When the Devil Came Down to Dixie: Ben Butler in New Orleans

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One of the most robust and astonishing characters of the Civil War, Major General Benjamin Butler has long deserved a modern biographer. He finally has a skilled one in Chester G. Hearn, author of The Capture of New Orleans, 1862. Butler headed the federal occupation of New Orleans, where he quickly imposed order on a rebellious city. He also made out like a bandit, diverting an enormous amount of money into his personal coffers. High society scorned him for his infamous "Woman Order," in which he castigated the "women (calling themselves ladies) of New Orleans" for rudeness toward his troops. An international furor erupted over this purported slight to southern womanhood, but history has always appreciated its comic element. "Butler--no matter where he was or what he did--attracted trouble," writes Hearn, who has given us a good rendering of an unforgettable man.

Customer Reviews:

The Beast of New Orleans as real person.......1999-12-07

I have always been fascinated with General Benjamin Butler both because of the story of his ill fated term as military governor of New Orleans during the Civil War and because of his physical image. The photographs always show someone who seems to be a grotesque characature of a human being rather than a real person, somehow appropriate for a man known as 'the Beast of New Orleans'. This book is significant not only for its detailed account of the conflicts and controversy that surrounded Butler during his time in New Orleans, but also for providing enough complementary material to see him as more than an evil abberation. The author does detail the evidence for Butler's depredations - his thefts, corruptions and overzelous application of lethal force - but also provides ample evidence that he was a complex and sometimes thoughtful person as well. In one case, he condemns a man to be hung because he had pulled down the union flag. The man's wife and children go to Butler to plead for his life. He refuses to stop the hanging but promises to be of whatever assistance he can be in the future. Years later the widow approaches him to say that she has been cheated by her lawyer out of her life savings and that she and her children are in jeapordy. Butler finds her a government job and, at his own expense, sees to the children's education. A very complex 'devil' indeed.

For those who enjoy new light cast upon old oversimplified history, this book is excellent. Well written and with a lot that is new to say, this book represents a chance to actually learn something new rahter than simply revisiting the old story.

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When the Devil Came Down to Dixie: Ben Butler in New Orleans.(Review) : An article from: The Mississippi Quarterly
David Gleeson
Manufacturer: Mississippi State University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
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ASIN: B00098RBFA
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Mississippi Quarterly, published by Mississippi State University on September 22, 1998. The length of the article is 990 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: When the Devil Came Down to Dixie: Ben Butler in New Orleans.(Review)
Author: David Gleeson
Publication: The Mississippi Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 1998
Publisher: Mississippi State University
Volume: 51 Issue: 4 Page: 751(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Vol. II of a twelve Volume set

In this volume, then, we have Mr. Burbank's own fascinating story, for the first time told, of the exact steps which he took in producing a number of widely different plant transformations; together with many of his own observations on life--plant, animal and human--from which we gain a new insight into the relation between his viewpoint and those of other workers in the same and parallel lines

Some of the chapters are: The Shasta Daisy, The Burbank Cherry, The Winter Rhubarb and many more.

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HIS METHODS AND DISCOVERIES AND THEIR PRACTICAL APPLICATION: VOLUMES I, II, III, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, XII. 9 vols. (of 12) missing VI, X, XI. Edited by John Whitson, Robert John, & Henry Smith Williams.
Luther. Burbank
Manufacturer: Luther Burbank Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NPOIUU

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Luther Burbank: His Methods and Discoveries and Their Practical Application - Vol III
Luther Burbank
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MU8YR4

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The title says it all

a bit rambling

Book goes with companion video/DVD

Perfect for the Newbie!!!

Unfinished, too little detail, too much rehashed material.

Taijiquan, Classical Yang Style: The Complete Form and Qigong
Yang Jwing-Ming
Manufacturer: YMAA Publication Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Tai Chi Chuan Martial Applications: Advanced Yang Style Tai Chi Chaun (Martial Arts-Internal Series)

Tai Chi Theory and Martial Power, Third Edition: Advanced Yang Style Tai Chi Chaun (Martial Arts-Internal)

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Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 188696968X

Book Description

The complete, Taiji book from America's best known teacher! A traditional, step-by-step guide to a healthy body and relaxed mind.

