Book Description
After her first husband, Jimmy Raisin, stops her wedding and she is left jilted at the altar, he is found strangled to death, and Agatha Raisin must prove her innocence along with that of her intended in this mystery filled with murder and mayhem.
Customer Reviews:
Agatha Raisin Stumbles to the Altar, Smacks Her Husband, and Becomes a Murder Suspect .......2007-07-10
If you haven't read any other Agatha Raisin stories, go back and start with Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death. You'll be sure to like that book and your appreciation of this one will be greater if you start with Quiche.
In Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Wembley, Agatha and her handsome next-door neighbor, James Lacey, went undercover and lived together as man and wife to track down a brutal murderer. Agatha naturally hoped the propinquity would give James ideas, but he was notably unromantic throughout . . . except in the end when he proposed to Agatha and she accepted his proposal.
But you may remember from Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death that Agatha was separated and not divorced from her husband, Jimmy Raisin, when she moved to Carsely in the English Cotswolds. Since she had told everyone that, naturally people asked her about her plans to marry James. Concerned that a delay might cause James Lacey to change his mind, Agatha tells one and all that Jimmy had died of drink. But that's only her fond hope. She plans a low-key wedding that won't attract any attention.
But Roy Silver, a former employee from her old PR agency, moves into the information breach by hiring a detective to find Jimmy after Agatha rebuffs Roy's attempts to get her back into PR. The detective finds Jimmy, Roy tells him about the wedding, and Jimmy heads for Carsely on the wedding day.
The wedding doesn't happen, and Agatha barely escapes being charged with attempted bigamy. James Lacey is outraged at Agatha and takes off. Thoroughly annoyed with Jimmy Raisin, when Agatha next encounters him she slaps him hard and pushes him into a ditch. An hour later, the police charged her with Jimmy's murder.
From there, Agatha finds herself interested in clearing her name, regaining the affections of James Lacey, and regaining her cottage (which she had sold in anticipation of the marriage to James.
In the process, Agatha finds out what being married to James might have been like and discovers it's not all good news. The pursuit of James' affections is complicated by someone who seems to be interested in killing Agatha. Others find themselves as risk after Agatha and James visit them. Does Agatha have a death touch?
If this book hadn't had such a strong first chapter, I would have rated it at three stars. Much of the book is taken up with the emotional reticence of James Lacey, a subject that doesn't interest me all that much.
The mystery of who did the murders is fairly easy to solve and doesn't provide enough of a counterbalance to the James Lacey-Agatha Raisin romantic complications.
But if you are committed to the Agatha Raisin series, you can't skip this book: You won't be able to fully appreciate Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist, the next book in the series.
The Case of the Rotten Raisin.......2006-03-09
When we last left Agatha she was planning for her marriage to the dapper James Lacey, the man of her dreams. Sometimes dreams have a way of becoming nightmares however and for poor Agatha this nightmare couldn't have been worse. Agatha you see has a terrible tendency to try to deceive both Lacey and the rest of the people of Carsely and although she never gets away with it she just keeps on trying.
In this instance she makes the assumption that the husband she left many years ago but had never divorced had certainly managed to drink himself to death by this time. She assures everyone that she is a widow and actually makes it to the alter before the not so dead Jimmy Raisin shows up and halts the wedding. The very proper Mr. Lacey is of course completely disgusted with Agatha and she is sure that she has lost him forever. On the bright side however, she is soon an actual widow after someone murders Jimmy but the bad news is that she is naturally the chief suspect.
To complicate Agatha's life even more, she has sold her cottage to a rather unpleasant woman who refuses to even discuss selling the place back to Agatha. Having calmed down a bit, Lacey tells Agatha that she can stay with him until she finds a place to stay and since he is a suspect also the two former lovers once again begin to work together on the case of the dead Raisin.
As usual, Agatha is feisty and outspoken and neither her nor Lacey have great sleuthing skills but they get the job done. The rest of the characters are again superb and the author has done a fine job of making the little town of Carsely seem not only real but also like a place where the reader would enjoy living. I even felt sorry for Agatha's friend Bill Wong as he chased puppy like after a lady cop who was working the Raisin case. Beaton's writing style is just simply superb.
That said, I must admit that this is not the best book in the series and the mystery is just a little too easy for the reader to solve. Even so, this is a fun read and no fan of warm fuzzy mysteries should pass this book or this series up.
yawn.......2005-04-25
I love Agatha Raisin. I think that the first three books in this series are remarkably well done. But maybe I read the first five books too quickly and this is one just became glaringly the same as the others. Instead of growing as a character Agatha is becoming a stereotype. Not only that but the other once glorious town folk are becoming more backdrops. Backdrops to what is another question... for what made the first few books great were not the mysteries but the characters themselves. Now it seems that Beaton is trying to force Raisin into the land of James Bond and spy craft.
