I found this book drawing me to it, and hard to put down! an excellent story, sad but full of hope and courage! a shockingly eye opening book!-in that NO-ONE was doing anything for kids-like the glaser kids, or any others who have/had this awful disease!! a very informative book about the disease and how it affects people, especially kids. I highly RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!

Elizabeth Glaser wasn't famous until she met and later married Paul Micheal Glaser of tv's Starsky and Hutch. She wsan't used to fame and notoriety, but she became accustomed to it. At the opening of the book, Elizabeth begins by telling us of complications she had when her and Paul's daughter Ariel was born. She needed many blood tranfusions from many different donors. It was in one of those transfusions that the AIDS virus was hiding. Elizabeth was infecting and she didn't even know it. She passed the deadly virus onto her daughter through breast feeding and later to her son, Jake, while he was still in her womb. In the Absence of Angels is more than just Elziabeth's story. It's the story of her children, her husband, and their struggle to find courage in the face of a losing battle. It's the story of how Elizabeth, with the help of friends and support of her husband, formed the first charity for funding research for Pediatric AIDS which until Elizabeth brought the spotlight to it because of the death of her daughter Ariel, was untouched by doctors and charities alike. It's the story of a family having to cope with the death of a very young, beautiful and precious daughter in 1988 and the inevitable death of a loving, caring wife in 1992, but it isn't a sad book. To me, it's a book of hope and strength. I highly recommend it to any and every one

It is the most concise material I have found on the subject. While in school I used it for a reference book when writing papers, now I read through it when I am unsure about a religious practice. It clarifies any questions you might have on any given (major) religion.

This book is really beautiful! It helps the student and the teacher to explore the great wisdom traditions of the world. The illustrations are plentiful and lovely, the text easy to comprehend. A great book!

I went to Columbia, with the most prominent 'great books' curriculum still in existence. 25 years later, I'm finding myself re-reading and discussing many of the titles. The Penn Greek Drama series is a handsome library of new translations that give fresh takes on the classics. It's useful to have Euripides on the shelf when you return home from the recent bravura performance by Fiona Shaw as Medea--it settled an argument too on how it 'originally' ended.

Public Relations expert Charmian Sinclair strongly believes that variety is the spice of life. She has a different married lover for each day of her London work week except Friday (that is a travel day). There is Dominic for every Monday; Tuesdays are set up for Gervase; Nigel comes calling every Wednesday; and Thursdays belong to Gerald (up until his collapse). On weekends, she retreats to Sussex to spend time with Giles Hayworth. However, even that lifestyle begins to bore Charmian especially when Giles falls in love with someone else.

Charmian switches paradigms when her brother-in-law Oliver Curtis, is viciously and unfairly fired from his job at Circumference. While her half-sister Alexandra consults Mrs. Hemingway, a clairvoyant, Charmian decides to personally avenge this unfair action comitted by the Circumference CEO Reg Spivey. Using her lovers as unwitting conduits into the banking world, Charmian soon discovers a corrupt, amoral environment that destroys anyone in its way, including a charming heroine.

FLOWERING JUDAS is a brilliantly written satire laughing at contemporary adult fairy tales such as PRETTY WOMAN. Charmian is wonderful character, whose interplay with the rich and famous is refreshing and fun. Elizabeth Palmer scores big time with this comical novel of mis-manners among the English elite.

Harriet Klausner

Has all the background and history needed for the understanding and study of Ikebana itself. This is the first choice of the instructor of a college level class in Ikebana. Enjoyable to read and understand. Sorry that it is out of print!

I got this book because I was interested in learning more about Tao -- my only experience had been the Tao of Pooh. This is probably a good book if you know about Tao and the philosophy behind it, but as a newcomer, it wasn't interesting or educational.

I prefer Burton Watson's translation to Palmer and Breuilly's, especially after reading parts in the Chinese text. But Palmer and Breuilly won't steer U wrong though. No, this is a decent translation of the entire text, which is not a common sight! Only Burton Watson, James Legge, and Victor Mair have put out complete Zhuangzi translations. AC Graham's translation is also quite good.

