Product Description
The Wall Street Waltz

Introducing the new Fisher Investment SeriesComprised of engaging and informative titles written by renowned money manager and bestselling author Ken Fisher, this series offers essential insights into the worlds of investing and finance.

"Any investor who fails to read and heed Ken Fisher's book will have only himself (or herself) to blame if he loses his shirt in the market. Using simple words and dramatic charts, Fisher packs a whole financial education into one neat package."

James W. Michaels, Editor Emeritus and Group Vice President-Editorial, Forbes, Inc.

"Ken's book vividly presents a complete picture of the stock market's history-a vital tool for the savvy investor."

Charles R. Schwab, founder, Chairman, and CEO, The Charles Schwab Corporation

"If a picture is worth a thousand words, then these charts could be worth your life savings."

William E. Donoghue, Chairman, W. E. Donoghue Co., Inc.

"Ken Fisher's clear, insightful analysis makes this a compelling book. For information and entertainment, this is a book to turn to again, and again, and again."

David Dreman, founder, Chairman, and CIO, Dreman Value Management, LLC ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Book Review from the Aleph Blog
I've mentioned this before at RealMoney, but in early 2000, I was doing some serious thinking about investing. I decided to e-mail Ken Fisher a question that he had touched on in one of his Forbes pieces. That began an e-mail dialog that forced me to ask hard questions about how I did value investing. Personally, I was surprised how much time he was willing to waste on me, but I had read the three books that he had written up to that time, Super Stocks, 100 Minds that Made the Market, and The Wall Street Waltz. I had a good idea of how he approached investing.

He challenged me to throw away the CFA Syllabus and think independently -- to focus on my own competitive advantage. That led me to analyze what had worked and failed in my prior efforts in value investing, and that led to what would become the Eight Rules. I did well in the prior era, but much better after my discussion with Ken Fisher.

One more note before I begin the book review. He told me that if something is known, it is not valuable for investing. I have modified that rule to be, "If something true is relied upon by many investors, it is not valuable for smart investors. If something false is relied upon by many investors, it is valuable for smart investors to bet against that."

The Wall Street Waltz takes you on a graphic tour of economic and financial history. Using beautiful old charts created by multiple sources, he uses them to describe market action in the past, and what they might imply for the present. The original version, of which I have a copy, was written in 1987. The new edition updates Ken's comments to 2007.

The charts provide a springboard for Fisher to explain a wide number of concepts:

* Why preferred stocks are suboptimal investments. (Chart 31 -- learned that first hand a a little kid as I saw my Litton convertible preferred crater.)
* How economically linked Canada is to the US (Chart 15)
* The value of P/E ratios for the market (Charts 1&2)
* Why you shouldn't panic over bad political/disaster news. (Chart 24)
* How inflation is correlated internationally (Chart 49)
* Gold preserves purchasing power in the long run, but that is about it. (Chart 57)
* Stocks create value in the long run, despite short/intermediate-term fluctuations. (Chart 88)

I could go on. I chose those pages randomly. There is a wealth of knowledge here. I would like to close with a timely page that I targeted, Chart 64 -- Unemployment and the 1 Percent Rule. The stock market tends to rally after the unemployment rate rises 1%, though the challenge is timing when to sell, and I don't know what the rule should be for that. After the last unemployment report, the rate is more than 1% over the recent low. If correct, it is time to be a buyer, though what is true on average is not always true in specific.

Most investors don't benefit from an understanding of economic history, which gives a broader skill set for analyzing current problems. This book is an aid in gaining understanding of economic history.

Still Waltzing in the Past
I have to agree with other reviewers. I was hoping that the book would be more updated. For example, the chart about oil prices ends with 1985, when the oil was around $15 a barrel. In 2008, oil was trading as high as $147. Readers can still learn a ton from the write-ups, though. I am a big fan of Ken Fisher.

- Mariusz Skonieczny, author of Why Are We So Clueless about the Stock Market? Learn how to invest your money, how to pick stocks, and how to make money in the stock market

Marvelous Information For Any Investor
I have a copy of the first edition of this book, and I've looked at it so often it's falling apart.This second edition appears to be more durable, has all the charts from the first edition, repeats Fisher's commentary from that edition, AND it has a few updated charts, plus Fisher's second thoughts on the subject after twenty years.

