"Pleasant" is a good way to describe the Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters. These romanticised renderings of life in twelfth century England, however unreal, make the era seem pleasant enough that you almost want to live there. The countryside is lovely, there is usually a hint of romance in the air, and life moves at a measured, unrushed pace. No pavement, no pollution, no hustle and bustle. Seldom mentioned are the poverty, hunger, disease, and general stench (people rarely bathed). Life, especially in the cloister, is a bucolic idyll.

In "A Raven In The Foregate", Abbot Radulfus returns from a church council with a new priest for the Foregate. Father Adam having recently died, Radulfus brings back Father Ailnoth at the recommendation of Bishop Henry. Ailnoth, however, turns out to be a harsh and stiff-necked young priest and manages to alienate his flock before turning up dead on Christmas morning. There are plenty of suspects, not the least of whom is young Benet, nephew of Ailnoth's housekeeper.

With plenty of potential suspects, this would seem to be an intricate and challenging mystery, but ultimately the plot is not as involved as one might wish. The outcome is a happy one, if a bit too neat and satisfactory for everyone involved, but not too hard to see coming.

Like most of the books in this series, "A Raven In The Foregate" is only an average mystery. What makes this and the other Cadfael tales enjoyable is the pleasant world Peters creates and the idyllic, unhurried way in which she tells the tale. These are nice books to read and, on the strength of that I recommend them, especially to those who like a bit of history and romance along with their whodunits.

The mystery is a bit trite and too neatly wrapped up at the end, but this remains a good read because of Peter's strong characters and setting and great metaphysical questioning.

These four professors are at the top of the historical profession, and their thoughts on the regions in whose histories they specialize will fascinate any reader. Whether it's the newness of the black-and-white New England house facade, the contingency of the identity of a "South," or any of a number of other questions they consider, virtually every point made in this book is made both deftly and with great learning. Ayers and Onuf, in particular, are simply great stylists. Buy it, you'll like it!

Government text, and writings, and so on, can be very difficult to understand, but this book clearly explains what the text means, it also is organized greatly, I would recommend this book to anybody wanting a little extra knowledge about US Government

Fuzzy topology, Quasi-uniforms spaces, ordered spaces

"The Benediction of Brother Cadfael" is a wonderful introduction for anyone unfamiliar with the murder-solving "Brother Herbalist" of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul in Shrewsbury. It also makes a wonderful gift for those already in love with the good brother.

This oversized volume contains the complete text of the first two "Brother Cadfael" novels, seperated by a lovely illustrated section discussing medieval Benedictine life, Shrewsbury, the Welsh border, St. Winifrid, the Abbey (which is still in existence) and other items of interest.

Enjoy this wonderful book. A solid four stars.

I bought this book for my 12 year old to prepare for a computer literacy test he took to 'test out' of a required middle school course. While he uses computers a lot and I have for years, the illustrations helped both of us to better understand how computers work. I've suggested that our school purchase a set for the computer lab.

A CD-Rom jammed with articles from EXECUTIVE EXCELLENCE. I actually got my copy as a bonus for subscribing a couple of years ago. Many of the articles are interesting, but they are all quite short, almost MTV-ish. This seems to be the preferred style for this publication. If you are a fan of Warren Bennis, or one of the writers who regularly contribute to that publication, this is a good way to pick up some new material from your favored writer. The articles are on a variety of topics, which means that there will probably be something for everyone with an interest in this subject, but by the same token, there will be a lot that won't interest you. The CD includes a search engine that is workable. I benefitted from the magazine and the CD, but they didn't set my world on fire.

I found this book by chance in the library. I read it for a little while, I could not put it down. I took it home. Then I will buy it. That is a good book.

Stephen Plant states up front that this slim paperback is part of a "series to introduce some of the most important Christian thinkers to as wide an audience as possible." I found this to be a concise, well organized account of Simone Weil's life and works. Plant divides his book onto 5 sections starting with Weil's life and makes the point repeatedly that Weil's biography and her "mystical" Christianity are inextricably interwoven. This is followed by a chapter on Weil's understanding of God. Plant eases the reader into Weil's works with memorable quotes from "Waiting on God" and careful explanation of their contexts. He gives evidence for consideration of Weil as a modern "saint outside the church" not because of her beliefs but because of her "attention" to God. Plant conveys nuances as well as meaning in translating the actual French of Weil's writing into English. The book's middle chapter "Loving God in a World Full of Pain" gives an excellent explanation of Weil's concepts of "gravity" and "necessity" as well as her interpretation of human "affliction" versus physical suffering. The fourth chapter gives an overview of Simone Weil's Marxism. Lines from Weil's "The Need for Roots" and her lectures in philosophy are used here, although the author assumes the reader has only a nodding familiarity with Plato. This is certainly in accord with the stated introductory nature of this series, Fount Christian Thinkers. The concluding section makes Stephen Plant's brief but convincing argument that while Simone Weil's works do not fit into any orthodox category, her writings are worth the reader's effort. This reader, for one, was definitely ushered into Simone's presence by this book. For this tremendously enriching experience, I thank Stephen Plant.

Simple Statistics was my crash introduction to the field of statistics, and it was a happy meeting. The text is not "dumbed down" but is nonetheless readily accessible to those with a minimal mathematical background. Also, the material is much more widely applicable than its title might imply. Anyone who needs a quick education in statistics can benefit from this book, and not just library and information professionals.