history

Being perfectly honest, I bought this book because a relative was featured. But the more I looked at the photos, the more fascinated I became! I ended up reading the book from cover to cover! One could feel that this was a true labor of love for Mr. Freeman! That he traveled all over this country visiting quilters, many he did not know before he arrived on their doorsteps. The African American networking among quilters was apparent as one quilter would recommend another, often in another state, whom Mr. Freeman should visit. The book is a true reference book on quilting. I learned about the major quilting patterns and saw so many varieties of the patterns. It is heartening to know that this folk art is still being practiced. Would that more people could see these quilts! There should be more exhibits. Surely many young people would be inspired to quilt. This is a art that must not fade away!!

African-American Quilters, Preservers and Their Stories represents the first national survey & a personal record of how this photographer & folkorist's life has intertwined with the world of quiltmaking.

The communion refers to the power of quilts to create a virtual web of connections-individual, generational, professional, physical, spiritual, cultural & historical. Some of the names of those glorious quilts are: Rainbow Block; Slave Chain; Log Cabin; Three Pigs in a Pen; Double Wedding Ring; Black Jack Scarecrow; Monsters, Dragons and Flies; African Diaspora; African-American Women; African-American Men; Memories of My Father's Death; Memories; Scripture; Martin Luther King Jr.; Hand Me Down My Mother's Work; Mother Africa's Children; The Underground Railroad; Baltimore Arabber Selling Watermelons; Harriet Tubman Quilt & Tableau.

For all those who consider quilt making one of America's finest crafts, this will be a lifetime companion & will rekindle that dramatic & endearing form of art. Very well done!

You have got to read this book! It is filled with women & men & the love of fabric & colors; of the love of design & community coming together to stitch lives together. Do visit my site for my full review & more books on quilting.

I really enjoyed this book. You meet famous and not so famous people in this book. Some you will never forget like Hystercine Rankin, who made a quilt of her fathers killing in Mississippi, when she was only ten.She eventually won a $5000 prize for it. Or how the author talks about his family and the "healing quilt" and his lifelong affinity of quilts. The stories in here are good, and the quilts are out of this world. One of the best oral African American history books out there.

Dark Horse: The surprise election and Political Murder of President James A. Garfield, by Kenneth D. Ackerman, is an extremely well written book about an era frequently bypassed by today's historians.

The Gilded Age has been largely ignored it seems by historians, but this book is a tremendous addition to the literature available on the political history of the era.

Ackerman has provided us with a book that truly chronicles Garfield's rise from semi-obscurity to the Presidency and then his assassination by a deranged man that claimed he was "removing" the President for the good of the Republican party and the country.

Starting with the Republican national convention of 1880, where Garfield was truly the "dark horse" candidate (U.S. Grant, James Blaine, and John Sherman were the leading contenders for the nomination), Ackerman has given us a fantastic political history of what transpired at the convention to earn Garfield the nomination.

He then proceeds to the national campaign against the Democratic nominee (General Winfield Hancock) and Garfield's "front porch" campaign. His description of the national race that ended in Garfield winning the Presidency is unmatched in writing today.

Ackerman intermixes Charles Guiteau into the history in appropriate places, and finally brings Guiteau to the forefront when he shoots Garfield in the railway station as Garfield was preparing for vacation. The subsequent trial and execution of Guiteau are also covered in the book.

I must commend Ackerman for ending with the elevation of Chester Arthur to the Presidency - other books might go into detail on how Arthur's Presidency was similar to and different than Garfield's, but Ackerman holds true to his title and stops with the ascendancy of Chester Arthur.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in 19th century American politics, the Garfield administration (as short as it may have been), or to better understand the reasons Guiteau assassinated the President. It's an easy read, very well researched, and an oustanding addition to the available books on the subject.

History has afforded us many instances where the power and conversely the "adolescence" of political party in-fighting has seemingly affected our abilty to govern ourselves. Never was this theory put to greater practice than in 1880 when Ohio Senator James A. Garfield was surprisingly nominated and then (with help from the New York "political machinery") elected as the Republican Party candidate for President. Subsequently, and to Garfield's great surprise (and his untimely death), the "makers" of his election victory, whether real or imagined, expected to be rewarded. The resulting political in-fighting and backstabbing are the basis for this marvelous work by congressional historian Kenneth Ackerman. Wonderfully written and amazingly comprehensive, this account brings back to light the provocative Gilded Age period of our government and shows what "power politics" can do when adequately (in-adequately?) challenged.