Customer Reviews:

The title says it all.......2006-03-21

A must have book if you are interested in Yang style Taijiquan, at any level (novice to advanced), and for whichever reason (health and/or martial art). Ideal if accompanied by the corresponding dvd by the same title. Not a substitute for person to person classes, but an excellent source of additional insight and reinforcement. I have personally noticed great improvement in my practice and so have my instructors and fellow classmates. I am advancing much quicker since I bought the book and dvd.

a bit rambling.......2006-02-05

This book is a little too ambitious in trying to cover a lot of ground: history of Chinese martial arts and taijiquan, what is qigong, what is taijiquan, photographs of the Yang long form, a few applications, and more. Unfortunately it is rambling with a lot of digressions of the author's own opinions on how taijiquan is "spiritual" - a little bit too long winded to be of practical benefit. Several reviewers mentioned the book draws on some of the author's other books so perhaps that explains this effect. Good basic content, but better editing would have made the book more organized and easier to read and study. There are some good practical tips on actual practice spruced throughout but they can be hard to spot. Overall, a more concise book focused on these tips would be much more beneficial. There are also too many self-serving references to the author's other books, which I found a little annoying. It seems he is more interested in selling a lot of different books than in writing one really good one. However, the photographs are of very high quality and the pages and binding seemed fine to me.

The bottom line:
If you are BRAND NEW to the art and want to read a lot of context and commentary surrounding taijiquan, this book may be worthwhile for you. If you have been studying for a while and are looking mainly for practical tips on principles, this may not be the best book for you. There are other excellent books you should check out such as Fu Zhongwen's Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan.

Book goes with companion video/DVD.......2004-11-24

As a novice I have collected most of Dr. Yang's writings on Qigong and Taijiquan, as well as some tapes and dvd's. His background is well worth looking into, particularly the 25-page account in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts (Michael A. DeMarco, interviewer, Vol 12, Number 2, 2003) currently available on the YMAA website.

In this book Dr. Yang recaps the high points of his earlier foundation books on Qigong (Chi Kung), so that this text can be considered complete by itself. However, while those books go into more detail and have more Qi training exercises, Dr. Yang adds new content here.

At a glance, pages 66 to 76 contain completely original material. He also cites "The Body Electric" by Robert O. Becker, the man who healed "hopeless" fractures with subtle electrical currents. The first 100 pages deal with background, historical surveys, and anecdotes.

Published literature has contention over what the real Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) is and should be. Whether a flowery dance, a health-giving exercise, or the ultimate form of moving meditation aimed at enlightenment.

The gist of Dr. Yang's argument is that authentic Taijiquan has both spiritual and martial roots. That proper theoretical perspective, combined with disciplined practice, leads to the deep levels of Taiji. Simply, he sees Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) as a sophisticated progression of Qi (Chi) exercises.

However, saying and doing are two separate things. Another 80 pages are devoted to fundamental stances and Taiji Qigong exercises, all illustrated with photographs and arrow lines showing movement. The final 120 pages go to the 113 posture long sequence itself. (These two sections contain 489 photographs of Dr. Yang demonstrating the movements.)

Three considerations. First, the numbering system and page layout of the photographs can be a pain, so be ready with a pencil. Second, the printing and binding of this book could be better, so think of it as a training manual and get on with your practice. Third, Dr. Yang's writing style reads as "thought in Chinese and diagrams, written in English." Sometimes it takes effort and time to reach the deeper meaning of his writing.

The companion DVD and book make an exceptional combination. While the printing and binding of the book rates slightly below standard, the production quality of the DVD gets superior marks.

Perfect for the Newbie!!!.......2000-09-25

I have developed a deeper interest in martial arts, especially Taijiquan and Baguazhang, only recently. Dr. Yang's book answered many of my questions about the religious, philosophical, and spiritual roots of Taijiquan. I appreciate the time and effort spent in teaching this background information in the clear and understandible form in which it is presented. I recommend this book as excellent supplemental reading for Taijiquan history, philosophy, and understanding while studying the art itself.

