5 comments about Just Above a Whisper (Tucker Mills Trilogy, Book 2).

1. I am a great fan of Lori Wicks novels, this was another great contribution to my collection.
   
   Just above a whisper reminds us how God can be seen through all our lives, through all lives circumstances and how his plan is best. I really enjoyed this read and can't wait for the final book!



2. This book has its flaws, which have already been well mentioned in other reviews. It was very good at times and I would recommend reading it without reading the book "Moonlight on the Millpond" which is it's prequel. This book is not Lori Wick at her best but it was a nice story. Read her books: Californians, Kensington Chronicles, Sophie's Heart, and The Princess.



3. This book was really dreadfully boring it had a good plot and good story behind it but nothing more just plain boring i had to skim through pages to get throut it....



4. The book seemed somewhat unrealistic because of the overly exaggerated fear that the main character hads. She seems very weak and scared. I thought it could have been a much shorter book, because it was somewhat slow paced. I usually like Lori Wick books, but this was definitely not one of my favorites. It wasn't a bad book, but I suggest getting a library copy or a used copy from Amazon.



5. While I didn't utterly loathe this novel, I found little to recommend in it. I read the occasional Romance Novel for diversion, and they almost always disappoint on several levels. Since this one is in the "inspirational" genre, I was hoping for a nice romance with the entertainment value of a historical drama, some romantic tension, and no sleazy sex scenes. What I got was 1) no drama, 2) no tension, and no "sex" at all... not even a stolen kiss. Somebody please buy this author a copy of "What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew...", and then perhaps her ensuing endeavors will have even a smidgen of historical flavour. The characters walk around slinging 20th century slang like "hi", "hello", and "OK" (well, the last one appeared in 1838 in reference to Pres. Van Buren, "Old Knickerbocker", but it wasn't in common usage as an affirmative until WW1). The female lead is referred to as having her hair "down her back": what?! Is she five years old?! Is she a prostitute?! Believe it or not, this is supposed to be 1839, but I wouldn't have known without reading the blurb on the back of the book. At one point another female character, who is only a few months pregnant, asks her husband, "Am I starting to show?" Excuse me? This is '39, waistlines are only just starting to come down from just under the bustline and are still very high, surmounting voluminous skirts. Think Little Bo Peep: very Dickens. Unless she's a "loose woman", she should be wearing stays (a corset), too. She's not going to "show" until about month eight, at which point she just won't go out in public. But enough on the historical gaffes.
   
   Did I mention no sexual tension? Sorry, but I call "no way". I'm a Christian, Bible thumping believer myself, but I still have hormones. I don't care how chaste a person is, he or she is still going to have some serious "feelings" when meeting the significant other of their dreams. I'm glad the leads didn't jump on each other ten minutes after meeting, but does it have to be such a yawn festival? Does the author think nobody had "the hots" in the 19th century?The leads are so tortuously boring that there isn't even a kiss of any kind until after the wedding! Look, people "made out" in the 19th century, ok? It was done in private (unlike today), but people is people.
   
   Perhaps the author thinks that it's "Christians" or "Believers" (as she terms us) who are free from sexual temptation. You'd think so, judging from the pompous, stuffed-shirt goody-two-shoes Christians populating this story. We can't go more than a page or so without the entire transcript of somebody's heartfelt prayer or sermonizing to either a fellow believer or seeker. Only a few pages into the first chapter, I was already irritated with the over preachyness of the writing. It's like reading a novelization of a Chick tract, complete with 20th century "Church speak" guaranteed to befuddle or exasperate anybody outside the "Christian ghetto". Which begs the question of the target audience for this book. If it's for believers, why all the preaching and salvation messages? If it's for a wider audience, with the hope of presenting the gospel to random readers, the Evangelistic jargon needs to be revised and explained. When somebody says "I'm saved by the blood!" it probably sounds like a Vampire moment to the uninitiated.
   
   A few years ago I read an outstanding "Christian" romance (sort of) named "Pascal's Wager". I highly recommend it and would read anything by that author. Lori Wick can't hold a candle to it (pun intended).

5 comments about Loving and Leaving the Good Life.

