Book Description
Critical Issues in Education is designed to be used in courses that examine current, relevant pro-and-con disputes about schools and schooling. By exploring the major opposing viewpoints on these issues, the text encourages education students to think critically and develop their own viewpoints. The clear writing and dramatic dialectic approach are conducive to dynamic classroom discussions that help students grasp the many sides of these complex issues. Three integrating themes provide a solid framework for examining the nineteen topics covered. Each part begins with a chapter-length introduction that provides background material and organizing themes for the issues that follow. Each issue is then presented from two divergent viewpoints, each one written in advocate language to be as compelling as possible. The book's objective, in addition to informing the reader about the issues, is to develop critical thinking skills within the context of education. The fourth edition includes updated research and scholarship, updated bibliographic references, and three new chapters (“Beginning Reading – Is there one best approach to literacy?” “Gender – Should gender differences affect schools and schooling?” and “Mainstreaming and Inclusion – How should we provide for students with special needs?”).
Customer Reviews:
Subjective Evaluation.......2007-07-03
The arguments are, as stated in 1st review, slanted. They are supposed to be! The book uses a pro vs. con argument format and tries not to judge. Summary is limited to a mild discussion of the importance of the issue. I was required to use it in an education course and actually kept the book. I was looking for an updated version when I stumbled here, although in education as in all things it seems that the more things change the more they stay the same. I think that anyone, and I mean anyone, who intends to use public media to deliver opinions of any sort on education should be required to read the book.
Outdated, unrealistic and dry........2002-06-27
I was forced to read and write about the issues presented in this book for a class I was taking. The arguments are slighted and though there is an attempt to present two different views on the same issue, it falls short every time.
Solid.......2001-01-24
Excellent multi perspective. Many experienced educational writers and sources consulted in this writing. Lots of supporting facts make it an excellent resource for teachers and administrators.
Average customer rating:
- Fast-paced and a lot of suspense.
- Entertaining!
- James Patterson is a great writer!
- Sophomoric
- Awesome Book!
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The Quickie
James Patterson , and
Michael Ledwidge
Manufacturer: Hachette Audio
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Binding: Audio CD
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You've Been Warned
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ASIN: 159483928X
Release Date: 2007-07-02 |
Book Description
Lauren Stillwell is not your average damsel in distress. When the NYPD cop discovers her husband leaving a hotel with another woman, she decides to beat him at his own game. But her revenge goes dangerously awry, and she finds her world spiraling into a hell that becomes more terrifying by the hour.In a further twist of fate, Lauren must take on a job that threatens everything she stands for. Now, she's paralyzed by a deadly secret that could tear her life apart. With her job and marriage on the line, Lauren's desire for retribution becomes a lethal inferno as she fights to save her livelihood--and her life.Patterson takes us on a twisting roller-coaster ride of thrills in his most gripping audiobook yet. This story of love, lust and dangerous secrets will have listeners' hearts pounding to the very last page.
Customer Reviews:
Fast-paced and a lot of suspense........2007-10-21
At the beginning of the book, Laura Stillwell catches her husband Paul really close to another woman. She could not believe it as she thought their marriage was so perfect. In a fit of revenge, she has a brief affair with her co-worker cop, Scott. They have a "quickie," in bed before the worst possible thing happens. Paul discovers what Laura is up to with Scott, and goes out to find him. The two guys have a huge fight, and Paul kills Scott dumping his body from the car. Laura sees this whole thing unfold, and knows that she should tell, but not on her own husband. She wants to cover up the whole thing when the cops start their investigation in the case. And as a matter of fact, Laura is made to be in charge of the whole thing.
She covers up every angle the whole way for Paul, and he never tells her what happened. In fact, he continues lying.
It comes up thst Paul supposedly came into a bunch of money and wants them to relocate to DC. Laura still feels something is amiss with Paul, and so when he says he has a meeting when calling from his cell-phone and won't be home until late, Laura knows Paul is lying. She follows him in a taxi cab to where he is going, and what she finds out is that Paul is a fake and not a good man at all.
Entertaining!.......2007-10-19
Although I hated for the book to end, I couldn't wait to find out what the ending would be. It was all I could do NOT to look ahead. Boy, am I glad I didn't. My heart was racing as I neared the conclusion. Very entertaining. I will definitely recommend it to my fellow readers/friends.
James Patterson is a great writer!.......2007-10-18
I have enjoyed every book Mr. Patterson has written. The Quickie was a great one. I will be reading You've Been Warned this weekend.
