Pilots Choice

Amazon.com

Lee and Miller mix a compelling fictional society governed by a strict code of honor with romantic, funny, touchingly real characters and great storytelling in Pilots Choice. Its two tales are prequels to Partners in Necessity, the long-awaited reprinting of their first three novels, Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, and Carpe Diem. You need not have read their other books before diving into this one. But be warned: you may read straight through until you've finished the sequel to Partners, Plan B.

In Local Custom, Er Thom yos'Galen is at odds with his duty: to match with a proper Liaden bride and provide clan Korval with an heir. His mother observes, "You have consistently refused every contract-alliance the head of your line has brought to your attention for the past three years. Permit me to wonder why."

Er Thom can't forget Terran scholar Anne Davis, though they agreed to part. Revisiting her one last time he finds Shan yos'Galen, his son. Shan needs Liaden training and Korval needs his skills. Anne loves Er Thom and knows he risks his melant'i (honor, reputation) if he takes a Terran wife. But she won't be parted from her son.

Er Thom and Anne are aided by Er Thom's cousin and foster brother, the Delm (head) of Korval, Daav yos'Phelium. Scout's Progress finds Daav facing contract-marriage himself. Then he meets Aelliana Caylon, a gifted mathematician who needs a pilot's license. Daav becomes her copilot and instructor. Aelliana begins to plan a future far from Liad and her sadistic older brother, Ran Eld, heir to the Delm of her clan. She doesn't know that her friend Daav can't leave with her, and is promised to another woman.

These are SF and fantasy books. Lee and Miller are master world-builders: the pilot culture, the intricate web of Liaden custom, the portrayals of the "three" races (Liaden, Terran, and Yxtrang), and the detailed history gradually revealed all attest to their skills. Moreover, there's plenty of action and adventure here, and no painfully graphic sex scenes. If you enjoy witty banter between characters, social and political intrigue, and "tales of love and glory" set in intergalactic space, don't miss these books. --Nona Vero

Book Description

Lee and Miller mix a compelling fictional society governed by a strict code of honor with romantic, funny, touchingly real characters and great storytelling in "Pilots Choice". Its two tales are prequels to "Partners in Necessity", the long-awaited reprinting of their first three novels, Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, and Carpe Diem. You need not have read their other books before diving into this one. But be warned: you may read straight through until you've finished the sequel to Partners, "Plan B". In Local Custom, Er Thom yos'Galen is at odds with his duty: to match with a proper Liaden bride and provide clan Korval with an heir. His mother observes, "You have consistently refused every contract-alliance the head of your line has brought to your attention for the past three years. Permit me to wonder why." Er Thom can't forget Terran scholar Anne Davis, though they agreed to part. Revisiting her one last time he finds Shan yos'Galen, his son. Shan needs Liaden training and Korval needs his skills. Anne loves Er Thom and knows he risks his melant'i (honor, reputation) if he takes a Terran wife. But she won't be parted from her son. Er Thom and Anne are aided by Er Thom's cousin and foster brother, the Delm (head) of Korval, Daav yos'Phelium. Scout's Progress finds Daav facing contract-marriage himself. Then he meets Aelliana Caylon, a gifted mathematician who needs a pilot's license. Daav becomes her copilot and instructor. Aelliana begins to plan a future far from Liad and her sadistic older brother, Ran Eld, heir to the Delm of her clan. She doesn't know that her friend Daav can't leave with her, and is promised to another woman.

Customer Reviews:

Great Story in Liaden Universe.......2005-10-01

I am new to the Liaden universe and have, over the past several weeks, read all the novels I could get my hands on. "Pilots Choice" was my first introduction to the novels and I found both stories very entertaining, containing action, romance and humor. Being a hugh fan of Georgette Heyer, having read all of her work, I was drawn to the Liaden stories when another reviewer made an anaolgy between the two styles of writing. I highly recommend Pilots Choice for anyone who enjoys a great story, with interesting characters, who you can get to know quickly. Highest praise to Sharon Lee & Steve Miller - why can't we find these great books at our local book store?

Absolutely Wonderful - Don't Miss This One!.......2004-01-30

Pilot's Choice is an omnibus of two novels: Local Custom & Scout's Progress, both of which are prequels to Partners in Necessity.

Local Custom: Er Thom yos'Galan, Master Trader and Heir to Clan Korval knew his duty to his clan - to provide the Clan with a child of his own body. He also knew that he could never offer a contract wife the care and attention his honor demanded until he had seen Anne Davis one last time. Then he would seek the Healers on Liad and they would erase all of his memories of the woman who had captured his heart...

Anne, a Terran and brilliant linguist had met Er Thom years before and had a wonderful affair with him, falling head over heels in love, but knowing that he would leave her, as he had. What Anne did not tell Er Thom was that she bore his child, her precious Shan. She never expected to see Er Thom again and was stunned when he walked in to her apartment. They both found that their love was as deep and fierce as it had ever been and Er Thom found that he did not know how to say goodbye. Then Shan returned home and Er Thom found himself with an even bigger problem than before. For Shan was Er Thom's heir, but as a half Liaden, half Terran, there was no guarantee that he would be accepted by the Clan and the Tho'Delm, Er Thom's mother. Er Thom knew that there would be a sacrifice to make in the time ahead of him, a sacrifice that would rip his heart to shreds. For the tho'Delm had rejected Shan and refused to even consider that Er Thom had a future with Anne and so he was faced with the difficult choice of weighing his honor and the honor of his clan against the love he could not live without...

