I first read this book when I was 10 and I never forgot it. I read it this year to my junior church kids and they loved it. Many asked for a copy for themselves. I highly recommend it for its lesson that the Word of God is more precious than gold.

There is no shortage of quality biographies of the Wright brothers (I particularly enjoyed The Bishop's
Boys by Tom Crouch), and with the Centenary of their historic powered flight coming up in 2003
(December 17th), there are likely to be a few more added to the shelf. An author (or authors) would
therefore do well to have something about their book that will distinguish it from the others. In the
exquisite new book, On Great White Wings, Fred Culick and Spencer Dunmore have found just the
thing to separate them from the crowd; not only do they explain the technical details of the Wright
brothers achievement in the most accessible prose you're likely to find, they also provide a plethora of
photos and diagrams that give the reader a brand new appreciation for the brothers' feat and for their
other, less well known, accomplishments.

The illustrations, over 200 in all, include actual photos of Orville, Wilbur, and the various iterations of
their famous Flyer; vintage photos of Kitty Hawk and other locations of importance to the story, and
many modern color photos that serve as helpful reminders that these were real places, real men and a
real machine. Meanwhile, the authors rescue the Wright brothers from the mythology that has grown
up around them--that they were little more than gifted tinkerers--and shows just how knowledgeable
and innovative they truly were.

The book also includes a few pictures and some information about a project that Mr. Culick, a
professor of aeronautics at Cal Tech, is involved in, which will seek to duplicate the Wright brothers'
feat. Well, almost duplicate it, that is. It seems that the original Flyer is so unstable that it is widely
considered too dangerous to try and fly an exact replica.

Any reader looking for just one book about the Wright brothers will find this one to be adequate
where the text is concerned and quite probably unsurpassed when it comes to illustrations. But, if
you've the time and the inclination, I'd recommend that you read Bishop's Boys for its more
comprehensive treatment of the Wrights and then refer back to On Great White Wings when you're
trying to visualize their remarkable flights.

GRADE : A-

This book presents many new essays from several ancient scholars. The papers are well-written and on diverse topics. Although the hardcover is expensive, it is well worth the price, since quality commentaries and new scholarship seems scarce. The article on the Demiurge by Jan Opsomer is top notch and well worth the price of the book. M. R. Wright's paper is excellent as well. Look out Cornford, there's some new kids on the block. Included in the back of the book is a comprehensive list of commentaries and translations of the Timaeus, which is extremely useful.

The stories are a breath of fresh air amongst so many unwholesome books that are made available to children. It will even delight an adult. This book is so charming that you'll find yourself finishing it in one sitting.

Dana Filmore is the first African American Secretary of State. She is smart and attractive. She is also in danger. She learns of the President's plans to do something that could affect the lives of millions of Americans. She must stop him. However, she cannot trust anyone to help her. She meets Kasi Martin, an African American District Attorney. He is smart and handsome. When they meet at a social function, they instantly like each other. Still, Dana isn't sure if she can trust him.However, Dana is forced to trust Kasi when her life is threatened. Dana and Kasi find themselves together on the run from someone who wants to kill them.This story is a noble effort. William could have written more about the actual political maneuvers and less on the character's thoughts. Although this story is fast past, it is also predictable. The murder is weak. The reader instantly knows the murderer and the victim. That could have been a mystery.Dana and Kasi are credible characters. Their intelligence saves them in many situations. They also are secure in their identity and their roles.I still recommend the book. It is an easy read.

Excalibur's Defeat is a great book. The time and research you put into this book shows. I really enjoyed your ability to allow the readers to access the mindset of your characters. Power, politics, looks; murder etc. is a perfect fit in this book. With any of these subjects you could have written separate books but your talent allowed us to have all of this in one book. It's fast pace and the characters are well developed. You definitely have what it takes to make it. Keep up the good work.