Sophomoric.......2007-10-18
I've enjoyed a couple of Patterson's books and thought this one would be good based on the description. I threw it away after 67 pages. The writing is really poor and the characters seem like they are out of a comic book.
Awesome Book!.......2007-10-17
One of the best books I have read of James Patterson so far!! Kept me interested the whole time!! Was a hard book to put down.
Product Description
The serene Universal Waite Tarot is perfect for meditation and readings. The deck is a soothing, eye-appealing complement to the traditional Rider-Waite deck. The drawings of Pamela Colman Smith have been beautifully re-colored by Mary Hanson Roberts.
Customer Reviews:
the Waite deck done in Aquarian deck art.......2007-10-13
Love this deck, muted colores don't "scream" at you, this deck is very easy to learn, and I always shyed away from the original Waite or Rider Waite because something made me uncomfortable in the artwork. This clone deck is beautiful and has a very "soft" quality to it. It also does not stray from the symbolism, but presents a more gentle image.
The best alternative to the more blunt, garish original............2007-09-14
I have around 65 decks and among all the complete RWS clones out there, this is my favourite. I was always put off by the orginal colouring and thick lines, ugly!
When I came across this and delicate, exquisite and sumptious re-colouring by Hanson-Roberts I was very delighted! I love her way of drawing and use of colour(among my other favourites are her signature deck and the Whimsical) technique. The details just pop out and sing their message. It's astounding how simple colour changes and line restructuring can totally change your experience with a deck you formerly couldn't work with.
So many books use the RWS for study and illustration, and it's been a treasure having this gorgeous deck to take out and follow along. As an alternative to the basic or original versions, this comes the most highly recommended by me!
A very pleasing deck to use.......2007-06-07
I began with the Original Rider Waite tarot deck and found the colors and thick lines unpleasant. In contrast, this version of the Waite deck is beautiful. The drawings have been retraced in a finer line and the pastel pencil coloring is carefully shaded and very appealing. I think the images looks less cartoonish than in the standard Rider Waite deck. This deck also has a glossy protective coating that looks like it will withstand a lot of use. Overall the Universal Waite is a wonderful deck to use. My one complaint is the packaging is flimsy and it's hard to get the deck back into it. Too bad it doesn't have the same style packaging as the pocket version of the Universal Waite. So, five stars for the deck minus one star for the packaging.
Very Nice color tones!.......2006-11-30
This deck is more appealing then other decks. I use my Universal Waite Tarot Deck mostly for meditation.
A slight change on tradition.......2006-11-13
This deck is the traditional Rider Waite Smith with colour added. That makes for an interesting twist on a traditional deck. I personally do not like all the yellows on the real RWS deck, so this deck is really appealing to me. It has nicer and softer colours, but the images are not changed to toyed with in any way. You get the tradition without the drab colour scheme. I really liked this deck and get a lot of use from it.
Amazon.com
Praised for her historical fiction by critics and devoted fans alike, author Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles took the romance world by storm some 30 years ago, firmly fixing Dunnett's reputation as a master of the historical romance. The Game of Kings, the first story in The Lymond Chronicles, sets the stage for what will be a sweeping saga filled with passion, courage, and the endless fight for freedom. The setting is 1547, in Edinborough, Scotland. Francis Crawford of Lymond returns to the country despite the charge of treason hanging over his head. Set on redeeming his reputation, He leads a company of outlaws against England as he fights for the country he loves so dearly. Dangerous, quick-witted, and utterly irresistible, Lymond is pure pleasure to watch as he traverses 16th-century Scotland in search of freedom. The Game of Kings is a must-have for the historical romance connoisseur.
Book Description
For the first time Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles are available in the United States in quality paperback editions.
The first book in the legendary Lymond Chronicles,
Game of Kings takes place in 1547. Scotland has been humiliated by an English invasion and is threatened by machinations elsewhere beyond its borders, but it is still free. Paradoxically, her freedom may depend on a man who stands accused of treason: Francis Crawford of Lymond.
Customer Reviews:
Lymond Series No 1: Brilliant but not for every taste.......2007-09-06
This is the first book in a series which you will either love or hate. It is also one of those multi-book series which must if at all possible be read in the right order, which is
1) The Game of Kings
2) Queen's Play
3) The Disorderly Knights
4) Pawn in Frankincense
5) The Ringed Castle
6) Checkmate
There are two reasons why this series, and the author's similar "Niccolo" series, should be read in chronological order. The first is that the plots are incredibly complicated and if you read them out of sequence you have no chance of understanding what is going on. The second is that many of the characters meet their deaths in ways which are particularly nasty both for themselves and for the characters who survive them. I know from experience having made the mistake of reading one of the later books first, that advance knowledge of when someone is going to die, and of the horrible shock Lymond will experience when he finds out about it, can spoil the pleasure that the reader might otherwise have had when meeting that character for the first time.
