This issue of Ascent is superior to some of the others. More professional and less flaky, it contains gripping trip reports and hilarious satire. The poetry is overall good, though very focused on the work of one author. The photography is beautiful but too much of it is in black and white. I found the reproduced paintings to be luridly colored and uninteresting. Overall, though, this book is well worth reading, with highlights including excellent work by Kelsey and Viola.

The scope, quality and depth of the prose in this issue of Ascent are of astoundingly high quality. Each one of the essays and stories in this collection provokes thought, and the sheer variety of the material, from farce through introspection to commentary, makes this a trove for climbers who love to read.

Alas, I cannot comment on the poetry, as I skipped all of it without reading a line.

The images in this issue are of more varied quality than the prose. While the colour photgraphs are crisp and rich, the monochrome photos are genreally poorly-reproduced, being flat and lacking in contrast. I was not impressed with much of the non-photographic art, as little of it has any quality that might draw attention to itself other than its subject matter.

Overall, I think that the 1999 issue of Ascent easily justifies its purchase price for the wonderful prose alone. If you are looking specifically for photography or artwork that pertains to climbing, though, you would do well to look elsewhere.

Gayle Roper is a master of witty dialogue. The repartee between the feisty Cara Bentley and her attorney, Todd Reasoner, is electric and utterly charming. Can't wait to read the other books in Roper's series set in Amish country.

In THE DOCUMENT, romance writer Cara Bentley has just discovered her recently-deceased grandfather's adoption papers and decides to search for his biological family - a search which brings her to Lancaster Co., PA where she rents the rooms recently vacated by Kristie Matthews. The attorney she employs to assist her in her search? Kristie's ex-boyfriend Todd. It's soon apparent Cara and Todd are much more suited than Kristie and Todd were. But there's someone who doesn't want Cara to find her grandfather's family.

The author gives insights into Amish culture including several traditions which are hard for the English (anyone not Amish) to understand. THE DOCUMENT is doubly enjoyable as its romance-writer heroine talks about the respectability of romance and even mentions having more difficulty chosing what books to take on a trip than what clothes to pack, something many romance readers can certainly identify with! THE DOCUMENT also will appeal to readers who share an interest in family history and/or adoption search.

This is an outstanding series with a wide appeal. Thank you, Ms. Roper!

The authors provide maps and information for self-guided walks in four different areas of Budapdest. All walks are easily accomplished on foot and have start and stop points that conveniently lead into the other prescribed routes. The interesting tidbits included in this book allowed me to see and understand aspects of Budapest that I would have otherwise missed. The book does not include hotel or restaurant suggestions.

Ms. Barber and Roper-Evans know more about Budapest and its history, culture, sights and amenities than almost any native Hungarian. The guidebook is well-designed, edited and contains sufficient (not overwhelming) historical and cultural information for a traveler to appreciate Budapest as if he/she were a a privileged insider. This is a "must-buy" guide if you are traveling to Budapest.

'Gone' is a fantastic read. Courageous, painful, hilarious and sincere; I was driven to finish the novel in one sitting. Roper's character Stephen, embodies every man's search for meaning and every man's quest to conquer his/her past--hope to shape what may come. Einstien's theory of relativity, simply, very simply put, makes the argument that there are no pitching-posts in Life, that the universe, all that it may include, moves infinately. We might try to set anchors here or there to create order, meaning, only to pull them up, move on. We are here and then gone. The book is dear to me for many reasons. I look forward to his next.

Hott with two T's this book about real Irish people who do dirty things to each other and treat each other like pieces of meat. you feel this book in places other books dont have the courtesy to reach around and touch. The characters, language, descriptions -- striking. when i finished reading this book, I tell you I felt like a hundered bucks. It puts the action in satisfaction and the Arrrgh in Irish. Though I recommend this book highly, I could never read it again myself. I'm easily agitated and fear I would headbutt someone on the subway, the power of this book is formidable.

Martin Roper takes us on a fascinating journey from childhood to adulthood. There is a direct correlation between the childs mind and the person that they evolve into. From the childs eye this is reminiscent of Roddy Doyle's - Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, but the adult perspective is disturbingly engaging. This book has everything. Gentle humour, sarcasm, Dublin wit, the tension felt by ex-pats as they bump into new life horizons and above all the tension of over-powering relationships.

This book is a classic in two senses. On the good side, it is well-written, compelling, interesting, and emotionally gripping. It tells - with much detail and drama - one of the most dramatic events of WWII, the life of Hitler and his followers in the doomed bunker in Berlin. This is why it is still read today.