The story of James Garfield's short Presidential term and assasination has previously been covered in general terms in many Presidential histories, but nowhere have I read such a focused and sublime account of this man and this period as in this book. Republicans in 1880 were set to re-nominate Ulysses Grant for an unprecedented 3rd term as President. This effort is led by Roscoe Conkling (calling his faction the "Stalwarts"), an arrogant and flamboyant Senator from New York, then the "mecca" of politcal machinery and power. His (Conkling's) political enemy James Blaine (leading the "Half-Breeds") is set to oppose Grant for the nomination and the ensuing gridlock blossomes at the Republican convention in Chicago. To break the roadblock (and it finally took a record 36 ballots), party members initiate votes for Garfield, himself there simply as an Ohio delegate for candidate John Sherman, then Rutherford Hayes's Treasury Secretary. Seeking to offset the "machinery", one State after another chooses to switch their vote...the result is that Garfield garners enough votes for the nomination. Then for Garfield to consolidate support from both the Stalwarts and Half-Breeds, he does not oppose the nomination (the conventions also chose the Vice Presidential candidate in those days) of Chester Arthur (a key New York Stalwart and Conkling ally) as his Vice-Presidential running mate and also makes tacit promises for patronage for both sides if they would help him get elected.

Upon his election, Garfield discovers just how acute the patronage issue is and decides to balance his Cabinet with leaders from both sides...this only serves to antagonize Conkling (Blaine is named Secretary of State, at the time the 2nd most powerful office next to the President) who then resorts to villifying Garfield in the press. Many of the Stalwart supporters rally around Conkling including a fringe supporter named Charles Guiteau, himself pursuing a foreign consul position after minor assistance in the campaign. Ackerman describes all this in clear and concise detail while still maintaining an amazing readability component. He shows how Guiteau's dementia escalates into a controlled fury and how the "removal" of Garfield would make everything well for the Stalwarts. Indeed, Ackerman's ability to place the reader well inside the minds of these major players leads one to effortlessly see each perspective.

Guiteau then of course shoots Garfield (saying "I am a Stalwart and Arthur will be president") at a train station in Washington and Ackerman discusses Garfield's death and Guiteau's trial and excecution brilliantly. The reader really feels all the emotion and sense of loss as the nation suffers through the 2nd Presidential assasination in history and the rage at Guiteau for his senseless act. Ackerman then exonerates Arthur and shows him to be an honest (although clearly not Executive Office material) and hard-working President. The underlying thread throughout this work, however, is the clear and present danger that petty partisan politics plays in making or breaking any candidate or office holder. Garfield, an otherwise decent and honest man, becomes entwined in the web of political patronage and seemingly loses perspective for the presidency and not until he takes a stand against the "machine" (read Conkling) does he become effective as a leader. Unfortunately for America, he does not get the chance to build on this moral stance and the country loses someone who may have been an exemplary president.

It really is a cliche to say that any historical work reads like a novel but it is really true with Ackerman's book. He has crafted an amazingly readable historical piece and deserves mention amoung the many gifted political history writers today. This tome should appeal to the historian and the general reader interested in politics and I recommend it highly.

Kenneth D Ackerman's Dark Horse is truly a satisfying read for politcal buffs. With two other books it forms trilogy of three consecutive elections. The other two books are Roy Morris Jr's 'Fraud of the Century' and Mark Wahlgren Summers' 'Rum, Romanism, & Rebellion'. Ackerman brings to life the suspense filled convention of 1880 vividly and all the excitement it generated then. He describes the total surprise of Garfield very aptly at becoming the nominee. Garfield's razor thin majority in the elections against Hancock and the deal it generated with the Stalwarts is very well described. Garfield was a man reluctantly thrust into the Presidency but once in office was totally overwhelmed by the office. Only when he started to grow in office he was tragically cut down. Only if had the chance to survive we would have seen maybe an interesting Presidency. Ackerman describes the feuds between the Stalwarts of the Conkling faction and the Half-Breeds of Blaine faction very well. The book instead of being a straight biography of one person is a collective biography of few people and thus brings to life the era very vividly. We can only wish for more books like this for politcal buffs. It is a about a remote time but the era is presented with all the excitement and enthusiasm of that time. I highly recommend this book for any political junky.

Franklin Toker has constructed a masterpiece. The book's own architecture -- layout, typeface, illustrations, photos, and jacket, but mostly the GLORIOUS WRITING! -- rises to the level of its subject. Even the persnickety Frank Lloyd Wright might have been pleased with this book. The field of architectural criticism/history is a snoozefest of pscho-babble and partisanship. Here's something different: an eminently readable -- indeed, fun -- book that's rooted in solid scholarship and original research.

