Finally! A book that's worth $6.50 the publisher is asking! Liz Carlyle delivers what I hunger for, and seriously BIG kudos go out to Sonnet for publishing a full-bodied romance instead of a 385-page version of "romance light." If this book were a desert, it would be filled with fat, calories, sugar, and every other wicked-good substance known to woman. No silly fluff, no big misunderstanding plot, no too-stupid-to-live heroine. Carlyle's books are erotic enough to be worthy of the name ROMANCE without scrimping on emotional depth. Yes, this book is one of those now-endangered species -- a romance with a plot, as well as a troupe of wonderful characters. (And I'm not even talking about the hero and heroine yet.) My only question is, if Sonnet can publish books like this, why can't other publishers?

I just finished the book and I don't want it to end. Like all of Liz Carlyle's books, A Woman of Virtue is an absolutely wonderful book to read!!!

The story of Lord David Delacourt and Lady Cecila Markham-Sands will tug at your heartstrings. It is a story of love lost and love found. Six years ago, David almost ruined Cecilia by almost compromising her. He offers her marriage, but our feisty heroine declines his offer. David, good looking, titled, rich but has been living a life of a dissolute rake could not fathom the idea that a woman like Cecilia would throw his offer back at his face. Now six years later they meet again, for David has lost a wager to his brother-in-law Cole (hero of Liz's previous book A Woman Scorned) and must work at his mission for 3 months while he is away in the country with his wife Jonet. To David's surprise he comes face to face with the now widowed Cecilia who also works at the mission. Still wildly attracted to each other, they try to work side by side, while trying to solve a mystery concerning a murder of one of the women who stays in the mission. Of course, the mystery in this book does not overshadow their romance.

A Woman of Virtue does not have a big misunderstanding. The characters are open and very adult about their feelings for each other. David is a wonderful hero, though very tortured about his past. Cecilia is a feisty heroine who is not ashamed to share her feelings, sensual or not with David. Great secondary characters support our h/h. Hilarious Kemble, the valet, (meet him in My False Heart), Etta the lady's maid, Max de Rohan the chief inspector and of course characters from Liz Carlyle's previous books.

The love scenes in this book are truly hot, but written so sensually it will warm your insides and make your toes curl with pleasure. The prose is heaven, for only Liz Carlyle can write a book and virtually transports you back in time. With her vivid descriptions she can make you feel like you are there yourself. All your five senses will be working when you read a book written by Liz Carlyle and A Woman of Virtue is definitely a book worth reading and enjoying. You will be able to feel the characters joy, sorrows and love. You will be able to see and smell the places, taste the food and wine, and hear the music playing.

Don't walk to the bookstore but run for A Woman of Virtue will not disappoint, it will only leave you wanting more books written by Liz Carlyle. And like me, you will not be able to wait for her next book to come out called Lady Catherine's Fortune.

Go! Buy A Woman of Virtue and read it! NOW!!!!

I must confess that my first book by Liz Carlyle was A WOMAN SCORNED and that when I bought it I did it more than anything because I was intrigued by the tittle. After reading it I added a name to my list of favorite authors, because I simply loved it! Now, after reading my second book by LC I must say she just keeps getting better!! Her characters are not only real, but they come alive in the pages of her books in a way that simply makes them unforgettable. David and Cecile met at a time in which they were simply not ready to handle the possibility of what they felt for one another. He had been deeply affected by his past, and she is simply too young and imature to deal with what happened between them. She feels she must punish him, not realizing that he had inflicted enough punishment upon himself for what he had donne, and in the process they let the chance at something wonderful pass them by. After mistakes and misunderstandings, we see them mature and overcome their differences. I think what I love the most about her characters is that though to a point they may fight what they are feeling, they truly love eachother and that is the basis for the choices they make. The love scenes are lovely, the mystery is just right, and the book progresses in such a way that by the time they confess their feelings for oneanother it is exactly the perfect timing. I am definitely getting Beauty Like the Night, I am anxious to see what she can do for Hell-Bent and fo this new group of characters. After reading A Woman Scorned, I wasn't sure she could do better, I though that would be my favorite... After A Woman of Virtue, I know it would be hard to top such an excellent book, but I'm sure that if anyone can do it Liz Carlyle will!!! She really does not dissapoint.

