A nice review of western european medieval calligraphy, I rarely use the rest of the book. It presents well how the different styles are related, the development of modern styles of calligraphy and type fonts, the 20th century revival of more traditional art forms with some froo-froo hat tipping to Victorian style copperplate to bold modern blocky forms.

This has it all. A well written book, it references the copious plates and examlpes while guiding the novice through the years and development of the manifaceted art style known as calligraphy.

I would recommend this for intermediate students who are interested in the history of calligraphy, to complement learning how to do it. This will not teach you how to do calligraphy, it will hopefully teach you how to appreciate it as an art form.

Very long, very detailed book about Colonial life in North Carolina. This is *not* the gripping, turn-the-page-what's-happening-next of the first book. Not inherently bad - but you might be in for a surprise if you were expecting more of the same from the first 4 books.

Still leaves us wondering what's going to happen to everyone involved. Unfortunately, it also left me wondering whether or not the next book will be as monumentally huge. I'm more interested in the direct Clare/Jamie/Fraser story, less about day-to-day life in the Colonies. Yes, I want the historical details to make the Fraser story believable, but I don't want to read another book that has Fraser stuff thrown in to make the Colonial history good.

Too much repetative "development" of the major characters (Clare, Jamie, Brianna, Roger). But, again Gabaldon shines with her depiction of the many, many other people in the story. They usually all seem distinct and different and interesting (if not "good").

Definately don't buy in hard back.

If you have seen the PBS (BBC?) show "Connections", this was like reading an episode of it. What bizzare and seemingly unrelated event is now going to become critical to the history of this book?

An interesting discussion is presented about the OED and dictionaries in general: why the OED is "different", what existed before it, etc. Best of all, at the end of the book was an advert for the OED and a call for volunteers to help with the continued development of it! Delightful conclusion.

The only two reasons I didn't give it 5 stars:

Difficulty being able to identify where the author was using artistic license to portray events in a more "complete picture" and where he was actually citing from verifiable sources. If the latter doesn't matter to you, please feel free to revel in a well told story.

The only complaint was that the chronology of the story wasn't linear - it jumped back and forth in a rather unsetting manner which slightly distracted from the smooth flow of the account.

Riveting in its style, The Big Nowhere will leave you breathless, running at full steam until the last page. I find this difficult to recommend to anyone under the age of 30 whose native language is not American English. Ellroy writes as if he were in the 1950s: this is not any story which could be put in 1950 as easily as 2050. This story is the 1950s. The style and the content are beautifully anachronistic.

The plot is intricate and convoluted. You tell yourself: this must all be connected... musn't it?

Murder and mayhem clutch again at the heart of the City of Angels: labor unions, Communists and Hollywood.

Young aspiring LA County detective Upshaw, who thrives on the newly emerging science of forensics, is the only person interested in investigating a bizzare murder. DA Elis Lowe, is capitalizing on persecuting Communism in order to win greater political power. LAPD Lt Considine signs on to the quest for Commies to win public acclaim to try to gain custody of his son. LAPD Lt. Smith is out for number one.

Omnipresent in the background is the union dissent, movie making, mob violence, drug trafficking, and violence.

James Ellroy's writing is so potently real, it will leave you realizing why such cotton-candy fluff as "Leave It to Beaver" was so popular 50 years ago, as a necessary escape from the reality surrounding LA and Hollywood.

All-in-all, one of the best books I own. This isn't only funny, I was laughing aloud while reading it. This really shows off Ludlum's ability to lead you along a primrose path, only to find you're not really seeing what you thought you were.

A law student receives a letter from the U.S. Supreme Court. Surprising, since he didn't write to them. They have decided to hear his case involving a breach of contract between the U.S. Government and an Indian tribe. [apparently, there is a small provision for cases being heard directly to the supreme court without previous judicial consideration]

The only catch is - the law student has no idea what they're talking about. Suddenly the CIA, the FBI, the Department of Defense, and the mafia are all after him.

The legal case revolves around the fact that, under U.S. law, any improvements made to real estate which is illegally seized revert to the lawful owner when the real estate is returned. So, if I steal your farm, spend thousands of dollars improving it, and then you get the property back, I can't ask for restitution or the money back. Sure, no problem.

Now think about the U.S. Government and American Indian tribes .....

This has the best depiction of Hell I've ever found.

This story looks at the time period of this second Messiah's life where the Gospels left Christ's life blank - you're a normal teenager, you find out you're the Messiah, and then what do you do?

