Customer Reviews:
Hits his stride!.......2003-03-19
With his third book, Michael Jecks has hit his stride incredibly sucessfully. This is a complete sucess, a prime example of a goo historical crime novel.
When Peter Bruther, servant to the Beauscyr household, runs off up to Dartmoor to become a tin miner, the family are furious. They demand his return, and attempt to get the Bailiff of Lydford, Simon Puttock, involved in the dispute. But, due to old standing ancient laws, the Beauscyrs have no legal claim on their servant any more. As long as he is mining tin (which will of course eventually beneift the Kings armaments) he is exempt from normal laws.
Then, one morning, Peter Bruther's body is found hanging from a tree on the edge of an ancient woodland...
Cue the investigating team of Simon Puttock and his friend Sir Baldwin Furnshill. They must play games of diplomancy with the Beauscyr family and the mining community, especially the important landowner and mining magnate Thomas Smyth, who controls most of the mining that goes on, to try and stop the situation exploding. They must do this alongside their murder investigation. This task is difficult enough, but it becomes further complicated when an almost all-out war between the miners and landowners begins to rage up on the moor...
Excellent. For any fan of historical novels, i would reccomend this one unreservedly. It's Jeck's best book by far. The plot is absolutely fascinating and multi-layered. The examination of the complexities of English law is engrossing and incredibly interesting, and the tensions between the two groups of people are depicted excellently. As the situation escalates, Jecks manages to pile on a fair amount of suspense, too, which im not always used to in mostly leisurely historical mysteries.
The characters, and their oft antagonistic relationships with one another, are very well developed and interesting. The conclusion is exciting and action-filled, the atmosphere of the setting is drawn out brilliantly, and the final solution is satisfying. This book comes highly reccomended.
A compelling look at medieval Dartmoor!.......2001-12-04
Dartmoor has always fascinated me. In this compelling book, Jecks mixes good mystery writing with a depiction of place so realistic one could almost believe one was on windswept Dartmoor.
Tin Mining and Death in Medieval Devon.......2001-06-27
In this third outing of Bailiff Simon Puttock and Keeper of the King's Peace Sir Baldwin de Furnhill, Former Knight Templar, the investigation begins with the complaints of a knight and his family about the incursions of tin miners into his property. But tinners had special priviledges and could mine the metal just about whereever they wanted. The tension between landowner and tin miners explodes into murder and a near land war. Sir Baldwin assists Simon in resolving the hanging of a former serf who has established a claim for mining and therefore has made himself free before chaos overwhelms Simon's bailiwick. Excellent use of historical detail. Medieval law was often labyrinthine, and presented more loop holes than modern tax law. The two friends are in very good shape as they delve into this complex situation.
you don't have to be a scholar.......2000-08-06
I am no scholar of the 12-1300's but I did enjoy the mystery surrounding the history lesson. If you simply want a good read, in a different time frame that anyone in the family can read this is a good choice. I enjoy the word play and personal exchanges that have grown between Simon and Baldwin through the course of this series. This book and the others in the series are great travel and beach books. We don't always have to take everything in life seriously enjoy the read.
Book Description
The Knights Templar
They had all joined taking three vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience…for they were monks: warrior monks, dedicated to theprotection of pilgrims in the Holy Land -- until stories spread by anavaricious king who wanted their wealth for his own destroyed the order.
There was one knight, however, who escaped the stake, vowing justiceas he watched his innocent brothers die.
A Dark Justice
Cold-blooded murder has transformed Simon Puttock's official obligation into something horrid -- and he will need the able assistance of his friend, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, to draw a criminal out. A former Knight Templar, Sir Baldwin knows much of duty and servitude -- and of evil freely indulged in thename of godliness or greed. Now justice must be served,even if their search exposes extortion, foul corruption,rule by fear…and killers willing -- even eager -- to shed more blood.
Customer Reviews:
Another great mystery!.......2007-01-03
The mysteries of Michael Jecks are like the Brother Cadfael books only in their setting: medieval England. But, where Ellis Peters is lyrical and mystical, Jecks is gritty and dark. I am reminded of G.R.R. Martin's books when I read Jecks', but, unlike Martin, Jecks has someone for the reader to identify with, his detectives, Sir Baldwin of Furnesshill and his friend Simon Puttock. Both are admirable and well-drawn characters, and both have suffered loss: Baldwin is a former Templar who escaped their purge by the French king, Phillip, miscalled the Fair. Simon has lost a child, his beloved Peterkin. They are both driven to seek justice in a world where it is scarce. I have enjoyed the fourteen of the books I have read so far. This is not the best: I would rank "Squire Throwleigh's Heir" as that, but all have ther own excellences. Recommended.