Toker's great contribution to the Wright/Fallingwater canon has been giving social, cultural, and political context to this Wrightian masterpiece. For example, he documents the deep antisemitism of Pittsburgh's baronial class through the first third of the 20th century, and how this affected department store millionaire E.J. Kaufmann's (eventual) embrace of Wright and modern architecture. Fallingwater was as much a gorgeous rebuttal to the backward-looking architecture and social attitudes of Pittsburgh's ruling elites as it was a country retreat for the Kaufmann family. Toker also examines Fallingwater in the context of Wright's rivalry with the European modernists like Mies and Neutra, the institutionalization of modern art in the U.S., and the nexus of art, publicity, and merchandising in the 20th century.

This is a must read!

That Franklin Toker has tended to all the scholarly details is evident in the footnotes and photo captions, and it comes through on every page of the narrative itself. Fallingwater Rising is the story of an iconic house, designed by America's greatest architect for Edgar J. Kaufmann, Sr., a Jewish merchant whose own fascinating story is told here for the first time. Toker manages to deliver even more than that. Within these pages is a memorable portrait of the clannish and provincial power elite that ran twentieth-century Pittsburgh. Anyone interested in architectural history, the modernist movement, business history, academic ambition (that of Edgar Jr.), or urban history will want to own this riveting and lavishly illustrated book.

This is an exceptionally well written book that gives insight to to not only Fallingwater, but the era in which it was built. Simply outstanding.

This a memoir of Carlo Levi`s experience as a political exile during the fascist regime, at the outset of the Abyssinian war. The setting is a remote village in Lucania, southern Italy, a region characterized by poverty, malaria, completely forgotten and neglected by the State. Levi's artistic sensitivity describes the people, the landscape, with an acute human feeling. This is the other side of Italy, the reverse of the rich, famous, well-developed North. After reading this book, it is easy to understand why so many Italians were tempted to emigrate to the American continent. Levi's ability to socialize and understand the peasant mentality is outstanding; it's a merit to his personality. The fact that he did not isolate himself from the people around the village, regardless of social and cultural level, enable him, after his realease, to write this book with a deep understanding of the social, political, religious, economical, and cultural problems of Southern Italy. The style is simple, direct, and elegant. Why Christ, why Eboli? the author only wants to say that the "civilized world" of Christianity has not reached this region of Italy, be it in Eboli or any other village of the South. An interesting book, written by someone whose main occupation in life was not be a writer. Levi was trained as a doctor, and as a "social doctor" he brush-stroked his thoughts into this memoir.

Carlo Levi as a gifted artist wrote about what he saw. It must be objective for its virtual universal acceptance by scholars and other readers. Certainly it is artistically and beautifully presented. It is an example of objective aesthetics.

For Mr. Martino to advise us in his earlier review that Gagliano and its ilk are not the same as in the 1940's and are now nice places with mature, decent, religious people, is a bit superfluous. Who cares? We are only interested in what was contemporary with Carlo Levi's being there, not what it is like now. Apparently Mr. Martino feels that Levi's book competes with his little travel narrative.

Christ Stopped at Eboli is a classic and an educational fun read. Perhaps it will help those in the future fear fascism enough to prevent it from rearing its ugly head.

This book has a distinct sense of place. The remote ,savage landscape and its long suffering inhabitants is depicted with a kind of poetry.The priest given to despair in a pagan land to the peasants who shrug when their goats, even their furniture is taken from them from them by the state is contrasted with the local gentry and their petty feuds. Carlo levi was quite a man. Children followed him,women looked at him and touched their hips, dogs wagged their tails....This book is about a great man, a quiet man of conscience who revealed a hidden land and his soul during terrible times. A book to keep and treasure.

I was very lucky to see the collaboration between composer Michael Nyman (of 'The Piano') and David King this year in a sort of son et lumière of Nyman's music and King's images. King only used a mere handful (10 at most) of pictures from "The Commissar Vanishes" for the concert, and on the strength of those, I bought the book.

For the show, King used only photographs which had been defaced - those faces eerily blacked out with india ink, faces cut from group portraits leaving unsettling holes. I had little idea that the book would include so much more fascinating evidence of the way in which Stalin changed history by retouching and manipulating images to suit his own highly manipulated image.

Particularly haunting are those pictures in which one person after another is removed, the image subjected to so much cutting and airbrushing that what is left is a painting rather than a photograph. Or the gradual morphing of an image of Stalin and Lenin together to produce rather odd paintings and statues where Stalin goes from being Lenin's bosom buddy to some sort of powerful giant, towering over the weak and submissive Lenin. None of which ever happened - even the original image of the two leaders sitting together was clearly fabricated.