Unfinished, too little detail, too much rehashed material........1999-10-23

Basically, if you don't already have Dr. Yang's previous books on qigong, you won't be bothered by the repetition of old material of which most of this book consists. Also, it contains a (the?) entire long form of yang style tai chi. However, I am puzzled as to what this form has to do or how it is connected to Yang Ban Hou, especially as this book is sold by suggesting that this is his form - he isn't even featured in the index, there is no information on him in the book, and I was under the impression that he performed a small frame of tai chi, unlike the form portrayed in this book. Lastly, there is no explicit mention of any fast movements (fajing), which is also one of the selling points on the corresponding website, nor does it have a step by step explanation of how fajing is to be performed. Overall, it is my impression that this book has been hastily put together and perhaps in a future edition, these deficits will be corrected.

My humble opinion,

Alex van Deelen

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The Food of Korea: Authentic Recipes from the Land of Morning Calm (Periplus World Cookbooks)
David Clive Price
Manufacturer: Periplus Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Korean Home Cooking (Essential Asian Kitchen Series)

Eating Korean: From Barbecue to Kimchi, Recipes from My Home

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ASIN: 9625930264

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The Food of Korea: Authentic Recipes from the Land of Morning Calm
Periplus Editions
Manufacturer: Crossing Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Asian | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0895947943

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The Gliding Flight: 20 Excellent Fold and fly Paper Airplanes
John M. Collins
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1580087264

Book Description

THE GLIDING FLIGHT is a return to paper airplane basics: one person, one piece of paper, and a few folds later, one airplane. Using a refreshingly inventive approach to designs and flying characteristics, you can make 20 original paper planes, such as the Stealth, the Wind Devil, the Glart, and the Skid Kid. The book 's flip-book animation demonstrates the basic origami folds, with clear step-by-step assembly for each design. A crease here and there is all you need to create high-performance aircraft — no scissors, no glue. In the current age of electronic toys, THE GLIDING LIGHT proves you can still have fun with a simple sheet of paper and a little imagination.

Book Description

When Rosie comes home to find her mom dancing alone in the living room -- on a school day -- she knows something wonderful is about to happen. So when one of her two mothers announces, "Your Mum and I are getting married!" they can't wait to start planning the big day. At this party, family, friends and fun come together for a joyous celebration of love in a changing world.

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Raises Awareness About Gay/Lesbian Families

Asha's Mums
Rosamund Elwin , and Michele Paulse
Manufacturer: Women's Press (UK)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0889611432

Book Description

Asha, an African-Canadian girl whose lesbian mums become an issue for the teacher and the curiosity of classmates, responds with clarity and assuredness that having two mums is no big deal--they are a family.

Customer Reviews:

Raises Awareness About Gay/Lesbian Families.......1998-01-05

ASHA'S MUMS by Elwin and Paulse is the story of a little girl, who is told by her teacher to have her field trip permission slip which was signed by her two mums re-done "correctly." While there is a bit of a mystery about what "correct" exactly means, the teacher blatantly tells Asha she can't have two mums, and if the form is not filled out correctly, she cannot go on the trip. Clearly Asha is devastated because she believes she, her brother, and her two mums are a family, and she wants to go on the trip. The next day, Asha tries to explain her family. This provokes discussion among the children abut whether or not a child can have two mums. One child says her parents told her that having two mothers living together is bad. While the class is in gym, Asha's mums have a talk with the teacher to clarify their family structure. Asha is able to go on the trip and the other children are informed that both of her mums are important to her. This books makes an important statement: children from gay- and lesbian-headed households do not always make distinctions between their parents such as the "real" mother or father. Parents are frequently distinguished most commonly by names, such as "Mama" and Mom" or "Papa" and "Daddy." ASHA'S MUMS is one of a few books which raises the issue of children's families not being accepted or represented in the classroom. It also highlights the difficulties children of gay and lesbian families encounter when their parents have not disclosed their family structure to the school or teacher. Some readers may feel a little uneasy that it was initially left up to Asha and some of her friends to defend and explain her family structure. Still, this may very well be the reality for some children from gay- and lesbian-headed families, especially as parents are not yet aware of the need to explain their family until a "crisis" occurs. The wonderful illustrations add to the beauty of the story. They portray Black, Asian, Latino/a and European-American children. This story works well with a discussion on exclusion, acceptance and diverse family structures.

