5 comments about The Guynd: A Scottish Journal.

1. I really looked forward to reading this book because I have long wanted to travel in Scotland, and I enjoy the extended travelogue where people live in a new land for a long time and get to know the locals. This was a good book, but not great. I had unanswered questions when it ended. For example, why did it take her 10 years to realize she and he husband were incompatible? Why did she keep her apartment in New York during the time she was living in Scotland? I kept thinking that if this were fiction, some of it would be implausible. Still, the characters you meet are worth meeting, and I did enjoy the book.



2. Ours was not the 'big' house, but the 'gardener's cottage' which we rented for a year, and both the marriage and the enterprise of that particular country home survive. But all the characteristics and challenges of the estate, garden, community, and home came to life again in the author's witty, canny prose. This is the best description of the many, layered facets of Scottish society and how the great homes and their residents fit into the scheme of their surroundings that I have read.



3. I enjoyed the book, but was shocked when I came to the passage describing how the author, while in a late stage of pregnancy, climbed a tall scaffolding to paint a wall. It seems like an amazing lack of judgment for someone who was pregnant late in life.



4. I wanted to read this witty memoir because of my romantic childhood fantasy of living in a mansion or castle in Europe. Oh how lucky the American author was to have fallen in love with Scottish man with an ancestral home and property. I was rather envious of their son, Elliot, who was able to spend his childhood exploring and playing in the gardens, on the lake, and in the house.
   
   But life isn't a fairytale. This is a story about a deteriorated, cluttered mansion, its 400 acres and a marriage that started as a whirlwind romance and came to mirror the mansion itself.
   
   There's a lot of humor in the writing. How could you not laugh at the author's stories about how hard it was to heat the house, find proper tenants, clear out a garden untouched for decades and to try to throw junk out when married to someone who can find a use for everything.
   
   If you don't know what an Aga stove is, you soon will. I highly recommend this book, but suggest curling up in a warm house with a hot cup of tea and a blanket. You'll need it.



5. I bought this book at my mother's request. She loved it. I'll be getting it back from her and reading it too.

3 comments about Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson.

1. Few autobiographies offer such a candid and vivid view of the mind of the author. In this, Thomas Jefferson's autobiography, there is no doubt as to the authenticity of the man, the revolutionary and the statesman: the virtue, wisdom and strength that is visible as Jefferson describes both the minor and major events and moments in his public life of service where his reliance upon the essence of the early Republic's laws and the spirit of the national consciousness were blended with the author's unique insight as to how to maintain the delicate balance of Federal necessity, states rights and the influence of the foreign powers and their affairs upon the young nation.
   
   Unlike the autobiographies of other founding fathers (Adams, Franklin, Hamilton, etc.), whose own accounts are more personal and revealing about themselves as well as judgmental and temperamental about their personal experience with their peers, Jefferson has crafted an autobiography, which is true to form: the form of the man and his beliefs, which influenced national policy without every being advanced to replace it, which served a nation selfishly without requiring anything else in return except for the promise of posterity to "preserve, protect and defend" the liberties achieved and to forever more "admire, relish and respect" the eternal need to defend and uphold, at any cost, both the people and the commonwealth for future generations to behold.
   
   I think it funny that today's democratic-socialists have adopted Thomas Jefferson as their "founding father". If anything, this book redeems the reputation and spirit of Jefferson, not as a democrat or democratic-socialist, but as a Republican, dedicated and sworn to instituting a democratic-republican form of government free from the tyranny of dictators and protected from the ill-conceived attempts of men and women from within to manipulate and pervert a form of government conceived as "one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."



2. This brief "autobiography" is not a self-promotion, an expose, or a book designed for the purpose of keeping the reader turning the pages in suspense. In fact, it has very little personal information about Jefferson or his life outside of the political happenings in which he was involved concerning the American and French revolutions. Certainly, there is no mention of his black lover, Sally Hemings, and for that matter little mention of his "real" family. Nonetheless it was to me a gripping tale that kept me reading, as I felt privy to the inner workings of the Continental Congress and the French Revolution from an influential American who was on the spot (and in the midst) of the events as they occurred. Perhaps, as a direct descendant of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, of which Jefferson was the author, I had a natural interest in this book. But I think not, as it had been sitting gathering dust on my shelf as I read lots of classic American fiction that I thought would be more rewarding. Despite (because of?) its dry, blunt, intelligent but factual style, the debates and events are center stage, with Jefferson's occasional but not obtrusive opinions being much appreciated. My great experience reading Jefferson's brief book led me to pick up W.E.B. DuBois' The Suppression of the African Slave-Trade, which covers some of the same ground although from a different perspective, and is equally rewarding.



3. I was a bit disappointed in this book. Having read and relished The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, I was anxious to read the native narrative of another of the Founding Fathers. Unfortunately, where as Franklin's book combines delightful personal details along with perspectives on the man's government service, Jefferson's autobiography is quite dry and seems to be more an official catalog of committee deliberations than a story about his own life. The rear cover of the books states, in addition to other things, that the book "...presents a detailed account of his young life..." and "...his life in retirement." I think that one would be hard pressed to identify more than a couple paragraphs in this 101 page book in which Jefferson describes his youth or his retirement. The book was interesting, though more from the historical and political perspectives than from any insight it offers into the inner philosophy or personal life of the man.

