I was drawn to this novel since it was described as a storybook come to life - the story of Rapunzel trapped in a tower. But it was not a storybook life for our hero and heroine or their family. There is sadness but it is softened with a great deal of laughter and love. Georgia and Nicholas are married hastily very near the beginning of the book so that he might inherit his beloved estate, Ravens Close. Georgia has been trapped in a horrible situation sewing in a turret tower for Nicholas's step-aunt Jacqueline in nearby Ravenswalk. She agrees to marry since it appears the only way out for her. They take up residence in Raven's Close.

The home is barely habitable, robbed of most of the furniture and anything valuable, and almost falling down around them. Believing Nicholas to be poor, both Georgia and he set out to make the house a home completing all necessary repairs themselves. She coaxes the flower garden out of ruin reminding Nicholas of his mother who had gardened there before her untimely death. Helping them in their endeavors is Binkley, a very proper man of all work - butler, valet and friend. But Nicholas is not poor - he decides to woo his lovely skittish wife, knowing she would feel unworthy if his wealth is known. In fact, Nicholas fears he can never make her forget her former husband thinking him a Nordic god by the way Georgia talks about him. That was a rather funny situation as he TOTALLY misinterprets what Georgia is telling him about her first husband!

There are so many ups and downs to this story. I do not want to spoil it by telling all. Nicholas is hiding other truths from Georgia. The reasons he has been away for 10 years and the source of his nightmares. The other characters in this book are so well fleshed out. There is Cyril, Nicholas's dark tormented and despondent cousin, Uncle William who is Cyril's father dying slowly after a stroke, servants, friends, rescued orphan Pascal, a sweet dog Raleigh and a horrible villainess Jacqueline Raven. Jacqueline (Uncle William's wife) is evil personified and as frightening an adversary as you could ever find. She does get her due in the end.

There are shipwrecks, saviors and sickness. Another reviewer mentions needing a hanky at the end and indeed you may. Eventually Nicholas and Georgia find passion and happiness and you will find the novel hard to put down and unforgettable. Highly recommended.

I did not think she could ever top her masterpiece, The Sound of Snow but boy oh boy, No Greater Love moved me like no other romance book has in a very long time. I laughed, I cried, and I was amazed the whole time I was reading this book at how much I was enjoying it. The phrase, "it's a keeper" does not do this book justice. I just loved EVERYTHING about this book.

It's a well-written and well-told emotional love story that words just cannot describe. Try to find the book first and if you're lucky enough to find it, buy it. You'll want to vacuum seal it to keep it from yellowing just like I did after reading it.

Nicholas Daventry is a man with a secret. The terror he relives of drowning in his dreams each night as he sleeps keeps him from ever letting him fall in love. His greatest wish, though is to marry some day, have a family and fill his boyhood home, Ravens Close, with the love and joy he had growing up. He fears he will never experience that dream for he has been exiled. Banished by the Uncle he loves for a crime he didn't commit. Then he receives a letter from his uncle calling him home, wanting a reconciliation. But he must face his greatest fear. His step-aunt, who was the cause of his bannishment for lies she created and honor that she stole from him.

Georgia Wells has a few secrets of her own that she keeps. Widow of a man whom she experienced nothing but pain, she was forced into a life of servitude and near slavery. She ends up as the modiste of the lady of Ravenswalk. Kept in her tower room like Repunzel, she slaves away for a woman who is pure evil incarnate, who likes nothing more than to userp her power over those she deems lower than herself.

When Nicholas finally arrives home to claim the home he loves, he finds his uncle in a state of apoplexy and his step-aunt in charge. She informs him that he will not receive his inheritance until and unless he is married in three weeks.

Feeling nothing short of dispair, he goes to his home to find it in a state of total disrepair. Georgia and Nicholas meet and it comes to him later that she is the one who can help him get his home back.

NO GREATER LOVE is one of Katherine Kingsley's greatest. The relationship between Nicholas and Georgia is one of great love that we see develop gradualy. The dialoge is whitty and superb. They draw us in to their life with such great ease and warmth, the reader can't help but fall in love with them right from the start. The way that Nicholas and Georgia help each other through their most difficult times is only the most touching part of this truly superb story. If you can find one, I suggest you grab it. You will not be disappointed. But keep the Kleenex handy for the ending. You'll need it.

This book is coffee table quality and sits right there! I have gone back to it a million times for historical information and pedigree research. The many, many pictures give it a life of it's own! An outstanding book. Two thumbs WAY UP! :o)

I've read and reread this book many times. The photos are great and it's very interesting and exciting to read about dogs and rottweiler fanciers I have met and heard of. I recommend this book as a "must have".

I read your book and thought you went into detail a lot. You had a great variety of pictures to look at. I think if you had put ways of contacts to find out more information would have improved it even more. Over all a great book.