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Mums for Mom (Petites Plus(tm))
Peter Pauper Press
Manufacturer: Peter Pauper Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Motivational | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0880882662

Mom's mum about 'Bachelorette' daughter's final pick.(Television): An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)

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Mom's mum about 'Bachelorette' daughter's final pick.(Television): An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)

Manufacturer: The Register Guard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00081ZF42
Release Date: 2005-07-31

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by The Register Guard on February 22, 2004. The length of the article is 813 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Mom's mum about 'Bachelorette' daughter's final pick.(Television)
Publication: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) (Newspaper)
Date: February 22, 2004
Publisher: The Register Guard
Page: L1

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Thinking of You (Unabridged)
Jill Mansell
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000SAGYCU

Book Description

Evoking a passion for homekeeping, Keeper of the Springs provides inspiration and motivation for cultivating atmosphere, tradition, and beauty in the midst of your surroundings and hectic family life.

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Best Book Since Clan of the Cave Bears!!!
Too much of some things, not enough of others
I'm hoping for more
An Exceptionally Entertaining Read
Informative, but too predictable

Keeper of the Crystal Spring
Naomi Baltuck , and Deborah Baltuck
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140276114

Amazon.com

Keeper of the Crystal Spring is a hybrid--part historical romance, part fantasy. The authors--sisters Naomi and Deborah Baltuck--have crammed the book with period detail, painting a vivid picture of England 20 years after the Norman Conquest. The magic is in the powers of the Goddess and her priestess, Sirona, who sees visions, knows herb lore and midwifery, and curses enemies. Sirona worships at the Crystal Spring, whose waters have miraculous healing properties, and is one of an old race the people call fairies.

Aldyth Lightfoot is a Saxon orphan, goddaughter to Sirona, and a healer. She believes herself destined to be a virgin priestess. Aldyth is also part of a network of guides and shelters for Saxon rebels. Armed resistance has collapsed, and the King's men are hunting down fugitives and their helpers. A fellow guide is Bedwyn, a handsome Saxon determined to marry her but now in mortal danger. His rival is the lonely, scholarly Gandulf Fitzgerald, heir to the harsh Norman Lord. Gandulf befriends the Saxons as he courts Aldyth, though Lord Ralf would marry him to a Norman heiress. Then a lay brother escorting two nuns to the abbey rescues Aldyth from assault; his secrets will change everything.

The cast in Keeper of the Crystal Spring is overcrowded, and a few too many subplots lengthen and complicate the narrative, but lovers of English folklore and history will enjoy this first novel. --Nona Vero

Book Description

In the tradition of Marion Zimmer Bradley and Mary Stewart--a rich and splendid tapestry of love, heroics, sly Saxon wit, and those who serve the Goddess of the Crystal Spring.

The year is 1086, twenty years after the Norman Conquest, and the new Norman lords are squeezing their Saxon subjects mercilessly. To survive, the townspeople of Enmore Green band together under the wise leadership of Father Edmund and Sirona, the local seeress who is teaching the healing arts to her foster daughter, Aldyth. Beautiful, sensitive, and feisty, Aldyth has decided not to marry but instead to dedicate her life to serving the Goddess of the Crystal Spring.

Her decision is complicated, though, by her companion in the resistance movement--a sexy Robin Hood figure who has vowed to win her. She also attracts the attention of Gandulf--the son of the hated Norman lord--a gentle handsome man who, despite his upbringing, has an affinity for his Saxon subjects. Their tempestuous love triangle is played out against the turbulence of Saxon and Norman life and is dramatically resolved when a mysterious stranger reveals to Gandulf a secret from his past that will change everyone's future.

