Kakaku：250 saved$2.50
Tempus
In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. IPhone 3G used's review (Dull Account of a Fascinating Person) 『Although the writing is fair in this book, I was disappointed by the lack of depth to the characters, including Eleanor. This is one of the most fascinating queens in history, whose story is multi-faceted. However, this book only scratches the surface of Eleanor's life. It does not develop the relationship between her and Henry (or their sons, for that matter), which is a major pivoting point in Eleanor's life. I did like Eleanor's prison companion, Kate, and thought her character was not as flat as most were in this book. And what about the Princess Alys, who was betrothed to Richard from a young age? This book doesn't even go into the possibility of the rumored relationship between King Henry (Richard's father) and Alys as being the reason Richard called off the betrothal. I would not recommend purchasing this book unless you can find it for a quarter or less.』
(Banal and Pedantic) 『Though Ms. Lofts prose is lovely, there is no substance to this novel. Eleanor of Aquitaine was perhaps the most influential woman in European history, culture, and politics until Elizabeth I of England, yet Ms. Lofts ignores most of Eleanor's most important contributions to Western Heritage (e.g. troubadour poetry and her patronage of Fontevrault). Ms. Lofts inexplicably ends the novel with the departure of Richard I on the Third Crusade, which means that Eleanor's role as Regent is utterly ignored. Personages who had significant roles in Eleanor's story are never or barely mentioned, such as Empress Maude and Thomas Becket. The information provided in the work seems designed for a much younger reader than the style of writing indicates.』
(Well Written Account of Eleanor's Sad Life) 『I think Norah Lofts is an excellent writer of historical fiction&this book was very well done, however, it is not a story with many happy moments for Eleanor of Aquitaine. I usually will re-read books that I enjoy, but I find this one too sad to want to read it again - Eleanor just can't get a break, it seems. I've read Jean Plaidy's Plantagenet books involving Eleanor and she's presented in a less accurate but somehow more cheerful way in those books. This is certainly a more accurate account, but just not something that will put many smiles on your face.』
(Bits of excitement nearly lost among long stretches of dullness) 『Eleanor of Aquitaine must be one of the most interesting women in history. Her intellegence, her legendary beauty and her joint crusade with her first husband, the King of France would make for an amazing story alone. Now add to it that she was also the wife of King Henry II of England and the mother of Richard the Lionheart (and SEVERAL other children) and you have the makings of an epic story filled with love, betrayal, political intrigue and so much more! Instead, Lofts tells a nice story though uninspiring which touches areas of excitement briefly toying with them and then instead wanders down the a road that is interesting but dull. This is my third Norah Lofts novel and I am still seeking the same talent and style I found in A Wayside Tavern. I am again left disappointed and wondering how the same woman wrote that book and this.』
(A QUEEN OF LEGENDARY BEAUTY AND EXTRAORDINARY INTELLIGENCE..) 『This is an interesting work of historical fiction by a noted writer of historical fiction and gifted storyteller, Norah Lofts. the author capably details the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most famous and celebrated women of the middle ages. Touted by the troubadours of her time as being a woman without compare, Eleanor of Aquitaine could certainly be held to be the first feminist.
Married first to the pious King of France, Louis VII, she bore him two daughters and went with him on an unsuccessful Crusade, where she was to have a number of adventures. Stifled by the King's somewhat misogynistic advisors, she and the King would come to a parting of the way after fifteen years of marriage. No sooner was she divorced and returned to her Duchy of Aquitaine, than she met eighteen year old Henry Plantagenet, who was to become King Henry II of England. Nearly a dozen years separated them but this was to be no bar to their marriage.
Eleanor and Henry were to marry, and she bore him numerous sons and daughters. She lived happily with Henry for many years, until she discovered that he had a mistress, the fair Rosamonde of legend. The break in their relationship would eventually result in the estrangement of Henry from his sons and the imprisonment of Eleanor for nearly eighteen years.