This is not some boring re-telling of the same old tale. The portrayal of the second messiah, God, Jesus Christ, Satan, etc. are quite thought-provoking.

This should sincerely make you think about your pre-conceived notions of what heaven/hell & God's relationship with man is all about. It should also re-affirm that the principles and morals you learned as a Christian are right-on - but how they should be implemented isn't necessarily what gets popularly preached. [Then again, that's just what Christ said, the first time around, wasn't it?]

Unlike many tretises on the topic, this doesn't limit you to post-1200 Anglo-French. This gives you a true oversight of western european illumination of the entire span of the middle ages (spanish, moorish, greek, latin, etc...)

Added to the benefit of examples, de Hamel doesn't subject you to the same pictures you've seen in every other 2-bit book (yes, Victoria, other books existed before 1200 besides the Book of Kells).

The text is thoughtful without being dry and boring. This is written for an audience which is expected to appreciate the subject, without assuming you've devoted your life to it already.

Walk, do not run, to get this. A must for anyone who is learning how to illuminate.

These characters are irresistable, yet flawed. The violence is ripped from the front page of papers (although, in this case, from the front page of 1947).

A gruesome murder is the centerpiece for this novel, as a police officer desperately seeking to be a detective cannot cease his obsession with the case. It overwhelms his life and his career without overwhelming the plot or flow of action.

There's an interesting look (in passing) at some aftermath of WWII, and the impact of being German-American or having been friends with Japanese-Americans.

The end, when it hits you, will be a left hook worthy of Joe Lewis.

Written for high- or middle-school reading levels. This is not "high literature" that requires a college education or repeated reading to understand.

It is an interesting look at a literal interpretation of parts of the Book of Revelations (a prophesy of the end of the world as we know it as a precursor to the second coming of the Messiah).

The characters are not well-developed but do hint at being interesting (again, this is the first installment of a series, it might get better in the next volume). The plot is fairly obvious.

This is light-reading. Content acceptable for adolescent or older.

I can't say I completely agree with the content on a religious level. How the authors paint armageddon is pretty sterotypic to the more evagelical Protestant groups who subscribe to a literal reading of the Bible.

I do applaud the obvious effort to get people to think about and consider their beliefs, and the potential long-term consequences of both belief and action.

Our Heroine, Clare, finds herself looking for her past, in more ways than one. Returning to the 18th Century, she decides that trying to find the love of her life is more important than staying safe and secure in the 1960s.

Unfortunately, like daughter, like mother. Her only child follows her on an expedition to find Jamie, Clare's husband and Bree's father.

The action continues in Scotland and migrates to the New World.

After having been separated for neigh unto 20 years, both Clare and Jamie have continued their lives, separately. It is the detailed, sympathetic portrait of them attempting to reconcile their shared past with their current present which will pull at your heartstrings. They are realistic, which certainly means it isn't the same old thing you've read before.

Gabaldon never ceases to amaze with her insight into the workings between men and women, without denigrating either one in the process.

This kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning pages like few other books.

If you've read Outlander, either stop, or simply buy the next three together. Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager are definately worthwhile, if for no other reason then to get you to Drums of Autumn. This and Outlander are her best so far.

Indigo Swing has a sound all their own. Big band, swinging, they utilize many different aspects of 1930-50s music and meld it into a beautiful blend which is still obviously American, and still fresh.

A pleasant selection of their work, it gives a good feel for what they're like live.

If you like the Tenor Saxophone in swing music, this is worth buying, if for no other reason than the sax player. I only wish my sax sounded as good as this!

You got, it baby - this is where our music comes from.

This is not a studio-recording perfect, digitally remastered, flawless sound. This is the sound of life.

Close your eyes, ignore the snow outside, and you can imagine you're walking down a dusty country road listening to women on the front porch shellin' peas or men in the fields mowin' hay. (both of which I've done way too much of...)

The spirit of the music is fulfilling, the vocal quality is high. I've heard most of the music before (county fairs and music festivals), and I enjoyed it just as much again. This captures the essence of a live performance - without actually being one.

For those who think EmmyLou Harris or Garth Brooks are "country music", take the time to listen to this select of our musical roots.

If you only buy one country album this year - pick this one.

A gruesome murder, stolen heroin, a depraved rape tarnish the self-righteous epithet of the City of Angels. The investigations interweave, as the characters grow on you.

The characters are intimately painted in detail, without being heavy or overdone. Elroy has an amazing grasp of how to paint the ordinary man.

The use of language is utterly delightful, with a consistant effort to read like the American English of the 50's.