Good mystery. Face pace. Quick read. Mr. Wright "ain't" playing around. Most of the characters are pretty well fleshed out. Never thought I enjoyed political thrillers too much; but, I must confess I enjoyed this one immensely. I guess what enhanced it even more was the African American "flava" that was flowing throughout the book. Ms. Filmore is an Intelligent sista. Definitely, held my interest. Maybe only compliant was that it was too short. I wanted to learn more about certain characters. Overall, definitely, it should be on a summer reading list. Not too heavy; but, not too light, either. Just right.... Hey I'm so proud to see fellow brotha's and sista's doing their thing with writing. Much continued success in your future endeavors and I can't wait until the next one....

I would doubtlessly recommend Ivanhoe to read. History may be often dull but Sir Walter Scott makes history extremely exciting by romanticizing his novel. It directly deals with hatred between the Normans and the Saxons, the discrimination of the Jews, chivalry, and politics--but it is a unforgettable tale of heroism, honor, and love. I felt that the characters were so fascinating and fun to read about. I was enjoying and cheering on the good characters like Ivanhoe, King Richard, and Robin Hood to beat the hated and evil villains. I liked the idea of love added in the story, like how Rowena and Rebecca were both in love with Ivanhoe. I even felt a little sorry for Brian de Bois-Guilbert who would do anything for Rebecca's love but is constantly rejected. I thought how it was appealing how the author questions Ivanhoe and Rebecca's feelings for each other. Suspenseful and action sequences also added entertainment to the story. This book may be a little too detailed for some readers, but I didn't mind. I felt that the details were brilliantly used to decorate the story in an outstanding fashion. The old English wording made me feel like I was actually in the medieval England. I have to admit that it took a great deal of persistence for me to finish this book and it was a challenge for me to read. However, I found Ivanhoe to be a wonderful pleasure. It is no wonder that Ivanhoe is such a well-loved tale!

I enjoyed this adventure yarn on many levels.

I was glad to learn about the Knights of Templer and that they were crusaders. I always wondered how Sam Spade in the Maltese Falcon knew that and it is because of this classic.

I was surprised that it talked so much about Robin of Lockesley. The story of Ivanhoe seemed to be the same only told by Ivanhoe's friends and not Robin's.

I thought that the DeBracyn and the Knight of Templer Brian de Bois Guilbert were pretty evil guys which made the story interesting. They were weasels when they had their backs to the wall but did preform with honor when required like when Richard gets DeBracy.

I guess I did not understand the prejudice of the time because they treated the Jews like dirt and they were so sterotypical. I really thought that the Jewish girl Rebecca was going to end up with Ivanhoe instead of that Saxon Lady Roweana. I guess you have to appreciate the times that they lived in.

It was a different look the Richard/Prince John history.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but this book, by Sir Walter Scott, was the progenitor of what was to become a venerable tradition in English letters (and in other European literatures as well): the historical romance. There have been many after IVANHOE, and frequently with a finer eye to the period in which the tale is set (for IVANHOE contains quite a number of anachronisms -- even Scott acknowledged it), but few have done it quite as well as Scott. He uses an archaic English to give voice to his characters, but one which is readily absorbed because of the speed & quality of the tale. So, though these people certainly wouldn't really have spoken as he has them speaking, they yet sound as though they should have. Peopled by many 'stock' characters and situations, this tale was fresh in its time & still reads well today -- a testament to Scott's skills as a teller of tales and a sketcher of marvelously wrought characters. In this tale of the 'disinherited knight' returning home to find the world he left turned upside down, young Ivanhoe, after a stint with King Richard in the Holy Land, must fight the enemies of his king and kinsmen anew. Yet the hero is oddly sidelined for much of the tale as events swirl around him and the brilliantly evoked villain, Sir Brian de Bois Gilbert, in the pay of Prince John, struggles to win treasure and the beautiful Rebeccah, who yet has eyes only for Ivanhoe, a knight she can never hope to win herself. There's lots of action and coincidences galore here and Robin Hood makes more than a cameo appearance, as does the noble Richard. In sum, this one's great fun, a great tale, and the progenitor of a whole genre. All those which came after owe their form to it. Worth the price and the read.