I will just put it that I was pretty disappointed by this book and feel like the three star review might be a little generous on my part. Only the fact that Beaton wrote such brilliant books (that are mocked here) lends itself to garnering a higher review in my book.
One of the Better Ones Thus Far.......2004-07-02
Having started from the beginning of this series at a late date, I have to say that this is one of the best to this point. The situations were more realistic than some of the earlier episodes and usually written with a good blend of humor and real emotions.
Agatha's dream is finally coming true: she is marrying James Lacey. Needless to say, things in Agatha's life cannot go smoothly. Her thought-to-be-dead husband shows up demanding money and then ends up dead. James, furious with Agatha, refuses to consider returning to where their relationship was but the two of the must work together to solve the murder as they are both prime suspects.
A fun book to read, particularly in regards to some new revelations regarding Agatha's childhood and family history. Looking forward to the next in the series.
--Until death do you part--.......2004-01-29
AGATHA RAISIN AND THE MURDEROUS MARRIAGE begins with Agatha preparing to marry James Lacey, the man of her dreams. Agatha was married when she was very young and since her first husband had not been heard from in years, she preferred to think that he must have died from his alcoholic life style. Unfortunately, Jimmy Raisin was not dead, and showed up at the beginning of Agatha's wedding to James Lacey.
Poor Agatha is humiliated and James is furious with her. Her life is in turmoil. She had already sold her cottage and had started moving her belongings into the house she was to share with James. He agrees to let her stay with him, but tells her that he no longer wants to marry her, ever. When Jimmy Raisin is found murdered, the police suspect Agatha or James. The disgruntled couple form somewhat of a truce and agree to do their own investigating into Jimmy's death. As the story continues, several of Jimmy's associates are also murdered and the search for the killer becomes more complex for Agatha and James. M.C. Beaton does a good job of tying up the story and keeping her readers interested in the perils of Agatha Raisin.
This is the fifth story in the Agatha Raisin mysteries. I highly recommend the entire series.
Book Description
In this path-breaking book, David Epstein and Sharyn O'Halloran produce the first unified theory of policy making between the legislative and executive branches. Examining major US policy initiatives from 1947 to 1992, the authors describe the conditions under which the legislature narrowly constrains executive discretion, and when it delegates authority to the bureaucracy. In doing so, the authors synthesize diverse and competitive literatures, from transaction cost and principal-agent theory in economics, to information models developed in both economics and political science, to substantive and theoretical work on legislative organization and on bureaucratic discretion.
Customer Reviews:
A Good transaction.......2001-02-03
Epstein and O'Halloran's work is a refreshing analysis of delegation under the separation of powers. Their formal analysis captures many aspects of recent research and combines them into a simple yet concrete theory. They have an extensive yet concise literature review and develop an empirical model that well demonstrates their theory. The only deficiency, and a small on at that, is their lack of analysis regarding the crafting of legislation and the politics involved. They note a decrease in delegation when one party controls Congress and the other the White House (which is suspiciously statistically significant) however don't discuss various reasons why this might be true from a political standpoint. For example, during these periods you'd expect less delegation on issues Congress can win, but more delegation as a concession to the President on issues it has a hard time winning. Overall, though, this is a great work.
Book Description
A careful evaluation of the nature and effects of the separation of the executive and legislative branches, Charles O. Jones treats specific developments in presidential-congressional relations by analyzing the experiences and styles of Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and Bill Clinton.
Customer Reviews:
Factual, Informative, but rather dry at times........2000-11-17
I was a student in a class called "The Modern Presidency", and we used this as one of our textbooks. I found the "historical" chapters, about Carter, Reagan, etc. to be entertaining and very insightful, but I found the rest of the book to be rather dull at times. Jones' work is factually correct, and he makes valid observations, but it's not a page-turner, that's for sure.
Book Description
In an in-depth community study of women in the civil rights movement, Christina Greene examines how several generations of black and white women, low-income as well as more affluent, shaped the struggle for black freedom in Durham, North Carolina. In the city long known as the "capital of the black middle class," Greene finds that, in fact, low-income African American women were the sustaining force for change.
