William Manchester's first Churchill volume is one of those books that makes you just love to read.

This clearly isn't a book for all those who are fascinated by the mediocre and skeptical of the possibilities for true greatness. This is an unreconstructed and unapologetic look at a leader whose instincts often cut against the grain of the 20th century, but who would emerge as one of the great heroes of it, just when extraordinary leadership was needed the most.

Manchester is the rare gifted writer who has mastered the biographical craft as well as the sweeping narrative needed to succinctly encapsulate the mores and habits of an entire nation at a particular moment in time. He does this brilliantly in his introduction, about one hundred pages long, which sets the stage with a lavish description of Victorian England. This is one of the best parts of the book.

Early on, it is clear that the ambitious young Winston is headed for big things. This wasn't only because he came from one of Britain's most prominent families -- his father rose to become the second most powerful man in the government, and his mother was romantically linked to the Prince of Wales. Despite this, Manchester convinces us, successfully, that Churchill was the best of his generation, that he would have risen even from less auspicious circumstances (admittedly, this interpretation has its limits, since entire social classes were excluded from Parliament at the time).

Churchill made his career as a political maverick, changing parties not once, but twice, consistently taking positions that brought him close to political death. Yet Churchill survived -- and what's more, he turned out to be one of the most enduring political presences any democracy has ever seen. What is striking about Churchill's career is that it didn't simply culminate in 1940 after a plodding journey up the political ladder. No -- Churchill had first been elected to Parliament forty years earlier, and he rose quickly within a few years of his election. But then his career plateaud for about a quarter of a century. Here you had a man who was considered a future Prime Minister at age 30, who was in a position to be considered the heir apparent in governments of two different parties at various points from World War I until the late 1920s, and yet didn't take the next step. What happened?

The Great War and its aftermath, more than anything, foreordained Churchill's postponed "rendezvous with destiny." It was here where Churchill was the most out of step with prevailing political attitudes. Churchill held close to his heart a heroic vision of Britain, and believed deeply in the nobility of a war fought for a just cause. He also believed in the Empire, and did not think that Britain should relinquish what was already hers, even in a time of relative decline vis a vis the United States. Where most saw senseless slaughter in the trenches of France, he saw selfless heroism, a nation at its best.

The nation, or at least the political classes, did not agree with this interpretation. In a time that Walter Lippman proclaimed was "tired of greatness" and where the great fear was that Britain had overextended herself, Churchill defended greatness and Empire. In his view, strength in the service of democracy, and not blind disarmament, would prevent future wars. This view, ascendant in World War II, and in many ways, ascendant again in America today, was seen as discredited at the time, and Churchill in the 1920's repeatedly butted heads with a Conservative leadership over disarmament and withdrawal from India. The trend was so strong in the other direction that Churchill was effectively cast out of his party by the end of the 20's, and looked destined to repeat the fate of his iconoclastic father, who was cast permanently out into the political wilderness for his own apostasies.

But with this son, there would always be a second act.

"The Last Lion: Visions of Glory, 1874-1932," is the first of William Manchester's projected three-volume biography of Winston Spencer Churchill. I found it a superbly crafted, supremely well researched account of the first 58 years of the life of the 20th century's greatest statesman. With wit and candor, Manchester chronicles Churchill from his earliest days as the neglected and troublesome first child of Lord Randolph Churchill and his American-born wife, Jennie, to his entry into the political "wilderness" over home rule in India in 1932. Manchester's portrait of his subject is balanced and objective; we see Churchill at his finest: a courageous (almost to the point of foolhardiness) army officer, and later a gifted Member of Parliament who became one of the youngest Cabinet ministers in British history. We also see him at his worst: a Cabinet minister with appalling political judgment at times, quick to meddle in other ministers' affairs while neglecting his own, and with an uncanny ability to alienate not only his political foes, but almost all his political allies as well.

In addition to a wonderfully written chronology of Churchill's life, Manchester provides an overview of the times in which Churchill lived. I was fascinated by the author's account of Victorian England -- its culture, its mores, and its view of itself in the world. The sections which describe Churchill's times make highly entertaining and absorbing reading by themselves.

