Inpired Prose. Wonderful Historical Context and an Herbal Cornucopia
593264
When I first heard the title of this book, A Gypsy in New York, I thought to myself, how can one be a gypsy in New York of all places? Juliette de Bairacli Levy brings the life of the modern gypsy in that great city to vivid life. She tells of the places and tenements the gypsies of NY used to inhabit, of their tent villages and she tells of her search to find them again after the areas where they used were gone, victims of urban renewal and growth.

She speaks of how the gypsies of NY spend the winters in the apartments of New York, always as close to the ground floor as they can possibly get. She speaks of gypsy magic and gypsy fortune tellers, and even of how she herself learned to read palms.

She mentions the small size of the gypsy population in Manhattan at that time, around 3,000 and one can only imagine how difficult it must have been to try to locate so small a population in so vast a space.

Her writing is divine, her prose inspired. Even when she is discussing something as mundane as the filth of sidewalks her descriptive gift vividly calls the image to life for you. As she paints the image of skyscrapers and old buildings being torn down so new, box-like towering buildings lacking all character can be put in their place you can not only see the buildings in your mind's eye, but you can feel the sense of loss she feels over the loss of beauty and history.

She speaks of the problems of the city: the constant noise, the lack of clean air, the lack of open spaces where one can get plenty of sunshine, the disadvantages of buildings overheated by steam heat and of going from the heat of the buildings to the cold and back again sometimes several times a day. She speaks of trying to keep the bulbs and buds of newly flowering houseplants warm in the apartment she was living in because the heat was turned off overnight and the temperature outside could get below zero in the winter.

She speaks of her plants and herbal remedies. She speaks of learning new ones and seeing ones she already used in a book in a gypsy tea room on "green magic". She vividly brings to mind a simpler, perhaps wiser time where she and others first turned to nature for their remedies rather than running to the doctor's office. Her book is a cornucopia of plant folklore and uses. It is an irreplaceable resource.

I highly recommend A Gypsy in New York for its herbal treasures, colorful prose and historical perspective of a city that is an American icon.
383122
As a first experience of Ms. Fairchild's writing I was delightfully intrigued by the sample chapters and totally bowled over by all that followed.  Overall, the story is solid, the pacing excellent, the dialog sumptuously suited to the characters, and atmosphere -- ooh it is luscious.  Secondary characters are well drawn and essential to the tale without stealing the thunder or devolving to cut outs.  Ms. Fairchild's  writing involves all the senses, all of them, wow.  Some readers might find this distracting if they are used to staccato descriptions and rapid fire dialog mingled with introspection all of which seems to have a specific formula based on current marketing trends that I, as a mere reader, have yet to figure out.

[I believe there must be an algebraic equation out there that defines these parameters and many a ragged writer sits at her word processor trying to make the story fit the factors until she decides - screw this, I'm gonna go scrub the toilet]

Lord Ramsay's Return has an engrossing narrative, internal thoughts that fully but not repetitiously explore conflict and show growth.  There is angst slathered with good common sense, liberally basted with period appropriate stiff upper lip, plus there is more than enough humor to make you chuckle out loud. [Beware the fork of retribution!]  There is a Big Misunderstanding near the end of the book but considering circumstances, I did not feel manipulated.  The sensual tension is very well done without once referring to anyone's member or velvet sheath, or those words you see on bathroom walls.  Also, I love that Ms. Fairchild used Brighton as the setting.  The very name of the place is loverly and the history interesting.  Based on her narrative, I was actually able to find all the locations she describes on an old map, now that is an author worth reading!  Despite the meticulous attention to detail regarding the setting, this is a character driven novel.  Those are my favorite.

As a caution, I think many readers that come upon this book with only the perspective of the last 10 years of historical romance will be as bewildered as Prudence was by Charles.  So used to lust at first sight, all disagreements settled by a quickie in the carriage, the pull and tug of antagonism that masquerades as the opposites attract myth have dulled us to the subtleties of wooing, of learning to move from two to one flesh that, ironically enough, must involve more than the physical.  This is the type of love I want for my daughters, for my sons, for everyone that yearns to be more than a cut out of societal expectations droning through the motions of life.