This is the seventh book in the Queens of England series by the author, a masterful storyteller, who is also known as Victoria Holt to her fans. It is a well written novel of historical fiction that tells the little known story of Katherine of Valois.

She was a French Princess, daughter of King Charles VI, the gentle, but mad, King of France, and Queen Isabeau, an evil, self-absorbed libertine, who cared little for her children. After the famous battle of Agincourt in which King Henry V of England vanquished France, Katherine found herself married to this warrior king and living in England. She was to become the mother of King Henry VI of England.

Shortly after their son's birth, King Henry V died a premature death. Young Queen Katherine saw their son Henry taken from her to be raised by others. Retiring to the countryside, she fell in love with a Welsh squire, Owen Tudor, who had faithfully served King Henry V, and now served Katherine as part of her household. Theirs was to be an illicit love, carried out in secret, as the alternative was to be the recipient of charges of treason.

Try as they might, no amount of secrecy could prevent the vicissitudes of life from raining down upon their happiness. Political intrigue would serve to bring their illicit love to light. It would act as the catalyst for a turning point in history. What happened to Katherine and Owen would give rise in the future to the house of Tudor, one of the greatest dynasties ever to rule England.

The book grounds their love story in the context of the period, which saw England as the conqueror of France. It covers that turbulent time in history that saw Joan of Arc rise from the remote French countryside to ensure the crowning of the Dauphin of France as its rightful King. It is a spellbinding account of the struggles between England and France and those who would rule these two countries. It is a book that will be enjoyed by all those with a fondness for well written, historical fiction.

There are many great love stories in the history of English royalty, but this is by far the most touching. From a wretched childhood, she is forced by her scheming mother Queen Isabeau to marry the conquerer of France. However, she grows to love her adopted country of England. When King Henry V dies, her son, Henry VI, is taken from her. But she finds true happiness with Owen Tudor, her Welsh servant, and they marry and raise a family in secret. They live in fear of discovery by those who think her children by Tudor might seek the throne. She died not knowing that her enemies' fears were justified, for she gave rise to the glorious House of Tudor, which produced Henry VIII, "Bloody" Mary, Mary Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I.

This book has touched me the most out of all the Jean Plaidy books I have ever read and the end made me cry. The way that the romance is tied in with true history is what makes this book so great. It is about how a queen dared to love someone far below her rank and how they loved and lived in secret until one heartbreaking day when the guards arrived to break up Katherine's family; imrison her husband (who's only crime was in marrying the Dowager Queen of England) and take Katherine to a convent where she will die of grief. I highly recommend this book to all that have not read it and enjoy reading books in this genre.

I ordered a few of these self-help sibling books, and this book is by far the most helpful. The author not only has experienced the loss but lets others recount their experiences and feelings after their loved one passes. Every single page allowed me to understand that all of my feelings are normal, and that other siblings go through the same thoughts. If you have lost a sibling, this book will cover every single element in your life--I promise it will make all the difference in your grief.

I purchased this book, not for myself, but for the brother of my brother-in-law. He was having a difficult time coming to grips with the death of my brother-in-law, as I was. Living closer to my sister's family, I grieved (and still do), but did not carry guilt of not having told him how much he meant to me. He was a wonderful friend and brother-in-law. His brother was not so fortunate. I am told that this book was a great help to him in picking up and going on. It put to rest his guilt that he should continue to live his life and helped him to validate his feelings of sorrow and loss. Losing a sibling is difficult enough, but when it is not a child or parent or spouse, people do not understand the time it takes to heal the wound. I know that the individual that I bought this book for is glad that I did.

To the Author, I say "Thank You" for writing this book!!! Surviving the Loss of a Sibling has been by far, the most "healing" book for me, in my personal experience. This based on having read (too) many (50-100) grief related books in recent years. I was 17 when my older brother died..., 28 when my little brother died..., and I very much appreciate the numerous testimonials that Katherine Fair Donnelly included in the book. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but when I read (or talk w/ others) about how "they" have dealt with their tragedy(s), I realize that I am not doing as bad of a job of adjusting (relatively speaking) as I often convince myself I have. I have found comfort in many books "on this page or that", yet in Surviving..., I find comfort on "each and every page". I have recommended it often. The problem is that the book is out of print, and the publishers @ this point have not "seen the need" for it to be re-published. They would not make that mistake if they had "lived" the loss, and then read this book. I was involved in a project for M.A.D.D.'s "Fall 96 MADDvocate. I was later told by Stephanie Frogge (Assistant to the Director of Victims Services - out of the National Office) that the "Siblings" issue was the largest publication in M.A.D.D.'s history, with over a 25% increase in distrubtion. There is most certainly a need for "Sibling" materials such as this excellent book. I've read my copy many times, and will continue to do so, with the hope that her book will again be in print very soon - for the need is great!!!

