I had the pleasure of meeting John Darcy Noble in 1999, and we've quickly become kindred spirits in the world of dolls. You can imagine my pleasure when he announced the publication of Rare and Lovely Dolls of Two Centuries! Told only as John Darcy Noble can, the book takes you on a magical tour of history. Not only do you learn about the rare value of dolls in our history, but John tells of meeting these dolls in such a way that the reader is drawn into the life of each. For anyone interested in how dolls play a part in the history of mankind, for anyone who enjoys being drawn into different worlds, for anyone who would love to meet the author, I recommend Rare and Lovely Dolls of Two Centuries. It's a rare and lovely book.

A good guide from a good company. Not too much has changed from the previous edition though - there are some more detailed maps of Colombo.

This well-organized, chatty yet meaty guide book is all you need to assist you on a trip to Sri Lanka.

We went to Sri Lanka in the high season (February, when the place is full of Germans and other Europeans) and the only reservation we made in advance was two nights at the Galle Face Hotel (see Columbo chapter, where to stay, top end), a fabulous old relic of colonial architecture. With the help of the Lonely Planet, we "winged" everything else: train tickets to Kandy, car rental, dive trips & bungalows on the southwestern beaches. Sri Lanka is a diverse, fabulous place to explore, and the Lonely Planet made it super easy.

Great historical chapter "Facts About the Country" makes for good reading while you're waiting for your cold lassi to come to the table.

This book goes into deep detail about Sri Lanka. Being a Sri Lankan myself resideing in Australia. I found this book defintely worth taking on your trip. The best thing about the book is, that as new devolpements come, the Lonley Planet website allows you to upgrade (free of charge) the information in it, by you downloading the new revised pages. As long you keep the book updated the book will always have the latest information. This is not-only this guide book, but for all of Lonley Planets guide books. Normally I would give this book 4 stars, but for this feature alone 5 stars is worth the effort.

Set 120 years after the events of Tai-Pan, Ian Dunross is the latest in Dirk Struan's line to head Struan's, also known as the Noble House. To survive, Struan's always skates the financial edge, and Quillan Gornt, descendant of Dirk's enemy, Tyler Brock, is quite happy to push it over the edge.

Even though we meet many fine characters, from American businesswoman Casey Tcholok to smuggler's son Paul Choy, Hong Kong itself is really the star of this novel. Seeming almost anarchic at times, the colony (as it then was, the novel is set in 1963) and its people, Chinese and British, seem to worship one god, Money.

Clavell ties in references to his other novels--characters from King Rat show up and relive their wartime hatred, many of the characters discuss and live out the heritage of Tai-Pan, and a Japanese character mentions briefly the events of Shogun.

This is the sort of book that will keep you up reading until 4 a.m.

What I didn't like: I found the character of Peter Marlowe most annoying. He shows up all the time, acts like a know it all, and is really Clavell's way of writing himself into the book. Also, about six different times, it is mentioned that the U.S. is starting to get involved in Vietnam, and each time, a precient character chirps (or at least thinks) that the U.S. will regret it. Hindsight is 20/20, the novel was published in 1981.

A good read.

Like all of Clavell's books since 1980, I bought Noble House the moment I knew it was available. Unfortunately, that was during a week of law school finals. Although I finished the thousand pages in a few days, my grades turned out to be a full level below all my other semesters. That's how spellbinding Noble House is. This book is certainly top rate in terms of plot, suspense and characters in its own right, but what bound me to it during all my spare time was the interrelationship with the characters from Clavell's previous Hong Kong novel, Tai Pan and, to a lesser extent, King Rat. The same was true later with Whirlwind and Gai Jin, neither of which gathered a speck of dust in the bookstore before I bought it. Even today, I mourn over the fact that Clavell didn't live long enough to write another 2 or 3 books in his series. I have never read any other author who leaves so many questions unanswered and so many critical issues unresolved, but does so in a way that feeds the curiosity so strongly rather than disappointing. It is a tribute to Clavell's monumental skill as a storyteller that this is a strength of his novels rather than a major irritant to his readers. Very few of those readers stopped at one Clavell novel and, as far as I know, almost everyone who has read one goes on to read all the rest. Unlike so many of today's authors, he writes about heroes who aren't made of cardboard and who hold genuine mystery no matter how closely they are observed.