5 comments about Behind Rebel Lines: The Incredible Story of Emma Edmonds, Civil War Spy.

1. Disguised as a union soldier, Emma would risk her life for her country. Emma Edmonds was born in Saint John, Canada in 1840. When she was sixteen years old she ran away to the United States. When she was twenty one, President Lincoln made a request for seventy five thousand men to volunteer for the Army. She decided that she wanted to be a field nurse for the Union Army but those jobs were so dangerous that they were only given to men. So she cut her hair short, dressed up like a man, and enlisted under the name Franklin Thompson. Emma was assigned to the Second Regiment of Michigan Volunteers. The next day she and all the others in her Regiment were off to training camp. Upset at hearing the news that one of her friends had died in the war, Emma went to go see a woman named Mrs. Butler who lived on the camp with the soldiers. Emma started talking and she ended up telling her secret identity. After that day, Mrs. Butler became Emma's closest friend and the only one who new here secret. One day news came to the camp that a Union spy had been killed at a rebel camp. Now they needed a new spy and Emma volunteered. So she disguised herself as a black slave named Cuff. She snuck onto a rebel camp to gather any valuable information. She found out how many weapons they had, where people were hiding, anything that would help the union defeat the rebels. Once she had gathered enough information, she snuck back to the Union camp. With this information, the union began to fight. Emma became very busy in the hospital as more and more got injured. As the union reached a river, they had to stop and make a bridge across it which would take weeks. The Union army didn't have enough information to make an attack. It was time for Emma to become a spy again. This time she dressed up as a middle aged peddler woman. In this disguise she had no trouble at all getting into the camp and she was allowed to walk around freely. She found out a lot of useful information including the fact that the rebels had an ambush waiting for the union troops. She then rode away on a one of the rebel's horses. They were so impressed with Emma's work that they made her a messenger during all the fighting. For many months Emma was sent off on spy missions and was successful on all of them. Emma returned to being a nurse as the war went on. She was then struck with malaria. She couldn't go to the hospital she worked at because then they would find out she was a girl. So she decided to leave, get the help she needed and then come back. So she left and checked herself into a hospital. Once she got her malaria under control, she saw a union poster in a window. It said that Franklin Thompson was absent without leave. He was known as a deserter. Emma was upset but she continued being a nurse under her rightful name. Later on, after she was married she petitioned the war department to review her case. She had her military rights restored and received and honorable discharge. Other troops were surprised to find out that their old friend Frank Thompson was actually Emma Edmonds. Emma lived in La Porte until her death in 1898. This is a good book full of adventure and suspense.
   
   I thought it was cool how Emma was able to pull off so many disguises. Emma's biggest disguise was being a man. She was able to fool everyone, even her fellow soldiers who she became friends with, that she was a guy. She pulled it off without anyone ever asking questions. Also, there was her favorite disguise, the black slave named Cuff. She was again pretending to be a guy and she was able to come up with something to make her skin look dark. She was able to fool everyone in the rebel camp. Another disguise was as a peddler woman. Even though she was dressed up as a girl, no one ever thought that she actually looked like a real girl. She was even able to fool them then.
   
   Emma was brave and took many risks during her life. One big risk was just signing up. She could have gotten into a lot of trouble if they found out that she was lying and was a girl. And being in the middle of a war is dangerous too. Another risk was when Emma disguised herself as Mr. Mayberry. She was supposed to lead a man, who was leaking union information to the rebels, into a union ambush. If anything went wrong she could've ended up dead and no one would have known. Also, when she was dressed up as a black slave woman, she could have gotten killed. She found secret rebel documents and was going to take them back to her camp. But if she was caught with them they probably would have killed her.
   
   When ever Emma made a decision she stuck to it and didn't turn back. For example, when she decided to run away. She was only sixteen and was afraid of her dad. But she set her fears aside and made the decision to leave and she was happy about it. Another example is when she decided to volunteer for the Army. She was scared and worried that they wouldn't believe her disguise. But she made her decision and wasn't going to second guess herself. Also, when she wanted to become a spy. It was dangerous but she wanted to do it anyway. And even after Mrs. Butler tried and tried to convince her not to do it, Emma stuck to her decision.
   
   This is a great book that will make you not want to put it down. I would recommend it to most people who like biographies and adventure story. This book may not interest everyone but overall it was good.
   
