Very basic information with photos. OK for a novice, too vague if you have ever grown roses. The book seems aimed at novices in in a zone 6 or 7 growing climate.

I absolutely loved all of the gorgeous pictures! The photos also made pruning and planting instructions easy to understand. I have many other rose manuals, but this one has better care information than my other much longer books.

I do wish I could give this book 4½ stars, which is what it really deserves. 4 just isn't enough, but 5 is a tad too much. I'd settle for 4¾, even, but since I can't do that, then it'll have to be just plain 4 with a star attached or something.

The first 260 pages of this 322 page story were enthralling. Ms. Rizzolo has really done her homework, and captured the Regency era wonderfully well. The characters are believable and match the general excellence of the plot. So, what's my quibble, you ask?

The two incidents delineated in pages 260 to 268 are a gimmick, I think. Or at least a let-down compared to the general high quality of the rest of the book. Perhaps the author needed help in getting the resolution of the mystery to her main characters, but to me, having them dream the results nearly simultaneously just didn't quite get it. I felt somewhat cheated. But then, after that lapse, she picks up again, and continues forward in a hair-raising sort of chase scene and damsel-in-distress conclusion that make wonderful sense, and demonstrate very well her considerable writing skills.

It does seem rather strange to have one heroine and two heroes, but at least they're consistent to their era and themselves. Mrs. Penelope Wolfe is estranged from her painter husband, and cares for their three-year-old daughter on her own. Intelligent, educated, curious--she's a wonderful foil for the quiet, somewhat enigmatic young Barrister, Edward Buckler. Behind the both of them is the Bow Street Runner, John Chase, who sees beyond the normal range of human failings to get to the bottom of the various crimes he encounters in London.

The crime in this first book of a welcome new series is the murder of Constance Tyrone, a young woman of good family, somewhat wealthy in her own right, fiercely independent and the founder of the St. Catherine Society, dedicated to helping women who would otherwise fall afoul of the law and/or society. Why was this young woman killed outside her office? When was she killed? These questions are almost more important to Chase than the identity of the one who did it. Eventually, however, he gets it all right, even if the solution did come to him in a dream.

Atmospheric in setting, meticulous in detail, I would happily recommend this book to any reader who enjoys history or mystery or historical mysteries. Excellent reading on all counts!

This book exerted an energy towards me, not much unlike the paranormal forces Diana felt in the house. The energy was alive with laughter, excitement, apprehension and fear. Every page was filled with shivery anticipation of what deadly secrets Diana would discover next and I found myself unable to put the book down until my fears were appeased a little. I loved every character, especially Andy, whose wit and charm and unnerving loquacity (genetic, right?) made him the perfect hero for this suspense novel. Diana is the kind of woman any sensible young girl wants to grow up to be--- independent, clever and as tough as nails. She finds that deception and betrayal have close ties to love and obligation. Her brother, Brad, teaches her this from the grave and Diana becomes aware of inner strength she never knew she had. It's one of the longest Michaels' books I've ever read and I loved it.

Well, I am not the best mystery reader, but I was kept in suspense until I FINALLY figured it out ie when the author disclosed exactly "who-dun-it." So you can imagine the state of my household while I gasped with horror and terror at every turn of the page---neglectfully letting babies cry and starve and laundry unwashed as I nervously continued on, determined to find out who killed----what if------surely not Miss Emily!! Etc... All in all---very good story. An eccentric couple wins the lottery and purchases and renovates their dream house in Old Virginny. In steps our heroine, a lawyer undercover as a rose expert, there to help the couple replant the old family garden. The couple goes away, three "suspects" move in, a love story in the background, gosh, what else could there be? A little "lecture" on how hard it is to get funding for historic preservation, good one, Ms Michaels, and overall, you have one delicious novel! This is one of her good ones. Read it!

This was the first of Barbara Michael's books that I ever read, and what a way to start! This book is incredible, very intelligent, well researched, and completely entertaining. I have since read all of her books, including those under Elizabeth Peters, and I have yet to be disappointed. If you want a book to make you think, I reccomend snagging this one.

Over the years I have always thought of Ursula Le Guin as a very brave and non-conforming sort of person. I have kept her photograph on my wall for the last 15 years. The reason for my admiration was that I felt (and feel) that she is a writer of major talent who decided to enter the field of science fiction and get labelled as a "sci-fi writer" when she could have won many honors and perhaps a more lasting place in history in mainstream literature. Her works do not cater to the broad popular tastes in fiction, but such novels as "The Left Hand of Darkness", "The Lathe of Heaven", "The Dispossessed" and "Always Coming Home" plus her works of juvenile fiction and collections of short stories add up to a body of spectacularly well-written material that is denied its place in the annals of American literature by the peculiar prejudice that segregates certain kinds of fiction into closed cells. I read most of Le Guin's books as soon as they hit the shelves, long ago, before science fiction became reality with the Internet and Amazon.com. For some reason, though I bought THE COMPASS ROSE fifteen years ago, I never got around to reading it till now. I must say that it was largely disappointing. There are some good stories in this collection, stories such as "The New Atlantis" and "The Diary of the Rose", also "The Pathways of Desire" which links exploration of space with dreams, but other stories seem hasty, 'cute' or aimed at the readers of airport fiction. In general, Le Guin is at her best when she creates new worlds or postulates possible futures. Her blend of anthropology and fiction has always thrilled me. As she moves away from that, into more general fiction on the contemporary world, unless she crafts the story carefully, as with "Two Delays on the Northern Line"--a real gem--she loses her edge. Her stories become filled with sunshine, conversing rocks, and whispering leaves, but without much punch. There are twenty stories in THE COMPASS ROSE. Half a dozen are up to her fine standard, others-perhaps the humorous pieces-may please many readers, but a few probably should have been kept in the drawer. (Though if I had written them, I would have been quite proud, no doubt. We are talking quality control here.) If you are wondering where to begin Le Guin, this is not the place. Put it last on your list. But begin, of course.