Noble House is undoubtedly Clavell's greatest work. Although Tai-pan, Shogun and King Rat are excellent books in their own right, Noble House keeps the reader enthralled to the last page. Tai-pan makes good reading in itself and serves as a prequel to Noble House. However, it is not necessary to read Tai-pan before Noble House. I did not but I still found this work exciting. The plots - CIA versus KGB versus PRC Intelligence versus MI-5/MI-6, Gornt versus Dunross versus Bartlett, Orlanda versus Casey and a variety of characters (other than those already mentioned), makes the 1400 plus pages light work - it is truly a classic by an author with deep insights in the culture and international relations of Hong Kong and its neighbours and trading partners. The boardroom drama is intense and Clavell leaves the reader guessing who will emerge winner until the end. I recommend this book to anyone.

This is something of a history of recent astronomy as related in the Times. The oldest story is Walter Sullivan's report on the discovery of the cosmic background radiation in 1965. Most of the others, though, are from the eighties and nineties. The coverage is divided into sections: new telescopes and new technology, planetary exploration, potential life on Mars, extrasolar planets, the life of stars, black holes, missing mass, the new cosmology, the age of the universe, the fate of the universe, looking for ET, and theories of everything. Each section has a half-dozen or so breaking stories on related topics, which gives the text a greater sense of immediacy than the usual explanatory text.

Not only are these good stories in their own right, but they're also excellent examples of good science writing. (One of the physicists involved with the discovery of the CMBR even told Sullivan that he didn't understand the significance of his finding until he read his article.) The only weaknesses are the diagrams, which sometimes verge on being too small to read, and the episodic nature of the text, with each article being relatively self-contained, rather than being one chapter in an explanatory book. But these are minor complaints about an overall excellent book.

Cosmic Dispatches: Reports On Astronomy And Cosmology by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist John Noble Wilford is a guide to the very latest findings of astronomy and cosmology. The paperback edition contains six new essays on the discovery of new multiplanet systems and the question of time before the Big Bang. Among the vast compendium of other scientific issues covered in assorted essays are the future of exploration on Mars, the possibility of life on other planets, and the true age of the Universe. Cosmic Dispatches is a wondrous, informative, and mind-expanding book, highly recommended for students of astronomy and the non-specialist general reader ready to embark on the ultimate voyage of cosmic discovery!

Plutarch's Lives is one of my all time favorite books. I especially enjoy the "gay windows" in Alcibiades life and the description of Archimedes defense of Syracuse. My three star rating has nothing to do with Plutarch and everything to do with the terribly outdated translation "update" by Sir Clough. Sure, as another reviewer points out, it is vocabulary enhancing, but Plutarch was not a Victorian English gentleman. If you like Victorian prose, read a Victorian novel or something. I would actually prefer to read Dryden and company's undoctored original than wade through Clough's train wreck, as I find 18th century prose an easier read, and Dryden was a better writer.

If someone were to do a modern translation of the Lives, more people would be able to enjoy it. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that you can probably count the number of good classical translators on one hand, and how many of them have the time to translate Plutarch?

Noble: imposing in appearance; stately; magnificent; exaltedmoral character; excellence. Some of the men Plutarch wrote about - itcould be argued - fit none of the words or phrases above; but most of them fit one or more. Some of them fit all. Books like PLUTARCH'S LIVES become easy targets (in any era, not just our own 'modern' era) for derision. The thought that statesmen or military leaders would necessarily have anything going for them that would distinguish them in any way as 'noble' (as compared to anyone else in any given society) is easily seen as naive or worse than naive. I mean, think of some of the characters that pass for statesmen and military leaders in our own time. We might just have a good laugh if we thought people 1000 years from now were reading about them and gleaning impressions of exalted moral character and magnificence and excellence from it. Yet, putting all that in perspective, there is something ennobling about this great book. Plutarch chose his subjects from, roughly (depending on where you place Theseus in time, I suppose), a span of 800 years. He didn't choose any of them as examples of perfection but for those parts of their nature he thought worthy of emulation. The acts and parts of their character one might find appalling (even in the context of their own times) are instructive as well and make the picture whole. There are high and ennobling impressions in these biographies, and the effect of the book as a whole, upon reading it through, is something like taking in and experiencing a great and sublime Greek or Roman temple, and feeling that a part of that primary and sublime architecture has become a part of you.

Plutarch's Lives is a book of epic proportions. Essentially, it is an encyclopeadia of the biographies of famous men in the history of Ancient Greece and Rome. With over 50 biographies and comparisons, this book covers the most important people in the history of Greco-Roman civilization. The impact of this book is phenomenal. Shakespeare read it, Dante read it. Its influence is evident in their writing. The book transcends simple biography though, and contains a wealth of information about ancient cultures such as Sparta. Plutarch also compares different historical figures to one another for an interesting study of comparative politics and virtue. Some of Plutarch's information is questionable, but it remains one of the best sources available. If you are interested in classical history then this is a great reference and it's enjoyable for pleasure reading as well.