There are lots of chances to play an absorbing version 'Spot the Difference' with pictures that have had objects like buildings, groups of people, litter and banners moved, removed, changed, or replaced altogther, usually by something far less politically threatening.

Not only is "The Commissar Vanishes' fascinating, it is also very well put together; the images, which are stories in themselves, are acccompanied by well written text which is arresting in its simplicity.

This is one of the best books I've read in the last year; a book of great quality, and perfect for those interested in communism, dystopias or the media.

What would it take to make Hell on earth seem real to you? This profoundly disturbing book had that effect for me.

It might be possible to view this book as humorous. Mr. King's years of patient scholarship have unearthed unmarred originals of photographs that he presents with little or no comment next to what are frequently crudely butchered falsifications of those who fell out of favor with Stalin. Particularly in the age of computer photomanipulation, the alterations are initially comical to twenty-first century eyes.

As one works through the book, however, the comic effect is obliterated by mute evidence of the sheer numbers of people who were expunged year after year from the historical record. Particularly frightening are the official portraits self-censored by relatives of the now-deceased in hopes of forestalling the same fate.

Although not strictly a falsification, of particular interest to me was a picture of the document officially expelling Leon Trotsky from the Communist Party, complete with angry annotations in the margin by Comrade Trotsky himself.

I'd like to believe that the very existence of this book and its photographic record, despite the Soviet attempt of many years to rewrite history, proves that no regime can stifle all unflattering facts about itself for all time. But then I wonder in how many cases, about how many people, they might have been successful. By all means, read this book. Be a witness. Remember the dead. But be warned. The stuff of this history is indeed the stuff of nightmares.

If you should ever rise to the pinnacle of power in YOUR nation, BUY THIS BOOK! Great information on how to "tidy up" after you eliminate your enemies, be they real or imagined. (And best to go after the imagined ones, in case you're possessed of prophetic powers of prognostication: trust that instinct, believe you me!)
Even simps like George Bush Jr. can appreciate the wisdom in these pages: when you consider how much news he and his buddies have made to disappear, it's truly inspiring. He's been in office less time than Clinton and has already swept more under the carpet than Mr. Cigar himself. That is just awesome and I gotta give this book a whole bunch of tentacles up!

John Stott has written a comprehensive work on the central emblem of the Christian faith; The Cross of Christ. He digs deep into the essentials of Christian theology to bring the reader a able book that explains the amazing grace of God in Christ. Although, he uses a few big words, for the most part the 383 pages are comfortable. Stott harvests his facts and examples from the Bible. Beginning with a narrative of Christ's journey to Calvary and the sublime Easter climax, the author draws the reader into the passion of Christ, which is the salvation event for mankind. The need for salvation is presupposed by mankind's collective and individual sinfulness. To describe this, the author interacts with the social science of psychology amongst other disciplines to unpack a deep personal meaning of sin for the modern person.

Hence the necessity for a atoning sacrifice to appease God's justified anger at sin. Jesus offers himself as the humble sacrifice in place of sinful man. This in turn brings about forgiveness, reconciliation (peace with God), justification (declared right before God), redemption (freedom), victory over evil and healing of such things as guilt and shame. Also, Stott interacts well with the issue of God's righteous anger and wonderful love harmoniously demonstrated on the cross of Christ. The author vigorously emphasizes that the above exceptional blessings are accessed only through faith. That is to believe and trust Jesus as the only saviour. Furthermore, Stott makes it very clear to the reader, that the blessings of God are an awesome gift of God and cannot be earned in any way; therefore it is truly amazing grace.

I felt disappointed that the author did not describe the theology of forgiveness in more detail, I consider forgiveness to be pertinent for our times, despite the sad fact that a recent survey in Canada has shown that some people do not consider it as relevant for today's society. This reviewer is very happy with this fine book, for I am entirely predisposed towards this subject. Given that, I am able to recommend this book to Christians and to others, but only if they are interested in learning about the key symbol of Christianity.