Scout's Progress: Aelliana Caylon learned the hard way that she was powerless in her Clan. At first, she tried to defy her brother, Van Eld, when he attempted to exercise his authority over her as the next Delm, but after her first and only contract marriage to Van Eld's abusive friend, Aelliana no longer rebelled. She learned to feign meekness and remain quiet except when she was teaching her advanced math class to the irrepressible pilots in training at the academy. She had value at the university and was readily acknowledged as one of the most brilliant mathematicians of her day. When one of her pilot students convinced her to play a game of chance at a new gaming palace, Aelliana used her math skills to beat the cardshark and found herself the proud owner of a ship - and her chance to leave Liaden forever...

But before Aelliana could leave Liaden, she had to get her pilot's license. Luckily, she was docked at Binjali's, where the pilots were irreverent and surprising, but genuinely friendly. Before she knew it, Aelliana found herself adopted in to a kind of family where her skills were valued and her opinion was asked. She quickly found herself looking forward to her lessons with Master Pilot Daav, who challenged her to become more and to take risks. What she did not know was that her quirky co-pilot was in fact Daav yos'Phelium, the Delm of Korval and arguably the most powerful man on the planet. She also did not know that Daav was in negotiations for a contract marriage or she never would have let herself fall in love with him....

I found the Liaden culture fascinating and loved learning more about the customs and mindset of these people. Lee and Miller have done a fabulous job at creating this universe and making their characters absolutely believable. I loved all of the characters and felt that I could identify with all of them in a different way. All of them have their strengths and weaknesses and all of them had their own part to play in the game. Although the romance of the two main characters in each book is a large part of the plot, the world building, the characterization, attention to detail and the excellent quality of writing kept me absolutely riveted - I couldn't put this book down!

Good Start.......2003-12-02

This was my first foray into the Liaden universe and I can honestly say I enjoyed it immensely. Both novels had me hooked by the last 100 pages of each. This book does a good job of forming the universe, I feel like I have an understanding of the conventions in which the characters have to work. My disclaimer for this review is that I like SF not necessarily Romance.

At first I thought I would prefer Scout's Progress to Local Custom because SP on the surface has more SF elements to its plotting. After reading both, I actually preferred LC to SP. It is primarily due to the fact that LC has superior characterizations and a more engaging premise. All in all for me, a well written, richly detailed and superb characterization is more important than which genre fits best.

The Liaden universe (at least in these 2 novels) is filled w/ damsels in distress and knights in shining armor. A little cliched for my tastes especially SP. I find myself wondering about the misogynistic undertones of the stories. I will definitely read more in the series before coming to any conclusions, however, these two books are definitely leaning in that direction.

An interesting read, but I believe I haven't read the best that these authors have to offer yet. I am looking forward to reading them more.

You'll keep coming back..........2003-07-18

...to this amazing universe. I have read this particualr omnibus, (as well as Partners in Necessity) probably 4 times in the past year-and-a-half, not only for the sheer enjoyment of the stories but for the added insights/revelations I continue to glean about the main characters and their world(s). The authors have done a fabulous job of character/society/world-building that immerses the reader completely.
Admittedly, I initially favored "Scout's Progress" over "Local Custom", but my most recent rereading made me realize that although each is a fine stand alone novel in its own right, the two complement and complete each other perfectly, much like Er Thom and Anne, Daav and Aelianna. I have become increasingly selective of the titles I purchase; I love books that I get the urge to pick up and read again every year or so. These have me diving back in within a matter of months. Buy this series if you enjoy intelligent, rollicking space opera, romantic but not cloyingly so, with an undercurrent of ever-present danger and potential violence.

Addendum: To be fair, there were one or two small plot holes that I felt weren't adequately resolved, but in the overall scheme of things, the excellent storytelling renders them insignificant.

Very Good! Very, Very Good!.......2003-04-24

PILOTS CHOICE is a compilation of two independent novels, LOCAL CUSTOM and SCOUT' PROGRESS. What can be said of these two stories?! For those of you, like me, new or unfamiliar to the Liaden Universe created by Ms. Lee and Mr. Miller all I can say is be welcome! Loaded with romance, adventure, action and just a bit of comedy these stories have everything for the escapist in you.

The universe created here is wonderfully new and fresh. The characters interesting, likable and extremely well constructed. The romance, yes I like romance so there, is hart tugging, believable and, well, fun!

Although these are two independent novels they SHOULD be read together and I'll bet after you finish you won't be able to wait to get your hands on PARTNERS IN NECESSARY (even better than PILOTS CHOICE!) These are great stories that shouldn't be missed.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! You bet!

PS: If you can't find a copy try bn.com.

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want to stay young?

