The Enlightened Gardener: A Novel

Customer Reviews:

Can a simple book alter the way you see the world?.......2007-09-09

Sydney Banks' The Enlightened Gardener is a simple book. Like all of Mr. Banks novels, this book presents simple characters, environments, and ideas with the focus on dialogue rather than action. Those used to reading self-help literature might find themselves even snickering at the flowery nature of the author's prose and lack of complexity in the relationships of the characters. When the book is finished, however, the world changes, as the reader's ego is unaware that it has been charmed into seeing something new, something valuable. The next book in the series, The Enlightened Gardener Revisited, continues to charm while even more eclectic concepts are offered to relax your thinking and create the "good feeling" Mr. Banks is noted for creating in those who meet him or read his works.

Truly "enlightening".......2007-01-04

Truly well written making the reader realize how "easy" it could be to have a life that is happy and peaceful and that it all depends very simply on HOW we THINK. Great for anyone who wants a simple book. In its utter simplicity it has shown you that it is not difficult to have a better life.

Simple Wisdom, Hidden Treasures.......2001-11-26

In this little book, a wise and humorous old gardener converses with four psychologists about the nature of life. In spite of the fact that his views go against all their training and beliefs, the therapists find themselves intrigued and captivated.
Reading these conversations, I am often stopped in my tracks by a sentence or a phrase that suddenly brings a profound feeling or a deep insight. At that point, there is no need to read further; I put the book aside for a time, feeling full and grateful.
I recommend The Enlightened Gardener to anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the connection between spirit and psychology, or anyone just hoping to find a deeper understanding of life. Beneath the simplicity of style lie hidden treasures, appearing when you may least expect them.

Sheds new light on the subject of mental wellbeing.......2001-08-09

In the novel The Enlightened Gardner we are whisked away to the charm and beauty of the English countryside, while being offered a chance to catch glimpses of our true spiritual nature. Through the words of the main character, in his conversations with a small group of professionals, we are given the opportunity to experience peace and contentment beyond what we thought possible. This book will draw you back for more than one reading, and have you continually looking at life from a fresher and more positive perspective.

Wow!.......2001-08-02

Wow!

The first chapter or two are a bit on the fluffy side, but when you get to the discussions with "the gardner," things get philosophically deep, real deep. What a refreshing take on how the mind and our thoughts interplay to make who we are. I've read Banks's other books, and this is by far the best and most successful attempt that Sydney has made in relating his understanding of how mind, consciousness, and thought affect and direct our lives. I also enjoyed his previous book "The Missing Link," but a couple of my colleagues that read it found it to be like popcorn...it tastes great while your eating it, but it doesn't fill you up. I disagree with their opinion on "The Missing Link" to a certain extent, and also agree with them to a certain extent, but I can honestly say that the enlightened gardner isn't popcorn--this is a full pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream (Double Chocolate Fudge Brownie flavor). Banks has clearly gone to another level of conveying his unique perspective on life through analogies that are simply perfect (Ugh!, I can't stand using that word, but I can't think of a better synonym right now). For those who may have had trouble grasping the paradox of the concurrent simplicity and complexity of his message in the past, this book is hard to argue with--it's that convincing. I'm already passing this around the office, but enough sugar...

Book Description

Dear Reader,

In my Brides Trilogy, three unconventional young women vow never to marry, only-one by one-to be overtaken by destiny.  Scholarly Olivia is most certainly The Least Likely Bride--

One moment Lady Olivia Granville is strolling along a path, her nose buried in a tome of Greek philosophy; the next she is plunging down a rocky cliff. When she regains consciousness, she is naked and unwittingly trapped on a pirate ship.  Her captor, though, is no ordinary pirate.  Wickedly handsome, disturbingly mysterious, the grey-eyed master of the Wind Dancer is both a physician and an artist, and admits to making his living from the sea.

Most disconcerting of all, when he turns his glittering eyes on her, he sees not the stammering, hopelessly bookish young girl Olivia has always been, but a passionate, beautiful woman who can, if she chooses, embark on the adventure and the love of a lifetime.

I invite you to share in Olivia's passionate, enchanting adventure.

Warmest wishes,
(signed)Jane Feather

P.S. For Portia's story, be sure to read The Hostage Bride, and you will catch Phoebe's story in The Accidental Bride.  And look for my next novel, The Window's Kiss, in early 2001-- in which my heroine has been widowed not less than four times!

Customer Reviews:

The worst of the three.......2006-03-28

I had such high hopes for Olivia! I read all three books in a span of about two weeks (this one being the last).

