Cindy Brandner's "Exit Unicorns" is one of very few books I care to read a second time -- in this case, over and over again.

Her characters are precisely drawn -- strong, decisive, passionate -- and through their very strength and passion, used as pawns by those for whom Ireland's "troubles" are a smokescreen for another agenda.

The magnificently contrasting language -- rich and colorful for the wealthy Jamie, stark and spare for the renegade Casey -- is the first indicator of endless clashes, clashes of values, desires, ambitions, responsibilities. Visceral and provocative, Brandner's story plumbs the depths of anger, despair and loss. Dark shadows of political intrigue blur the lines between friend and foe, turn a blind eye to murder and rape. Even romance can be used to further "the cause."

Written from the poverty-stricken Catholic side of the conflict, the "other than official" version of history is placed in our grasp. The thousand year long machinations of a cruel, stubborn and stupid British governmental policy in regard to Ireland is clearly revealed as the real reason behind the bloodshed.

This is an important book, as a novel, as history, and as a much-needed means of shaping the world's conscience in relation to Ireland.

I acquired this book almost by accident, and have thanked my lucky shamrock for that fortunate chance ever since! Ms. Brandner has written a book that deserves reading - and re-reading. I was not altogether aware of the situation in Ireland and had little to base any opinion on. This wonderful book opens the eyes of the reader while educating as well. Not only does it introduce one to well defined, unforgettable characters, but it also leaves me thinking and wondering about the past, present, and future of the Emerald Isle.

Here is the readers' chance to be entertained and enlightened at the same time. Review the situation in mid-century Ireland while following the tour-guides of believable characters. The book deserves much more attention.

Cindy Brandner's Exit Unicorns is a complex novel set in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1968. Pamela, Jamie, and Casey are three people from very different backgrounds, but each is touched by personal tragedy and the violent times of the "troubles" that scarred Belfast. Three lives destined to collide, two men and a woman who each share different attachments to home and to country. Exit Unicorns is a dramatic and deftly woven novel of human growth and change, and of the soul of Ireland itself. Here is a riveting read filled with the politics of conflict, the drama of the human condition, the depth of character, and the story of mid-twentieth century Northern Ireland struggling from freedom and peace amidst the rubble of armed conflict and the politics of terrorism and suppression.

This was fabulous! The author clearly does NOT hate Puritans. She is objective, insightful. It's a treasure!

Ulrich succeeds in bringing to life the obscure and the mundane in a manner that intrigues and entertains. This is not a small feat given a subject that I thought would be somewhat dry. Rather than reading like a textbook, Ulrich targets the divisions of women's lives that Nancy Cott used, religion, sisterhood, domesticity, and marriage relations with a wit and wealth of facinating vingettes.

The only real issue I have with the book (aside from becoming a little dated twenty years on) is the title. People seem to assume that a book entitled 'Good Wives' is a type of antiquated self help manual, rather than a record of the Good wives of 17th and 18th Century America.

Good Wives sheds an illuminating light on the lives of early American women in New England. Ulrich does a great job in proving that these women's lives were far from static and submissive, a fact long lines of historians have never realized or have ignored. Of course, one reason New England's pre-colonial women have not been studied to any vast degree is the fact that primary (and even secondary) source material is almost nonexistent. For example, there is no female diary written before 1750. Ulrich deeply mines the sources that are extant and presents her findings in a way that is highly organized, richly detailed, and quite illuminating. Her main sources consist of court records, probate records, family papers (which include only a very small number of letters written by women), diaries of men, church records, and the contents of ministerial sermons. She is very careful to qualify the reliability and utility of each source, and, in a bibliographical essay, she points to the shortcomings of previous historical monographs that either ignored colonial women or dismissed their influence in colonial life.

Ulrich states that this book is a study of role definition, and she organizes her text around three role clusters associated with three Biblical women (an appropriate framework for the religious societies of colonial New England). Her three prototypes are Bathsheeba for economic affairs, Eve for sexual/reproductive matters, and Jael for matters of female aggression within the bounds of religion. Ulrich identifies and expounds upon the following roles for colonial New England women: housewife, deputy husband, consort, mother, mistress, neighbor, Christian, and--in some cases--heroism. While women were subservient to men, they could assert themselves to certain degrees within the social framework of life. For example, women commonly helped men with their work, conducted business matters in the place of a husband who was unavailable, oversaw the raising of all neighborhood children collectively, dominated the frequent occasions of childbirth, and indirectly exercised influence within the churches. In some of the most interesting material in the book, Ulrich examines the accounts of females captured by Indians. Although she finds significant differences between them in terms of their levels of submissiveness and aggression toward their captors, she develops a framework in which these differences can be understood within early New England society as a whole. The real magic of the book is its success in describing the normal, daily lives of women and comparing and contrasting the stories of those residing in urban centers, town outskirts, and frontier homes. While the lack of primary source material makes it impossible to know the true aspects of these pioneer New England women, Good Wives offers a sweeping yet individualized picture of an important part of colonial society in all its aspects, a society in which the boundaries of men and women did sometimes blur within the individual household.