"But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ," - Galatians 6:14 NASB

The name John Stott is well recognized among Bible students today, and for good reason. He has long been recognized for his gifted teaching, penetrating insight and pastoral warmth. His writings take the profound teachings of Christianity; shine much needed light on them, and in the same fluid motion, they plug the teachings into the lives of their readers. This book is no exception. The Cross of Christ is considered to be Stott's greatest work by more than a few people and I myself would place it in the top five books I've ever read. It's that good. The central theme of this book is to explain why and how the finished work of Christ on the cross is central to the Christian faith. It deals more with how salvation was provided for on the cross and not so much how it becomes effective for salvation in the life of a person. Stott begins by considering some preliminary issues such as the centrality of the cross in our faith. Stott says of Christ, "What dominated his mind was not the living but the giving of His life"(32). Stott rightly suggests that the cause of Christ's death was both the wickedness of men and the plan of God. He was turned over to the priests out of Judas' greed, turned over to Pilate out of the priest's envy, and handed over to the soldiers out of Pilate's cowardice, and the soldiers crucified Him. However, the blame for Christ's death cannot be placed solely on these individuals because He was not only suffering for their sins, but ours too. All this was according to the plan of God also. His love desired out salvation, and the only righteous way to do such a thing was to place our sins on the Savior and to have Him pay our penalty. The chasm is great between ourselves and a holy God. Stott says that "sin is not only the attempt to be God; it is also the refusal to be man, by shuffling off the responsibility for our actions"(101). So in order for God to offer salvation to mankind, He must do so righteously, without contradicting Himself. Man can never repay such a tremendous debt. This is where the Savior enters the picture. In other words, "How can he save us and satisfy himself simultaneously? We reply to this point that, in order to satisfy himself, He sacrificed - indeed substituted - himself for us" (132). Stott declares, "...neither Christ alone as man not the Father alone as God could be our substitute. Only God in Christ, God the Father's own and only Son made man, could take our place" (160). The result of this divine transaction in that man can be pronounced legally righteous, justified, in the sight of God. Stott tells us that it is very important to understand the accomplishments of the cross, "for the better people understand the glory of the divine substitution, the easier it will be for them to trust in the Substitute" (203). After Stott delineates the details involved in the atonement of Christ he does something that few theologians do by discussing what it means to live under the shadow of the cross. He tells us that the greatest singe event, in which God simultaneously shows us His justice and His love, was in the cross. Ultimately, God dealt with the problem of evil at the cross when he provided salvation from it to all those who would trust Him. Now we have unlimited access to God which should mark our lives with joy.

Discipleship logically follows from salvation. Once God saves us, we give up "our supposed right to go on our own way" (279). We realize our position in Christ and we literally mortify the deeds of the flesh that once controlled us. Knowing that we are valuable in the sight of God should cause us to be giving in sacrificial service. Power and pride should now give way to service and humility. Last but not least, Stott deals with Christian suffering. The causes of suffering are varied, but its results should be patient endurance and mature holiness (315,16). Even while our faith is being tried, we can rest easier knowing that God loves us and has promised an ultimate deliverance. Our involvement with evil should not be in its repayment but on letting God deal righteously. The best examples of how we are to react to suffering are the meekness and trust in the sovereignty of God that were displayed in the life of Christ, culminating in His death. In summary, John Stott's The Cross of Christ is a book that teaches the prediction of, the necessity for, the accomplishments gained by and the benefits resulting from Christ's substitutionary death on the cross. I feel like this is a much-needed work at this point in time when much of Christianity is focused on Christian living with our never sufficiently knowing why we live like we do. I am a firm believer that correct behavior can only be consistently lived when our minds are thinking correctly beforehand. Observation tells me that it is virtually impossible to behave correctly without believing correctly. In my opinion, Stott places the importance of Christ's cross exactly where is should be in our list of priorities...right at the top.

This would be an excellent book to read if you need more background material after going to Mel Gibson's movie the Passion.

It starts with a history of church use of the cross. Then it moves into expository teaching on Bible verses leading up to Jesus' death on the cross. It also references non-Biblical sources like Josephus, Tertullian, Oliver Barclay, William Barclay and several contemporary theologians.

Like other John Stott books it is logically presented with copious references. There are indices by Bible verse and by words in the text. There is also a comprehensive reference list.

For any Prince loyalist this will probably be a review of the many other books,articles or interviews done before.There are a few interesting inside stories outside the music that I found interesting. I have followed Prince's career since it started over 20 years ago. For any true musical artist on any level this is a must read.It serves as a blueprint of sorts that lays out a career and life guided by one thing, music. Whether a curse or a blessing, the exhaustive work ethic and the effect it has on the people who work with Prince, was obviously everlasting.The book will make anyone who loves music, appreciate the incredible dedication and need Prince has for his craft.Media hype and perceived imaged aside, Prince is truly one of a kind. There hasn't been anything close to him since he started his career over 20 years ago and as witness to today's state of music there won't be anytime soon. You must respect and appreciate that if nothing else.