"The Last Lion: Visions of Glory, 1874-1932," clearly shows why William Manchester is one of the pre-eminent biographers at work today. The book is written with obviously meticulous scholarship, insightful analysis, and crisp, sparkling prose; I have yet to find a better account of Churchill's life. Now, if only Mr. Manchester would give us that third volume . . .

William Manchester does much more here than tell the story of perhaps the greatest person of the 20th century--he transports you back to the pre-WWII England to see the events that shaped Winston Churchill's life and political destiny. You not only come away with a true sense of who Churchill was (and he truely was the hand that slammed the door to Hell during WWII)--you also gain real insight into other key British politicial figures of the day including Lloyd George, Lord Halifax, Nevile Chamberlain and many others in the context of their often-changing relationships with Winston.

I came away with a fresh perspective of the key people and geopolitical events of the time; and gained a wealth of useful historical information as well. This, and Manchester's first volume of Churchill's bigography should be required reading in any proper 20th century college-level history course. (They're crafted so well that students might actually read them!)

Beware--you will not want to put it down once you start reading; I didn't.

This was an AWSOME book. It had the mixture of things I like in a book. Romance, Supernatural, Mystery, and just a bit of tragety, you can't have a good book without just a little tragety, right?
This book is about a college student named Clare, who goes with her mother to a town called Ravensmere, which she knows nothing about. Then, she finds out her mother, who she thought was from London was born there. She spends her time finding out just how much more of a mystery this secluded town is to her. There is a secret that no one will tell her. Not even her mother.
Then, she meets this guy, named Mark, who in my opinion, would be totally hot, if he were actually real. Anyways, she meets him and finds that she is falling in love with Mark. In short, this book is really awsome! It's one of those books you can read over and over and always find out something new. I've read it about 3 times myself. BUY IT!

I have to admit, the beginning is a bit boring, but when you get to the middle of the book and the story begins to unfold, this book will amaze you.

Liz Berry, the author, did a wonderful job writing "The China Garden." It had all the elements to make a story great. It had adventure, romance, and mystery. I especially loved reading about Clare and Mark's relationship. It makes you want to have a guy like Mark yourself. The funny things they did made me smile all day thinking about it. "The China Garden" also had a lot of twists that had me surprised.

I would recomend this book, but not to anyone under the age of 13. Some parts are unsuitable for younger kids.

Well, to sum it all up, buy this book! If your a person who doesn't like to read, this book will change your mind. It had me staying up on a school night to try to finish.

The China Garden casts a spell on anyone who picks it up to read and will not let go until you are finished. Once you get few the first few chapters, it is almost impossible to put down. Liz Berry magically unfolds Clare's story in the most amazing way. I was so shocked every time another piece of this mysterious puzzle would fall into place. This story has the perfect mix of romance, mystery, fantasy, history, and reality that anyone, no matter what genre they usually read, will adore this book. I usually don't like mystery or fantasy, but this book had just the right mix of everything that I loved it! This book is similar to the Harry Potter books in the way that it incorporates fantasy into real life. The China Garden has a more realistic swing to it instead of Harry Potter which is more fantasy based. Clare and Mark's love is so amazing that every girl would long to have Mark for her own. And this true love story is not too mushy to turn you away, but just enough to pull you in and not let you go. Her quest to uncover her family history, sends Clare on a journey that sends her to talk to the earl himself. As more and more pieces fall into place, I kept rereading the earlier chapters to realize the full effect of Berry's foreshadowing. Over all, this book is the most amazing book that I have ever read.

I have read every book I could locate about Richard III. I even wrote my Englih paper in college about him. But I have never owned so many copies of the same book. This book is so enthralling, I have gone through four paperback copies. Once read, you can not help but read it again and again,finding some thing new each time.You can't help but feel the emotions of the characters in this book. MS Penman writes so that you are there,eating,drinking,fighting and living life during this incredible time in English hitory.Her explanations for the disapperance of the Princes is more beleivable then any Tudor historian, it makes sense.And ,for her explanations of Richards "character flaws",it shows a man too sensitive for his loves, lossess, and Kingship.It is that sensitivity that makes it impossible to believe he would put two innocent boys to death. I was so glad to read a possitive perspective on Richard's life. This book is as interesting as it addictive. Right on the level with Ms.Penman's Trilogy,Here Be Dragons.