A scientific approach to the fountain of middle age

bogomaka

For a longer, healthier and happier life

Growing Older Does Not Mean Aging

The Life Extension Revolution: The New Science of Growing Older Without Aging
Philip Lee Miller , and Monica Reinagel
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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The Anti-Aging Revolution: Stopping the Clock for a Younger, Sexier, Happier You!

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ASIN: 0553384015
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Book Description

For the first time the lay public can benefit from the anti-aging secrets discovered by the Life Extension Foundation, the world’s largest, most respected organization dedicated to anti-aging research. Working with the Life Extension Foundation, renowned anti-aging physician Philip Lee Miller shows you how to retain your physical health and vigor, mental clarity, and youthful appearance–for life.

This groundbreaking book translates cutting-edge anti-aging advances into a practical, easy-to-use program that will maximize your chances of living not only a long life–but a healthy, vibrant life. Drawing on his own clinical experience as well as the latest research from the Life Extension Foundation, Dr. Miller demystifies the aging process and provides you with:

•Detailed strategies integrating the most advanced mainstream therapies with nutrients, hormones, and holistic approaches from around the world
•A comprehensive plan to protect yourself from cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease at the cellular level by controlling inflammation and oxidation–two degenerative processes that cause us to age prematurely
•A guide to individualizing this lifesaving program, including the Longevity Diet for maximum vitality and effortless weight loss and a unique supplement regimen–plus how to use medical tests to monitor your progress
•An inspiring vision of the future of life extension science and what your future will be like without disease, premature death and aging–with novel strategies to help you get there

This far-reaching anti-aging program will change your life forever. Like many of Dr. Miller’s patients, your physical and mental health will actually soar as you age chronologically. Your new longer, healthier life begins now as you embark on The Life Extension Revolution.

Customer Reviews:

want to stay young?.......2007-02-01

hits pretty hard on the medical community but has some really innovative ideas on supplements to keep you young. Well worth having as part of your "medical" library

A scientific approach to the fountain of middle age.......2006-03-11

Herein lies the biochemistry of aging and the steps you can take to slow it down. It isn't simply a matter of finding a multivitamin, exercisiing and hoping fate keeps at bay. It's a matter of premeditatedly taking action to keep your systems running at full efficiency and carefully monitoring your bloodwork to make sure you're on target. In terms off all you spend to stay healthy, and will spend for medical intervention - this information is virtually free. I put a lot of energy into my health and found this information life changing.

bogomaka.......2006-02-27

the only scientifically pliable book on the market. shure the topic of anti aging is complex. but get over it. the author tried hard to explain the "process" of anti-aging in as least encyclopedical terms possible. thanks. the other way aroung wuold be a magic bullet or some sort of miracle. but i guess you are a grown up. miracles dont happen. we have to do our part.

For a longer, healthier and happier life.......2006-01-01

This brilliant book from the cutting edge Life Extension Foundation reveals the promise of anti-aging medicine and provides a complete programme of lifestyle, supplements etc. to stay biologically young and healthy.

Anti-aging medicine takes an approach built on the principles of functionality, prevention, holism and integration. The authors discuss the reasons for aging, like cellular programming, biochemistry, environmental influences, heredity and lifestyle factors.

The good news is that we can now correct, reduce and compensate for metabolic and biochemical changes that take place as we age. Some of the treatments include the use of bio-identical hormone replacement, the use of a wide array of nutrients, herbs and pharmaceuticals, plus lifestyle and dietary changes.

This book provides practical and user-friendly programmes whereby you can easily benefit from the spectacular advances in anti-aging medicine in order to live a longer, fuller and happier life. It includes detailed information on how to protect yourself from heart disease, cancer, arthritis and Alzheimer's disease through the control of inflammation and oxidation.

There is also plenty of advice and information on retaining and increasing brainpower and mental clarity. Diagrams and charts enhance the text and the book concludes with extensive references and appendices to the latest research.

The Life Extension Revolution is very thorough and detailed and makes the latest research findings accessible to the average person. I also recommend Renewal by Timothy J Smith, The Superhormone Promise by William Regelson, The New Anti-Aging Revolution: Stopping The Clock by Ronald Klatz and Mind Boosters by Ray Sahelian.

Growing Older Does Not Mean Aging.......2005-12-25

In LIFE EXTENSION, Dr. Philip Miller explodes the notion that good health means simply the absence of clear disease. To Miller, good health means optimal health, a condition which ought to allow each person to defy the belief that advancing age must be accompanied by those infirmities that historically have accompanied advancing years. Dr. Miller suggests that the desire to live long and prosper involves accepting the notion that an extended and joyously healthy life must involve some serious tinkering with one's hormonal system. He recommends that most would be Methuselahs not only know which supplements to take (DHEA is a favorite of his), but also which ratios of bodily chemistries hold significance. This is a daunting task, but a necessary one. Miller further spends much print on how to slow disease on the cellular level. It is here that he goes into detail about those antioxidants with which most reader are familiar: vitamin C and E, Alpha Lipoic Acid, CoQ10, and the like. One gets the feeling that Miller intends the reader to grasp the concept that an extended life span is a multi-faceted affair requiring an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the intricacies of the human body. And it truly is. Still, as comprehensive as his text is, he necessarily had to focus on the hormonal and nutritional supplement aspect of long life. His chapter on diet is bedrock but brief. For readers who wish a more detailed discussion on dietary advice, I recommend RENEWAL by Timothy Smith, who approaches life extension from a dietary viewpoint. Dr. Miller in his LIFE EXTENSION has set forth a no nonsense but highly attainable regimin that, when followed closely, will truly allow the reader to accomlish in real life what is promised in print.