I have used this book through my trip to México DF last January 2002. As usual, it provides accurate information on maps, transportation, places to eat and things to do, but I feel that the evaluation of hotels has been made in a quite superficial way, sometimes giving the impression - specially on the budget side - that the author has jumped from place to place without taking much time to actually consider the conditions of the place being evaluated.

I bought several guide books to DF with me and I kept using Lonely planets guide more than the others. It was really the only guide book I needed. Save your money with other guide books and just purchase this one.

The Lonely-Planet Mexico City guidebook was truely amazing. It provided great information, with lots of detail. The maps were very helpful, especially the Metro map, because there were other Metro maps available in English- anywhere! The guidebook also provided useful information on cultural events, dangers, and food. If you are going to Mexico City, I highly recommend this book!

The Two Noble Kinsmen was only partially written by Shakespeare. The primary author was John Fletcher, and Shakespeare seems to have been doing a rewrite more than a collaboration. As a result, you get two different styles of narration and development in the same story. The underlying tale follows very closely on the famous Knight's Tale from Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. As a result, you get a three way perspective on Shakespeare that is not available elsewhere -- what his co-author did, what Chaucer did, and how Shakespeare handled similar problems in other plays.

Where the Knight's Tale was primarily a story about chivalry, love, and spirituality, The Two Noble Kinsmen is very much about psychology and human emotions. Like other plays that Shakespeare wrote, this one shows how conflicting emotions create problems when we cannot master ourselves. In this case, the two loving cousins, Palamon and Arcite, fall out over having been overwhelmed by love for the appearance of Emilia, Duke Theseus's sister. The play explores many ways that their fatal passion for Emilia might be quenched or diverted into more useful paths. The dilemma can only be resolved by the removal of one of them. This places Emilia in an awkward situation where she will wed one, but at the cost of the life of the other. She finds them both attractive, and is deeply uncomfortable with their mutual passion for her. In a parallel subplot, the jailer's daughter similarly falls in love with Palamon, putting her father's life and her own in jeopardy. Overcome with unrequited love, she becomes mad from realizing what she has done. Only by entering into her delusions is she able to reach out to others.

What most impressed me from reading this play is how much better Shakespeare was as a writer than either Chaucer or Fletcher. You can tell the parts that Shakespeare wrote because the language is so compact, so powerful, and so filled with relevant imagery. The tension is unremitting and makes you squirm.

By contrast, the Knight's Tale is one of the dullest stories you could possibly hope to read and admire for its virtuosity without experiencing much enjoyment. Although the same plot is developed, few emotions will be aroused in you. When Fletcher is writing in this play, the development is slow, the content lacks much emotion, and you find yourself reaching for a blue pencil to strike major sections as unnecessary.

In fact, this play would not be worth reading except for the exquisite development of the dilemmas that are created for Emilia. Her pain will be your pain, and you will want to escape from it as much as she does. In these sections, you will find some of Shakespeare's greatest writing.

I also was moved by the way several scenes explored the duality of cousinly friendship and affection occurring at the same time that lethal passions of love and jealousy are loose.

Although this play will probably not be among your 50 favorites, you will probably find that it will sharpen your appetite for and appreciation of Shakespeare's best works.

I also listened to Arkangel recording, and recommend it. The performances are fine, the voices are easy to distinguish, the music is magnificent, the singing adds to the mood nicely, and you will find your engagement in the play's action powerfully increased over reading the play.

When do you lose control over your emotions? What does it cost you? How could you regain control before harm is done?

May you find peaceful, positive solutions to all of your dilemmas!

I will be the first to admit this is not the "best" or the "greatest" play written by the bard, but it is still very worthy of his name, and incredibly beautiful! Kinsmen is a romance in the style of Shakespeare's other late plays, Pericles, Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale, and The Tempest (my favorite). In many ways it reflects his earlier works, namely A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, and The Tempest. It tells a wonderfully romantic story of two good friends who fall for the same girl (I know, sounds familiar, but trust me, it's a different take on the setup) in Athens. The poetry in it is lovely, the characters very well developed, and the plot is incredible. Many people haven't heard of this play as Shakespeare cowrote it with Fletcher, but belive me, it is still wonderful. Highly recomended.