If you have any interest in investing, I consider this book essential.

Where Are the Last Several Decades?
I am dismayed by Mr. Fisher.At the same time that he is blitzing the media world with ads that solicit his management of our money (if we have $500,000 to give him), he puts out an otherwise wonderful book in 2008 that is filled with old charts, mostly not updated.Examples include "Long-Term vs. Short-Term Interest Rates, 1950-1975" and "Long-Term DJIA Showing Bull and Bear Trendlines, 1929-1977."I'm sure he knows a few additional trends have taken place in the last 30 years, and that his readers would like to see them on the same graphs!This carelessness can only make one wonder, I assume incorrectly, if he uses outdated data to manage clients' money.I hope he reads this comment and immediately puts out a revised new edition of these charts. Not long ago I experienced a very strong sales pitch from his staff.Had I known about his cavalier approach to this book, I would have ended the conversation much sooner.By the way, the book I am looking at has the same ISBN mentioned in the Amazon review, but it has only 224 pages.The review states there are 240 pages.Another odd oversight?

Not the Best Effort from a Great Financial Writer/ Money Manager
I've been reading Ken Fisher's column in Forbes Magazine since the 80's. I'm a big fan of his analysis. I bought the original edition of this book around 1987. All the graphical analysis were illuminating.
I ordered this updated edition recently. I was extremely disappointed to find that most of the charts and text are the same as the 1987 version. Some of the charts have an updated comment or two, and a handful of the charts have been updated over the last 20 years. But the author didn't take the time to update most of the work, so most of the book was not useful to a reader of the first edition. Even charts that were current as of 1987 are mostly unchanged.
If you haven't read the first edition, this is still informative, although not nearly as helpful as the original was 20 years ago.If you have read the first edition, I would skip this and read his other works, especially"The only three questions that count" ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Flapper Phryne Fisher bats for Australia
Even though much of the time I could not make sense of the cricket action, I loved this entry in the Phryne Fisher series.The contrast between the over-civilized university and the brutal degradation of the Melbourne slums was wonderfully depicted.

Aussie Sleuth is a Hit
Once again, the delightful Phryne Fisher is out and about, solving Australia's mysteries during the twenties...the writing is crisp, the characters (especially the secondary characters) are deftly drawn, and this is a book to curl up with on a cold spring day.A cozy series with a touch of bitters--Angostura?--that makes a tart, but charming read.

Not even the gods approve
By the time the main character became possessed by a deity, I already knew this book was terrible, but the possession rather proved it.Greenwood's novels are never great literature, but this is particularly terrible -- an over-perfect heroine, a self-conscious portrayal of Bohemian Sydney (featuring a number of historical figures who would no doubt be appalled to see themselves rendered as caricatures in this farce), juvenile prose, and did I mention the possession?

The worst book in the series by a long shot, without much redeeming quality aside from offering great potential for drinking games.

It Ain't Cricket
The further adventures of the Hon. Phryne Fisher take place in Sydney where she and her maid, Dorothy, go for a "vacation."Phryne promises Dot `no murders on this trip.'Instead, she does undertake to solve two mysteries.

Two young men, university students, implore her to solve a theft from the university safe in the Dean's office of a number of items, including an ancient Egyptian papyrus, so that a friend of theirs can be absolved of the thievery.Then there is the matter of Dot's sister, who is missing.Each involves usual circumstances, enabling the author to demonstrate Phryne's unusual tastes and ability to intuit, as well as to use a wide range of uncanny knowledge of ancient lore and rituals.

The novel is the 10th in chronological order in the series' original publication sequence. PPP has published 12 of these in no particular order.Each, so far, has been very much worth the while of the reader.

Excellent historical mystery
Phryne Fisher accompanied by her maid Dorothy "Dot" Williams takes the train to Sydney for a vacation.The wealthy independent woman looks forward to seeing the Harbour Bridge construction and a few cricket matches though the national team seems older this year than usual.She also plans to have some champagne with the University Vice Chancellor Charles Waterhouse and squeeze in some time with renowned young modernist Chas Nutall.