Researching Life Stories and Family Histories (Introducing Qualitative Methods series)

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Researching Life Stories and Family Histories (Introducing Qualitative Methods series)
Robert Lee Miller
Manufacturer: Sage Publications Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0761960929

Book Description

`A comprehensive, balanced and judicious treatment of biographical methods in social research, made all the more useful to students by its careful delineation of the practicalities involved' - Raymond M Lee, Royal Holloway, University of London

Specifically designed for those carrying out biographical, life history or family history research, this concise guide covers the methods and issues involved.

The author demonstrates that biographical research is a distinctive way of conceptualizing social activity. The three main approaches to biographical and family history research are covered:

- Realist - focused around grounded-theory techniques of interviewing;

- Neo-positivist - more structured interview techniques;

- Narrative - with emphasis on the active construction of life stories through the interplay between interviewer and interviewee.

An invaluable introduction to the field, which contains much that will be of interest to the experienced practitioner, the book will be ideal for researchers in sociology, psychology, political science, social policy or anthropology.

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Departures

Departures: Three Books in One (Christy Miller)

amazing

What a great book !

I liked it.

Departures: Three Books in One (Christy Miller)

Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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From the Secret Place in My Heart: The Diary of Christy Miller

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Hold On Tight/Closer Than Ever/Take My Hand (The Sierra Jensen Series 10-12) (Sierra Jensen Collection, Volume 4)

ASIN: 0764222716

Book Description

From Robin Jones Gunn, bestselling author of The Christy Miller Series and the Sierra Jensen Series, and Wendy Lee Nentwig, author of the popular Unmistakably Cooper Ellis series, comes Departures-

In "Now Boarding at Gate 10," it's the summer after Christy Miller's high school graduation, and she's still hurting from Todd's recent departure. Her plans for a relaxing summer are interrupted when she and her family fly to Wisconsin for her grandparents' fiftieth wedding anniversary. But her time in the Midwest turns out to be more than she'd bargained for when someone from her past shows a romantic interest in her. Will her summer vacation change the course of her future forever?

In "Please Pick Up the White Courtesy Phone," Cooper Ellis and her best friend, Claire, are flying to Seattle to spend the Fourth of July with Cooper's aunt Penny. The girls can hardly believe how perfectly everything goes upon their arrival: Penny is the best letting them explore the city, eat whatever they want, and practice driving her car. But Cooper and Claire take their newfound freedom too far one night, and it costs them much more than they'd bargained for. Will Cooper have to leave Seattle, and Penny, without resolution amongst her family?

"In The Event of a Water Landing" finds fifteen-year-old Sierra Jensen on a fast-paced vacation to Montana with her friend Janna. But her trip turns sour when Janna seems to have time only for guys. Sierra is concerned about Janna's all-consuming interest in having a boyfriend. Why can't Sierra find friends to just hang out with? Will all her relationships revolve around guys? Sierra must discover the key to a faith that will keep her happy, even when others constantly disappoint her.

Customer Reviews:

Departures.......2007-01-18

My daughter is a HUGE Robin Gunn fan and devoured this book in two days.

Departures: Three Books in One (Christy Miller).......2005-10-03

this book was in excellent condition. And the book itself content wise was great!

amazing.......2002-02-22

Robin Jones Gunn has some amazing books and i can't wait until she writes her next book! I have all the christy miller books and the sierra jensen books. When I read the books I have to keep reading until the end. I can't put them down. I want to know what happens next. I sometimes stay up until 2am reading them, and i have school the next day. They are so gripping! Anyone who isn't sure whether to buy them Go ahead, because yo won't regret it. I want to know...what happens to Sierra and Paul in college? Please write the next books. I'm dieing to know!!!!

What a great book !.......2001-02-05

I really liked this book.It was very good.What a great way to combine three stories about three girls,and their faith in God.I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Robin Jones Gunn. I liked the whole book.On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this book a 10+ !

I liked it........2000-08-17

It was great. I just missed Todd in the Christy Miller one. I absolutely loved the Sierra Jensen story. Cooper Ellis was pretty good, but it wasn't that great in my opinion. Maybe because she didn't have a guy in there...I don't know.

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This is the next great series by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller!
loved it & glad there is to be more
so-so
Not Liaden, but satisfying nonetheless
W-O-W-! This is not one to miss!

Tomorrow Log
Sharon Lee , and Steve Miller
Manufacturer: Meisha Merlin Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1892065878

Book Description

The #1 Science Fiction Trade Paperback in America, March 2003! -Locus Magazine Meanwhile, on another side of the universe... Freelance thief Gem ser'Edreth makes the calculated mistake of turning down a commission from the local crime boss. Gem's hidden past proves an unexpected liability as his plans to leave the planet go catastrophically awry. Suddenly embroiled in interplanetary politics, and a potential interstellar war, in possession of a Trident, a mysterious, ancient object of power and an unwanted cousin, Gem discovers that the Trident may hold the key to his salvation-or his undoing.

