Average customer rating:
- It Really Exists
- A Charming and Personal Account of the Glastonbury Mystique
- MAGICAL
- Glastonbury - Avalon of the Heart
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Glastonbury
Dion Fortune
Manufacturer: Weiser Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1578631572 |
Book Description
A description of Glastonbury that remains one of the most evocative and poignant accounts of this wild yet holy place; a power center polarizing with distant Jerusalem and linking and harmonizing the Christian way with the primeval and pagan past of England.
Customer Reviews:
It Really Exists.......2006-04-04
When I heard of Dion Fortune I was skeptical. But then I read her novels and her depictions of Arlantis in The Sea Priestess was fantastic. Then I heard of this one- WHO is Dion Fortune? WHY is she so special? Well this one I can tell you that Glastonbury is a holy place that really exists in Euro land. It even depicted King Arthur and Merlyn the Magician so they must've really existed, too. If you're looking to spice up your reading sdventures or social and religious life, pick this one up. Go to Glastonbury and you'll never regret it. I like books it's better than watching TV.
A Charming and Personal Account of the Glastonbury Mystique.......2005-03-25
I don't believe for a moment that Joseph of Arimathea or Jesus Christ ever set foot in Britain, but there is no denying the charm of the legends surrounding the quaint town of Glastonbury. And no one tells it better than Dion Fortune, the pioneering British occultist who spent some years in Glastonbury and was captivated by the romance surrounding the Great Tor, Chalice Well, Glastonbury Abbey, and the Legend of the Holy Grail.
Unlike some Glastonbury books which go into gteat detail about gematria and esoteric symbolism, Fortune's book reads more like a spiritual travelogue. For those interested in the Western Mystery Tradition and "The Matter of Britain," this slender volume will make an enjoyable weekend read.
MAGICAL.......2000-06-05
Celebrate! This delightful book is no longer out of print! After unsuccessfully searching used and out-of-print bookstores for this book for many years, it has recently been reissued by Samuel Weiser, Inc. I was NOT disappointed. Dion Fortune, a.k.a. Violet Mary Firth, wrote this classic work in the 1930s, yet her observations on Glastonbury still ring true today. GLASTONBURY: AVALON OF THE HEART eloquently brings together in one place all of the various mundane and esoteric lore that surrounds this quaint little hamlet in the middle of the English West Country. All of the mystery, intrigue and sacredness of this ancient land are beautifully rendered in her tiny collection of essays. To read this book is to inspire a visit to that sacred land. To visit the ancient seat of Avalon is a life-changing experience. Those of you who are familiar with Dion Fortune know clearly of her association with esoteric secret societies, the sacred Qabalah, and the use of psychic defense measures to combat Nazism during World War II. Fortunately, for those of you who haven't the time or the inclination to pursue those other noble but complex disciplines and intersts, AVALON OF THE HEART has been kept simple and accessible. Read it. Then visit this truly magical land and see it for yourself. And by all means, take a copy of this book with you.
Glastonbury - Avalon of the Heart.......2000-03-27
The author's love for the Glastonbury area shines through in the wonderfully detailed images she is able to convey to the reader. We learn a bit about the surrounding countryside, the history of the area, and the stories and myths of Avalon. Christian and Pagan alike will find things that touch the heart in this book. If you have been to Glastonbury, it will bring back fond memories. If not, after reading the book you will probably want to visit some day. Minus one star for slightly redundant writing style; otherwise a five star book.
Book Description
Roger the traveling chapman should be on his way home to medieval Bristol after a nice summer's peddling. But a request from his duke to escort a bride en route to her betrothed takes him toward Wells, where the groom and his brother have vanished. Roger links the disappearances to the discovery of ancient scrolls written in a strange language. But as he deciphers the archaic tongue, he concludes that a still-greater mystery lies at the heart of the brothers' disappearance. AUTHORBIO: Kate Sedley, a mother and grandmother, lives in England with her husband.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent entry in a great series.......2007-08-21
Seventh in the Roger the Chapman medieval mystery series, this one set in and around Glastonbury. Roger is asked by the Duke of Clarence to escort a young girl--the daughter of one of his knights--to the home of her betrothed in Glastonbury when her fiancée doesn't show up to escort her as planned. Upon arriving at the family home, it's discovered that the betrothed, Peter Gildersleeve, has disappeared--vanished, quite literally, into thin air. With the household in an uproar, Roger has one of his dreams/visions that entice him into staying and trying to solve the mystery of Peter's disappearance. When his brother Mark also vanishes a few days later, Roger steps his efforts into high gear and of course later solves the case. One of my very favorite series, though the mysteries are usually fairly easy to figure out. The period detail and Roger's "voice" make this series special for me.