Another Mystery for Sir Baldwin.......2006-08-21
This is the third book in Michael Jeck's entertaining Knights Templar Mysteries. The main characters Sir Baldwin de Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace and his friend the Bailiff Simon Puttock are starting to feel like old friends to the reader. Combine this with the beautiful background of west country Devon and it would seem that Mr. Jeck's has it on a winning formula.
Medieval novels are becoming increasingly popular with the reading public and there are a number of well written books by authors such as Paul Doherty, Bernard Knight, Susanna Gregory, to name but a few. Michael Jecks has a way to go in numbers of books written before he catches up with these stalwarts, but his content is good and his writing style makes for easy reading.
As with most other land owners in 14th century Devon Sir William Beauscyr is Lord and master over all he surveys, both land and servants. When he is made aware that one of his serfs has run away to join the tin miners who eke out a living on the moors he is furious.
Consequently when the serf is found dead under suspicious circumstances, Sir William is in the frame as the chief suspect. Will Sir Baldwin and Simon be able to come up with a solution to this one. The tinners, a nickname given to the miners, are a close knit community and Sir Baldwin fears he will get little information from them.
Product Description
Set of 3 paperbacks - first 3 in the Knights Templar series. The Last Templar, The Merchant's Partner, & A Moorland Hanging.
Customer Reviews:
WOW!.......2005-10-20
One of the finest works of fiction that I have ever read. It just gripped me, from start to finish, in clean, tight, expressive prose. Hard to believe it is fiction, it reads so like an autobiography. Finishes in the summer of 1933, when Eliot is 27. So much of the book is devoted to his obsession/passion/love for Sheila Knight. I came to understand, as he did at the end, that he had no other choice but to love her, even though she would come close to ruining his ambition and career. Snow has a way of deliniating a human character so that you see it to the core, and always contrasting that nature with the events and circumstances that surround it. How much choice do we really have? That is the point. Utterly gripping.
highly readable, interesting.......2002-04-18
..."Time of Hope" has its Keating analogue do the narrating (it's in first person). Yes, we assume Dominique Francon considers herself superior to Keating, whereas Sheila waffles in this respect over Elliot, but here there is no Howard Roark to compare Elliot to. Yes, Keating is a plagiarist as well as a social climber, but he plagiarizes only Roark, and again here there is no Roark. Yes, Elliot calls Sheila "schizoid" and seeks to characterize her as a sort of Zelda Fitzgerald, but her actual behavior in the book has nothing whatsoever of the psychotic about it.
So what's the point? Beats me. This is a story of a man determined to rise from the lower class who does--to a point. He comes to decide that his rise is checked by the very thing that engendered it, his mother's ambition for him, but this is HIS reading; he may be wrong.
Average customer rating:
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Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm: Little Snow White/the Three Sluggards/ the Shoemaker & the Elves
David Wenzel , and
Douglas Wheeler
Manufacturer: Nantier Beall Minoustchine Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Comics & Graphic Novels | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Snow White | Fairy Tales & Folk Tales | Popular Characters | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 156163140X |
Customer Reviews:
Snow White.......2004-04-28
This fairy tale version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, is one of the most well known versions of the story of Snow White. It tells the tale of the timeless classic of an abandon child and her transformation into a woman. The story has many symbolic images that pertain to the lessons being taught in the text. This story is both entertaining to read, and teaches a lesson to its readers. The Disney film of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is said to be based from the text of this story. However, when reading closely you will find although the morals remain the same, parts of the plot have changed. Like all Grimm's fairy tales, I think this is a great book for a child, as well as an adult to read.
Book Description
When young people learn they have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), they often have many questions, doubts, and fears. Written from both a pediatric and an educational perspective, this highly successful book—now available in a new edition—attempts to address these questions and needs. Inducted into the CHADD Hall of Fame in 2000, ADD and ADHD specialists Patricia O. Quinn and Judith Stern have revised and expanded Putting on the Brakes, including a thoroughly updated chapter on the latest advances in medications and recommended treatment programs that help children manage their disorder.
Customer Reviews:
Young People's Guide to Understanding ADHD.......2007-02-20
Written very well for both young people and adults. Offers realistic solutions for everyday problems that those with ADHD face.
This book moved me to tears.......2003-12-05
I came across this book in a local children's hospital resource library. The first page describes a speeding race car with no brakes, and how it might go off the road or even crash. Page two goes on to draw a parellel between this race car, and and explains that having ADHD is a lot like being a race car with no brakes, 'You have a great engine with lots of thinking power, and a good, strong body, but no brakes'. I broke down crying right there in the middle of the library - it was like finally getting inside my child's head and knowing how he feels and why he just doesn't seem to know when to quit.
