History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Blue Blood, True Blood: Conflict & Creation

Average customer rating:

Trying to understand
Mind Blowing
You will never see the world the same way again
Believe what you want, but...
Blue Blood, True Blood; Conflict & Creation

Blue Blood, True Blood: Conflict & Creation
Stewart A. Swerdlow
Manufacturer: Expansions Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0962644668

Customer Reviews:

Trying to understand.......2007-08-09

I just finished reading this book. I already had read several books from Sylvia Browne about some of the same similar events. So it was fascinating to learn there is more than one person who has the same theories. Since this is so, it helped me to believe even more. I am new to this "demension". I have lived under this happy vail of a cartoon world. Now things are starting to make sense. I also do wish Stewart would elaborated more and was a better writer but he got the point across even if it was crass. I am still not sure if that afair was due to the "drugs and programming" or an excuse to fool around. Hahaa!! Doesn't matter, I loved the book. I am excited to read more.

Mind Blowing.......2007-07-16

If this book is really authentically true, it has the potential to revolutionize our human social belief systems! I'm still shaking my head over it and will need to study it at greater length to truly understand the concepts presented. One thing is certain--I will DEFINITELY read more from this author. He has really sparked my interest!

You will never see the world the same way again.......2007-06-21

As early as high school I became preoccupied with what seemed to me to be three very divergent intellectual pursuits: (1) finding the true path to spiritual enlightenment, (2) answering the questions of what, who and why concerning UFOs, and (3) uncovering the truth behind the ruling elites of the Illuminati and how they had come to hold all the reigns of power in so few hands, whether financial, political, commercial or religious. Every book I read seemed to hold some piece of one of these puzzles, but it was only after many years of research that I began to realize that all three topics were really interrelated and actually just different facets of one much larger subject.

By the time David Icke's "The Biggest Secret" came into my hands I was already intimately familiar with much of what he had documented in that consummate work; all except for his central premise that the Illuminati were some kind of shape-shifting extra-terrestrial reptilian-human half-breeds. Not that I had any trouble accepting the notion that these folks were somehow different from the rest of us. That was clear just by the fact of how they were able to sustain a concerted course toward world domination over countless centuries. But shape-shifting reptiles? Too sci-fi even for me. And unfortunately, Mr. Icke's presentation, while long on eye witness testimony, was short on the kind of historical and how-come evidence necessary to convince me that his premise was even plausible.

Fortunately for all of us, Stewart Swerdlow's masterpiece, "Blue Blood, True Blood," suffers from no such short comings. It was not only the most detailed, plausible and credible history of planet Earth for the last one million years it has ever been my pleasure to study, lifting all the veils of our suppressed history, genetic, political and religious, it also made the convincing case against the reptilian-ET-Illuminati that Mr. Icke had failed to do. Whatever your personal interests or beliefs, if you read only one book this year, I strongly recommend that you make it this book. You will never see the world the same way again.

Maxwell Austin van Lack, author of The Vortex: A True Story of Passion and Karma

Believe what you want, but..........2006-08-23

The things in your life that have been presented as "fact" are nothing more than that: presentations. Ultimately the mind must decide what is true and what is not. Is there physical evidence for the claims made in this book? Very few. Does that therefore make the unsupported statements untrue? No.

It's not surprising to see negative opinions on a book with information that, if true, would paint an entirely new picture of human history, present, and future. For those claiming Stewart is ripping you off or taking you for a ride, then prove it. If your world is built on physical and external proof, then where is your proof he is lying?

It's a book. In it is information. Take it or leave it. Stewart makes no attempt to convince his reader. It is up to you to learn the truth. He doesn't come off as some back alley watch peddler hustling for a penny. He says "Here's what time it is. Believe it or don't".

If you've got that gnawing feeling in the back of your mind that things just aren't what they seem in this world, then do yourself a favor and read this book. Use your intuition and figure it out. It's up to you.

Blue Blood, True Blood; Conflict & Creation.......2006-07-25

First hundred and twenty five pages were great. The rest of the book was just filler.

When the Astors Owned New York: Blue Bloods and Grand Hotels in a Gilded Age

Average customer rating:

Excellent introduction to "the 400", the Astors, and the rise of the grand hotels
Hotel Mania
Slim volume promises much delivers little
Mostly history
Lacks Focus

When the Astors Owned New York: Blue Bloods and Grand Hotels in a Gilded Age
Justin Kaplan
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B000MR8TFY

Book Description

In this marvelous anecdotal history, Justin Kaplan—Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of Mark Twain—vividly brings to life a glittering, bygone age.

Endowed with the largest private fortunes of their day, cousins John Jacob Astor IV and William Waldorf Astor vied for primacy in New York society, producing the grandest hotels ever seen in a marriage of ostentation and efficiency that transformed American social behavior.

Kaplan exposes it all in exquisite detail, taking readers from the 1890s to the Roaring Twenties in a combination of biography, history, architectural appreciation, and pure reading pleasure.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent introduction to "the 400", the Astors, and the rise of the grand hotels.......2006-11-30

This book is an excellent introduction to the history of "the 400" (or "the Four Hundred") and the Astor family for the many people who seek such information. Many people ask me for more information about "the 400" because my novel, "Chasing the 400", deals with the African American community's social interpretation of "the 400" during the 1950's. At that time, "the 400" was a term that was used to characterize the Black Bourgeoisie, the same as the term was used to characterize the New York Gilded Age social elite.