Olivia's character had such great possibility! Too bad it was wasted on quick fixes in the name of "enthrallment" (Olivia's excuse for all of her actions in this book). After swearing off men, Olivia's circumstances wind her up in the care of a pirate, Anthony. There is the immediate connection that generally takes place with all romance stories, but this one doesn't quite work for me.

Anthony, because of some psychic ability that they don't elaborate on or use to its fullest potential to develop the story, realizes (while Olivia is unconscious) that he is meant for this woman. No development of love or attraction, just that he "knows" she is the one. I guess I could live with that if that was the only problem with this book.

Olivia on the other hand, without this knowledge, gives up her entire way of life for a moment of satisfaction in the name of "enthrallment." For example, after only knowing Anthony for about 20 minutes, she decides she is also a pirate, jumps on board a ship he is robbing and helps him steal. Then she becomes obsessed with the guy, without any real reason. She lies to her family, betrays her father (Cato from the previous story) and abandons any dignity she might still have.

I was really disappointed in Olivia. The way she treated her father and abused his trust is sad. She never once gave information to her father about Anthony, but every chance she got she betrayed her father and his plans to Anthony. A father who believed he was speaking his opinion and thoughts to a daughter he could trust. She basically became a spy in her own household. Something the book never actually addresses.

The sad thing is, when she finally confronts her father on this, he is the one who has to give in. She accepts no responsibility for her betrayal, because she is "in love." And Cato just accepts this a little too easily for me. Especially since he was in the right and she in the wrong.

Jane Feather does an excellent job with writing descriptions and placing you in the time period. I just wish she gave more thought to developing her characters and their motivations.

A GREAT ADVENTURE.......2005-04-26

This is a tale of revenge and retribution set against the backdrop of Charles the Stuart's imprisonment by Parliament in the year 1648. Anthony Caxton has no loyalty to king or country but because of his debt to his surrogate mother, he has become the only man with the means to spring King Charles from his enforced exile on the Isle of Wight. Anthony, artist, physician and pirate-extraordinaire, has become somewhat of a folk hero to the islanders, hiring most of their young sons as sailors.

Olivia Granville is only living on the island since her father's appointment as Parliament's watchdog. Olivia is a noted scholar and spends her time reading Greek philosophy and playing chess - not a very adventurous existence. With her nose literally in a book, she stumbles off a cliff and into the waiting arms of one of Anthony's men. She suffers a concussion and wakes up 3 days later in Anthony's cabin, naked. Once she has regained consciousness, Anthony allows her to participate in a pirate operation, treats her to a moonlit dinner on the deck of his ship and gives her one night of passion - this is heady stuff for an avowed bookworm! Unlike some other reviewers, I felt the author accurately captured this magical connection that Anthony and Olivia had from the moment of their first meeting.

Olivia was willing to throw caution to the wind and embark on an adventure knowing that once over, the memories would have to sustain her for the rest of her lonely life. She saw Anthony's goodness and the loyalty he engendered in his crew. He tenderly championed her cause against the ghost from her past, all the while making her feel cherished and loved.

I was little disappointed in the epilogue. I would like to think that Anthony would marry Olivia if children came, considering the circumstances of his own birth. It really isn't necessary to read the two earlier books in this trilogy. The author gives us enough background so that you can catch up.

BEST OF THE THREE!!!.......2004-05-27

This book is absolutely the best book i've read in a LONG LONG while. Definately the best of the trilogy! Anthony was a very sexy, very romantic, sensual, yet a bit dangerous hero, and every scene between Olivia and him was hot. I loved these two together immensely...I've read other Jane feather books before this but never enjoyed one as much as this one. The love scenes were the best i've ever read, and when Anthony and Olivia were'nt together i always anticipated how they would meet and react in each other's presense again... I found this book refereshingly exciting to read. In light of what the previous reviewers have said 'it's true' some might not like the ending and in truth i would have liked a better ending too but i got over it, if Olivia didn't mind being Anthony's doxy than i didn't care BECAUSE overall the book was awesome to read. I recommend it to everyone who likes to read their romances' dangerous, exhileratingly passionate with two of the most strongest, intelligent and compelling main characters' ever paired. ENJOY! :>

Where's the Romance?.......2004-05-17

Lady Olivia Granville, a most avid scholar, is reading while walking along the cliff's edge, when her footing gives way and she falls down the side. She's rescued by Anthony, a handsome Royalist pirate, whose political agenda is in direct conflict with that of her noble father. She wakes on his pirate ship, The Wind Dancer, where Anthony has used his knowledge of healing to care for her wounds. As a child, Olivia and her two closest friends made a pact never to marry. Anthony and Olivia's relationship quickly turns intimate, but she still has no desire to marry, and Anthony doesn't live within the law. So how will these two ever get together?