As my son and I read it together, he was also drawn in by these parallels, and fascinated by the sections that explain how the brain works, and the theories behind what causes neurobiological ADHD (as opposed to other possible causes of ADHD, like head trauma, lead exposure, etc). He is seven, and there were several words he was not familiar with, but the book explains 'synapses' and 'neurotransmitters' well, and a brief explanation from me on other vocab words was all it took for him to grasp the concepts.
A Powerful Resource for the Parents of ADHD Kids!.......2001-09-29
One of the most difficult things about parenting an ADHD child is explaining attention deficit disorder to that child. Patricia Quinn and associates have given a powerful resource to these parents - a true gift to empower them. In simple language, illustrated with eye-catching graphics, PUTTING ON THE BRAKES explains not only the nature of this disorder, but also how children and their families can learn to manage it. As an ADD Coach, I find this to be the most important resource that I can put into the hands of parents.
Putting on the Brakes.......2000-10-15
A very good book for children with ADHD. It's easy to read and gets to the point, something all ADHD children need. It explains what ADHD is, that others have the same problems, and how it effects their home and school lives. It gives some wonder information about how they can help theirselves. I have read it to both my children with ADHD as well as ADHD children I work with and they all enjoy it, and can relate to it.
ADHD - From a different point of view.......2000-05-18
From a parents point of view, I really enjoyed reading your books. I felt it put me closer with my son, since I could better understand what the ADHD was about from a different point of view. It was like being inside the mind of a child with ADHD. When I react now, I think a lot more before making a rash outburst, because I know my son will be thinking "Gosh - whats the big problem?". Thank-you for letting me get closer to understanding what a child with ADHD goes through.
Product Description
Mental health professionals, educators, pediatricians, parents, and the children themselves have all been waiting for a book like this: An honest, easy-to-understand overview of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder for kids.
The authors describe in warm, eminently child-friendly terms the symptoms and physiology of ADHD; they explore what it feels like to have the disorder and how other people respond to it. How to gain control over ADHD? The book points out family/community support, medication, and specific, personal ways to better organize oneself in order to function effectively at home, at school, and with friends.
Children having ADHD will appreciate the recognition and support voiced by Putting on the Brakes. What's more, they'll enjoy reading (and re-reading) it alone or in the welcome company of parents, siblings, peers, and/or helping professionals.
Average customer rating:
- Delightful
- One of my FAVORITE books!
- A Classic, and things are still applicable.
- the nation would be better if everyone learned from this boo
- Philosophy for today
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The American Frugal Housewife
Lydia Maria Child
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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The First American Cookbook: A Facsimile of "American Cookery," 1796
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Early American Cookery: "The Good Housekeeper," 1841
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The American Woman's Home
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Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (Oxford World's Classics)
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The Virginia Housewife: Or Methodical Cook: A Facsimile of an Authentic Early American Cookbook
ASIN: 048640840X |
Book Description
Along with simply written recipes for roasting a pig and preparing corned beef, hasty pudding, carrot pie, buffalo tongue, and scores of other dishes, this fascinating book, with its lively and direct style, also offered 19th-century readers suggestions for treating chilblains and dysentery, cleaning white kid gloves, educating one's daughters, and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Delightful .......2006-11-18
I think it's very funny that she doesn't waste paper by diving right in with tips and doesn't bother to space out paragraphs. I actually like this more than Tightwad Gazette which tries not to be too preachy. Not Mrs. Childs, she's my kind of charismatic and she's preaching to the choir! I wish I lived as frugally as I should but this book is wonderfully bracing. Her analysis of consumerism still applies today.
One of my FAVORITE books!.......2004-05-15
I got this book over 10 years ago, at the Sturbridge Village gift shop, and I swear, I've read it so much that I probably have whole sections memorized! It is, without doubt, THE best book of its kind.
The American Frugal Housewife is fascinating on a variety of levels, not the least in that Child wrote the book with the emphasis on "AMERICAN." Other such books existed at the time, but they were written in England and for English women. Child was one of the Transcendentalists who were huge advocates of personal self-discipline and restraint, but believed to their core the importance of fighting for what they knew to be right. It wasn't just a religious fervor -although Child's Christianity, like that of Catherine and Harriet Beecher Stowe, was extremely important - but a belief that the still relatively new United States had a unique destiny that set it apart from the rest of the world, specifically the old, decrepit world that was Europe.
Child was no blindfolded nationalist, however. She saw the flaws and contradictions that bound the new Republic. Child, like many other Transcendentalists, was a fervent abolitionist and a proponent of women's equality, and worked all her life toward achieving those ends. Even with its problems, Child was an ardent American. She saw Americans as a unique race of people with a unique and powerful destiny. Americans, she believed, were new and unique, and that the American destiny was far different from the degenerate, rotting hulk of Old World Europe.
