is a worthwhile read. In this follow-up to "Interview with the Vampire", we are told the life story of Lestat de Lioncourt, and I was bothered by the inconsistencies between the two books. Lestat tells us that Louis has lied about all kinds of things, and the cruel and cold-hearted villain we came to know and love in "Interview with the Vampire" becomes a moral, soft-hearted, and tortured soul, always trying to do the right thing and find the answers to life's mysteries. Hmmm. I think if I had not read "Interview with the Vampire", I would have found "The Vampire Lestat" far more enjoyable, because then I would have been blissfully unaware of the transformation of Lestat's character. With that said though, "The Vampire Lestat" is a compelling, if lengthy and somewhat verbose, tale, and in the end I was glad I read it, because it has many redeeming qualities.

The book purports to be Lestat's autobiography, and we are taken on a lush and erotic journey through Lestat's long and eventful life. From his youth as the son of a marquis in pre-Revolutionary France when Lestat befriends a troubled violinist named Nicolas, to the crowded streets of Paris where his life is changed forever by a solitary vampire named Magnus, who gives Lestat the dark gift before deserting him forever. Shocked and amazed by what has befallen him, Lestat, begins to learn what it is to be a vampire. Questions about the why and how of what he has become torment Lestat, but there is nobody for him to turn to. Lestat's story has many twists and turns; as he saves his mother from her deathbed with his immortal kiss, meets a hostile coven of Satan-worshipping vampires living under a cemetery, and ultimately goes off on a quest for a legendary ancient vampire named Marius in hopes of finding some answers to the questions that haunt him. And through it all we are treated to Rice's memorable and moving prose. However, the author's tendency to become overly descriptive is in evidence here, and there were some portions of the book that were a bit hard to get through.

As I've already stated, my feelings about "The Vampire Lestat" are a bit ambiguous. But despite my criticisms of this book, I actually did like it a lot. Lestat's story is affecting, intriguing, and entertaining, and in the end I could honestly say that I enjoyed it. Many people adore this book, and it's easy to see why, and on the other hand quite a few people hate it, and I can understand their point of view too. I can't guarantee anything to anyone picking up this book, because Anne Rice's writing is hypnotic and beautiful to some, and deadly boring to others. Personally, I would have been sorry if I'd missed "The Vampire Lestat", since I really did become quite engrossed in Lestat's tale. So give this book a try and see what you think, you may just be pleasantly surprised!

One night, in 1996, I was looking through a carton of used books that my Grandmother sent me. She didn't want them any more, so whichever ones I wanted, I would keep and I would trade the rest for new books. Well, sandwiched between a cheesy romance novel and a book about detective cats, a very worn gold book caught my attention. It was an original copy if Interview with the Vampire. After devouring it in 2 nights I immediatly went out and bought The Vampire Lestat. I read that one even quicker. After having read all of Anne Rice's books, I have concluded that Lestat is the best one. I was completely transported into his world. When he was in the old castle in France, watching his creator destroying himself, I could feel the smoke from the fire burning my eyes. When he describes his thirst, my throat aches for relief. This book takes you away to another realm where Lestat is king and Gabrielle is his Queen, and Anne Rice is God.

This book talk's about Joey , Justin , J.C , Chris , Lance. An about what they like and the day they were born and stuff that they like to do and their favorite stuff.I can't say i didn't like it cause I liked it alot iI would like to read other books about Nsync. I loved this book and I would reccomend this book to all the Nsync fans that really like them alot. They are really cool guys and i hope everybody that likes Nsync would read about them someday. Well thats all I hope you read the book.

This book is really good. It's got great pictures, great info on all the guys, and cool sections like "Battle of the Boy Bands." I'd say it's not QUITE as good as the Official Book, but really close! :-)

I like this book a lot. It has good pictures. I like the whole group of 'NSYNC, Joey, JC, Lance, Chris, and Justin. This is a really good book. It has fun pictures, too! Nice book! I especially like the pictures of Justin, JC and Lance. I hope there is more of those scrapbooks! I really like them! Don't forget to look at my other reviews!

I loved the way I felt as I opened up this book and began to read. The promise of a thumping good read in historical fiction-- my favorite. But as I read on, the story is continuously, unexpectedly , interrupted by odd segments of gratuitous sex that read as if they were inserted to satisfy the romance genre. While I loved the premise of the heroine and hero, their characters did not captivate me. The character development somehow did not have me giving a darn about these people. I'd turn the page and end up somewhere lost in a sudden change of scene. My personal review of three stars was given due to the wonderful historical detail and plot, not to the writing itself. But I would read something of hers again...there's something that smells of promise here. This book just wasn't as fulfilling as I had hoped. Perhaps my expectations were too high. But a good read overall, and as I mentioned earlier, excellent historical detail!

