Average customer rating:
- For a couple pleasant afternoons in Summer
- may disappoint loyal grisham readers
- Surprisingly Good
- Ho-Hum
- fast to slow page turner
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The Last Juror
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
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Similar Items:
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The Broker
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The Summons
-
The Partner
-
Bleachers
-
The Testament
ASIN: 0385339682
Release Date: 2006-04-25 |
Amazon.com
In 1970, small town newspaper The Clanton Times went belly up. With financial assistance from a rich relative, it's purchased by 23-year-old Willie Traynor, formerly the paper's cub reporter. Soon afterward, his new business receives the readership boost it needs thanks to his editorial efforts and coverage of a particularly brutal rape and murder committed by the scion of the town's reclusive bootlegger family. Rather than shy from reporting on the subsequent open-and-shut trial (those who oppose the Padgitt family tend to turn up dead in the area's swampland), Traynor launches a crusade to ensure the unrepentant murderer is brought to justice. When a guilty verdict is returned, the town is relieved to find the Padgitt family's grip on the town did not sway the jury, though Danny Padgitt is sentenced to life in prison rather than death. But, when Padgitt is released after serving less than a decade in jail and members of the jury are murdered, Clanton once again finds itself at the mercy of its renegade family.
When it comes, the dénouement is no surprise; The Last Juror is less a story of suspense than a study of the often idyllic southern town of Clanton, Mississippi (the setting for Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill). Throughout the nine years between Padgitt's trial and release, Traynor finds acceptance in Clanton, where the people "don't really trust you unless they trusted your grandfather." He grows from a long-haired idealist into another of the town's colorful characters--renovating an old house, sporting a bowtie, beloved on both sides of the color line, and the only person to have attended each of the town's 88 churches at least once. The Last Juror returns Grisham to the courtroom where he made his name, but those who enjoyed the warm sentiment of his recent novels (Bleachers, A Painted House) will still find much to love here. --Benjamin Reese
Book Description
In 1970, one of Mississippi’s more colorful weekly newspapers,
The Ford County Times, went bankrupt. To the surprise and dismay of many, ownership was assumed by a 23-year-old college dropout, named Willie Traynor. The future of the paper looked grim until a young mother was brutally raped and murdered by a member of the notorious Padgitt family. Willie Traynor reported all the gruesome details, and his newspaper began to prosper.
The murderer, Danny Padgitt, was tried before a packed courthouse in Clanton, Mississippi. The trial came to a startling and dramatic end when the defendant threatened revenge against the jurors if they convicted him. Nevertheless, they found him guilty, and he was sentenced to life in prison.
But in Mississippi in 1970, “life” didn’t necessarily mean “life,” and nine years later Danny Padgitt managed to get himself paroled. He returned to Ford County, and the retribution began.
Customer Reviews:
For a couple pleasant afternoons in Summer.......2007-09-13
After I have read this book, I had the feeling to be in Southern, with its hot and humidity, but I had preferred a different story to spend my holidays. The title is not what you expect, because there is a trial, yes, and a jury, yes, but is a small part of the book. While you are reading The Last Juror, you are learning how was the life in Claton (Miss) and how a 21 years old, can run a paper with a loan from his grandma.
The book is as reading obituaries, nice ones, but no more.
may disappoint loyal grisham readers.......2007-08-14
Looking to kill a few hours poolside I was hoping for a 'typical' Grisham courtroom thriller and picked this up. I must say that the hours at poolside did pass eventually and without fatalities, but I was disappointed in this novel. It's not his very worst, but it's certainly not up to the level of storytelling which made John Grisham's early books so tense.
The plot has been summarized by so many other reviewers there is no point in rehashing it here; suffice to say that yes, there are courtroom scenes, but they and any legal wrangling behind the trial do not form in any way the central part of the book. A crime is committed, the culprit identified, tried and sentenced, and then the second half of the book gets started.
This is too bad because the story Grisham really wants to tell, about small-town life in Mississippi cast against a background where the Vietnam, Civil Rights, race relations and school integration struggles are all raging, drags and meanders for substantial parts of the book, and the central character (the narrator) comes across as a little bit overly correct.