GROOM DOES A STAGE LEFT.......2003-06-25
THIS IS A ROGER THE CHAPMAN MEDIEVAL MYSTERY [ MY FAVORITE KIND OF BOOK]. MY FRIEND KATE SEDLEY HAS ABOUT 7 OR 8 OTHER GREAT BOOKS OUT THAT ARE WORTH TRACKING DOWN. THIS MYSTERY TAKES US BACK TO AUGUST 1476 [JUST BEFORE MY BIRTH]. MS SEDLEY IS A STUDENT OF ANGLO-SAXON AND MEDIEVAL HISTORY. ROGER THE CHAPMAN [TRAVELING SALESMEN] IS IN MOST, IF NOT ALL HER BOOKS. HEREIN ROGER IS ASKED TO ESCORT A YOUNG BRIDE TO MEET HER BETROTHED. BUT THEY FIND THE BRIDEGROOM HAS VANISHED [THE BRIDE TO BE IS NOT IN THE LEAST PUT OUT]. THEN TWO DAYS LATER, THE BRIDEGROOMS BROTHER ALSO DISAPPEARS. [STRANGE FAMILY]. GOSSIP OF BLACK MAGIC ABOUND. THE PERIOD DETAIL IS RIGHT ON. A REAL DELIGHT TO SHARE A WEEKEND WITH. ROGER FINDS AN ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT WRITTEN IN A STRANGE LANGUAGE, WHICH HE LINKS TO THE DISAPPEARANCES. THIS BOOK IS HARD TO PUT DOWN, IF YOU GO OUT TO DINNER, YOU'LL FIND YOURSELF GETTING IN A LINE OR TWO WHILE WAITING FOR YOUR MEAL. [MY WIFE WAS NOT TO PLEASED WITH THAT]. DO NOT READ THE LAST CHAPTER IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. GIVE THIS DELIGHTFUL SERIES A CHANCE, YOU'LL BE PLEASED YOU DID.
Sedley has done it again!.......2001-06-15
Just when you think the last Roger the Chapman book was the best one written so far, Sedley out-does herself and writes an even better book. "The Brothers of Glastonbury" is the best book so far (I used to think that of "The Wicked Winter" until I read this book). Warning: Don't read this book when you have an overwhelming amount of things to do, you won't be able to put it down until your finished with it! Read this book and you won't be disappointed.
A good medieval mystery.......2000-11-26
During the reign of King Edward IV, tinker Roger Chapman could have gone very far in the Duke of Gloucester's household because he saved the future monarch's life. Roger rejected all honors preferring to remain his own master and wander where he wants when he wants. Only the coldest of wintry weather ever binds Roger to his home shared with his mother-in-law and daughter.
Roger is returning home after a season of wandering but is waylaid by the Duke of Clarence. He wants Roger to escort Cecily to her aunt's house in Glastonbury because her betrothed, Peter failed to arrive to do just that. When Roger arrives at Peter's home, it is to find Peter missing. His aunt and others fear that someone, perhaps the devil, abducted the missing Peter. Roger, unable to resist the lure of a mystery, agrees to look for leads. A few days after Peter vanished, his brother disappear too, leaving a bewildered Roger seeking a logical solution when none seems forthcoming.
Talented storyteller Kate Sedley shows an expertise in medieval history with her in depth look at the culture, beliefs, and interests of the times. That historical mien serves as a backdrop to the mystery starring congenial yet fathomable characters. The seventh novel in the series, THE BROTHER OF GLASTONBURY, is a wonderfully executed mystery that fans of the sub-genre and readers of historical novels and mysteries in general will thoroughly appreciate.
Harriet Klausner
All 'Brothers' Are Not Created Equally!.......2000-08-25
All `Brothers' Are Not Created Equal!