Customer Reviews:

This is the next great series by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller!.......2006-07-29

No, The Tomorrow Log isn't set in the Liaden Universe. But don't let that stop you from mining the riches you'll find in this book. The Tomorrow Log is replete with relentless excitement, derring-do exploits, mystical elements, an understated romance, and the authors' trademark diverse socio/cultural touches.

Gem ser'Edreth is an electronics ace by nature and an independent thief by trade. He has very few ties to anyone and prefers to exist on the fringes of civilization, under the radar of the law. His preferred companions are his tiny robotic spider constructs, which are invaluable in reconnoitering and infiltrating many potential "jobs."

Gem's status quo changes when the beautiful and lethal Corbinye Faztherot - scout, mediator, and assassin for the GenerationShip Gardenspot - shows up and claims kinship with Gem (they're cousins) and tells him that he is the long-lost Captain predicted in the Tomorrow Log to steer the Gardenspot past its greatest peril and then onward to bigger and better things for Ship and Crew. But Gem dismisses her, an act which he also repeats time and again with Lady Belaconto, a chieftain of the planetary crime syndicate, who wants to commission Gem into stealing a legendary artifact in order to control the trade of a rare drug.

The tension is ratcheted up when Belaconto sniffs out Gem's familial ties with Corbinye and has her kidnapped and held as hostage until Gem undertakes and completes her commission. Little does Gem realize that the theft of the mystical Bindalche Trident will catapult him and Corbinye into a rousing, high-stakes adventure foretold by a prophecy centuries past.

This is the first entry in the Gem ser'Edreth series. The upcoming sequel is titled Web of the Trident, which hopefully will be out soon (the authors' blog says maybe around April/May 2007?). As usual, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller make for a wonderful, highly entertaining read. I was totally engrossed in The Tomorrow Log and finished it in one sitting. This book found me marvelling once again at the authors' talent for intricate world-building. Given time, Gem's universe might prove to be as entrancing as the Liaden Universe. Gem and Corbinye turn out to be as captivating, resourceful and heroic as Val Con and Miri. They certainly ingratiate themselves with the reader. Gem's cute techno-spiders make good supporting players, as Lee & Miller invest them with almost human characteristics. The valiant golden-eyed Spider Number Fifteen may well be my favorite secondary character.

This is a very promising start to what hopefully will be a memorable series. It's similar to the Liaden Universe in terms of its space opera scope and sensibilities. But at this juncture, The Tomorrow Log doesn't resonate as well with the fans. But, give it time...Anyways, four and a half stars.

loved it & glad there is to be more.......2006-04-01

I just now finished Tomorrow Log. It was good to once again read intelligent, plausible and human SF (of which there is all too little). I am also very glad to have just found out that there is an upcoming sequel to this one, which I hope will be available soon, because a lot could happen next, and I want to know what that is ASAP!

so-so.......2005-07-30

THe book was a little too long even though its short. I read it, but did not really enjoy it. I am hoping when I re-read it in a couple of months I will find it more interesting.

Not Liaden, but satisfying nonetheless.......2005-07-28

I recommend the authors' Liaden series; most characters are well developed and interesting. I bought Tomorrow Log assuming it was a new Liaden installment, and was disappointed to find this was not set in that universe. Nevertheless, the first few pages grabbed me, and I stayed up way too late because I couldn't put the book down. Thanks, Lee & Miller!

W-O-W-! This is not one to miss!.......2004-12-03

Gem ser'Edreth is a wizard with electronics and a freelance thief. He is a loner by choice. The only help he wants is that given to him by the small robot spiders he creates. These little fellows help him enter computers via cracks to take it over or steal data, help check for traps, pick locks, even crawl into rooms and spy.

Lady Saxony Belaconto is a planetary crime boss. She wants an ancient object, a Trident, that would allow her to control the hesernym trade. She seeks Gem out with a commission to steal it. Of course, he refuses. Being a loner no one has any hold over him. Persistent, the crime boss waits and watches. Then she learns Gem has a cousin.

Corbinye Faztherot, if you ask the people who live on land "Grounders", is an assassin. If you ask the people who live on ships "Worldwalkers", she is a seeker. Her duty is to bring back the ship's Captain-to-be so that his Crew (A.K.A. family) may know him and he may be about the business for which he was foretold in "The Tomorrow Log".

Gem suddenly finds himself embroiled in interplanetary politics, a potential interstellar war, a ship filled with an unwanted Crew, and in possession of an ancient object of power and its Witness. Things will never be the same.

***** W-O-W-! When authors Sharon Lee and Steve Miller team up marvelous things happen! This is one of those rare books that hook the reader, not in the first chapter or on the first page, but in the first sentence which contains only nine words. I eagerly await the next in this fabulous series! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

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Flapper finds her Destiny in World War II
Learned so much!
"Lost her looks."
A Glamorous Enigma
Good introduction to Miller and her Surrealist friends

Lee Miller: A Life
Carolyn Burke
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Artists, Architects & Photographers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0375401474
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Book Description

A trenchant yet sympathetic portrait of Lee Miller, one of the iconic faces and careers of the twentieth century.