A good mix of 20 Ursula K. Le Guin short stories, composed of some great sci-fi, good modern fiction, humor, and quite a few UKL-style sureals (Buffalo Gals-style). The stories are all reprints from magazines and anthologies.

Some of the best are "Two Delays on the Northern Line" and "Malheur County", two haunting timeless pieces that talk of life and loneliness. "The Eye Altering" and "The Pathways of Desire" are excellent sci-fi shorts that question the nature of reality and perception. This compilation includes no stories from the Ekumen Cycle.

Although primarily a sci-fi reader, I believe that UKL's fiction including the shorts in The Compass Rose are some of the best pieces of contemporary fiction I know. The sci-fi in this book is a bit limited, but still excellent. All in all, a great way to get introduced to UKL's mainstream fiction, and satisfy your craving for quality sci-fi.

This is my favorite book. The stories are surprising and very enjoyable. Fresh thoughts accompany interesting stories.

This book is written so simple and I think the writer had no idea about the type of questions appear on USMLE step 2. questions are strait forward, explanations are so brief. I compare this book to NMS review Q and ACE the board step 3 and A&L Goldberg multiple Q for the step 2.

this book is concise, intuitive, and very usmle oriented. great for foreing grads and even graduates of this country.

The author should study her history and get the facts!
This book was a joke. I was rather furious and more than disappointed. Marie Antoinette's name was drug through the mud over 200 years ago based on hearsay and false accusations.

Isn't it time she is given the credit due her by now?
Read your facts author!

This book was a disappointment. I ...was very interested. I am a 'fan' of Marie Antoinette and have been fascinated with her life since reading Castelot's biography of her.

This book however, though it has some interesting pamphlets of historical interest, is more like a scrapbook. The writing is poor and has no direction. The pamphlets reproduced in the book are mostly pornographic lyrics and droll poetry of the Queen. The worst of which is Marie Antoinette riding an erected penis as if it were an ostrich.

If you want to learn about the Queen, her children, or the French Revolution, this is not the book to find it in. If you are very familiar with the Queen's life, this may offer you a little insight as to the people's attitude at the time, but that's it. I read it once, and it has been on the shelf since.

For a truly amazing book about Marie Antoinette, I suggest 'The Fatal Friendship'.

Unfortunately publishers feel that a book on Marie Antoinette will sell every couple years, so like clockwork we see an avalanche of pro royalist, sympathetic, out of context garbage. Most of them repeat the same legends...They base their accounts of the flight to Varennes on Carlyle and talk about her martydom...With the exception of Le Notre not one of her biographers has also done a biography of one of the leaders of the Revolution. Most demonstrate an alarming lack of understanding of basic events such as the the Bread March on Verseilles, September Massacres, the Necklace Affair or even how official Court appointment were made.

This is the first book in sometime that has put Marie Antoinette back into the context of her time...unfortunately for Royalist Mythology she was commonly referred to as the Austrian .... By her actions she precipitated the Revolution...she was provocative and weak...a flammable combination.

As for the reader who's sensibilities are offended by the "riding the penis" cartoon...you obviously haven't seen the several thousand cartoons of time that are available...the one you refer to IS tame...you should see the ones where she is dressed like a nun....You should also read the pamphlets sold at the Palais Royale...

While Hebert did indeed make things up in her indictment, it is hard to get around the fact that she has to shoulder a lot of responsibility for the revolution...

I recommend this book as one of the best books on Marie Antoinette in last 20 years...it has also prompted me to seek out the author.

I think the book is well researched, devoid of sentimentality and attempts to place Marie Antoinette back into the context of the tapestry of her times.

Michael La Vean
Fellow, International Napoleonic Society

Main character was featured prominently in Autumn Vows (which was a pretty good book) and I was left with a curiosity as to what Lucy's story might be. In the first book, she was an interesting (but secondary) character with a lot of mystery and promise. I couldn't wait to read about her in her own book. How disappointing. Somehow, everything I had imagined about her life was more interesting than the actual story.

I enjoyed reading Wild Roses very much! Not only was it a cute, sweet little book but it also was a page turner! A good book for someone who likes to read romantic novels and enjoys a good read!

I found this book really depressing. The main story is on Sam Brentwood being in a Hawaiian prison simply for supporting the Hawaiian queen. Janessa's tasks at Ellis Island is also dismal.

Still, I liked the love story of Mike and Eden's; it's the only thing that makes this book remotelt readable.

Rose Collis' bio of k.d. lang isn't bad, but there are better. It's a short, breezy read, although Collis' attempts to be saucy can get a bit wearing over time. There's not a lot of depth of information here, and the book shows signs of having been hastily edited. But as a basic introduction to the career of lang up to 1999 (pre-Endless Summer), it'll do.