This book is one of the best scary stories books I've ever read.The 2 best stories I think are good are "The Deadly Dare" and "Terror Trip". The deadly dare is about 3 sophomores who go on a camping trip and 2 of them go out for firewood and they are found the next day...dead.You'll also find out how and why they are dead. Terror trip is about a family who goes on a trip and they hear pounding and they stop at a family's house to wait out a storm and on there way back from the trip they stop and see the family but too late,they learn the horrible secret...and it has to do with the pounding

This has very scary stories that will make your eyes widen, and be afraid of everything. Every story will give you the chills. I have read all of them and I highly recamend all of the books, especially this one!

THIS BOOK IS THE KID OF BOOK THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THE STORIES MAKE YOU THINK OF WHAT IS GOING ON. WHEN I READ THE BOOK I COULD NOT SLEEP FOR 2 DAS. THAT IS HOW INTENSE IT WAS. LIKE I SAID YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK IF YOU DARE.

In her introduction, Katherine Kurs says "Attempting to live a spiritual life can indeed be a confusing and painful experience beset with obstacles and detours,rather than filled with the bliss we might have expected." As a spiritual novice, I can only concur with this comment, so it was with a great deal of joy, that I poured through these essays and pieces, written by some of the famous(and not so famous) writers and thinkers of our time. How fascinating it was to realize how these great writers realized their own spiritual journeys. Quite naturally, I identified with several of them. Lauren Slater's "Three Spheres" hit a little too close to home for me, as I understood her feelings perfectly. Other favorites included "Taking Martha With Me", by Beverly Coyle, where traditional Methodist theory, undergoes a radical change, during one service, and "The Generation of Faith" by Randall Balmer, where the author attempts to break away from his strict Christian Fundementalist upbringing and still remain faithful to God. However, I think I found my own enlightenment, when I read Sue Bender's "A Woman's Journey to the Amish" from her "Plain and Simple"...Oh would that I could find my Self in one of those Amish quilts, and my Soul in one of her Amish faceless dolls! Among the many writers and thinks, in this potpourri of wondrous discovery, I find myself drawn to this plain and simple tale of hope. This is a lovely book

This is a jewel of a book for anyone interested in the journeys that begin to bring each of us in our own way to some understanding of how Spirit works in our lives. The selections are by people who are delightfully honest in their pursuit to encapsulate in language how they came to see the hidden workings of the universe that speaks to their souls. I've read many spiritual autobiographies that run the gamut from Monks and Mystics in Ordinary Life to The Sanctified Body and I would recommend this book not only to people who are already "believers" but to all who like to hear true autobiography at its best. You won't be sorry you've read it.

This is a lovely collection of stories from spiritual seekers of many traditions and none. It reads beautifully as literature but also is a very practical resource that we can use to learn from the experience of others and in order to nourish us on our own journey.The essays are organized in such a way that we can use them to illuminate issues in our own lives and relationships. I am delighted to have found this book and am giving copies to all my friends.

This book is must reading for anyone interested in Civil War history or who lives in the areas between Monocacy Junction and Washington, D. C. where this action occurred. The book provides a detailed synopsis of the action and is loaded with details of the local history, much of which remains intact for anyone interested in retracing the course of Early's raid.

Mr. Judge does history a great justice by writing the history of the Invasion of Washington from its inception. He covers the early phase from a confederate defeat at Cloyds Mountain in Pulaski County just south of Blacksburg (VA. Tech), takes you to Lynchburg and Early's arrival and the subsequent journey to Washington D.C. Gives the reader the complete field of study of the campaign. Wonderful description of future Baltimore Police Chief Harry Gilmore who was a colorful confederate calavary leader as well as a vivid description of the hidden valley of the Shennodoah, Fort Valley.

good chronological account of Early's 1864 campaign many interesting side notes to a little studied Confederate actio

The sonnet is one of the more difficult-to-write forms of poetry, with very strict rules on rhyming and lines, and that makes Shakespeare's collection of sonnets all the more impressive. Shakespeare sprinkled his various plays with poetry and songs, but there is something of a different flavor to these works.

Titleless, identified only by numbers, these poems have vivid metaphors and imagery ("let not winter's ragged hand deface," "gold candles fix'd in heaven's air"). The tone of the poetry varies from one sonnet to the next; sometimes it focuses on old age, to love that "looks upon tempests and is not shaken," and simple expressions that can't really be interpreted any other way. Some of it is pretty well-known ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?/Thou art more lovely and more temperate") but most of them you won't have seen before.

Even if you're not normally a fan of poetry, the delicate touch of Shakespeare's words is worth checking into. Fantastic.