However, Dot panics when her sister Joan vanishes without a trace.Although a nasty rumor insists she ran off to party with a man, Dot swears her sibling would never abandon her children especially to be left with her ever angry ironmonger husband.Dot feels a bit better although still worried when Phryne says she will investigate starting by dancing at the nightclubs in the wild Darlinghurst section of town; the most likely place Joan would have gone if she did decamp.At about the same time, two university students Jocelyn "Joss" Hart and Clarence Ottery beg Phryne to learn who broke into the Dean of Arts' safe and stole several articles as an innocent scholarship student Adam Harcourt is being accused.

DEATH BEFORE WICKET is a terrific entry in one of the best historical mystery series on the market today.Phryne remains a fresh unique heroine as she does what she wants in 1920s Australia.This time besides touring Sydney, she works on both cases in her classy but tough style.Readers will appreciate this humorous thriller as the heroine when she is not watching cricket or picking up men deals with cultists and an oafish spouse.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fly fishing
I was very pleased with the book, it was a gift for my son who is ill. He said it was everything he thought it would be. Thanks Amazon for always giving us a good deal.

Disappointing collection of unknown patterns
This book should have been subtitled, "Let's get the gang together to create a book of all the patterns we created at the bench."It has few of the real standards and way too many flies that no one has ever heard of.I was hoping to have a reference such that if I discovered a new fly, I'd know where to get a pattern.I have owned this booked for a year and while I have often looked though it, I bet I haven't tied 5 patterns it contains.Save your money!

I expected really more
Up to me a book called fly pattern Encyclopedia can't miss most famous patterns. Many of the flies differs only slightly in colors and seems to be tyed to amaze and catch fishermen more than fish.

Patterns
I have been told that there are about 4,978,350 patterns out there give or rake one or two. This book is a good start. Hip hip hurrah to the FFF and in particularto AL Beatty for getting this book out.

A good source for new ideas!
This is a book I got on a whim at the local fly shop. What I like is it showcases patterns from a lot of people who are excellent tiers, but do not have the name recognition of a Jack Dennis or Mike Lawson. The pictures and recipes are all first rate and for the average tier more than enough to put the fly together. The patterns are fresh with alot of new ideas. This is a book that would go well with the Fly patterns of Umpqua Feather Merchants book as a fly tying recipe book. Personally I think you will like this book a great deal. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (19)

Delightful
I haven't finished this yet, but this is the second book of I've read by Kerry and I am having a great time with this book. I couldn't even finish a Meg Gardiner book, and was afraid I needed to give up fiction for awhile. Luckily I started this and Kerry brought back the magic. Kerry Greenwood's characters are all believable and delightful (Well maybe they are a little over the top, but thats what makes it fun.)Kerry has a wonderful sense of humor.Meet her crew and have a long relationship with them in future books. I cant believe all the 4 star ratings, compared to what the reviewers say. I think the reviewers must be ashamed to have so much fun. Try it you will like Phryne Fisher and visit often.

1st in series
This is not the best book in the series, but it is lots of fun. Keep reading, they get better.

Good Start, Then Disappointing
I thought this mystery began delightfully enough, then it became so very contrived and unrealistic--kind of like Wonder Woman in the 20ies, Down Under. I will probably try one more Phryne Fisher, and then give up if it doesn't get any better.

the debut of the flapper detective
A fully enfranchised flapper in Melbourne after the first War, Phryne Fisher is a heroine after anyone's heart, and Greenwood's prose does her full justice.Take this, for example:

Phryne Fisher had a taste for young and comely men, but she was not prone to trust them with anything but her body.

Or

Phryne, carrying the cocktail, decanted it unobtrusively into a potted palm against which she had no personal grudge, and hoped that it would not give her away by dying too rapidly.

In this first novel she busts up a Melbourne cocaine ring and contrives the arrest (and later the hanging, as this is back in the un-PC day of capital punishment) of a back-alley rapist/abortionist.Strong characterization, great setting, and a lot of talk about what she's wearing which makes you feel like you've wandered into an episode of The House of Eliott - Series One, but so what?A very enjoyable read.

Fabulous cover art, too.