   C. Chapman



2. Emma Edmonds is a young girl from Canada, living in the North during the Civil War. She's always been outgoing and bold- never able to stay in one place at a time. So when she feels a calling to join the Union army, she does what any rebellious girl would do- cuts her hair, gets the uniform, and joins up. At first she's awkward and unsure- terrified that she'll be discovered. She sees the whole thing as a big adventure-that is, until an old love interest of hers is killed in the war. She decides to really take a stand and looks at the war in a whole different way. She fights with all her power-until she gets word that a Union spy was recently killed by the Confederates. She quickly lands the job of replacement. She goes across the rebel lines, a different disguise each time, and collects useful information which helped to save many battles.
   Emma Edmonds, whom I had never heard of before reading the book, is a facinating character. How she summoned the courage to join the army I will never know. A very good book, but a little slow in places.



3. I didn't really like this book. I didn't really like the author's writing style, it was a little hard to understand and follow. The subject wasn't very interesting to me. I think that it would have been hard to try to re-create a story about the civil war. I think that the author did good on that.
   
   I wouldn't really recommend this book unless you are interested in things about the army. I think that it was cool though that a woman would take that kind of risk just to be in combat. Also it was cool that she was that passionate about serving her country.



4. My grandma forced me to read "Behind Rebel Lines". But it turned out to be an awsome and interesting book!



5. Behind the Lines is an adaptation of the Emma Edmonds story for young adults. Emma Edmonds was a native of Saint John New Brunswick, Canada who left for the United States several years prior to the war. She eventually found her way to Michigan where, following the outbreak of war, she under the alias Franklin Thompson enlisted with the 2nd Michigan Infantry. She served with the unit as an orderly for about a year before she volunteered herself as a spy, and during the course of the next year went on eleven assignments. Not only were her spying activities dangerous, but she always had to remain vigilant among her comrades as well, lest her identity be discovered. This is a very interesting and entertaining bit of history, one that is sure to interest even some of those who insist that history is "bo-ring".

5 comments about Good-Bye to All That: An Autobiography (Anchor Books).

1. Obviously a must read for all Graves fans and pre-world war Britain. Later chapters will be worth the wait for World War I fans. The reading is clear, fluid, and to the point; making it am excellent reference to the war. I gave it four stars since I am not a Robert Graves fan; although he seemed like a nice bloke.



2. If you want to learn about and from Graves, then you will love this book. The Great War was a turning point for the generation of Robert Graves just as post September 11th is a turning point for the current generation: nothing can ever be exactly the same, but it takes a great poet to put those changes into context for the rest of the world. Graves was that poet for his generation.
   Misunderstood early in life, at times labeled a subversive, after ninety years, he departed this world as a wise sage. This is the story of his early life, including his experiences in the Great War. It is a must read for any ex-soldier and for anyone who wants to understand the core of Graves' thought.



3. This account by Robert Graves is one of the better personal journals I have read concerning the Great War. The very fact that Graves is in almost at the beginning of the conflict / situation of Trench warfare make this a very valuable work. Because he is an accomplished writer, it flows and reads very well. There are no sections of the book that lag. You will absolutely gain some insight to the way that the officers and men behaved and especially appreciate his commentary on French citizens caught in the middle of the conflict, individual soldiers that have some sembelance of a brain versus the moronic mass, and how much stupidity there is in military conduct based on previous experiences in war, not realizing that this was a new and different sort of conflict, yet trying to constantly apply outdated and dangerous methods in attack. One such crazy result of it is that officers had a high casualty rate. Why? Well, you could always identify them in the field of battle. They were the guys carrying a pistol and swagger stick versus a rifle. Easy pickings to say the least and you would think they would learn and make adjustments accordingly but tragically the practice continued. Anyway, a great book. Well worth your time and small investment to a window on another era by a first hand witness.



4. Good descriptive text of WWI in the trenches and on the way to them, but other than that, not a particularly well-written book. Graves's 'better than thou' attitude sours what could have been a masterpiece if written by somebody with a heart. A bitter story by a bitter man who should have stuck to his poetry.



5. This is the edition that Graves edited to all Jesus hell! I've seen excerpts of the unedited version and THAT is the book to aim for, though you have to find it through an antiquarian book peddler and the cheapest edition I could find cost $300. Rats. But hopefully perhaps an electronic edition of the original will somehow find its' way to the internet one day.
   
   What is left is still an excellent read. Concerning the up to that date unprecedented rate of slaughter and the technological changes of modern warfare that made it so, his way is understatement which I believe made it that much more impactful. I like this man's mind - I like him. It would have been very interesting to corner him by a fire with a bottle of good sherry and to let him expound on the Latin or WWI or poetry, or perhaps Hebrew mythology.
   
   Speaking of Hebrew mythology, he wrote a wonderful wonderful book on it, a treatise really on the book of Genesis. If you have any interest whatsover in religion, etymology or anthropology, please read this book - it is wonderful! Just google or "amazon" Graves and Hebrew myths and you will find it.
   
   I have his "White Goddess", but have not read it yet.

5 comments about Kingdom of Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a Star-Crossed Child in the Final Days of the American Century.