In addition to the other comments made by earlier reviewers, with which I agree, this book provides an essential and extremely thoughtful look at the varied roles played by language and communication media in culture. During the brief narrative Jiles engages with film, theater, radio, television, newspapers, and several modern (English, French) and native (Cree, Ojibway) languages. She also transitions between "native" and modern technologies and living styles. Her extremely canny and wry observations on these phenomena provide more than they seem on first glance. This book is a deep meditation on the very nature of modernity, media and the social nature of language.

Paulette Jiles cast a wonderful spell over me with North Spirit, and when I awoke, I wanted to return to the world of the Cree and Ojibway: a world of simplicity, honesty, humour, community, connectedness, blessed silence. A world that perhaps never was in the white person's world. North Spirit comes at a time when I am shedding as much material wealth as possible. A time when I seek spirit within. A time when I would like to return to elders telling stories of the past, a time of magic. A time I would like to dwell in the northern woods. Paulette Jiles is magic, and she lyrically, poignantly shares her wondrous sojourn amongst the Cree and Obijway with eloquence, humour, compassion, elegance, care. A beautiful read. A keeper. I will visit North Spirit and Paulette again and again. It connects me with what feels right, real, and true.

Paulette Jiles, the author, an American from Missouri, went to Toronto with a draft dodger in the 1970s. When the boyfriend dumped her, she stayed on in Canada and got a job in Northern Ontario running a community radio station for the Ojibway Indians. She lived in a log cabin, learned their language, and learned how to survive during the long cold northern winters. Later, she became a reporter on the Indian language newspaper, writing about forest fires, crimes of passion, and serious bush plane accidents.

Throughout, her love and respect for the Indian peoples shine through her writing as she brings legends and traditions to the printed page. Her quirky personality as well as the world around becomes very real, as does her own inner journey.

She is a reporter and describes what she sees. Perhaps that is why not every character she comes into contact with is fully developed. But there are some Indian elders whose stories she captured in just a few short pages.

And her descriptions of the danger and excitement of being dependent on tiny bush planes made me feel her anxieties.

I thank Ms. Jiles for bringing her experiences to the pages of this book and introducing me to these northern native peoples.

My boyfriend's mother gave this to him years ago. I probably own about 50 cookbooks but this is hands down the one I need the most. Simple recipes with authentic and fabulous flavors. The type you would expect your mother to hand down to you. Forget the other[] italian food cookbooks - this is the essential purchase.

This was the first cookbook I bought when I decided to get serious about Italian cooking. That was over 10 years ago. I have given it as presents to at least 6 people, all who loved the meals I had cooked from Biba's recipes.The recipes are easy to follow (not necessarily easy to make) but if you follow them carefully not only will it taste like a meal prepared by an expert, but it will look that way too!I prepared the Rabbit with Wine and Vegetables for an Italian friend the night he arrived from Italy and his comment was "We have to find you an Italian husband-you already know how to cook!"I am now "famous" for my Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese! It's the best lasagne I've ever eaten and it looks just like the picture!I have bought other Italian cookbooks but this one remains my favorite!

Not only are the recipes absolutely delicious, Biba's enthusiasm for food and its value plus her warm spirit unfold in her writings and create a renewed joy for cooking. I feel she's a friend to my kitchen and supporter of my personal endeavor to make people happy partly through great food.

Every dish I've made from Biba's cookbook knocks both me and my Italian boyfriend (and tough critic) over with delight. It becomes a tough decision as to what to make for family and friends. He has even exclaimed "This is as good as my mom's". A book of recipes that will become a tradition of your own.

Richard Schwartz paints a picture of Berkeley in words that transports you back in time. Interesting and lively, the stories show life around the turn of the 20th century. Even for people who don't live in the Berkeley area, the characters and pictures are fascinating. A must-read for anyone who wants a sense of how life really was around 1900.