The answer to that question is surprising, and one of the reasons I was less than thrilled with this book. The ending was not typical of a romance novel, and while original, it lacked the, "they're so much in love, and will live happily ever after feel" I like to end up with when I finish a book. This novel also seemed to be more about sex than romance and love. In the beginning of the story, she regained consciousness and realized she was naked in his bed, and he had no problem convincing her to have casual sex with him?! With a man she didn't even know? The writing is good, but I have definite issues with the content of the story. The author does incorporate some heavier issues with Olivia's suppressed memories of child sexual abuse. But I think that only added to the dysfunctional feel of their casual sex relationship, which was supposed to pass for love. And then of course, the dysfunction continues with the ending.

This is apparently the third book in a trilogy, but this was the first novel for me to read by this author. And since this, I haven't read anything else by her, for fear this book is typical of her work. I wouldn't recommend reading this, but if you're a Feather fan, you may feel differently.

Least likely to read over again.......2003-07-30

Unfortunately, other than the well-crafted writing, the story itself was quite unrealistic and not convincing. I felt the characters were twenty-first century people dressed in costumes. They just did things for the sake of it, like play chess on the whim of the moment. There was no conscience on Olivia's part, other than a blocked memory of abuse. In those days, I would think people had more ethics than what the story leads you to believe.

The story was a cross between a fantasy and a single woman's worst nightmare.

I was hoping that as I read more, that something good will happen in the story. It just got worse.

Average customer rating:
LEAST LIKELY BRIDE (BRIDES, NO 3)
JANE FEATHER
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RFWVIM

Average customer rating:
The Least Likely Bride(unabridged Audio Cass)
JANE FEATHER
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 0788749889

Average customer rating:
The Bride Trilogy: The Hostage Bride, The Accidental Bride, The Least Likely Bride (Set of 3 Historical Romance Novels)
Jane Feather
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000T82M0O

Average customer rating:
JANE FEATHER (The Accidental Bride - Least Likely Bride - Hostage Bride)
Jane Feather
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000RDIONK

Customer Reviews:

Good Miles Vorkosigan Omnibus.......2007-02-25

MILES, MYSTERY & MAYHEM (2001) is an omnibus edition, featuring three stories related to the "Miles Vorkosigan Universe". These series of stories can best be described as Science Fiction Murder Mysteries - with Miles Vorkosigan usually being at the center of attention in the stories, to play a kind of "Columbo in Space"... Miles was born with a number of birth defects caused by his mother being exposed to poison during her pregnancy with Miles - which have basically left him as "a weak runt"... however, Miles is quite intelligent, and is usually able to work within his limitations to get to the bottom of problems which crop up in his work.

These are the first full length Miles Vorkosigan stories I've read... I was first exposed to an excellent short story featuring Miles, WEATHERMAN(1990), which was part of the recently published SPACE OPERA RENAISSANCE short story collection. The back of MILES, MYSTERY & MAYHEM features a chronology of the Mile Vorkosigan Universe, but oddly enough, the excellent story WEATHERMAN is not mentioned in the list.

Following are brief reviews of each of the individual stories from MILES, MYSTERY & MAYHEM:

CETAGANDA(1996)**** - Miles and cousin Ivan are dispatched to the heart of the Cetaganda Empire (a former bitter enemy of the Barrayar Empire of whose space military Miles and Ivan serve), where they are to attend a series of formal gatherings to honor the recently deceased Empress... all sorts of intrigue follows, including a murder of an androgynous high-level servant, of which Miles had been intended to be framed for. Great fun, with a few laughs interspersed thoughout.

ETHAN OF ATHOS(1986) **** - Similar in many ways to A. Bertram Chandler's John Grimes tale SPARTAN PLANET(1968), about an isolated planet made up purely of males who reproduce using artificial wombs. In this story, one of the main characters comes from the all-male planet Athos, from which he has been sent on a solo mission on a shoestring budget to acquire a fresh batch of producing overies, as the planet's producing ovaries have been overly-cloned, and are no longer viable... of course, intrigue and murder insue. Miles himself is not an active participant in the story - with the main character being played by Mile's #1 spy Ellie Quinn.

LABYRINTH(1989) ***** - Short story, but best of the batch. LABYRINTH has great characters, high adventure, strange romance, believable genetic technologies, and even has a wild chase scene near the end.

These stories are great entertainment, I will certainly be reading more, and don't doubt at this point that I'll end up reading most of the whole series.