I have read every Penman book but one. Her writing is well researched, flowing and one feels transported in time while reading. She breathes life into her characters. Not since reading Margaret Campbell Barnes' "The King's Bed" 20 years ago have I enjoyed a book more. I was prepared to like Richard. As the youngest son, he was not raised to be a king; nor did he welcome the task. I believe Ms. Penman convincingly puts this point across. I am in awe of her considerable writing skills. Her research goes beyond the extra mile, making her work untouchable. Reading "Sunne," called for a second read of Ms. Barnes' book. I am looking forward to Ms. Penman's book of Eleanor and Henry. In the meantime I will have to be content with a second reading of "The Sunne in Splendor," "Here Be Dragons," "Falls the Shadow," "The Reckoning," and "When Christ and His Saints Slept!"

In the past I have been extremely critical of fiction when reading ficticious British history and usually take everything I read with a grain of salt. I was skeptical when I picked up this book, and it is without a doubt one of the best books I have a EVER read.
I stayed up until 5 in the morning one night reading this book because I just couldn't stop reading! The War of the Roses, in the particular the strong women of this time (I'm writing my own series on these queens) has been a passion for years now. And yet I was almost crying when bad things happened to these charectars, partly because I knew what was going to happen, and partly because this book is so amazingly well written.
Penman is so phycologicaly in tune with Richard, Anne, Elizabeth, Edward, that you do fall in love with them.
I strongly reccomend this book. When I finished it I opened back up to page one and began again!
Penman has a die hard fan in me :)

[yes, the title is cheesy, but it's true!!)

At first when I started reading I Capture the Castle, I must admit, I was a little bored. I put off reading it for more than a year! Now I could read it over and over and over again, and it would still be great! The book starts off slow, really, but after sitting down in a nice, quiet room, and taking in every word I began to like it. I found as I began reading that the book grew more and more interesting. (Once you getting a feeling of the book) The storyline flows and it's so well put that you feel like you're sitting in Cassandra's kitchen, that you're right beside her while she writes in the kitchen sink. Cassandra and her family live in an old castle, which Cassandra absolutely adores. The book is about Cassandra Mortmain, and her daily life in that castle, set in the 1930's; her hardships with her family, her battles with love and the every day comedy's of life.

Dodie Smith really makes Cassandra and the other Mortmains come to life. Cassandra is one of the most likeable characters I have ever "read about", she is stubborn, funny and dislikes anything involving romance,[ in the sense of romance between to people.] Quirky and perceptive, Cassandra will always keep you smiling. Then there's beautiful Stephen who's in love with her, who she thinks of as a brother, her sister Rose, who attracts boys where ever she goes, Topaz, Cassandra's step-mother who's a part-time nude model and her eccentric father, who's been having writing block...for twelve years. Cassandra's younger brother Thomas plays a lesser role in the book, but he does help with some of Cassandra's schemes. I do have some qualms with the ending though, it was a strange ending- but at the same time, I loved the ending! I capture the castle is a delightful book....go out and buy it!! If you're Canadian it's pretty expensive for a paperback, but get it anyways, it's truly worth it.

This is the moving, heartfelt, and funny tale of Cassandra, a seventeen-year-old girl living in a crumbling, cold, and bare castle in England. Her unique, spiritied family, the Mortmains, struggle daily with poverty, having little to eat.

There's her eccentric father, James, an hermit-like ex-writer who has a huge case of writer's block. There is Cassandra's sister Rose, a vain beauty who longs for riches and something more in her life. Then there is her stepmother, Topaz, a towheaded artist's model who likes to play her lute and commune with nature (walk around outdoors naked with the elements). Lastly, there is the god-like beauty Stephen (but Cassandra says his expression is "a bit daft"), who helps around the house and is totally in love with Cassandra.

