I enjoyed reading this well researched biography of Sir John George Bourinot. I have used, on occasion, Bourinot's Rules of Order in meetings and this book brought to life for me the historical character behind the original rule book. The biography is well written, with extensive notes, and covers mainly the Victorian age. It was interesting to find he wrote some fiction and had a life outside of his duties as clerk of the House of Commons as a founder and long time secretary to the Royal Society of Canada.

The author is well versed in the various constitutional, historical and developmental aspects of Canada as a nation during the 19th century and wove these into the biography. She provided details on some of the constitutional problems that Bourinot was asked to solve and how he took an interest in procedure in other type meetings outside of parliament. Overall, a very satisfying and educational read.

Jim Lochrie

This is a genuinely amazing book. It lists and analyzes all the characters in the novels, gives a detailed history of the Circus, and provides absorbing commentary on who did what to whom in the books and what that says about Le Carre's most important themes. I've never seen anything like it, and that includes books about writers who have devoted followings like Conan Doyle or Tolkien. And Monaghan's book is lucid and readable as well. He really should update this to include "The Russia House" and "The Secret Pilgrim."

Podrazik certainly knows the Fab Four. Having previously collaborated on the definitive three volume discography on the Beatles, he uses the opportunity of the new releases on CD of the Beatles' music to update us on their music, the impact of it on the world, and that intimate minutiae that only a real scholar can dig up. Well worth buying and reading. Michael Class

The authors, a historian of the ancient world, a topographer and a geologist, finally solve the dilemma that for centuries perplexed scholars: the grand strategy and tactics connected with the battle at Thermopylai in 480 B.C., and the logistical and communication problems confronting defenders and invaders alike. They point out that after the Persians' success at Thermopylai, the Persian army did not use a coastal route, or any of the small passes over the Kallidromos mountains, but a road system directly to the south between the Oite and Kallidromos mountains, that they designate as the Great Isthmus Corridor Route, unknown to researchers until the authors' discovery.
The authors present geological and topographical evidence that negates all speculations of earlier researchers, who try to force the text of Herodotus, the earliest written source, into their historical account.
They use reports of early travelers, 19th and 20th century English and French authors, and, most importantly, the topographical articles in the bible of ancient historians, Pauly's RE.
The authors emphasize that their investigation was a salvage operation fighting for time against the encroaching topographical changes by a newly built cement factory, and the preparation for expanding the old, WWI British road into a major superhighway.
They identify ancient Trachis, and the passes that led from the Malian Gulf to the Gulf of Itea. They also gave a clear picture of the unique status of the Phokian ethnos in Central Greece, the Phokians' anti-Persian attitude, and their split allegiance during the period of Theban ascendancy.
Most importantly, they have shown that the strategy and tactics at Thermopylai were but a ruse to secure the main road system into Greece, as seen in the route the Persians took after the battle.
The footnotes are full and complete, a necessity in face of opposing views that are occasionally strident, and border on academic hybris.

Except for the first two, all of the stories in this collection are excellent! I had a great time reading them. My favorite is the sad "Bayonne", and the riotously funny "The Opportunity". There are hints of Cheever's celebrated prose style, but all of these stories are marvelously constructed narratives. The book itself is okay. Except for the hideous yellow of the jacket and more than a few typesetting and editorial factual errors, it is a very handsomely bound book with good paper and large, readable type. However, it's hard to justify twenty dollars for a 200 page book that's physically the size of a paperback novel.

Are you an Architect and don't know the parts of a traditional double hung window? Forgot how stone was detailed? Could not draw a lug window sill to save your life? Then this book is for you and your staff. Great drawings (real drawings, not CADD), all hand lettered and illustrated. I use this book to size masonry fireplaces. It is the ultimate resource on all types of wood burning fireplaces and masonry dimensioning! Although there are some things that are out of date (plumbing & electrical)this book tells a story about buildings in the emerging market of historic rehab and historic tax credit project.

this book is the most informative I have read on the subject of Upper Alton Pottery. The information given by the authors is easily read and understood.

I started reading some of these tales to my 5th grade students as a way to get their attention at the end of the school day. To my amazement, they loved them and kept asking for more. They were so inspired, that they've even come up with some tales of their own and I've had to look for more folktale books.

For a clearly written, concise, reliable summary of Western military history with an operational-level focus, this is the book to buy. I use it to teach military history, and my students (cadets) rate it highly.

That master of accurate wolf storytelling, Jean Craighead George, has presented a fine picture book. Sadly, it is out-of-print, and I have to read it by checking it out from my local library. The story concerns a young wolf named Roko, who is injured during his pack's hunt and is left, helpless and dying, on an Alaskan ridge. Many Arctic animals come wanting to feast on Roko's remains when he is dead--an arctic fox, a snowy owl, a bear, ravens--thus, children not only learn about the many species of animal life in this seemingly barren, desolate land, but they also learn about ecology, how everything is connected in the natural world, and how death can really be a part of life. The ending shows how loyal wolves are to one another, when Roko's leader helps him to survive. The black and white ink drawings are nothing spectacular, but they do excellently accent the simplicity and poetry of Ms. George's words.