1. Make no mistake the late, lamented Hunter Thompson was always something of a muse for me going way back to the early 1970's when I first read his seminal work on outlaw bikers, The Hell's Angels. Since then I have devoured, and re-devoured virtually everything that he has written. I have reviewed many of those efforts elsewhere in this space. As I noted recently in reviewing his 2004 work Hey, Rube, a screed on the misadventures of a gambling freak (himself), not all his efforts have been equally compelling. That was the case in my panning of Hey, Rube but here we are back on much more solid `gonzo' style from the old days. Maybe it is because this work is in the form of a memoir and thus intentionally places the good Doc's actions in the center of the writing that puts this effort in the mold of his better compilations like the Great Shark Hunt and Songs of the Doomed.
   
   Thompson uses his patented stream of consciousness trope to create amusing stories starting from the then present (early 2000's) and his then current doings and splices them together, in some segments randomly, to events as far back as his childhood in Louisville, Kentucky. Along the way we find him at age nine in trouble with the FBI, and none the worst for the confrontation. Later, it is down and dirty in Rio with the crazies. Throughout, we find him incessantly testing his beloved guns and various `hot' motorcycles at various and sundry appropriate and inappropriate times.
   
   Additionally, we have some compelling and insightful stories as this radical journalist tours the news breaking global spots, taking trips to places like Vietnam just before the fall, Cuba, Grenada just after the invasion and elsewhere wherever the journalistic action might be and a story, in the Thompson style, might develop. Needless to say there is plenty of ink about sex, drugs and rock and rock including his deeply affecting and traumatic tangle with the law in Aspen the early 1990's. That, my friends, was a close call.
   
   And throughout, as usual, there are pithy political comments about the various idiots-in-chiefs, their henchman and hangers-on that he spent his life hammering. Maybe not hammering your way, definitely not my way, but his way. His fateful run for Sheriff of Aspen on the Freak Power ticket in 1970 probably accurately set the tone as a lifelong description of his politics. For those who have read other works by Thompson some of the signature language may be old hat as he meanders along in this volume. For others it is a chance to learn the lingo. Damn, especially this election year, I miss him. Read on.



2. Mr Thompsons autobiography is somewhat lacking compared to his other works. It seems, that he in his later years didn't have that much new to say, and this volume shows it very clearly. It deals with the legend of HST, not the man Hunter Stockton Thompson, and only plays the same tune that we've been hearing since F&L in Las Vegas, only in a strongly diluded form.
   
   A great drawback is that he recycles a lot of stuff from his earlier work, which if you're a fan/reader of his you can't help but feel a bit cheated about. The book isn't that long as it is, but when half the material already has been printed before, and therefore probably, for fans at least, is on your shelf already, it gives the feeling of the good Mr Thompson not really making an effort writing this volume.
   
   It's not all bad though. There are highlights in the book. His description of his childhood is enjoyable and very biographical. The last chapter is also very enjoyable, although not that good as biographical material, it does for a good reading.
   
   It starts out legitimate enough, but quickly turns to his rambling and at times incoherent style of writing. Worth reading if you're a completist. I would recommend the compilations of his letters "The Proud Highway" and "F&L in America" as biography instead. They are much better.



3. This book (2003) and "Hey Rube" (2004) appear to be the last of HST's books. While "Hey Rube" contains lengthy discussions of gambling on professional football and basketball (including "March Madness"), this book is more far-ranging, containing everything from Thompson's reminiscences of his youth to his (highly negative) thoughts on George W. Bush. There's even a chapter from "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 1972," one of the finest political books ever written.
   
   The quality of the writing on the recent pieces is not quite up to that of his best from the past, but is still infinitely better than the mindless slop produced by other contemporary "writers." The man was an artist.
   
   As always, one of the disturbing things about Thompson is his ability to assess politics correctly in real time. Reading back, you think "Why didn't people take this man seriously at the time?"
   
   "Indeed," as Doc would say.



4. It's true, there are lots of parts of this book that can be found in other books, but this is still the best HST book I've read. It's sort of like a greatest hits. The new parts however, are the best part of this book.



5. By far simply one of his best collections. It seems the good doctor saw what was on the horizon and unforunately he was right. The world is a lesser place without him and we should all cherish every word. His insight was frightening an accurate. BUY THIS BOOK!

5 comments about The Beatles Anthology.

1. One of the best since Peter Brown's "The love you make",but has a lot of detail about the fab four as to their musical career and experiences in show business. I would read it again if i could. Good investment.



2. No other book tells the beatles story like this, awesome pictures and comments by the fb4 as well as people that worked with them



3. I am 56 and so just caught the end of the Beatles era. I enjoy their music, but would not label myself as a Beatles "fan". What I liked most about this book was discovering what happened in fact that I was only vaguely aware of at the time.
   
   One strength of the book is the illustrations. Many of these would not be considered worthwhile to include in a biography, but they can stir interest, such as seeing portions of contracts for their performances did for me. Another strength is hearing the story directly from the band members. (John's "contributions" were taken from interviews he gave prior to his death.) They do debunk some silly rumors that have persisted about the band. I also enjoyed hearing the circumstances that prompted the writing of many of the songs they recorded.
   