Roger the Chapmancannot sit still! This traveling medieval peddler, romantic, and private detective cannot stand to be cooped up at home, where he should be attending to his daughter and mother-in-law, but he can't. Sometimes on his own volition, sometimes at God's beck (or so he claims!), Roger is always "on the road again."
In Kate Sedley's sixth episode is this rather delightful series, we find our Roger on an errand by the Duke of Clarence: deliver a young girl to the home of her finance. It seems that the groom-to-be hasn't shown up to fetch her himself and the Duke hasn't the time to take her either. Enter Roger.
Alas, it turns out that the intended, one Peter Gildersleeve, seems to have disappeared as if by magic, or more ominously, taken by the Devil, or so some folks in this 15th century story want to believe. Not two days after Roger has delivered the comely Cicely to her betrothed's home, but the groom's brother, too, disappears. What follows is Roger's dedication to solving the mystery, which seems to hinge around an ancient parchment that appears to give clues to an long-lost treasure (Could it actually be the Holy Grail?). Before its conclusion, murder and mayhem--but not much mystery-- prevail and before you know it, Roger is once again the winner.
In "The Brothers of Glastonbury," however, Sedley becomes all too predictable and her mystery almost fizzles out. Her Roger's character, as always, is enough to keep us reading--he's more complex than he wants you to believe, he's less naive than he seems, he's quite clever, especially with riddles, and he's a man after our own hearts: a free spirited individual, one who genuinely wants to do Good and is adamantly opposed to Evil. [...] "The Brothers of Glastonbury" is a good read--perhaps not a great read, but worth the effort. It lacks the intensity, the thrill of "The Wicked Winter," but still a good bet!
(Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)
Book Description
The Lady of Avalon is the Goddess who dwells on the Isle of Avalon, the mysterious otherworldly paradise which lies across the waters, beyond the mists. A Priestess or Priest of Avalon is one who devotes her/himself to the service of the Lady of Avalon, to Her sacred land and to Her people. This is an ancient, yet ever new, spiritual calling which speaks to many women and men in the present day, for this Great Goddess is the missing piece of our modern picture, the Divine Feminine, the Lady of our hearts. This book provides an inspiring and exhilarating journey into the Heart of the Goddess, • the Mysteries of Avalon • the renewed Priestess of Avalon tradition • the Goddess way in the sacred land • the experiences of other Priestesses who have also chosen this spiritual path
Customer Reviews:
Priestess of Avalon Priestess of the Goddess.......2007-04-10
I have the honor of meeting Kathy and being bless by her at a womens retreat we had her come to. I have to say she is the embodyment of the Goddess on earth. Ive read all her books and I have to say I am never disapointed. This is a beutiful book and it was a wonderful read. I recomend it highly to anyone studying the ancient path.
My blessings to all who travel through the mist.
Chris Maher
A priestess of Avalon
Average customer rating:
- Essential environmental cultural studies reading
- Must read for visitors to Glastonbury or Sedona
- more than meets the eye
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Claiming Sacred Ground: Pilgrims and Politics at Glastonbury and Sedona
Adrian J. Ivakhiv
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
ASIN: 0253338999 |
Book Description
Recent years have seen a growing popular fascination with so-called "earth energies" associated with sacred or powerful places. Two such towns are Glastonbury, England, and Sedona, Arizona, each luring tens of thousands of pilgrims annually, and spawning growing communities of New Age devotees. In this richly textured account, Adrian Ivakhiv focuses on the activities of these towns' pilgrim-migrants, both spiritual and political.
Customer Reviews:
Essential environmental cultural studies reading.......2006-01-16
I think we can safety say that it's extremely difficult to produce thoughtful work that engages the slippery interface of 'environmental studies', geography and cultural studies. There are lots of reasons for this, not least is the need for any cultural scholar to bend over backwards to avoid any kind of 'essentialist' claim regarding what is 'out there'. However, for most committed environmental activists who happen to be academics, such distinctions are just that: academic. We are situated, embodied and imbricated in place, 'nature', whatver you wish to call it, and what matters most is how we can best draw on the strengths of post-structural theory in order to illuminate precisely how the boundaries are blurred between nature and culture.