I disagree with Kaplan that people largely seemed to not care about "the 400" after Carolyn Astor's death or disappearance from prominence in New York society. "The 400" as the social elite lived on long after Carolyn Astor's grand entertaining, and many groups of people patterned their social groups after Mrs. Astor's exclusivity. In my novel, I explain "the 400" in New York society and in 1950s Philadelphia's Black Bourgeoisie this way: "The women displayed as colored society were the ladies of 'the 400', an exclusive, informal collection of Philadelphia's black bourgeoise, the talented tenth, the doctors, lawyers and other successful colored businessmen and their wives. This exclusive group patterned themselves after "the Four Hundred", the phrase coined in the late 1800's by New York socialite Mrs. William Astor and her friends to symbolize upper crust society--the truly worthy 400 people who could fit into the ballroom of Mrs. Astor's New York home. Like Mrs. Astor's Four Hundred, Philadelphia's colored 400 attended a seemingly endless round of balls, lunches, fashion shows and cocktail soirees. Mrs. Donald Butcher, given name Harriet, ruled the colored 400 which, in reality, had only about 50 people who were truly worthy. Donald Butcher made a fortune operating the largest colored funeral home in Philadelphia, and Harriet made a life running colored society."

More information about groups that might be considered to be the modern day "Four Hundred" in the African American community, such as The Links, Jack & Jill and Sigma Pi Phi--the Boule, and "Chasing the 400" can be found on my Amazon page. Malcom X, in "The Autobiography of Malcom X", also talks about "the 400" in Boston's African American community.

Kaplan's discussion of how and why the Astor's concieved and built New York's grandest hotels is also fascinating. We take the grand hotel for granted today, but Kaplan explains how such hotels were truly revolutionary and transformed society at that time. Modern day real estate investors might find inspiration in Kaplan's detailed discussions of how the Astors used real estate to build their great wealth, working on one deal after another, not satisfied with more wealth than most of us could even imagine.

Hotel Mania.......2006-11-27

This book, while initially giving the impression of being a recounting of the Astor family, actually turns into a history of hotels in New York City built by wealthy people. As a biography it was well done, but as a history of the hotels it is extremely interesting. There are some asides about the inter-family feuds of the Astors, and it mentions, in passing, the death of John Jacob IV on the Titanic (perhaps more should have been said about this). To those interested in the early history of New York, and its famous hotels, this is required reading!

Slim volume promises much delivers little .......2006-09-05

When the Astors Owned New York: Blue Bloods and Grand Hotels in a Gilded Age by Justin Kaplan is a bit of a disappointment. From the title and description, I was looking for a biography of the Astor family along with a taste of history about the times they lived in. While there is some brief biographical information in the book, much of it is focused on the hotels they (and others) built. Pages are allotted to the Palmer House in Chicago (which they didn't build), but far less to John Jacob Astor's death on the Titanic. His scandalous divorce and marriage to a much younger woman are also glossed over. His uncle William Waldorf Astor's life is covered in far greater detail, but even he doesn't get full coverage. Gossipy bits and pieces of the times are dropped here and there. Kaplan goes overboard in quoting Henry James in his eloquence about the beauty of hotels. There are pages of quotes from James, often repeated. The book meanders and repeats itself as well. I suppose not much should be expected from such a slim volume, but I was hoping for more.

Mostly history.......2006-08-09

Book was not what I expected. Does not delve into characters,but more or less who begot who and rivalries, hotel building, and so on. If you're looking for character development or revelation, this is not what you want.

Lacks Focus.......2006-08-03

The Astors are an iconic American family, rising from immigrant roots to great wealth and aristocratic pretensions, undermined by their own social ambition and self-imposed isolation and finally, in later generations, fading from economic and social prominence. (104 year-old Brooke Astor, the widow of Vincent, is the last multi-millionaire Astor, and will leave no Astor heirs.) Yet this book purports to be, not about the Astors, but about the great hotels that they conceived and built, including such landmarks as the old Waldorf-Astoria, The Astor and the St. Regis. As such, the book lacks focus and is poorly integrated; it's not quite a bio of the Astors, since it's character portraits are superficial, but it's not really about the great hotels either, because it limits that story to the role played by the Astors. The result is disjointed and, occasionally, boring. This author knows alot about the Astors and would have done better to write a straightforward biography or family history.

Average customer rating:

Awesome
Took too long to get good
The Devil Wears Prada and Buffy's Love Child
Good but not great....
Thoughts from a bookworm in Tacoma

Blue Bloods
Melissa De La Cruz
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786838922
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Book Description

When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires.The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society. The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw foodand she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a girl from her school is found dead . . . drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesnt know what to think. Could those vampire legends really be true?Steeped in vampire lore and set against the heady backdrop of the rich, young, and powerful in the heart of New York City, Blue Bloods will be devoured by Melissa de la Cruzs legion fans.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2007-10-15

The first book in a series is always the one to suck you in, or not. This book did an amazing job at keeping you sucked in, turning the pages despite the hour of night to find out what would happen next. The characters were well developed and extremely easy to love or hate. It is riviting. Make sure you order Masquerade as well, you'll want to start the second book immediately after finishing the first.

Took too long to get good.......2007-10-03

I'm in my 20's and ever since reading the Twilight series, I have become obsessed with trying to find something else just as good. (Very Hard)
'Blue Blood' took a longggg time to get good. Not until you are about half-way through the book, does it start to get interesting. The diary entries were a little confusing for me. There's alot of "name-throwing" (prada, paige, versace, etc.) Lots of just non-stop talking about popular/good-looking people and how they dress, where they party, etc. So at first I was really regretting buying the book.
But when I had about 100 pages left, it started getting pretty good; where now, I need to buy 'Masquerade'.