The liner notes claimed this book was "an intricate, superbly researched tapestry of the Middle Ages", which gave me hope. And it IS readable, but I was disappointed to discover it was basically just another bodice-ripper. I had hoped to find a book that told a story of this historical era, warts and all. However, in the Borchardt world of the Middle Ages there is excessive rhapsodizing over the ebony hair and ivory skin of the heroine. I was looking for a fine, hearty meal of a book, but this one is more like movie theater popcorn. You enjoy it, but it's not filling, and there's a nagging thought in the back of your mind that it's just empty calories.

Ms. Borchardt does a wonderful job in this book of drawing together Pagan and Christian sources. She reaches into Celtic lore, 9th century chistian belief, shamanic ritual and Germanic myth to create a world where religion and forces of nature are in flux. Part of this is the sacred marriage between the male and female principles (hieros gamos). The various sexual acts in this story illustrate the uses of sex from the sacred to the profane. That's not to say they aren't fun-- because they are. But they are an integral and interesting part of the story.

It's not necessary that the reader know a lot about 9th century France, shamanism or pagan myth, but it doesn't hurt.

I settled into "Pay it Forward" one night, and two later I was finished. The book takes the reader on a sweet journey of possibility. Of course, if one is inclined 'not' to believe in such things as a Field of Dreams, Miracles on 34th Street, or even in large rabbits that are life changing, then I can recommend a good book about the Subversion of American Democracy. Me, I like to get away from that sometimes. I guess Kevin, Helen, and the rest of the cast that wanted to be in "Pay it Forward," believe in miracles, too. Good for them.

The book flows from beginning to end, without a hiccup that stops the reader. The concept is touching, and the book has inspired me to pass on a kindness or two. Now, when I let a person go ahead of me in the grocery line, or lend a quarter, I silently hope that they will do the same for someone else. At these moments I realize "Pay it Forward," has started in me. Good job, Ms. Hyde. May the next falling star grant your "forward" wish.

I couldn't put this little book down, it has the best of everything: tragedy & humor, frustration & wisdom. Yes, it's a simple idea, Pay It Forward, while similar to Random Acts of Kindness, succeeds because of the numbers. When a scarred teacher & a special student meet in a classroom, everyone's life changes. Trevor's just 12 years old & still can't see over the tops of the corn, however, a reporter can & ten years after the assignment that started it all, he is searching for the beginnings of a phenomenon that changed the world as we know it! I could have had much, much more of the changes yet that's the miracle waiting to be revealed. This delicious read is all about giving, doing good for others with just one little string attached. Lovely, lively read for all ages. A fabulous gift idea! Do check out my full review at [my website]

A Review by Kelly

When Trevor got a simple Social Studies assignment to come up with a plan to change the world, he never would of guessed how far 1 favor to 3 people would go if each Paid It Forward. Who would have thought a twelve year-old boy with a dimple idea would really touch so many people and truly change the world.

This book was amazing, and inspiring. It showed so much about the Human Race, and that people do care what goes on in their world. This book is sort of hard to follow, and it's quite lengthy, but once you start reading it, you can't put it down. Everything does come together in the end. I also liked the characters, they were very well thought out, and each was very dynamic.

I would highly recommend this book to people who are looking for an inspirational book with a lot of emotion. This book was an amazing true story that I would read over and over.

Southampton Row is an enjoyable read. Ms. Perry's knowledge of the Victorian era is undeniable extensive and the rich tapestry she is able to weave intrigued me. Reading this novel, I experienced the sounds, smells, and sights of Victorian London, not to mention the political climate of the time.

In Southampton Row, Pitt is troubled by his duty to discredit the sly Sir Charles Voisey. He's much better at solving murders. Fortunately for him, and the readers of this novel, Pit gets to do what he's best at. Pitt is a likeable hero and a pleasure to read.

Although the male characters are well written, what fascinated me most about Southampton Row are the female characters. Pitt's wife, Charlotte, is portrayed as a reluctantly obedient wife, but the other female characters are strong and individual, not stereotypical. Pitt's sister-in-law, Emily, is an intelligent political figure. Vespasia, Charlotte's great-aunt, is a pillar of strength and influence. Mrs. Underhill shines as the discontented, but dutiful, wife of the Bishop. In fact, all the female characters in Southampton Row are portrayed in fantastic detail. Ms. Perry gets inside the mind of every woman in her story. After reading the novel, I felt as though I knew all these women personally, like old friends.