The book is long and heavy. This is not light summer reading fare or 'brain-candy' for an afternoon. But, if you want a spectacular American novel, this is it.

Movie comparison: well, seeing the movie certainly won't spoil the book. The basic plot is the same, but the action is different. After seeing the film, I sought out the book. After reading the book, I was even more impressed with how true to the flavor (though not the details) of the film. The character's relationships in the movie aren't the same as the film - obviously trying to keep the movie under 7 hours. If you liked it, go get the book.

The unacknowledged son of a post captain, young Percival strives to do his duty to achieve his father's/captain's respect. Adventures ensue.

Easy to read. Less social critique than Mr. Midshipman Easy. Less gruesome reality than The Privateersman. Not his best, but it is still a good yarn!

Written in the 1830s, this story is a sharp social commentary combined with the adventure of a midshipman in the Royal Navy. I found this a delightful observation of society, which from today is even more humorous than it might have been 200 years ago.

The language isn't far off from today's (the sailing vocabulary hasn't -obviously- changed). A good read for just about any age. Footnotes (in the Heart of Oak edition) to help those unfamiliar with some 19th C. idioms or semi-obscure sailing terminology.

If you haven't read Marryat's work yet, this is a good one to get your feet wet.

Forced to seek himself without letting anyone else in on the secret - he appeals to me on multiple levels. (So many "want to find themselves", but don't want to admit they're looking.)

A gritty, gruesome look at the reality behind the trashy romance novels of our day, Perry gives Dickens a run for his money in attemptying to portray a hand-to-mouth existance cohabitating with the posh luxury of 1850's London.

Those familiar with 19th Century literature or who simply have a well-educated vocabulary will have little or no need of linguistic assistance. The standard American high school education will probably leave you needing a good English dictionary for some of the slang used (or interpreting English currency).

It is a toss-up between Face of a Stranger or Sins of the Wolf, as to which is her best book to date (Dec. 2000).

Engulfed with the sweeping panorama painted by Gabaldon, you will find yourself cheering for the characters. Clare, the heroine, is down-to-earth, but doesn't really believe this 18th century stuff is all real. Jamie, the hero, is painted to be the man most women would want without being artificial (a remarkable feat!).

All of the cast of characters are well developed. The pace varies from sedate to heart-thumpingly fast. The history and representation of Scottish/English relations appear fairly accurate to a moderatly-well-informed critic.

Outlander has a unique conclusion (for a 'romance' novel). This book stands by itself. You don't need to read the other Gabaldon books to appreaciate this one. In fact, not knowing there are other books lends an even sweeter sorrow to this story.

Ignore the fact this is marketed in the "romance" section of book stores, and simply accept it as an utterly delightful romp through history with a powerful romantic element woven into the war, politics, intrigue, accusations of witchcraft, treason, and personal drama.

High excitement: marauding vikings, nomadic arabs, opulent Byzantine cathedrals, byzantine politics, and humble Irish monks on an ecclesiastical quest. Does the hero live or die? Will he regain his faith or not? Will they all make it back to Ireland?

I was deeply moved by the depth and feelings portrayed in the hero's struggle with the burdens of a belief in God and the attendant burdens of faith.

What is the point of the book? It is the portrait of a man's faith in God, and the reality that even the saints, martyrs, and holy men of the great ages past were human.

Complaints about this book seem to revolve primarily arround historical inaccuracies of fact/language - if you want a history book, I suggest you look somewhere other than the "fiction" section of a bookstore.

A departure from the norm of Marrayat, Lambdin, Pope, et al. - our hero isn't in the Royal Navy. Great shades of Martin Guerre, a no-body shows up in Virginia to settle down to a life of farming. Fickle Fate denies him, throwing him back to the Sea in defense of his newly chosen home.

But ... now confronted with the potentially wonderful life he has found, will his past rise out of Neptune's deep to pull him back again?

Obviously designed to allow for further installments, this stands alone without leaving you completely hanging at wit's end for what comes next, so that you can enjoy Nelson's other writings of the Revolutionary era.

This is the first of E.George's books I read. After reading all of the others (except for In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner), this is still the best one.

Riviting presentation of the plot from an unexpected view point (one of the suspects). I find it enjoyable to be able to read a mystery novel and have the end remain a mystery until I get there.

Reading the books in order might be beneficial for people who enjoy the character development across several volumes, but isn't necessary to the enjoyment of the book.

If you only buy one of Elizabeth George's books, this is the one to get.