Phryne Fisher is good fun.
I really enjoy this series & this book starts it all off.Phyrne Fisher is a free spirit, and she always wins. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (10)

Kerry Greenwood gets better and better
I really enjoyed the first Phryne Fisher books, but never expected them to get better and better.I enjoy books for escape and also learning. These are great books for both.I am not looking for depressing introspection on the human plight, or following evil villains being evil.Somehow Kerry Greenwood can take us thru the depths of human emotions and experience while observing from just enough of a safe distance to not be caught up in the negatives and become depressed.I think you really need to read many of the earlier books to get a good background of the cast and help put things in perspective. Keep reading them, because they get better and better.The other writer I have found just as entertaining is Alan Bradley and his Flavia DeLuce series. Phyrne is in her late 20's and Flavia is 11, but both are masters of their world. Both are early 20th century mysteries, and both are wildly entertaining and also informative.My only fear is that, having discovered Kerry Greenwood and Alan Bradley, that I might finish their works and be forced to read some less capable writers.

Engaging series set in 1920s Australia
If you haven't discovered this engaging series set in 1920s Australia, then you are in for a treat. Upper-crust Phryne Fisher is classy, sexy, intelligent, and just enough over the top to keep readers interested in her sleuthing, romance, and fashion!

Entertaining novel
As any other lover of mysteries I sometimes discover a number of books on my overflowing shelves of the author I never read before. Hence I felt compelled to read at least one of quite a few books written by Ms. Greenwood that I possess.
This entertaining novel is pretty hard to pin down. It has the flair of the times long gone, but slightly more free spirited and rounchy. The sleuth in question, Ms Phryne Fisher is a rich young women with unconventional life. She has pots of money, two adopted daughters and Chinese lover. Even in wild 1920's she would be considered a hussy. Somehow she is absolutely revered and respected in society. Money helps...
The books is deffinitely not my cup of tea, but it was witty and quick read and I am planning to try another of her books in the near future.

Australia - 1928, Paris 1918
This light hearted story has a most likable, eccentric, some would say immoral, heroine, Phryne Fisher. Phryne, seemingly awash in wealth, busies herself with investigating various wrongdoings in Australia. Even though the story takes place in Melbourne, Australia, there are numerous flashbacks to memories of Phryne's time in Paris, when she was recovering from her horrifying days as an ambulance driver during World War I. Now in Melbourne, she is attracted to the suspicious murder of Australian men who were soldiers in Paris during the time she was there. The disappearance of a young girl recently arrived from a finishing school in France also arouses her interest.

The book's descriptions of once besieged Paris are the most vivid. There are details of the seamy Parisian bohemian life, spiced by the appearance of famous poets, artists, musicians, and general hangers on. At one point the author even lists the items, now artifacts, that Phryne carried when driving her ambulance. This is a city Phryne obviously loved, the city where for the first time in her young life she had found "kindness and freedom." It would have helped if we were told how and why Phryne left.

The dark side of 1920s Melbourne is brought to light as well, with both police and strong arm types on the take. Phryne's days are further clouded with the upcoming arranged marriage of her sexy lover, Lin Chung. On a brighter side is the Food Reform Movement, with its efforts to teach people to forsake their typical fried food and sauces diet in favor of grains, vegetables, and fish. The Lord Mayor's Ball, a prestigious affair much sought after by Melbourne citizens, also makes an appearance.

another utterly wonderful phryne
in this entry in the best mystery series in the world, we learn more about phyrne's life before australia. if you have read any of the earlier titles, you will remember comments about her war work.

with great skill, greenwood offers two mysteries: one which links phyrne's and bert's and cec's wartime experiences with 1928 melbourne--former anzacs are being murdered, and there are ties to events in post-world war one paris; one concerning a kidnapped young woman. both mysteries are solved with panache--and realistic (not adolescent, hollywood) emotions.

the mysteries are extremely well handled, but the best part of this book, for me, was the part set in paris. it was a fascinating time, with new ideas, geniuses of all types, incredible energy. this is the paris of hemingway and gertrude stein. (and if you want more, track down the movie 'paris was a woman.')

besides a good puzzle, greenwood gives the reader, in all the books of this series, fascinating australian history, insights into the first world war, the effects on australia of immigration, and changes in social attitudes. this might sound dull, but definitely is not. food and fashion are not neglected. greenwood's range of knowledge is stunning. she writes beautifully, with wonderful turns of phrase.

the greatest attraction phryne has for me is this: she is an adult. she does not suffer from adolescent angst, she has worldly wisdom, and moral courage; she is compentent; she is cultured, but never a snob (who usually aren't really all that cultured or well-bred, or they wouldn't be snobs--snobbery is vulgar); she knows that poverty is not a sin, but it's no great honor either and nor is wealth. while greenwood's plots may borrow some of the fantastic elements of mysteries from between the wars, her character is realistic in her approach. even though she is a fictional character (the daughter peter wimsey and philip marlowe might have had), she's a better role model than the real women pushed by the media.

but enough of that--this is a great mystery, a wonderful read, buy it right this minute. ... Read more

Product Description

Unravel the mysteries of Mexico.History, Culture, Wildlife, Wilderness, Northern Mexico’s Border States

The only book currently to detail all of the National Parks ofNorthern Mexico's border states Baja, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas.