Our heroine records events with wit, honesty, and cozy warmth. The Mortmain family meets the sons of the late Mr. Cotton, the rich landlord, Simon and Neil Cotton. Soon Cassandra's life and the lives of those around her begin to change. Rose becomes engaged to Simon Cotton. But does she actually love him? Rose had once told her sister that she would do anything to help her family out of the poverty they are in.

Cassandra is a wonderful girl coming into her own, witty and likeable up to the very last word. I really identified with her, as a teenaged girl. This book may not deliver your standard happy ending (we never know who Cassandra really ends up with relationship-wise), but will certainly deliver a wonderful reading experience. It is a good book to simply curl up with.

Dodie Smith may be best-known as the author of The One Hundred and One Dalmatians, but she was the author of many hit West End plays and several best-selling books. If you enjoy mid-20th-century British fiction, may I recommend a perfect gem of a novel, back in print after many years a-languishing: I Capture the Castle, told in first-person narration by Cassandra Mortmain, the younger daughter of a family of impoverished eccentrics living in a small run-down castle in the British countryside, as she tries to "capture" her life in her private journal. Her father is a once-famous writer with a seemingly-insurmountable case of writer's block; her stepmother Topaz is an unusually-gorgeous former model with pretentions of artistry and a loving heart; her beloved sister Rose is hungry for some sort--any sort!--of change. Into this almost Austen-like situation comes Simon, the new landlord, an upper-class American from New England, along with his informal younger brother, raised in California, and their "club woman" mother, and suddenly the potentials and possibilities and coincidences become endlessly interesting...Will Simon propose to Rose? Will Mortmain ever write again? Will Cassandra's swain kiss her in the bluebell wood? Perhaps it doesn't sound like much, but it's engaging and endearing, a period-piece with "good bones" and long-lasting, pleasurable resonance, still holding up well after half a century on the shelves.

On my top-40 list, certainly, if not my top-10. I can't recommend this one highly enough.

Sherlock Holmes, the great consulting detective, hardly needs an introduction, nor do his stories need a synopsis. This hardcover edition of "The Complete Sherlock Holmes" contains all the original Sherlock Holmes short stories and novels published by Conan Doyle.

As such, this book is the perfect compilation of a timeless classic, for both those re-reading these wonderful stories or those discovering them for the first time. In addition to this, I loved the cover art of this particular edition - it gives just the right impression and captures the ambience of the tales.

The only negative comment I had (hence the 4 star rating) was with the actual presentation of the book. Unfortunately, the publishers have attempted to cram all the stories into a 480-page book. This has resulted in an oversized hardcover, with rather small font, and worst of all, newspaper-style columns on each page. Perhaps the intention was to emulate the original format of the stories as they appeared in The Strand in the late 1800s. Regardless, the book format is therefore slightly unwieldy because of its size and is a little hard to read.

Despite this shortcoming, I'd recommend this classic collection to anyone and this edition is definitely worth the price.

This book, a compilation of every original, published Sherlock Holmes story written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is a joy for all fans of classic mysteries. Although many other detective stories are also excellent, there is nothing quite like the original Holmes stories. As we read through the many adventures of Holmes and his ever faithful companion Dr. Watson, we are also led through their colorful, albeit enigmatic, lives including Dr. Watson's two marriages and the time in between them (lodging at 221B Baker Street, naturally). Holmes' life includes his opium addiction, and subsequent recovery, his encounter with Irene Adler and finally, his retirement to the English Channel coast as a beekeeper.

Whether already a fan for years or a new Holmes reader, this collection is perfect. My copy is one of the most treasured volumes in my library.

I discovered Sherlock Holmes via a couple of short stories in anthologies in the late 1950's, when I was in 7th grade. These whetted my appetite for more, so I was tickled to discover a copy of this book (in an earlier printing) at the house of a friend. I wish it had been available as a multi-volume edition -- this one was mighty hard to sneak under the covers for post-bedtime reading by flashlight. And it's highly unsuited for summertime use: it'll sink your canoe or cause your hammock to sag to ground level! Still, it's a good, reasonably priced, solidly bound, and well-printed volume that should be in the library of any lover of classic mystery stories.
As for the stories themselves, they're not only THE best mysteries in the English language, but fun to read as a picture of life in the Victorian era. There are some clinkers, and some of the situations and characters are rather absurd (Doyle shares with most of his fellow-countrymen an ineptitude for writing convincing American English!), but in general I'm still amazed at Doyle's ingenuity and his convincing portrayal of life in many different sectors of society. This is one of the few favorite books from my childhood that I still enjoy -- not as an exercise in nostalgia but as a Good Read.