Customer Reviews:

Best Book Since Clan of the Cave Bears!!!.......2006-09-26

Ok, I haven't really read in about 15 year because of my busy life style but then I threw out my TV recently and said "Hey, lets get on with life before it's over!". Oh, I've tried reading books throughout the years and I have a pile by my bed to prove it but none of them caught my attention after the second page so there they've laid. I saw 'Crystal Springs' in a store that had a moving sale and bought it for $.50 and standing there reading the first paragraph, I was floored! It hooked me in a way that books used to in my 20's and I couldn't wait to get it home. I read it right after work for two days until midnight came and the majority of it on Saturday until my eyes would not stay open anymore (from 10AM to 12 midnight - 14 hours straight!! (well, except for potty breaks and food : ) and finished it Sunday morning. Folks, you will LOVE this book!!! I have already lent it out to my best friend and plan to pass it on to my sister afterwards. The only thing that I didn't love about it was that it ended! I promise you this, you will also love it. I just wish there was a sequel!!!

Too much of some things, not enough of others.......2003-04-07

I enjoyed this book in the sense of learning about Saxon England. The authors clearly did hours of research into their subject matter, and the excellent background stories and descriptions are proof of their hard work. Unfortunately, what would otherwise be a really good book is marred by a really annoying love story. The outcome of the triangle formed by Aldyth, Gandulf, and Bedwyn is entirely too predictable. Also, there is way too much [explicitness] in the romance for my tastes; this one is not for the kids, folks. If it were a movie, it would probably be rated PG-13 for all of the [explicit] talk. The happy-ever-after situation at the end is sickeningly sweet; everything is just a little TOO perfect, even the children. I tried very hard to care about the main characters in this book, but it just didn't happen for me; I was much more interested in the secondary characters like Mother Rowena, Sirona, and Brother Ansgar. The book tries, it really does...it just doesn't make it.

I'm hoping for more.......2003-03-30

I don't usually care far fantasy - I'm more into history and historical fiction. This book gives a picture of everyday people and everyday life in the time of the Norman conquest, with just a little fantasy thrown in to sweeten the pot. I could not put it down and read until the wee hours each night till I finished it, then wished I hadn't finished! I loved the details about healing with herbs and how the people managed to live thro the winter. It didn't dwell on just the wealthy. This is the kind of "history" that grabs my imagination.

An Exceptionally Entertaining Read.......2002-06-13

...This story is the tale of Aldyth, goddaughter to the local healer/seeress, Sorina, and who has versed Aldyth well in the knowledge of herb lore and caring for the sick. There are many ills in the village, many caused by the vindictive and tyrannical ways of Lord Ralf, who runs the surrounding villages and even the nuns in the Abbey like slaves in the boondocks rather than peasants in a village.

Aldyth, like many villagers, puts up with Ralf's ways, in short because of their small band of Saxon resistence to the Norman invasion. The "Starlit Path", as it is known, is something of an Underground Railroad of second century Britain; helping fugitives from the Saxon/Norman battles to saftey overseas or in south England. Aldyth and Sirona are two helpers of this Path, as is the outlaw/rogue/dashing Bedwyn, a childhood friend of Aldyth's, who desperately pursues her in madness of love/lust, it is hard to tell some of the time.

Of course, a twist is thrown in the story as King William cracks down on outlaws and "runners", as the Saxon fugitives are known, causing holes in the Path and spies trying to collapse the last stronghold of Saxon resistence.

In the village, though, there is a new face, as the son of Lord Ralf- Gandulf- returns from France. Of course, this man- who is quiet, steady, and intense compared to the passionate, risk-taking, adventurous Bedwyn- falls head over heels in love with Aldyth. The brawling that takes place between Bedwy and Gandulf on May Eve is not so much idiotic as just plain amusing.

There are some lewd actions in the book, and, like me, you may not feel obliged to read them. I skipped over those pages, and the story picked up beautifully where it had before the...exchanges.

This book is a very satisfying read. The authors have most of their facts right, and even if you feel that in the first part of the book it is predictable, please, for the sake of a story well written, keep reading. Better the predictable book take an unpredictable turn then the unpredictable turn predictable.