Ivakhiv's book is a stellar example for anyone who hopes to produce thoughtful cultural studies about where we live, and how places inform us and vice versa. The author is clearly someone who is comfortable with theory, and yet is an unabashed lover of travel, of wild places, of the human need to designate places as 'sacred' or otherwise. The result is a grounded, clear and lucid exploration of how places -- in this case, Glastonbury and Sedonia -- can come to be seen and experienced in such vividly different ways. From the real estate developer to the spiritual seeker to the wildlife biologist, Ivakhiv presents facets of place, while never losing his own location in the telling. Perhaps this is how we are to write as cultural geographers, environmental psychologists, or whatever nature/culture scholars may call themselves -- from a first person, yet never falling into pure memoir.
This book was overlooked when it came out, and yet it should be celebrated as one of the few 'environmental thought' books to come out that weaves geography, environmental studies, and post-structural theories. And it certainly is not limited to those who are doing religious studies. It's appeal is wide and it's fun to read. I highly recommend this book!
Must read for visitors to Glastonbury or Sedona.......2004-06-12
This book offers the most clear-headed assessment of all the beliefs surrounding those two centers of New Age/ecospiritual/countercultural mysticism. Rather than debunking *OR* simply repeating all the speculative ideas, he puts them into a much broader context where they begin to make a deeper and more satisfying kind of sense. I would highly recommend it to anyone travelling to Glastonbury or Sedona.
more than meets the eye.......2004-04-23
It's unfortunate that this book seems to have been marketed primarily to a religious studies audience. The back blurb calls it "A captivating study of people and politics at two New Age spiritual sites," which it is, but it's also much more than that. Ivakhiv's accomplishment is that he shows that these seemingly minor, peripheral places (towns of 10-15,000 people) are really central to global political-economic-environmental developments and conflicts. For "Gaia's pilgrims," they are central because they are two of the most potent of Earth's "power spots," with healing "energy vortexes" and such things. But for the rest of us they are central because they concentrate - like a magnifying glass - the "tangled webs of power, desire, and imagination" that fuel what he calls "postmodern capitalism" (the image-based commodification of everything), globalization, urbanites' love of rural nature, ruralites' resentment of those rich urban second-homers, others' rampant need to cash in on it all, etc. etc.
There's a richness of ideas here drawn from big-name philosophers like Foucault, Heidegger, Deleuze and Gauttari, Latour, Haraway, and environmental theorists I'd never heard of, but miraculously the book remains understandable and clear-headed throughout (well, almost). You could even use the four middle chapters as your personal tour guide while hiking in the woods outside Sedona or climbing the "Tor" in Glastonbury. And you probably learn more about those vortices (vortexes?) than in half a dozen books you'll pick up in Sedona's bookshops - and about King Arthur and the Grail, the British "travellers", Frederick Bligh Bond (Glastonbury Abbey's archaeologist who ended up in Woodstock NY of all places!) and lots more. And if you really want to know about "poststructural environmentalism" or "relational, performative, discursive, and co-constructive materialism" (!), you'll love the 43 pages of dense footnotes. A gem. Just wish the publisher would put it out in paperback (I got my copy used, but 50 bucks is a lot).
Book Description
Avalon is a site of great power, revered since ancient times as an entrance to, and exit from, the Otherworld. Book provides a coherent context in which to understand Avalon's many mysteries, including the * Isle * Tor * Glastonbury Zodiac, * Abbey * Tor Labyrinth * St. Michael ley line The author invokes the magical, spiritual power of the English landscape with a wealth of detailed information encompassing other belief systems and scared sites. He discusses * Physical and sacred topography * Symbols * Architecture * History
Customer Reviews:
Informative and Interesting.......2007-01-13
I have not yet finished this book, as it does take awhile to read. It is very informative and has a lot of intersting facts about this Avalon and Glastonbury; however, it can be difficult to read.
Excellent historical and mythological reference!.......2003-09-29
Nicholas Mann captures the spirit of Avalon through the combined lenses of history, archeology, mythology and comparative spirituality rarely found in comparable texts. A must-own for anyone interested in Glastonbury, the Arthurian Mythos, spiritual history in sacred Britain, sacred geomety and geomancy. Mann brings a critical yet intuitively insightful perspective to all of the above. Well worth reading more than once!!
Virtual Glastonbury!.......2000-07-07
I've just come back from Glastonbury, and having read this book first helped a great deal. I'm reading it again, and am feeling so enlightened. If you love Avalon, you must have this book.