First I want to applaud Ms. Weir on her research and attention to detail. It was nice to read a more detailed description of Henry VIII than what you usually get in this type book. So much of the book was spent on Katherine of Aragon and so little on the other 5 wives that I was somewhat dissapointed. There seems to be more information available on Katherine of Aragon, however I question the attention paid to some of the sources Ms. Weir has used. Not the validity of them but the obvious bias of the sources. And Ms. Weir continued her unfortunate habit of losing her objectivity part way through the book. I found this thoroughly frustrating in her book "The Princes in the Tower" and almost as frustrating in this book. Still, this is an interesting book if you can overlook the obvious bias she has when writing of Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn.

I must admit I bought Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII with great trepidation. I had read and liked a very comprehensive six-volume biography by an author whose name I cannot recollect, and was therefore wary of reading another author's work on the same subject. I am glad to admit I was mistaken. The book has been well-researched and is written evocatively enough to keep your interest from flagging. As a history student, I am used to poring over dry, dusty tomes; it was a pleasure to feel history come alive as Ms Weir brought to life one of England's most colourful monarchs. To all those who carp about her background research, I have only this to say: From all the reading I have done, her sources are impeccable. Two, you must realise that Tudor and Elizabethan England was far from being puritan. The life-style of the court and aristocracy was one devoted to the pursuit of pleasure. If I cavil at anything, it is that the author does not elaborate about the political situation prevailing. Henry VIII succeeded in giving England much-needed political stability.

Alison Weir has a fine start to a marvelous cycle of history books of the Tudor reign of Henry VIII and his wives and children. The actual beginning of this cycle would be Ms. Weir's book on the Wars of the Roses but this is the true start of the series that looks at the personal lives of the reigning Tudors. This book, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, is a fat and delicious book that brings these very different women to life for the reader. It is the way the author has of drawing the personality out of the sources that is the most rewarding aspect of this book. History lives and is exciting because the reader feels the life within the history. Alison Weir is a marvelous writer and makes the past both exciting and accesible. A fine book of history and a wonderful place to spend a few entertaining hours.

Okay, the good points first. Harry Potter is an above average fantasy for young readers. The wonderful details are probably the best point about the story. (Take the game of Quidditch for example, the owls, the centaurs, the wands and broomsticks, the giant motorcycle that appears only once, and try reading the inscription around the Mirror of Erised backwards.) It is also funny at times in Roald Dahl's style (though inferior to his books). It is even a bit exciting, especially towards the end. I can understand the way all the eight-year-olds, even 13-year-olds are all crazy for it, but adults? What did they see in it? I was a bit disgusted to see all the reviews by adults saying this was their favorite book ever. (They must not have read The Golden Compass.) It really is no more than a slightly above average, rather amusing fantasy. It started out well, but as stereotype after stereotype and cliche after cliche of character and plot were introduced, I began to be turned off. Take Malfoy for example, the 100% evil and cruel bully who has henchmen to stick up from him and teases the other kids about being poor (and of course you can tell he's bad just by looking at him). How ridiculous and boring. Hermione. Another genius/nerd that studies all the time and can solve all the technical problems for the heroes and be groaned at for being so stuffy. She is also nearly the only female character. Hagrid, the big strong giant who turns out to be nice, though a bit stupid, and has a soft spot. I really agree with the reader called Magda from Neptune who said, "I didn't like the idea of Slytherin. It seems like the author just wasn't thinking when she decided there would be a whole house for the "bad guys". I think that's a shallow idea and also kind of cruel. Could you picture standing there and finding out from the Sorting Hat (which NEVER lies) that you're evil? I think Slytherin was probably the biggest mistake in Harry Potter." Go ahead and read Harry Potter, because if all these other people liked it there must be something there, and you might get it too. But read critically. Don't just blindly adore it (or any book, for that matter.) And I'm warning you, if you haven't read The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife yet, you're wasting your time with anything else.