So what does all this have to do with the American Frugal Housewife? Well, Child wrote the book specifically to address AMERICAN houswives and what she knew to be their unique problems and issues. It's much more than just a recipe book; it embodies Child's philosophy that the only way toward virtue was self-restraint and sobriety, and that the way to tutor the new nation in these values was by teaching the nation's housewives - the hand that rocks the cradle, Child believed, did indeed rule the world.
The new nation was becoming prosperous, and Child saw that then, like now, people had a difficult time learning how to restrain themselves financially. One part in particular has to do with how mothers should raise their daughters. Child believed they should teach their offspring the virtues of frugality, that it was better to put savings "out at interest" and earn wealth from it, then to indulge in the latest fad - one in this case being something called a Brussels carpet. As new brides went out to set up their household, Child lectures at how they drive their husbands to bankruptcy by embracing fads and trying to keep up with the Joneses.
Other, cheaper types of carpet "will answer just as well," Child wrote. She also recommends using cheap illustrations, nicely framed, as wall art, rather than going overboard to buy the latest European style.
Some of the best sections are on frugality. Child was the "Hints from Heloise" queen of her day, and she's got a solution for everything that could possibly beset the early 19th century housewife. The interesting thing, as others have noted, is how so many of her tips still work so well.
I don't know that I'm ever going to need her instructions on how to brew my own soap in a backyard kettle or how to keep my homemade pickles in a barrel from turning soft, but I did get a burn mark out of an antique chest by using rottenstone and oil, just as she prescribed.
What's rottenstone, you ask? Well, you can buy it at a hardware store, but if you want the recipe, buy the book! It's a fantastic window on early American life, but the sound advice inside, about not getting into debt and how to "do up" your brass so it doesn't tarnish, is still amazingly useful.
I guarantee you'll become a Child fan, just like me! :)
A Classic, and things are still applicable........2003-06-10
I bought this book at a Revolutionar War event this past weekend and I've read it 3 times already (Purchased Sunday, and it's now Tuesday morning). My husband can't believe that I can't put this down. But I find it fascinating reading. Many of the little tips in here are still on many websites today for frugal living (olive oil and a little white vinegar for a wood furniture polish, for example).
Easy and fascinating reading for anyone interested in history, frugal living, and occassionaly a good laugh.
the nation would be better if everyone learned from this boo.......2003-01-10
The thoughts and ideas of the 1800's could be applied to todays world to make it a better place. Like putting more energy into our morals and pride rather than trying to keep up with the Jones'. A wonderfull and funny look at many things that have gone wrong with society over the years.
I read just a few pages in a little store, than had to come home and find it to buy for myself.
Philosophy for today.......2002-02-16
Both the prose and the basic philosophy espoused by this book are refreshing on todays palate. No over-wrought writing or get ahead mentality here. The book gives a wonderful view of household life in the 1800's, covering ground from pudding recipes to the best and cheapenst method for cleaning your candle stick holders and treating common ailments. Liberally spiced with the philosophy of a frugal housewife who's example many of us would do well to follow.
Average customer rating:
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The American Frugal Housewife
Mrs, Child
Manufacturer: Vintage Cookery Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| U.S. Regional
| Regional & International
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1406795380 |
Book Description
First published in 1828, Lydia Maria Child's The American Frugal Housewife was an extremely popular nineteenth-century manual for homemakers. Interesting recipes and remedies, advice on parenting and the myriad responsibilities of housekeeping are all put forth in straightforward, no-nonsense, Yankee prose. Mrs. Child was an early feminist and abolitionist who supported her family through her various literary activities as a writer, a pamphleteer and an editor.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from ATQ (The American Transcendental Quarterly), published by University of Rhode Island on June 1, 1999. The length of the article is 7386 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.
From the supplier: The author argues the 19th-century bestseller "The American Frugal Housewife," by Lydia Maria Child, provides much more than practical advice on housekeeping to women. It is a radical feminist text that examines democracy and capitalism.
Citation Details
Title: A Quilt for Life: Lydia Maria Child's The American Frugal Housewife.(Critical Essay)
Author: Hildegard Hoeller
Publication:
ATQ (The American Transcendental Quarterly) (Refereed)
Date: June 1, 1999
Publisher: University of Rhode Island
Volume: 13
Issue: 2
Page: 89
Article Type: Critical Essay
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Books:
- A Murder is Announced (Miss Marple Mysteries)
- A Pocket Full of Rye (Miss Marple Mysteries)
- A Whole Lotta Love
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- Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam (An Agatha Raisin Mystery)
- Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell (An Agatha Raisin Mystery)
- Blood Is Dirt
- Bloody River Blues
- Butchers Hill (Tess Monaghan Mysteries)
- By the Pricking of my Thumbs
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