Not too bad just takes time to get good.

The Devil Wears Prada and Buffy's Love Child.......2007-10-03

This was sort of The Devil Wears Prada and Buffy's love child. As a sci-fi/fantasy fan, it was not the greatest. There are far better vampire novels out there. That said, there was something to the story that makes me want to find out more. To be honest, I was having a hard time stomaching the constant designer name drops. I get it... they are young, powerful, and dressed to kill. Do I need to know that she is wearing Chanel boots? Hell no. As for the history part, it was almost hard to take. I'll give De La Cruz some points for originality; however, to anyone who knows anything about history, its going to be difficult to read. I guess it is one way to get girls who like "chick lit" into fantasy. I really wouldn't recommend this book unless you are really a De La Cruz fan.

Good but not great...........2007-09-14

Blue Bloods in a story about a girl who learns she is the daughter of a vampire (who in this case are fallen angels inhabiting flesh bodies) and a human. The blue bloods (i.e. the vampires) live forever and recycle on earth being born each time with previous memories from their past life. They are part of an elite group of kids who attend a private school. They are concerned because there is something from the past trying to kill them off by draining all their blood (which is required to regenerate because it is the blood that contains the memories). That is the premise, sounds alright right? Well, if executed well it could have been a really fantastic idea but unfortunately the writing falls short with boring descriptions of clothes, generic and bland dialogs and characters that you just can't get into. It is fine for a quick read through once if you are bored but I don't recommend it if you are looking for an intense and original story.

Thoughts from a bookworm in Tacoma.......2007-09-11

I'll be the first to admit that I'm in no way qualified to define what a "good book" is. No one can claim that right. Everyone will have to decide for themselves whether De La Cruz's work is their style. All I know is the feeling I got from reading "Blue Bloods". It was not something I expected, and I can only describe it as isolation. I am a fairly average working class young woman. I've always liked books where there is at least one character who faces, even in a fantasy context, the same kinds of problems that I occasionally do (money troubles, cruel superiors etc.). I've never perceived obscenely rich people as having real problems. There is always money to cushion the blow, so that even if (for example) their child gets a horrible cancer the child will still be exponentially more likely to survive than the child on my economic level who gets the same illness, simply because the rich child will have parents who can afford the endless medical treatment and will never have to deal with insurance issues.

First of all, De La Cruz has created a race of vampires who are continuously reincarnated (rather like Tolkien's Elves), and who were originally fallen angels. Not only are her vampires not "made" by other vampires, but they were never human to begin with! That alone makes me feel a bit put off. Where's the fun in a vampire story if you can't imagine the risk of becoming a part of this vampire community yourself?

The second problem lies in the fact that all of her vampires come from Old Money American pedigrees (one of them is even revealed to be Miles Standish and the Archangel Michael all rolled up into one neat package). They are not merely "rich", they are "obscenely rich". As a working class girl, I will never be even remotely part of this world, and I have little desire to be. The habits of obscenely rich people are so alien to me that I find myself unable to relate to them. In fact, when you have a heroine in a story who is in a similar life situation to myself, the people that are like De La Cruz's vampires are usually her antagonists! I am doubly cut off from the world that De La Cruz has created by this fact. Now, I know that De La Cruz is a fashion expert and has written for many fashion mags. This seems to be why she goes out of her way to mention so much detailed fashion and pop-culture information. I've sometimes noticed this from writers who have successful non-writing careers. Robin Cook sometimes does the same thing with medical facts. I find this excessive pop-culture trivia distracting. I will never be able to afford these brand name clothes and so I don't know much about them and see no reason to find out. I don't see why De La Cruz needs to say that the character is wearing jeans by this designer and bought them at this specific boutique on this specific street in Manhattan. All she needs to say is the character is wearing expensive designer jeans and I'll get the picture. I have to admit, it sometimes sounds like she's showing off her knowledge as opposed to furthering the plot.

This is, I am more than willing to admit, a personal view and should in no way deter anyone from at least trying this writer out. I believe every writer should be experienced first hand before someone makes a judgement. And De La Cruz is a fairly good story teller. It's a credit to her skill that I actually wanted to find out how the story ended, otherwise I probably would've just abandoned the book in the middle. But my desire to find out the ending was strained by the time I got to the last chapters. I just wish that she had made her characters and her fictional world more accessable to the majority of the population. It really is a shame that I couldn't get over my feelings of being shut out and enjoy the story more.

Average customer rating:

An Ok Book...
Get Debut!
Almost like Bridget Jones meeting Miss Marple
The Debutante Debut of the Season
Great "Girly" Mystery!

Blue Blood: A Debutante Dropout Mystery
Susan McBride
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0060563893
Release Date: 2004-01-27

Book Description

To the dismay of her high society mother Cissy, Dallas heiress Andy Kendricks wants no part of the Junior League life -- opting instead for a job as a website designer and a passel of unpedigreed pals. Now her good friend Molly O'Brien is in bad trouble, accused of killing her boss at the local restaurant "Jugs." Though no proper deb would ever set foot in such a sleazy dive, Andy's soon slipping into skintight hot pants and a stuffed triple-D bra to gain employment there and somehow help clear Molly's name. But Andy's undercover lark is soon bringing her into too-close contact with all manner of dangerous adversaries -- including a shady TV preacher, a fanatical Mothers Against Porn activist ... and a killer who is none too keen on meddling rich girls.