The third compilation book based on the Vorkisigian Family.......2006-08-17

Miles is safely graduated from the academy, but also firmly entrenched in Security. This is 2 novels and 1 short story. The first, Cetaganda, is Miles at his operating without a net best. He and his cousin are sent to Cetaganda, the evil home of the Cetaganda Empire, for a funeral of the Dowager Empress, the mother of the current Emperor. Now if you remember Earthly kingdoms histories these aren't, generally, powerful positions; but in the case of the Cetagandan Empire, the Dowager Empress is co-ruler of the Empire, because she controls the genetics of the Empire. This is a murder mystery with potentially disastrous Galactic consequences. Miles is only 2 steps in front of disaster through the whole book.

Next comes Ethan of Athos, Lois McMaster Bujold's third novel. This is a spy novel without the chief spy Miles. Ethan is from Athos a planet settled by a brotherhood that elimates women as the root of all evil. Unfortunately, the ovaries that they use to produce sons are breaking down and they need a new supply to keep the planet going. Ethan, a reproduction specialist is sent get the new supply. The enemy is a group of Cetagandan spies who are after Terrance Cee, an escaped experimental project of the Cetagandan gene spicing experiment for mindreading spies. In the end, Ethan lives up to his sobriquet with the help of Terrence and Elli Quinn an operative of the Dendarii Free Mercenaries. This has a more than satisfying end to a real adventure story.

In the short story "Labyrinth" Miles returns to the Dendarii Free Mercenaries on a mission to free a bio-engineer from an onerous contract. Miles runs into a teenage werewolf genius who wants him to prove that she is human, and a Quaddie musician with rival criminal syndicates fighting over her. This is a fun short story that also looks at bio-experimentation and gene-splicing and this is what really ties all three stories together. An interesting look at how science can effect the future of mankind.

These are also 3 good nexcuses to read the Queen of Science Fiction (4 Hugos and 2 Nebulas and still counting, almost every book gets nominated for 1 or the other or both). This is a great way to get classic works for less.

Excellent Writing!.......2006-06-21

I hate to see reviews from older fans marking this book down just because the stories are reprints. I am new to the series, and I thought this made a pretty good introduction in general, and the writing in all three stories was very good. I wasn't really sure which books in the Vorkosigan Saga to read first, and I couldn't find any consensus choice online, so I just grabbed this and jumped in. It was very enjoyable.

Cetaganda, the first and longest, involves Miles in Interstellar intrigues and a murder mystery. Ethan of Athos doesn't include Miles directly, but involves his Dendarii Free Mercenaries and the Cetagandans again. Labryinth, the shortest, has Miles's and the Dendarii Free Mercenaries in a covert op. By the end of all three, you will have a pretty good idea of Miles place in the world and his relationship with the DFM.

All three have a very high standard of writing. Bujold has a very effective way of rendering genuine characters. There is little emphasis on technology or Sci-Fi baubles; the real meat of the stories are the real, deep motivations of the characters themselves. It's very engrossing, and a joy to read. I highly recommend this collection.

Another Omnibus edition representing the best and worst of the series........2006-03-28

Miles, Mystery & Mayhem is the third omnibus (collection of works combined into one book) in Bujold's Vorkosigan series. These collections feature events that take place in chronological order but were written in non-chronological order. Many debates have arisen regarding the best way to read Bujold's Vorkorsigan adventures but I agree with the overwhelming popular choice of reading them in the chronological order of events. This collection features Ceteganda, Ethan of Ethos and the novella The Labyrinth.

Ceteganda is an example of Bujold at her best. Miles quickly finds himself in a diplomatic dilemma after landing on Ceteganda for a funeral. Political intrigue and mystery abound as Miles finds himself in the familiar situation of having to use hits wits to manipulate people and discover information in order to save his skin. This is where Bujold shines as she mixes delicious political intrigue with clever and likeable characterization. Miles is smart and witty and I found myself smiling in awe as he unravels mysteries and talks himself out of every situation. On top of that Bujold creates one of the more interesting alien societies in her portrayal of the complex Cetagandans.

"Ethan of Athos" falls in the Vorkorsigan series although Miles doesn't really appear in the story at all. In instead follows the adventures of displaced man from an all male planet, and the feisty Ms. Quinn, Miles's future lover. Therein lies the biggest problem that also plagued Falling Free. A story that takes place in the Vorkosigan series that doesn't include Miles is equivalent to a movie that takes place in Gotham without Batman. While the all male Athos society was an interesting, everything else was mediocre at best Bujold should of replaced with Quinn with Miles in this story.

"Labyrinth" is a fantastic short story that comes out of the gate at a shotgun's pace and never lets up until the end. Again it's Miles overcoming his physical differences and using his amazing understanding of the human psyche to overcome impossible odds. It's worth going to the bookstore and reading this there since many will already have read the other two novels.

Finally, I've seen a lot of negative reviews about people complaining how this collection is just reprints of older books. It upsets me that Amazon allows these idiots to post these negative reviews which are solely the results of losers whining because they bought something without even reading the back of the cover.

