IPhone 3G used's review (A fantastic and detailed journey) 『A fantastic and detailed journey through the history of one of the greatest music sensations of the 20th century. Anyone who wants to really know about this incredible band should read this work compiled by the the manager of the Queen Fan Club and Queen's official discographer. Jampacked with information about the band. Beginning with info about the lives of the four talented musicians who made up Queen : Freddie Mercury , Roger Taylor , Brian May and John Deacon. We see that Taylor , May and Deacon all had BSC Honours Degrees. The life of Freddie Mercury makes particularly interesting reading. Born Farookh Bulsara , of Persian parents Bomi and Jer Bulsara , on 5 September 1946 , on the small spice island of Zanzibar. In 1954 , at the tender age of eight , Freddie was shipped off from Zanzibar to St Peter's English Boarding School in Panchgani outside Bombay. During his time at Ealing , Freddie formed his first band , the Hectics , which played only within the school at fetes , parties and school dances. After taking his O Levels at St Peters Freddie returned to Zanzibar , but his family fled the island in 1964 , along with many other Indians and British when the African Marxists launched a violent revolution. The Bulsaras moved to Feltham , Middlesex in England and in September 1966 , Freddie began a graphic illustrating course at Ealing College of Art. In 1969 Freddie joined a Liverpool band named Ibex , which played a selection of cover version songs by the Beatles , Rod Stewart and Yes. He had also met Tim Staffel , who together with Brian May and Roger Taylor , had a band named Smile. Freddie later formed his own band Wreckage. A few months later , Freddie disbanded Wreckage and in 1970 , formed Queen together with Brian May and Roger Taylor. The following year the band where joined by John Deacon. The rest is music history , and the book traces Queen's development from a unique inside view, full of colour pictures and exclusive interviews .We feel we are watching the history of the band unfolding. We read of the Bands first triumph in Japan , where they first achieved Superstar status. Of the bands friendship with David Bowie and their meeting in 1977 with Groucho Marx , of Freddies friendship with Michael Jackson and Elton John among others and of John Deacon's friendship with tennis great , John Mac Enroe. The last chapter is about the tragic death of Freddie Mercury from AIDS after having fought a brave battle against the disease. I particularly enjoyed reading about the golden years of the Super 1970s.』
(Queen Rule The World!) 『The complete and virtually unabridged biography of the greatest band of all time is a must-have for any fan. It details the lifes of Freddie, Brian, John and Roger from their respective births, and leaves little out (apart from the malicious gossip that so frequently found in the tabloid papers about them).
The book is written by Jacky Smith (nee Gunn), the manageress of the Offical International Queen Fan Club (which is now the longesy running fan club of all time) and Jim Jenkins, a long time fan who was at most of the concerts Queen ever gave, so the authority from both people is a good one. You cane expect everything in the book to be completetly factual, and absolutley respectful to Queen and their families.』
(A magnificent piece of work) 『Since everyone else has given this book such good reviews i cant help doing the same, this book really explain the things worth to know about the legendarious rock band Queen. From their very first song and how Brian with his father built his very special guitar to the sad end for Freddie. A whole lot of pictures and things we fanatics really like. Just great book!』
(Queen Still Rocks) 『If you are a Queen 'FANATIC", or just a newbie looking into a possible interest in the band Queen, this book is for you. From the very beginning we see each band member grow up and come together. We see how this great enigma became, and how so tragically it ended. I have read this book more than 5 times, and plan to read it some more. Kudos to Jackie!!』
(First-class documentary of a first-class band) 『It is assumed that the buyer of this book either has or is planning to cultivate an interest in Queen, one of the most successful bands of the past two decades. Such a reader will not be disappointed; this book sidesteps the temptation of becoming a tabloid-style biography and instead focusses on real facts. Written by two longtime 'Queenies', As It Began is a frank, clear, and comparatively unjaundiced view of the band's progress, from 70s glam rock band to 90 'macho' musicians. For he who intends to become ridiculously well-read on one of the most memorable bands in history, As It Began is the ideal bookshelf companion.』 『The official biography of the 70's rock supergroup that captures the excitement of its recent comeback. Charting Queen's flamboyant, hit-making musical history, this book also chronicles the life stories of members including the beloved lead singer and his battle with AIDS. Features a comprehensive discography and videography, plus eight pages of color photos. .』
Kakaku：457 saved$4.57
Harper Perennial
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Good Read) 『Well written. Factually accurate. If you are interested in Henry VIII, this is the book for you.』
(Informative) 『I really enjoyed this book. I'd have given it a full five star rating if the author had not asked the same silly questions over and over again, and if he had written a little more on the later wives like Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard. However the book was very informative and interesting and I recommend it to those who wish to know more about the wives of Henry VIII.』