1. Having encountered the Nearings in Mother Earth News in the 70's I quickly became an avid admirer as well as a sincere follower of their wisdom. Thus I was overjoyed to buy Helens book because it allowed me to see a side of both Scott and Helen I never knew that well. The man whom I had admired as a wise soul but a tad put off by people, comes across as such a loving and yes "romantic" soul which made me like him even more. And Helen sharing how she was raised and the experiences she had and how she was encouraged by Scott to spread her wings and not allow him to fence her in, is a must read for any woman who questions where she belongs in the whole life circle.

   We must own a good five hundred books that we love, but this book is amongst a handful that get read and re-read over and over, with something new being learned each time. I also think the book like all their books is a must read, because it reminds us how fascists this country (united states) has been and can be and the price sincere patriots often pay. As well as the value of taking the path less traveled and not relinquishing ones personal integrity or perseverance. And that in the end the good guy can win.




2. When your 100-year old husband of 55 years has passed on and you, at 88, can see your own end, and when you have spent most of those years seeking and living the good life, and when you take the time and trouble to record your thoughts for posterity, it is surely worthwhile for us, the readers, to take note and reflect on what might be of value in our own goal of living the good life. This is not a biography of the husband, Scott, nor an autobiography of Helen but it is offered as a tribute to Scott's being as Helen knew it. She wants Scott to be remembered as an unassuming, kindly, wise, husband as well as a principled, uncompromising, intellectual radical; she also wants to share with us his peaceful, intentioned, and premeditated ending.

   Born in the upper echelons of society, he worked alongside immigrant laborers in the Pennsylvania mine run by his grandfather. This was a formative experience that resulted in his speaking publicly in his early twenties on liberal reform. '''Even before I began the study of economics,' he said in an early lecture, 'I was impressed by the monstrous inequality which exists between the rich and the poor in modern society. The rich enjoy wealth, leisure, and boundless opportunity. The poor are overwhelmed by misery, overwork, and insanitation. The rich have a heaven of opportunity; the poor a hell of misery, and the heaven of the rich is founded upon the hell of the poor. If I was impressed by these conditions before I had studied them, I was appalled after having given them careful consideration. I had heard of poverty; I believed that misery and vice existed, but I was not aware that they were prevalent in every town and city of the land. Ability and capacity were suppressed; together with the progress which might well be attained, were opportunity more universal ... The poor are ignorant of the fact that by standing together at the ballot box, they might revolutionize conditions in a decade.'"

   Very soon he had offended the powers that be with his outspoken views and he would never teach again in the United States. From that point Scott's life can be summed up in these sentences: "The living of an ideal involves payment of a certain price ... the further the ideal is removed from the common practice, the higher the price that must be paid for it ... If your ideal is to live a mentally active, mentally honest life, to seek the truth, then you may have to sacrifice even food, clothing, and shelter to get it." and "The majority will always be for caution, hesitation, and the status quo - always against creation and innovation. The innovator - he who leaves the beaten track - must therefore always be a minoritarian - always be an object of opposition, scorn, hatred. It is part of the price he must pay for the ecstasy that accompanies creative thinking and acting." Scott was aware of the price he would have to pay for his convictions; he regretted enormously the loss of the day-to-day contact with his university students who lost an outstanding educator; but he never regretted standing alone. One of his file cards clearly defined the problem: "If a man is one step ahead of the crowd he is a leader; if two steps ahead, he is a disturber; if three steps, he is a fanatic and not to be trusted." Scott was too many steps ahead of those in authority and he was a danger who had to be removed. At the age of 34 his chosen career was in ruins; his books that had been standard textbooks in public schools were banned and royalty income ceased. He was at the low point of his life and that was when he met Helen.

   Helen, born in 1904 into a family of high principles and adequate means was the unconventional child, always reading and addicted to the twelve volumes of the Book of Knowledge at a young age. She had a talent for the violin, preferred the company of trees and rocks, drew and wrote poetry. She did not accept unquestioningly the world in which she lived. As a teenager she felt there was a power and a purpose in the universe and queried what we are here for and what life is all about. At seventeen, she sailed to Rotterdam to study the violin, met up with the Theosophists and the young Krishnamurti who she followed for several years on his mission to be a world teacher. But she saw the vast abyss between the ultra rich and the homeless in Bombay and Calcutta while Krishnamurti surrounded himself with the well to do, the famous and the influential. It was time for her to strike out on her own path. She returned to Ridgewood and there received a phone call from Scott.

   The formative years for both of them were over; they were ready for each other; they were ready to build a life together; they were ready to create their version of the good life. We have much to learn from this couple because their life together was built on high principles. We are indeed fortunate that Helen left us this book.