I really enjoyed FALLINGWATER: A FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT COUNTRY HOUSE. These are stunning photographs of a stunning masterpiece of a house. It's such a tranquil and organic work of architecture.

I am not an architect. Therefore, I didn't pay much attention to the text, but focused on photographs. I especially enjoyed the aerial shots of Fallingwater because it gives some perspective of how isolated this treasure is.

Fallingwater, in and of itself, is a name that commands awe and respect. This book epitomizes that notion.

Simply, this is it. This is the be all, end all of texts on this masterpiece by the late F.L.W.

I have been an admirer of F.L.W. since I was in the fifth grade, and had to do a report on earthquakes and buildings. Living in S.F., I guess this was a hot topic. But, in a showing (foreshadowing?) of extremely good taste---if I do say so myself, I chose F.L.W. and the TransAmerica building. For those of you out of the loop, that's the "pyramid" building you see when looking at (virtually every) snapshot(s) of the S.F. skyline. I hadn't yet discovered Fallingwater, but I would eventually be shown the way...

This is such an incredibly beautiful house. Honestly, I could not imagine the blessing of owning that house and living there. This text, however, sets it all out.

EXCELLENT photos, both inside and out....in different seasons as well.

VERY GOOD text and dialogue. Provides a great understanding of the dream, planning, undertaking, and completion of this masterpiece.

This is an incredibly text. I cannot urge you enough to purchase this one. In short, your collection is not complete without it.

Open this book, and dream....

What first draws one to this book is the wonderful new photographs presented. This is also what I keep going back to see after reading the text. The perspective of many of the downstream shots is not exaggerated as are the older black and white ones taken in the 1930's although when I visited the house I was unable to get the same view or position. They must have been taken with a special camera. I appreciate the helicopter photos as it really shows the site, a deep ravine. The house always seemed to be up on a promontory but is set deep into the forest. The lighting on the interior is a little misleading when the shadows and light direction are altered. These photos overall are the most naturalistic that I have seen and to see all the seasons represented makes me want to goback for the others. It looks as if the insect screens were removed for most of the photos which gave the house a cleaner, more modern appearance than in person. I only wish the breaker pages, the ones with the large green background, were larger although I believe I have seen the winter view on a recent calendar by the same photographer, Heinz, great work on his part. I always wish there were more books like this on great American buildings, especially on the photogenic ones by Wright.

Buyers beware - this is not the original book, but has been revised and updated by Christopher Wright and given a Happy Ending.

A Peep Behind the Scenes is published by Lamplighter Publishing in hard cover embossed in gold. It is didactic family literature that will teach children the importance of discernment. For example: "behind most smiling faces, there is a hurting heart and everything that is attractive and allurring, one will find it a high price to pay. But those who seek for things honest and above reproach, will find themselves perfectly satisfied." In 1850, this book sold two and a half million copies! Thousand have claimed this book to be one of the best books ever written, especially if you are looking for life-changing family literature. Contact the publisher at cfm@epix.net or see the web site www.agospel.com. Thank you.

When a classic book is re-written for children, one of the things I expect is enough faithfulness to the original story so that a child who has read the children's version can, as an adult, pick up the full original and recognize a story they are familiar with. I have read John Bunyan's Holy War, and I have read this re-write called "Target Earth!" Target Earth fails the test. It is true there is imagery and a story line coming from Bunyan's original work, but it is crowded out by the un-nessecary device of telling the story through the experiances of two "young" angels, and a general mediocrity in writing that falls far short of the richness of a true classic.

I am also very concerned about how Mr. Christopher Wright choose to describe the Trinity (Page 107). At face value, the description sets forth the modalistic error in contrast to the full and careful Trinitarian view of the historic orthodox church that John Bunyan would have held to. (See the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 2, paragraph 3.) On this basis alone, this book is not one I want my children to read. I want to believe that Mr. Wright does hold the orthodox Biblical view of the three persons of the Trinity, and this passage reflects an un-fortunate choice of words. I leave him free to explain or clarify as he chooses.

It will be for someone else to re-write this classic in a way that repects the original, and gives children an authentic introduction to John Bunyan's "Holy War".