Having read another Regency romance by Karen Harbaugh, I was half-expecting this to have a supernatural twist. It doesn't; it's a straightforward, and very enjoyable, romance.

Diana's uncle and guardian dies in what appears to be a tragic accident; suddenly, an heir no-one knew about appears, and her uncle has left her a large inheritance provided she marries Gavin, the new Lord Brisbane. But she doesn't know him... and the fact that he tells her he fell in love with her the instant he saw her only makes her doubt his sincerity.

The growing friendship between Gavin and Diana is beautifully portrayed. Although she's hardly a young debutante, she's had reasons to be nervous around men and to distrust their intentions; Gavin is not aware of that, but does realise that she is shy, and he adapts his behaviour accordingly. Before she knows it, she's fallen in love with him too...

But then he tells her that he thinks her uncle's death, from a crash in the curricle of the title, was no accident; and the story becomes intriguing, with danger lurking for both Gavin and Diana.

A well-written and enjoyable book!

What a refreshing change to find a story where the hero falls in love at first sight and sets about convincing the heroine that they are "two halves of a whole" that were meant to be together! A hero without the usual lordly arrogance, the large succession of mistresses, the prejudice against marriage and commitment. . . . I hadn't quite realized until I read this how disgusted I had become with the traditional regency hero. Now that I have, I find myself hungering for more of the same. Regency authors, are you listening?

Readers, you can't go wrong with this delightful tale of a pair willed to marry each other who nevertheless become a true love match.

Karen Harbaugh is one of the best writers of the Regency genre. This is an excellent story with a nifty mystery and a compelling heroine and hero.

Serious and determined characters, thoughtful plot and interesting reading. I have yet to read one of Ms. Carlyle's books and be disappointed. I have always favored deep plots and deep characters. Both are present in this book and although this is loosely part of a series of books, it stands perfectly well on its own. Catherine, our heroine, is honest and down to earth in her outlook, as are most of Ms. Carlyle's heroines. She was happily married and then widowed and memories force her to a change of scenery. She loved her husband, but it was time to move on. Practical, and what I would consider realistic in her thinking, Catherine really doesn't want to get married, but if an interesting lover should happen to fall at her feet, she wouldn't be adverse to that either.

Max, whom the reader would have met in Ms. Carlyle's other books is a truly interesting and multi-faceted hero. Many times in romance books, I find that the hero is lacking in depth because the (usually) female author can't seem to get into their psyche. Not so with Max. He comes from wealth and even some nobility in his background, but forever considers himself No True Gentleman and lives life simply. He is a police officer (well, that is how he sees himself, though Catherine and others might differ). This is probably the only sticking point for me and why I only gave the book 4 stars. He is so sure that he is outside of society and thus no good for Catherine that after a while I got bored with that excuse. If she didn't care, than what difference did it make? Besides the fact, he DID have a title in his own right, it was just French.

In any event, I enjoyed the plot and the characterizations. Where I usually find strong heroines an anomaly (a 20th century woman placed in the 19th century), Catherine felt true to her time. A little unconventional, since she was willing to go outside the rules and probably be shunned, but realistic. She realizes what her "limits" are and would decide to break them or not. Enjoy this one!