After many Prince biographies that merely scratch the surface of such an amazing career, "DMSR" goes to new levels of detail and insight.

This book includes quotes from almost every person who worked with Prince in the late 70s and 80s and chronicles previously unknown record projects and the meaning behind great albums such as "The Black Album".

The forward by Alan Leeds (the writer of the liner notes for "The Hits" album) just about sums up Per Nilsen and includes the quote:

"If every artist as worthwhile as Prince has a historian as fastidious as Per, the future of this genre of musicology is safe and sound. The bookshelvels will be singing."

I found this book to be both fascinating and a great read. Every chapter brought to light many factors that have influenced Prince's music, things that I had never beeen aware of, even though I have followed his career for more than 16 years.

If you're a Prince fan, or just remotely intersted in what shaped his career then go buy this book !

Can't wait for Prince: The Second Decade !!! :-)

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would! I bought this book on a Friday, and could NOT put it down! It chronicles the life and times of one of the most prolific musicians of modern times. Being a long time Prince fan (from his very first album to the later years), it was difficult to read about some of the negative aspects of the Purple One's personality, but hey, he's human and errs like the rest of us.

If you are an aspiring musician, consider this book the Bible on everthing concerning the music business. If you're a long time Prince fan such as myself, it's a must have. If you're neither and still interested, you'll find it a testament to the fact that we are, and become, what we think we are. The previous poster who said that it will make you want to "go out and do something bold with your life" is RIGHT ON TARGET!

Only one question remains: WHEN'S THE SEQUEL?

This book unfolds the life of Anne Boleyn, a ill-favored girl that lived under the shadow of her sister throughout her childhood. Anne's sister, Mary Boleyn, was the prominent type beauty during the 16th century in England. Mary had been the mistress of King Henry VIII. However, as young Anne came to England from the French court as a stylish graceful lady, she soon caught the eye of King Henry. Anne Boleyn played her "games" upon the men in the English court and did all she could to win the heart of King Henry, the most powerful man in the nation. Anne's ambitions and strong will guided her through her struggling to be queen, the every peril in her life, and her uncertain path to power. Anne Boleyn was a mysterious yet prominent female figure of the Tudor family and her only daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, became on of the most prominent rulers in history. Though Anne Boleyn was executed when King Henry lost his interest in her, Anne's wits and determination led her to the fullfillment of her words to Mary, "One day, I shall be queen and you will kneel before me!"

This, the third book in the Young Royals series focuses on the life of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII, and mother to the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth. From the time she was born, Anne had been the dark sheep of her family. Not only did she have a sixth finger, but she also had a black mole. Anne had neither the beauty of her older sister Mary, or the importance of her younger brother George. But with an ambition as high as the mountains, Anne vowed one day that her sister, Mary, the King's mistress, will one day kneel at her feet. As a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine in Henry's court, Anne finally begins to see her wish coming true when she finally catches Henry's eyes. Though Anne knows Henry loves her, she knows that is not enough. The people's overall hatred of her and loyalty to Queen Catherine might ultimately be her downfall. When finally she bears Henry's child, she is finally declared Queen, a title she had vied for so many years. Only one nagging issue is in the back of her mind: What if the child isn't a son? What if she fails Henry's ultimate wish to have a male heir? What would become of her...

This new edition to the Young Royals series has to be my favorite. It was quite accurate and Anne was potrayed perfectly as a girl who just wanted to prove herself worthwhile to a world that shut her out. To many Anne was the ulimate symbol of evil, but after reading this book, my opinion of her changed. She was in a tough position, but ulimately her big ambitions was also her downfall.

This book definitely will be more fitting for older readers. Doomed Queen Anne also probably appeals to an older audience than the previous two books. Definitely a great book to add to your collection.

How would you like to be married to King Henry VIII? Well that's what happened to Anne Boleyn in, Doomed Queen Anne. This historical fiction story is full of romance, pain, deceit, loyalty, and honor.
Anne Boleyn was a regular girl in the 15th century world, until.... one night as Anne and her sister Mary were in their chamber, Mary grabbed Anne and took her down the hall to their mother's chambers, they sat by the door listening. "Dark as a gypsy, she is." Anne could not believe what she was hearing! " Send her to a nunnery." her mother said. Mary started laughing at her sister, but then, they heard something. "She will not go to a nunnery, Anne will go to court, in FRANCE!!" Anne and Mary were both shocked. Anne was going to live at court, and in FRANCE!!! It has always been a dream of hers. After arriving in Paris, it was time to prepare for, la Fête de Noël,( The Feast of Christmas).After a year or two Anne finds out that her sister is the Kings mistress!!!! Anne has become quite fond of King Henry. The King has been paying a lot of attention to Anne lately.
They marry and that's when Anne's troubles begin. In those days, producing a son and heir to the thrown was very important. Anne did produce the King with children, but two died and the other, A GIRL, named Elizabeth.
Not good in 15th century France, and that's just the beginning. Anne is accused of being untruthful to the King. The punishment is death? Will the King stand at her side or have executed? Find out by reading Doomed Queen Anne.
Reading a book can be boring sometimes, but a book like this gets you hooked in and you never want to put it down. I liked this book because it was full of mystery, passion, and betrayal. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction stories.