This is also the only book to cover the Sierra del Carmena cross the Rio Grande River from Big Bend National Park, Texas. Includesfeatures on the Islands in the Sea Of Cortez and the Seri Indians as well as Copper Canyon and the Tarahumara Indians. Full color with fantastic maps and excellent descriptive test.

This is a one of a kind publication the only one on this subject. You will be very pleased with this beautifully illustrated and informative guidebook.

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent pictures but missing page numbers
I purchased this book for an upcoming trip to Copper Canyon and found the pictures excellent and the writing interesting.One major irritation was that there were no page numbers on any any page, even though the table of contents listed page numbers for the entries.If you want to find anything fast, you will have to put your own tabs in the book.

Coffee table only
This book is fine for the coffee table but its drawn-out prose and hand-made maps render it useless for travel or trip planning for Northern Mexico.

A guide to wondrous adventures
In the mid 1980s I bought the first edition of this book. It was a much smaller yet still beautiful edition. When the new edition came out in '94 I was quick to pick that one up. This new version is much expanded and elaborated. So what is this book? It is a combination of a travel guide, an ethno-historical book and a book on local botany, Indians and geology sprinkled heavily with gorgeous photographs. Richard Fisher has put decades of his life into making this flawless account of the area. Whether you are visiting the national parks of Mexico by road, off-road or railroad, you will need this book. I have used this book many times to research an area before going there. The book will take you to lost mission churches, huge waterfalls, off-world looking landscapes and everywhere in between. ... Read more

Product Description
"Mendel Rosenbusch – Tales for Jewish Children."

Old Mendel Rosenbusch lives in a small house behind the synagogue in a country town. He is the most kind and generous man of God you could hope to meet.

All the children love Mendel – he always has a bowl of delicious baked goods for them when they visit him on the Shabbat.

Now, decent, friendly people love Mendel without knowing what makes him so likable; while stingy, unfriendly people always frown at him without really knowing why. Mendel Rosenbusch seems to know everything, and he has a wonderful gift for reading people’s eyes their most secret thoughts.

You see, Mendel Rosenbusch has a secret. One night an angel appeared to him and gave him an ancient coin. When he carries the magic coin with him, he becomes invisible. That was the wonderful gift God gave him in return for being so kindhearted.

Do you wonder what Mendel Rosenbusch does with his magical invisibility?

Translated into English for the first time, this collection of contemporary folk tales was first published in 1929 Czechoslovakia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Invisible Man Rectifies Wrongs
This beautifully written book by Ilse Weber, who perished in the Concentration Camp at Theresenstadt,tells enchanting stories for children. The hero is an old man who loves children and is beloved by them. Through the gift of becoming invisible at will he is able to observe and intervene in the lives of the people in his town. His interventions are always gentle and in the service of doing good, especially for the children. like most fairy tales, each story points out the moral good. But unlike the grim tales of the brothers'Grimm and most other fairy tales, there is no violence in these stories. They are good humored and upbeat. Rosenbush is a loving and lovable character. Of course, all of his good deeds are anonymous. The stories are aimed at elementary school aged chilren, but are so charming and sufficiently complex that they are very engaging for adults. All the adults we have shared them with are similarly smitten and are delighted to read them with their children and grandchildren. The translaters, Dr. Hans and Ruth Fisher, discovered an ancient copy of the book, originally written in German. As a child this had been Hans Fisher's favorite book. He immediately translated it for his own children and grandchildren with his wife's assistance. This led to its ultimate publication in English. Ilse Weber was a popular Czech writer of stories, poems and music during the 1920-s and 30's. As a Jew, she was tranported and murdered in the concentration camp.