3. Having chronicled their lives to this point, it's only natural that Helen Nearing should tell the story of Scott's passing. Beautifully written, I almost enjoyed this book more than any of the Nearing books that came before.
   
   I am not anticipating that my own mortality will catch up with me any time soon, but this book really put life and death into perspective. The book is full of great quotes as well as sections you might quote yourself one day.
   
   If you like anything the Nearings have written, you'll love this book.



4. Scott and Helen Nearing spent half a century building stone houses, growing their food, and making a living on primitive homesteads in Vermont and Maine. Scott died at age 100 in the 1980s. Helen lasted another 10 years or so and this is her account of her life before Scott and their life together.
   
   Helen was born into a well-to-do family but had a rebellious streak that led her into music, astrology, the occult, and philosophy. In the 1920s she was the lover -- at least on the mental plane -- of an Indian philospher named Krisnamurti who was apparently famous in his day. Helen assumes that the reader knows who this "world teacher" was. I confess I never heard of him --and more explanation as to who he was and what he taught would have been helpful. Later Helen took up with Scott and they moved to the country and spent the rest of their lives as homesteaders.
   
   Scott was a cantankerous communist and I didn't grow any fonder of him by reading Helen's account. He was rigid and narrow-minded. Helen quotes some of his letters. He wrote her in a tone that would inspire my wife to respond, "Buzz off, you old goat." Although she wouldn't say "buzz." Scott's wrote savage letters to his son by a previous wife. Small wonder the boy dropped the last name of Nearing. In Scott's eyes, his son committed the unpardonable sin of criticizing the Soviet Union -- and Scott refused even to go to his funeral. One wonders whether Helen might be getting a bit of posthumous revenge on the old radical by publishing letters he wrote that show him as less than benign.
   
   However, the bulk of the book is a a highly favorable account of Scott and Helen and their life together. They were the gurus of the back to the land movement in the 1960s and the 1970s and their books about their life in the country are minor classics. Read "Living the Good Life" first and if you are interested in learning more about the Nearings read this book. Whatever you may think of them the Nearings were an interesting couple. Their homestead can be visited near Castine, ME.
   
   Smallchief



5. For the reader who is interested in principled people who made a series of transitions out of choice and necessity. The Nearing's rugged individualist days of trial, triumph and living in ways they wouldn't trade for other compromises are defining and provide an excellent source of perspective on values and points of conclusion.

5 comments about Little Women (The Illus Children's Library).

1. This book is fantastic. I first read it in fifth grade and it still brings tears to my eyes and a smile to my face every time I read it. It stars the March sisters; Jo a tom boy writer who scribbles away and is a strong willed free spirit, while Beth is a sweet girl who never says a mean word to anyone, Meg is the motherly oldest and Amy is the childish youngest who must be surrounded by pretty things. It is a very touching story where four young girls become young ladies and their interactions with eachother and society. It is an utterly splendid story :)



2. Little Women is about 4 sisters the oldest Meg, the tomboyish Jo,sweet Beth and little Amy. Through many things the girls never forget what is important, their family. The book progresses as the girls grow older and it is a great novel. My friends know I'm a fast reader but they took one look at it and told me that it looked so boring that they bet me it would take me weeks to finish. Boy were they surprized when I was on the first page a week later, they said "told yah so" and I said that they were wrong and I was rereading it! I became so ingrossed in it that they accutually let me tell them what it was about and they hate reading. They still haven't read it but thats their loss!



3. I finally read Little Women when I wa 23. When I was in junior high, my mom and grandmother recommended I read it, but it sounded so dorky and old fashioned that I never gave it a try. Even my best friend whom I considered "cool" told me how great it was, but I didn't believe her. I saw the 1998 movie when I was about 22 and that led me to finally read the book. I was surprised that the book was even better than the movie. I think this should be on teen's summer reading lists. Even though it was written a long time ago, it is definitely still relavant.



4. Louisa May Alcott wrote many books, but "Little Women" retains a special place in the heart of American literature. Her warmly realistic stories, sense of comedy and tragedy, and insights into human nature make the romance, humor and sweet stories of "Little Women" come alive.
   