Greene demonstrates that women activists frequently were more organized, more militant, and more numerous than their male counterparts. They brought new approaches and strategies to protest, leadership, and racial politics. Arguing that race was not automatically a unifying force, Greene sheds new light on the class and gender fault lines within Durham's black community. While middle-class black leaders cautiously negotiated with whites in the boardroom, low-income black women were coordinating direct action in hair salons and neighborhood meetings.
Greene's analysis challenges scholars and activists to rethink the contours of grassroots activism in the struggle for racial and economic justice in postwar America. She provides fresh insight into the changing nature of southern white liberalism and interracial alliances, the desegregation of schools and public accommodations, and the battle to end employment discrimination and urban poverty.
Product Description
set of 4 books in case designed by Peter Schaumann
Average customer rating:
- Fantastic fantasy
- The author's best to date.
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A Separate Power
Loren Cooper
Manufacturer: Mundania Press LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1594260826 |
Download Description
The world isn't what it once was. An uneasy balance has been struck between frail humanity and the bodiless powers, incorporeal spirits able to possess a man in the blink of an eye. Stability and prosperity have begun to grow in human lands protected by soulsteel barriers. In the Riverlands, the conflict has faded sufficiently to allow leisure, the accumulation of wealth, and the growth of culture. Matthias is a product of the safety of the barriers. He has seen the chaos of rampaging Powers first hand. He has turned his back on the world outside the Riverlands, and has turned his talent from war to art. Hyrn is a product of the wild country. He has walked among the powers and the communities that try to coexist with them. Able to touch the winds, Hyrn stands between both worlds. He sees the need for security, but he loves the free beauty of the powers. He sees a war of terrible destruction on the horizon, and he will do all he can to avert it. The worlds of the powers and the world of men are on the road to Armageddon, but Hyrn sees beauty in both worlds, and understands the need for balance. He will do what he must to avert the coming conflict. His answer is to build a force that can stand between humanity and the powers, and preserve a balance. The black fires of soulsteel provide a weapon against the bodiless, one which requires only discipline to wield. Matthias is master of the black fires. But Matthias is haunted by the memory of terrible conflict, and has no greater desire than personal peace. Hyrn must convince Matthias to help, and between them they will shake the foundations of more than one world.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic fantasy.......2004-10-22
Called unwillingly out of retirement, Matthias joins with Hyrn to vanquish the demons ravaging their world. A would-be suicide mission, made doable with soulsteel weapons forged by Matthias, turns into a journey through time and unimaginable worlds. Along the way we are confronted with the relationship with our demons. Is it possible that we can become attached to some, maybe love them? Maybe they can become us or we can become them or both.
The author challenges our sterotypes with a thought provoking and imaginitive story where power, love and honor are not always where you expect them. How does this all end? I was surpised and entertained. Good stuff!
The author's best to date........2004-09-29
Matthias was once a Master of the Black Fires. He forged the best weapons and armor in the magical Soulsteel, the mystical medal that could harm the Soulridden. Once Riverlands became protected by soulsteel barriers, he retired as smithy and became an artist. He ignored the world that existed outside the barriers, the place known as the Waste.
But Destiny requires Matthias's skill once again. Hyrn knows that Matthias would refuse help if simply asked. Thus the Sword Master of Stone's Rest has Matthias kidnapped so he could be shown the slaughter that the Bodiless and Edward Tobit has done ... and will continue doing. Once seen, Matthias could not bring himself to refuse helping the Brotherhood in their quest to strike a balance between the Bodiless and the human denizens of the Wastes and Outer Lands.
Nefta is demonkind. Owing Matthias a life debt, she helps him when all hope seems lost. In doing so, she makes a strong enemy, Seth. She wants to learn from Matthias to make her Realm a piece of art. Of course she is using him, but he never said he trusted her.
Everything will come together on one dark night, when the full moon is covered, and the Seat of Power is up for grabs by the most powerful. All could be lost.
**** In my opinion, this novel is the author's best work to date. Every time I believed I knew everything thoroughly, a twist would be placed in front of me and I would be forced to see it all in a totally new light. There is not a "main character" in this story. The people who are the biggest characters are listed in this synopsis. However, the story is told by following Matthias for awhile, then Hyrn, etc. Well done! I look forward to Cooper's next release. ****
Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
Average customer rating:
- Must Read!