   One negative is that, being an anthology, you get the various opinions on what occurred at key points in time. These can be repetitive and even contradictory among the different band members. So, you do not get the persistence and continuity of having one point of view from the author. The book follows the general sequence of the band's development, but doesn't provide an exact chronology which is sometimes an annoying omission. At times the Beatles are quite candid and at other times I feel like they are offering up answers that protect one another as I would expect from any close group of musicians.
   
   All in all I now have a much greater appreciation of the Beatles phenomenon, their contribution to popular culture and their personalities. However, I still feel that I know "the whole story" and would only consider this book to be one key reference towards understanding the group.



4. This is an excelent book, it is the Beatles story told by them, the book quality is amazing, clear pictures, hardcover is the way to go with this book.
   The only problem I see in this book is the size, it would be almost impossible to carry it in a bag, it is heavy and big to carry, it is a book to read confortably in your bed drinking a Margarita and imagining the adventures of the most succesful band in the history of music.



5. The only negative is the size of the book. There should be a smaller hardcover or paperback edition. The content is superb and a great coffee table book, but it's difficult to curl up with this book in bed.

4 comments about Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, Written by Himself (The Bedford Series in History and Culture).

1. In the classic slave narrative genre, Frederick Douglass' narrative of his life brings to life, in all its horrors, American slave society, and one slave's life-long protest against it.
   
   When we read Frederick Douglass in his own words, he is less the radical and more the reformer than we've been led to believe. He is also more the Christian statesmen and less the Christianity critic than we might imagine. Douglass' oft quoted comments about Christianity had much more to do with a righteous critique of distorted Christian living practiced by white masters than with any critique of Christianity or of Christ. In reality, Douglass, like so many enslaved African Americans before and after him, saw in Jesus a Savior they could identify with--a suffering Savior.
   
   Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.



2. Frederick Douglass is the complete ressurection of the saying, "Knowledge is Power." With the more information he aquired as a slave the more he lusted for freedom. He also provides an excellent example of what black people in this country could do for themselves, interms of their economical status. Looking further, Douglass loved to think and imagine the endless possiblities, while he was still in bondage physically. When he began to read and understand the "Hypocrasy" that this country was based on, using christianity as it main tool, and what every human should be allowed by right, this released his psychological enslavement. If blacks throughout this country could read and understand there were blacks that went through worse situatians and overcame them, and the current situation that destroy the black communities were created for them to fail, just like slavery, many would wake up and take on the mask of Douglass. The mask that says, "regardless of class, race, or creed, this world was created for everyone to enjoy including me."



3. I read this book as part of a summer assignment entering into the 11th grade in addition to "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" by Harriet Jacobs. Both are great pieces of African-American historical literature and well worth the read. I couldn't read this book all in one sitting, due to the need to fight the urge to throw up. He detailed descriptions of physical, psycological, and emotional abuse are enough to sicken any one and make you disgusted with the human race.



4. The honesty with which this is written is amazing. I was glued to it from page one. I felt disgusted by the human race, saddened by his traumas and guilty just for being white. I think this needs to be read more. Especially in schools. Why isn't it???

5 comments about The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red.

1. A group of friends and I passed this book around at the beach and all enjoyed it. The book was detailed and engaging. I enjoyed thinking that it was based on real events and found out that it is in fact fiction. It's still worth reading and I'm looking forward to watching the mini-series.



2. The book is much more intimate details of Ellen's personal life especially with her husband. I read the book first then watched the movie. A good choice on my part since it made watching the movie much more exciting.



3. The book was well written in the style of a diary. The authors chosen profession leads one to believe the facts are real. One can enjoy the book as authentic or imaginary based on the author's experiences. It is an intriguing mystery and a great followup after I saw the movie "Rose Red" written by Steven King. I found both very entertaining.



4. I just finished this book and did find it hard to put down. No great masterpiece of course but clever. Written as a diary in first person I think made it a breeze for someone like King. It took me a little while but it became very apparent that a man not a woman wrote this diary (book). Every woman should know what I mean. And of course it is a brilliant accompaniment to the movie. Oh...and the website thrown in as a little added publicity was a cute idea. The only question is (like the egg) which came first, the book or the movie?? I'd love to know how that man's mind works. lol



5. Built on a Native American burial ground in Seattle in the early 20th century, Rose Red was to be a Queen among houses. Built as a wedding gift by John Rimbauer for his wife Ellen, Rose Red claims a victim even before the foundations are laid. A foreman is shot to death; his death would only be the first, however and would be far from the last.
   
   People begin to disappear. First a maid, then another woman. Ellen knows there is something wrong within the walls of Rose Red. Sukeena, Ellen's maid, knows there is evil within the walls too. She is an African witch woman and knows the face of evil. Ellen keeps a diary to document the events surrounding Rose Red. It becomes her confidant and the stuff of nightmares.
   
   Wanting to find answers for the strange goings on in her house, Ellen hires a medium to hold a séance. John Rimbauer scorns this event, but it changes Ellen's life forever. The medium receives a message from the house, from Rose Red. She tells Ellen that as long as the house continues to be built, Ellen will never die.
   