   The four March girls -- practical Meg, rambunctious Jo, sweet Beth and childish artist Amy -- live in genteel poverty with their mother Marmee; their father is away in the Civil War. Despite having little money, the girls keep their spirits up with writing, gardening, homemade plays, and the occasional romp with wealthier pals. Their pal, "poor little rich boy" Laurie, joins in and becomes their adoptive brother, as the girls deal with Meg's first romance, Beth's life-threatening illness, and fears for their father's safety.
   
   The second half of the book opens with Meg's wedding (if not to the man of her dreams, then to the man she loves). Things rapidly go awry after the wedding, when Laurie admits his true feelings to Jo -- only to be rejected. Distraught, he leaves; Amy also leaves on a trip to Europe with a picky old relative. Despite the deterioration of Beth's health, Jo makes her way into a job as a governess, seeking to put her treasured writing into print -- and finds her destiny as well.
   
   There's a clearly autobiographical tone to "Little Women." Not surprising -- the March girls really are like the girls next door. Alcott wrote them with flaws and strengths, and their misadventures -- like Amy's embarrassing problem with her huge lobster -- have the feeling of authenticity. How much of it is real? A passage late in the book portrays Alcott -- in the form of Jo -- "scribbling" down the book itself, and getting it published because it feels so real and true.
   
   Sure, usually classics are hard to read. But "Little Women" is mainly daunting because of its length; the actual stories flow nicely and smoothly. Don't think it's just a book for teenage girls, either -- adults and boys can appreciate it as well. There's something for everyone: drama, romance, humor, sad and happy endings alike.
   
   Alcott's writing itself is nicely detailed. While certain items are no longer in common use (what IS a charabanc anyway?), Alcott's stories themselves seem very fresh and could easily be seen in a modern home. And as nauseating as "heartwarming" stories sometimes are, these definitely qualify. Sometimes, especially in the beginning, Alcott is a bit too preachy and hamhanded. But her touch becomes defter as she writes on.
   
   Jo is the quintessential tomboy, and the best character in the book: rough, gawky, fun-loving, impulsive, with a love of literature and a mouth that is slightly too big. Meg's love of luxury adds a flaw to the "perfect little homemaker" image, and Beth just avoids being shown as too saintly. Amy is an annoying little brat throughout much of the first half of the book, but by her teens she's almost as good as Jo.
   
   "Little Women" is one of those rare classic novels that is still relevant, funny, fresh and heartbreaking today. Louisa May Alcott's best-known novel is a magnificent achievement.



5. I read Little Women when I was a Little Woman. I just recently decided to buy it for my daughter and read it again. What a classic! This is a must for anyone's reading list both male and female. The story chronicles the March family, in particular one of the daughters, Josephine March. It is a story of hope and love. This is not a love story of romance, but one of tender, unconditional love that exists in a family of a mother, father and four very different daughters. There are moral lessons throughout the book that are refreshing and the character of all the girls comes through vividly. Alcott does a wonderful job devloping the different personalities of her characters. There are lessons for young people written between the lines on strength, wisdom, love, patience and quiet service. Boys and girls alike will benefit from the examples of polished and refined manners. A beautifully wirtten story that well deserves the label of a Classic.
   Just a note about this particular copy--We like to buy classics that are nicely bound and not cheap looking. I was a little hesitant to buy this online. I was pleasantly surprised when it came in the mail. It is nicely bound. The cover is hardcover cloth. The pages are not great quality but are sturdy and seem "old fashioned". It was a great value for the money and as well, looks good on the shelf. I am expecting it to hold up to lots of readings!

5 comments about The Jersey Shore; Atlantic City to Cape May: Great Destinations: A Complete Guide: Including the Wildwoods (Great Destinations).

1. This is a great guide to the South Jersey Shore- a place where I had the pleasure to live for six years. Many of my summer days were spent traveling down the Parkway and back up again, visiting many of the places Jen Miller highlights and also made me wonder how I missed some other spots she mentions (How did I never visit the Alpaca farm?). On that note, she has a lot of information here that even locals can appreciate:
   
   I had no idea Cape May is the third largest place in the US for weddings or that the Wildwood Boardwalk has more rides than Walt Disney World.
   
   Her descriptions of each beach town give a first-time vacationer a good feel which beach would be appropriate for them (except I don't think Avalon and Stone Harbor cater to visitors of "all economic stripes" . . . it's basically the Ritz of the South Jersey Shore). It also can help a regular visitor discover new things - Miller's encyclopedia-like listing of eateries could see you making a checklist out of the chapters.
   