This was my first novel by Ms. Carlyle, and I will definitely read more of her works. I had grown oh so tired with historical romances, because they inevitably involve immature, hand-wringing (yet supposedly admirable) heroines, and chest-thumping, ridiculously macho heros. Therefore, reading No True Gentleman was such a breath of fresh air. I loved the fact that both Catherine and Max had some life experience, and therefore approached each other from a more mature perspective. Even though the main characters were grappling with the expected insecurities that come with new-found physical attraction, the author didn't resort to the typical stupid misunderstandings, or incomprehensibly meanspirited behavior that is too-often used to keep the plot moving. I also loved that Catherine was mature and so very honest with Max and herself about her growing attraction to him. Now that's a real woman!! Although I suppose some may have thought that too much time was given to the mystery, and not enough to the romance, I actually liked the fact that the mystery was interesting, and progressed in a believable, logical fashion. Too often in romance/mysteries, the mystery seems thrown in as an afterthought. Perhaps a little more time could have been devoted to Catherine's and Max's romantic relationship, but I thought it progressed in a believable fashion. This one was definitely worth the money.

This book can definitely stand alone, but if you have read some of her previous novels - and shame on you if you haven't - you are reintroduced to Maximillian de Rohan, bow street runner, who has now been promoted to the home office, along with some of the other very colorful characters from previous stories.

While shadowing some nefarious people in the act of questionable activities, Max keeps running into this very beautiful early morning rider, whose habit of riding seems always to be intefering with his job. He would rather not run into her every morning but is intrigued.

The widow Lady Catherine Wodeway, has decided that her mourning period is over and has been consdering a lover but definitely, she is not going to fall in love.

Both of these arrogant, independent people just keep running into one another, (literally) and the sparks they do fly! Again, in this Carlyle novel - you have the very humourous and witty dialog, between Catherine and Max and some very HOT sexual encounters! - Oh, and did I neglect to add that sandwiched in between - you are going to meet an interfering - not to be trifled with Italian grandmama looking for some grandbabies? Funny as well as an exciting mystery! Great reading - a real keeper!

better than it's counterpart for step1.however the level of difficulty is less than that seen on step2.

A very good book for USMLE Step 2. There are about 50% of questions in my USMLE Step 2 exam(I just took it in Nov/2002) are matching questions . You can find a lot of questions in this book are similar to the real exam, especially the matching questions.

The title is a little deceptive. In fact, this book is mostly about Chaucer and his era, 220 pages worth. Stevenson gets a fair shake at 106 pages. But Carlyle gets only 12 pages, and Tolstoy only four, and those a rather simplistic critique of his philosophy. So only buy the book if you're interested in the former two writers.

As in most of Chesterton's biographies, the story of the subject's life is of minor interest here, compared to a philosophical and artistic description of the subject's works in the context of his time and "modern times." Chesterton is interested in the writer as a thinker, as a creator, and as a moral agent. In defending Stevenson and Chaucer, he argues for his view of Christianity, poetry, love, and artistic humility. If you want his religious views in a purer form, go to the brilliant Orthodoxy or Everlasting Man. If you want a detailed narration of the lives of the writers in question, look elsewhere. And even for this style of biography, I think his book on Dickens was the best I've read. But I found his opinionated description and defense of Chaucer and his times also very interesting. And while he does not scatter brilliant sayings like rose petals at a wedding, as in his best books, (reading Everlasting Man, I wanted to copy every other sentence) a few blossoms do flutter down, like the following, which also explain Chesterton's method:

"The truly impartial historian is not he who is enthusiastic for neither side in a historical struggle. . .The truly impartial historian is he who is enthusiastic for both sides. He holds in his heart a hundred fanaticisms."

"The greatest poets of the world have a certain serenity, because they have not bothered to invent a small philosophy, but have rather inherited a large philosophy. It is, nine times out of ten, a philosophy which very great men share with very ordinary men. It is therefore not a theory which attracts attention as a theory."

Author, Jesus and the Religions of Man (July 2000)

d.marshall@sun.ac.jp

G.K. Chesterton, best known for his Father Brown detective stories, also stands out as a remarkable literary critic. He is most astute on Stevenson, his greatest influence, rightly seeing him as the first great writer to find beauty in a modern city. A must!

In this, the second installment of the Carlotta Carlyle series, Barnes successfully combines the New England prep school scene with the pornographic combat zone of Boston. It's not an easy thing to do, but it works quite well here.