A line from Robert Webber's book that may startle both evangelicals and Anglicans alike reads, "As I meditate on my worship experience in the Episcopal tradition, I find I am drawn to it because it is so thoroughly evangelical." This book tells his story and the story of several others at Wheaton College who found themselves drawn to the Anglican tradition. For a time I lived in a foreign country and a city where the best choice for worship was the Anglican church; otherwise, as a good card-carrying evangelical, I may never have set foot in one. What I found was eye-opening to me, and I was thrilled to find that Robert Webber has written a book that puts this experience into words.

Liturgy is evangelical? Absolutely. As Webber points out, in the average Anglican service, more Scripture is read than at most community Bible churches. Responsive readings invite people to interact with the Word. The atmosphere of doctrinal litmus-testing that is so readily apparent in most evangelical churches takes a backseat, allowing honest study and inquiry-people can come to God first before they must seek approval from the congregation. The "point" of the service is worship and communion with God (not least because communion/Eucharist happens every week), and not entertainment by the worship team and pastor. The worship and activities of the church are tied to a rich historical tradition, thus freeing them from the mood of the moment, whatever the modern culture or a particular congregation feels comfortable with. Webber explains these things well though doesn't go into much of the historical or structural detail of the Anglican church (for this try _What is Anglicanism?_ by Urban T. Holmes III).

Of course, perfection is God's alone and any church or tradition will fall short. In the U.S. in particular, Anglicanism has often wandered far from historical and Scriptural roots. (One glance at Bishop Spong's books will confirm this!) Anglican churches that hold to high-church forms feel much more foreign to me than the little provincial church I called home for a time. But we should take this and any opportunity to see our own tradition more clearly, its positives and negatives. Unlike Webber and the others who tell their stories in the book, I haven't become an Anglican, but what I discovered and find well-documented by it is that there is something missing in evangelical worship which we would do well to reclaim. Our brothers and sisters in the liturgical church can help us do it, and in this little readable book Webber gives an apologetic and an explanation in terms we understand. Hurrah for the Body of Christ!

The transference of allegiances from one Christian tradition to another can often be a source of pain the converts' friends and family. A particular sore point is when one leaves for a Church that is viewed in one's former tradition as "highly suspect." Robert E. Webber understands these emotions well. Webber, a former Bob Jones University graduate who left the Evangelical Protestant movement for Anglicanism, was one of the first in a wave of prominent Evangelicals discovering liturgical worship. Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail is not as much a call for all Evangelicals to make a similar move, but an explanation - using his own experience as an example - as to why an Evangelical would make such a move. The overall tone is very irenic and seeks to promote a greater understanding among faithful Christians of all traditions.

The first part of the book is a description of Webber's conversion to Anglicanism. Rather than giving a strictly chronological telling of his trek, he approaches it from six different aspects of the Christian Faith (mystery, worship, sacraments, spiritual identity, the Church, spirituality) he came to believe were inadequately expressed in Evangelical Protestantism. The turning point in much of his discussion was his discovery of the Church Fathers. In them, he saw a far more balanced vision of Christianity - one he found expressed well in Anglicanism and the worship of the Book of Common Prayer.

The second part of the book consists of the personal testimonies of converts to Anglicanism. Although generally kind towards their former homes, it is obvious the deficiencies of modern Evangelical Protestant worship had taken its toll. A strong point here is each of the testimonies are sufficiently different in background and experience to avoid repetition of the same points. This also gives a sampling of the breadth of the movement to historic Christianity.

Webber returns to finish with a call for Evangelicals and those in the liturgical Churches to grow to know each other better as fellow Christians. While pointing out the factors leading to his move to Anglicanism, Webber recognizes strengths in Evangelicalism (strong personal faith, commitment to orthodoxy, love of Scripture, and concern for mission and evangelism) that would benefit the liturgical Churches. He predicts a convergence of traditions in the next century as the old wounds of the Church finally begin to heal.