   Particularly helpful are the pricing guides and notes about in-season and off-season hours.
   
   However, the true highlight of the book are the shaded areas within every chapter where Miller gives helpful hints - like how to prepare for running at the beach (watch out for the wind), provides back histories - like the story of Wawa and shines the spotlight on those out-of-the-way spots - (Where the hell is Strathmere?)
   
   Overall this is a great guide to the shore, though I would have appreciated more detailed descriptions of Somers Point, downbeach Absecon Island and Diamond Beach the same way Strathmere gets written up.
   
   This book is a great guide for shoobies (the nickname locals give to tourists) and also something that can get native South Shore people interested in their immediate environs. It will more than likely be updated in many future editions to stay current and it would be good to have handy on your next trip to the South Jersey Shore.



2. This book really didn't offer anything new; I was hoping for something a bit like the Weird U.S.A. series that gives the reader more obscure things to see and do.



3. I've spent my life at the Jersey shore. As a kid, I marveled at the Diving Horse on Steel Pier. I grew up with Mr. Peanut. When I had kids of my own, I took them to Wildwood and Ocean City and Sea Isle. Then, without the crowd, I discovered the peace and beauty of Cape May.
   
   This is what Jen Miller's book captures so well. Every shore is different. Every shore has its personality and purpose. You can't tell one from another without a really good scorecard. That's what this book is. Miller does an excellent job of capturing the psyche of each resort. The fact that she also turns this into a really good guidebook is a pure bonus.
   
   It's one of those books you'll highlight, scribble in, tear out and send to friends. I'm buying copies for a lot of folks I know. Maybe even Mr. Peanut.



4. I brought Jen Miller's guide to Wildwood last week for our annual family trip with my in-laws. Everybody, including the kids, found something new and interesting in it, even though we've been vacationing in Wildwood Crest for years now. Even if you think you know all there is to see and do down the shore, pick this gem up and take it to the beach with you.



5. Like many who purchase this book, I'm not new to shore vacationing but have been spending short summer trips there since I was a little girl. Now grown and married, we've been toying with the idea of packing up and moving there. I share this to let you know what I was looking for in a guidebook. I wanted a feel for what it might be like to live there, head to the other towns, see what cultural events are availible in the off-season, etc. In essence, to go beyond the boardwalk but yet still get a feel for the best of what there is to see and do at the shore. I've purchased SEVERAL books on the topic but this book is by far the best and the one I continually refer back to. It might not have the pretty, coffee table feel that other books on the shore possess, (though it does have SEVERAL, fun black/white photos). What it lacks in esthetics, it more than makes up for in information. To start, the author fills you in on little fascinating details and sidebars that relate to the location's culture, history or both. The room/dining descriptions have a friendly feel, as if a local herself were describing the establishments to you in person, detailing thier pros, cons, and points of interest. Definitally not the feel of traditional stuffy guidebooks I have read in the past. This is a book I look forward to reading. It's a little bit culture, a whole lot of "what-to-do", a dash of history, and a healty dose of love for the shore. Thank you for this wonderful, insightful book! Give us more!

3 comments about Robin Hood (A Stepping Stone Book).

1. I am 6 years old in first grade and I love this book! I like the characters best. It's great. The words were not hard for me. I've got 20,000 Leagues under the sea, the last of the Mohicans, Robin Hood, and Kidnapped, and Robin Hood is one of the best of these.



2. I bought this book to read with my 7 year old, and I am pretty well pleased with it. The vocabulary is simple, the sentences are short (and often start with the word "and"; my grade school teachers would be appalled), but the tale is told effectively and accessibly for young readers.

   Also, unlike some other books for young readers (e.g. the Droon series), this book does not simplify to the point of eliminating all of the descriptive passages. When Robin disguises himself as a musician, he wears "feathers of many colors" and carries a harp. There's not enough description to interfere with the pace for impatient children, but there is enough detail to hang your imagination off of.

   As for the story, there were some frustrating omissions. The origin of Robin Hood is given only a few paragraphs in the introduction, and the tales of how Will Scarlet and Friar Tuck joined the band are missing. The book only tells how Little John joined. The rest just sort of show up later in the story. I'm sure that was done to keep the pace of the story moving, but it would have been good to have more of the stories written in this same style.