I had two quibbles.  One was the improper use of title as last name. They would not be the Ramsay brothers if he was Lord Ramsay, it jarred me repeatedly.  Two was the speed of the romance.  I actually was on the second read through before I realized how quickly the romance developed.

I balance the quibbles and cautions with two things.  One we were not tormented with an epilogue which makes me a happy reader. Two, Ms. Fairchild accomplished what only Jo Goodman has previously achieved, she had me re-reading the book in less than 24 hours because I just wasn't ready to let go....

You can read a non-spoiler, expanded review of this and other books at pagetraveler dot blogspot dot com
4370079
China Mieville is one of my favorite fantasy writers, and one of the best writing today. He is known for dark, wildly imaginative stories (the masters of a floating pirate city trying to harness a leviathan of the deep to propel their city, giant cactus-men who sprout new limbs when they are hacked off, steampunk half-men, half machines who are the criminal class of a society repurposed to serve the infrastructure, etc.) and for excellent prose. I jumped at the chance to read his historical nonfiction. One thing which quickly occurred to me is that Mieville is hugely sympathetic to the Soviet cause; he is a Marxist in his political affinities, and so maybe paints the revolution in a rosier light than it actually was (or, at least, than it is commonly seen in the West). Still, his passion for the time period and for these very unique events shines through, making this an engrossing read.
2979891
This is an attractive book in your hands, hardbound and filled with colourful illustrations and garden photography. The text by Katie Campbell, especially the exceptional introduction covering the political and design trends of history leading up to the first distinctly English gardens, is generally a pleasure to read even though it wanders a bit.

The chapter on the Victorian gardens of gentleman orchidologist James Bateman in Staffordshire, for example, examines the many and varied areas of Biddulph Grange with reference to the passions of the day, from evolution (Bateman was not a fan), to a fashionable interest in the Orient (he had Himalayan slopes and Chinese temples built). Other chapters wander off at times: the chapter on the Nymans estate devotes several pages to the changing fortunes and descendants of the Messel family who developed it, to the point where the reader is presented with potted biographies of offspring whose influence on either garden history or the design of Nymans is never established.

Overall, though, the high quality of the photographs, including full-bleed prints over two pages, and the eclectic scholarship of the author is a rewarding and wonderfully detailed tour through its varied people, places and times.

Would make an excellent gift for those with an interest in English history or garden design. The marriage of the two here is a fruitful one.
1982838
One of the best novels I've read in years. I guess I'm not sure what to say that has not been said by many other reviewers; here are some thoughts anyway.

The main function of the book is to mesmerize the reader with its account of the life of Cicero. Somehow the book makes the political and legal machinations of ancient Rome seem like they're happening right now, the reader gets caught up in the excitement. If anything, the reader almost feels like what's happening then is more important than the participants did, since the reader knows how ultimately influential all this will be.

One fascinating talent of Harris's that few authors share is a great versatility of prose style. Fatherland was written in a dense, liquid style that seemed to capture the dark mood of its topic. Pompeii was written in a more informal way, capturing the practicality of its engineer protagonist. This book is written in a clean, classical style, interspersed with occasional wry hints and jokes of deeper meanings when the author alludes to modern politics, as for example the description of Gaius Licinius Sacerdos on page 258, as "one of those irritating candidates who enter elections 'not out of any personal ambition,' as they like to say, but solely with the intention of 'raising issues.' ".

Thus, the plot, language, characters, and ideas of this book were all extremely well-done.

My only regret is that I personally lack the education to determine the book's historical accuracy. I would have liked to have known what exactly was supported by the historical record and what was not. The author's notes on the topic are fairly spare.

In any case, a wonderful book.
2804117
This book is a wonderful read, a braided narrative of history, personal memoir, and reflection on "encounter." I taught it in a class on colonialism, and it was a big hit. It opens up new spaces for thought and discussion that most books do not even venture near. And the prose is terrific!
581453
This book is thoroughly entertaining, wonderful for broadening what an educated American considers an already broad vocabulary, and displays an encyclopedic knowledge of his extraordinarily broad subject matter.  In this instance the puffery on the book's dust jacket stands up. It is a wonderful read by almost every measure.