Customer Reviews:

An Ok Book..........2007-03-14

I wanted to like this book, but found it to be a little boring. The author writes too much dialogue going on in the main character's head. Boring. Andrea continually asks herself the same questions over and over again. I find myself skipping ahead to the real dialogue...and not just the stuff in her head. I also don't like weak characters who can't say no... that's very frustrating!

Get Debut!.......2006-04-07

The first book in the Debutante Dropout Mystery series is a fun, lighthearted look into the often hilarious life of "Andy" Kendricks. A dropout of the high society lifestyle, Andy decides to live her life her own way. She becomes a website designer, and avoids contact with her previous society friends and lifestyle (all to the chagrin of her mother). When a good friend, Molly, from the past seeks Andy's help clearing her name from a murder charge, Andy jumps right in. Knowing she needs to get inside information about the victim, Andy decides to become a waitress at a version of Hooters. Stuffing her bra and stuffing herself into hot pants, Andy goes undercover to discover who amongst his many enemies killed Molly's boss.

I loved the first entry into the series. Andy does a lot of goofy things, and doesn't spend too much time griping about her mistakes like a lot of characters in the genre. Andy's mother is hilarious, and has been pointed out in previous reviews, deserves more time in future installments. I look forward to more laugh-out-loud fun with this great series! Enjoy!

Almost like Bridget Jones meeting Miss Marple.......2006-01-16

I liked the fast-pace of the story, and McBride does a great job of meshing a mystery with chick lit. Which is nice, because one doesn't always want to read about post-menapausal little old ladies solving crimes.

So, as far as a beach read -- sign me up. It's really fun. Not a literary read. Not an Agatha Christie. But an entertaining read. I am looking forward to the rest of the series...if there's one thing I'd say on the other side, it's that I'm hoping there will be a little more mystery to the future Andy stories.

The Debutante Debut of the Season.......2005-09-27

Andrea "Andy" Kendricks has never felt comfortable in the high society life her mother had planned for her. Even before she blew off her own debutante ball, she had become best friends with Molly, the "scholarship girl" at Andy's exclusive high school.

Close during high school and the beginning of college, Molly and Andy lost touch over the years. Until one morning when Molly calls Andy from the police station. Molly's boss has been murdered and Molly is the police's only suspect. Not that it's too much of a wild conclusion since she was seen leaving the scene of the crime and her fingerprints are the only ones on the murder weapon.

With the police not looking at anyone else, Andy decides to go undercover at the restaurant to find the real killer. Poking around, she begins to find out that no one liked the victim. In fact, the list of possible suspects includes anyone who ever met the man. Andy's sure that Molly is innocent. But can she find the right piece of information to convince the police they have the wrong person behind bars?

The book starts off with a bang that draws the reader in quickly. Unfortunately, the plot is a little uneven, slowing down in the middle. Even so, the writing is so engaging and the characters so endearing it's hard to put the book down. The final third is a race to the finish.

As I said, the characters are also endearing right from the start. Andy and Molly's friendship seems so real even after the time apart, you root for things to work out. Cissy, Andy's mother, is shown to have a much bigger heart then Andy would lead the reader to believe. She's a great character and her scenes were laugh out loud funny. She should have had more page time.

Even though the plot got lost a time or two, this is still an entertaining read for anyone looking for a light book. The characters have worked their way into my heart, and I will drop in on them again soon.

Great "Girly" Mystery!.......2005-09-16

As a fan of the "Chick Lit" mystery's - this is ranked pretty high up there...

Very good, fast read with interesting characters and scenery.

Average customer rating:

Great Read About the NYPD
i quit reading it around page 180
Good Writer, But Too Repetitious
Great parts but way too long
Blue Blood - book author Edward Conlon

Blue Blood
Edward Conlon
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1594480737

Amazon.com

As a Harvard graduate and regular writer for the New Yorker, Edward Conlon is a little different from most of his fellow New York City cops. And the stories he tells in his compelling memoir Blue Blood are miles away from the commonly told Hollywood-style police tales that are always action packed but rarely tethered to reality. While there is action here, there's also political hassle, the rich and often troubling history of a department not unfamiliar with corruption, and the day to day life of people charged with preserving order in America's largest city. Conlon's book is, in part, a memoir as he progresses from being a rookie cop working the beat at troubled housing projects to assignments in the narcotics division to eventually becoming a detective. But it's also the story of his family history within the enormous NYPD as well as the evolving role of the police force within the city. Conlon relates the controversies surrounding the somewhat familiar shoo! ting of Amadou Diallou and the abuse, at the hands of New York cops, of Abner Louima. But being a cop himself, Conlon lends insight and nuance to these issues that could not possibly be found in the newspapers. And as an outstanding writer, he draws the reader into that world. In the book's most remarkable passage, Conlon tells of the grim but necessary work done at the Fresh Kills landfill, sifting through the rubble and remains left in the wake of the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11 (a section originally published in The New Yorker). In many ways, Blue Blood comes to resemble the world of New York City law enforcement that Conlon describes: both are expansive, sprawling, multi-dimensional, and endlessly fascinating. And Conlon's writing is perfectly matched to his subject, always lively, keenly observant, and possessing a streetwise energy. --John Moe

Book Description

From the fourth-generation NYPD officer and author of The New Yorker's "Cop Diary" columns comes an epic heart-and-soul dissection of what it means to protect, to serve, and to defend among the ranks of New York's finest.

