When I decided to read "The Ivy Tree" by Mary Stewart, I was hoping for an engrossing mystery that would keep me captivated. Unfortunately, this book just never managed to grip me, and I found myself struggling to finish it. I'm aware that my opinion is in the minority here, so I guess it comes down to the fact that Mary Stewart's writing just isn't my cup of tea.

The story revolves around Mary Grey, a woman who has recently come to England from Canada, and who looks amazingly similar to glamorous missing heiress Annabel Winslow. "The Ivy Tree" starts out with a great first chapter as Conor, a distant relation of Annabel's who now runs the farm at Whitescar, verbally attacks Mary believing her to be Annabel. But once the misunderstanding is straightened out, Conor begins to see what an asset Mary could be.

Conor is convinced that Annabel's ailing grandfather is not planning to leave him any part of Whitescar when he dies despite all the long years that Conor has worked there. So, he hires Mary Grey to come back claiming that she's Annabel, so that she will receive most of Whitescar in the old man's will and then can give it to Conor. The only thing that could present a problem is Annabel's cousin Julie, who will almost certainly be in the will as well, but Conor is confident that she won't get in the way. After convincing a reluctant Mary to go along with his scheme, they put their plan in motion.

But things don't run as smoothly as they should. Tensions run high at Whitescar when Julie arrives for a visit. Conor begins to show a violent and unsettling side to himself that makes Mary wonder what kind of man he really is. And Mary herself is hiding a shocking secret that could put her in serious danger if anyone, especially Conor, were to find out!

The ending of "The Ivy Tree" really picks up, but for me, the majority of the book just dragged on and on without enough action to keep me genuinely interested. Though the quality of writing is good and the characters are well developed, this story just didn't hold my attention. But even though I found this book a bit hard to get through, I did still enjoy it, and I would recommend you form an opinion on "The Ivy Tree" for yourself.

I have read and reread this book so many times! I already know the plot but the descriptions and dialogue are really enjoyable. The atmosphere the author creates is so indefinably romantic and enjoyable, I don't know how the author does it but I am grateful, I only wish there were even more of her books out there, if anyone is looking for more Mary Stewart check out Madame, Will You Talk, Nine Coaches Waiting, Wildfire at Midnight, Airs Above The Ground, Touch Not the Cat, and My Brother Michael, they are also incredible!

My mom convinced me to read this and when I finally was persuaded to read it I found that Mary Stewart is a literary genuis. She has a rare ability to bring her writing to life. Even if you think the endings to her books are predictible, the trip ther is the best part. I would recomend this to anyone who likes good writing, romance, and life endangering mystery this book is for you!

The fifth book in an entertaining series, The Curse of Mustache Mary is a thrilling teenage mystery. Sammy Keyes, the returning female hero, is spending the New Years at her friend Dot's house along with her friends Marissa and Holly. While helping Dot's dad out with his plant nursery, the four come across a strange woman leading a big, black pig down the road to the "Murdock Party." Turns out that the "party" is a funeral and that Dot's neighborhood is tied up in a lot more than plants and farms. Sammy Keyes leads her friends through an adventure of family rivalry, drug dealers, and hidden treasure, thrilling the reader with her great sense of humor and her gift for disaster.

As always, Van Draanen has managed to come up with another mystery for Sammy to solve. Though the Sammy Keyes series is geared towards a younger crowd, they are easily enjoyed by all and are great quick reads!

This book is mystery at a whole other level. It has real life issiues tied in with a great real life mystery. This book was exciting and I couldn't put it down. I would suggest this book to ages 11 and up because it has some material in it that may not be suitable for kids under 11. This book is a great read, it sure was for me!!!

Sammy is spending New Year's at her friend Dot's house and it ends up becoming much more interesting than she first thought. First Sammy finds that her stolen skateboard belongs to a friend of a friend's and she decides that she is going to get that skateboard back no matter what. When she finally gets to Dot's house she meets Lucinda Huntley, who tells her a story about her ancestor the Moustache Mary and the argument between two families that has been going on for a hundred years. Sammy then finds out that she has a chance to get her skateboard, and when she goes to a party to look for it, she finds out that some people she knows aren't who they think they are. Sammy starts to doubt her own judgement, and it doesn't help when Moustache Mary's cabin burns down, starting another dilemma for her.

