the wonders of the past
587158
History education is often presented & learned just as dry facts, names, dates, & places. However, when all of this same information is provided in the form of a well-researched, well-imagined, & well-crafted historical novel with beautifully descriptive stories, settings, characters, & dialogues, the learning becomes one of immersion.  KING ALFRED'S DAUGHTER is just such an immersion into Britain's early years of the late 800s & early 900s.

The "Daughter" is Aethelflaed.  Her mother was Ealswith.  Her grandfather was Ethelwulf.  She is married to Ethelred.  Her siblings are Elgiva, Aelfthryrh, Aelthelweard, &, thank heavens, Edward.  Her father was, thank heavens as well, Alfred.  For this reader, these names, & many other similar names, were personal stumbling blocks to total immersion.

Of course, the characters' names were of no fault of the author, Marjory A. Grieser, but of factual time & place.  Ms. Grieser does provide an immediate family genealogy in the back of the book; however, this reader did not find it until half way through the reading.  Obviously, I recommend finding the genealogy first.  It will be helpful, as are the maps.

Other than my personal stumbling blocks, King Alfred's Daughter is an historical journey to a time & place where I had never been.  The closest similar historical novel for this reader, is author Ken Follett's THE PILLARS of the EARTH (currently, 2010, a British television miniseries).

My hope is for author Marjory A. Grieser to continue to dive into research and provide many more historical novel buffs with continued journeys to little-known times & places with little-known women as Aethelflaed, KING ALFRED'S DAUGHTER, The LADY of the MERCIANS .
2968145
Written long ago, you get an insight into the days of horse drawn carriages and teams pulling fire trucks. Most are delightful looks into the past.
2943163
For one who appreciates architecture, art and travel;this book is lovely to glance through. For history lovers this book will capture the Kings and grandeur of the land known as Persian empire. I enjoyed this book with both, being a student of both aspects of life. Art and history come together to frame our world and it affects us when we see it first hand. The colors, the way the light hits stone pillars centuries of years old was thrilling to see on my kindle.
3094035
I love to read of the past - especially along the water.  Loved the pictures and all the stories.  Makes you want to drive there and try to find some of the places you read about in this book.
4977238
A 1971 Newsweek "Wonders of Man" publication that I bought as a followup to a trip to London and visit to the Tower and other historical and personal areas of interest.  Since the historical part of the Tower hasn't changed since 1971, it served well.  I reflect upon how in the 1,000 year history of the Tower the brief life of Henry VIII overshadowed and somehow epitomized its history.  I wonder if we will understand ourselves well enough to save our species, civilization, and life as we know it on Earth.  It is a dark view from the Tower.
1298015
This book has a profusion of wonderful old photos, most of which are in sepia and a few are color-tinted.  Also, the written information is very informative.
483091
It's a sign of our times that the authors call this book "The Lost Panoramas," because it is more about what was lost when the Chicago River was reversed than it is about what was gained.  The book is based on the discovery of glass negatives that had been overlooked for a century.  The photographers carefully documented Illinois waterways and neighboring land before, during, and after this massive project.  It is unexpected and thrilling to see pre-reversal views largely unchanged from the ones that explorers Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette would have seen as they paddled up the Illinois River in 1673.  The reversal of the Chicago River remains one of the civil engineering wonders of the world, but this important and beautiful book, and the photographs that made it possible, will be of great assistance in reappraisals of that project in our own more environmentally-sensitive world.
2976981
In a world seemingly obsessed with technology and gadgets., and with less and less engagement in our natural world, this step back in time is a book best savored slowly and repeatedly. Not too much cold science, but enough to provide you with all the information you need to explore further, this book is beautiful.
1527432
My father introduced me to the wonders of the American Museum of Natural History at the age of five. The Hall of African Mammals was the highlight of my first interest in the 1930`s. The dinosaur exhibit and ocean life can capture the imagination and fascination of any child.
Windows on Nature is a must have in the library of any one with an interest in Natural History.
3209943
This is an amazing addition to our Barbie Library which has been without a book for so long.  I am amazed at the quality of the photos, the amount of rarities in this book and will treasure this book always.

I found this book to be a walk down memory lane, with pleasant childhood memories and hours of reading fun.  What I find compelling to say is that this true labor of love will be enjoyed not only by collectors but has a way of working it's way into the hands of people who might want to collect, might want to share their childhood with their children or just be able to take a walk back into time and enjoy the beauty of this book and what it has to offer.
380815
Traveling Through Egypt From 450 B.C. To the Twentieth Century, Edited By Deborah Manley and Sahar Abdel-HakimThis is a wonderful concept for a travel book, one which I have not encountered recently.  The editors have taken travel notes and travelogs from travelers through Egypt throughout written history. The observations about Egypt compiled in this book are from 115 different writers, the earliest being from Strabo who lived from 63 BC - 23 A.D., and they give a compendium of fascinating facts about this ancient country.  Early travelers noted in great details the land, climate, workers and their tools, various monuments and buildings from pre-history, which no longer exist.  The writers speak of the importance and impact of the various stages of the Nile River in different seasons. End notes tell a little about each of the writers. The book is absolutely fascinating and a MUST for anyone who intends to see Egypt.
1359022
This book is really about not only the story of the recovery of the "treasures" of the great old steamship Arabia, it is also like a visit to a museum of common ordinary things from the 1800s, from bottles of condiments, to shoes and boots, Indian beads, handtools, and so forth, the effort the family went through to recover the artifacts and to preserve them for everyone else to see.  To me this is what archaeology should be, preserving the past so that the public can see and learn from the past.  A very well done book,wonderful photography, and an enchanting story.
3843010
I enjoy "then-and-now" photo books and this one will join several others Ive collected. Some of the sites shown are more obscure areas of Yellowstone, but still interesting to see. An earlier then-and-now Yellowstone book&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Yellowstone-Yesterday-and-Today/dp/0971805369/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Yellowstone Yesterday and Today</a>&nbsp;includes more places that will be familiar to those who visit the park today, and would be easier to carry on your next trip there. But you may want both books: they are very different, and both are beautiful and revealing in different ways.

Despite bring printed in China and perhaps over-size for some bookshelves, Yellowstone National Park Through the Lens of Time is well worth a look if you know this park well or are interested in learning about the 1871 Hayden expedition and Jacksons work there.
2563842
What a wonderful book, the vintage black and white photos are amazing.  I found this book so interesting, I had no idea about this wonderful story.  I recommend this book on so many levels.  If you enjoy great vintage photos, interesting history, and New York..all of which I do.  This books makes you appreciate the beauty of Art Deco skyscrapers and makes you sad that the more modern buildings don't even compare.  I commend the authors on reviving this wonderful history and for providing wonderful vintage photos of a more stylish past.
3509527
The treasures contained in this book represent the stuff of legend and Hollywood movies.  They are history and a great tribute to ancient craftsmanship. It is a wonder that these ancient treasures, including many from Byzantium, were so prefectly preserved to this day and not melted down by invaders.
869518
I love thinking that there are caves under Saint Louis that have not been touched by human hands. I love even more that there are caves under Saint Louis that have full ballrooms and swimming pools in them, and have not been touched since the 50's. This book takes you back in time and makes you want to go find these lost caves under the city. It's a shame that the city destroyed most of these treasures when they built an interstate, but who can stop progress. Right.
1025490
One of my first projects as a Jewish museum worker was to get out the p.r. for an exhibition of many of these photographs. Seeing them for the first time--or the twentieth--was stunning. Indeed, they evoked a vanished world--and the sense of the human lives and connections living there and then. You will want to look through these photos many, many times, and you'll not forget them.