Customer Reviews:

Great Read About the NYPD.......2007-09-24

Some reviewers seem to be disappointed that the book isn't more like NYPD Blue or maybe Cop Rock. Well it isn't Hollywood NYPD it is a real day to day look at what being a NYPD cop is really like. Most police memoirs are by senior officers who tell a few war stories about famous crimes they helped solve and then move on to office politics and famous people they know. This is a grimy look at life on the street in the Bronx. That is an assignment that is not for the faint of heart and the author brings his assignments to several units to life. There is indeed office politics involved and anyone who has been in the military will nod in recognition at mid-level officers who weren't about to make waves even if it means ignoring ways to actually do the job better. The book is a must read for anyone interested in big city police work.

i quit reading it around page 180.......2007-08-24

it's not that i didn't like this book, because i did, mostly. i've already quoted the author a couple of times - his clever sentence "the civics lesson of gangsta rap is feral individualism." i just personally found offensive his story of taking a sexual assault report from a mentally retarded adult woman. he wrote "it seemed like an insult to ask her: exactly how dumb are you?" well, this struck me as incredibly insensitive and poor form to even include such a sentence given the context. i couldn't believe his editor left it in. just bad taste and crude and irresponsible. not everything should be reduced to anecdote. so, the united nations has stances on the exploitation of children - it's a crime against humanity to use children in acts of warfare. this is because children are dependent on others for care and guidance due to mental limitations and their own inability to care for themselves. it seems to me something was quite remiss in conlon's perspective of his role in that incident. for this reason, i give the book 2 stars and probably won't recommend it to others. it really left a bad taste in my mouth.

i agree with previous reviewer "BedStuy" about the photo on the back with the chest hair sticking out. What's the deal? It's weird.

also, for those who don't know, Conlon was dating his editor at the New Yorker, but they broke up after the book was published. I guess the New Yorker is all for nepotism/inappropriate/seemingly favor-banking relationships. doesn't surprise me, since there's not much the New Yorker doesn't turn their "wit" on--save themselves, of course.

Good Writer, But Too Repetitious.......2007-08-16

Conlon certainly gets my respect both as a writer and a cop, though he also deserves sympathy for losing perspective and lacking any life beyond the NYPD. His father was an FBI agent and his mother a psychologist. After college (Harvard - English major) his desire for action and to follow in his father's, great-grandfather's, etc. footsteps eventually leads to the NYPD, and that in turn to his prized detective's gold shield after seven years on the force.

En route we learn of the horrible paperwork delays (hopefully since substantially reduced through automation), the promise (and upper-echelon fear) of Compstat (a computer system to analyze crime patterns), endless stakeouts, arrests, and development of confidential informants for drug arrests (usually paid for out of officers' pockets), jury nullification long before O.J., bureaucratic infighting, and supervisors sometimes more interested in their own agendas than crime-fighting.

Conlon is clearly a good writer, but "Blue Blood" suffers from too many cases of the same type. Regardless, his outside article writings eventually land him a break and a path towards a well-earned detective's position.

Great parts but way too long.......2007-04-04

This police memoir started out as a riveting read, but ran out of gas a couple hundred pages into it. One story blended in with the next, with much too much repetition. It was too much "the story of being a cop" and not enough Conlon's personal story. He is quite a distant narrator, which made this hard to stay with. Still, the writing is good and I found it a very intersting inside look at the NYPD and the life of a cop. This needed a lot of editing, and more about the author's life. This book took patience to get through. In fact, I switched to the audio book about halfway through, so I could read another book, too. Overall, I'm glad I read this.

Blue Blood - book author Edward Conlon.......2007-01-26

Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. Detective Conlon takes the reader from his early days on patrol as a rookie, fresh out of the police academy, to his current days as an NYPD Detective. He does a great job narrating his war stories, keeping the reader enticed throughout the book. He explains the slang terminology used in police work so that the layman can easily follow along. He writes about having to deal with the daily politics that are so prevalent on the job. There is also a section of the book regarding 9/11 and it's aftermath which was very moving. This is a great book to read and I would highly recommend it. It definately gives the public some insight on the inner workings of the NYPD.

Blue Blood and Mutiny: The Fight for the Soul of Morgan Stanley

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Kick'em while he's down
When class really counts
Riviting account of a watershed event in leadership and culture

Blue Blood and Mutiny: The Fight for the Soul of Morgan Stanley
Patricia Beard
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060881917
Release Date: 2007-09-18

Book Description

The inside story of the power struggle that rocked Wall Street's most prestigious financial institution

What began with a shot over the bow ended in a shocking coup d'etat. In less than four months a group of eight retired executives orchestrated a stunning revolt within Morgan Stanley, the venerable and—until recently—most successful financial services firm on Wall Street. Now acclaimed journalist and historian Patricia Beard brings together the entire behind-the-scenes story in Blue Blood and Mutiny, a real-life business thriller exposing the tale that shook high finance.