This book is different from the other Sammy Keyes mysteries but it is still great; Sammy is still a strong, definite character who's not going to put up with anything. I would reccomend this book to anyone (and this means adults too) over eleven years old because anyone under eleven might be overwhelmed by situations Sammy runs into, but anyone can read it and enjoy it.

This was a very inspirational book. Barbara Jordan's life was really incredible and the reason she accomplished as much as she did had to do with her innate abilities as well as her willingness to deal with the enemy. She kept her overriding goal utmost - the welfare of the people of East Texas.

Lots of what she experienced and spoke out against we see today. We could really use her moral voice of authority. She is missed.

This is a well written and effective biography of one of America's most amazing personalities. Mary Beth Rodgers tells Jordan's story with the advantage of being an insider; her access to those who knew Jordan well shows in her insightful and complete telling of Jordan's life.

Jordan is widely remembered by her public persona, the booming orator from Texas - the intellectual constitutional scholar who presided over Nixon's impeachment. But element that makes this biography compelling is Rodgers' depiction of the wheeling and dealing that allowed Jordan to cross barriers and operate effectively in the good-old-boy white male backrooms of the Texas Senate. We get to see Jordan the idealist armed with the constitution in our nation's capital, but we also get to see Jordan the pragmatist cutting deals over a scotch in Austin Texas.

An effective biography of an amazing American figure.

I'm glad that Jordan is not hear to see how the gov't of the people, for the people, by the people has been so completely perverted by special interests and neo patriots, such as George W. Bush and John Ashcroft. I was only a boy, when like many, I was captivated by this incredible person. She gave me hope that govt could actually serve the people. This book does a great job to capture her spirit and remind us that govt was once a tool and not force for opression.

First of all, this book has the best title in the world, bar none. More importantly, Cantwell writes about hard times without being even remotely self-pitying or tedious, and that's no mean accomplishment. Manhattan, When I Was Young is an absorbing, evocative valentine to being young and confused in New York City. It's also beautifully written and extremely entertaining.

Mary Cantwell takes you on a wonderful journey through her life in the 50's and 60's from single girl to a divorced mother working as a magazine editor. With us she shares the good times, as well as her tough times which makes for a fabulous life and all that she has accomplished for herself and her children........

I read this book a few years ago and LOVED it tremendously, declaring it my new favorite book, which is why I owe it a (belated) 5-star ranking. If it had been written in the '50s and early '60s - the time span she covers - it would have enjoyed as much or more success as the "single women in the city" books of the late '90s (Bridget, Girl's Guide, Sex in the City). However, written as a memoir it is even more mesmerizing in it's evocation of a heady, romantic time in Manhattan - nothing like the coldness of today's Sex in the City. I particularly loved Cantwell's voice/writing style which is full-bodied in a light-handed way - with such great observations of detail and dialogue and the culture of that time, against a great backdrop of fashion and manhattan brownstones. It has the intelligence I wish more of today's books which profile young women would have.

This book was one of the most popular on the shelf for independent reading this year, with both male and female middle school students. Perhaps it was because it is based on an actual event. Perhaps the straight forward language used by the author appealed. Whatever the reason, as a teacher, I make note of any book that motivates students to read, and this one did.

I found the book to be very interesting, because she was my Great,Great,Great,Great Grandmother on my Dad's side. I was told the story of Mary Campbell being captured by the Indians in
Ohio by my Dad,Grandmother,and Aunt. I never knew why she was captured until I read the book and found out she was to replace the Indian Chief's granddaughter the had died.

I highly recommend Beaded Moccasins. I planned to read this to my 7-year-old. It's a bit long (and no pictures) for that age, but in another couple of years, I know she'll read it (and love it) herself. A good story for a girl to digest, it imparts a lot of history and humanity too. It would make a great mother-daughter read, as there's a significant layer here that deals with mother-daughter and other woman-to-woman relationships.