(In depth study of Henry's motivations, Catherine of Aragon) 『I agree with another reviewer who felt that this book sets a tedious pace that is frequently bogged down by constantly rehashing the ups and downs of Henry's divorce trial, first from Catherine of Aragon's point of view and then Anne Boleyns. While the amount of material regarding Catherine of Aragon is enormous the writer does stop often to compliment himself (tasteless) and by the time Anne Boleyn comes on the scene the reader is exhausted.』
(Excellent Account of the Six Wives of Henry VIII) 『I agree with unsolved fan and J.A. Miller, this book was by far the best book about the wives of King Henry than any others I've read. Starkey presents facts in such a way as to keep the reader thouroughly engaged, and looking forward to reading the next chapter. This book is quite fascinating. I've learned so much more from Starkey's book than from any history course. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn some of England's history and, to enjoy doing so. I wish he had spent more time on Katherine Parr, who seems to have been the most influential in bringing about reform in the churches of that day. That wife, Henry's last, was probably the most interesting and of a deep-thinking mind, than all his other wives, except for Catherine of Aragon, his first. I also totally disagree with the popularity of Anne Boleyn, now, in the movie theatres. Boleyn was not as worthy of attention and study, as are Catherine and Katherine. READ THIS BOOK! You'll be glad you did! 』
(Interesting but Questionable) 『There have been numerous books written on the lives of Henry VIII's wives both as a complete history and on an individual basis. Starkey's book is an interesting read if you want to have a very in-depth understanding of just how incredibly political each of his marriages were. There are complaints that most of the book is spent on Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn but in looking at the history of these two women, they were the beginning of the making of Henry as well as England's history to come. Catherine of Aragon has been painted in some books as being a complete victim to be sympathized with for the harsh cruelty of Henry while he pursued Anne Boleyn. Starkey is not the first to intimate that she was actually a political machinist in her own right but he likes to present himself as being the first. Catherine's situation is no different than any other woman's reaction to "the other woman" so to imply that Catherine was not so obedient and submissive as she appeared is merely to say that perhaps she was at one point but came into her own as she progressed as Queen of England. That's psychology 101. Regarding Anne Boleyn, there's really nothing new painted about her specifically but there's a great deal of information presented about the true complexity of the divorce proceedings. This is truly the first book I've read that goes into just how many people were involved, what they actually did and how the hand-offs took place from person to person. In other works, only the most prominent figures in the picture are brought to light. The other wives did figure prominently in Henry's marriages from a very political standpoint. However, many authors outside of Starkey have indicated that there is little recorded information on each the successive wives especially in regards to Anne of Cleves. The one extreme criticism I have for Starkey and all the other authors regarding Catherine and the "consummation" of her marriage is the supposed evidence. Starkey follows the same path as all the others. I was hoping to see something more plausible. Every author states that the marriage must've been consummated based on two points of evidence. Arthur's boasting the following day of marriage being thirsty work and that he'd been amongst Spain and Catherine's silence on the subject. Why is it that every author does not take into consideration that Arthur was a 15 year old boy who carried the weight of an empire and was expected to perform his marital duties and therefore may have bragged because he couldn't state the other possibility....that he didn't perform? Regarding Catherine's silence on the subject and the question of "why didn't she complain?", she was a born princess. What princess/Queen who was 17 years old, in a foreign land and married to a King would complain that the marriage had not been consummated? To do so would be the equivalent of denigrating and humiliating her husband and a nation. The question is always left that only God knows whether the marriage was consummated or not. I beg to differ. There is one other person who would know if Catherine was a virgin and that would've been Henry. He was not sexually ignorant when he made Catherine his wife and where were his boasts? I recommend this book more for the political information surrounding the wives and what raised them and who truly took them down. Henry may have had final say but his court was very powerful in manipulating him. This book points this out more than any other out there.』 『No one in history had a more eventful career in matrimony than Henry VIII. His marriages were daring and tumultuous, and made instant legends of six very different women. In this remarkable study, David Starkey argues that the king was not a depraved philanderer but someone seeking happiness -- and a son. Knowingly or not, he elevateda group of women to extraordinary heights and changed the way a nation was governed.