Like the books the central character, Francis Crawford of Lymond, is brilliant, violent, and extremely complicated. Unlike the books he is very flawed. Lymond is a mercenary with particular interests in Scotland and France, and gets involved in nefarious deeds all over the world as 16th century Europeans knew it. Dunnett brings the splendour, cultural ferment, and violent cruelty of the Renaissance world splendidly to life.
If you are at all squeamish, or do not like having to make your brain work overtime to follow a book, leave this series alone. This story is neither "chewing gum for the brain" nor a comfortable read. And even if you prefer flawed heroes to knights in shining armour, Lymond may infuriate you from time to time. But if you can put up with these features, these books will richly reward the effort you make in reading them.
There is no middle ground: you will either hate the Lymond series or recognise these books as one of the greatest works of historical fiction ever written. Or very possibly both !
The Queen of the Genre.......2007-08-16
You have to want Dorothy Dunnett. Really want her. Because she doesn't make it easy. She throws quotes at you in Greek and Latin and French and German and Italian and Spanish and doesn't supply you with translation. Which makes the first 100 pages of this book a bear.
Bear with it, though, because once you're in, you're in for six books and the most wild, romantic, painful, exciting ride of your literary life. I have never felt an emotional punch the like of hers.
This book is the introduction to Francis Crawford of Lymond - scoundrel, rogue, and wit. He typifies everything that is bubbling in the Renaissance - a restless spirit, trying to find a new way through the world. Outlawed from the word go, we're never sure what side he's on, which is as it should be. He is his own man. A man any of us would loathe, and yet follow into Hell.
There's a similar character in The Master of Verona, based on both historical fact and Lymond - Cangrande della Scala. Once you've finished the Lymond Chronicles, check that out, too.
For those struggling with the foreign language quotes.......2007-08-10
in this outstanding series, there's help available. Check out the two volumes of the Dorothy Dunnett Companion, which has translations and sources of all the quotes and music references, bios of historic characters involved and lots more, for both the Lymond and Nicolo series.
But these are great books even without, though I confess to knowing enough of Latin, a couple of Romance languages and German to have gotten by with all of them back when they were first published. But don't let that stop you enjoying these outstanding history based novels. The Game of Kings is an all time favorite of mine. The Lymond Series especially has borne up well under repeated readings over 4 decades.
And don't miss the standalone novel about Macbeth, King Hereafter, reputed to have been Dunnett's own choice.
The finest work of historical fiction ever.......2007-06-01
I first read this book in the late 90s, and ravenously consumed the rest of Dunnett's work.
She masterfully reveals her characters and her plot over time in words and actions which, assuming you catch nuance, is absolutely enthralling. As a reader, things that you thought you understood about her world are completely undone and recast. Heroes are villains, criminals heroic. Love and loyalty are wrapped in ambivalence and disregard. Apparent happenstance is revealed to be meticulously plotted and controlled by her genius protagonist. It is a challenging read, and not for the lazy minded, but I have never read anything more rewarding.
The Thinking Woman's Historical Novels.......2007-05-15
I am on my tenth read of Dorothy Dunnett's novels collectively known as The Lymond Chronicles. They have everthing historical novels should have, but tenfold. The Game of Kings is the first, and can be read in isolation quite satisfyingly (Dunnett has a special talent for really satisfying endings). But why stop there. I encourage you to read the entire series, over and over again. They are never boring and for the enquiring mind there is always something new to learn with each reading. And Francis Crawford of Lymond is the hero to end all heroes. What more could you ask for??
Average customer rating:
- A real treat as an audiobook (a history teacher's review)
- volume 2 as fun as volume 1.
- History in Shorts
- Accessible history
- The Nightstand History of England
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Great Tales from English History (Book 2): Joan of Arc, the Princes in the Tower, Bloody Mary, Oliver Cromwell, Sir Isaac Newton, and More
Robert Lacey
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 031610924X |
Book Description
Unforgettable stories from the England of Chaucer, Shakespeare, and beyond-the rich second volume of great tales by a master of British popular history.
Customer Reviews:
A real treat as an audiobook (a history teacher's review).......2007-04-18
Robert Lacey has done something that many writers have failed to do (unfortunately) - he has written history in a fun, accessible, easy to grasp manner. After all, as Lacey points out in his introduction to Volume 1, the "history" and "story" come from the same Latin root word. Essentially, history should be the simple story of how things happened, to the best of the teller's knowledge.