   Preparations begin the next day for new wings to be added to Rose Red. Strange things begin to happen in Rose Red. There are noises at night time; rooms exist where no room existed before. As more people continue to disappear, Ellen can't quite get over the idea that the house seems to be building itself.
   
   Then someone is found dead. More dead bodies follow, always men. Women only disappear in Rose Red. Men are killed savagely. With each new death and disappearance, Ellen's world is plunged into turmoil. She knows she must stop the force within the house before something else happens. She is too late; Rose Red has taken her daughter.
   
   For those of you who don't already know, "The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer" was actually written by Ridley Pearson as a movie tie in for Stephen King's three part, six hour miniseries "Stephen King's Rose Red" that aired in 2002. Stephen King has this to say on his web site:
   
   Now it can be told--the actual author of The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer is suspense novelist (and Rock Bottom Remainder bass guitarist) Ridley Pearson. Ridley did a great job--I couldn't have done better myself..."
   
   If you haven't seen "Stephen King's Rose Red," I urge you to do so as it is the epitome of the modern haunted house movie. One would think a movie tie in novel would be an awful rewrite of the story with no depth behind it or anything worth reading. I held back on picking up the book for so long as I was afraid that the novel would be found lacking when compared to the movie. I was happily surprised to find that I was very wrong indeed.
   
   The novel was written as a companion to the movie. In fact, it explains more within its pages than the movie does. Several things in the movie are left without an explanation. There are explanations a plenty of the haunting at Rose Red within the diaries pages. There is even a web site that relates to the diary and the miniseries. There are pages of the diary that are only published on the web.
   
   Apart from being part of a brilliant multi-media advertising campaign, "My Life at Rose Red - The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer" is an incredible, beautiful work. It examines the power of fear and what happens when someone is pushed to far. It takes a chilling look at the human condition and the stresses of the unknown.
   
   What was surprising were the subplots of the novel. Ellen is a young woman in a terrible marriage. There is also the issue of lesbianism between Ellen and her maid Sukeena; Ellen examines her budding sexuality and tries to find herself, even while she is struggling with the evil that is going on around her.
   
   The novel is more about personal discovery than anything else. It takes a look at what scares us, what torments our dreams. It is a beautiful, darkly gorgeous novel and can be read on its own apart from "Stephen King's Rose Red." Even if you don't watch the movie, read "My Life at Rose Red-The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer."
   
   It will leave you breathless and in awe of the beauty found in the dark. Just make sure you always bring someone with you into the darkness...you may be liable to disappear.

5 comments about Two Lives of Charlemagne (Penguin Classics).

1. Charlemagne occupies a position of central historical importance in the west. His rule was contemporaneous with Harun al-Rashid, the greatest Abbasid Caliph, and he presided over the great Carolingian revival-led by Alcuin and other learned monks.
   Understanding the Franks during this historical period is vital to understanding the dynamics of the middle ages. One problem is the lack of reliable source material. These two sources do much to help us in this regard.
   Einhardt's narrative is terse, well written, and fast paced. He cuts the fat and keeps the beef. Only problem is, he is biased from the outset. The cardboard picture of Charles we get from his narrative is lacking illumination. Compared to Notker, however, it is the more reliable source.
   Notker's story is a series of tales, digressions, and fantasies; all written with an overly verbose, confusing style. Charlemagne seems more human and vivid in this account, but he still lacks complex, three-dimensional qualities. He is described as tireless, fearless, pious, unconquerable, etc. I do not think a bad word is spoken of him. The story also lacks a thread to tie it together. There are some entertaining tales and tidbits, but often they wonder into obscurity.
   
   It is dissapointing to have these two "lives" of Charlemagne without being able to understand him. He still remains a mysterious figure. If you want his illusiveness to disapear, you will be very dissapointed. If you want to understand the mind of the medieval era, and some facts besides, these two accounts are great places to start.



2. When I first read Lewis Thorpe's translations of Charlemagne's biographies by Einhard and Notker the Stammerer, it was clear that these were of differing value in assessing Charlemagne as man, king, and emperor. Einhard, who was a monk and in effect Charlemagne's private secretary and thus close to the Frankish king, gives a lucid, fairly-detailed, and down-to-earth description of Charlemagne as man, ruler, and father. Even allowing for the fact that he was writing about his late lord and may have indulged in a little licence in praising the Frankish emperor-king, the reader does get some genuine and valuable insights into Charlemagne as a man and ruler and the times in which he lived. He covers all the great events of Charlemagne's reign, including Charlemagne's military expeditions and exploits such as the bloody 32-year war against the Saxons. Einhard can also be on occasion mildly implicitly critical of his late lord, such as when he wrote that Charlemagne tended to dote on and be over-protective of his daughters. In comparison, Notker the Stammerer's life of Charlemagne is a much less biographical account of Charlemagne's life and times and is far more fanciful and inclined to medieval myth and legend. However for all that, the stammering Notker's life of the great man is still enjoyable and interesting to read and a useful, if rather garbled, example of medieval literature. I would recommend to anyone to read Lewis Thorpe's eminently readable translations of the two lives, especially Einhard's, as it does, I repeat, give some real insight and understanding of one of the great historical figures of medieval and Western history.