Ferdinand Mount distinguishes himself as a model British gentlemen, erudite, effortlessly witty, and amazingly well-informed. He has taken an almost impossibly broad topic, the history of morals and mores over the past three millennia, and made it hang together beautifully. You might call it the sandwich of Christianity, with the meat of two millennia during which man was regarded as primarily spiritual, bookended by the modern and classical eras during which the pleasures of this life have been the uppermost or even the only considerations.

He comments on many fascinating events in classical times of which us moderns, lacking  both education in the classics and sufficient interest to acquire same, are almost wholly ignorant.  He draws parallels between our own cults of the body, the bath and food and those of the Greeks and Romans, and even more interesting, on the parallels between the manner of thinking of moderns and ancients in the realms of science, religion, art, and celebrity. His treatments of the cults of Jade Goody and Hadrian's gay lover Antinous are absolutely engrossing.

Mount is that kind of old-school British writer who does not spare his reader a bit of work with the Oxford English Dictionary. Some small part of the difficulty is that usages vary across the Atlantic, but the larger issue is simply that he is extraordinarily facile with words. In every paragraph there is at least one sentence in which his unexpected but delicious selection of words stands out like the herb which you cannot identify in your souffl, but which makes all the difference.

My favorite part of the book concerns the "Anti-God Botherers" such as Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett who are so strident in their attacks on religion. Why? Mount suspects, as I do, that it is more than the litany of historical crimes which may be credited to various tyrants who called themselves believers. He notes that the bloodiest wars in history, those of the 20th century, had nothing to do with religion.

Mount asks for a more nuanced view than the anti-God botherers seem capable of sustaining, namely that religion and science belong to different realms. He points out that every science, including mathematics, the most pure, bases itself on a prioris, axioms which cannot be proven. In his closing chapter he cites, as is his wont, an obscure but highly pertinent philosopher, Vaihinger, an interpreter of Immanuel Kant who pursues the philosophy of "what if?" Given that the tools of logic cannot irrefutably establish anything, scientific or Christian or whatever, why not accept some credo which satisfies the needs of the individual for a foundation to order one's life, and which appears to satisfy Kant's criterion that it can be generalized without leading to contradictions?  Mount would advocate giving Christianity some consideration. The recent reissue of "Family and Civilization," by Prof. Carle Zimmerman, examines what happens when we don't.  Mount would (politely) advocate that you consider, if not believing, at least behaving as if you do.
3205766
Primarily written from the perspective of the British author, this wonderfully, comprehensive encyclopedia of herbal remedies explores treatments from ancient times, to present day, consisting of ingredients derived from a myriad of herbs. A big plus is the delightful, folksy manner in which the book is written, adding fun and interest to what would be otherwise dry material.
4079567
Although I needed a family tree initially to locate the characters in chronology, Ms d'Alpuget's research backgrounds a gripping story.  A vivid background of turbulent politics supports royal legitimates and bastards, power alliances, lustful and vengeful relationships.  Little regard for human life, jihadist behaviour in battle, and joy in destruction of life and towns questions how far civilisation has really come 800 years later.  The substream relationship between church and state is both vicious and fragile.  A thoroughly enjoyable book with prose that was engaging, convincing and informing.
697678
In the tradition of literature-infused historical overviews for an interested and, dare I say it plainly, educated readership such as Graham Robb's magesterial Parisians: An Adventure History of Paris;, Crawford presents here a tale of two cities that formulate the canon of urban experience for Scotland. That is to say, you won't find page by page a textbook-like exploration of the evolution of these grand cities in a way that presents them in a single, pragmatic, gaze meant to educate the reader about Scottish history, but more a delightful investigation of the nuances of the cities and their relationship in such a way that it is a bit like a spectre from some old folktalke floating back and forth and passing on its impressions. In a book of this length you do not, in any case, provide a detailed and useful history for historians of one great city, let alone two. Yet that is not Crawford's aim: his desire--which he meets quite well--is to offer us a take on Glasgow and Edinburgh that will allow us to walk away from the book much like a person would walk away from a week in each city as a tourist, having learned a wealth about the feeling of the cities yet not really even getting below the tip of the iceberg in either. It's a great book to read with tea and cookies as the sky lets down a fine rain outside, feeling and dreaming you are of that Scotland, of the urbane and the industrial, of the black-and-white and the histories written more across someone's face than in the records of a courthouse or academic library.