Bottom Line: Another must read in the fantastic world of Vorkosigan. Skipping Ethan of Athos wouldn't be unforgivable by any means.

Bujold's works are art in the form of Literature.......2003-09-26

Lois is in my opinion one of the best artists in the world of literature. The way she weaves the tapestry in a combination of storyline locations and characters is like watching a magician on stage linking the rings and then cutting the woman in half and then flying off the stage to rescue the maden...wait a minute, thats what Miles(Bujold's best Character) does best.
Her books are simply must reads for any fan of Science Fiction or Fantasy.
Steve

Mystery Mile (Felony & Mayhem Mysteries)

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Campion steps out of the shadows
Campion emerges as the leading man
Campion's First Starring Role
"Deserving cases preferred"
an outstanding thriller

Mystery Mile (Felony & Mayhem Mysteries)
Margery Allingham
Manufacturer: Felony & Mayhem
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

British Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1933397446

Book Description

With his first case (see The Crime at Black Dudley), Albert Campion, that chatty, peculiar young man, scored a genteely British coup. His new client, though, is the very American Judge Crowdy Lobbett. His Honor has come into possession of evidence identifying the criminal mastermind behind a gang that is terrorizing New York, and the gang, in response, has begun terrorizing Judge Lobbett.

For safety, Campion sends the Judge and his family to Mystery Mile, a secluded house deep in the British countryside. But that safety is illusory: Soon after their arrival the local vicar is killed - a clear message from the gang. The gang, however, has underestimated Campion. Beneath his stream of banter is a razor-sharp detective's intellect, and while he always has a quip at the ready, he is soon sending deadly serious messages of his own.

Customer Reviews:

Campion steps out of the shadows.......2006-04-14

This is technically the second Campion mystery, he was a secondary character in THE BLACK DUDLEY but here he steps up to center stage. As the story opens Campion is abroad a trans Atlantic liner headed to London from New York. He manages to avert a tragic accident with a magic act and strike up an acquaintance with a rather overbearing Turkish art dealer. These two seemingly unrelated incidents lead Campion to the role of bodyguard to a retired American judge and his family who are being threatened by a Master Criminal and his gang. Campion calls on old friends who live in an out of the way country village to shelter his charges but trouble soon follows, or was it waiting? Campion finds himself surrounded by death and destruction before he remerges bloodied but of course, triumphant.

This is a mystery thriller very typical of the late 1920 and '30's period complete with lovely damsel in distress, plucky girl sidekick, loyal companion, sinister master criminal complete with far flung network. The hero is always just a bit ahead of everyone else and of course knows just the right people to get the job done but not before he demonstrates his driving skill and great courage overcoming pain.

If you are a fan of the early Saint novels, or Lord Peter Wimsey then you will enjoy this series, Campion has a lot in common with both. He has a mysterious past like the Saint but has a rather loose working relationship with the police like Lord Peter. Like both he keeps up a lightheated banter and shows a mischevious sense of humor.

The flaws of this series are that it is rather dated at times. Some of Campions quips fall flat simply because today's readers just don't understand the 80 year old references. It is also obvious that Allingham is getting to know Campion here, he is very like Sayers' Lord Peter in this one, a resemblence that will diminish in time. Still the plot, while fantastic is clever, the clues to the mysteries are all present but challenging to the reader. The characters do all come to life, even the secondary ones, and the setting is described quite well. All of this comes together to make this a fun read and a great place to begin this series.

Campion emerges as the leading man.......2001-11-03

In the Black Dudley Murder, Allingham's first book, Albert Campion is one of an ensemble cast. In Mystery Mile, Campion emerges as the clear star - abet a somewhat mysterious and charmingly quirky one. I think I'm going to like Albert a great deal. He's already showing a wicked sense of humor and irony. He's clever but hardly perfect. And there is a real sense of mystery about him - what is his real identity?

This mystery is a solid example of a pre-Depression mystery with a family of swaggering Americans, a mysterious "oriental" (definately a pre-political correctness book), an English country house and a wonderful villian - Simister. Albert meets the Americans on ship when he saves the father's life. It turns out that it was the fifth attempt on the man's life - he's a judge who has a lead on Simister's identity. The book revolves around Albert's efforts to both protect the judge and track down Simister.

Bottom-line: a very pleasant read with enough twists and turns to keep a reader interested. The late 1920 atmosphere is particularly wonderful.

Campion's First Starring Role.......2001-02-22

One year after his initial appearance in Crime at the Black Dudley, Albert Campion is back. And what a difference a year makes. This Campion is completely fleshed out. He is now, officially the Universal Aunt (`your adventures undertaken for a fee'). Also present are his regular compatriots Lugg (his man) and Stanislaus Oates of Scotland Yard. And let's not forget Autolycus the Jackdaw (who lays an egg).