This is an excellent work of historical fiction, filled with the political intrigues of the day, historical events and personages, and a story that has withstood the test of time. It is a book that those who like well-written historical fiction will, undoubtedly, enjoy.』
『Elenaor is young, high-spirited, supremely intelligent, heiress to the vast Duchy of Aquitaine - at a time when a woman's value was measured in terms of wealth. Her vivid leadership inspired and dazzled those about her. And yet, born to rule, she was continually repressed and threatened by the men who overshadowed her life. This is the story of a brilliant, medieval figure - of a princess who led her own knights to the Crusades, who was bride to two kings and mother of Richard the Lion Heart. It is the rich, incredible story of Eleanor Of Aquitaine.』
Kakaku：1695 saved$16.95
Authors Choice Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (A One Person Version of the Curriculum.) 『This version of Cakes for the Queen Of Heaven is an excellent presentation of the weeks long curriculum offered in UU churches. It's a shame for it to be out of print. Shirley, consider Print On Demand. Some publishers will publish out of print books free.』 『
Cakes for the Queen of Heavenexplores the relationship between women's religious history and the personal issues that arise in women living in this patriarchal society. Women struggle with issues of body image, troubled mother-daughter relationships, sexual freedom and access to power. We need to know that there was a time when the female body was sacred; that there once was a long-lasting religion in which the chief divine actors were a mother and her daughter; that in very ancient times women had significant power in their societies; that although patriarchal societies have oppressed women for centuries, there have always been strong and talented women. Our female history has been erased and trivialized for too long. In this book we meet ancient goddesses and their stories from around the world, real women in ancient Sumer, in Greece, in Judaism and in Christianity. InCakes for the Queen of Heaventhe past is before us, the women are there, and they help us change our lives.
IPhone 3G used's review (Courtesy of Teens Read Too) 『TALES OF A HOLLYWOOD GOSSIP QUEEN is a fun, fabulous read with a focus that's rather prevalent in current young adult literature: an inside look at Hollywood. In this book, it comes from a girl who stumbles into it all. Jessie never wanted to be a star, but she landed a part next to Hollywood hottie Shane Rockett in the movie Reckless Summer when it was filming in her hometown in Connecticut, and now her life is now inextricably tied to Hollywood--and to Shane. When she has to visit Los Angeles to redo the vocals on the movie, she hooks up with Shane again, and her picture starts appearing in the tabloids.
Soon, though, she's not just being photographed by the media; she's become one of them! Jessie's plans to return to Connecticut are postponed, to her delight, when she lands a summer internship at a hot new entertainment magazine, Juicy. Unfortunately, that might not be as awesome as it seems--not if she has to share the work with nasty Alicia, who seems to have it in for Jessie.
Can a small town girl from Connecticut handle all that goes on in Hollywood?
This is a fun, quick read with great characters and an inside look at Hollywood! It's not the first book to look behind the scenes and into life in the spotlight, but it's one of the most fun. Of course, that topic itself is usually bound to be fun! Jessie is a great main character, and what goes on during her time in Hollywood is entertaining, too. TALES OF A HOLLYWOOD GOSSIP QUEEN is funny, with writing that flows nicely and keeps the reader entertained from the first page to the last. It's definitely a feel-good sort of story, though; almost everything that happens to Jessie is resolved quickly (almost too quickly) and she almost always comes out on the good end of things. Even though the story itself is unrealistic (small town girl ends up in Hollywood dating a superstar? How often does that happen?), it wouldn't hurt to make things like that ring a bit truer. Overall, though, this is a fun, enjoyable read that made me want to read the first book about Jessie's foray into stardom, Confessions of an Almost-Movie Star (Berkley Jam Books).
Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce』
(Something to pass over.) 『I read the first book called 'Confessions of An Almost-Movie Star' and really loved it so I was assuming this sequel would be just as great. Needless to say I was a bit disappointed in it. I'm hoping Kennedy's next book 'Secrets of a South Beach Princess' will match the quality of 'Confessions'.』
(A fun story!) 『When Jessi Phillips is flown to L.A. to rerecord lines for the movie "Reckless Summer," the last thing she anticipates is staying longer than a few weeks.
Jessi and her best friend Tracy get summer internships at a new gossip magazine about the stars called Juicy. Jessi is put in charge of the teen stars department, and her first interview is with rising star Jazz Holiday, another newcomer to "Tinsel Town."