   The rest of the story is a reasonably solid narration of the traditional tale of Robin Hood, with no more than the usual level of variation. I definitely recommend this book as a good way to introduce children to the story of Robin Hood, though I like the Dover Children's Thrift Classics edition slightly better.




3. While the story is fun and exciting, the sentence structure in the book is very disappointing. I recognize that it may be the author's style to add emphasis to ideas by writing them as stand-alone sentences, even if they are fragments. However, the children who are reading this book are usually also just learning how to write a good sentence; so the basic rule that a sentence should be a complete thought is more important in books for early readers than in books written for older audiences.
   I was also frustrated because it would have been so easy for the author to write her thoughts in complete sentences. Many fragments could easily have been written as the second half of a compound sentence.
   Some examples from page 6:
   "The lad agreed. And he beat the man. Fair and square."
   "But the man was angry. And embarrassed."
   "Like most outlaws, he stole. But only from the rich."

5 comments about Dan Eldon: The Art of Life.

1. It's a shame Kathy(his mother) never wrote this book.
   By far the most imtimate and well written part of this book was the last chapter that Kathy Eldon wrote.
   Obviously Jennifer New loves Dan's life like we all do but unfortuneatly she never met him and that glaringly stands out in the biography. There is way too much creative license here,the fact he is raised to almost sainthood can be squeemish at times.Jennifer's writing leaves a lot to be desired, but through the clumsy writing you can't helped but be inspired by the life of Dan Eldon.
   Dan is amazing!! His photos say more about him than any bunch of words can. 'The Journey is the destination" is a must have book!!
   Flip through that and I guarentee your life will be changed forever!



2. I purchased both The Journey is the Destination and The Art of Life on the same day. Over the next two days, I rotated the books as I couldn't decide on which one to read first. Jennifer obviously dove deeply into Dan's life. The stories that are told from memories collected from Dan's closest friends and his family are engaging. There is no doubt that Dan left a mark on everyone he met. Even more incredible is that he continues to leave his mark on the lives of those who meet him through these books. His death may have been premature but he certainly didn't waste the short amount of time that he was given. He certainly deserves to be known as one of the twentieth centuries heroes.



3. I love this book. The story of Dan Eldon is one everyone should read. It will change your perception of the world and how you live your life.



4. This is a very moving and powerful book from someone who was so young. It documents a movement of change and how Dan Eldon could find beauty in the simplest of things. The imagery will stay with you long after you've put the book down.



5. A more artistic interpretation of the traditionally print-driven journal, Dan Eldon's records are colorful and compelling.

5 comments about Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England.

1. Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England is an example of cultural and psychological history done within the realm of the witchraft phenomenon in early New England. In his book, the author effectively ties in all the data possible pertaining to witchraft during the 17th Century and analyzes it from different perspectives including cultural, psychological, sociological, and combining all of these creates a lucid and well-documented history. In part one, John Putnam Demos carefully examines all aspects of the biographical nature of witches in the 17th century that are available to him. He first and foremost states that the witch trials of Salem were not (as popular belief has it) the only witch trials in America during the period. He then is extremely careful in presenting evidence in formulating a biographical sketch of the typical witch. In the first part, John Putnam Demos leads me to recall Laurel Thatcher Ulrich's A Midwife's Tale in that, through murky and tenuous records and evidence, he manages to draw out and breathe life into what would otherwise be simple court records and disjointed data. He is also very self-critical and, before each interpretation of Rachel Clinton and John Godfrey's biographical sketches as well as the findings of family life in 17th Century New England, the author presents a host of caveats relating to the evidence. Sentences like "This material cannot meaningfully be quantified" (74) and "the extant records do not yield fully adequate information," (76) are common phrases Demos uses before drawing conclusions from the information available to him. In Part Two of Entertaining Satan, John Putnam Demos gives us a convincing psychological argument as to the character and nature of not only the suspected witches themselves, but the psychodynamic structures of the 17th century community. He offers a myriad of psychoanalytic tools, most notably projection, in attempting to understand what propelled the fear of witchcraft. By placing psychology in the context of his understanding of history of witchcraft in 17th Century New England, it's apparent that Demos effectively carries out what I think Peter Loewenberg was trying to do in Decoding the Past: The Psychohistorical Approach. Instead of relying on one psychological method (Freud), Demos recognizes the dangers of overly relying on one model of interpretation, which is why his evidence and argument are much more convincing than were Loewenberg's. John Putnam Demos executes effectively what Peter Loewenberg ignores entirely (with the exception of the Nazi Youth Cohort article), namely, a psychology of the group with respect to 17th century community and witchcraft. Part Three is aptly titled "Sociology" because it is here where Demos examines the power of local gossip through records and his own interpretation of them. For instance, a record might reveal nothing substantial but once he studies it, Demos can argue that certain families were predisposed to witchcraft condemnation exactly because of societal reasons. This sociological approach to history also makes me recollect The New Cultural History in that, in much the same ways, Demos is learning about a society through their collective conscience and unconscious and thus can explain what contributed further to the witchcraft phenomenon. In Part Four, Demos again makes the argument that not only were the Salem witch trials not an isolated even, but that witch trials were continuous through history. He studies the witchcraft phenomenon through other towns such as Hampton as well as records pertaining to its inhabitants. In these last chapters, Demos also stresses how, although the majority of them were, not all towns with inhabitants accused of witchcraft were "Puritan." Though studying Hampton and the town of Wethersfield, Demos sketches a convincing history of communities in New England and what diseases/maladies/afflictions they may have had that would supplant evidence of "witchcraft." This last part draws together well-argued biographical sketches as well as the psychology and sociology of a given community to provide a general history of the communities and the impact witchcraft had on them. Entertaining Satan by John Putnam Demos is a coherent, extremely well-rounded history of witchcraft on 17th Century New England. But while it is a solid history book, it is also an excellent example of psychological history done well. Because it is such an excellent psychological history, it is excellent cultural history in that it supplies, analyzes, and interprets the community as a force and a power that is capable of shaping and creating its own historical destiny. I liked Entertaining Satan because for me, it recalled all the other books I have read for this class up to this point and gave them all a new meaning in as to how to approach history. Had I read Entertaining Satan before reading The New Cultural History, A Midwife's Tale, or Decoding the Past I may have been much more critical of the book. But knowing now how difficult it is to write a firm, convincing cultural history of a subject using data, psychology, and interpretation, I have a large amount of respect for how well-rounded a history Entertaining Satan is.



2. Why did the village of Salem Village (modern Danvers) rise up against some of its most prosperous and respected inhabitants? Why did ordinarily sensible farmers allow themselves to be whipped into a frenzy that spread throughout eastern Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and what would become Maine? Why were the claims of some hysterical teenagers accepted as "real" evidence against various men and women, leading some to death, others to long incarceration, and others to loss of their property? There are no simple answers, as the scores of books on the subject testify. If you are going to read only one book on the subject of witchcraft in 17th. c. New England, then _Entertaining Satan_ would be a good choice. If you are going to read many, start with this one and use the excellent bibliography to lead you in additional reading. With his close examination of the various factors and his in-depth understanding of 17th c. New England social life, John Demos gathers the evidence into a coherent, compelling, and highly readable account of a tragic time. My only quibbles are that I think Demos understimates the role of long-standing squabbles among neighbors and the long-term effects of the trials on the families of the accused. More consultation of the genealogical research available for the accused and their families or tracking their movements might have led Demos to different conclusions. However, these criticisms do not prevent my heartily endorsing this book.



3. This is absolutely one of the most boring books I have ever been subjected to in my life. I only had to read 5 chapters of it for a class, it was truly one of the worst experiences of my life. Seriously, save yourself, stay away from this book if you have a choice. Trust me.



4. Demos used an Inter-Disciplinary approach to writing this book. It resulted in a book that is dull and boring. Demos utilized Biography, History, Psychology, and Sociology in an attempt to better understand the witch crazes that periodically swept New England in the 17th century. Psychology is a load of garbage and Sociology is not much better. Demos should have kept his focus on his area of expertise: History. He focused on other outbreaks of witch hysteria other than Salem in 1692, and this proved to the book's only strong point. Salem is the best known outbreak of mass hysteria relating to witchcraft in Colonial America, but it was not the only one. Some outbreaks were simply accusations against 1 or 2 people at most. Other outbreaks may have seen several people accused, but not on the scale of Salem. I give this book a "1-star" rating simply because Amazon does not have one for "0-star" books.