A job well done, Naomi and Deborah Baltuck.

Informative, but too predictable.......2002-05-27

The book sucked me in right away with the story of how Aldyth had come to live with her guardian, Sirona. After this interesting twist to Aldyth's life, the story begins to show how life was in the year 1086, by comparing the relationships she has with the son of Lord Ralf, Gandulf and an outlaw named Bedwyn. After this point in the book, the plot and resolution become quite apparent within the first one hundred pages, when Bedwyn and Gandulf start to compete over the love of Aldyth. The scene where Bedwyn and Gandulf jump over the raging fire to prove their love for Aldyth was idiotic and just showed how the book at this point is more interested in the sexual relationships between the three than getting an actual plot across to the audience.
Although this is a love story, there was no reason for having the two sex scenes in the book. I found it distasteful and made the book go off on a tangent instead of sticking to one of its original intentions, informing the audience of what life was like in the eleventh century.
After reading the book all the way through, my predictions for the end of the book were right on the spot. Its happy ending was so foreseen that after the end I found that it was not necessary to read after page one hundred and fifty because by then you get the main gist of the story and already know what is going to happen.
Its slow pace and predictability made it painful to read for more than a half and hour at a time. It is obvious that the authors of the book made an effort to research what England was like at this time and integrated it very well. The problem was the writing style. In my opinion, save your money and read something more exciting.

Keepers of the Springs and Other Messages

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Keepers of the Springs and Other Messages
Peter Marshall
Manufacturer: Fleming H. Revell Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000L3KK7O

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Keeper of the Crystal Spring
Naomi; Baltuck, Deborah Baltuck
Manufacturer: Viking Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OKTPKC

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The keeper of the springs
George W Atkinson
Manufacturer: Atkinson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Keeper's Log, the - Vol. VII, No. 3, Spring 1991

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Keeper's Log, the - Vol. VII, No. 3, Spring 1991
Wayne (ed.) Wheeler
Manufacturer: U.S. Lighthouse Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KH79OI

Keeper's Log, the - Vol. X, No. 3, Spring 1994

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Keeper's Log, the - Vol. X, No. 3, Spring 1994
Wayne (ed.) Wheeler
Manufacturer: U.S. Lighthouse Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KH9AMC

Keeper's Log, the - Vol. XI, No. 3, Spring 1995

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Keeper's Log, the - Vol. XI, No. 3, Spring 1995
Wayne (ed.) Wheeler
Manufacturer: U.S. Lighthouse Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KH79MU

Keepers of the Spring: Reclaiming Our Water In An Age Of Globalization

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A Snapshot of today's water

Keepers of the Spring: Reclaiming Our Water In An Age Of Globalization
Fred Pearce
Manufacturer: Island Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1559636815

Book Description

Water has long been the object of political ambition and conflict. Recent history is full of leaders who tried to harness water to realize national dreams. Yet the people who most need water--farmers, rural villages, impoverished communities--are too often left, paradoxically, with desiccated fields, unfulfilled promises, and refugee status.

It doesn't have to be this way, according to Fred Pearce. A veteran science news correspondent, Pearce has for over fifteen years chronicled the development of large-scale water projects like China's vast Three Gorges dam and India's Sardar Sarovar. But, as he and numerous other authors have pointed out, far from solving our water problems, these industrial scale projects, and others now in the planning, are bringing us to the brink of a global water crisis.

Pearce decided there had to be a better way.

To find it, he traveled the globe in search of alternatives to mega-engineering projects. In Keepers of the Spring, he brings back intriguing stories from people like Yannis Mitsis, an ethnic Greek Cypriot, who is the last in his line to know the ways and whereabouts of a network of underground tunnels that have for centuries delivered to farming communities the water they need to survive on an arid landscape. He recounts the inspiring experiences of small-scale water stewards like Kenyan Jane Ngei, who reclaimed for her people a land abandoned by her government as a wasteland. And he tells of many others who are developing new techniques and rediscovering ancient ones to capture water for themselves.