Crawford is an able and charming writer and a good enough historian to cull out the dross of details that are not apt to interest most readers while putting on center stage those stories that will most draw the reader into the narrative. You can only praise his work here, not fault it: if you want a more academic history of these cities, or anything about Scotland at that level, you can find books to that end. From the present volume you'll come away informed and enchanted and that is of merit in its own right. I would challenge anyone to read this and not want to book a plane ticket to Scotland the next day.
3858633
As in "Balkan Ghosts," Kaplan writes with great clarity and intelligence, weaving a fine travel narrative founded on extensive historical research. He writes with a unique and creative eye, and tends to focus on important yet little-known locales. He philosophizes quite a bit, but it is an intriguing, pleasurable philosophy. The following quote from his section on Greece crystallizes for me the special appeal of this type of writing, "...travel writing, rather than a low-rent occupation for the Sunday supplements, could also be a means to explore art, history, literature, and statecraft..." Precisely! Bravo, Kaplan!

Reviewed by David Lundberg, author of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Olympic-Wandering-Time-Travel-Through-Greece/dp/0976324644/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Olympic Wandering: Time Travel Through Greece</a>
2298544
Descriptive powers of author outstanding, interwoven with strong context, little to criticise really
4531053
Vivid descriptions of early 19th century British life in a very rich prose style. Packed with characters around a core group of 5 members of the Pickwick Society (of  inquiring adventurers). Though the fast paced narrative and complex situations, the reader gains a very good idea about the time period, its manners and customs. These are tales, some even have tales within tales; not one central and all encompassing plot.
2092736
Words cannot describe the impact this weighty volume has had on me.  From the moment I held it in my trembling hands, I was hooked. The rich, carefully crafted prose is a delight to the eye and the imagination.  Its author is undoubtedly a man of breath-taking vision who has reconstructed the 17th-century past with unique skills of research and analysis.  His character shines through in every page and the reader cannot help but conjure up in his or her mind a dazzling image of a dark tall handsome curator with beautifully slick and greased black hair, a whiff of moustache, and sparkling gold-rimmed glasses.  Every inch a man of learning.  I could go on - and I will.
1022433
Remarkable historical research, subtle characterisation, faultless and witty shades of classic  writers, especially Fielding, make this an excellent read. A fascinating plot, set in the early goldfiields of New Zealand, but a bit too long and involved for even a devoted reader.  Which raises the issue of whether 'readability' is a valid criterion to use for a seriously scholastic novel.
81602
The most important element of this stunning book is the unique prose.  The novel is written in a intelligent yet folksy style with many pithy observations about society, gender relations and human behavior.  The tone of the novel is warm yet imbued with a dry wit.

The story centers around a utopian community developed in Africa for the disenfranchised women--prostitutes, beggars and unmarried women who are abused.  These women become strong members of their community, which is developed to avoid heirarchichal structures and dominance.  The narrator of the story is a female anthropologist who develops a relationship with the man who founded the community.  The progression of their relationship plays against the backdrop of this unusual community in rural Africa.

This novel is for those who enjoy something out of the ordinary.  It primarily focuses on interpersonal relationships and how they are built, rather than the progression of events.  Somewhat reminiscent of Jim Harrison in its frank discussion of human foibles.  Highly recommended.
2391392
Originally published in 1976, "Gelignite" is replete with references to the pop culture of its day, from the Beatles to Marcus Welby.  (If you don't know them you can take advantage of Wikipedia for on-the-spot enlightenment.  Did you know, for instance, that Merthyr is Welsh for "martyr"?)

I was also struck by the characters' casual racism, which equally reflects the era; it runs not just between Asians and Europeans in equal measure but the Chinese chestnut seller's belief that the Indian letter writer is a fool and the Indian's equally fervent sense of superiority, all based on fear of the unknown culture.  (Political correctness today might mask Mr. Marshall's clarity of observation then.)

But take away the era-specific details and you have a story that is as topical and fascinating and well-written, as fresh and entertaining as ever it was.  I continue to be happily swept up in these stories which blend the daily lives of the characters with the crimes they are tasked to solve and leave you pondering some of the subtle philosophical questions raised.