The Arkangel Shakespeare series being issued by Penguin Audio is now halfway through the plays and the surprise is that was given preference to the remaining more familiar works. Co-authored by Shakespeare and Fletcher, this play remains an odd man out for several reasons. Based fairly closely on the "Knight's Tale" from Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," it tells of two cousins, who just after swearing eternal friendship in one of Duke Theseus' prisons immediately fall in love with the same woman, Emilia, and become bitter rivals for her affections. One of them, Arcite, is exiled but returns in disguise; the other, Palamon, escapes with the help of the Jailer's Daughter, who goes mad for love of him; and...well, see for yourself. Of the play's 23 scenes, 7 and part of an 8th are attributed to Shakespeare, a 9th doubtfully so, and the rest to John Fletcher, who was probably handed over to Shakespeare to learn the ropes as it were. The Shakespeare parts are easy to spot: they are nearly impossible to understand without a heavily annotated copy of the text open before you! Even more so than in his late plays like "Cymberline" and "Winter's Tale," the syntax is so complex, the thoughts so condensed, that one might (and has) compared his writing with the late Beethoven String Quartets. As one of the scholars quoted in the excellent Signet Classic paperback edition of this play comments, the play is most unShakespearean in that none of the characters change over the course of the play. And I should add the subplot of the Daughter's madness is never integrated into the main plot. One scene, in fact, is devoted entirely to the description of some minor characters and might have been influenced by a similar and much longer sequence in "Seven Against Thebes." In short, do not play this for a casual listen; but be prepared to be challenged. Look especially for echoes of the earlier all-Shakespearean plays. The nuptials of Theseus and Hippolyta recall the opening scenes of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the main plot that of "Two Gentlemen of Verona," the Daughter's madness of Ophelia, and so on. As for the actual recording, it would be difficult to better it! The voices of the two kinsmen (Johnathan Firth and Nigel Cooke) are easily distinguishable, Theseus (Geoffrey Whitehead) sounds advanced in years and noble, Emila (Helen Schlesinger) mature and alert, Hippolyta (Adjoa Andoh) vocally of African origins as perhaps befits the character, and all the rest as understandable as the text allows and "into" their roles. Thank you, Penguin, for this noble entry in a series that is getting better and better.

I'm glad this book is not sold anymore! When my mother-in-law (a NZer) read it and then came with us to visit Kiev, Lviv, Moscow and some small and mid-sized cities and towns, she said she read your book, but LUCKILY didn't find it to be true!!!

I think the author of the book needs to visit Ukraine and Russia soonish and re-write the book, or get some treatment for..., racism, cold war and a shield from what the media brings to your TV screens (everyone knows that only bad news and breakthroughs make news), so please use your brains!

I read the book after my mother-in-law's remarks and was sick in my stomach, for quite a while.

I lived in Russia for a year and traveled extensively in European Russia and Siberia and this book never failed me. Although prices fluctuated, everything else was absolutely accurate and very thoroughly researched. The writers went to enormous lengths to write what is hands-down the best travel guide to Russia. The new edition is due out this April. Mine is already on order.

I found this book fascinating. It was great the way the writer bought into consideration the fact that no-one wants to travel to the places in question. When reading this book be sure to enquire at your local travel agent for any misconseptions. great book. 5 star

This book is great for people just looking for some impressiv Shakespeare phrases to spice up their speeches. The book is full of common sense and does not provide any in-depth analysis of the characters. Beside that the endless desriptions of how the authors succeed in their businesses (good for them!) is boring and do not provide concrete ideas or strategies.

John O. Whitney managed to relate business strategies to many of Shakespeare's plays; I truly was impressed... Many of his own experiences are related and it might seem as if the author is showing off but the stories he talks about are really interesting.
Before I read this book I really respected and admired Shakespeare and now my admiration goes beyond his literature, with the help of the author, his lessons on leadership and management are essential for any person working in a large corporation.
SHAKESPEARE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CEO!!!

O.K., we all know it's a gimmick, but it's such a good gimmick that you can't help but be won over. John O. Whitney and Tina Packer extract timeless truths about human nature from the works of Shakespeare and apply them to today's business world. Theme by theme, the authors tackle power, communication, trust, decision, action, hierarchy and women in management. Linking business dramas and dilemmas faced by today's companies and corporate leaders to those faced by Shakespeare's characters, the authors serve up a treasure trove of valuable insight and guidance in this immensely satisfying book. We [...] recommend this book to anyone in business or outside of it. Because like the works of Shakespeare himself, this book, while aimed at a specific audience, aspires to, and in many cases reaches, more universal truths.

Come on Lonely Planet - give us a new version

It's a good book, very handy if you're going to Central Asia in 1996. Four years later, however, it ain't worth squat.

Until recently, few westerners have ventured into the former Soviet republics of Central Asia; but there is a lot to see here: the Registan of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Alamaty, the fading Aral sea, and remote (and possibly dangerous) Tajikistan. While some of the travel information is dated, this is the most comprehensive of the guidebooks to this area that is available. So, if you venture on the Golden Road to Samarkand, this is the one to take!