On the bad side, it had been written very shortly after the war, so it is naturally dated and inaccurate in certain issues - although not on any very important issues, and not due to the author's fault or lack of research. Rather, it is due to the fact that new material had come to light since then, especially since the opening of the Soviet archives after the collapse of the soviet union.

It is, in a sentence, a good starting point for anybody interested in the subject of Hitler's last days. Trevor-Roper's description of the main events have by and large stood the test of time and further research. Once you read this highly readable and important book, you can move on to books that include more recent rsearch, e.g. Toland's THE LAST 100 DAYS or Joachim Fest's HITLER - NEMESIS.

A scholarly & well-researched book written by Trevor-Roper who was then a British intelligence officer. Note that this is the 6th edition and there is a 7th edition available in the UK. The reader should also be aware that each edition builds on and revises some of older ones contents, including superseding some portions completely. Readers should also check out "The Death of Hitler" by Ada Petrova.

The review title is actually a quote from The Doors, but it is quite appropriate here to describe Hitler's last few days in the bunker as he says goodbye to his secretaries. HTR's book is very good. Initially, I believed the book was going to described Hitler's last days in the bunker on a day-by-day basis. This occurs only in the last half of the book. The first half deals with Hitler's court (Speer, Himmler, Bormann, Goebbels, Goering, Schellenberg, et.al.) and how they were handling the last days of the war. The last half of the book describes Hitler's last few days - his denunciation of Goering; his final betrayal by Himmler; Hitler's acceptance of the end; his suicide - all make for a very surreal ending when HTR describes Himmler's silly staff meetings just two days before the war's end - incredible. I read the 1947 version so there are a few suppositions which, actually, turn out to be correct - about Bormann's probable death at the Wiedenammer bridge - about Hitler's death and his capture of the ashes by the Russians. Great book.

If you poke around in the introduction, you'll find that this book, all 464 pages, actually started out as a case study. More accurately, Roper is used to writing case studies about his mostly alcoholic an addicted clients, and his academic background shows through, which can make for heavy going.

What it shows, however, is what it's like to be a high bottom drunk - someone who hasn't lost all before they begin recovery. All the muddled thinking is there - all the rationalizations - all the self-pity along the choppy road to success. What it lacks is the tension and plotting I, at least, have come to expect from a book labeled 'novel.' Instead we have the rambling story of Steve, our drunk, coupled with Roper's rather heavy prose.

Steve's difficulty with some Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and love of other AA groups will be recognizable to anyone who has attending such meetings - and this too is worth knowing. But, and this is important, High Bottom Drunk gives an accurate and complete picture of what actually goes on in the head of a young man struggling with sobriety.

As a woman, I found this fascinating and sometimes discouraging, but worth wading through.

I also suspect any non-addict trying to understand an addict would benefit from reading this - if not every word, than scanning.

Of course, anyone who is going through the same struggle will be relieved to find they are not alone - and that's worthwhile too.

Dr. Roper has not only thoroughly covered the subject, as the expert that he is, but he has made it effortlessly readable for everyone. Reading and learning about alcoholism and addiction has never been easier. With no text book jargon to wade through, this is an insiders view for everyone.

You'll finish this novel smiling, but for most people (those not extremely interested with mountaineering) it would probably be better to spend that cash on something else and check this out from the library. This is one of my personal favorites, however, and i strongly recomend reading it.

In Caverns of Blue Ice, written by Robert Roper, is about a young girl Louise DeMaistre. The story takes place in Montier, a small town in southeastern France, about three decades ago. Louise's father, Jules DeMaistre, is a famous Alpine climber and mountaineer. Unlike her two brothers, Louise is not interested in following in her father's footsteps. She believes, along with her sister Elise and many other people at that time, that mountain climbing is only for men. Only after leading her brother off a mountain and to safety does she realize her talent. From that day on, Louise started to enjoy climbing and to appreciate the mountains. The novel continues to describe her accomplishments, her tough job as an apprentice to a very strict guide, the road to becoming the first women Alpine guide, and her rise to fame. She struggles but continues to prove that she can be as strong as any man on the mountains. When a young Canadian climber enters Louise's life however, the scene becomes much more complicated for her. Louise had never dealt with love before and she is forced to face new challenges. Years later when Louise has to look death in the face trapped in a blue ice crevasse with her true love, she regains her confidence as a woman climber and establishes a sense of security within her heart and mind. I was not only taken aback by the breath taking descriptions of the mountains, but also by Louise's courage to succeed and to prove herself to those people who doubted her. I felt sympathetic for Louise when her true love left and excited when she ascended her most difficult climbing route. This novel is not only suspenseful and romantic, but also leads you on an exciting and informational adventure through the French Alps and the blue ice caves of the Himalayas. When the story unfolds, Louise DeMaistre is a twelve-year-old girl who is quite chubby for her age. She is not very active and she hates the mountains. When her brother convinces her to take a short climb with him, she realizes something about herself that she had not known before. Louise eventually grows into her body, and she becomes a beautiful young woman with an amazing talent in mountain climbing. She struggles to find her identity and to prove to many people that she could succeed in a man dominated sport. However, when a young man enters the picture, Louise is left emotionally unbalanced. Never before had she experienced true love, and she is left lost in confusion and pain. Throughout the middle of the novel, Louise is faced with harsh physical and emotional challenges that leave her skeptical about continuing her career as a climber. At the end of the novel however, Louise finds peace within her heart, soul, and mind. She becomes much more mature and self-reliant and gains much more confidence in herself. As one could conclude, Louise DeMaistre changed in many ways throughout the novel, In Caverns of Blue Ice.