A Worthwhile Read.......1998-06-28
Anyone interested in the background behind the mysts of Avalon will enjoy this book. I found it well-researched, fairly easy to read, and quite informative. A great collection to my library.
Book Description
Glastonbury, legendary resting place of the Holy Grail, is a mysterious and haunting town. When Diane Ffitch returns home, it’s with a sense of deep unease. As the town becomes increasingly split by violence and death, Diane and her friends face up to the worst of all possibilities: the existence of an anti-Grail—the Dark Chalice.
Customer Reviews:
Very Good.......2005-08-22
Another solid book from Phil Rickman. His novels are always so infused with the Welsh border, I always feel like I am right there when I'm reading his stuff. Very entertaining--a great read.
Spooky Happenings In Glastonbury!!!Rickman Rules!!!.......2005-05-17
This book is set in the town of Glastonbury which is the legendary site of the Holy Grail.As a resultof this fame the village attracts a lot of New Age Hippies in search of Meaning and Purpose in their lives. Caught between "Respectable Society " and this Alternative Hippy World is Diane Ffitch who also seeks answers. Strange things begin to happen andone wondersif this is a result of the the vibrations from Glastonbury or something more sinister?Once again Mr. Rickman has proved he is the Master Of The Supernatural Thriller. This book will leave you with lots of chills and goosebumps which is what any good Horror novel is supposed to do although many writers fail to achieeve this end. RICKMAN ROCKS!!!!
The Black Bus of Death.......2003-10-06
I've read the five mysteries in Phil Rickman's Anglican priest/exorcist Merrily Watkins series and have been working my way through his earlier horror novels. "The Chalice" subtitled "A Glastonbury ghost story" is one of them, and is a sort of sequel to his 'Crybbe' novels--something I've noticed about this author is that when he develops a good character, he doesn't waste him or her on just one book. Joe Powys, Crybbe's occult author and his three-legged dog, Arnold play important roles in "The Chalice."
Rickman's characters are so appealing that I got really, really angry when he pretended to kill off one of my favorites. His good guys are always laid-back, slightly cynical in spite of the supernatural fireworks going off around them, and they are unremittingly kind to animals and lost souls. They keep plugging away on the side of the angels, in spite of the most horrific punishment, and Rickman doesn't let them escape from evil by trotting into a church or waving a cross.
His bad guys are sadistic jerks, usually with a whole busload of power from beyond the grave. And speaking of buses, if a long black spray-painted vehicle with a rusty grill shows up in your vicinity, run like hell. Forget the Black Chalice. It was the Black Bus that frightened me the most in this story.
The author weaves his legend of the Chalice from two separate strands: the legend of the Holy Grail that was brought by Joseph of Arimathea to the mystic Isle of Avalon (Glastonbury); and the Celtic tradition of a cup that was sacred to the gods of the underworld, or the Land Beneath the Waves.
It's Christians - 10, Celts - 0 in this novel, although Rickman is kinder to pagans in his other stories. And come to think of it, the professed Christians (the ones who actually go to church) don't fare too well here, either. They are represented by a scatty, New Age bishop who is trying to reconcile his Church with the pagans, and a farmer who turns to Jesus when the Black Bus terrorizes his lower forty. The only really likeable Christian was hanged, drawn and quartered during the reign of Henry VIII, although he too has a role to play, along with the chalice that captured his last drops of blood.
Glastonbury becomes a spiritual battlefield of Christians versus pagans, land-owners versus 'travellers,' old established hippies versus New Age mystics, a handful of animal rights activists to mix things up with everyone, and of course Good versus Evil. Rickman juggles his multiple themes in such a way that you'll want to keep on reading and rooting for the good guys. At least a few of them remain standing by novel's end.
Another page turner from Mr. Rickman.......2003-08-16
Diane Ffitch is being called back to the Glastonbury Tor. She sees it in visions, in objects transforming in front of her eyes into the Tor. The pull is strong enough that she quits her job, leaves her fiancé and tags along with a group of New Agers heading for Glastonbury -- but with a sense of dread.
Joe Powys, an occult author, is having strange experiences of his own. Books are throwing themselves from a bookshelf, with one in particular seeming to be at the center: "A Glastonbury Romance." Reluctantly, he travles to Glastonbury on the pretext of writing a book but soon finds out that dark forces are stirring in the town. He hears the tales of a dark chalice -- an anti-Holy Grail -- and begins to wonder just what role Diane has to play in this.