The solution to our water problems, he finds, may not lie in new technologies but in recovering ancient traditions, using water more efficiently, and better understanding local hydrology. Are these approaches adequate to serve the world's growing populations? The answer remains unclear. But we ignore them at our own peril.

Customer Reviews:

A Snapshot of today's water.......2005-05-08

Fred Pearce serves his readers well. He provides us with an overview of the present water crisis, while also giving us historical glimpses of ancient water management practices that may help solve our present predicament.
I have been researching and writing about water for over 30 years. The ancient water practices that Pearce refers to in Africa, Israel, and other locations are places that I too have personally visited. And, I agree with Pearce's assessment completely.
It is only through our knowledge, and cultivation of an intimate relationship with water resources in our local communities, that we can truly empower ourselves to help remedy the global water crisis.
In this book, Pearce provides well documented cases of how communities in India, Africa, China, Israel, and other water-stressed locations, have reversed desertification and dropping water tables by developing an intimate relationship with water through enlightened water catchment and management.

Average customer rating:

Keepers of the Springs
Peter Marshall
Manufacturer: Fleming H. Revell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IOI01O

Book Description

A Newbery Honor Book

Customer Reviews:

Upon the Head of the Goat book review.......2006-04-28

I think that you should read this book because it is clear and it gives a good description of what it was like for the Jews as the Holocaust began. The author described how they lived, specifically, how they dressed, slept, and ate. This gives the reader a clear understanding. It is interesting to learn about an actual family that lived during these hard times, especially for the children Piri, Etu, Joli, and Sandor. Piri's family had to make hard decisions in order to survive. The book gives a good description of the Ghetto and how they had to live for those few weeks. For example, the bathroom was smelly and gross with not much privacy. The ground was cold and hard, "What if it rains during the night?" she asked. "We'll all get soaked." They were not allowed to make fires either. They don't even know how long they are going to be there so they don't know what to expect. They build somewhat of a shelter for just their family with a tent inside it for privacy and to help keep the rain out. The author, Aranka Siegal, doesn't just give an overview of what it was like in the Ghetto; she describes every detail about it. Overall, it is a good book and I recommend it to ages 13 an up.

Book Review.......2006-04-27

Upon the Head of a Goat is a very good book. It gives a lot of back round pre-holocaust. The fact that it is a true story is even better. It teaches and touches upon the home of a Jewish family torn from each other. It describes the obstacles they had to go through to live their everyday life. They had their food, conformability, morals, thoughts, believes, and one another taken from them.
I liked this book, and I recommend it. There are parts in the book that you will question yourself on the answers that you would provide in certain situations. The ending of the book was a little disappointing because it didn't really touch upon what happened. They led up to all these thoughts and stopped.

not interesting enough for my taste.......2006-04-23

I like history and the subject of World War II and Nazi Germany, that is why I was surprised how much I did not like this book. I found it boring and uninteresting. I wish the book had more action. I guess it was hard for me to identify with a nine year old girl and what she went through. I also do not like endings that leave you hanging. I wish we knew what happened to them after they got on the train. It was almost like I wish the book started where it ended. This book is probably better for someone younger or for someone who wants to avoid the violence and terror of World War II.

Started my love for all things Hungarian.......2004-09-05

This was the first book I read about the Shoah in Hungary, and it was so fascinating that it got me interested in all things Hungarian. It's different from many books about the Shoah in that the majority of it takes place before the Nazi invasion of Hungary on 19 March 1944, when the remaining members of the Davidowitz family are shipped off to a ghetto. Though life is growing increasingly hard for them because of the anti-Jewish regulations and the strain of living during a war in general, and Piri had to stay in the Ukraine with her grandmother and older sister Rozsi longer than she expected to because of a border war, the Davidowitzes still have a pretty normal and decent life before they have to leave for the ghetto. During this time the family also does their part to help other Jewish families and people in need, even with hiding them in safe houses or helping to smuggle them across borders, and Iboya, the next-youngest of Mrs. Davidowitz's children by her first marriage, is very involved in Zionism. And even in the ghetto, Piri's family and her best friend Judi's little family live the best they can, trying to keep their spirits up and to be happy. Piri and Judi both have their first romances in the ghetto, in fact. It's not one of those books that starts out happily and then quickly moves to the ghetto and then the camps. In fact, the book ends as they're leaving the ghetto in the cattlecar, and only a short postscript tells us what happened after that.