Mordred, King Arthur's illegitimate son and nephew, has often been portrayed as a traitor who kills Arthur and causes the downfall of Arthur's kingdom. In The Wicked Day, her fourth volume on the King Arthur myth, Mary Stewart challenges readers to reconsider the character of Mordred and his role in Arthur's demise. She traces the protagonist's ill-fated life from his beginnings as an orphan raised by fisher folk, to his rise to power as Arthur's trusted counsellor and regent and finally to the choices and circumstances that bring about the "wicked day" of destiny.

The strength of the book lies in Stewart's depiction of Mordred as an intelligent and loyal person unable to escape his fate. After he discovers his identity, Mordred learns of Merlin's prophecy that he will one day become Arthur's bane. Queen Morgause, Mordred's mother and Arthur's enemy, endeavors to recruit her son to oppose Arthur. Nevertheless, Mordred vows to fight fate and the gods and earns the trust of his father. Only Mordred's ambition for a queen and a kingdom brings him to the brink of catastrophe where his choices mean the end or fulfilment of all his hopes and dreams.
While readers will enjoy The Wicked Day by itself, I suggest reading Stewart's prior Arthurian novels first to appreciate established characters such as the wise yet wearyArthur and the devious Queen Morgause. Moreover, the other books will also show readers the deep-rooted seed of the Arthurian tragedy beginning with Mordred's parentage and bearing fruit in Morgause's family and Mordred's life. Finally, readers could also compare Stewart's Mordred with her books' other heroes such as the young Merlin in The Crystal Cave and Arthur himself in The Hollow Hills.

The Story: Merlin is dead. Or, is he? It matters not, as this sequel to the wonderful Merlin trilogy contains very little Merlin. It focuses on Mordred, the illegitimate but eldest son of Arthur, the Dragon of Greater Britain. Mordred is raised in secrecy, as a pawn in the power games of his mother, the High King's half-sister, Queen Morgause. As he grows, he has to relearn the world repeatedly: he is the son of peasants; no, he is the illegitimate son of Arthur's dead enemy, King Lot; no, he is Arthur's son; he is Arthur's bane, as foretold by Merlin; no, he is Mordred, trying to make a place in history to be proud of.

Commentary: This is a well-told story I found by accident, even though I had read and reread the Merlin trilogy. It differs vastly from the trilogy, not only in Merlin's near-absence, but in the minimal role played by magic. Instead, the emphasis is on whether Mordred can overcome his beginnings, other tragedies, and Fate, to become a son of whom Arthur can be proud. I'm glad I found this treasure.

After having read Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy, I was rather reluctant to read this book. Having pre-conceived ideas of Mordred's evil character, I didn't want to destroy the 'feel-good' warmth that I had at the end of the trilogy. But, having started Stewart's journey, I just felt I had to finish it, even though I knew it would not be a happy ending.

How wrong I was!!!! This book threw all my expectations of doom and gloom out the window, and impossible as it may seem ... I actually ended up feeling good even if the end was rather tragic.

It is extremely refreshing to see Mordred put in an entirely different light - a courageous, strong-willed and honest man, instead of the evil, greedy and conniving son in other more common versions. Unfortunately, in this book, it was circumstances and misunderstandings that went against him. The best part was - it was totally believable!!!

If you only want to know 1 version of Mordred's story, then this should be it.

This is a powerful story that will capture the reader's attention and evoke many strong emotions. Readers will be shocked to learn what many women had to endure during the time of slavery. Mary E. Lyons give detailed accounts of seventeen years of Harriet's life as a slave. Her book is written in the form of letters that Harriet writes to people who are no longer with her. Because Lyons has given so many detailed accounts of Harriet's life as a slave, the reader truly understands and feels compassion for her. In addition, Lyons helps readers distinguish what is truly historical by including actual plantation maps, photographs, drawings, and family trees in the back of the book which depict the characters and settings of the story. All this factual information impacts the readers and adds to the further understanding of the unjust life that slaves had to live. The two strong conflicts in this book are person vs. society and person vs. self. These conflicts are clearly seen throughout the book and Harriet is determined to resolve them no matter what it takes. This book would be excellent to read in the middle school grades. Not only does the story teach students about the injustices and unfair treatment that slaves had to face, but it is a story that will definitely intrigue students, hold their interest, and have them asking questions about the time of slavery.