5. The witchcraft hysteria of colonial America is a topic of enduring fascination, perhaps just because it is so difficult to understand while also a tempting stage for ridiculous theories and tabloid fantasies. This book avoids all nonsense, while scrupulously examining the real, and most minute, facts and details of the lives and communities. But it is no arid exercise in cataloguing details, and the author employs broad knowledge of psychology and sociology to illuminate the culture and mindset where this unique mass hysteria flourished. It reflects wonderful analysis and presentation, painstakingly built on factual minutia. Yet it is broad in scope and deep in humanistic analysis of the witchcraft phenomenon.

1 comments about Hidden New England: Including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont (Hidden Travel).

1. Like the book My wife and I like going to new places for a weekend .

5 comments about Catskill Mountain Guide (Appalachian Mountain Club).

1. We visit Castkill Mountain more than ones and this guide have everything you need to planning your hikes in this region. The map, the sharp description of the trails and the recommendation are very useful for experts as for the beginners. Today we have other type of paper for the maps like Tyvek............ may be next edition?
   
   Adrian



2. This is an excellent guide with a great selection of trails and a handy topographical map with all the details necessary for planning and guiding you through the area.



3. This is really not to bad of a book. The map is helpful especially when driving to locate trailheads!!. I've been up two of the trails and they were fairly correct on the distance and time required. I think the author could have been more specific in his directions as to how to use the book (ie whether the distances and times are one way or round trip). He seems like he is speaking to someone who has been in the region and not to someone like me who is used to the type of hiking on the west coast. I also needed the map to figure out what he was talking about most of the time. I wouldn't complain if there were a few pictures.
   
   In summation... a solid effort but I've read better.



4. This book is devoid of BS and purple prose and some people will need more hand holding, for sure. this is a trail guide written for the more "advanced" hiking crowd--those who need TLC may be better off with a purfumey regional guide that tells you where all the good capuccino joints are. This is the best guide out there--and tho it has a little tweaking to do, it will be the cult classic for the next 20 years. Trust me. :)



5. Very good variety of hikes from easy to rough! Used for some hikes already, and if very accurate. Replaced my older guide from about 1987.
   
   Catskills are a great place to hike. Not that far from New York City, yet not crowded at all.

5 comments about The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

1. I read this as an adult for my mother-daughter book club. I thought it was amazing (though my 9 year old only likes it so-so.) While at its heart an age-old story of feeling like you don't fit in and looking for love, The Witch of Blackbird Pond's setting is what made this book so extraordinary for me. It takes place in the late 1600s in the Connecticut Colony (one of the locations is just a few miles from where I grew up). The descriptions of Puritanical life are quite well drawn, and -- as a Native New Englander -- somewhat familiar. I can see how my view of the world has been shaped by my Puritanical New England ancestors. This characterization, more than anything, is probably what made the book so compelling for me (and not surprisingly, not obvious to my daughter). I can highly recommend this book -- unless you are 9. :-)



2. The Witch of Blackbird Pond is the perfect book for adolescent girls who are interested in love stories. The novel uses language that is true to the times and deals with the subject of Quakers and witch craft. I read this book when I was an adolescent and fell in love with Kit. Her character really comes to live throughout the pages of the book. Upon reading it again, I have renewed my appreciation for the main character and her trials and tribulations.



3. I originally read this way back in jr. high and sadly only remember being entranced by it--not recalling any of the plot. I finally got around to the rereading and recalled why I had the original feeling of enchantment. This is one good book.
   
   Kit Tyler is a sixteen-year-old girl who leaves Barbados after her grandfather's death for the more austere world of Puritan New England to say with her aunt's family. But Kit is completely unprepared for the ways of these people. Even so, she manages to grow in unimaginable ways as she connects with people with whom she would have never seen herself.
   
   And it's not a simple moralistic book. It's a book about a girl coming of age. Unlike other books of the Puritans, there are no villains, just those who are different and it's amazing to see Kit come to understand that.
   
   The characters are entrancing and dimensional, the setting is described in an honest prose that only shows Speare's love of New England.
   
   It deserves its Newberry.



4. My office mate and I exchange book, and one day the Witch of Blackbird Pond was on my desk. I remembered reading this book in late elementary school and that I liked it. I decided to give it a go at age 28 and still enjoyed. Yes, now, some of the romance and struggles seem a tad childish, but the character IS childish, so I suppose it is par for the course. None the less, the basic message, 'everyone who is worth liking doesn't always fit in' is still a good one.



5. I read this book when I was ten, and loved it so much that I read it again.
   This was in the late 60's and I still have it. Great story.