Six Wivesis a masterful work of history that intimately examines the rituals of diplomacy, marriage, pregnancy, and religion that were part of daily life for women at the Tudor Court. Weaving new facts and fresh interpretations into a spellbinding account of the emotional drama surrounding Henry's six marriages, David Starkey reveals the central role that the queens played in determining policy. With an equally keen eye for romantic and political intrigue, he brilliantly recaptures the story of Henry's wives and the England they ruled.』
IPhone 3G used's review (Just Average.) 『Well, after the first book of the Villains series. I had hoped that Mike Williams continue his streak of getting a little bit better... Unfortunately it was not met to be. This is the worst book in the series.. as opals are mentioned (again) but at a pathetic rate in this book and the adventure here is just not exciting and predictable... It's rather unfortunate since the Dark Queen is supposed to be the ultimate villain in Dragonlance. Not terrible... just not good. Average at best.』
(Ummmmm) 『Well I haven't read the book, but lets put it in perspective. We have a book that deals with the blackest foulest creature in the Dragonlance, there isn't a lot of room for plot and character development. And another thing, if you are evil, a good aligned raiding party is bad. And one more thing, some of you must not know DL very well, the Irda, are what OGRES(an evil race) used to be before the gods cursed them. Sure they are good NOW, but NOW they have ISOLATED themselves!』
(Worst Dragonlance I've read thus far.) 『This book was pretty weak. I didn't like the way that I was the least bit interested until one half way through the book. But I pushed on. Some of the characters were decent. I liked the elven interpreter and the mute slave. After that it was the same old same old from the Williams'. I especially couldn't figure out who the hero or even the main character was supposed to be. Granted, the book was about Takhisis, but there is not a whole lot of chaeracter development that can go the supreme being of evil. But I couldn't even figure what Sargonnas was doing. I didn't want either side to win. I also didn't like how the author referred to the irda raiding parties. In every other book the irda are a race for good. Especially in Lost Histories II. I also didn't like the conclusion. I understood but I was confused by the inaccurate telling of the reason for the cataclysm by the incredibly long lived mute human.』
(Please don't let those two write anymore books!) 『Bad. Very, very bad! Worse, even. This could be a very good bird-cage lining material. The writers' ridiculous obsession with opals, which has stretched for several books now, is making me think they're in serious need for help. Letting them write more books like this one is NOT the answer! (and now they've added a fascination with salt and crystals, too!)
I won't even go into the content of this poor excuse for a book. Enough is to say that it has nothing to do with the Krynn we know and love.