- Good review and guide for sleep
- Why Your Body Needs 8 Hours Sleep Every Night
- sleep review
- Sleep Success
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Power Sleep : The Revolutionary Program That Prepares Your Mind for Peak Performance
James B. Maas , and
David J. Axelrod
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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ASIN: 0060977604 |
Amazon.com
Where you start reading this book will probably say a lot about your current station in life. New parents will probably skip right to chapter 12 and the section subtitled "Tips for Exhausted Parents of Newborns, Infants, and Children." Drowsy office workers might go for chapter 9, which explores the subject of midday naps (which may reduce stress and the risk of heart disease). Other chapters look at traveling (driving, jet lag), shift work, and insomnia and other sleep disorders. Dr. James Maas has spent 34 years lecturing to drowsy psychology undergraduates at Cornell University, and knows how to hold an audience--even when the subject is sleep, and even when the conclusion is that most of us don't get enough of it. This is a fascinating book; you'll want to take it in slowly and then sleep on it.
Book Description
Do your eyelids feel heavy during afternoon meetings? Do you sleep extra hours on weekend mornings? Do you use caffeine to stay alert? An alarm to get out of bed?
These are all symptoms of sleep deficiency--signals that you are operating below your peak performance and beneath your mental capacity. Despite popular perceptions, sleep is not a luxury--it is a necessity. More than seventy million Americans are sleep-deprived, and make crucial business and personal decisions in an impaired state. In Power Sleep, Dr. James B. Maas, a pioneer of sleep research at Cornell University, has created an easy, drug-free program to improve your body and mind for an alert and productive tomorrow. In Power Sleep, you'll find:
- The golden rules of sleep
- Twenty great sleep strategies
- Dos and don'ts of sleeping pills and over-the-counter remedies
- How to combat travel fatigue, including jet lag and drowsy driving
- Tips for exhausted parents of newborns, infants, and toddlers
- How to overcome sleep disorders, including insomnia
An important and practical book, Power Sleep will help you get the sleep you need to improve your mental and physical well-being quickly and dramatically and to become a peak performer.
Customer Reviews:
Must Read!.......2007-09-08
Great book - really opens your eyes to the power of a good night's sleep!
Good review and guide for sleep.......2007-06-01
I don't know why, but even though I've read different ways to 'get more sleep', etc., I still have trouble with it. My problem is that I try to cram in 'just one more thing' or get sucked into a hobby or the computer, movie, project, etc. and stay up too late. This book was interesting as it talked about sleep research as well as the real dangers of being sleep deprived (beyond just feeling wasted).
I understand the importance of keeping a similar sleep-wake cycle every day, and I struggle there because I have to get up at 5:30 a.m. on work days. Who wants to get up at 5:30 on your day off?? I have been filling out the sleep logs (I re-typed the chart in the book into a MS-Word document) and it's hard seeing bedtimes and sleep durations all over the place. Maybe my circadian rhythms are wired to a little later wake times.
Overall, though, through prayer and persistence I'm working to change my bad sleep habits a bit at a time. The recommendations and the 'Golden Rules of Sleep' are good to review often to help cement new GOOD habits. My favorite quote (and a good reminder) in the book is: "when you start treating sleep as a NECESSITY, not a luxury, your whole life will change." I am looking forward to the change.
Why Your Body Needs 8 Hours Sleep Every Night.......2007-01-30
This book belongs in every home library. It is simply the best book on sleep I've ever read. Easy to read, and backed with plenty of research. Has a terrific and useful sleep log. I used to believe all those corporate CEOs and "top performers" who said they could get by just fine on 4-6 hours' sleep at night. With employer expectations of workdays lasting 10-14+ hours, I felt I had no choice but to try to emulate them if I wanted to keep my job, let alone get ahead. I used to think that because I fell asleep within 60 seconds every night (a sure sign of sleep deprivation, as I now know) my body was functioning very efficiently. I yawned all day long, my eyes closed sometimes at my desk or behind the wheel, I was chronically depressed and even suicidal, I seemed to be losing my memory, I had chronic headaches, trying to get up each morning was like trying to rouse myself from a coma, and my general health was deteriorating, which I attributed to the natural aging process. I lived like this for decades. During a period of unemployment, I read Dr. Maas' book about why the body needs adequate sleep and what happens to it when it doesn't get enough, followed his advice, and found to my astonishment that 8 hours' sleep every night cured all of my problems! I NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE! I will NEVER go back to living a life of chronic sleep deprivation. My depression has been replaced with joy, I fall asleep in 10 minutes, not 60 seconds, my memory has recovered, my heart palpitations are gone, my headaches are gone, my energy is enough to last all day -- without coffee, I no longer yawn, my eyes don't close on me, and I get out of bed with energy and cheer. Do yourself a favor and get this book. Then tell your boss you're not staying past 7PM anymore because you have to go home and get your sleep!
sleep review.......2007-01-11
I think that this book will change people lives. Its a good book. A bit alarmist at time but i feel that just to keep the americans Interested. Over all I find that the content is very good but a little complicated for the ordinary reader. However I feel its is a very important book and people would benifit it from it greatly.