A splendidly entertaining and highly recommended collection
Mendel Rosenbusch: Tales For Jewish Children is a splendidly entertaining and highly recommended collection of eleven instructive tales, each set in a rural Czech village. These stories feature Mendel Rosenbusch, a wise, wonderful, poor man of God who lives in a small house behind the synagogue. One night, Mendel is visited by the angel Rafael, who places a ancient Jewish coin called a Shekel on his blanket. Rafael reveals that "When you carry this coin with you, Mendel, then you will become invisible, and the coin will continue its magic power as long as your secret remains undiscovered." What follows are stories of how Mendel uses his magical invisibility to intervene in the lives of the townspeople. Each of the stories teaches young readers how to behave properly and to learn that virtue entails doing the right thing. A prolific playwright, poet, and children's author, Ilse Weber's wonderfully told folktales are ably translated into English by Ruth and Hans Fisher. ... Read more

Product Description
Grow Your Own...Brew Your Own!

If you have a backyard, or even a sun-facing porch, you can greatly enhance the flavor, aroma, and uniqueness of your homebrew by growing your own hops, brewing herbs, and malt grains.

Easy instructions will help you put the "home" into your homebrew from setting up your first hop trellis, to malting grain at home, to brewing recipes specially formulated for homegrown ingredients. When you grow your own organic ingredients, you can be sure they are the freshest and purest available.
 

Customer Reviews (21)

Great Book!
This was a "whim" buy and wow am I glad I bought it! After reading the first chapters about growing your own hops I went on line and bought 6 hop rhizomes, made a special row in my garden and am waiting for the harvest!! It totally inspired me...why? Because it told me how to plant the rhizome, how to prune the vines, support them, the dirt and food they need and how to harvest and dry them...I already know how to use them! I had planted 2 hop rhizomes 4 years ago, 1 died and the other never did much...well I transplanted that one and am following the basic growing procedures; pruning of all but 2 vines, using coarse twine for support and they are taking off!!! This book gave me lots of information about the different hop plants, storage, growth, cold, damp, dry weather, etc. so I was able to decide which hop variety might do best in my area, and by following their suggestions I bought 5 different varietys to try, and see which does well for my garden. Yeah I would reccomend this book for a good all around book with easy to follow instructions and diagrams for starting your own brewers garden.

Great Info!
A great book for the first time brew gardener, and also a great addition to any brew library. This book is full of good information about Hop varieties, useful brewing herbs, and different grains.

Great Gift
This book had a totally different approach to home-brewing.
One that should be appreciated by any amateur gardener.

Book is okay -- not what I was hoping for
Chances are that if you are buying this book, you are trying to grow your own hops.

If that's the case, I suggest you save your cash and just go to listen to a podcast by The Brewing Network.I bought this book wanting to plant hops and everything in the book about hops was covered by a few different podcasts available on The BN.

If you want to grow and malt barley, in addition to growing hops, this book is what you are looking for.

Great book!
This is an inspiring book!My hops are planted...barley's next.The writing isn't too technical - very clear and easy to understand. ... Read more

Product Description
2O/2O Money: See the Markets Clearly and Invest Better Than the Pros

To be a more successful investor, you need to see the investment landscape more clearly. 20/20 Money—from Fisher Investments Press—can help you achieve this goal.

Designed to help you think differently about your investing choices, this reliable resource addresses new ideas and challenges widely held conventions. With 20/20 Money as your guide, you'll quickly learn how gaining a firm understanding of various concepts—from stock market and systems theory to neuroscience and psychology—can help you begin making better investment decisions. Along the way, you'll also discover some of the most successful strategies for thinking and learning, and how they can be applied to your investing endeavors.

To become a better investor, you have to have the discipline to make tough choices—choices that may not always be in line with tradition or commonly accepted invested wisdom. But the approach outlined throughout these pages can help you gain the vision to begin making better-informed investment decisions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent
I think that John Wiley & Sons have some of the most informative and well written books on personal finance and 20/20 Money is another great addition to my personal finance library.

In 20/20 Money the author explores an aspect of finance that has always fascinated me - the "oneness" of the stock market, that is what I call the "almost sheep like mentality" when it comes to the stock market. Everytime I hear about a massive sell out of stocks I always ask myself "what would happen if everyone said to themselves "I am not selling this stock right now" - obviously, there would not be a massive sell off and the stock would remain strong (or at the least stronger).