Buy it if you must, but be warned! This is a series-killer』
(Not Worthy of Takhisis) 『First things first, the book draggs; chances are, after reading the first two chapters, you'll put it down and not return. The information in this books seems as if it was pulled out of thin air, because it is completely inaccurate to Dragonlance history. With such a interesting goddess like Takhisis, it's amazing that someone could write such a horrible book. And believe me, it is horrible.』 『The long-awaited tale of theNew York Timesbest-selling Dragonlance series' greatest villain--Takhisis, Queen of Darkness--follows her as she is worshipped by legions of evil beings and spends her time plotting to escape from the Abyss. Original.』
Kakaku：399 saved$3.99
Skandisk
Usually ships in 10 to 12 days IPhone 3G used's review (Why Kings and Queens Don't Wear Crowns) 『Great book. Brings back memories for me as I was a yearly visitor to Norway. I remember seeing the King and Queen getting married and have followed their lives and the lives of the Crown Prince and Princess. It is a loving and tender book. I can envision the real people that it is talking about.』
(Why Kings and Queens Don't Wear Crowns) 『Excellent. It is everything I thought it would be.』
(Priceless Heritage!) 『My daughter just received this book from her Godmother as a birthday present. Being that our family has a strong Norwegian heritage and background, it meant a great deal to me to be able to pass along such a valuable piece of "family history." I fell in love with the book so much that it drove me to tears! Not only is it a phenominal "fairy tale" story that is well written, it is also extremely educational about the Norwegian Royal family and their lineage. The version my daughter received also had an accompanying CD with the story read by the Princess herself. It makes it very easy to let her play the story and follow along in the book herself. I would recommend this for every little boy or girl that dreams of being a prince or princess....except if you are a personal friend of mine. Then, don't buy it because you will probably be getting it from us for your upcoming birthday!』
(A Delightful, Royal Story!) 『I was privileged to meet Princess Martha Louise on her recent U.S. book tour, and she was so delightful and charming. She read her story to our group in her enthusiastic, dramatic voice and then sat for hours autographing the book. If you're able to purchase the most recent edition with the CD (which she narrates) then it is an extra-special, great treat for kids of all ages.』
(A wonderful book about Real Princesses) 『This is a wonderful book about real princesses and how they live. The book is based upon the First King of Norway, who was crowned in 1905. It is a fascinating tale that intertwines history with fiction. We saw Princess Martha Louise read the book and know why the Norwegians love their Royal family. She was poised and happy to chat with our kids as she signed their books. A treat of a lifetime with a book of a lifetime.』
Kakaku：395 saved$3.95
Orion Publishing
Usually ships in 24 hours 『
Sylvia Brooke (1885-1971), better known as the Ranee of Sarawak, was the wife, consort, and—by custom—slave of Sir Vyner Brooke, the last White Rajah of the jungle kingdom of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. The nation had its own flag, revenue, postage stamps, and money, and for three generations the White Rajahs had held the power of life and death over their subjects. But by the 1930s there was a sharp decline in their power and prestige, and at the center of it all stood Ranee Sylvia. Author of eleven books, an extravagantly-dressed socialite and incorrigible self-dramatist, the Ranee was described by the press as “that most charming of despots” and by her own brother as“a female Iago.” With a supporting cast including her father, a celebrated courtier in love with his own son, and her whimsical and sexually incontinent husband, this is the fascinating account of the extraordinary and often malevolent life of Ranne Sylvia.
Kakaku：699 saved$6.99
Puffin
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Great Gift!!!) 『This audio book is great! Both the music and the artwork are amazing, the perfect gift for a child you want to introduce to music that comes from the heart and soul, Celia was the Cuban version of Aretha Franklin..
Kudos!!!! Beautifully done, I am proud to be Cuban.』
(A piece of art for your child) 『Books like these constitute treasures to share with your child. This book is no exception. It's prose and art make it a celebration to share every story time. My child loves to have it read to him almost as much as I love to read it; and we value the chance to celebrate Ms. Cruz's rich life every time.』
(Celia Cruz Queen of Salsa) 『From the moment of first reading this book, I was drawn in by the flowery language that described the life of a real person who influenced so many with her God-given talent. It, also, opens the door for discussion on why there are not more books for little girls of color to relate to. The illustrations and the language are absolutely "awesome" together.』
(I loved this book!) 『I am (...), so I couldn't read this by myself, but my mom read it to me. It was very good. I liked the pictures and the story of how she became the Queen of Salsa.』 『Everyone knows the flamboyant, larger-than-life Celia Cruz, the extraordinary salsa singer who passed away in 2003, leaving millions of fans brokenhearted. indeed, there was a magical vibrancy to the Cuban salsa singer. to hear her voice or to see her perform was to feel her life-affirming energy deep within you. relish the sizzling sights and sounds of her legacy in this glimpse into Celia’s childhood and her inspiring rise to worldwide fame and recognition as the Queen of salsa. Her inspirational life story is sure to sweeten your soul.』
IPhone 3G used's review (Very helpful book) 『This was a very helpful book as I was teaching history to my 6th grader. It helped me clarify these folks in my brain.