Lacey's power as a storyteller is highlighted here in spades. He narrates his audiobook as well so there is the added bonus of hearing the author add nuance to the reading - essentially reading it the way he meant it to be heard.
The stories are short and entertaining. Only a couple of times in nearly six hours of listening did I find my attention wandering. This is a terrificly fun experience for any history lover. Full of interesting tidbits but not lacking in the larger themes or commentaries.
I am going to look for volume 3 and hopefully he has written or is writing his promised volumes on Scotland and Ireland as well.
Bravo!
I give this one an enthusiastic A+.
volume 2 as fun as volume 1........2007-02-12
i read the first volume of "great tales from english history," and had to immediately dive into the 2nd volume. this book covers the years 1387 to 1689, and is every bit as fun as its predecessor. these books are completely addicting. I just got the 3rd volume and having it here in the house waiting to be read has made life seem worth living a bit longer. buy all 3 of them and read them. you really should.
History in Shorts.......2005-09-08
Great Tales from English History Volume II, written by Robert Lacey, covers a wide section of history. Starting in the year 1387 with Geoffry Chaucer and the Canterbury Tales, Lacey continues until the year 1687. He includes smaller stories about various topics such as the first children's book. In Great Tales, Lacey also writes about the Plague, the London Fire, beheading, and burning traders.
Great Tales from English History Volume II covers all of the Kings ranging from Richard to James. It includes their multiple wives (especially in King Henry VIII) and children (King Charles II's 14 illegitimate children) who fought over the chance to become the next king or queen. Lacey also writes about the number of wars, both with other countries and the civil war. Religion also plays a big role in the book.
Robert Lacey's Great Tales from English History Volume II is definitely a nonfiction history book but he keeps a cheerful story telling prospective. Lacey manages to keep interest by including several smaller sections in between wars and kings. He includes smaller incidents and people to add to a person's understanding of history. Not a history person, I learned plenty about the history, most which is not taught in school.
Accessible history.......2005-09-04
I first discovered Robert Lacey as an author from his book 'The Year 1000'. Interesting, accessible, easy to follow, with a good balance of detail and breadth (always a tricky task when writing a popular history), that book was one of my favourites around the turn of the second millennium. I discovered this book on the shelves of my local library, and have found it equally worthwhile and fun to read.
This book concentrates on the late Middle Ages to the post-Reformation era in English history - in royal terms, the times of the end of the Plantagenets, the Tudors, the Stuarts, the Interregnum and Glorious Revolution (which a history professor of mine once intoned dramatically, 'was neither glorious nor a revolution'). In years, this goes from the late 1300s to the late 1600s.
One of the things that I like a lot about this particular history is that the stories are brief and self-contained while being part of the overall flow of the history of England. They make for good bed-time reading (the longest of the stories is barely seven pages long, in easy print and easy, storytelling language). Many of the characters are already familiar figures even to those who aren't Anglophiles - Joan of Arc, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth the First, Shakespeare, King James and the English Bible. Then there will be figures that are lesser known but just as interesting - the Roundheads and Cavaliers, Rabbi Manasseh, Titus Oates, the Bloody Assizes. These are tales told in a simplified but memorable manner, and could serve for younger and older readers as a stimulus for further reading and investigation about topics brought up in the text.
There are a few maps, royal lineage charts, and woodcut/line art drawings throughout the text. Lacey includes a bibliography for further reading (this contains a good number of website addresses for making further research very easy). There is also an index, which many popular histories forget, but Lacey is to be highly praised for including one here, making looking up particular names, places and events very easy.
The Nightstand History of England.......2005-08-31
A second collection of vignettes from English history by Robert Lacy, pithy and enjoyable. The drawings and layout give the book a cozy, old-fashioned feel. The stories are presented simply and clearly, and make the book an ideal choice for bedtime reading.
Book Description
Author of
Marie Antoinette
She was the quintessential queen: statuesque, regal, dazzlingly beautiful. Her royal birth gave her claim to the thrones of two nations; her marriage to the young French dauphin promised to place a third glorious crown on her noble head.
Instead, Mary Stuart became the victim of her own impulsive heart, scandalizing her world with a foolish passion that would lead to abduction, rape and even murder. Betrayed by those she most trusted, she would be lured into a deadly game of power, only to lose to her envious and unforgiving cousin, Elizabeth I.
Here is her story, a queen who lost a throne for love, a monarch pampered and adored even as she was led to her beheading, the unforgettable woman who became a legend for all time.