Harry Potter thought he had a fairly normal life (aside from living with his aunt and uncle who hated him), but he was very wrong. On his 11th birthday he learned that he was a wizard and had been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Suddenly, Harry is plunged into an entirely new world of magic. At Hogwarts Harry has friends for the first time in his life. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are his best friends at the school and they are the ones who help Harry through all of his troubles. From the very beginning though, Harry is slightly aware of something strange going on at Hogwarts. Harry pieces together the mystery slowly throughout the school year in while he isn't busy working on schoolwork or Quidditch (a magical game played on broomsticks).
My favorite part about this book was the world that J.K. Rowling created. While it would have been easy for her to just set the story in a school where the kids learn magic, she didn't. Things like Diagon Alley, which is where all of the students go to get school supplies, allow her to add so much more to the magic world just through descriptions of things Harry sees. Quidditch also makes the world seem much more real.
I originally read this book because I needed a young adult book for class, but I ended up enjoying it far more than I thought I would. I can't remember the last time I actually read much outside of school, but after reading this book I read the other three and am now anxiously awaiting the fifth book. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone. It's obvious that it was aimed at younger readers, but I found I enjoyed it as much at 17 as my sister did at 11.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a fascinating read for children and adults alike. You will be pulled deep into the story of young, orphaned Harry and his many escapades at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

This story, and the ones that follow it, are superbly written. The vocabulary is perfectly suited for its intended target audience, children ages nine through twelve, but still not so simply worded that it becomes boring in the least for its adult readers. This is a perfect book for reading aloud to your children. The hardest part for most parents will be resisting the urge to cheat and read ahead after the kids fall asleep.

In the Harry Potter series, J. K. Rowling has created a masterpiece that will stand for all time beside such notables as C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia and Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Rowling blends reality and fantasy with a deft touch, making the reader wonder whimsically if Hogwarts truly exists, if wizards and Muggles are real, and maybe, just maybe, if you look hard enough, you might see wizard children playing Quidditch in rural fields.

Even those readers who do not typically enjoy fantasy will love this book. There are elements of nearly every genre in existence flawlessly woven throughout the story. Suspense, humor, mystery, Rowling does justice to them all.

I cannot recommend this book, indeed this whole series, highly enough. This is one of those stories that, at the last page, leave you both satisfied with the conclusion to the story and frantic to read more about the characters involved.

I would, however, like to leave you with a warning about the Harry Potter series. They are highly addictive. Once you read one, you will want to read them all. This reader, for one, is counting the days until the next volume is released.

I'm pretty stingy with my stars, but this book was everything I had read about in the reviews. I was hesitant to read it at first because I've never been a big fan of the time-travel genre, but with the new, pretty cover (yeah, I know, I know, don't judge a book...) I was inspired to give it a try. Boy am I glad I did!

The first part of the book was a romance-reader's dream. Nicholas was the perfect hero (C'mon, what would you expect from a knight in shining armor?). Dougless, granted, was pretty pathetic, but she was a perfect match for Nicholas. There were many funny and tender scenes in the first half of the book, and let me just emphasize again how perfect Nicholas was. In the end of the first half, when he gives up on pursuing his family's honor for Dougless' love... well, it almost made me cry.

The second half of the book didn't quite build up to the romance between Nicholas and Dougless as much as I would have liked; rather Nicholas suddenly remembers their 20th century relationship and wham, they're in love again. However, the historical detail was fascinating; I learned several things I never knew. And when Nicholas tells his mother of his love, it was very touching.

However, the ending of this book was the best. It was original; romantic, yet heartbreaking. When Dougless learns about how she changed Nicholas' future, I started crying. And the scene on the plane was the perfect ending. I don't know how anyone couldn't have liked the ending. Of course it wasn't like every other romance novel- it was better. Dougless had gained a spine, Nicholas had gained honor, and they both had gained a love that spanned time. I thought it was slightly unfair that Dougless meets a real-life love (the reincarnated Nicholas?), but Nicholas never marries. However, it does make the love story all the more touching. Have some Kleenex handy! This is the first romance novel that has actually made me cry in a long time!