This book really gave me a different perspective on Berkeley, the geography and the people. The way the information was delivered brought the book to life and added depth. It is not in any way a "typical" history book. The vignettes about the people made the time period approachable and real. A must read for anyone who has ever been to or lived in Berkeley.

Just a few words to tell you how much I enjoyed "Berkeley 1900." I saw
pictures about a past I never knew existed. It gave me an appreciation of
Berkeley I never thought I would have. Prior to seeing the book, I thought
Berkeley was just a bunch of pinkos.
jake

If you're looking for a nice synopsis of places in the bay area - this is the book for you. Just don't expect more than you'd find in the Phone book if you're in the South Bay.

I absolutely dreaded planning my wedding and this book was the only thing that saved my fiance and I from spiraling into madness. We are both from the East Coast, relatively new to the Bay area, and had no family here to help us. Neither one of us had ever been married before or helped plan a wedding. Here Comes the Guide was the single most useful tool for planning our wedding, and is reliable enough that we didn't feel the need to interview a ridiculous number of vendors for each service before choosing one. If a vendor we liked was recommended by the book then we knew they had to be good. Here Comes the Guide is concise, recommends cool traditional and non-traditional reception sites, and provides all of the information you need to plan your own wedding without the help of a wedding planner. The only area which was lacking was limousines and transportation. Pretty much everything else, including bands, calligraphy, invitations, cakes, vendors, tuxedos, reception sites, and florists, was there in abundance.

I was given this book as a gift soon after my engagement. At the time, I hadn't given much thought to where I wanted to hold the event. This book was a great help in finding several locations that were ideal. As the wedding market in Northern CA is rather busy, it was very nice to have several choices so that we could find a venue that was availible on our desired date.

This book contains accurate descriptions of venues, with information pertianing to the size, cost, and other key factors. It also contains less important but still useful information on catering options at each venue, music limitations, and other factors which can help a bride and groom say yea or nea to a location that is still site unseen.

I called over 20 phone numbers in this book and all were up to date and correct. I also found the pricing information almost dead on. The black and white pictures also gave an accurate impression of the venues.

This book was essential to my planning of a wine country wedding and I highly recommend it to anyone that is arranging a wedding in the bay area.

This 132-page book covers supernatural activity in Malone, Massena, Watertown, Lisbon and other towns in Northern New York. A Father & Daughter's Story (Carthage)is scary. Worse Things Could Happen (Knapps Station)is spooky as well : 'Carly happened to glance at the tv...and what she saw made her blood run cold...there was a man sitting between the two of them smiling wickedly..." The House at Racket (River)could possibly make for a great book as evidenced by this sampling: "(Gracie)...tried to scream but the large, shadowy figure came out of the darkness and put a hand over her mouth and nose until she stopped trying to call out..." Her sister Lisa "saw the graceful arm of a woman, cleanly dismembered just below the shoulder, hovering and moving gently..." Chris Sharlow's photos are unusual and intriguing. His comments about unwanted guests following him home after cemetery photo shoots is a chilling warning to those who actively pursue the occult. Hauntings, even those which seem benign, probably emanate from a dark realm we may never understand. The use of ouija boards, seances, tarot cards and the like can be very dangerous. Chris was told that the spirits are "going to be around you for the rest of your life because you sought them out." There is a bit of filler in this book. The Franklin County Poorhouse is one wherein the author offers history and purpose of the structure but nothing specific about hauntings. The Keeper of the Brook (North Lawrence) is of little interest as is Plum Brook Milling Company (Russell) which is an uninspiring legend. The other stories are entertaining and Sharlow's photos make this a cut above most books in this genre.

This is a great book on the supernatural with amazing photos, especially those contributed by Chris Sharlow (his photos are amazing - he should have his own book)! I highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever had any interest at all in, or who has ever questioned, what lives beyond. If the stories don't put a chill down your spine, the photos of Chris Sharlow surely will. I look forward to the next book and set of photos. Get this book!

This book is written so differently from any ghost books I've read, the author has a wonderful gift of story telling. Once you open up this book and start reading, you won't be able to put it down until your done!

Want to understand the "Troubles"? How about delving deep into what it means to hate for hate's sake, to police that hate with little more than detective wits, and to strive to restore order to the seventh circle of Hell. Cops with hands tied and bound, criminals with nothing but blood on their minds, the logic of US Gangster crime fades in comparison to the ancient blood feud that finds no place or meaning today, yet policemen with distractions from politics and low pay and strained home lives push on in hopes of the beucholic Irish fireside of their childhood. Take sides if you want, everyone's a loser when the aim is simply death.