Southampton Row is only the second Anne Perry novel I've read so far. It will definitely not be the last.

"Southampton Row", English author Anne Perry's latest novel in the Inspector Pitt series places the intrepid Inspector in a setting that leaves the reader intrigued and troubled. It is Pitt's success in "The Whitechapel Conspiracy" that now threatens him and his family. Charles Voisey, the Inspector's Whitechapel nemesis reappears to haunt Pitt again. Thanks to the machinations of the Inner Circle, Pitt loses his position at the Bow Street Station and is sent to work at the Special Branch Office, a division within the Police Force set up to investigate terrorist activities. The terrorist in Pitt's life turns out to be Voisey, who as part of his continuing effort to republicanize English politics campaigns for Parliament. Pitt is assigned to shadow Voisey and determine his weaknesses. The campaign and Voisey's connection to the murder of a spiritual medium in Southampton Row threaten Pitt profesionally and personally. The new setting involves more than just the detection of a murderer in Southampton Row, it involves the mind games played in the web of deception woven by the Inner Circle and all those forced to deal with it.
In "Southampton Row", Inspector Pitt is compelled to think and act like those he despises most, the members of the super-secret Inner Circle. In the process, Pitt develops more than his usual sincere search for truth and justice, he demonstrates a newfound ability to think like Voisey. This leaves the reader wondering if the good Inspector is now walking the same path as Voisey. Has he, through his work, become contaminated with the characteristics of those he despises most. What price truth? Honor? The safety of loved ones? Will Thomas compromise his principals to protect Charlotte and their children? The novel forces the reader to grapple with these same questions of conscience.
"Southampton Row" is Perry's most compelling novel to date. It is a must-read for fans of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. Best of all, this reader sees several potential story lines for future books in this series.

This latest Thomas Pitt mystery is definitely a page turner. From the glittering drawing rooms where politics is discussed and policies decided, to the country side of Dartmoor, Anne Perry weaves a tale that is compelling and absorbing. And while I was disappointed that Charlotte Pitt and Gracie (the Pitts enterprising maid) did not figure prominently in this installment, I liked that Emily Radley (Charlotte's younger sister) had a bigger role in this novel -- she has been somewhat sidelined in the last few books, and I missed her character dreadfully.

In the previous Pitt mystery novel, "The Whitechapel Conspiracy" Pitt defeated the Inner Circle's plan to replace the English monarchy with a republic. This feat earned him the enmity of Charles Voisey, who was to be England's first president. Now, Voisey is running for the south Lambeth seat in Parliament on the Tory ticket. Meanwhile Pitt, who instead of being able to return to his previous position at Bow Street, has been seconded to Special Branch -- a department within the police force that deals primarily with the terrorist threats of the Irish Separatists. Now, Pitt's brief is to keep an eye on Voisey, and to see if Voisey is doing anything underhanded to ensure that he wins the election. But from what little Pitt can see, Voisey seems to be doing nothing nefarious in order to sway the voters -- save being a rather charismatic speaker. And then Pitt's superior commands him to investigate the murder of the clairvoyant, Maude Lamont. Pitt discovers that Voisey's Liberal opponent for the Lambeth seat is Aubrey Serracold and that Serracold's flamboyant and outspoken wife, Rose, was one of Lamont's clients. There is the fear that either Rose had something to do with Lamont's murder, or that Voisey will use this bit of information to discredit Serracold. Pitt is determined to bring the murderer of Maude Lamont to justice, no matter who he or she is. But the question he fears is if his superiors at Special Branch will allow justice to be done, or if they too, like the Inner Circle, have their own agenda, and if they will do whatever necessary to break the Inner Circle, no matter the cost.

Against the backdrop of the political questions of the day -- Home Rule for the Irish, the fear that a disintegrating Empire could mean the fall of the British economy and the massive loss of jobs, and the demand for eight hour days -- the clash between the Tories and the Liberals; as well as the swirling human emotions of fear, ambition, grief and pain, Anne Perry has worked her magic again to produce a novel that is compelling as it is intriguing. (I really love the manner in which she makes all her characters real -- flawed yet tragically human. It's a no mean feat, and I've practically never really come acorss anyone else who can do this.) I didn't expect that the next Pitt mystery novel could top or equal "The Whitchapel Conspiracy." I was wrong: "Southampton Row" is a moer than brilliant follow up to "The Whitechapel Conspiracy."