The book is also interesting because not all of Piri's siblings are at home, unlike many other Shoah books where all of the family are in the same house. Because her mother didn't want her grandmother to be lonely after she was widowed, she began farming out her five daughters to stay with her to keep her company, but Lilli, the oldest, wasn't her companion very long because she got married at only 16 years old and soon had a baby. Now Rozsi is living with the grandmother, and loves farm life very much, while the other older sister, Etu, is away at university in Budapest. Even after Lilli and her young daugher Manci move back in, there are still only Piri and her sister Iboya left at home along with their halfsiblings Sandor and Joli, and when Lilli's husband Lajos is arrested and Lilli insists on joining him along with Manci, there are still only the youngest four still at home. It makes it interesting because the family are in all different places instead of all suffering the same fates or suffering all together. The only complaint I have about the book is one I acquired in hindsight; it would have been helpful to have told the reader something about the pronunciation of the Hungarian names and that some of the names used, like Ica and Manci, are nicknames and not full given names.

Upon the Head of the Goat.......2004-03-08

It was a very interesting and informing book. It was easy to feel for the characters. I highly recommend it for people who are interested in the lives of young holocaust victims.

UPON THE HEAD OF THE GOAT A CHILDHOOD IN HUNGARY 1939-1944

Average customer rating:

UPON THE HEAD OF THE GOAT A CHILDHOOD IN HUNGARY 1939-1944
Aranka Siegal
Manufacturer: Farrar Straus Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JWC59S

Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary, 1939-1944 (Newbery Series)

Average customer rating:

Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary, 1939-1944 (Newbery Series)

Manufacturer: Random House UK Ltd (A Division of Random House Group)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0676301835

Upon the Head of a Goat: A Childhood in Hungary 1939-1944

Average customer rating:

Awesome But Sad Book
Understanding the Holocaust in the Middle Grades

Upon the Head of a Goat: A Childhood in Hungary 1939-1944
Aranka Siegal
Manufacturer: Sagebrush Education Resources
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Teens | Subjects | Books

Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Teens | Subjects | Books

Holocaust | History & Historical Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Jewish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 080851220X

Customer Reviews:

Awesome But Sad Book.......2000-05-11

I really enjoyed this book. Piri, the main character, is a young girl who lives in Hungary with her family in WWII. Her family consists of her mother, 2 sisters and her brother. Her father is off at war, fighting in favor of the Germans. Piri and her family are Jewish. If you have studied the war you know that the Germans (Nazi) were against Jews and wanted to kill them all. This is a novel about the hardships of Piri and her family.

Understanding the Holocaust in the Middle Grades.......2000-05-10

After many years of using The Diary of Ann Frank, teachers now have a chance to use an equally exciting book by Aranka Seigal, Upon the Head of the Goat. This book describes the trials and tribulations in the life of Piri Davidowitz, a young Hungarian girl of the Jewish faith, during the terrible years of World War II. Piri is unusual in that her grandmother lives in Ukraine, her father is from Czechoslovakia, and her mother is Hungarian. This book allows teachers and students to study the Holocaust and the geography of the region and cover the national standards in geography, history, and language arts. Students will learn about Piri and the hardships she and her family suffer, and they will discover that like many people of the Jewish faith, Piri and her family are sent to a concentration camp. Piri's life slowly desintegrates as Jews receive more and more restrictions with the coming of the Arrow Cross, the Hungarian fascist group, to power in Hungary. As more restrictions come into play, Piri loses friends and family, chances for education, and freedom. Students will enjoy the suspense that is in the novel and will learn a valuable lesson on the Holocaust.

Average customer rating:

Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary 1939-1944
Aranka Siegal
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PW6I54

Average customer rating:

Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary, 1939-1944
Aranka Siegal
Manufacturer: Signet Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000U0KE88

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