In March 2005 the business world woke up to an unprecedented full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal calling for the removal of Morgan Stanley's CEO. It was paid for by a cohort of eight former Morgan Stanley executives, including an ex-chairman and an ex-president, who soon would be dubbed the "Eight Grumpy Old Men." Their target was CEO Philip Purcell, a midwesterner who had come to power following Morgan Stanley's 1997 merger with Dean Witter Discover, where Purcell had been chief executive. In his eight years as CEO, Purcell had presided over a 50 percent decline in stock price since its peak in 2000 and a series of high-profile government and civil lawsuits that had tarnished the company's once-sterling reputation. Just a few months after the Journal ad, Purcell would retire under pressure, and former president John Mack, who had been pushed out by Purcell, was appointed CEO. The "Eight Grumpy Old Men" won the battle.

The revolt of the Eight is about more than the stock price, or any bottom-line metrics: it signals a clash of cultures and a battle for the soul of American business. Since its founding, Morgan Stanley has been an elite enterprise guided by J. P. Morgan Jr.'s motto "A First Class Business in a First Class Way." The House of Morgan stood for something larger than success with honor; its ethos was unique—some would say sacred—and the eight retired executives believed this ideal had been undermined during Purcell's reign.

Opening the long-closed doors of a bastion of Wall Street that has maintained the strictest privacy until now, Blue Blood and Mutiny weaves the history of Morgan Stanley with the inside story of the fight for dominance between two competing business cultures—one, the collegial meritocracy handed down from the days of J. P. Morgan, and the other, a cold, contemporary corporate model. Here is the season's must-read book for anyone who wants to understand the future of American business.

Customer Reviews:

Kick'em while he's down.......2007-09-25

With dagger for pen and venom for ink, Patricia Beard scribes an devastating slant on the Dean Witter/Morgan Stanley merger in her new book, "Blue Blood and Mutiny: The Fight for the Soul of Morgan Stanley ". In a book where J.P. Morgan is revered for his integrity, good will and even-handedness it is clear that the demons from Chicago will get short thrift.

Indeed, we find the satanic Phil Purcell arriving with his banking heretics from Dean Witter to beguile the trusting John Mack and his virtuous management staff. The demons wrest control of the soul of Morgan Stanley and profitability is shrouded in an evil shadow. Quicker than you can say 9/11, the bank's returns go south as Purcell reaps from his half-full cup while investors and staff inherit the wind. The cries on the Street rose uptown to Bankers' Heaven (5th Ave) and were embraced by the legacy of JP himself. Faster than you can say Mack-the-Knife, a Gang of 8, err... a Group of 8 former Morgan executives are blessed with avenging this affront on the investment banking community. Not to spoil the Hollywood ending, but angels never lose and evil is always vanquished.

Wall Street banking is clearly a Darwinian struggle between smart and successful A-type personalities competing for mega-deals. It is a battle between the haves and haves-better where success is fleeting and is measured in bonus, prestige, and ranking on a deal-by-deal basis. Beard's book is the epitome of banking rancor as Purcell is not only vilified, for all his past mistakes as Morgan Stanley CEO, but for any mistake anyone there made as well. Slogans aside, the pro-Purcell claque is not as "bad" as portrayed and, the pro-Morgan Stanley contingent is not as "good". In the end though, John Mack's blue blood is pumping up the Morgan Stanley profits so Purcell gets the deserved lumps.

When class really counts.......2007-09-23

Morgan Stanley like many old-line firms lost its soul at the hands of a CEO who never understood the value of the real enterprise. Phil Purcell tried to take what worked at Dean Witter and impose it on Morgan Stanley a much different institution. In doing so he acquired all of the perks of modern chairmen-the pay, the G-Vs, the compliant board while his firm's performance was tanking.

Eight "advisory directors," retired and respected former partners, set out to rescue Morgan Stanley and restore its name and culture. Called the "Group of Eight" and sometimes the "Eight Grumpy Old Men" they take a stand for old-fashioned business values.

Blue Blood and Mutiny reads like a novel. And it delivers an important message to business-ethical behavior, hard work and understanding of business fundamentals are more important and more beneficial than the gimmick-riden pursuit of a higher bottom line. This real life story will be the textbook case study in value driven management.

Riviting account of a watershed event in leadership and culture.......2007-09-20

Blue Blood and Mutiny is an enthralling account of an important event in the evolution of corporate leadership and culture. Author Patricia Beard does a marvelous job of capturing the history and development of two organizations and their competing views about corporate governance and leadership. Phil Purcell's autocratic leadership style and the culture that emanated from it were in direct conflict with the values such as meritocracy and open debate that made Morgan Stanley great.

I worked at Morgan Stanley during this period and witnessed the culture change when Purcell wrestled control from John Mack. Purcell's leadership style unquestionably had a negative impact on corporate performance and on the spirit of employees who were not a part of Purcell's club. People left in droves. In time I did too. The experience motivated me to undertake a multi-year study of work environments that culminated in the recently released book Fired Up or Burned Out: How to Reignite Your Team's Passion, Creativity, and Productivity. Prior to Purcell's arrival, Morgan Stanley was a culture that fired up employees. The culture Purcell promoted was gradually burning them out. With the return of John Mack and the restoration of Morgan Stanley's culture, the organization is presently making a powerful comeback.

Along with the fall of Howell Raines at The New York Times, which coincidentally is just down the block on Times Square in New York City, this story will become one of the most colorful examples of how corporate leadership is changing at this point in history. As such, this book is a must read for anyone who is interested in leadership and organizational culture.

Blood Sugar Blues : Overcoming the Hidden Dangers of Insulin Resistance

Average customer rating:

Great Book
Finally - an answer to my ill health
one of the best low carb books available
Right On the Money If Your Problem Is Insulin Resistance
Read This Book First!