BAO PU-
embrace simplicity

As a long-time Chuang-Tzu enthusiast, I thoroughly enjoyed this translation. I imagine this would be very enjoyable to the general reader; I have read many commentaries on the meaning of Chuang-Tzu's philosophy (Victor Mair's, Allinson's, Wing-Tsit Chan's, A.C. Graham's, etc.) so my perspective is "biased" in particular way- I like the absurdity and relativistic notions, sort of a Lewis Carroll point of view. This translation fits in with my predilictions nicely. Chuang-tzu takes some pondering, and any translation that makes it too simple is doing the reader an injustice. This one captures all the irony and absurdity, yet leaves plenty of room for befuddlement. It contains ALL the chapters, not just the inner ones. Highly recommended!! I keep this by the bed along with The People's Guide to Mexico, another perennial favorite!

This is one of those books that you will pick up and not put down until you've read the last word. It is a book about manipulations and secrets and all around evil. Camilla, the main character, is greedy and self-centered. Her only concern is what she wants. Will she get what she wants? How many people will pay? It's worth the reading to find out! Enjoy!

It is a book that I haven't been able to put down ~~ it has kept me turning the pages till the very last page. If you like mysteries, this book is it. It is also very well-written ~~ like Agatha Christie mystery and clean too ~~ with a very few smattering of curse words or sex. It is just a novel based on a woman's dark secret and how it shattered the world around her....

This is a book that keeps you hopping from one page to another ~~ and you'll love to hate this selfish beauty as if you know her. Palmer brings [characters] to life with this novel....

I highly recommend this book for anyone who has a few hours on her hands. These winter nights sure are long and this book will keep you entertained for a night in front of the fire. And if you like Agatha Christie or any British mystery, this novel will entertain you just as well.

12-2-02

In the first story Catherine Palmer returns to the town called Hope and picks up the lives of the familiar characters. A surprising twist makes this one especially good. The second story is by a relatively new author to me, but now I will read more of hers since this one is great...The last is an entirely new concept to me, that of the courtship of a senior couple. Most Christian romance stories steer away from those folks in their sunset years, but this one is sweet and believable. I would recommend this book. Each author gives the reader a glance into her own life and some interesting recipes are included as well.

Catherine Palmer has again written a fabulous book. In this anthology she revisits a town called Hope and tells the story of Rolf Rustemeyer. I have read all of the books in the 'A town called Hope' series and this story lets me revisit my favourite series. Readers can also watch the lovable German farmer Ralf find his true love of the Kansas praire.

Included in this anthology are stories by Elizabeth White and Peggy Stoks. Both of these women are fabulous authors and their love for the Lord is evident in their stories. Annie and Betsy make wonderful heroines and I fell in love with them as well as their men, Seneca Jones and Elmore Determan.

This book is a must read for all Catherine Palmer fans and everyone who loved the 'A town called Hope' series.

This novel is superbly plotted and a very satisfying read. Palmer delivers a delicious tale of money, sex, and class warfare set against the backdrop of World War II England. Nothing is left to chance in this story. Every plotline is carried to its conclusion, with plenty of surprises along the way. Secrets unfold, fortunes are made and lost, and ultimately, good triumphs over evil.

Palmer is a master at juggling multiple points of view. She skillfully guides the reader in and out of the heads of numerous characters without a single misstep. We are privy to the private hopes, fears and dreams of a wide cast of characters. This is crucial to a successful romantic novel. A savvy author knows that the reader must understand and on some level relate to what motivates each character in order to care about what happens to that character. The author must then build tension gradually, laying a foundation of facts and ideas and adding to it bit by tantalizing bit, until the complete picture is finally revealed. These are the elements of an entertaining novel, regardless of the genre.

This humorous, entertaining comedy of manners set me off on a search for all of Elizabeth Palmer's novels when I was looking for a break from heavier fare. The dysfunctional relationships which drive her plots are leavened with enough humor and literary allusions to raise Ms. Palmer's writing above the ordinary. Best analogy? A lighter Fay Weldon.