I enjoyed this book more than the first book. Carlotta is growing as a character and was easier to warm up to. I also got a kick out of Barnes' take on the prep school scene -- having visited more than a few in my days as an admission director for a liberal arts college.

The book is a little out of balance -- she's also on a case to get her buddy, Mooney, of the hook and his case takes a back seat to the preppie case. I'm also got a bit tired of the "humorous" interludes involving the remodeling of Carlotta's bathroom.

Bottom-line: An enjoyable read for Carlyle fans but not worth lots of effort if you can't find a copy easily.

In this gritty, quick, and amusing sequel to "A Trouble of Fools," no-nonsense PI Carlotta Carlyle has her hands full every way she turns. Her dear friend Mooney is all over the Boston tabloids, accused of being a cop on the take. Her beloved Little Sister, a spunky hispanic child named Paolina, is stuck in Colombia with no way home. A missing persons case involving a teenaged rich girl is beginning to smell like big trouble at Boston's preppiest high school. And to top it off, Carlotta's bathroom is being remodeled in deep brown and day-glo orange by The Twins, shady brothers who divide their time between the job and Carlotta's roommate Roz.

All in all, Carlotta wants a long, hot, uninterrupted bath. But the only person she can think of who has the bathtub of her dreams is Sam Gianelli, her currently off-again passionate lover who also happens to be the son of Boston's Godfather.

The plot is fast and furious, and the mysteries are satisfying in this 1990 outing. Carlotta's real concern for Mooney, a stalwart and dedicated cop who's been framed, is shared by the reader. And her palpable disdain for the rich-kids' tony prep school is equally shared. But this doesn't mask the real essence of the book: Will Carlotta's bathroom ever be finished?

A fun read. Highly recommended.

In Book 1, the narrator presents to British readers German professor Diogenes Teufelsdrockh and his "Philosophy of Clothes". Book 2 describes Teufelsdrockh's childhood, education, first love, heartbreak, sad wanderings, loss and rediscovery of faith. Book 3 expands the philosophy. Only seeing through "clothes" (anything - notably rationalism -masking man's true nature as "spirit") can we understand life : education & art (flamelike, a spirit grows when kindled by another, not composted) the symbiosis of religion & society, science's limitations.Like the ramblings of a half-mad saint (sweetened by storyline only in Book 2) moments of beauty hide within thick stylistic jungle.

Humour (2) Readability (3) Characterisation (4) Structure (4)Beauty (6) Thematic unity (6) Literary style (6) Profundity (7) Significance (7)

Rating 50%

From the correspondance of T.H. Huxley:

"...when I look back, what do I find to have been the agents of my redemption? The hope of immortality or of future reward? I can honestly say that for these fourteen years such a consideration has not entered my head. No, I can tell you exactly what has been at work. Sartor Resartus led me to know that a deep sense of religion was compatible with the entire absence of theology. Secondly, science and her methods gave me a resting-place independent of authority and tradition. Thirdly, love opened up to me a view of the sanctity of human nature, and impressed me with a deep sense of responsibility."

I couldn't put it better. This is one of the books that makes life worth living.

This is a powerful and profound book and even sort of funny (a professor of everything... c'mon!!!)

This is a difficult book. It has small print and is written in the sort of stilted style that one would expect for a book with a Latin name written by a Scot more than a century ago. Carlyle was one of the most brilliant men of his time and in this book you can see hints of Goethe and Novalis and the other German romantic types..... which makes it sort of worthwhile....

But this was a really tough book for me to get through. Normally, I can plow through about anything.... but this took an awful lot of work....

I recommend it, though, with that qualification.... it is one of the "best" books ever written....!

Six lectures delivered by Carlyle in 1840. He classifies six kinds of heroes: as Divinity (Wotan, paganism); Prophet (Mohamed); Poet (Dante, Shakespeare); Priest (Luther, Knox); Man of Letters (Johnson, Rousseau, Burns); and Ruler (Cromwell, Napoleon). The trait that defines a hero is: absolute sincerity and firm belief in his principles.

