european

It's always hard to talk about Holocaust; it's unbearable to look at pictures of people tortured there. This book is such a masterpiece it does not go into engrossed misery, it's about a guy ending up with 3 wifes as a result of a terrible war... It's funny and ironic - no conclusions - it's all up to the reader to think about it...

Singer establishes a tragic situation, then has the nerve to make a comedy. Nobody else could achieve this delicate balance. If you're interested in exploring Singer, start here. Then read his posthumously published novels: The Certificate, then Shadows on the Hudson. If you don't like them, I'll give you your money back.

This novel is the story of a Holocaust survivor and his attempt to juggle three women in mid-20th century New York City. Although there are some amusing moments, this is not a book to be taken lightly. The devastation these people have suffered because of the Nazis has all but left empty shells. Singer's style in this novel is quick-paced and straightforward with remarkable dialogue.

Kurt has done an excellent job in expressing his poetry. I enjoyed it very much. What really impressed me best was the fact that I found Kurt Lehovec was a important scientific figure from the 1940's to the 1960's and a professor at the University of Southern California in the 1970's. (I looked up this information over the Internet.) Kurt, good luck with your book and best wishes with life. Michael

Hi Kurt,
My name is Kim Lee Rodesney /Hradency/. My ancestry is Frenstat,
Moravia. I too am a poet but don't have anything published...
I just wanted to tell you that I read some of your poetry and it is absolutely some of the most heartfelt and beautiful I have ever read! It really tugged at my heartstrings and moved me deeply. Thank you so much for sharing your incredible talent!

I am well aware that writing a poems is only one part of the story, but writing a hundred great love poems is the other one. Not everyone has Kurt Lehovec's tallent to touch our souls. His book is for all generations.

Since the Native Americans themselves have not left behind a body of written documentation describing their thoughts on the earliest episodes of European immigration, it is up to the author to speculate intelligently... based on the archeological evidence, the known actions of the peoples involved, and his own imagination. Vast in scope, but generously informative of individual events and particular people, the author has succeeded in creating a scholarly work that transcends the usual. Keen insights, and a clear, graceful writing style makes this kind of historical reading extremely satisfying.

Wow!! What a book. Focusing on the Eastern Colonization of America, Daniel Richter provides an extremely powerful and even handed view on Native American - European interaction between the years 1620 and 1812. I loved this book. You will to.

There are far too few books like this, that dare to make the imaginative leap to express the point of view of another culture. Mr. Richter's achievement is to give us a way to stand in the "shoes" of those who greeted us when we arrived on these shores, tried to understand us and live with us, and ultimately were decimated by the policies that we, as immigrant peoples, put in place. I would highly recommend that readers pair this with Kent Nerburn's Neither Wolf nor Dog, another work that takes us deep inside the hearts and minds of those who inhabited this land before us. We need more books like these. They show that it is not impossible to enter into the self consciousness and self understanding of people who see the American experience through very different eyes.

I got the book in the mail today. I don't think I will be able to put it down for one second anytime before next Friday. It is simply the best photographic account of 18th century clothing detail that I have ever seen. I LOVE IT!!!

Great photos of costume of this era, up close with good detail.

WHAT a wonderful book. Never has a museum published a more mouth-watering and so informative reference book. Forget the idea that all museum publications are dry and arid - even if you don't really like costume or fashion you MUST look at this book. The photography is of the very highest quality. If a picture is worth at least a thousand words, then there are millions of words in this book - millions of words that have never been coined, but which describe the small minutae - the rich colouring - the magnificent designs and craftmanship - the hitherto unsuspected marvel of a seam or a collar - the small pattern that you would never have noticed in a figured silk. Every library and art gallery and museum must have a copy of this book. Even artists ought to buy a copy, because it is invaluable as a source for design and ideas. I highly recommend this book. You can almost feel the satins and stroke the embroideries, feeling their texture. Dress is definitely an art form. Just ask this book with a mere glance, and you will get your answer - a resounding YES. The reviews below say this so much better than I could.