It is as if Campion has been reinvented out of whole cloth. And it's just wonderful. Campion keeps up a steady patter of nonsense, bad jokes and horrible puns, interspersed with the plants and plots the keep him and his fellow characters alive.

American judge Crowdy Lobbett is saved from one of a series of attempts on his life by Albert's timely intercession with a mouse. As a result Campion is taken on to save the judge from an early demise at the hands of Simister (see The Black Dudley). Lobbett has a clue to Simister's true identity and the evil mastermind intends to remove this threat.

In a stroke of brilliance Campion convinces the Judge to move himself and his family to Mystery Mile at the residence of his two friends Biddy and Giles Paget. This has an inauspicious start when Swithin Cush, the vicar, commits suicide after a session with a palm reader. In short order the Judge disappears and Biddy is kidnapped. The Judge's children Marlowe and Isopel get entangled with the Pagets and typical Allingham version of a Chinese fire drill comes to pass. Allingham's books rarely lack for action, and Mystery Mile is no exception.

Campion often loses in love, but Mystery Mile proves he can win our hearts. He lacks the brilliance of Sayer's Lord Peter Whimsey, but he is by far the cleverer. Bit players like Thomas Knapp and his terrifying mother never fail to enchant, as Allingham shows off a knack at capturing British dialects. This volume spells the establishment of one of mysteries most loved series. One that you will enjoy for many years to come.

"Deserving cases preferred".......2000-05-30

When Judge Lobett's life is threatened with murder by a deadly gang that no one can stop, Campion takes on the challenge.

"Deserving cases preferred" takes on a whole new meaning when it becomes clear that the judge has a clue to the identity of the secretive gang leader. Campion has to protect the judge, decipher the clue, and find a killer in order to keep Lobbett from hearing the seventh whistle that would spell his doom...

Mystery Mile was the second Campion novel that Allingham wrote, and the first in which he really stands as the solitary hero of the piece. It has some roughness in the writing which she would work out later in the series, but is still a charming and witty book. Highly recommended.

an outstanding thriller.......1998-03-08

Mystery Mile was the first Albert Campion mystery that I read. It is an enjoyable, well paced and often thrilling story. Campion is on the trail of a murderer and together with some friends and allies lures the criminal to the Essex marshes and a breath-taking denouement. One of Allingham's best.

MILES, MYSTERY & MAYHEM (MILES VORKOSIGAN)

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MILES, MYSTERY & MAYHEM (MILES VORKOSIGAN)
LOIS MCMASTER BUJOLD
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IZANGI

The Miles Vorkosigan/Naismith Series: Falling Free, Cordelia's Honor; Young Miles; Miles, Mystery & Mayhem; Miles Errant; Memory; Komarr; A Civil Contract; and Irresistible Forces

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The Miles Vorkosigan/Naismith Series: Falling Free, Cordelia's Honor; Young Miles; Miles, Mystery & Mayhem; Miles Errant; Memory; Komarr; A Civil Contract; and Irresistible Forces
Lois McMaster Bujold
Manufacturer: Baen Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000W4TJRY

Product Description

Nine books containing The Miles Vorkosigan/Naismith Series, including both the Novels and the Short Stories: Falling Free, Cordelia's Honor (Shards of Honor & Barrayar); Young Miles (The Warrior's Apprentice, "The Mountains of Mourning", and The Vor Game); Miles, Mystery & Mayhem (Cetaganda, Ethan of Athos, & "Labyrinth") Miles Errant ("The Borders of Infinity", Brothers in Arms, & Mirror Dance); Memory; Komarr; A Civil Contract; and Irresistible Forces ("Winterfair Gifts")

Miles, Mystery & Mayhem: Cetaganda, Ethan of Athos, and Labyrinth

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Great Omnibus

Miles, Mystery & Mayhem: Cetaganda, Ethan of Athos, and Labyrinth
Lois McMaster Bujold
Manufacturer: Baen Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OOI2SY

Product Description

Diplomat, soldier, spy -- Lieutenant Lord Miles Naismith Vorkosigan of the Barrayaran Empire, a.k.a. Admiral Naismith of the Dendarii Free Mercenaries, is a young man of many parts. Miles and his handsome cousin Ivan are called upon to play a simple diplomatic role on the capital world of Barrayar's old enemy until murder and deceit thrust them into Cetagandan internal politics at the highest levels, and Miles discovers the secrets of the haut-women's biological domain to be very complicated indeed. Commander Elli Quinn, sent by Miles on the trail of those secrets, meets a man who marches to the beat of a very different drummer. Dr. Ethan Urquhart, obstetrician from a planet forbidden to women, is on a quest at cross-purposes to Elli's mission -- or is it? Consequences of Cetagandan bioengineering continue to play out, this time on a Dendarii sortie to the crime planet of Jackson's Whole. When he encounters a genetically altered super-soldier, Miles's routine rescue strike takes a sudden hard turn for the unanticipated. Publisher's Note: Miles, Mystery & Mayhem was previously published in parts as Cetaganda, Ethan of Athos, and "Labyrinth." This is the first unified edition.