In 20/20 Money, the author explores more than just the day to day ups and downs of the market, but also takes a close look at the relationship between the market and the psychology of the people involved in it - and the extremely close relationship between the two.I found this the most fascinating part of this book.

20/20 Money is written in a concise and informative way - challenging us to look beyond the mere 1-2-3 of the stork market and to start investing in a different way - this book has its merits as I believe that we cannot continue to invest in the markets in the ways that we have been doing for the last 50 years???

I have taken down quite a few of the suggestions in this book and I intend to try them - I figure I may just get ahead of the game a little bit.

This is a very informative book - if you are willing to think outside the box a little bit. ... Read more

Product Description
Spanning six decades and more than twenty books by our most famous epicure, The Measure of Her Powers reveals the sharp wit and affectionate humor of Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher.

Gathering journals, letters, translations, and selections from her many books, The Measure of Her Powers showcases Fisher's versatility, providing new readers and loyal fans alike with a sampler from her wide-ranging body of work.

M.F.K. Fisher is a perennial literary favorite. Her evolution from an uncertain young woman to a feisty elder with opinions about everything continues to fascinate readers who understand the complexities of life's hungers.Amazon.com Review
Perhaps it is the title, The Measure of Her Powers, that is theorganizing principle behind this collection of writings lifted from theincredible oeuvre that M.F.K. Fisherleft behind. A measurement, then, a means of finally understanding what allthe noise may or may not be about. There are 27 books attributed to Fisher on the cover flap. Her writings pretty much cover a life lived fullthrottle from 1908 to 1992; The Measure of Her Powers pretty muchcovers her life as it has been written.

It's kind of like peering at a fascinating woman in different times in along life through a ViewMaster, clicking right along: the girl at school, the young woman in France and Switzerland, the widow and mother inCalifornia, and so on. All of it is "seen" through a strong, gentle, steadyvoice. Clicking right along.

She was a better writer when exploring food and passion in her early worksthan she was later when reflecting. Exactly when any given piece wasactually written is left off, though the original title from which anypiece of text was drawn is included. The truly vigilant and curious couldassemble the publishing dates and explore the times of this writer's life,comparing the one to the other.

The Measure of Her Powers is a grand excuse, really, to discover andto rediscover so unique an American writer as M.F.K. Fisher. For those whohave never had the thrill of hearing that fluid voice of hers extolling thepleasures of a good meal and good company, it is here and waiting. For thosewho have forgotten that thrill, the reminder can be found between thesecovers. This is a text that points back to original volumes, where thewriter may be more fully explored and appreciated. In some of those volumesthe power of Fisher has no limits. In other volumes a certaintiresomeness and pointlessness creeps in. The Measure of Her Powersdeftly maps the territory. --Schuyler Ingle ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A good introduction to the Joys of M.F.K. Fisher
This book of autobiographical essays is the best introduction to the writings of M.F.K. Fisher that I know of. I've read a lot of her books, and this remains a favorite. She gives us glimpses into the archaic and loving rituals of French cuisine, as practiced by the Burgundians, the strangeness of being a teenage girl in a cloister-like California boarding school in the 20's, and being the young, newly-married wife of a poetry scholar in Strasbourg.

The ironic thing about Fisher is that her husband was the literary scholar (Al Fisher wrote a monumental epic poem that vanished upon publication.) Her writing, however, is some of the best American prose; honest, perceptive, introspective and biting. Her work endures and provides more than just a viewpoint on cooking; it is a wonderful glimpse into pre-World War 2 Europe and America.

Views of the 20th Century American Palate
M.F.K. Fisher is the predecessor to Alice Waters. A Californian who learned early in life to appreciate the robust flavors of the freshest ingredients and how to achieve magic with them. The essays includeClassical and modern history references to famous chefs and gourmandaise.The author touches subjects ranging from the outrageous and excesses of theGreeks and Romans to the shortages and sacrifices during wartime. A greatreader for foodies. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Masterpiece
You should read the first books to learn the characters, but this is an exceptional treat. I always enjoy Kerry Greenwoods books, but she really takes her time with the characters, the world history and the plot in this book. Toss in a little science and a little fun and stir well. This is a winner on all fronts. And rather than being an uninvolved detective, she gets personally involved in one of the sub plots to an unprecedented level. This is the one that should be made into a movie, IMO.