In his highly rhetorical lectures, Carlyle highlights and reinforces the role of the individual in the social process, as opposed to the role of the masses. And he did that precisely when the foundations were being laid for the most influential "pro-mass" movement in History: Marxism. The tragedy of Marxism, at least one of them all, is that, when translated into action, the blind masses were also led by "heroes" of the most authocratic sort. Not properly the work of an historian, these lectures are vivid, inflamed and enthusiast. Their uselfuness for our present age is precisely that they remind us of the crucial role significant individuals play in history, to accelerate or slow down (and even reverse) the process of social change, which is usually more gradual, diffused, and diverse.

Carlyle is not properly a historian or a philosopher, but a moralist, a fervent admirer of excellence, and a prose-poet of the first rank. Six meditations deal respectively of the hero as: Divinity, Prophet, Poet, Priest, Man of Letters, and King. If this book can't rightly be shelved with philosophy or history, it belongs in Literature with a capital "L," and Poetry. Carlylye loved the English Language and used it masterfully, energetically, and reverentially, without a trace of the trivial overindulgence of self-conscious and self-absorbed "poets."

This is an extraordinary work, let modern liberal critics say what they will of their 'mass movements' and 'diversity'. Long after they and their productions have bitten the dust, Carlyle will continue to speak to the enlightened few, and perhaps one day, it is to be hoped, to the enlightened many.

This work is much more than just a study of various influential men in history. Carlyle has very interesting notions of the historical process itself, the spread of religions and their demise, the importance of "true belief" in things, as opposed the unbelief that merely follows rituals and procedures. For Carlyle, true belief, is the beginning of morality, all success, all good things in this world; Unbelief, scepticism, the beginning of all corruption, quackery, falsehood.Unbelief, for instance, is at the root of all materialist philosophies, eg Utilitarianism which find human beings to be nothing more than clever, pleasure-seeking bipeds. It is also at the root of all democratic theories: faith in a democratic system means despair of finding an honest man to lead us.

Whether one agrees with Carlyle or not in his appraisal of democratic and other systems, one must admit, at least, that very little good is to be gotten from "the checking and balancing of greedy knaveries." If we have no honest men in government or in business, but only a bunch of self-interested quacks, then we cannot expect any system, however ingenious, to save us. Even the most skilled architect will not be able to construct a great building, if you give him only hollow, cracked bricks to build it with. Find your honest men, says Carlyle, and get them into the positions of influence; only then will it be well with you.

Cole tutors Jonet's children after the strange, mysterious death of Jonet's husband. Before too long, he becomes a bodyguard also, to Jonet and her children.

At first, Jonet suspect's Cole's motives. She's afraid he's a spy from her enemies. And, she has trouble trusting. At first, Cole suspects Jonet to be a possible murderess, seductress. As they overcome their suspicions, a romance develops.

Jonet is such an unusual and strong heroine. She loses control of her emotions, and her desire for Cole. It's an unusual slant, to read about a heroine pursuing a hero in the way Jonet does. Cole fights his attraction to Jonet; thus, he seems strong and vulnerable, at the same time. Both characters, help to make this book an excellent read.

My only problems with A Woman Scorned had to do with the wordiness, at the beginning of the book. However, with the great story, great characters, sexy love scenes--I'll keep the book anyway; and, I'll read it again.

Once again, Liz Carlyle offers a story that is hard to put down--I thought I'd have to miss work to finish it!