3. The title of this book (i.e., "Two Lives") is not at all misleading if you understand the translators' understanding of the word "life" -- it's the medieval use (from the Latin, "vita", as suggested by the title of one of the "lives," Einhard's Vita Karoli Magni, or the Life of Charles the Great). Although Notker chose to write the Gesta Karoli (or "Acts of Charles"), the idea of it being a chronicle of Charlemagne's life is basically the same as Einhard's. The main difference is that a Vita is frequently written about a saint, whereas gesta are reserved for secular subjects; a little-known fact is that Charlemagne was canonized because of the efforts of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England, in the 12th century. In any event, the vita can be construed as "fiction" in a modern understanding of history, but certainly not in a modern expectation of a novel... if you're looking for some salacious fluff, this is not the book for you. If you're looking for insight into Charlemagne's life and/or the late-8th or early-9th centuries, then this will be an ideal choice.



4. The pairing of these vastly different accounts of the life and deeds of Charlemagne presents the reader with information about change of perception of the great emperor overtime. Charlemagne, in the many centuries after his death in 814, changes from a historical person into a legendary King Arthur-esque figure, a model chivalric knight and one of the Nine Worthies (a Medieval list of the most chivalric knights of all time), his paladins analogous to Arthur's Knights, and the subject of the first chansons de geste.
   
   The first source, commissioned the request of Louis the Pious one of Charlemagne's successors, was written by Einhard, a monk, historian, and a dedicated servant of Charlemagne. His Life of Charlemagne, written between 817-830 is clearly in the vein of the famous Roman historian Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars (a text that existed at the monastery where the author worked). The work is brief, to the point, and for the most part does not include tangential information, and is biased. The bias is completely understandable and the introduction to the text points out where and why. His chronicle was written to make Louis the Pious' famous father look good. For example, one of the morally stained aspects of the Charlemagne's reign were the actions of his unmoral daughters, which Einhard carefully does not tell us about. Einhard, in short, sometimes deliberately obscures the truth. However, what is so appealing about Einhard's text is the fact that his most of his information was based off of 26 years as a servant of Charlemagne and his court, and information that he includes of actions before Charlemagne's reign most likely was gathered from sources and documents which he had access to. Lastly, Einhard's attempt at stringently following the model of Suetonius Twelve Caesars makes him connect the characteristics of great emperors such as Augustus to Charlemagne, obscuring Charlemagne's actual habits, personality etc...
   
   The next chronicle, written 70 years later by a self described lazy, toothless, stammering, monk who could be either, Notker the Stammerer, or the Monk of Saint Gall, or both in one person, is completely different. The introduction states immediately what most reader's minds will skip. I quote "Our first danger is that when we put De Carolo Magno side by side with Vita Caroli we may be comparing it with something quite dissimilar; and our second that we may be criticizing both Einhard and the Monk of Saint Gall for failing to achieve what they did not set out to do." Einhard, wanted Charlemagne to look good, this monk wants to give his fellow monks fables, stories, semi-historical events, moral tales concerning bishops and churchman, that are all connected merely by the presence of Charlemagne in each. Moral tales are the most predominate. This is illustrated by these chapter headings: the bishop who bought a stuffed mouse, the bishop who gave Charlemagne cheese to eat on Friday, the bishop who thought himself divine, the bishop who dreamed he had sex etc... In the section where the monk talks about Charlemagne's extensive military adventures he is more concerned again, with short tidbit tales that have nothing to do with the military campaigns: the two illegitimate children who fought bravely for Charlemagne, the two brave soldiers, etc... Charlemagne has begun his journey to the realm of legend a mere 70 years after his death. Notker the Stammerer is writing for the entertainment of his fellow monks and in so doing explains the perception of Charlemagne over time.
   
   The introduction is extensive and to the point, it does not merely summarize but explains. The notes do not merely present trifling material but ADD extensively to the text. The two vastly different texts do not rehash the same material but rather explain the same person in vastly different ways for vastly different purposes: one, using historical fact, the other using semi-historical stories and anecdotes concerning the moral behavior of bishops. These are very good sources for research and for the casual historian.



5. Looking at the three 'one-star' reviews this book has received, I would point out they are all written in the same style, are close in date and look suspiciously like they were all written by the same person.
   
   Yes, this is a wonderful primary source.
   
   With Einhard's story you are actually reading the work of a person who knew Charlemagne (who lived approx. 742-814AD).
   
   Prior to Charlemagne there basically was no Germanic literature. Charlemagne encouraged book learning and the writing of what had before then been either purely oral or simply not remembered. We are looking at the birth of Germanic Literature and also the birth of Germanic recorded history. Before this, (apart from a few glosses in the 7th Century) there is only the archaeological record and the writings of neighbouring literate cultures like the Romans about their Germanic neighbours to turn to for illumination.
   