The story, "Letters From A Slave Girl" is an excellent book! This book revealed the thoughts and feelings of a slave girl named Harriet Jacobs. She wrote what she felt in the form of a letter to loved ones. She describes her pain and emotions in the letters so really it is a diary. In the story she runs from her master, Doctor Norcom, to save her two children. She lives on the plantation still, but she hides in a cabin. She grieves because she can hear her children playing outside, but, she can not reveal that she is there because they might tell Doctor Norcom where she is. In conclusion, this book is excellent and I would recommend it to anyone interested in black history.

I think that "letters from a slave girl," was great. There were many sad parts that brought tears to my eyes. It was sad when Miss. Margaret Horniblow dies. The story "Letters from a slave girl," was not the best story that I ever read, but it was pretty good. I liked the part were harriet excaped slavery.and headed to the northern states. I liked the way Mary E. Lyons (she'sthe auther.)wrote the story in letter form it made the story more exciting.

I bought this book for my 78-year-old mother who's never used a computer on a regular basis, and the reviews are mixed. On the one hand, the book gives lots of basic information about what to look for when buying and setting up a computer, Mac vs. PC, tips on saving files in a word processor, and simply what a computer is capable of.

That said, I found two big drawbacks:

1. In trying to cover so much material, it may be overwhelming for someone who's just getting started and who's afraid of the computer. Sections on MIDI music and virtual reality may provide more information than is necessary. And ironically, having covered so much material, one glaring omission is a section on how to simply USE a mouse!

2. This is no fault of the authors, but the book is noticeably out-of-date. Technology changes so fast, and a 1996 book about computers is akin to a 1965 book on automobiles: basically the same driving instructions, but enough differences to make you scratch your head or just laugh. True, many seniors probably end up inheriting second-hand computers running Windows 95 or other older operation systems. But the section on the World Wide Web feels as though it was written in a different century (which it was!).

Overall, the book is good, but I would supplement it with hands-on basic training and perhaps another, more up-to-date book about the Internet.

Young@Heart - Computing for Seniors is an excellent book for anybody who needs to know every little itty bitty detail, in order to really get started with computers. All other books that I have read have frustrating gaps that leave one not knowing how to get from A to B; not so with this book.
Everything imaginable is covered, leaving no mystery unturned.
My only two gripes are what I consider to be quite important though.
First of all the title does not encourage other age groups to consider this book, and that is a big mistake. This book is about the best I've come across, and it shouldn't be assumed by the authors that the rest of us simply don't need it; we DO.
Another really sad drawback about this book is that it was originally published in 1996, and I can't understand why it hasn't been updated since then.
Please, Ms. Furlong and Mr. Lipson, can you do something about this????????

As an instructor of an "Internet for Beginners" class, I was a little stumped when one of my students asked for a *really* basic beginners guide to computers in general--everything from vs. key, to using a floppy disk and opening and closing software, etc.--a book that truly starts at the beginning for someone totally new to computers.

While there are numerous guides out there that attempt to address this need, my student had been frustrated with every one he had tried (including ones that came immediately to my mind such as the Dummies series). I came across Young@ Heart as a very promising text, and suggested the title to my student. He was thrilled with it. He said it was the only book of the many he had tried that really addressed personal computing from square one.

Based on this successful "road test", I will be carrying around my own copy to the classes I teach, and recommend it highly. Hopefully the "for seniors" aspect won't put off people of all ages with a need for a very well done beginners' guide to computing.

If you are reading this, maybe YOU aren't a beginner, but I bet you know someone who has asked for help getting started. You may not remember all the stuff that is confusing and mysterious as a beginner. Or you may not be geographically close enough to look over their shoulder as they work. Try using this book--or give it as a gift.

Indeed, this book ("Lonely Planet West Africa") did a good job in outlining many of the popular tourist attractions that are located in this Sub-Saharan region of Africa. I also appreciated its details on several tourists' trails, accomodations, means of transportation, and so on. However, I was very disappointed to note that (just like the "Lonely Planet Africa on a Shoestring") this book is full of discouraging comments. Some of the phrases Lonely Planet used in this book are quite offensive.
For sure, most foreigners who travel to (West) African countries are not expecting to see a paradise, but that does not mean that there is no better way of presenting real and imaginary negative thoughts. This book is smeared by terms and phrases, which I consider derogatory to both (West) Africa and (West) Africans. As a result of this, I will never recommend it to anyone until there is a change of heart by Lonely Planet in subsequent editions.