Several of the secondary small-town characters are well-drawn and Grisham does bring out the atmosphere well. But he uses them all ultimately to tell the story first of a young and somewhat callow man who grows into a more mature human being (which is fine if much better done by countless other writers), and second of a woman, the juror of the title, who is so earnestly and reverently portrayed that the Virgin Mary, Mother Teresa, and Gandhi would frankly be jealous of the treatment. Grisham's point is perfectly clear, absolutely hammer on the head clear, but it would be made far more effectively if the characters were a bit more believeable. The crimes and legal action in the book wind up just being the device by which Grisham presents these two main characters, and frankly the payoff just isn't worth the effort.
Surprisingly Good.......2007-08-13
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this Grisham novel. I thought the narration and storytelling were elegant and a cut above most mass market paperbacks. The book gave me a window into life in small town Mississippi and relevant racial and social issues during the 1970s. I appreciated that it wasn't your typical thriller. Like other reviewers, I will say that many Grisham fans probably won't enjoy this book, since it is so different from most of his legal thrillers. But I think Last Juror leaves no doubt that Grisham is more than just a fly by night bestselling author. He is actually a good writer.
Ho-Hum.......2007-07-05
The Last Juror
John Grisham
The Last Juror is a fun read if somewhat tedious at times. The supposed plot is a man convicted of rape and murder threatens the jury. After ten years in prison the man is paroled and jurors begin to die. At least that is what the book jacket says. In reality it is a first person narrative about a young liberal who buys a defunct newspaper in a small southern community. Like many of Grisham's "hero's he is the perfect little liberal. He is against the war (Vietnam in this one), he hates the dollar store, and above all he has to do everything possible to help the black community. While some may find these qualities admirable, after a while they can get a little old.
In this town the only intelligent people are our liberal hero and a middle aged African-American woman. In fact the crime and the surrounding story is only a sub-plot for these two characters to walk around in. One gets the impression that it all gets in the way. Not to give away to much of the ending, but the title of the book makes no sense. At the end, more than one juror is left.
If you are interested in a fast pace crime novel, then pass this by. If you are interested in a young liberal's view of experiences that young liberals would like to have, then this is the book for you.
fast to slow page turner.......2007-07-01
I've enjoyed a few Grisham novels but this one fell mostly flat for this reader. I guess I prefer the fast paced legal action thrillers that he is known for. It started out great with a horrific murder and dramatic small-town trial but detoured quickly into a commentary of life in Mississippi in the 70's which made it a slow page turner for me.
Average customer rating:
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El Ultimo Jurado / the Last Juror
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Ediciones B
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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El rey de los pleitos
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Camara De Gas / the Chamber
-
Tiempo De Matar / a Time to Kill
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El Testamento / the Testament (Punto de Lectura)
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La citacion
ASIN: 8466618333 |
Average customer rating:
|
John Grisham Collection: Set Of 18 Novels, Legal Suspense and Fiction (A Time to Kill, The Firm, Pelican Brief, The Client, The Chamber, The Rainmaker, Runaway Jury, The Partner, Street Lawyer, The Testament, The Brethren, Painted House, Skipping Christmas, The Summons, Bleachers, King of Torts, Last Juror, The Broker)
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Island Books/Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000MS6OUU |
Average customer rating:
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Last Chance for Justice: The Juror's Lonely Quest
Laurence H. Geller , and
Peter Hemenway
Manufacturer: NCDS Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Legal System
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Jury
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Jury
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ASIN: 0965711501 |
Product Description
Set of 5 Titles by Grisham : The Brethren The Summons The King of Torts The Last Juror The Broker
Average customer rating:
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The Last Juror
Manufacturer: Dell Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HIP9L0 |
Book Description
Dave DeVoster, star player of the University of Iowa men's basketball team and under investigation for the rape of a member of Iowa's women's basketball team, is found dead at the feet of the Hawkeye mascot statue in the Herky Parade, his blood dripping from the curved beak of the famous icon. Mary Vermillion's amateur sleuth from Death by Discount is back in fine form in this new adventure set in the exciting world of university athletics.
Mary Vermillion is a graduate of the University of Iowa and is an associate professor of English at Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids. She is the author of the Mara Gilgannon mystery Death by Discount and is a rabid fan of women's basketball.