Another fine work from Phil Rickman. The characters are all interesting and well-developed. Plus, he gives enough background information on the people and the area's history that I was enthralled with the story. A definite page-turner.
Mmmmm.......2000-12-01
Although this isn't quite as good as Midwinter of the Spirit, still Phil Rickman doesn't disappoint with his tasteful suspense and his exquisite prose. I am exceptionally pleased to see that these books are now offered in the United Sates. BOUT TIME!
Book Description
New York Times Notable Book of the Year author Deborah Crombie has garnered tremendous praise -- and has been nominated for virtually every major mystery award -- for her piercing police procedurals featuring Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James, who are personally and professionally entwined. Now Gemma takes center stage when a lethal crime of passion turns a recreational trip to Scotland into pure bloody business.
Though her reputation for delving into the heart of murder is matched only by that of her former partner and current lover, Duncan Kincaid, newly appointed Detective Inspector Gemma James has never thought to question her friend Hazel Cavendish about her past. So it is quite a shock when Gemma learns that their holiday retreat to a hotel in the Scottish Highlands is, in fact, a homecoming for native daughter Hazel -- and an event that has provoked strong reactions from the small community. Something is definitely amiss -- and that something is quite possibly Donald Brodie, the charming if intense Scotsman who is a guest as well.
The truth comes out before long: Hazel and Brodie were once lovers, despite a vicious, long-standing feud between their families, rival local distillers of fine whisky. Their affair was fierce and passionate, and its fire might not have burned out completely. Certainly Brodie, now the domineering head of the family business, believes his "Juliet" still belongs to him alone -- and he's prepared to destroy Hazel's English marriage to make it so.
A brutal murder puts Hazel's very life in peril when she's arrested for the crime. Hazel is the logical suspect, but Gemma knows nothing is simple in this place of secrets and long-seething hatreds. As even more damning evidence piles up against the friend Gemma never truly knew, the investigation into Hazel and Brodie's history begins to take darker, more sinister and tumultuous turns. Gemma knows she will need assistance to unravel this bloody knot -- and so she calls the one man she trusts more than any other, Duncan Kincaid, to join her far from home . . . and in harm's way.
Customer Reviews:
Appropriate title........2007-07-26
This is the ninth installment in the Gemma James/Duncan Kincaid Scotland Yard series with our heroes on the outside of a murder investigation involving Gemma's good friend and ex-landlord as a prime suspect. This book has the template of this series' earlier entries - the weaving of plots past and present, a cast of characters tied together in a murder investigation and Gemma and Duncan balancing police work with their personal relationship and children. What is blatantly absent is a gripping story line. There are love triangles aplenty, more than enough information for this reader on the distillery industry and plenty of conversations about food but the murder mystery never gains any traction. If you are new to this series, start at the beginning for this addition contains none of the subtlety, complexity and depth of those very good books.
A Vacation in Scotland is Anything But.......2007-06-11
Gemma James, grieving for a lost child accepts an invitation to join a friend in Scotland for a vacation. Gemma has achieved a new appointment away from her partner and lover, Duncan Kincaid. She enjoys the responsibility of her new position but misses the easy companionship of working with Duncan.
Deborah Crombie has the style, talent and creativity to sustain a police procedural interwoven with complex personal issues and romance. When her friend is arrested for the murder of the man she left behind, Gemma asks Duncan to join her but this is her day in the light as she delves into a past shaded by feudal barons of the distilling industry, lost love and ancient hatreds. Slowly Gemma knits the fabric of the past into a myriad of conflicting truths. While investigating the recent past, Gemma unearths secrets long buried.
A step about the traditional county house English mystery; "Now You May Weep," is a fine addition to this outstanding series.
Nash Black, author of "Qualifying Laps" and "Taxes, Stumbling Blocks & Pitfalls for Authors 2007."
A really good (mystery) story ..........2005-10-08
Deborah Crombie really hits her stride in her Kincaid/James series. Scotland comes alive in all its beauty as she weaves old loves, new loves and murder together.
Some of the people involved in the story belong to families who have been distilling whiskey for generations. The facts about the craft of making fine whiskey are fascinating. There are flashbacks to an earlier time and the roots of a sad feud that will surprisingly intrude on the present.