Customer Reviews:
A powerful and troubled queen.......2007-10-07
Antonia Fraser's first biography still stands as one of her best. This is a sympathetic look at Mary who at a young age was used as a political pawn, raised not to be "Queen of the Scots" but to be Queen of France. After the Dauphin died, she eventually returned to Scotland as a stranger to the culture and religion of her native land. Though a strong women, she was easily led astray by her passions and her advisors. Her cousin Elizabeth I, offered Mary shelter after she was forced to abdicate her Scottish thrown. Instead of shelter, Elizabeth held her prisoner moving her from place to place to isolate her as much as possible. This is the first great read from Fraser.
finally justice.......2007-06-15
I just finished reading this book, I did not want to end. Such a good research, lovingly told. I always felt respect for this woman but now I've discovered through Fraser's narrative the greatness of her character.
hard to put down.......2007-02-01
I just finished this book and found it to be extremely hard to put down. It is filled with more intrigue, romance, and betrayals than the best novels..and it's all true! What a life she led. Even at her very lowest point she was still heads above the rest of the crowd. She had true dignity. Mary Queen of Scots shall reign over Scotland till the end of time.
Beautiful, if overly-sympathetic look at MQS.......2006-12-04
I really wish I could give this book 2 1/2 stars. It is beautiful written, and compassionate look at one of history's most enchanting figures. It reads very-much like a novel and the reader is able to empathize with Mary through-out the book. That said, I think it is overly sympathetic. She portrays Mary as a saint, while admitting that she knowingly married her husbands murder and assented toa an attempted assinatation of Elizabeth, who had kept Mary alive at great risk to her [Elizabeth's] own life. Also snide comments are made against Elizabeth through-out the book some of them blatantly untrue (e.g.That her behaviour during the rosbart affair was scandalous, when the record shows it was impeccable.), and glossing over some of the more nasty aspects of Mary Queen of Scotts character. There are other flaws with the book: Lady Fraser has made the silly assumption that I am fluent in French and Latin, the authors own religious bias (She is an English Roman Catholic.) definitely comes through, and she moves into theology at some points in the book, and even political bias comes out when she makes sneering comments at the modern welfare state, which are totally irrevelavant.) A beautiful, if flawed book, by an extremely compassionate and commendable author. I look forward to reading some of her other works.
FYI...Biographies should be NON- fiction........2006-09-09
I could go on about this one forever. So i'll keep it short and simple(simple for all of those readers who gave this book a good review). This author is completely biased, objectivity being alien, which is a very unwelcomed quality in a biographer. Fraser sounds more like Mary's defense attorney than the objective observer she's suppose to be. A "biographer" should know better. I will never buy another "biography" written by this woman. If you want a good read on Mary, try "Immortal Queen" by Elizabeth Byrd. It's actually not a biography, but a novel, and reads a hell of alot more realistic than Fraser's "fantasy".
Book Description
She was a child crowned a queen......A sinner hailed as a saint......A lover denounced as a whore....A woman murdered for her dreams....
Customer Reviews:
Not as Good as Henry Viii.......2007-07-10
I didn't enjoy this as much as I did The Autobiography of Henry VIII. However, it was a marvelous novel mixed with lots of historical fact. I suppose part of the reason it was not as entertaining was that the Henry VIII novel contained comments from his fool. This added a very personal touch that this book lacked. It read a bit more like a history.
My star ratings:
One star - couldn't finish the book
Two stars - read the book, but did a lot of skipping or scanning. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection or search out other books by the author
Three stars - enjoyable read. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection. Would judge other books by the author individually.
Four stars - Liked the book. Would keep the book or would look for others by the same author.
Five stars - One of my all time favorites. Will get a copy in hardback to keep and will actively search out others by the same author.
Lost in a good book.......2007-06-02
This covers Mary Queen of Scots from cradle to grave. The details from start to finish are engrossing. I was tempted to skip parts (cut to the chase), glad that I didn't though.
When we read history, it's very easy to say, "what were they thinking" or "were they thinking?" The way the novel is written, Queen Mary seems to make a decision that we might make in a similar situation. That time in Scotland seemed to remind one of modern urban gangs and mobsters than a genteel royal court. A sound snap judgement seems to always be shown to have grave repercussions (the trust in her half brother comes to mind).
Margaret George did a very good job showing Mary's initial intense attraction to Lord Darnley. We know how he turns out but, we think, "I might have been attracted to this man." Lord Bothwell is the classic opposite to Lord Darnley, making him a classic rebound affair. Making it possible to empathize with Mary is a strength of this story.