Customer Reviews:
Social commentary, lesbian frustrations and a murder, all in the same book.......2007-02-03
In this sequel to "Death by Discount", Mara Gilgannon, radio personality, lesbian with a long-term relationship problem and sometime sleuth returns and solves another murder. This time the murder occurs in Iowa City, Iowa when Dave DeVoster, a star basketball player for the University of Iowa men's team and near certain NBA player is found dead. His blood is dripping from a statue of Herky the Hawk, the fierce-looking mascot for the University athletic teams. In a point of irony, his blood is dripping from the beak of the statue, so the killer somehow used the statue as the instrument of death. This helps eliminate many suspects, as obviously the assailant had to be strong enough to push Dave into the statue.
The investigation into the murder is somewhat compromised by the fact that DeVoster is a known rapist, having plea-bargained his way into a soft deal after date-raping a member of the girl's basketball team. This has split the community into groups that want DeVoster to be free to play ball and those who think he should face a far more severe punishment. There are demonstrations that are led by radical feminists who overstate their arguments to the point of absurdity, which further poisons the case.
When one of Gilgannon's ex's is arrested for the crime, she goes into full investigative mode with her roommate Vince, a gay man who plays the part well. Although she is fairly good at detecting, Gilgannon is largely a failure at most of the rest of her life. She splits with the female cop she started dating in the first book, runs her battery down when investigating, crashes her car into another vehicle, has difficulty paying the bills and has boss troubles. Nevertheless, she manages to solve the murder by engaging in a confrontation with the killer where she has locked herself inside a toilet stall and threatens to flush the killer's driver's license and credit cards down the toilet. I must admit that the thought that this would be the plot device used to stave off a killer would never have occurred to me. Original and slightly comedic
As someone who has spent my entire life in Iowa and attended the University of Iowa, I understood all the references to Herky, the basketball tradition and the city of Iowa City. However, readers without this knowledge will no doubt find themselves occasionally confused. One plot device that intrigued me was when the group of lesbian women attended a girl's basketball game and talked about the gay/straight orientations of the players. I couldn't help wondering, "Is this truly the way lesbian women approach these things or is it just an unusual plot device?" Since the author teaches English at Mount Mercy College, where I teach math and computers, I have the opportunity to resolve the question. However, since I have yet to ask her to explain the reference to "lesbians and U-Hauls" in her first book, I may never know.
With no punch-em-out action and a lot of inter-lesbian intrigue, this was not a book that kept me riveted solely for the sake of the mystery. It was a good social commentary though. It was clearly based on a celebrated case of a star Iowa basketball player being given a light sentence on an assault charge against his girlfriend. This sentence allowed him to return to the basketball court, although it wasn't long before he was in trouble once again. The author is right in pointing out that so often star athletes are given a light or free pass by society just so that they can continue to dazzle the fans with their athletic daring-do.
U of I Women's Basketball.......2006-07-24
Vermillion writes about Iowa, which isn't commonplace in novels.
Rape...disgusting. Murder of the rapist...should we care who did it. Of course, we should when the suspect is Mara's ex.
Enter Mara Gilgannon. This story is funny and serious all in one. Mara has a way of getting information, but is sometimes a little slow on the draw. This causes mayhem with her life and with the case at hand.
I read Vermillion's first book and am looking forward to other. Visit Iowa with Mary Vermillion.
Another Terrific Mara Gilgannon Mystery.......2006-04-23
Murder by Mascot, the second Mara Gilgannon mystery, is every bit as good as the first, Death by Discount. Author Mary Vermillion has a wonderful talent for wrapping socially relevant topics in a page-turning story full of believable characters and vivid settings. Main character Mara is an appealing and convincing blend of determination, pluck, self-doubt, and wry humor. I'm a rabid college basketball fan myself, a graduate of the University of Kansas, where basketball is more of a religion than a sport, and Vermillion has nailed the university basketball atmosphere perfectly. This is a well-written, well-plotted mystery that's hard to put down.