Customer Reviews:

Great Omnibus.......2007-05-12

Amazon.com

Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes, by Eamon Duffy, is a wonder of comprehensive compression--a sumptuously illustrated, one-volume history of one of the most influential human institutions in world history. Duffy's lively portraits of the 261 scholars, scoundrels, and spiritual guides who have led the Roman Catholic Church are embedded in six historical essays that proceed chronologically from St. Peter to John Paul II. Duffy, a reader in church history and fellow at Cambridge, writes in the mannered yet affable tone of an avuncular English don. His narrative and arguments convey his own Catholic conviction that "the story of the popes is a crucial dimension of the providential care of God for humankind throughout history." Yet he also offers candid assessments of papal moral failings, including spectacular failures such as the orchestration of the Spanish Inquisition and the willed ignorance of Germany's Third Reich. Duffy's glossary of theological terms ensures that no secular reader will be lost in Christian arcana, and his excellent bibliographical essay will help motivated students zero in on the best resources for learning more about any period of Catholic history. For readers primarily concerned with current events, his analysis of John Paul II's papacy is extraordinarily useful and refreshingly free of cant. "To many people Pope John Paul seems a backward-looking figure, a man attempting to force a champagne cork back into the bottle," Duffy writes. "To others, he points the way towards a recovery of balance, a restoration of order and true faith in the flux of time. Only time, and the next conclave, will reveal which of these directions in their long walk through history the heirs of St. Peter will take." --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

This engrossing book encompasses the extraordinary history of the papacy, from its beginnings nearly two thousand years ago to the reign of Pope John Paul II. In this edition, Duffy has revised and updated the final chapter on twentieth-century Popes and added a supplement on the method by which the next Pope will be elected.

Customer Reviews:

saints and sinners:a history of the popes.......2006-08-10

an extensive overview of the Popes,excellent reading,in-depth and still enjoy the book and will always use it for future references.i highly recommend this reading to anyone who wants to read about the Holy fathers.

An Informative Window on the Origins of Modern Christianity.......2006-07-10

Mr. Duffy does a fine and scholarly job of throwing light on the early days and evolution of Christianity following the deaths of the Apostles.

Though a declared Catholic himself, the author does not shirk his scholarly duty or flinch in portraying the corrupt and sordid turmoil which traditional, institutional Christianity asks us to believe was the historical conduit - now two thousand years long - through which the truth about Jesus Christ and his teachings has been conveyed to the modern world.

With the historical record before us in such credible scholarly works as Mr. Duffy's, who but a total fool could believe for a minute that what we have received from this debauched and corrupt tradition is a trustworthy and dependable rendering of the religion of Jesus Christ?

What reasonable person could believe that any of the outrageous historical shenanigans depicted in Mr. Duffy's book were authorized, empowered and approved by the God of either the Old or New Testatment, or would have been looked upon with favor by the humble Man of Nazarath himself?

By what distortion or corruption of logic and common sense could a person living today be asked to believe that, having traveled long and only lately emerged - if indeed it has emerged - from the very sewer of history, this tradition does, in its many modern institutional varieties and variations, Catholic, Protestant and Othodox, somehow accurately and thoroughly convey to us the mind and will of God and the "good news" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Not likely, friends.

Ron Jones
Sandy, Utah

very good.......2005-09-30

i am pleased with this purchase. i just wish that more books of this nature were available in larger print. overall i am very pleased

OK Book.......2004-10-08

I am a complete history buff and particularly European history. I was looking for a book about the history of papacy and after doing a lot of research on Amazon, I got this book. First of all I didn't like the style of writing; it was a bit difficlut to read. Secondly and overall, it didn't talk about the world that was going on around the past 1800 years of papacy, how the European culture was being formed/influenced, various wars and famines, etc. For example, the book barely talks about the inquisitions!! I was so looking forward to learning about inquisition, but not a whole lot.
But there is still a very good amount of interesting information in the book, and I admit I leanred a lot.