I would recommend this to fans of Tudor era history and British historical fiction.
A daunting history.......2007-04-01
I really wanted to like this book. I adore Elizabethan historical fiction!
But I have not been able to finish the book. I know what lies ahead and I can't imagine how it takes that many pages to get to that inevitable tragedy.
And perhaps I should not be reviewing a book that I have not finished, but I think that can also be just as telling of a book's worth as suffering to the end. At the point where I stopped reading, so much had happened and I was barely halfway through! I cannot imagine the rest of Mary's tragic life taking that long!
But the writing is quality work, make no mistake. Margaret George's writing is rich, lush, and gorgeous. She is a talented lady, to be sure. The scenes where Mary has fallen into a ecstatic religious state in the French church still resonate with me.... So many beautiful moments, but not enough overall momentum.
If you are already a fan of her work, you will probably enjoy this novel.
And I am sure I will get around to finishing it eventually.
Mesmerizing Portrait of a Tragic Queen.......2007-01-22
The life and reign of Mary Queen of Scots is vividly brought to life in this outstanding work of historical fiction. Mary was first Queen of France before becoming Queen of Scotland, and spent the last years of her life in exile and, in essence, imprisonment in England. Her reign in Scotland was complicated and made tragic by the strident discord between the Protestant and Catholic faiths, the political rivalries among England, Scotland, and France, poor judgment on her part, and historical events beyond her control. This fictionalized account of her life is mesmerizing, very readable and believable. The time and place of the 16th century, with its castles; nobility, religious zealots, peasants; political intrigue; battles, etc. are wonderfully portrayed. The personaliaties, psychological makeup, and relationships of Mary and many of the other main characters are portrayed with depth. Solid research was used in developing this fictionalized account. The result is a captivating historical story. Very highly recommended.
Passionate and compassionate portrayal.......2007-01-21
Mary, Queen of Scots, was the last Roman Catholic ruler of Scotland.
The tale of this beautiful woman, is one of the great tragedies of British history.
Margaret George, in this long book, brings Mary, and the Scotland, France and England of her time to life.
A sympathetic, but not idealistic portrayal of Mary as a woman who was warmhearted , loyal, brave, generous and spirited, but also unable to read character,volatile and impulsive.
The book takes us from Mary's birth, and her coronation as Queen of Scotland, when she was only a week old,she was shipped to France, for her own safety when she was six years old, together with her companions from early childhood , Mary Livingstone, Mary Fleming, Mary Beaton and Mary Seaton (the four Mary's).
Brought up in the French court , she was married to the Dauphin Francois at the age of 15, and widowed two years later.
She returned to Scotland, after the death of her husband , King Francois II, after his mother Catherine De Medici, made it clear she was no longer welcome in France.
Dealing with conniving Lords and officials , she was clearly outmanouvered at every turn. She was married to the worthless coward, Lord Darnley , who led a gang of conspirators ,into the palace and murdered her chief secretary David Riccio.
Later Darnley himself, died in myterious circumstances , for which George, in this volume, absolves Mary of any responsibility.
She then married her lover, the Earl of Bothwell , for which she lost the throne of Scotland. much due to the influence of the fiery Protestant preacher , John Knox, who nursed a vicious hatred of Mary.
She fled to England , where she was imprisoned by Queen Elizabeth I , and after 20 years, was accused of plotting against Elizabeth, and executed.
George takes us through Mary's life with passion and compassion. She gives us the picture through Mary's mind, but we also see the story through the minds of others, such as Lord Darnley, Earl Bothwell and Queen Elizabeth.
George explores the mysteries behind the history , in this well researched, and highly readable historical epic.
We really get to know the essence of Mary, Queen of Scots in this volume.
I particularly liked the end where Mary's spirit journeys after her execution , and see's the reactions to her life and death , and watches her funeral, before her spirit returns to G-D.
It was truly the spirit of a remarkable and tragic woman.
Book Description
Here is the tragic, stormy life of Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon. Her story is a chronicle of courage and faith, betrayal and treachery-set amidst the splendor, pageantry, squalor, and intrigue of sixteenth-century Europe.The history of Mary Tudor is an improbable blend of triumph, humiliation, heartbreak, and devotion-and Ms. Erickson recounts it all against the turbulent background of European politics, war, and religious strife of the mid-1500s. The result is a rare portrait of the times and of a woman elevated to unprecedented power in a world ruled and defined by men.