However, Jessi is thrust into the spotlight when her earlier romance with heartthrob Shane Rocket, who she met while co-starring with him in Reckless Summer, flames up into something serious. Suddenly life spirals out of control as she tries to balance life, work, and free time; and a jealous rival stealing and sabotaging Jessi's stories. She still has to break the news of her new relationship to her on again-off again boyfriend Marc, and cope with not just dishing out the gossip, but being a subject of gossip herself. Jessi is discovering that her summer is turning out nothing like she had planned.
In this sequel to Confessions of an Almost Movie Star, Mary Kennedy has crafted a fun story that is filled with excitement, romance, and a healthy dose of celebrity gossip. Tales of a Hollywood Gossip Queen reintroduces characters from Confessions of an Almost Movie Star and lets readers learn more about their lives as the story develops.
Armchair Interviews says: This is an extremely fun story that is perfect for summertime reading.
』
(entertaining teenage chick lit tale) 『In Los Angeles Shane, the "sexiest teen alive" Rockett informs newly arrived from Bedford, Connecticut Jessie Philips that he is off until October and plans to show her the city as they dreamed of back east when they filmed Reckless Summer. Jessie thinks back to when she thought they were an entry on and off the screen until she saw him lip hugging with co-star Heidi Hopkins (see CONFESSIONS OF AN ALMOST MOVIE STAR). Still when it comes to the Rockett man, Jessie's brain turns to polenta.
When he is not around melting her brain, Jessie wonders if her best friend Tracy is right that he is using her for free publicity as she now writes a teen celebrity column for Juicy magazine. As Jessie hobnobs with Hollywood's famous, the fifteen minute one time wonders, and the wannabes parking cars; Shane escorts her around the town as if he really cares. She wants to believe that he does until déjà vu occurs and she sees him with a sexy teen actress at the same time she learns a business lesson that backstabbing and stealing ones articles is the norm. Though New England is beginning to look warmer in winter than Hollywood in summer, Jessie refuses to quit.
The second Jessie Philips teen tale is a fun look at Hollywood from the perspective of a deer in the headlights until the lessons of betrayal begin the end of the innocence. This entertaining teenage chick lit tale enables the audience to observe how much Hollywood changes Jessie yet her essence of what makes her who she is remains the same. Readers will enjoy her exploits as a Hollywood gossip princess who stoically rolls with the punches.
Harriet Klausner 』 『Jessie's the queen of buzz... and she's about to get stung!
Landing the star role inReckless Summer-filmed at her high school last year-definitely had its perks for Jessie Philips. She shared romantic scenes with the superstar, Shane Rockett, and he set her heart aflame. Then he doused it when she caught him kissing a co-star. Jessie thought a summer like that could never be topped-but she was so wrong.
Now she's landed her own teen celeb column in a gossip magazine. Jessie gets to live in Hollywood and rub elbows with all the celebs she drools over (hopefully there will be more rubbing than drooling). She's seeing a lot more of Shane and he's sending out signals too...but sightings of him with a teen actress are giving her major doubts. With Shane's needed A-list contacts and his gorgeous smile, is it worth risking her heart again? It looks like this summer's hottest gossip may be about Jessie.』
IPhone 3G used's review (Great book on QGD) 『This book covers the QGD, the Slav, and the Semi-SLav, and does so in a highly instructive, readable manner. It is a great book, easy to follow, jam-packed with practical tips and strategies. This book is never far from my reach. The collection of games (Capablanca, Alekhine, Euwe, Kasparov, Karpov, Petrosian, etc.) it presents is phenomenal. Marovic is the best at picking games to annotate, and really explainaing what happened. Great index at the back.』
(Wonderful!) 『This is a meaty (370 pages) and instructive book. It is a complete chess intructional course in itself; that is how good Marovic's explanations of concepts are. Everything about this book is wonderful. There is only one small quibble I have with it; that is, although Marovis is telling you to play the Queen's Gambit, about 90% of the games in the book are wins by white. Of course, normally black made a mistake at some point after the opening, and Marovic annotates these moments well; however, it does not inspire confidence if you just look at the wins and losses in the book. That aside, this is the best book on the Queen's Gambit, and I have Sadler's book and Polugayevsky's too.』
(Simply the best) 『In my opinion, this is Marovic's best work. It is laid out extremely well; for instance, each game has in bolface the spot where moves differ from the previous game. Also, it considers all the variations that I run into in practice. I love that it includes the Slav and Semi-Slav too. True, it does not include the QGA. But for the Queen's Gambit Declined, it is the best book in extistence. perhaps not for Kasparov, because it is heavy on textual explanations, and does not drwon you in variations. This is a wonderful book, and is my favorite openings book. Marovic's book on the King's Indian is great too, but this one has a special magic.』