I don't know if there is more than one version but the other reviewers confuse me. My book has dates for each monarch, as well as a timeline in the back.
I wanted to mention that this is a "children's" book, with lots of illustrations, and about the size of a medium-large picture book. It is *not* like some of the other "Don't Know Much" books for older grades&adults (although this adult liked it). And it is not worth hundreds of dollars LOL!』
(Wonderful series) 『This book is extremely interesting. It follows the format of the rest of the "Don't Know Much" series and mixes interesting facts with history. My only problem with this book is that it didn't give any sort of a timeline for the order of the Kings and Queens.』
(History, Trivia, Facts, and Fun.....) 『Do you know which king wasn't a king, refused the crown, and called himself Lord Protector? Who was England's first properly crowned queen, not just the king's wife? Which queen served the longest, 63 years, and what was so good about "Good Queen Anne?" Why did George V change his last name to Windsor? And when Edward IV died, what happened to the princes in the Tower of London? Find the answers to these and many, many other intriguing questions in Kenneth Davis' Don't Know Much About The Kings&Queens Of England. Written in an easy to read, question and answer format, and complemented by S D Schindler's playful and humorous artwork, Mr Davis fills his book with fascinating history, engaging fun facts, and entertaining trivia about twenty-four of England's most interesting kings and queens, and the times in which they lived. Perfect for youngsters 9-12, this is the latest entry in Mr Davis' marvelous Don't Know Much About series, and as he tells the reader in his introduction, "...this one proves that real history about real people is a lot more fun than a bunch of simple dates and facts. And the true stories of some of the most famous monarchs of England are much more fascinating than you'd ever imagine."』
(Disjointed, disappointed) 『I wanted a book to share with my 5th grader, to give an overview of the English monarchy and a feeling for the scope and sweep of British history. Instead, this book gives only a rather disjointed look at a small selection of monarchs, and does not manage to connect people and events in any kind of meaningful timeline. I didn't expect in-depth analysis, but was definitely disappointed with the isolated, and rather fuzzy, snapshots of history that this book presents.』 『What was so great about Alfred the Great? Who did Queen Elizabeth I love most of all? What is King Henry VIII famous for having six of?
Long live the Queen! How would you like to be a king or queen of England? Would you enjoy wearing a crown and having subjects bow at your feet? Here's your chance to see if the royal life is really what you imagined. Discover the ruler's changing role in making laws and protecting England. Learn which king brought leopards and a camel to the Tower of London and which queen burned three hundred people at the stake. Read about the battles of daring knights and what it was like to live in dark, drafty -- and smelly -- castles.
Best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis gives readers the royal treatment with his trademark question-and-answer format. S. D. Schindler's detailed artwork captures the rich flavor of noble life, while the inviting design makes it exciting to learn about the crowned kings and queens across the ocean.
』 『Do you know which British queen ruled for 63 years? Who the first royal bookworm was? Which king brought lions and camels and polar bears (oh my!) to London? If you don't know much about the kings and queens of England, salvation is here! This regal entry in Kenneth C. Davis's Don't Know Much About series explores the amazing real lives (and some of the made-up stories) of two dozen of the most interesting members of the British monarchy over the last thousand years. In keeping with other titles in the popular series, Davis uses a lively question-and-answer format, along with illustrator S.D. Schindler's humorous artwork, to introduce readers to the sometimes bizarre world of royalty, right up to present day, when young prince and heir to the throne William wears an electronic tracking bracelet to keep him in constant contact with palace security (apparently Harry can run around untracked). A complete chronological listing of all the kings and queens of England concludes the book. (Ages 6 to 10)--Emilie Coulter』
Kakaku：483 saved$4.83
Batsford
In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. IPhone 3G used's review (Master that doesnt know e4 lines?) 『I had to write a review of this book after reading another reviewer who gave it stars. For the most part, Ward covers all possible move orders, not ducking giving his opinion about which lines lead to advantage and which dont. A lot of chess books these days are written without making any firm statements, this book is not one of them.