William Roper's biography of Sir Thomas More provides an intimate account of More's life from his own son-in-law, who himself lived with the Saint for sixteen years. So, from this first-hand source of More's life comes an intimate, unique and fascinating narrative of the principle events of his life; but mostly, the events described begin shortly before his elevation to Lord Chancellor, so for anyone looking for insight on More's early life, this work is not the one. Although, on the other hand, for anyone seeking to find a dramatic account of More's tragic but heroic fate, or for anyone just looking to find a collective bevy of More's wise old sayings, Roper's work will be of inestimable value. The only drawbacks to Roper's biography is that it is short, lacks scholarship, and fails in general to surface a clear portrayal of Thomas More's life and overall character. Furthermore, with this in mind, it can easily be imagined how much more we would know of him if someone with much more depth and perspective as an author sought to comprise biography of Sir Thomas More instead. However, had Roper not written at all, it may equally be envisaged how much we would have lost More's life. So, in the end, Roper's work pays off for the details he provides, and for the fact that his familiarity with More engenders a certain level of confidence and reasonable reliability as a whole. William Roper's work is indispensable for anyone serious about the study of Sir Thomas More.

he did many differnt thing. but he is weak to god,and strong to society. so, he keep the relision and make the new society.

Another decent anthology of mountaineering/climbing stories grouped into eight related topics. Most of the material is taken from previous issues of Ascent, but there are several new pieces, particularly climbing fiction. Of the new pieces, two relate to alpine climbing and the six to climbing fiction. The hero worship of Robbins also continues with two pieces by him. The only author to rate two pieces. Since I haven't read any of the other Ascents, all the stories were new to me. Although I like most of the pieces, I didn't care much for the climbing fiction. One fictional story, 'The Soloist's Diary,' I couldn't get myself through. I'm a big fan of science fiction, and one climbing science fiction story, 'The More Things Change...,' I found completely lame and trite. If you have read previous Ascents, I don't think there is anything new or worthy enough to warrant getting this book. If you want a climbing stories anthology try 'The Games Climbers Play' edited by Ken Wilson. He includes some of the better works originally published in Ascent.

Most of this book is about bygone days of imperial Russia. However, instead of being a typical "Nicholas and Alexandra" book or "How the Royal Family Lived", the passages here are first person accounts, recorded as memories, or as the actual journal entries.

Through this, the reader gets a picture of what it was like living in the upper echelon of society in the latter half of the 19th century, and the early 20th. It is striking and gorgeous.

This is the land and the society that these people later had to flee, and the author, Obolensky, grew up in the Russian emigre community in France.

There was a couple problems that found with this book. While the descriptions of these people's lives were fascinating, it wasn't a page turner, and for that reason, it took me a long time to actually sit down and FINISH this book.

A major problem with it, too, was it's heavy reliance on French. I know that some things are not translateable, and I know the author knows French very well (besides English), and I know that French was the language of many courts and of international diplomacy in that day, but it seemed like there were so many times when the author's point would be punctuated by a phrase in French, which did absolutely no good for me, since I don't speak or read this language.

The third thing that kind of irked me was that Obolensky spends probably 4/5 of the book in aristocratic Russia from 1875-1920, having many perspectives represented, but when it actually comes to the "exile" part, the only representation is his own experiences, and they seem, somehow, not to be nearly as in-depth. (Then again, he was jumping over HUGE periods of time.)

Despite its flaws, this book does serve to recall a time which is fast fading in memory. Most of the "authors" of this book died more than 40 years ago, and this perspective is unique to try to comprehend.