(Good solid book) 『This book has more to do with understanding closed games found in queen's gambit declined rather than a repretoire book. The book gives you a brief thumbnail sketch as to what to expect and why when you play those closed systems. This book gives some of the best background material found for these lines. Although not as detailed as Mednis, Marovic has a very accessable style that betrays him to have a soul of a good chess trainer as seen in his more recent books Dyanamic Pawn Play. All and all a very worthwhile addition for the queen pawn player.』
(Title needed to be more specific) 『I originally purchased this book looking for a nice introduction to an opening i knew little about, mainly the Queen's Gambit Accepted lines. I couldn't find anything locally, so i ordered over the internet even though there were no reviews for it. I got the opposite of what i was looking for however: practically every main variation of the Declined systems (1.d4 d5, 2.c4 e6) and Slav (2.c4 c6), but nothing on how to readily take advantage of 1.d4 d5, 2.c4 dxc4 with the lesser player as Black attempting to hold onto the proffered pawn. Don't get me wrong, this is a good book with over 360 pages of material. It's helpful to both sides who get involved with the Declined and Slav systems. I rarely saw those lines however when i bought the book around 4 years ago because i was facing 'coffee house' players for the most part and i wasn't looking to play those variations as Black either, as it didn't appeal to me. What i needed at the time was a way to punish Black for accepting the Gambit and setting up an a6 and b5 pawn structure, attempting to hold on to the extra pawn. Also a way as Black to play the Accepted variation, how to know when to give the pawn back, while developing correctly and letting my natural ability win. So if you're looking for symmetrical Queen's pawn systems that are closed or 'stodgy' as one writer wrote concerning the Queen's Gambit Declined or Slav, i do recommend this book if you can't find anything more recent.
I've taken up the task recently of offering reviews for all the Chess books i've amassed for this very reason: to let the unwary know what exactly they are getting before making a purchase over the internet. This was a... mistake that i had made, even though at some point i would become interested in what this book had to offer. My position now is to NEVER purchase a book over the internet unless it has some form of review, unless the title is much more descriptive and i've researched it a little better using Modern Chess Openings or Batsford Chess Openings. I don't know what the ratio is for strong club players who know exactly what they're looking for compared to the beginner or novice who needs a little advice that visit Amazon looking for Chess books, i can only relate my experiences and i'm sure there are a few out there who could use this practical advice before spending their hard earned money.』
Kakaku：1995 saved$19.95
CWG Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (A New Sci/Fi Voice) 『Queen Mab Courtesy By: Bruce C. Davis
In his debut novel, Bruce Davis manages to bring a fresh voice to the SciFi/Fantasy genre by engaging the reader's head and heart. This a book for people who don't think they like SciFi as well as for those who do but want something a little different. With its explicit descriptions of the Chicago area and its recipe for an Italian specialty, it firmly places itself on the less-than hard-core side of its potential readership. While it has several interesting futuristic features, it never focuses on them or on the action to the detriment of what is, at heart, a story about family and its claims on its members. Although the author is a medical doctor, he doesn't overburden us with jargon and uses what he does incorporate in a way that moves the story along nicely. With the juxtaposition of Shakespeare-quoting lead characters and Guamanian folk sayings, the dialog is intriguing without being cloying or overly technical. Anyone looking for a way into the SciFi world or any fan who is looking for a little more heart from the genre would be well advised to pick up a copy of this novel. As a reader who fits into the latter category, I am hoping the good doctor has plans for a sequel. 』 『Set in a near-future Chicago, QUEEN MAB COURTESY is part adventure, part mystery, part science, and all fun. Tito, the main character, is a "Denver Dwarf"--victim of a birth defect caused by a biological terrorist attack while he was in the womb. It certainly didn't affect his mind or his spirit, though. He meets up with Charlie Sleazer, a hot chestnut vendor who quotes Shakespeare and has a few interesting sidelines (like helping people out of jams). They are trying to unravel what happened to Tito's father, who disappeared years ago. The C.O.P.S.--huge mechanical machines with biological 'chips' in control of their actions--seem to be engaged in a huge cover-up, adding to their already repressive nature as they try to protect people from everything including themselves. Queen Mab Courtesy is a fast-paced novel that's fun and easy to read, yet it makes the reader think about lots of things, not least of which is the value of being true to oneself and one's family.』 fetish『 Red Queen White Queen 』
Henry Treece
IPhone 3G used's review (GREAT) 『GREAT_If you love history you will love this book. Fun. Great book for a rainy day - take the time travel machine.』