"You have more love interests than suspects.".......2006-03-19
A memorable cast of characters, a tightly written story, and witty dialogue make the latest offering in this breakout series great reading. Fresh from solving a caper involving her hometown and a corporate megastore, amateur sleuth Mara Gilgannon must untangle a mystery surrounding the murder of accused rapist Dave DeVoster, a member of the university men's basketball team, and the cloud of suspicion hanging over a person close to her. The preferential treatment of star athletes, the lingering ties between lesbians and their ex's, and homophobia in college sports are just some of the topics covered in this thought provoking page turner by the author of DEATH BY DISCOUNT. This is a terrific, fun mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Average customer rating:
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Warriorwards
Dayfdd Hugh
Manufacturer: Baen Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HJK6PI |
Average customer rating:
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Warriorwards
Manufacturer: A Baen Books Original
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IE3YS8 |
Average customer rating:
- In the middle
- actionpacked, funny and sexy
|
Warriorwards
Abhugh
Manufacturer: baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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General
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| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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ASIN: 0671720198 |
Customer Reviews:
In the middle.......2006-07-06
For starters, "Warriorwards" is gritty. Eschewing the usual conventions of clean and colorful fantasy, Dafydd ab Hugh takes us to a side of human experience rarely seen in fiction. We see a tournament consisting not of knights in shining armor, but rather of scared novices with no armor at all, and only crude weapons. Similarly, ab Hugh shares no illusions about living conditions back in the day. In "Warriorwards", travel is tiring and dangerous, cities are dirty and crime-ridden, people are sickly and louse-ridden. The general state of decay applies to morals as well. The heroine Jiana is not above backstabbing and cheating when she knows she can't win by fair means. Anyone who likes this book should try the novels of Hugh Cook and Neal Barrett, Jr.
The other good point about "Warriorwards" is that it focuses on inner conflict, not physical conflict. There's enough fighting, not too much, but the main pull of the plot comes from watching the slave girl Radience trying to accept the idea of freedom. Without the need for enormous actions scenes and a gigantic grand finale, ab Hugh has more opportunity to take us inside the heads of the characters.
There are, however, many aspects of this book not to like. Ab Hugh felt the need to throw in every conceivable postmodernist narrative trick: dreams, hallucinations, stream-of-consciousness, flashbacks, flashbacks-within-flashbacks, split personalities, and more. Much of the book is a chore to read because page after page goes by without anything clear to hang on to. The constant, murky references to Jiana's past don't add anything to the story, and the entire business with her sex life grows more distrubing as the book goes along.
Because this is, I regret to inform you, one of those novels where the author thinks that more sex equals more sales to 13-year-old teenage boys. Consequently we get lots of beating, whipping, masturbating, groping, fondling, spying on naked women, child abuse, lesbianism, and much more, all leading up to a wonderfully detailed necrophilia scene. Did we really, truly need to see Jiana copulating with the dead body of an disgustingly obese priest? I would say no. Apparently some people think otherwise.
(I can't resist mentioning that ab Hugh has abandoned his literary career to take up the life of a conservative blogger, parroting whatever nonsense Karl Rove comes up with on any given day. Far be it from me to comment on his political leanings, but it does bring up an interesting question: does his audience know that he used to write BDSM, necrophilia, and lesbian erotica? If the Republicans are willing to welcome pornographers like ab Hugh, maybe they're finally grasping the concept of freedom and diversity.)
actionpacked, funny and sexy.......2001-02-21
The main characters are Jiana, a professional heroine, who is tough, unsentimental, a little schizo, and a bruised idealist; and Radiance, a crippled slavegirl, her apprentice. Jiana can no longer make money as a prizefighter, as the odds in her favor are too great. So she decides to take on an apprentice. Unfortunately she can't help choosing some do-good humanitarian project: Radiance, a slavegirl who is thoroughly suppresed both physically and mentally.
Good language, but the strange hallucinations + flashbacks + musings about etymology + lyrical inspiration Jiana keeps having are confusing and break the flow of the story. The two maincharacters are great, they seem very real. Radiance's un-slave training + warrior training is fascinating. The minor characters are quite averagely written.
The fightscenes are good and detailed.
There is a lot of dark humor, which helps alleviate the depression.
The ending is a letdown--the book is the second part of an unfinished trilogy, and doesn't stand alone too well.
Book Description
Susan Page’s bestselling relationship book has been translated into 18 languages, is being read in more than 25 countries, and its mass-market edition has sold more than 158,000 copies. At the heart of this book are Page’s famed 10 strategies for readers to better self-understanding and ultimately a fulfilling relationship. Filled with revealing anecdotes, case studies, and quizzes, the book’s down-to- earth guidance will appeal to everyone who devoured books like Mars and Venus on a Date and Getting the Love You Want, and anyone who wants a fulfilling intimate relationship.