I have been reading books from Ross King lately, and I find them just amazing and resourceful (Brunelleschi's Dome and Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling) Don't get fooled by the titles, the books talk so much more than just a dome and ceiling, the books talk about art history, history of the region, famous and influential people of the time, etc. I just can't get enough of his work.

Saints and Sinners Indeed.......2004-07-09

Eamon Duffy's small tome - a contradiction in terms, admittedly, but such a contradiction aptly fits its subject matter - is probably about as detailed a history as one could have in slightly less than 400 pages. Duffy aims towards a fair, balanced view not only of the papacy's history, but of individual popes. The title of the book itself describes not only those that make up the history of the papacy, but the conflicting tendencies that existed within individual popes as well.

Part of the benefit of reading this book is that one not only learns the socio-historical elements of the papacy - and it should be remembered that the papacy is the most administrative and political element of the Roman Catholic church - but the development of the theology behind the papacy. The primacy of the bishop of Rome emerges as the most historically contentious issue. Duffy notes that the 2nd century Church Father Irenaeus gives the Church of Rome a place of primacy in his writings, but that the idea of the pope being successor of St. Peter the apostle is not documented until the 3rd century. The tensions between the bishop of Rome and the bishop of Constantinople begin to develop more after Constantine moves the center of the Roman Empire from Rome to Constantinople, wedding politics to religion in Constantinople in a new way.

Duffy writes that until Charlemagne, the Church of the East was not only the hotbed of the heresy, but also the hotbed of political dissidents; that such political-religious friction should exist in the capital of the Roman Empire, given the new union of religion to politics, is not surprising. Duffy tries to sort through the various political-religious controversies of this time period, but it becomes obvious that splitting religion from politics in the ancient Roman empire is difficult, if not impossible to do. The history of the papacy between 1054 (the Great Schism between the East and the West) through Napoleon is largely corrupt, however. Once the empire split in two, Rome becomes the political-religious center of the West and the papacy's spirituality degenerates as it is continually thrown to the highest bidder. The Reformation and the religious wars of the 17th century appear to be inevitable. The fragmentation of Europe into nation-states, although largely political, was not without theological ramifications.

Interestingly enough, the distance between the spiritual and secular-political elements of the papacy happens with the theological development of papal infallibility during Vatican I. The official teaching steered clear of the radical views of the Ultramontanists, who held that everything the pope taught was infallible - that revelation was "on tap", as Duffy puts it. Vatican I still gave to the papacy (the office, not the pope as an individual) a level of primacy and honor that has long been claimed by the bishop of Rome, but it rendered the pope's "infallibility" only in matters pertaining to faith and morals (therefore, not politics, science, art, etc.), of concern to the whole church and in consultation with other bishops; the pope will be guided by God should he speak "ex cathedra" - from the chair of Peter. Duffy immediately notes that this has only happened one time, on the issue of the assumption of Mary into heaven (which the vast majority of Christians have believed since at least the second century). Despite the controversy that this doctrine has brought about, Duffy's coverage of it causes it to seem rather anti-climactic.

The book may end seeming a bit dated to some, as the last chapter only goes through 1997 (with a passing reference, oddly enough, to 2002). Duffy covers the highly controversial papacy of Pius XII with a good bit of critical sympathy and then proceeds to discuss the period of Vatican II and what a watershed event it was. He notes the theological changes, the political tensions and the changes that occurred between popes John XXIII and Paul VI as the latter continued to convene the council. He concludes with the current pope, John Paul II, noting his philosophical brilliance, his desire for reunion with the Eastern Orthodox Church and his conservativism regarding the theology of the papacy. He notes that John Paul II is a complex figure, at once a humanist and theologically conservative, defying the simple labels of "liberal" or "conservative". Although John Paul II's full history has yet to be written, Duffy provides an excellent trajectory from where he has gone to where he is likely to go by the end of his life.

My only complaint with the book is that Duffy shows something of an ambivalent attachment style to most of the popes after 1054. While a "liberal" such as John XXIII garners heavy praise from him, other popes less conducive to the modern era are denigrated. The question is, "what makes the modern era so great and why should modernizing trends be seen as necessary and/or good?" In many ways, I agree with Duffy, but would also prefer to not have a pope praised at one point and then berated only a few pages later; at points Duffy sounds like a broken record as he oscillates between the two for one pope after another.

In the end, though, this is a very well written book. The appendices - a list of the popes, a glossary and how a pope is made today - are helpful. The history of the papacy is a thick one and Duffy does not make light of this, including at the end of his book a bibliographical essay that details secondary and primary sources that further illuminate each time period he covers. For a fuller understanding of Western political and/or religious history, historical theology and/or Roman Catholicism, this is a find edition to include in one's library.

Average customer rating:
Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes, Second Edition
Eamon Duffy
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORVLU2

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