In the nearly twenty years since the publication of Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail, much has happened relating to the points Webber raised - and many of his predictions now seem prophetic. The move to the historical Churches has grown considerably with Evangelical converts bringing their strengths with them to their new homes. Also, there have been many points of honest discussion and a detente of sorts along the ecclesiological front lines (although like other cessations of hostilities it is neither appreciated or observed by all).

Oddly though, Webber's own Anglicanism has not been a major beneficiary. Although the Anglican Communion is growing rapidly in Africa and Asia - where it is orthodox in its beliefs - the Episcopal Church (the U.S. province of the Anglican Communion) has declined and is increasingly both apostate and irrelevant. An obvious choice for a Protestant looking for a liturgical Church, its political correctness is anathema to someone looking for the faith once delivered. Thus most of the converts to historic Christianity have ended elsewhere.

Webber is not to blame for the folly of his Church. His book was the first sign of an important change in the Christian landscape. Although in some points it is now dated, Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail still affords the reader a rich understanding of both Christian worship and spirituality and a glimpse on the early stages of a significant movement of God.

Without ever meeting Robert Webber, I was convinced that when I did, he would understand how I maintained my evangelical theology but not the mainstream US evanglical style. When I was faced with major trauma in my life, I found that my traditional spiritual experience was insufficient to explain my personal spiritual yearnings. I could put no label on them but reading this book, was if Dr.Webber had walked in my shoes and had found new life within a different worship framework that I knew. This book will help the conservative Christian understand why anyone might seek the Anglican tradition of worship. I experienced the Lord deeper within this worship style and especially through the music and the Eucharist than I had ever done in my younger life. I recommend this book with no reservations.

Clarence Earl Gideon would have been less than an historical footnote had he not written to the U.S. Supreme Court asking for, in essence, a "get out of jail free" card. Gideon, who would be a career criminal by contemporary definitions, was in a Florida jail for breaking and entering with intent to commit a misdemeanor. In his letter to the nation's highest court, Gideon wrote in pencil that his constitutional rights were violated when he was denied the right to have an attorney at his trial. In the end, the Supreme Court agreed with Gideon and reversed a prior decision to hold that people in Gideon's position (but not all accused persons) are entitled to the assistance of a lawyer and to have the state pay for one if necessary.

"Gideon's Trumpet" tells the story of one man's improbable battle and the Court's ultimate decision in his favor. Author Anthony Lewis has done a remarkable job of putting a human face (several, actually) on one of the landmark cases in criminal procedure and in making the story accessible to any adult regardless of a lack of formal legal training. In "Gideon's Trumpet," Lewis presents all of the characters as humans, not simply as people whose names later stand for legal rules (a la Miranda). "Gideon's Trumpet" also represents a ray of hope for those who think the legal system is solely the prerogative of the wealthy and politically connected, for here is the story of a virtual nobody who without the help of an attorney undertook a monumental process. In fact, "Gideon's Trumpet" might be a bit too optimistic. Written in 1964, the book could not have foreseen the subsequent studies that have shown that *Gideon v. Wainright* (the name of the case) has not substantially altered conviction rates. Still, the book tells a remarkable story quite well. Perhaps the highest praise is that this true story reads as a novel.

Clarence Earl Gideon, petty thief, did at least two things right in his life. He preserved his record by requesting the appointment of a lawyer for him, and he filed a timely petition for certiorari to the United States Supreme Court.

Ironically, although the Florida courts denied Gideon legal represention, the Justices appointed Abe Fortas, soon to be one of their brothers, to argue his cause. His victory, forever establishing the right of the poor to counsel in felony cases in America, was one of the landmark cases of the Warren Court.

As importantly, this book illustrates law at the human level. This is where practioners routinely encounter it. Cases studied in law school are sterile, stripping the humanity and drama from the litigants, and replacing them with rules of decision and conduct necessary for societal regulation. The distillation of fact contained within an appellate decision, even a landmark, pales in comparison to the human beings who create the cause.

Anthony Lewis's book should point law students and young lawyers to the deeper lessons of practice. Law is about people; and we, as lawyers, are their servants.

Simply a brief review as the book has been out for years, but is still worth your time to read how fundamental constitutional law is breathed to life from the words of our United States Constitution by the United States Supreme Court from a then backwater county, Bay County, Florida, in the Panhandle region of North Florida.

Bay County's county seat is Panama City, next to the world famous Panama City Beach -- where girls go wild, spring break brings in thousands and thousands and where crime continues...