(A charming narrative!) 『I am an academically trained and practicing medieval historian who has written some "serious" stuff on medieval queens, and I was enchanted with this author's approach. It isn't a traditional biography -- it isn't supposed to be...it's part travel journal, part memoir, part tribute to the marginalized women of th European past; part talented amateur engagement with the middle ages. The author's attempts to engage with and appreciate Constance of Sicily are wonderfully narrated, and I think very effective over all. I am giving a copy to each of my female grad students to read over spring break.』
(Quick Read?) 『I'm glad somebody found this to be a quick read. I found it to be hard going with a lot of " maybe -this -happened" in the text, which the author acknowledges. It seemed to jump from one year to another and back to the first year and if you were not familiar with the characters became very confusing. Parts of it were interesting, mostly the last 50 pages. The pictures were nicely done. There was a small error in the Family Tree at the beginning. Eleanor of Aquitaine did not die the same year as Richard the Lionheart.』
(Creative and imaginative biography of a little-known queen!) 『It's a daunting task to attempt to write a biography of someone when few primary sources exist. Constance, the last child of the Norman King Roger II of Sicily was an intriguing woman whose personal story teased, eluded and captivated author Mary Taylor Simeti for years, as she states in the pages of this biography-cum-travelogue-cum-personal memoir, but with whom she felt a strange kinship. Both were strangers in a strange land---Constance in her 10-year exile from her Sicilian homeland when she married Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI---Simeti when she married a Sicilian, settled there, and raised her children far from America. Simeti happily found a home in Sicily (and this is her 4th book dealing with Sicilian subjects); Constance finally returned, in triumph, to the land of her forebears, having borne a child along the way (a first child, at the age of forty!), the infant who would become Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor and Sicilian King. Simeti flatly states that she did not know if she had enough material to write a biography. She then takes the daring chance of fleshing out her thin material by musing about a fictitious (though likely) Arab nursemaid, a possible (though unlikely) relationship with a German courtier, and a close friendship (most plausible) with an Italian abbess, and sets out to reconstruct Constance's final trip home to Palermo, using logic, old documents, and intuition, to guess the actual route of the journey south. Simeti takes the further leap of relating to Constance as a woman and mother whose hopes, fears, and ambitions for her child were not so different from those of any other mother, despite the yawning chasm of centuries and cultures. Not a traditional biography, or history, by any means, and some points are surely controversial, but this is a compelling narrative that makes this little-known queen come alive as a personage in her own right. Simeti freely admits that although she was a history major, she is not an historian, but she shows great powers of empathy with Constance. Moreover, living in Sicily for 40 years has made her quite knowledgeable about and sensitive to the people, the land, and its ancient history. (I wish only that Simeti had taken more time in her journey to visit more sites and take more photographs!) The story of the Norman conquest of Sicily, when the House of Hauteville wrested control of this rich kingdom from Arab control, and what happened when Teutons from the North stepped in two centuries later at the death of Constance's young nephew, William II, after the throne was claimed by an illegitimate grandson of Roger II, isn't well-known, but it is highly dramatic, replete with colorful characters, intrigues, and adventure. I look forward to more explorations of Sicilian history from this talented writer, someone who loves what she does and has the ability to make otherwise dusty history come alive for her readers. A final note---Simeti talks about her own life and experiences in this unusual book but never in a jarring manner---which makes one wonder at the disturbing ad hominem remarks addressed to the author in the previous reviews---rather, the contemporary travelogue-cum-memoir has its own charm and nicely brackets the trip and experiences of Queen Constance, who becomes ever more human to us as she makes her crucial life's passage from the cold, monochromatic German castle of Trifels to the warmth and beauty of the colorful Mediterranean island her heart never really left. And there is never any question of where Simeti's heart is.』
(Interesting but not essential) 『The book was a quick read (so I don't regret having read it) but it is rather an odd mix. The story of the "medieval queen" in question (Constance of Sicily, mother of Frederick II, the HRE) is based on very litte historical information (since none exists and the author doesn't appear to be a particularly strong scholar) and for some unfathomable reason she feels the need to "make up" imaginary characters to accompany the queen on her journey. The queen does nothing on this particular trip except travel very slowly from point A to point B, giving birth along the way. She is not an active power and indeed, like nearly any royal woman of the period, was little more than a slave to her husband and her "duty." Nevertheless, the author tries to make a case for her undergoing some kind of "empowerment" through giving birth and returning to her native land as Queen. There isn't any evidence to support this assertion, and the amateur psychology (based on the author's own experience of being a mother) is not attractive.