I once said I would never buy a Lonely Planet guide again, so disappointed I was with their Iceland and Greenland book which was poorly researched, inaccurate and full of rabid anti-American rhetoric.

For my trip to Ghana, it was, however, a choice of only three books available: a semiprofessional Bradt's Ghana (not a guidebook really, more an amateurish newsletter), supremely boring Rough Guide or Lonely Planet. I bought them all in the name of research.

I would say Lonely Planet is best of them all, although certain chapters preaching about evil ways of Western capitalism still reek of Lonely Planet's self-appointed role of bettering the world. Quite annoying, really, and in many cases hypocritical, coming from a lean-and-mean profit-making publishing house.

Most facts about travel, eating, accommodation, etc are accurate and well-researched, although as usual information to someone with a bit bigger budget is very fragmented.

They could give more information about useful websites for both ticket booking and accommodation.

Overall, if you are only buying one book for West Africa, this is the one. If you can get two - buy the Rough Guide as well: it may be boring and cultural information reads as if it was written by your local tax office, but you will get many additional addresses and phone numbers.

I really enjoyed this book. I feel it is the best written LP I've ever read (and I've read and traveled with many LP titles). I used the Sénégal section and found the hotel listings current and the maps very accurate. I really liked the special boxes with additional information on dangers, scams, and personal safety. I personally witnessed many things that I had read about in this book, making me ready for would be scam artists. One guy approached me and said "Remember me from the hotel lobby?" I had to keep myself from laughing. I replied back "I think so, which hotel?" and he didn't know what to say. With LP West Africa you will be well prepared to travel in one of the hardest places to travel in the world.

NOTE: The book is 4 years old and the region is even more unsafe now then it was 4 years ago. Be careful when traveling there.

Well, I had gotten through almost half of the book and was about to stop reading it when it started to get better. The first half was a bunch of detailed psychological text book information that, for the most part, I did not agree with or care about- not much fact- just opinions. The second part did save it giving detailed examples and stories of real people and their adopted children: how to communicate to the children, how children communicate about their adoption, feelings of adoptees and adoptive parents, what children might be concerned about at different ages, etc. I would definitely say that it is a good book to refer to when communicating to young children.

In my opinion, you can't read this book too early. As a matter of fact, the earlier the better.

The first thing I realized in reading this book is how young the children are/can be when they start talking and asking questions about their adoption. They're beginning around the age of three in many cases! Our son is 15 months old now and I thought I'd have several years to read this book when in reality I need to be introducing him to the word "adoption" and other phrases about our adopting him now so that he's familiar with the words by the time he can understand them.

The book gives numerous stories of children and how they ask questions and talk about their adoption. What things are important to them to know. How they talk to their friends about adoption. How we as parents need to be truthful right from the very beginning. Explaining why the parents look different from the child. Talking about their tummy-mommy and who she is and why she let someone else adopt him/her. And how the children like to act out the day their parents first saw them (hundreds of times!) and how to deal with that when the child wants to alter the story.

It also addresses the issue of parents who decide not to tell their children about adoption.

This book will give adoptive parents ideas on how to talk (what to say exactly) to their children when they ask some difficult questions. Kids are smart! They ask thorough questions about their adoption and many times they'll ask the questions years before we think they will.

This book has helped me to prepare for my son's questions, whenever they come, and has helped me to see that it's okay to be "freaked out" at the idea of talking to him about it. It's put my mind at ease because now I have a better sense of what to say and how to say it. When to say it is up to your child. We don't have a lot of choice in the matter. When they want to know, they want to know! Or they may think we're hiding something bad from them. This book will help you along the path of discussion and prepare you for some questions and feelings your adopted child may have.

Excellent book for all adoption situations!

As an adoptive parent, I have read lots of material about how to talk about adoption with my child. It was all well and good to practice what I was going to say, but the other books didn't prepare me for my son's reactions and that's where this book comes in. It helps you anticipate your child's questions and reactions to what YOU say at different ages in his or her development. Also to understand where these sometimes seemingly bizarre things are coming from.