This book might be the most widely read among Bloch¡¯s works who is the pioneer of Annal school. This book typifies the methodology of Annal school. History as a science took off in the 19th century. But Bloch argued that it was not history but just chronicles of events and political episodes. Bloch posed the fundamental questions: ¡®What is the history?¡¯ and ¡®What does history serve for?¡¯ To be a science, the object of history should be not the particular but the universal. Bloch did not think the universal law is possible in history. Then, the object of historical research should be the relation which may refer not to the law but to structure. This structure sets the boundary (or in Braudel¡¯s word, the possible and the impossible) on the everyday life, and has the not-so-easily changeable long-term duration (or in Braudel¡¯s term, longue duree). Whereas Braudel¡¯s trilogy, ¡®Civilization and Capitalism¡¯ is about the capitalism as longue duree (for more detail, see my reviews on those volumes), Bloch¡¯s ¡®Feudal Society¡¯ is about the feudalism as longue duree.
Marxists and others maintained the feudalism originated from the sudden and violent collision between Roman society and German society. It¡¯s the child born from the violent and coercive marriage. But Bloch argues that resulting form of feudalism had its origin not directly in German invasion but in subsequent invasions of the Moslem, the Norman, and the Hungarian. These added up to the uncontrollable chaos all over Western Europe, and ended in the collapse of effective ruling of the state. Feudal system as we know emerged in this stalemate which Frank empire and other states of the time faced. State apparatus could not be maintained for state could not pay bureaucrats salary. Frank empire pioneered the alternative system which was later known as feudalism. What characterizes feudalism is the unique social type based on the principle of subordination and custody. The principle is similar to the patron/client relationship of Roman age. But feudal one is based on the principle of contract which is premised on reciprocity. Put another way, feudalism is the network of reciprocal relationship of rights and responsibility from king to serf. Ruling class could not wield power over serf in unilateral way. In this vein, feudal system is both social (between classes) and political (among ruling class) relationships. Bloch maintained this relationship should be called as feudalism. It¡¯s a social type which is not limited to the economic terrain as Marxists argued.

Bloch's work is one of the ten most important and influential books on medieval Europe. Bloch displays true excellence in sholarship and narration. Nothing is stated without factual documentation to support it, and no information is carried beyond its logical conclusions. It is essential to read this two volume work before moving too deeply into medieval studies. Combine this work with Strayer's Feudalism (out of print, unfortunately) and you will have a good understanding of what society was like in a good portion of the Middle Ages.

Marc Bloch's Feudal Society is the most informative and by far the best documented treatise one is likely to encounter among all the books and articles ever written on this subject. Bloch cogently remarked, in effect, that a land without a Lord is a land without a history, and that of course is a land without records - records which document and address not only the daily issues and encounters of classes in feudal society, but which also inform readers of the critical changes over time, in the passing of the first and second feudal age and its dissolution in the rise of capitalist social formations. Hardly a line was written without ample documentation. It is a wonderful companion to Carl Stephenson's slender volume, Mediaeval Feudalism, on feudal social and political institutions.

I am not a professional Dante scholar, and in fact, speak no Italian at all, so my judgement as to the accuracy of the translation is suspect. That said, Musa does an admirable job of helping the reader understand this very difficult final third of the Divine Comedy. Of the three sections of the Comedy, my feeling is that Paradise is the least interesting, though it would be a shame to read the first two parts and neglect the third, since they all are integral to understanding what Dante was trying to accomplish. But the characters in Paradise are all literally perfect and sinless, and there is not nearly as much of interest as in the other books. There is a lot of symbolism involving what shapes the saints stand in and the like, but its all rather trying and sometimes monotonous, to me anyway. Musa is a good guide though. The translation smartly abandons any hope of recreating Rima Terza, and goes with a straight blank verse rendering. The translation is subtle and effective, even when the poem itself is slow and tedious. Despite my beliefs about Paradise, both history and personal experience tell me that Divine Comedy is an important and fulfilling part of the Western Canon that should not go neglected. I have no problem recommending Musa's version of Paradise.

Musa's translation is easy to read, yet captures the beauty of the poem. Notes are in-depth, educational, inspirational. The translator understands not only the work, but the Catholic Faith behind it. Musa's notes are not as startling as they are in the Inferno, but they are still better than Mandelbaum's rendition.