Customer Reviews:
Mary.......2006-05-25
Many people blame Mary for burning Protestants. The Spanish Inquisition was much worse. I mean, MUCH worse than what Mary did. Religion was a matter of life and death in the 16th century. Mary was abandoned by her father in pursuit of a male child. Mary's life was in serious danger for not recognizing his acts. I believe she relied on her ministers more than was nessesary. Mary did not have the heart of a saint when Elizabeth was born. Anne Bolyen was crying out for Mary's execution when she didn't recognize Elizabeth as princess.
Bloody Mary is a Bloody Great Biography of a Sanguinary Age of Tudor Rule in Britain.......2005-12-30
Mary Tudor was the daughter of the infamous Henry VIII and his Spanish wife Katharine of Aragon (the daughter of Ferdinand and the indomitable bellicose Isabella of Spain.)
Mary was a Roman Catholic who succeeded to the throne following the early death of her young half-brother Edward VI
the son of Henry and Jane Seymour.Mary was religious, smart,
tough and infertile! She wed Phillip II of Spain arousing hatred in England against her wedlock to a Roman Catholic Spaniard. Only a year after Mary's death in 1587 the Spanish Armada sailed against England and their new queen Eliabeth I. She was Mary's
half-sister the daughter of the bewitiching and beheaded Anne
Boleyn.
Mary was a good woman who lived in perilous times. During Henry's affair and wedlock to Anne Boleyn her life was in danger.
She and her mother Katherine were exiled from court; the cynosure of several plots against Henry and the hope of Catholicism in Great Britain.
Mary's reign was short and bloody. During her monarchy hundreds of Protestants died at the stake or were beheaded for their beliefs. Mary was incapable of producing a child and heir to the throne. Her half-sister Elizabeth and Mary had a lifelong rivalry with Elizabeth emerging as the stronger and more successful of the siblings. During Eliabethan rule religious toleration was advanced.
Erickson is an expert on Tudor England and she writes like a
novelist making the convoluted tale of plots, murder, executions, dynastic jousting and descriptions of 16th century
England and European politics palatable for modern readers.
Erickson illuminates a dark,violent, cruel and frightening time when thosands died for their beliefs in fire, dungeon and
by sword.
This is a well researched, well written and well illustrated book on Mary Tudor England's first real reigning queen. The book is very detailed and is long. If you stick with it to the end you wil never forget the sad tale of Mary and the sad age in which she lived and ruled.
A Biography that Answers Many Questions.......2004-01-02
I found this book extremely interesting and absorbing to the point where I did not want to put it down. I would recommend it to anyone who, like me, wanted to find out what the foundations were of Mary Tudor's policies and also what she was really like as a person. The detail is so great that one learns even what her voice sounded like. It is as though Mary were alive again and not a figure from the 16th century. As some other reviewers have noted here somewhat critically, the book spends a lot of time discussing Mary's life before her accession to the throne. To me, this is to its' credit as an understanding of the forces, personalities and occurrences in Mary's early life are ESSENTIAL to answering questions about Mary's policies and actions as queen. I enjoyed Carolly's writing style. She is able to convey the complex interweaving of people and events in Mary's time in a manner that is easy to understand and follow along. Highly recommended, as is "Great Harry" also written by Carolly which I am reading now.
Boody Mary.......2002-12-19
After years of failed pregnancies and infant deaths, a daughter was born to Henry III and Katherine of England.She was the first female child in England's history to be given the throne as a birthright.But it would be a life of strife and emotional turmoil for Mary Tudor. After being declared a bastard for the sake of her father's notorious romances and being prosecuted for her religion, Mary gradually makes her way past all the hardships only to face a new set of challenges.
I thought this book was smart, albeit rather dull. I would reccommend this book only to readers who find this subject interesting and who have a large vocabulary. This book won't pull you in, you have to walk. In comparision to other books, this book is really quite eloquent and shows the intensity of Mary's struggle to keep her principles, yet to remain loyal to her father.
Biased Interpretation of the History.......2002-03-02
Queen Mary's life has been a craddle of loneliness, failure, hopelessness, tumult, lost hopes and sorrow... And the book represents it all in a very true historical context... However, the writer seems to have lost her objectivity during the process of research... The person she portrays is not the hated and incompetent ruler the history proved her to be... Instead, Erickson's Bloody Mary is rather a misunderstood "good leader" which is not in compliance with the reality...