Carolyn Burke reveals Miller as a multifaceted woman: both model and photographer, muse and reporter, sexual adventurer and mother, and, in later years, gourmet cook—the last of the many dramatic transformations she underwent during her lifetime. A sleek blond bombshell, Miller was part of a glamorous circle in New York and Paris in the 1920s and 1930s as a leading Vogue model, close to Edward Steichen, Charlie Chaplin, Jean Cocteau, and Pablo Picasso. Then, during World War II, she became a war correspondent—one of the first women to do so—shooting harrowing images of a devastated Europe, entering Dachau with the Allied troops, posing in Hitler’s bathtub.

Burke examines Miller’s troubled personal life, from the unsettling photo sessions during which Miller, both as a child and as a young woman, posed nude for her father, to her crucial affair with artist-photographer Man Ray, to her unconventional marriages. And through Miller’s body of work, Burke explores the photographer’s journey from object to subject; her eye for form, pattern, and light; and the powerful emotion behind each of her images.

A lushly illustrated story of art and beauty, sex and power, Modernism and Surrealism, independence and collaboration, Lee Miller: A Life is an astute study of a fascinating, yet enigmatic, cultural figure.

Customer Reviews:

Flapper finds her Destiny in World War II.......2007-10-15

Like so many individuals over the ages, Lee Miller grew up in a relatively small community in what the media currently refers to as "Fly Over Country." A member of a talented middle class family, she enjoyed every advantage that her parents could provide, which was considerable. From an early age she displayed a thirst for adventure. She fled to Paris to study and fell in love with the Latin Quarter before returning to America. Moving to New York City she stepped into the path of and on-coming car and was pulled to safety by a well-dressed stranger. In shock, Lee babbled in French causing the stranger, Conde Nast, to take a closer look at the young woman he'd just rescued. He was impressed and asked her if she would like to come to work for one of his magazines--Vogue.
At age of 19 Lee became a cover girl for Vogue and was dubbed the embodiment of the modern girl. She was the official model for the legendary "flapper." Soon she was in demand by most of the most famous photographers in America including Edward Steichen and Arnold Genthe. Tiring of being just a New York celebrity-model Lee was soon back in Paris where in a single day she became the mistress, model, muse and student of photographer Man Ray. Through him she became a member of the Surrealists and lived and moved among the great artists living and working in Montparnasse at the time.
Her early associations with these world famous artists would change her life. Under Man Ray's tutelage she slowly began a transformation from being in front of the camera to being behind it. She eventually received additional photographic training at the Clarence White School along with another soon-to-be-famous woman photographer Margaret Bourke-White.
After marrying a wealthy Egyptian and going slightly crazy as a member of the "Black Satin & Pearls" expatriates living in Cairo, Lee found her mission in life by another unlikely event rivaling her earlier "Grace Kelly-like" discovery by Conde Nast. World War II broke out while Lee awaited its predicted arrival in London. Unbelievably she was soon working as a war photographer for Vogue magazine. Through her good looks, charm, talent and stealth she was soon the only woman photographer covering the front lines of the European battlefront.
World War II was the highlight of Lee's photography career. She took to being a successful war correspondent like a duckling takes to water. She was tireless, talented, resourceful and finally fulfilled through accomplishing important work. Changed by her war experiences, she never quite received the same sense of satisfaction for her later work, but she was no longer as restless after having fulfilled some indefinable need in her personality. For a beautiful woman (Picasso painted six bare breasted portraits of her during one summer), she was able to shake off the handicap of being a NY celebrity and actually accomplishes some important work that fulfilled her innermost needs. She was no longer just Lady Penrose, but her own person with her own considerable accomplishments. When Queen Elizabeth knighted her husband fellow Surrealist Roland Penrose in 1966, it didn't turn her into a snob. She sometimes jokingly referred to herself as "Lady Lee of Poughkeepsie." There is a lot of humor in this biography. Here are two choice lines, paraphrased, neither of them by Lee: ..."brevity is the soul of lingerie" (Dottie Parker) and on the subject of a new brand of women's underwear for the well-dressed wartime English women, "One Yank and they come right off."
"The Art of Lee Miller" by Mark Haworth-Booth is an excellent companion book to Burke's biography because it reproduces many of the photographs discussed, but not shown in the biography. Lee Miller was notable for her beauty, her famous artist friends, her photography, her sense of humor and her infamous sexual exploits. Except for a few boring moments during her "Black Satin & Pearls" experience in Egypt, this exhaustively researched book is difficult to put aside. During the hours spent reading the WW II segments I would stop reading and find myself disoriented to be back in the present time and not on the European battlefields. That's powerful writing at work.
Lee Miller was much more than Vogue's personification of the "quintessential flapper." The reader can have fun comparing the Vogue cover of 19-year-old Lee as the epitome of the stylish modern New York woman with another picture of her washing off six-weeks of hard-won war correspondent grime while bathing in Hitler's personal bathtub in his captured Munich home. Unfortunately, she reported the bath reminded her too much of her recent, terrifying photo coverage of the liberation of Dachau and it's "bathhouse gas chambers."