One statement the author makes, that was reviewed as being bunk is that 3.e4 is the real test to the QGA. Whether or not you share that opinion it doesnt really matter(i happen to also) the point is that he at least makes an opinion and tries to back it up with analysis.
Unfortunetly the bar is fairly low right now for chess books, so even though this book is far from perfect, it is better than many other books. For the next edition I would like to see more variations, alternative opinions from other sources, and incorporate some computer engine analysis. Think John Nunn, or John Watsons books. But as I said, besides that, its a good book, and so much as I can tell, has accurate analysis 』
(Some lines good, others spotty) 『(My rating would be two-and-a-half stars if that were possible.)
I'm a master who's played the QGA on and off for about 20 years. My other reference works were getting old, so I got a copy of Ward's book. The parts I've read so far have disappointed me.
He spends a bit more than 1/3 of the pages on the 3.e4 lines, writing, "If the QGA is to be refuted, then 3 e4 is probably the place for White players to look." This statement is puzzling. He's implying that there could be a _refutation_ to the QGA (an eye-opening claim), and he says nothing of the likelihood that White can get an _advantage_ in this line, rather than in other lines (a more useful consideration).
I don't know the e4 lines well, but I'm familiar with other QGA lines. He skips over some significant variations in those. Two examples:
A) In the line 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bg4 5.Bxc4 e6, he doesn't analyze a common Black setup built around the moves a6, Nc6, and Bd6. [In a note -- not his regular analysis -- he mentions one game that began that way, in which White played weirdly and got into trouble.]
B) In the line 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3, he never mentions one of Black's sensible responses, 4. ... Nc6, which has been played many times.
Skipping lines such as these would make sense if this were a repertoire book, advising the Black player to choose certain variations. But it's not; it's a survey of the entire opening. Of course, you can never include every little subvariation of an opening, but the two I mentioned are hardly obscure.
Ward does a nice job of describing some positional ideas in his analysis (rather than just complex variations). However, as he analyzes games, he focuses much more on the moves actually played than on possibly superior alternatives, which he either omits or glosses over.
This book could also have used better editing and proofreading. A few examples:
1. Page 91: "The queen had look after the knight."
2. Page 100: a note mentions the move h5 for Black, but it should have been Bh5.
3. Page 103: a note says "As we shall see elsewhere," referring to something that happens in other games, but we are not told where to find those games.
4. Page 154: the text reads "It's inconceivable" when it clearly should have said "It's conceivable."
A book by a grandmaster on an important opening raises the reader's hopes -- too much so in this case. If I were a specialist in 3.e4, I might have a much better view of this book. From my perspective, though, it merits no more than a lukewarm recommendation.』
(Chris Ward: As good as usual) 『This book, like all Mr.Ward's books, is filled with generous texts and explanations joined to only the best players games. He admits giving more space to the variations with an early e2-e4 because he thinks it is the only real way to test Black's choice of opening. In this sens, probably the more positional players could be more attracted by other books on this system. I have seen on Amazon.com at least one book that puts more emphasis on the early Nf3 variations.
A book that fits the needs of those who wish to understand the basic and more on the Queen's Gambit Accepted.』
『The Queen's Gambit Accepted is Black's most straightforward answer to the popular Queen's Gambit.』
Kakaku：549 saved$5.49
Everyman Chess
Usually ships in 24 hours 『The Orthodox Defence to the Queen's Gambit is an extremely resilient system for Black, and a solid favourite of many world champions. As Black's main ideas are easily grasped, it is also a very popular option at club level. In this, the first major work on the subject, the flexible and powerful move 5 Bf4! is explained. While far less hackneyed than the standard systems in which the bishop goes to g5, the move denies Black the standard simplifying manoeuvres and sets Black an entirely new set of problems.』
大満足！北国のホタテ・いくら・ボタンエビがぎっしり！