Gemma James, accepts an invitation from an old friend to join her for a visit to a B&B in Scotland for a few days. They are to have gourmet meals with cooking classes included. Her friend, Hazel, a psychologist, does not tell Gemma that she needs some time away from her marriage. She also doesn't tell her that the visit to Scotland, her former home, will include seeing an old friend, a man she was once engaged to marry.
The people assembled for the weekend are a mixed and interesting group but Gemma soon starts to puzzle over the undercurrents between some guests. She is especially surprised by the robust kilt-wearing Scot who appears to have eyes for only one person, Hazel. Gemma suspects, but refuses to believe, that Hazel could be interested in anyone other than her husband.
Duncan Kincaid, remains in London with two childen, Gemma's 4-year Toby and Duncan's own newly acquired son, Kit. Duncan's wife left him years before and never told him she was pregnant with their child. The truth only comes out after her death and Duncan brings the boy to London to live him and Gemma. Duncan has now received a letter from Kit's maternal grandmother who has filed a lawsuit demanding custody of the child. Kit, still in quiet turmoil over his Mother's death and the absence of the man he always thought was his father, is afraid to count on Duncan, or anyone. The news of his grandmother's lawsuit only adds to his insecurities.
Both Gemma and Duncan wish they were not so far apart this weekend. Each one would like to discuss the troubles and puzzles that are suddenly presenting themselves in London and Scotland. Duncan doesn't want to tell Gemma what has happened as it would spoil her weekend. Gemma would like Duncan nearby so she can discuss her mounting worrries about Hazel. Then Gemma's weekend is really spoiled when a guest at the B&B is shot to death.
Did I mention that Gemma and Duncan are police officers?
Eventually, Duncan joins Gemma in Scotland where they meet a police inspector who is decidedly not impressed with their credentials or their ideas about what has happened.
You can read this book without any concern that you are starting in the middle of the series. It stands on its own, well written and very interesting. You are in the fabled highlands of Scotland where love and revenge are carried through the generations and leave their mark on the present.
The reading excels, anyway.......2005-06-02
I heard the excellent reading by Michael Deehy on Sound Library. The novel is a well-done mystery, if not quite a detective story because essentially it's a soap opera. I can't remember the number of times a female gasps in quivering terror, "has something happened to him?"
A wee dram...but potent!.......2005-05-02
Deborah Crombie puts too much emphasis on the supernatural to be one of my all-time favorites but I love her passion for her stories and her passion for the parts of the British Isles where she chooses to set her stories. This one takes our friends Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid to the Scottish birthplace of their friend Hazel. While on a "cooking weekend" at a B&B (sounds like such fun!), Gemma and Hazel get involved in a murder and Kincaid comes to the rescue. The murder is fairly ordinary and somewhat predictable, but the back story behind it is fascinating and you get to learn a lot about the ancient art of making scotch and the tiny distilleries that dot the Scottish landscape and provide the world-class imbibement. I found that part to be genuinely fascinating, as I did the descriptions of the scenery. It sounds like a lovely place for a murder. And there is a heart-wrenching backstory about Kinkaid's son Toby and his search for identity. Crombie is a very good writer.
Book Description
It was a sanctuary from the world--and a silent witness to it all
The first 1,500 years of Christianity's tumultuous history. The clash of cultures. Armies marching. The rise and fall of kingdoms. One language supplanting another. Yet Glastonbury remained a place of serenity, prayer, and reconciliation.
As the legacy of faith passed from generation to generation, each era of believers found refuge in Glastonbury. In its story you will experience the faith that gave Joseph of Arimathea and his family courage to claim new land for Christ. Relive the persecution of St. George and St. Patrick during their captivity under the Roman Empire. Ride along with King Arthur on his historic adventures and discover the spiritual fortitude that enabled him to become the greatest leader of his time. Witness the rekindling of Christianity with St. Augustine of Canterbury. Be inspired by the faith of the remnant in the midst of the Dark Ages. Watch the upheaval under the rule of Henry VIII that led to the Reformation. And as Christianity triumphs over the darkest moments of its history, you may even find your own spiritual roots.