Learned so much!.......2007-05-01

Our book club selected this and NONE of us were disappointed. And we had two photo books from the library to supplement our evening--which I highly recommend.

Personally, I loved this book. Like other reviewers, I never felt I got to know who Lee Miller was. But this wasn't an autobiography; Lee Miller may well fit a profile of child sexual abuse (detached from her feelings); or she may not have been very in touch with her feelings or very demonstrative emotionally to begin with. Perhaps photography was her attachment...but this is a book review.

What Carolyn Burke does so well, is bring the history to life thru the eyes or lens of a very extraordinarily talented woman. The book has many photos in it as examples. But I long to see the photos Carolyn Burke went to such great detail to describe. Photos by Theodore and Ray Man as well as one's by Lee herself.

While portions of the book read more like text or a guest book of the A list, I also think, perhaps if fit with the detached, perhaps emotionally isolated Lee herself...This book takes the reader into a bit of the limelight of 20's New York and 30's Paris. A different perspective on WWII and our modern times since.

I was clueless before someone in my book club had the good sense to suggest this book, and we all had the good sense to read it! It sent me to the library for more information and photographs.

"Lost her looks." .......2006-06-16

I really enjoyed this book BUT FOR this little irritating phrase that cropped up throughout the last 1/4 of the book. If she "lost her looks," then...where did they go? The implicit observation seemed to be that, as she was no longer beautiful, she was no longer as special a person, and less worthy of our interest.

A Glamorous Enigma.......2006-05-08

Lee Miller is an enigma- though Carolyn Burke tells us a lot about her incredible life. As a biography, this is an honorable book. It is comprehensive and tells us about the fabulous life and career of a woman who participated in some of the most exciting times of the 20th century. From NY in the 20s to the Paris of Surrealists in the early 30s, back to NY and then to Egypt and the middle east. By this time Lee Miller was only 30 and some of her greatest adventures were ahead as Vogue's war correspondent and photographer during World War II in Europe. Her work continued during the immediate post war era and Ms. Burke's book illumniates some of the problems of post war Europe, which calls to mind some of the dislocation and problems currently in Iraq.
The portraits in the book make it clear that Lee Miller was a great beauty and the photos she took make it clear she was talented. Yet her precipitous decline after the war and her marriage to Roland Penrose is depressing and hard to figure out. As carefully as Ms. Burke's shares the facts of the book and even her occasional forays into trying to psychoanalyze Lee's motivation, I, like other reviewers found it hard to deciper who Lee really was. A great beauty, a madcap free spirit,a sexually free but emotionally closed woman, a deeply injured child of abuse, an alcohol abuser and indifferent mother to her only child could accurately describe her. Was she a victim of the post war attitudes towards women in the 1950s as she gave up her work to become an uber-housewife and chef in her English country home? It calls to my mind David Hare's play " Plenty" that portrayed the severe dislocation of a woman who had worked in France for the Resistance during WWII and then proceeded to destroy her life and injure those around her in the post war years. Ms. Burke suggest post traumatic stress as a source of Lee's post war problems. As one of the first people to photograph the concentration camps at the end of the war, Lee took breathtaking and disturbing images that affect us today- hard to imagine the affect of actually being there.
Most of the correspondence Ms.Burke quotes made it clear Lee Miller didn't share her deepest feelings with others in letters. Perhaps she didn't in person either- since her son only found out about her wartime work after her death when he discovered boxes of her negatives and photo work. She remains an enigma today. While this biography tells us about her, it can't unlock who she really was beneath the glamour and sadness of her life. I think there is a great movie here.

Good introduction to Miller and her Surrealist friends.......2006-03-12

This is a good way to get introduced to several cultural trends of the first half of the 20th century. Part gossip and part social history, it provides a glimpse into one of the interesting, high flying American lives especially when Miller is involved with the Surrealists in France in the 1930s and when she follows the Allied troops as they sweep up the Nazis. Miller is a very interesting character and Carolyn Burke seems to empathize with her many personal and professional issues. I found the structure of the book a little hard to follow. There are photographs spread throughout but not always in the places where you want to see them and it would have been better to have more photographs. There are also several places where Burke mentions some fairly significant event without following up. I found this book most useful as an overview of a tumultuous and confusing time in history seen through the life of one of the participants who seemed to be always in or near the center of things.

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A marvellous memento
A truly captivating, highly recommended gallery

Lee Miller: Portraits from a Life
Richard Calvocoressi
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0500285225

Book Description

In 1929, Lee Miller, already a legendary fashion model, left the United States to study photography in Paris. Here she became the disciple and lover of Man Ray, and she was soon taking on both portrait and fashion assignments for Vogue and running her own studio. The Second World War saw her as Vogue's war correspondent: she covered the siege of Saint Malo, the liberation of Paris, and the entry of the U.S. Army into the Dachau concentration camp. Her later years were spent in London and Sussex with her husband, the painter and writer Roland Penrose.