At the same time as she tells the queen's story, the author and a friend are retracing the queen's route (based on sheer guesswork). One doesn't know whether to applaud that some buildings still exist 900 years later or bemoan the fact that so much of the medieval legacy was bombed to hell in WWII.
Then, to fill in for all the nonexistent information, we are treated to a wide range of facts about various royal houses, medieval life, etc. For me, the best part of the book was learning something about the Norman Sicilian monarchy, and its relationship to the royal houses of Germany and England.
As a light, quick read you may enjoy it, but this book really did not need to be written and there are many other, better books on women in the Middle Ages. Also, the jacket copy on this book is particularly misleading. The visuals (art/photos) in the book are well chosen.』
『
Two Women Set Out Across Europe in Search of a Dead Queen
The medieval queen in question is Constance of Hauteville, daughter of the Norman King Roger II of Sicily, wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI, and mother to the Emperor Frederick II. In 1194, at the age of forty, Constance journeyed from Germany south to reconquer her father's throne. On the way she discovered that she was pregnant for the first time. She decided to give birth in public so that the world would know the child was truly hers. These intriguing facts, and very few others, are all we know directly of Constance's life.
Seventeen years ago, Mary Taylor Simeti promised inOn Persephone's Island--her now-classic memoir of an American in Sicily--that she would someday tell the story of Constance (who was, like her, an expatriate and the mother of a bicultural family). InTravels with a Medieval Queen, Simeti keeps her promise: retracing Constance's route from Germany to Sicily, contrasting the exotic setting of Constance's childhood in Palermo with that of her married life in the north, and drawing on reading in contiguous fields to flesh out a spare legacy of historical facts. This is the beautifully illustrated chronicle of Simeti's twentieth-century travels, first in books, then on the road, as she searches the landscapes and the monuments that survive from the twelfth century for clues to the inner life of a mother who was also a monarch.
Kakaku：730 saved$7.30
Scholastic Hippo
Usually ships in 2 to 4 weeks IPhone 3G used's review (Great way to learn about Mary Q. O. S.) 『Even though this book is chaneled to a younger audience it is still very entertaining and educational for older children. The comics were great, and I really enjoyed reading this book.』
(Terrific read.) 『This has intersting facts about Mary, Queen of Scots. Like the other Dead Famous books, this includes cartoons too adding to the fun of reading. Children would love this book and likely become interested in Mary and her world. Mary did not have a very good end though. For nineteen years (!) she was imprisoned in various castles before meeting a very gory end. I recommend this in addition to Elizabeth I and her conquests.』 『Mary Queen of Scots is dead famous for: having terrible taste in husbands, rotting away in Liz 1's prison and, totally losing her head - on the chopping block. But have you heard that Mary: was a six-foot stunner who had a charmed childhood, got kidnapped by a murderous lord - and married him, managed to give her executioner a fright or two? Even though she's dead, Mary's still full of surprises. Now you can get the inside story with Mary's secret diary, read all about it in The Scottish Herald, and discover some Prickly Thistle Facts about the Scottish Queen and her hopeless husbands.』
大満足！北国のホタテ・いくら・ボタンエビがぎっしり！