Blood Sugar Blues : Overcoming the Hidden Dangers of Insulin Resistance
Miryam Ehrlich Williamson , and R. Paul St. Amand M.D.
Manufacturer: Walker & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 0802776108

Book Description

A vitally important new book about a widespread condition we’re just beginning to understand

An estimated 20 percent of Americans (55 million people) are insulin resistant—and most of them don't know it! Their high carbohydrate intake is causing their bodies to become immune to their own insulin, and the resulting high blood sugar levels are increasingly linked to diseases and disorders, from Type II diabetes and heart disease to Syndrome X. Medical journalist Miryam Williamson, herself afflicted with insulin resistance (IR), draws on the latest medical studies and reports, explains the links between IR and each condition, and offers essential advice on making lifestyle changes that can control or even reverse IR.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2006-01-11

Gave this to my neighbor and she has followed it with great results.

Finally - an answer to my ill health.......2004-04-18

Miryam Williamson's book is well researched, well written and couldn't have come at a better time in my life. I've been suffering for years with unexplained body pain, headaches, blood sugar crashes, IBS ... the list goes on ad infinitum. Not until I read Blood Sugar Blues (in late February 2004) did I finally find answers to the mysteries of my health issues and can discuss this information with my health care professionals. Her comprehensive book details symptoms of insulin resistance (which I had never heard of) and clearly differentiates between Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I'm now adhering to a well-balanced, low carb diet and am feeling so much better. Shortly after changing my diet and living a far less driven life, I lost 14 pounds, am sleeping far better and the fatigue and body pain are barely noticeable. I'm convinced that I'm on the right track and will continue to improve.

one of the best low carb books available.......2004-03-22

This book is for both low carb newcomers and veterans alike. It covers the basics for the new folks while keeping us veterans engaged with lots of new little "nuggets," peices to the puzzle of why this way of eating improves health in so many ways. For me, reading books like this keep me motivated and on track. I probably have 30 low carb books, and this is one of my very favorites.

I'm 44 and I've been low carbing for 21 months.I have lost 80 lbs. through diet and exercise, and have reversed all of the following conditions: acne, leathery skin, overgrowth of moles, high blood pressure, painful legs and feet, anxiety, brain fog, PCOS, IBS, asthma, allergy to pollens and nuts, and heart palpitations. I feel like twenty years have been erased.

Miryam E. Williamson is a very intelligent and caring author as you will discover if you read her book. She is commited to this way of eating because it saved her as it as saved so many of us. Add this book to your library and enjoy.

Right On the Money If Your Problem Is Insulin Resistance.......2002-10-17

Miryam Williamson's "Blood Sugar Blues" is an excellent book for people who find themselves suffering from a multitude of health problems that are often difficult for mainstream doctors to diagnose.

Although insulin resistance is often the culprit, it is frequently overlooked by traditionally trained internists who, when all common blood and other testing comes back normal, don't understand the condition enough to explore it as the possible answer to their patients' complaints.

Williamson does an excellent job spelling out symptoms caused by insulin resistance-- which makes it easy for the reader to discern if this, in fact, is his or her problem. Her writing shows she has researched this condition thoroughly and understands how it can lead to severe illnesses including heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and cancer-- and she writes in such a way that her research is easy for the lay person to understand. While the book does provide a good bit of scientific information about disease processes, she has written a book that is highly accessible to most anyone who reads it.

She also clearly presents strategies for altering one's diet and lifestyle to reduce damage caused by systemic dysfunction that leads to the body losing its ability to produce, process, and use insulin the way it is supposed to. She offers concise advice for helping restore the body to its healthier state and offers a comparison of 5 different popular diets in a way that helps the reader choose which one may be best for him/her.

Williamson obviously believes that, with proper information and guidance, many of us can make changes in our lives that will help us feel better and ward off serious disease, and she does an excellent job passing along that hopefulness to her readers.

Finally, she provides lists of 'safe' foods for people suffering from insulin resistance and a number of simple and tasty recipes that incorporate foods in combinations that help relieve symptoms of the disorder. "Blood Sugar Blues" is a well-written and easily understood primer for anyone dealing with insulin resistance and the ills it can cause.

Read This Book First!.......2002-06-20

I feel very fortunate that I read Miryam Williamson's Blood Sugar Blues first on my search for insulin resistance. She was able to put together pieces of the health puzzle that even my doctor did not see. She is able to clearly convey a lot of complex metabolic issues so that everything starts to make sense. One of the best chapters is the one on choosing a low carbohydrate eating plan, in which she reviews five different plans, pros and cons. This saved me a lot of time and experimentation and was therefore successful from the start.

Blue Blood: Duke-Carolina: Inside the Most Storied Rivalry in College Hoops

Average customer rating:

Chansky's definitive take on the Tobacco Road rivalry
No Insights, No New Stories, and No Need to Buy
Balanced view of the rivalry
Tar Heel Sports History Revealed
Updated Paperback Even Better

Blue Blood: Duke-Carolina: Inside the Most Storied Rivalry in College Hoops

Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

History of Sports | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0312327870
Release Date: 2005-10-20

Book Description

In Blue Blood, veteran journalist and author Art Chansky examines the Duke-Carolina rivalry as it has evolved over the last fifty years. This is not the worn formula of a season inside a program; rather, its a detailed and colorful study of the greatest competition in college sports, which now pits two of the best coaches in the nation against each other. Its also a look at a maniacal subculture that has fans who camp out for weeks just to get tickets to the seasonal match-ups. And most important, its the story behind the story, with never-been-told details that could only be written by an insiderwith unparalleled access to both schoolswho has covered the rivalry for more than thirty years. Blue Blood is the first and only book to ever chronicle the past, present and future of what has become a cultural phenomenon in this country.