   These glimpses into the minds of people whose culture and outlook on the world are both so different to our own but also has so profoundly impacted the development of our modern day life are fascinating.
   
   Charlemagne after all followed in the footsteps of the Roman Caesars in his attempt to create a great and literate civilisation and by doing so deeply influenced the Anglo-Saxons in England. Some of the earliest Saxon writings were commissioned by Charlemagne and his son, Louis the Pious. Alfred the Great was deeply influenced by his example. It was Alfred the Greats encouragement of Anglo-Saxon literature that established sound foundations for later developments in English literature.
   
   I preferred Einhard as I think he succeeded in showing Charlemagne the man to a greater degree than Notker writing a hundred years later. Already with Notker the 'legendising' of Charlemagne made him more one dimensional and also as you can see in the foot notes more inaccuracies creep into Notker's text. There is also something more primitive and 'mystical' about Einhard. Mystical, mind you when one of Charlemagne's rivals 'mysteriously' dies. ;) But this is not really a criticism of Notker as he gives a feel for the development both of Germanic culture one hundred years further on and also some insight into the making of the legend of Charlemagne.

5 comments about The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie and The Gospel of Wealth (Signet Classics).

1. "The surest foundation of a manufacturing concern is quality. After that, and a long way after, comes cost" (Andrew Carnegie. \\
   Should be required reading for anyone going into business.
   Unfortunately, too many American manufacturers, in general, have forgotten Andy's advice. Had the CEOs in Detroit followed his principle, they would have never been surpassed by Toyota and I would be driving an American car instead of a Lexus hybrid.
   Larry Pisoni
   President of Gourmet Italia



2. Andrew Carnegie offers an intriguing look into his life story that chronicles his ancestry in Scotland to his journey from child to business tycoon in the US. Carnegie writes in a style applicable to the times, thus there is inevitably a period of acclimatization with the material; however, within a short period of familiarizing yourself with this style of English, you will find it hardly represents an encumbrance.
   
   Carnegie has a knack for being very productive with his abilities as well as often finding himself in the right place and time. Much of his success could be perceived as lucky; however, it will not take long for any reader to see that the effects of his always going the extra mile permitted Carnegie to stand out as a result of his own principles, hardly dependant on luck.
   
   Carnegie exemplifies what one hopes to find among great men; integrity, honesty, hard work, and a passion for profit. Carnegie's giant success is only matched by his good will to human kind. Carnegie explains his thoughts on why he felt the most immoral thing a man can do is to die rich, thus he spent his retirement giving as much of his wealth away as possible. The evidence of Carnegie's lasting name and historical significance provides ample reason to read this Carnegie autobiography. His candidness and honest approach make this book even better.



3. I read this book as a recommendation from the book "Success through a positive mental attitude" and it is a good read. It is a bit slow at first and its written in an older style of English. Once you pick up the style though the book becomes very interesting, I often read it before sales calls to motivate myself.



4. The autobiography gives a good (but sometimes slight) overview of Carnegie's rise from a bobbin boy to one of the richest men in the world. The autobiography doesn't tell you "this is how to become rich", but instead shows Carnegie's values and approach to the working world. The Gospel of Wealth is an interesting idea: the rich got rich by being the most talented and hard-working and deserve their wealth. Since the rich are the smartest and most talented of us, they should best decide how their money gets distributed so that it will best help all of mankind. If money was given to the poor, instead of put into public works and trusts, the poor would blow it because they don't know how to handle money. If they did, they'd be rich! I like this idea, but rarely, if ever do I see it practiced. The rich aren't always the most talented, intelligent, or hard-working people, rarely do they use their wealth for the public good (unless it's a tax write-off), and most of their money gets passed on to their children. I definitely recommend this book. Try these ideas out for yourself.



5. Andrew Carnegie played the game of life to perfection, which is how he ended up the richest man in the world. He had so much amazing wisdom. He made very wise choices starting from the earliest age up to the end of his life. Many people gain some wisdom as they grow older, but what's even more amazing about Andrew Carnegie is that he was wise even as a child and a teenager. Perhaps his parents and other elders taught him very well. It seems like Carnegie always made the best and wisest business decisions. The few times something went wrong, it wasn't his fault and it didn't set him back much. Lately I've been learning a lot about business, marketing, and success. I've gotten a lot of great advice about success. And when I read Carnegie's book, I got to see all these success principles in action. Carnegie's life is full of great examples of what you should do to be successful as a person and as a businessman.
   
   I've seen some claims that he was just another ruthless robber barron, but I think that is a very unfair depiction. I think he did a great job of leading the steel industry and making sure that it took advantage of the most advanced technology available at the time and did things on the most efficient and secure basis. He had a great ability to get along with people and I believe he did treat people very fairly. And by the time he died, he had given away 90% of his fortune to benefit the world through education, culture, etc. I think that is a large piece of evidence showing that he was a well-intentioned, good-hearted person.