Average customer rating:
- The best (and only) available translation of Schiller plays
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Schiller Five Plays: The Robbers, Passion and Politics, Don Carlos, Mary Stuart, Joan of Arc (Absolute Classics)
Friedrich Schiller
Manufacturer: Oberon Books
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Customer Reviews:
The best (and only) available translation of Schiller plays.......1998-11-24
This is an awesome collection of truly outstanding translations of Schiller's drama, five plays total, including "The Robbers," "Don Carlos," "Mary Stuart," "Intrigue and Love," and "The Maid of Orleans." This whopper of a 700-page volume will allow the modern reader to see exactly why Schiller is justly ranked with Goethe as the second giant of German literature. For anyone interested in an inexplicably neglected major figure in world literature, this book is indispensable!
Book Description
The haunting story of the beautiful—and tragic—Mary, Queen of Scots, as only legendary novelist Jean Plaidy could write it
Mary Stuart became Queen of Scotland at the tender age of six days old. Her French-born mother, the Queen Regent, knew immediately that the infant queen would be a vulnerable pawn in the power struggle between Scotland’s clans and nobles. So Mary was sent away from the land of her birth and raised in the sophisticated and glittering court of France. Unusually tall and slim, a writer of music and poetry, Mary was celebrated throughout Europe for her beauty and intellect. Married in her teens to the Dauphin François, she would become not only Queen of Scotland but Queen of France as well. But Mary’s happiness was short-lived. Her husband, always sickly, died after only two years on the throne, and there was no place for Mary in the court of the new king. At the age of twenty, she returned to Scotland, a place she barely knew.
Once home, the Queen of Scots discovered she was a stranger in her own country. She spoke only French and was a devout Catholic in a land of stern Presbyterians. Her nation was controlled by a quarrelsome group of lords, including her illegitimate half brother, the Earl of Moray, and by John Knox, a fire-and-brimstone Calvinist preacher, who denounced the young queen as a Papist and a whore. Mary eventually remarried, hoping to find a loving ally in the Scottish Lord Darnley. But Darnley proved violent and untrustworthy. When he died mysteriously, suspicion fell on Mary. In haste, she married Lord Bothwell, the prime suspect in her husband’s murder, a move that outraged all of Scotland. When her nobles rose against her, the disgraced Queen of Scots fled to England, hoping to be taken in by her cousin Elizabeth I. But Mary’s flight from Scotland led not to safety, but to Fotheringhay Castle...
“Plaidy excels at blending history with romance and drama.” —New York Times
Customer Reviews:
Not Plaidy's Best Work.......2006-08-01
I usually really enjoy Jean Plaidy's novels because she paces the tales well, usually sticks to fact, and makes the characters "come to life," so to speak. Perhaps it was that I found the main character unattractive, but this novel disappointed me. Knowing the way all these tales end before you ever begin, historical fiction needs the reader to be caught up in the story in order to enjoy it. Mary is (as portrayed in this novel) not captivating at all. She's kind of whiny and weak. I found that I didn't really care that she was going to be executed. I'm sure it's as close (fairly) as the rest of her work to history, this novel is just missing that "enthralling" quality. If you're new to Plaidy's work, try Anne Boleyn's tale or Katherine Howard's tale instead.
A great novel by Jean Plaidy.......2005-12-07
I am an avid reader of Tudor fiction and non-fiction. I can't get my hands on the materials fast enough. I found this book, as well as many other of Plaidy's books too be filled with rich images of time in the Tudor age.
I have read much on Mary, Queen of Scots, and the one complaint that I have about this book is that it jumps from the point where Mary was forced into captivity by the Scots, to her execution day. Everything between was left out. I found this to be very different from the other Plaidy books I have read.
I would recommend the book to others, but I would also recommend reading a bit about Mary Stuart, and her life before reading this book.
So Boring and Slow.......2005-08-06
"Royal Road to Fotheringhay" is the tale of Mary, Queen of Scots. Jean Plaidy's novel about this much famed Queen begins with her childhood and follows through to her death. I found this novel to be painfully slow. This was my first encounter with this author, and I cannot say it was a pleasant one. There was entirely too much filler in this novel and the action that was included was horrifically boring.
I was extremely disappointed by this book. I will be giving Plaidy another try, but there will need to be a marked improvement from this novel.
Royal Road to Fotheringhay.......2005-08-02
Of all the books that I have read about Mary, Queen of Scots, this one seems to be nearer what I have read about her in history.
My first Jean Plaidy - WOW.......2005-07-19
It took me a while to get through this one because i was so determined to get the dates and people committed to memory, but wow was Jean Plaidy thorough! This was so entertaining and eye opening and although "fiction", an excellent history lesson painted with vivid images and very intelligent writing. The research that must have gone into this books overwhelms me and I went out and bought several of her others to work my way through those as well.
Very interesting and hard to put down.
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