Neither translator seems to touch what seems the most confusing part of the poem, which is the organization of the spheres. Canto 30 has lost me every time I've read it and I fear it always will. This 'bump in the road' however, is minor. No one should fear to read this great classic, fearing he/she will be overwhelmed. With Musa as your instructor, the reader is sure to have a gratifying experience.

My interest in classic literature did not arise until recently. I read many reviews which indicated that people with this such interest absolutely MUST read Dante's Inferno. With that hefty weight upon my "newbie" shoulders I decided to undergo the journey that so many others have made over the last 700 years.

As it turns out, Mark Musa's translation of Inferno is fantastic. Each chapter begins with a very brief but informative synopsis, followed by the prose, then finally capped off my Musa's notes on the text. Musa's notes give backgroud on all of the characters and situations that take place throughout the story. These notes are a MUST for any newcomer to Dante and classical literature in general. So, not only is there the original text in English for us non-Italian speakers, but there are notes to increase the readers comprehension.

Dante is guided by the author of the Aeneid, Virgil. Virgil takes Dante through the Nine Levels of Hell to show him the pain and suffering of all those who do not love and follow God. Dante learns a great deal on this journey as does the reader.

Mark Musa's translation of Dante is smooth, entertaining, and very informative. Anyone interested in Christianity, Hell, famous Greeks, and classical literature should definitely indulge themselves as this translation is not overwhelming in the slightest. Five stars across the board.

Imagine a society in which someone gets really cheesed off about his neighbor and decides to bushwhack him, and maybe his whole family and his servants while they're at it. Forget the police, forget the army. There isn't any. If you're unhappy about this, you try to get your favorite chieftain to intervene. Of course you'd better have a whole bunch of armed followers to show that you mean business. You can bet the murderer will too as a matter of course. How you come off in this hypothetical society depends on how much influence you wield on your neighbors. If you're willing to go to bat for them -- and vice versa -- your power will increase. Unless, of course, someone decides to swing an axe at your hatrack in the meantime.

This is Medieval Iceland in the 13th century, when this and all the other great sagas were written. The EYRBYGGJA is one of the best of the sagas -- provided that you can handle all the genealogies. (Virtually all the people in the saga were real people; and many of today's Icelanders can trace their families back almost 1,000 years.)

If there is any hero in the EYRBYGGJA, it is Snorri the Priest. He manages to maintain his power despite several threats that unfold during the several generations of this story. At times, as in the case of the feud with Arnkel, Snorri seems to be in the wrong. But he is consistently faithful to his friends and therefore has no problem raising the forces to back up his position. His life bridges the conversion to Christianity in the year 1000: Snorri proves his adaptability by going from a priest of Thor to an advocate of the new religion. In all the Icelandic sagas I've read, most of the characters do not seem to be wholeheartedly committed to either the old or the new religion; but all are superstitious about the restless dead, which brings me to one of the most fascinating aspects of this saga: the ghost episodes that seem to proliferate. I particularly like Thorolf Twist-Foot, a disagreeable old man who keeps coming back from the dead and causing trouble -- which Snorri deals with in most inimitable fashion by holding an ancient legal proceeding called a "door court" to expel them.

My only criticism: This book needed a good set of maps for following the action. The lone map provided is inadequate.

I have read a number of the Norse sagas and found this to be amongst the most interesting, from a story point of view. It is a little difficult to follow the relationship of the characters in the begining, however some of the tools that are provided are very useful in sorting out who's who. For example a List Of Characters and their family relationships is provided at the start of the book and a glossary of personal names at the end.

I re-read the introduction after finishing the book and was satisfied that I had the full story (and history).

I agree with Sir Walter Scott's assessment that "Of all the various records of Icelandic history and literature, there is none more interesting than Eyrbyggja Saga."

Wade Johnson

this is one of the most unusual of the sagas, full of drama and characters, and as immediate and clear as if it were written yesterday. a profound and grateful salaam to herman palsson for translating so many of these wonderful medieval stories!

I love this book, and I would never have stumbled upon it except for Amazon's "recommendations" program.
My grandmother was Finnish and used to bake bread on a regular basis. I was only 7 years old the last time I saw her, but as I knead the Finnish rye bread dough, I can see her in her kitchen making bread.
I want to make everything in the book. Everything in it seems "right" to me. I see myself in it.