What a delight to find a writer that creates a strong heroine and not another "shrinking violet" that must depend on a man for survival! Yes, Jonet Rowland desires Cole Amherst, both him and his assistance (though a hesitantly at first on both counts), but it is nice to see a purposeful, intelligent leading lady with real-life responsibilities. How tiring are the "virginial flower" dependent on the whim of a man one so often encounters in romance novels. Women today are strong, independent, and empowered and need heroines with whom they can identify. I know I lose patience with "needy" female leading characters offered in some romance stories, but that certainly is not the case here! In the same vein, woman today are comfortable with their sexuality and it is nice to see that reflected in a book, as well. And while everyone has their own particular preference, Ms. Carlyle handles Jonet's sexuality realistically, yet tastefully. Intimacy in this book is healthy & imaginative, not the general "breathy fluff" that is offered up. REAL women like REAL sex. Kudos to Carlyle for stepping out of the "comfort zone" of the "accepted" that so many others hesitate to challenge. I eagerly await "Beauty Like the Night."

After reading "My False Heart" by Liz Carlyle, I couldn't wait for her second book to come out. It does not disappoint. It is a story of a man and a woman who are destined to be together despite many obstacles.

I fell in love with Cole. He's respectable - not a "rake" or a "rogue." He is the nephew of Jonet's brother-in-law, James. James suspects that Jonet poisoned his brother and wants Cole to spy on her and report back to him. Hence, Cole is hired to tutor Jonet's two young sons and moves into her house - and the attraction is immediate.

Jonet is a very strong heroine. There are many evil goings-on in her house. Someone is trying to bring harm to her two small sons but she will protect them at all costs. Cole is witness to this evil first-hand and joins with Jonet in protecting his two young charges.

This book is first-rate. You will find yourself really becoming involved with the characters, primary and secondary. This is one of those books that will make you want to stay home from work so that you can read it, uninterrupted. It is a book you will find humorous, mysterious and erotic - it has it all. Do yourself a favor and read it.

I was really hoping for more, but I suppose the author can only print what he can verify. The book is only about 150 or so pages and more or less collects into one place what has been stated already in the public record, adding a few quotes from co-opperating sources as well.

It was certainly a facinating read, but more so in terms of the political implications of the information presented than any ground breaking business ideas. The only real conclusion the book makes about business is that high-level political connections can be a great assett financially, but a public relations liability as well.

There is no conspiracy theory or great bias as other reviewers have suggested, nor are there any great bombshells as some others have suggested. Most of the information presented is just that, information and facts strung together in a narrative. And most of the information was already out there. Briody just pieces it all together. Though there is some rhetorical head-shaking throughout the book when certain facts are mentioned, all you'll really get in this book are facts and a few questions with very little "theory."

I'd recomend it to anyone who thinks we still live in a free market and Washington has out best interests at heart. Particularily anyone who has voted Republican in the past, but is thinking about voting Libertarian in the future.

Broidy has the courage to discuss the undiscussable. The mainstream press and others are oddly not informing the public of serious conflicts of interest in the government, and/or loopholes in the legal system. The Carlyle Group is like the elephant in the living room. The one being ignored. Good for Dan Briody! He's discussing it. This is a good read.

From an ethical perspective, this appears to be a case of irreverence to our founding values. We have historical virtues that have apparently been forgotten or ignored by our present government and media. In the case of Carlyle, it's irreverence to the public's trust in the form of self-serving behaviors driven by a secretive good ole boy network. Think of it . . . if there is any linkage to national security and their interests, it would could be said that the public doesn't have the "need to know".

I mention ethics and irreverance because of a book that serves as a compare-and-contrast to Briody's, Paul Woodruff's, "Reverence: a Renewing a Forgotten Virtue". Woodruff's work puts the Iron Triangle and much of our culture in a historical, classic ethical, root cause and common sense context. The US has a serious legal issue with the Carlyle model, a multidimensional problem that needs to be discussed. Why is it only Briody? The Carlyle Group and its revolving-door-relationships are a matter of record, not an invention of fiction. True, Briody may at times come across as biased. However, I find his passion and courage refreshing. To be realistic, there's more to the Carlyle story than Briody can ever uncover.

It's about time someone took a hard look at this revolving door company. The book lays out in detail why a company like this subverts democracy, and how the rich get richer. Some of this stuff you won't believe, like how brazen these guys can be...