This edition of the sonnets is one of the most important and the description on Amazon is misleading - It is actually both volumes 24 and 25 bound together so you get the complete set It's hard to find this book so it is a great find in this version

Shakespeare's amazing Sonnets are compiled here in this wonderful volume, a great addition to anyone's bookshelf. If you love Shakespeare, then this is a must-have book.

Let me be very clear as to why I give this book a full five stars... it makes Shakespeare's sonnets readily accessible/understandable to the average common reader (which I consider myself to be). This Arden version has become a treasure to me. I have loved W.S.'s sonnets ever since committing #116 (my favorite) to memory a few years ago, but I admit that many of them have left me with one profound thought at the end of the fourteenth line, and that thought is... "huh"? It is truly a sad predicament to be left in such a state of ignorance when Shakespeare is ALWAYS saying something AWESOME! But this book has come closest to a complete cure for me. I am now seldom (if ever) left in the dark by an obscure phrase, line, or context, because the notes on the opposing page are right there to help me through those exact points of difficulty. I unreservedly recommend this affordably priced 3rd Series edited by Katherine Duncan-Jones to any and all sonnet lovers. Let it "give physic" to your ailment.

P.S. It begins with an excellent over 100 page introduction and follows the sonnets with an equally great exposition of "A Lover's Complaint".

This is a nicely bound, low priced volume of Shakespeare's sonnets. But it is more than just that. Each sonnet is on a page by itself with explanatory notes on the facing page. While most of us do not need a spoon-feeding of these wonderful works, we sometimes do come to an abrupt halt at "some in their garments like new-fangled ill", or "sometimes a blusterer that the ruffle knew of court". In the above instances we are talking about fashionable but absurd garments, and a braggart's display. Also, many elisions are changed to modern words (e.g. advised for aduis'd) except where such a change would hinder the flow of the sonnet. There are also over 100 pages of historical and critical comments at the front of the book, which you can read or ignore as you choose.

All in all this is an excellent package of the sonnets with a very useful set of notes. It's great that all of the notes are adjacent to the sonnets, so that you do not have to page back and forth, and that there are no nasty little note reference numbers marring the lines of the sonnets.

This is a nicely bound, low priced volume of Shakespeare's sonnets. But it is more than just that. Each sonnet is on a page by itself with explanatory notes on the facing page. While most of us do not need a spoon-feeding of these wonderful works, we sometimes do come to an abrupt halt at "some in their garments like new-fangled ill", or "sometimes a blusterer that the ruffle knew of court". In the above instances we are talking about fashionable but absurd garments, and a braggart's display. Also, many elisions are changed to modern words (e.g. advised for aduis'd) except where such a change would hinder the flow of the sonnet. There are also over 100 pages of historical and critical comments at the front of the book, which you can read or ignore as you choose.

All in all this is an excellent package of the sonnets with a very useful set of notes. It's great that all of the notes are adjacent to the sonnets, so that you do not have to page back and forth, and that there are no nasty little note reference numbers marring the lines of the sonnets.

This "how to" book is a must for parents and teachers. Rather than bogging us down in educational jargon and research, Ms. Dowling effectively demonstrates how teachers can work "Side by Side" with parents and children to make learning fun. The book uses examples of actual kindergarten children in a testament to developing skills in leanguage arts and creativity, while promoting family values and a love of learning.

Very rarely does a book deliver on its promises. To have a book deliver while presenting a new, fresh idea about instruction is truly a gift that teachers and instructors in every field should take advantage of. Katherine Dowling's book manages to offer much more then standard fare: "Side By Side" shows exactly how much parents and children can truly benefit from each other in the writing process. The ideas presented here are meant to help both parent and child reach their full potential as writers, thinkers, and comunicators. I can't imagine how this book and the ideas presented in it would not benefit anyone open to experiencing the joys of writing with their child.

As a parent I plan on doing this project with my own children and as a former teacher I plan on giving a copy to the teachers that my children have. I loved this book for several reasons.
One, it is very easy to follow and the author does not leave out any detail in how the project works. I feel very comfortable preparing to do this with my children. As I read it I would think of a question only to have it answered on the following page. This happened several times. I was so inspired reading it, I finished it in one day! Secondly, it is wonderful to have a positive,learning approach to a child/parent activity. Not only are the children learning but so are the parents. The parent has the same assignment as the child. They work together - side by side. Not to mention you have a book at completion to keep the rest of your life. Thirdly, it makes an attempt to instill a life long learning attitude for both parent and child. As parents we are never to old to write and learn about ourselves. For our children to see us having fun writing and to spend the time together will hopefully encourage them as young people to write, write, write. I can not say enough about this book. It has made me miss the classroom and the love of seeing a child develop and grow. I am so pleased that this book was written for teachers, but also for parents. I do not have a classroom of students. I plan on doing it with just one child!Happy reading and writing.