"Behold a wonder–a romantic self-help book that is intelligent, upbeat, practical, useful, winning, and even wise." –Kirkus Reviews
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read For Anyone Who's Ever Asked TheQuestion.......2007-10-07
If you have ever wondered why you're single, this is the book for you. It surpassed my expectations and is something I'll be recommending to friends. The book deals with the complexities in personal relationships and causes you to analyze your own behavior and confront some of your issues. It is LESS about men and their behavior and more about you: Which is the way to find healthy love by having happiness begin with you. Some great topics it covers are: examining your hidden ambivalence, how to say no when you're in the wrong relationship, how to detect and avoid men who aren't going to commit, and the best part: how to identify and say no to "BTN's", which are better than nothing relationships. A pivatol point in the book was when she discussed how you can be with a really great guy, but there might be one thing missing. And if it's something big then you have to walk away rather than settle for someone who is "almost" Mr. Right. I think many people settle and this book will show you how not to.
Very interesting and useable helpful hints.......2007-09-27
Very interesting hints and points how to meet people who match with your intrests and needs.
Step one, find a huge group of availble partners .......2007-07-05
If you really don't know how to attract a mate, are subconsciously avoiding finding one, or tend to make poor choices....this book is for you. On the other hand, if you would love to find the perfect life partner but are limited by the number of available people of the same sexual orientation, age, attractiveness or social class, this book will not help you. It depends heavily on your having a reasonably large dating pool. She makes it sound like everyone has enough people in their social circle to create an endless reject list if necessary.
Non-sentimental, good advice.......2007-05-18
It will probably make you want to break up with the person you are dating...which may be why you are reading the book. I thought the first half of the book was the best part and had some very good points and was insightful. The second half of the book--less interesting. But I did buy it for a few girlfriends who needed to read it.
OUTSTANDING!.......2007-01-30
I bought this book in 1990 and still have my copy with multi-layers of highlighting. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I learned so much and, to this day, I still use the term "psuedo intimacy" in discussions about relationships. (I also refer to "psuedo love" which SP does not use in her book but which is clearly inspired by her and inferred.)
From Chapter 6: "Understanding the distinction between pseudo-intimate games and real intimacy is the best defense against getting deeply involved with a person who cannot open up to you, become vulnerable, and share closely in the way a lifetime of living together demands." "...now, a relationship can move from formal to friendly to sexual in the course of one evening. ... The (Closeness Game) game looks and feels like genuine intimacy but leaves you feeling empty in the end."
From Chapter 10: "...if you are still single because of a lack of self-awareness and self-acceptance, then all the strategies and techniques in the world won't be very useful to you. A good relationship with yourself is a prerequisite for a successful relationship with the person you love. If you don't love yourself, you will place an unfair and impossible burden on your partner: you will try to get him or her to make you feel good about yourself. ...self awareness is an ongoing, ever expanding process."
That and much, much more is contained within the pages of this book. Highly, highly, highly recommended. Life-changing (for the better).
Average customer rating:
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If I'm So Wonderful, Why Am I Still Single?
Susan Page
Manufacturer: Piatkus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Job Hunting & Careers
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ASIN: 0749924608 |
Average customer rating:
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If I'm So Wonderful Why Am I Still Single?
Susan Page
Manufacturer: Grafton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Relationships
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| Codependency
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ASIN: 0586204997 |
Average customer rating:
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If I'm So Wonderful, Why Am I Still Single?
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Self-Help
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| Abuse
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| General
| Handwriting Analysis
| Happiness
| Hypnosis
| Inner Child
| Journal Writing
| Memory Improvement
| Motivational
| Personal Transformation
| Self-Esteem
| Spiritual
| Stress Management
| Success
| Time Management
ASIN: 9992414375 |
Books:
- The Last Temptation of Christ
- The Man with a Load of Mischief
- The Song of Hannah : A Novel
- The Spirit Archives, Volume 17
- The Terra-Cotta Dog: An Inspector Montalbano Mystery
- The Visitant (The Anasazi Mysteries, Book 1)
- Tooth and Nail (An Inspector Rebus Novel)
- Tuesdays with Mantu: My Adventures with a Nigerian Con Artist
- Two Trains Running: A Novel
- U.S.A.: The 42nd Parallel / 1919 / The Big Money (Library of America)
Books Index
Books Home
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- In Camera: Francis Bacon: Photography, Film and the Practice of Painting
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- Pharmacotherapy
- LifePlace: Bioregional Thought and Practice
- Following Hadrian: A Second-Century Journey through the Roman Empire
- The Letters of Franklin K. Lane