An epic novel of the history of the faith
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Tale of the Christian Faith in England.......2001-07-30
Through the ups and downs, the author takes all the legends and tries to put historical fact behind them, filling in with realistic fiction where needed. There aren't any tales of grand shining armor here, it's probably as close to the truth as you'll come in this life to knowing the story of England from a Christian perspective.
Faith Through the Ages.......2000-07-05
When we read this book in a book discussion group, I identified 3 areas that could be found in the life of each of the characters: faith, trust, and risk.
From Joseph of Arimathea to Giles Lacey in Tudor England, each character moved through these three areas. Some of them were protected because of their faith, while others were killed for it. But in each case their faith, trust, and risk was rewarded. There were dark times, but each time period saw the light of faith rekindled by their actions. It also shows what can happen when faith is not followed by trust, and how God can bring repentance when the character seems oblivious to God.
The author develops, with ease and plausibility, each character in his or time, and the intrigued reader follows where the author leads. It is a long book, but it could be divided into 2 or more sessions.
Pluses are the maps (there could be 2 separate maps, one with the ancient placenames, and one with the modern equivalents), the glossary, and the source/reference list.
We need more books like this: books which present history with optimism and encouragement.
Captivating and instructive.......2000-04-13
I was captivated by this book and read it every spare moment until I was done. I learned all sorts of things I hadn't known about the history of Christianity in England. One of the best things was how the author tied in many well-known legends, skilfully recounting how they more realistically likely took place, later giving rise to the legends. It was like meeting old familiar friends without veils on their faces. The characters were interesting to get to know along the way, and wistful to see them pass with the years. The first chapter was a little slow, but beyond that things picked up and it was well worth the read.
Glastonbury: A novel of Christian England.......2000-01-21
This book was wonderful. I am a slow reader and I just could not put this book down! Mrs. Crow does a wonderful job of telling a story and teaching you history at the same time. She weaves in so many things that would have been a part of everyday struggle that we would not think of in our modern day lives. Mrs.Crow also does a great job of encouraging your Faith by the lives of these characters. Many times when you read History you don't realize the other significant events that are happening somewhere else...the author does a careful job of informing you of these events and how they affected the Political lives of the Aristocracy and commoners alike. I truely enjoyed this book because I have been to Glastonbury and been in the Tor and have walked through the Abbey ruin. Even if you are not a Christian you will gain alot of knowledge about how England was shaped thoughout history.
Outstanding historical fiction.......1998-01-10
As a native of Britain, I grew up learning many of the ancient tales of our island nation in a somewhat sporadic form. What Donna Fletcher Crow has done is to unify all of the old legends (George and the dragon, King Alfred of Wessex, Arthur and the knights of the round table, Avalon, Camelot, St. Patrick and many more) into a chronological narrative of the introduction of the Christian faith to England. Her literary style is beautiful (well crafted) and the language changes with each suceeding era - the Celtic gives way to Roman which in turn becomes Saxon, Norman and ultimately Anglo-Saxon. The reader has a real sense of history as he moves from section to section through 1500 years of history. Personally, my heart ached as I read of the death of King Arthur, but there was always a thread of hope left even in the midst of the darkest of days because the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ had not been extinguished. All in all a very prophetic message for Britain today in these days of spiritual darkness. I hated the book to come to an end! I hope it won't be long before it's back in print, but if you have to settle for a used copy then do so! As a follow-up I would recommend her sequel "The Fields of Bannockburn" - a history of Christianity in Scotland from St. Columba to Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn. It contains a great section on the life and faith of William Wallace. Conrad Beattie(sdiga@mindspring.com), Atlanta, GA
Book Description
For over twenty years the author was Vicar of Glastonbury and devoted much of his spare time to studying ancient stories. One of the most well known of these stories is one which circles around the figure of St. Joseph of Arimathea. It is believed he came to Britain as a metal merchant seeking tin and on this journey he was accompanied by a boy named Jesus. This same Glastonbury is the cradle of English Christianity, where an infant church was planted by those who personally knew our Lord.
Average customer rating:
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St. Joseph of Arimathea at Glastonbury
Lionel Smithett Lewis
Manufacturer: Lutterworth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Saints | Catholicism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Church History | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Folklore | Mythology | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Mythology | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Ancient | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
General | Ireland | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0718891651 |
Books:
- Harmony's Way (The Breeds, Book 2)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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