Customer Reviews:

Chansky's definitive take on the Tobacco Road rivalry.......2007-07-22

This completes Chansky's trilogy-of-sorts on North Carolina basketball; he had previously written "The Dean's List" and "Dean's Domain," both about former UNC Coach Dean Smith. In the time-honored tradition of "never throwing anything anyway," Chansky includes many of the same anecdotes that graced his earlier books, but, to be fair, he goes into more detail in most cases. He also surveys a wider field than previously, tracing the history of the Duke-UNC rivalry from the earliest times to the present (2004-05 season). There are some factual errors that might have been eliminated with greater editorial diligence, such as the misidentification of Jim Nantz as the lead announcer on the famous Duke-Kentucky East Regional final of 1992. (It was actually Verne Lundquist, and no, it's not that hard to check, since clips from that game appear constantly during CBS' broadcasts of Tournament action.) The book is very thorough and, though it displays a slight bias towards UNC, does do a reasonably even-handed job of detailing the highs and lows of the love-hate relationships between the geographical and athletic rivals. It's definitely a good choice for the college basketball fan's permanent library.

No Insights, No New Stories, and No Need to Buy.......2007-03-25

Recommendation: If you're shopping for a "starter" book for new basketball fan (say, an 11 year-old daughter or nephew), then Chansky's book covers all the bases. However, if you are familiar with the basic narrative, this book offers nothing of value. John Feinstein's Last Dance: Behind the Scenes at the Final Four touches briefly on the rivalry, but provides spectacular insight, interviews, and analysis in the NCAA Tournament.

Mr. Chansky missed an opportunity to chronicle the evolution of players, coaching philosophies, fans, and high profile college athletic departments with his pedantic recycling of the intertwined Duke and UNC basketball histories. This book reads like a college freshman term paper; the same formula for every chapter, no original source material, and an utter lack of analysis. With most the impact players from both programs still alive and lucid, Chansky could have interviewed Amaker, Bilas, both Capels, Cota, Hurley, Fox, Reid, Parks, Montross, etc and harvested their memories or impressions of how those two (or three) games per year changed the atmosphere of campuses, the adjoining towns, and their seasons for a given year. Instead, Chansky quoted a few program secretaries and called it a day. Those player insights would have provided added depth and detail to this shell of statistics and old Sports Illustrated stories. Instead, the reader churns through fluff and "classic" stories, but is left unfulfilled.

Balanced view of the rivalry.......2007-02-08

Even though it's written by a UNC grad, "Blue Blood" is a very interesting and seemingly balanced book on the UNC-Duke rivalry. As a Duke fan, I was afraid that this would be just another "we are superior because we are carolina" book, but it's not. Great insight.

Tar Heel Sports History Revealed.......2007-01-12

Blue Blood: Duke-Carolina by Art Chansky was requested by my husband for Christmas. He is really enjoying this book and even reads it aloud to me when some amazing facts unknown to us about Carolina and Duke are noted. We both have gleaned some very interesting information, laughed at funny situations and marveled at the actions of the people written about. Most all Carolina fans will truly enjoy reading and owning this book. Duke fans and other ACC schools can also experience the history and lore of these two great college basketball rivals!!!

Updated Paperback Even Better.......2006-12-06

As good as the original (hard cover) Blue Blood is, the paperback edition is even better because it updates (with a new Chapter 1 and Postscript) everything that happened in the rivalry since the book first came out in November, 2005 -- the entire 2006 season, including Carolina's stunning upset of Duke in Durham, the most recent recruiting news at both schools and an insightful explanation of how the Duke Basketball brand impacted the lacrosse scandal. Even for those who have the hard cover, the paperback is well worth the purchase and the read.

Blue Blood (The Chevalier Galeran Medieval Mysteries)

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Medieval Mayhem

Blue Blood (The Chevalier Galeran Medieval Mysteries)
Viviane Moore
Manufacturer: Orion Books Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0575403195

Book Description

Chartres, 1145. Ten years earlier, a fire destroyed the town, and the culprit is yet to be found. While passing through Chartres, the Chevalier Galeran de Lesneven is drawn into the mystery surrounding the drowning of a man, which curiously harkens back to the fire a decade earlier. In an effort to discover the truth, Galeran lives among the master craftsmen and artisans who are painstakingly rebuilding the cathedral. There, he falls in love with Dame Ausanne, a beautiful young physician. Laden with fascinating detail, including maps and recipes, this first Chevalier Galeran mystery contains not a hint of the modern world. A seamless medieval tale of betrayal and bloody revenge.

Customer Reviews:

Medieval Mayhem.......2004-11-23

The knight Galerean is travelling through Chartres when he becomes embroiled in the mystery of a man who has been found drowned. The death seems in some way to be entwined with a fire that took place in the town 10 years earlier.
To try to get to the bottom of the mystery Galeran stays in the town and mingles with the artisans who are rebuilding the catherdral there.
While trying to unravel the mystery he has a dalliance with Dame Ausanne a young physician.
The plot is well thought out and keeps you interested throughout the book.
Interestingly the author has included some medieval recipes for the reader to try and they look very appetising.

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