This book is one of my favorite time travel books. I loved the unrealistic plot and the realistic characters.

Dougless is on a trip through England with her boyfreind, who she hopes to marry, and his bratty and spoiled daughter Gloria. During the trip she is ditched in a graveyard and left weeping and asking for a knight in shining armor, and she gets one. Nicholas has been sent to her through time to solve a life or death mystery. What will happen while these two star crossed lovers are searching for the answers?

I can't tell because that wouldn't be very fun now would it. But I can tell how much I loved Nicholas, who was handsome, intelligent, and considerate. Dougless annoyed me at first because she let people walk all over her, but she grew a lot during the story and learned her own worth. The end of the book was so moving I cried. At first I was disappointed but then it grew on me, I think. Also, Nicholas's fascination with modern appliances and other things made me appreciate the things I take for granted, such as daily showers and dishwashers. This book is definetely a charmer and a great read.

I titled my review "Soul Mates Meet" because that is the theme that runs throughout Jude Deveraux's self-said favorite book. If you fancy the idea of a special someone for you, A Knight In Shining Armor is a wonderful tale in which to picture yourself as the heroine.

The story introduces us to Dougless, a loving woman who allows herself to be taken advantage of by the man she hopes will ask her to marry him. While on a trip to England with him, they become separated and Dougless finds herself weeping at the foot of the tomb for an unpopular 16th century man. In the midst of wishing for a knight in shining armor to save her from her troubles, she suddenly is confronted with a very strangely dressed hunk in-what else?-shining armor!

As the tale unfolds, Dougless learns the tragic story of the knight, Nicholas Stafford, and together they work to change how history will forever remember him. After a few twists and turns through time while finding herself falling in love with him, Dougless discovers a new strength in herself.
The final scenes leave your heart aching with the unrequited love time has imposed upon Dougless and Nicholas....or has it?

Written with a deep understanding of a woman's heart, as well as her fears and struggles, A Knight In Shining Armor will speak solace and courage to every woman.

"Good Night, Mr. Tom",is an excellent historical novel, by Michelle Magorian, set in World War II. This is a wonderful and touching story, about a small boy, named Willie Beech, who is evacuated from London to live in Little Weirwold with a complete stranger, Mr. Thomas Oakley. Tom is an old man, not used to children (he had a baby bay that died, but that was his only child), but he is kind to Willie. Willie is a deprived and abused child, and he is afraid of everything, because he wasn't let outside much in his earlier life. Slowly, Willie starts to think on his own, and he forgets the hate and despair of his past. Tom comes to love Willie like a son. Then a telegram comes, and Willie must return to his abusive mother in London, but weeks pass and Willie doesn't come back, so Mr. Tom goes to London to try to find the boy he has come to love so much. I would recommend this book to anyone young or old wo wants to read an excellent book. I hope all who read this book enjoy it as much as I did.

The book Good Night Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian, was a book I extremely enjoyed reading. When I first looked at the title, I wasn't too attracted to reading the book but once I caught the basic idea on what it was about on the inside, I was eager to read it. I'm glad I did, because this book is one of the most heartbreaking stories I have read. The story starts out very nicely, introducing the main character, William aka Willie aka Will. Unlike some books, the beginning of the story catches your attention and does throughout the whole book. The sad part is, Will is an evacuee and constantly gets seriously abused by his mother. With no father to help him out and his mother not willing to take him during a war, Will is sent house after house with other children to be accepted somewhere else. Will's mother is a religious type but takes everything to another dangerous and extreme level that hurts herself as well as her son. Will is very lucky and ends up in a small town named Little Weirwold with Thomas Oakley, or whom Will learned to call, Mister Tom. Hardened by the loss of his son and wife, he gradually starts to accept Will and in a way, takes him in as his own son. After making friends, discovering talents, creating memories and going on wild adventures, he slowly regains the childhood that he missed. Learning that his before life was not suppose to be, Will is reluctant to return to his mother because she is "sick." The rest of the story is something you need to find out yourself. Even I cannot express the joy and sorrows with reading this heart touching story. Only the readers can feel this by encountering it for themselves. The reason this book received the rating it did is because it was so nicely put together, it makes the reader see the innocence of Will when it's such a heart break just to see him learning new things that are common to us. Michelle Magorian also brought out the infinite patience and love of Mister Tom. This made the story even more special because of the hero role he plays to Will. Another reason is because she makes the conclusion and ending worthwhile the read. It was as if the only reason I was reading the book was to get to the end. The final important reason was because the whole book was exciting. I cannot remember one moment in the book where I wanted to stop. The experiences little William became a part of me and I wanted to encourage this character as he went struggling through his rough life. Overall, this book was very satisfying. I hope to read more books like this in the future... a true heartache. (Very special book)