Sleep Success.......2006-11-28
I am a student in Professor Maas's Psych 101 course at Cornell University. Power Sleep is required for the course (Professor Maas does not make a profit on sales to Cornell students). I found this book extremely helpful. Though I've always thought that I was knowledgeable about the subtleties of sleep, I found that I was not upon reading this book. I've been plagued with illness and found myself sluggish for years. I was always forced out of bed after 8 hours by my mother, concerned that I get enough out of each day. Little did I know that I was trying to thrive at a huge sleep deficit. Since following Professor Maas's Power Sleep advice, my grades have improved in addition to my ability to think clearly throughout the day. I would recommend this book to anyone who has any type of sleeping problems, or even those who think that they are performing at their peaks!
Book Description
A new classic on adapting authentic Indian seasonings and techniques to today’s American kitchen
Indian cuisine has finally come into its own in the United States, as evidenced by the opening of numerous stylish, upscale Indian restaurants. The "dance of spices" refers to the complex, subtle layering of flavors that is at the base of all Indian cooking. This definitive cookbook showcases the wonderful diversity of new Indian cuisine with 238 recipes: fragrant basmatis and rice pilafs; rich, soothing dishes like Chicken Korma; exotic dishes like Fennel-Scented Kashmir Lamb; tongue-teasing chutneys and relishes; side dishes like Velvety Mango Paneer; and sweet confections, all of which can be made with ease at home. Special chapters are devoted to subjects not fully explored in other books, such as tandoor barbecue, chaats–the savory street snacks of India–and popular flatbreads.
Laxmi Hiremath (San Ramon, CA), born in the South of India, has taught Indian cooking in the United States for more than a decade and is one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s most popular food writers. Her articles and recipes have appeared in such publications as Gourmet, Bon Appétit, and Fine Cooking.
Customer Reviews:
A staple for food lovers!.......2005-12-02
I was always on the look-out for recipes that covered Indian cooking methods from the basic foundation of making your own spices to elegant pairings of traditional Indian and Western ingredients. When my husband came home with 'The Dance of Spices', given to him as a gift at a seminar, I was surprised by the level of detail, care, and passion. Things that my mother cannot explain to me because of the miles between us, Laxmi has done comprehensively in her new cookbook. I have learned simple techniques like how to make my own ghee at home, understand the marriage of spices, and most importantly, how to make finger-licking Indian food in a San Francisco home. I hope you all enjoy this book as much as I have.
a must have .......2005-12-01
All the recipes that I have tried from this book have turned out to be excellent. The book is very fun to read, with some interesting childhood stories from the author. The dishes are very easy to make and all of them are extremely delicious. This book is meant for anyone who enjoys cooking a wonderful meal for their family.
very helpful for Indian cooking.......2005-09-21
I am relatively new to Indian cooking but this book provided easy-to-make recipes that were quite appetizing; each recipe has the author's own personal story, making it an interesting read as well.
great book.......2005-09-21
This is an excellent cook book and a must-have for every kitchen; each dish is very tasty and delicious.
Excellent.......2005-03-05
I have made several dishes and they have turned out very well. The books is fun to read since it talks about techniques and ingredients. This is a very comprehensive recipe book covering most all of India. If you need an easy to follow book that has a bit of nouveau along with the traditional Indian food, then this is a great book to buy.
Books:
- Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist (An Agatha Raisin Mystery)
- Alister MacKenzie's Cypress Point Club
- All Shall Be Well (Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Novels)
- Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned
- Appointment With Death: A Hercule Poirot Mystery
- Armageddon: Dale Brown's Dreamland
- Bell, Book, and Scandal (Jane Jeffry Mysteries)
- Best Ghost Stories of Algernon Blackwood
- Bone Cold
- Bride's Kimono, The
Books Index
Books Home
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- People Places: Design Guidlines for Urban Open Space, 2nd Edition
- Prevention's the Healthy Cook: The Ultimate Kitchen Guide to Great Low-Fat Food : Featuring 450 Home
- American Designed Landscapes: A Photographic Interpretation
- Halfway to Everywhere: A Portrait of America's First-Tier Suburbs
- Whisker of Evil
Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley
Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist (An Agatha Raisin Mystery)
Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death (An Agatha Raisin Mystery)
Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham (An Agatha Raisin Mystery)
Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener (Agatha Raisin 03)