During her extraordinary life, Miller came into contact with an astonishing range of painters, sculptors, actors, writers, musicians, fashion designers, and socialites. Many became her friends and the subjects of her penetrating portraits. The finest of these photographs are collected together here, along with a selection of portraits of Miller herself, taken by other photographers. The images include not only Miller's highly perceptive and sympathetic studies of Pablo Picasso, Igor Stravinsky, Marlene Dietrich, Fred Astaire, and others but also her pictures of unsung individuals engaged in war work and powerful photographs of victims and perpetrators of Nazi oppression. 157 duotone illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

A marvellous memento.......2002-12-12

Now that we have definitively entered into a troubled 21st century, I am developing a weird kind of nostalgia for the equally troubled previous one. This book, a marvellous memento of the period between 1930 and 1960, does everything to fuel this ambiguous attraction.

With portraits of Chaplin, many of the leading Surrealists, Picasso, Stravinsky, T.S. Eliot, Dylan Thomas, Henry Moore and many others, Miller's twin eye Rolleiflex produces a very intimate view of the artistic scene in the middle of the 20th century. Some of the pictures were taken in the artist's studio, some in Miller's own studio, but most show the sitters informally and relaxed in mundane surroundings, weaving the mystery of artistic inspiration into the fabric of daily life. Whatever the context, Miller's portraits show the mark of a great artist, with composition, lighting and atmosphere invariably matched to the personality of the sitter. A great deal of her pictures are quite classical in conception, but many are spiced up with an occasional Surrealist wink.

The war pictures are a different matter. When Miller registers the ravages of this savage conflict, irony makes way for tragic grandeur. For example, the portrait of a Nazi suicide, daughther of the Leipzig Mayor, reconnects with the dramatic clair obscur of Carravaggio. Many of the images of wrens and ordinary service men reveal the quiet determination of people amidst a whirlwind of extreme violence. One of the most impressive pictures of this period, and in a sense an untypical one, depicts a murdered German prison guard floating in a canal bounding the Dachau camp, producing a mixture of the bucolic and the tragic which is very moving.

This book is beautifully produced and is a delight to hold in your hands. The captions that go with the pictures are well written and very informative. I would have wished for a more extensive lead essay by Richard Calvocoressi, but maybe we can find more information elsewhere. Pity also that the UK version of this book sports the Hein Heckroth portrait on its cover, which I do not find one of the most attractive pictures in this collection. But these minor quibbles do not detract for this valuable addition to my library.

A truly captivating, highly recommended gallery.......2002-12-08

Compiled and captioned by Richard Calvocoressi (Director of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh), Lee Miller: Portraits from a Life is an amazing collection of memorable and visually impressive black-and-white photographs taken by the extraordinary fashion model and professional photographer Lee Miller, who began to study the craft of capturing life with a camera in Paris during 1929. A complete range of Lee Miller's moving and inspirational photographs is presented, with each with a brief caption offering a little background on the setting and people. A significant contribution to any personal, professional, academic, or community library Photography reference collection, Lee Miller: Portraits From A Life a truly captivating, highly recommended gallery showcasing the work of a very remarkable and talented woman.

The Butterfly Handbook: The Definitive Reference for Every Enthusiast (Quarto Book)

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The Butterfly Handbook

The Butterfly Handbook: The Definitive Reference for Every Enthusiast (Quarto Book)
Lee D. Miller , Jacqueline Miller , Dr. Lee Miller , and Dr. Jacqueline Miller
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: 0764157140
Release Date: 2003-12-03

Book Description

This magnificently illustrated volume does double-duty as a field guide and a handsome reference volume. It shows more than 500 butterfly species and instructs nature lovers on how to identify each of them. Organized into the major butterfly family groups, the book's easy-reference format points out the key characteristics that identify each butterfly type, and describes its habitat, life cycle, and migration season. Every entry is presented with an at-a-glance guide to the butterfly's size, location of origin, and conservation status. A detailed color photo of each specimen clearly shows its unique, intricate markings. Nature lovers and butterfly collectors will find practical tips for locating and studying these beautiful and fragile insects in the wild. More than 500 magnificent color photos and reliable descriptive text combine to make this a must-own reference guide for butterfly enthusiasts everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

The Butterfly Handbook.......2007-06-07

This book has beautiful color photos; it is by far the best butterfly book I own. It contains detail information and facts of many butterflies. Furthermore, is easy to locate different species and is great for all ages.

Real-Life Math Investigations (Grades 5-8)

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Real-Life Math Investigations (Grades 5-8)
Martin Lee , and Marcia Miller
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0590963848

Book Description

30 Activities that Help Students Apply Mathematical Thinking to Real-Life Situations
This book answers the questions, "Why do I have to do math?" and "When will I ever use it?". Your students will learn how mathematics affects them every day as they tackle questions such as: What kind of ball rolls downhill the fastest? What's the tallest structure you can build that stands by itself? Students will eagerly dive into these 30 practical and exciting investigations that sharpen their reasoning powers, reveal their creativity, and help them apply math concepts‹all while having FUN! Geared to the NCTM Standards.

Laboratory Manual for Miller's Living in the Environment, Environmental Science, and Sustaining the Earth

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Laboratory Manual for Miller's Living in the Environment, Environmental Science, and Sustaining the Earth
C. Lee Rockett
Manufacturer: Wadsworth Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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