My husband had a copy of this cookbook when we married, and once I discovered and began using it... wow, what a treasure! It doesn't have photos or illustrations, but then, if you think about it, our ancestors didn't have the benefit of such, either. I think the book stands strong on its own, without them. There are a lot of great recipes within - even if I have no idea how to pronounce them. :) I've found a few really good ones which are really helpful for lowcarb eating, as well.

I love this book!

I first visited Finland over 10 years ago and while I was there, I sampled a lot of the unique Finnish cuisine. Unfortunately, when I returned home, I couldn't find any recipes in any books for dishes such as the Karelian Rice Piirakkaa, spinach pancakes or a vegetable filled meat ring I had tasted while I was there. It wasn't until a few years ago that I found this book and it contained all of the recipes that I had been looking for and so many more:) Beatrice Ojakangas is the queen of recipe books in my opinion. Her personal anecdotes and background information is invaluable to anyone who wants to know more about Finland and Finnish cooking. I very highly recommend this book:)

This is a wonderful book about Vincent Van Gogh. It is beautifully illustrated and brings to life the story of "The Starry Night." The relationship between the boy in the story and Vincent is that of beloved friends. Vincent's insanity is never brought to the fore; however it is dealt with along with a subliminal message of compassion and tolerance. As an Art History teacher I have used this book on numerous occasions to introduce Van Gogh to children as young as Kindergarten and as old as 5th grade, with each level taking from it what they could. The illustrations in the book are exceptional. One can only be moved by Vincent painting in the darkness with a halo of starlight around his hat. Teaching Van Gogh to children is always a touchy subject. How do we separate the genius from the insanity? This book brings Vincent to a level of understanding that children can comprehend without ever mentioning his illnesses. It is a lovely, well-written story that introduces Van Gogh and one of his most famous paintings in a delightful manner.

THE FIRST STARRY NIGHT provides a perfect introduction for children to the life and works of the artist, Vincent Van Gogh. Jacques sees past the rough exterior that Van Gogh portrays to others and recognizes the loneliness and longing for friendship within his heart. We often forget that in their innocence children recognize the inner needs of another individual in ways that we as adults do not. A child is much more accepting of the uniqueness of the individual, not focusing on the oddities or eccentricities. Joan Isom portrays a kind and caring side of Van Gogh not often displayed in other books, but a side that every child should and needs to see. The comparison of the stars to a good painting or a good story in their everlasting qualities is one that should be instilled in every child. The emphasis on the fact that we all see things differently and an appreciation for those differences is a lesson that I try to incorporate daily in the classroom. I think that we all long for a "brother of the heart" and that those of us who are fortunate enough to have found such a person are truly blessed. This book provides the inspiration to each of us to reach out to others and to the stars just as Vincent Van Gogh did on that "starry night" long ago.

"Why do you love the stars so much?" young Jacques, who washes pots and pans in Madame Rouel's kitchen, asked his friend Vincent. "Maybe because they are like a good painting or a good story. They stay." Joan Shaddox Isom's THE FIRST STARRY NIGHT, like the stars that Vincent loved so much, is a story that stays: in the heart's mind and memory. Enriched by Joan Isom's illustrations, this portrait of Vincent van Gogh--as seen through the eyes of Jacques, his "little brother of the heart"--is as full of star-spun magic as Vincent's own paintings. One reads the last words of this elegant and perceptive tribute to this lonely and mis-understood painter, with a sudden shock of recognition: for Vincent's never-ending stars still whirl like pinwheels across the night sky above us--and though we may have feared to lose him, we see that "he is not lost at all.

This is a book that I bought several years ago and subsequently I lost. I try to locate it in second hand books ever since. The recipes are particularly tasty and well written. I am not very good with praises, but the fact that it is the first time that I ever felt the need to share my views on a book, might tell you something.

I have gone through several copies of this book both through constant use and giving copies to friends who express an interest in Hungarian cooking. As a Hungarian and a cook, I find this collection of recipes both authentic and easy to follow. If you are to have only one Hungarian cookbook on your shelf, this is the one.

I own several hangarian cookbooks, and I think that this one is the best. Not only is it authentic but it also contains easy to follow recipes. almost all the ingredients are available in Israel.