Martin Dillon deserves great credit for writing this informative account of Lenny Murphy and his band of murdering thugs. It details the rise of Murphy as a school bully who`d rob classmates at knifepoint , how the Irish " Troubles " led to Murphy forming The Shankhill Butchers , the atrocities they commited , and The Butchers eventual downfall .

There is nothing to admire about secterian murder in Northern Ireland and reading this book it becomes quite clear that- Unlike consuming large amounts of alcohol- politics and religion did NOT play a big part in The Butchers lives , it was only an excuse to torture , mutilate and murder people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Courage also had no place in The Butchers lives , wait till you read about hardman William Moore trying to blame his accomplances for the murders.

My only complaint is that my edition is from 1990 and I`ve no idea if the author is planning to do a revised book. THE SHANKHILL BUTCHERS` possibly needs to be updated : Can the likes of Mr A , Mr B , etc now be named ? What happened to the likes of Moore after their release under the Good Friday agreement ? How are The Butchers regarded by people in Belfast nowadays ? As a footnote Robert " Basher " Bates was executed by the Ulster Freedom Fighters in the Summer of 1997

This is one of those books which one finds hard to put down, but on the other hand many time has to stop and take a deep breath, during the reading!! It is written well with a great understanding of the issues in Belfast and The North. After one is finished it leaves a memory which is hard to erase. This is a must read for anyone on either side who is interested in the Irish/Ulster question.

This is not a review really.I agree with all the other reviewers that this is a very good book ,but I find annoying the fact that it has only a few photos out of its 400 pages.The book would really be a gem if it was properly illustrated.The couple of dozen photos that it has are just not enough!

Why so many cookbooks these days? One reason is that anyone can troll the Internet for a few hours and download enough recipes to make a book with very little effort; some "authors" apparently do just that. Not, however, Fred Plotkin, who has produced here not a book but a feast that demands the attention of any serious cook or food-lover.

Fred Plotkin's field is Italy--all Italy (as in "Italy for the Gourmet Traveler," which you should order) and the obscure and less-known regions of Italy, as in this book, which is centered on Friuli-Venezia Giulia, high in the northeast, and in his previous one on Liguria (order that too, while you're at it), the superb "Recipes from Paradise: Life and Food on the Italian Riviera (order that, too). These regions--their very existence--will come as a surprise to many Americans, who have been led by decades of relentless and superficial media coverage to believe that Italy is Tuscany and that Tuscany is only the area between Florence and Siena.

Plotkin doesn't strip-mine a region and bung a lot of recipes into a book. He explores and absorbs it. He visits Italy frequently and has often lived there for extended periods, sharing the life of regions that call out to him. In this case, he writes--elegantly, feelingly--of a region he has known for more than 25 years. For this reason, people and places come alive as welcoming presences.

Recipes? There are recipes galore here, and you will be happy (I hope) to know that that are not the tired (and overhyped) Tuscan retreads. With its Adriatic coast, this region was deeply involved in the Spice Trade at its height, and so you will find many spices used here, some of which (cumin, for example) will come as a surprise.

I recommend this book for cold winter days. It'll warm you just to read it, and then you can start cooking too.

Bill Marsano is a James Beard Award-winning writer on wine, spirits and food.

As Americans living in Italy, my husband & I have used Fred Plotkin's _Italy for the Gourmet Traveller_ as a guidebook when travelling throughout Italy. It has never disappointed us yet. Now we have added this *wonderful* book to our collection. More than a cookbook, this book explores the history and culture of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region (where we, quite luckily, happen to live), as well as the cuisine. There are great explanations of the region's different ingredients, herbs & spices, wines, cheeses, coffee, grappa, as well as travel information and sources for some of the harder-to-find ingredients. And then, of course, there are all of the great recipes, each with an author's note (and usually a wine suggestion)! Now I feel doubly fortunate--to have had the chance to live in this region, and also to have acquired this book so I can re-create a little bit of Friuli when we leave.

As a horse trainer and owner I have found this book very interesting and entertaining.

An excellent book. From Brazil, I am able to confirm the magnificent dancers. I owned a northern dancer's grandson.
Congratulations to the author.

Fernando A. T. Távora
Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

Northern Dancer by Muriel Lennox is a vibrant narrative which portrays a fascinating era with emphasis on a mesmerizing focus of the horses as well as the peripheral people! If you enjoy equine sagas or simply appreciate fine writing, this superlative volume will capture your interest and imagination!