In Michelle Magorian's novel Good Night, Mr. Tom, she brilliantly illustrates the hardships of a young child growing up post World War II after having being abused and abandoned by his mother, the one person who was truly supposed to love him. After being shipped from London to the English countryside to live with Mr. Tom, Willie has to adjust to living in a world he never knew existed. A world in which love, affection and friendships flourish. Magorian uses what she knows to set the plot, being that she was born and raised mostly in England. Her parents met each other during the World War II and perhaps she was reflecting on her own issues because as a child she lived a couple of years in Singapore and Australia. She eventually came back to England when she was 9 years old, but had already been moved around a lot, as did the main character in the book. The New Yorker called Magorian's novel "An engrossing and poignant story, with much sunlight to balance the darkness." Jim Trelease from The Read-Aloud Handbook said it was "powerful." And that, it is.

This book depicted the life to date of Geri Halliwell from rag to riches. It told me the other aspect of Geri that I never knew. It's saddening to note that behind the limelight, she was a shattered person, wanting reassurance from her loved ones. Her growing pains were enormous & should I have a daughter like her, I would have died of heart attack. It's comforting to know that she knows when to turn back & time has definitely molded her into a persona which Madonna would be proud of. The highlight of the book would have to be her telling us the formation of the team which would subsequently be known universally as the Spice Girls, thus, the term, Girl Power. We also have a glimpse of the eventual sacking of their Manager, Simon Fuller & the reason why Geri decided to pull out in the end. The book is blessed with optimism ie. if you think you have the right stuff to make things happen, just do it as she's a living example that persistency does pay off. Probably luck has something to do with it but when it comes down to the crunch, attitude matters too. Thumbs up to her for her honesty & I wish her all the best for her future endeavour.

A book capturing the life and times of Geri Halliwell. A Spice fan may love this book as well but it proves to be a full-force autobiography on the woman formerly known as Ginger Spice.

I would not recommend this book to kids, because the truth does hurt. Ginger Spice was a part of the character known as Geri Halliwell. The book shows many different viewpoints of her life. From nieve English girl to a confident superstar. From being a former glamour (nude) model to a television presenter, maybe the suburban moms/dads might want to flip through the heavily detailed pages before they let their kids read it.

The book "If Only" is very down-to-earth and contains so many subjects that each of us readers could relate to. After the book triggered many memories of my own, I couldn't help to think - Dreams really do come true.

Hi,

My name is Chris, and I have been a fanatic of the Spice Girls, since they hit the scene in '96. When I first met these 5 lasses from Britian, Geri I think had to be my least favorite. After she left the Spice Girls, I had to say...I didn't care. When she came out with her solo CD, 'Schizophonic' I could have cared less. Then, I heard her single 'Look at Me' and read somewhere online, the message behind it. I bought the CD, and have not stopped listening to it since. When she came out with her book, I had to buy it. Geri Halliwell, has to be one of the most talented singers I have listened to in a LONG time. She has gone from nothing, to being a world-wide star. Her book, 'If Only' goes through the rollercoasters of everyday life. From relationships, to suffering from an eating disorder, to become a pop star. And NOT overnight, as some television reporters have said. In my life(being 17) I have read, a total of 2 books from cover to cover. When I bought 'If Only' I could not put it down, and finished it in two days. This is one, if not the only, real book that EVERYONE should get their hands on.