Fun reading
This was my first introduction to Kerry Greenwood's Phryne (fry-knee) Fisher.It was such fun I've managed to buy more of her books and have read all but one of them--saving it for the ultimate treat.It's light fare with a heroine who lives with inherited wealth now (she was impoverished), but with an unselfish spirit.She is generous as well asnaughty but nice, which makes her fun to be around.I highly recommend Kerry Greenwood's books.

Fabulous mystery series
If you haven't yet met Phryne Fischer, what are you waiting for?This is a fun series with an independent, unique heroin.Check them out!

mystery, food, fashion and humor
_away with the fairies_ is part of one of the most consistently well-written mystery series i know, and i've been reading mysteries for many many years.

the historical facts are always fascinating, the characters are well-drawn individuals, the writing is always first rate, and the mystery here, as in the other titles, won't be solved by the third chapter. the description of the meals phyrne's cook produces are enough to cause weight gain. and the humor can produce anything from a slight smile to a loud guffaw.

i'm thrilled to see that greenwood's current publisher has brought the series back to the states--the first three were published here in paperback in the early 90s. i enjoy them so much i finally ordered all the other ten titles in paperback fromaustralia--in spite of the extortionate postage. now that i can buy hardback editions from amazon, i'm a very happy reader. i think other mystery readers will be equally happy once they try this wonderful series.

strong historical who-done-it
When Marcella Lavender dies, a guilty Detective Inspector Jack Robinson asks private detective Phyrne Fisher to determine whether she died of natural causes or was murdered.Marcella came to him a few weeks ago, showing him threatening letters she received and he told her not to worry because poison pen letter writers usually don't do anything violent.Now he is second guessing himself and wants a second opinion and there is no one he respects more for getting to the bottom of things than Phyrne.

Miss Lavender was a writer who produced many books about fairies and was the advice columnist at a progressive woman's magazine Women's Choice.She also has an unexplained monthly income from the Marshall & Company.Nosing around Ms. Lavender's work place and apartment complex, Phyrne learns that she was not well liked and when the autopsy reports show she died of cyanide poisoning the sleuth dives into the investigation with enthusiasm in part to get her mind off her lover Lin Chung who is in a dangerous China currently wracked by turmoil.

AWAY WITH THE FAIRIES takes place in 1928 Melbourne starring a rich, young independent heroine with an adventurous spirit who doesn't believe that women should be held down because of their gender.She has the respect of the crusty Detective Inspector and mixes with people of all social classes.The brilliant private investigator makes this tale hum as historical who-done-it readers will take delight with her inquiries into an unpopular victim with several individuals having motives and opportunities but without knowing which one would actually kill.Kerry Greenwood makes it impossible for the audience not to like the charming Phyrne or her investigations.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

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In candid interviews, terminal patients in the Alive Hospice program talked with authors Bob and Judy Fisher, addressing some of the most important questions we ask about our life and how we've made the journey. These end-of-life ponderings are collected into inspirational and provoking thoughts that will encourage each of us to live life fully. Each story is reflected in thematic chapters-priorities, family, simple pleasures, romance, integrity, regret, forgiveness-crafted into a series of "lessons learned," offering motivation to approach life with more vigor. These powerful stories deliver the clear message that if you wait to really live until you know you are going to die, you risk missing much of the joy life has to offer and the chance to leave a positive legacy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A wake-up call
I've often heard that when you reach the end of your life, your list of regrets doesn't include that you didn't work harder or make more money or accumulate more stuff.And while I tucked that bit of wisdom away as an interesting fact in the back of my brain to remember later, reading this book brought it back to the forefront and then brought it to life.The stories that were gathered from just one hospice in one city were profound and have led me to re-examine what I deem important in life.Reading about the woman who treasures the opportunity to sit in her rocking chair and hear the birds begin to sing each morning and the little girl who finds joy in color caused me to think about the tiny blessings I take for granted each day.And reading story after story about softening hearts that have come to grips with the fact that the most valuable assets they have are relationships has led me to take that extra couple of seconds to make eye contact with my neighbors as they drive by, and remind my kids one more time each day how much I love them.This book provides living proof from those who don't have nearly as much living left to do as they'd like that we should stop letting life slip by and really start living it.

This book is a gift
This book,though you might feel it would be depressing,is actually inspiring and uplifting. The people being interviewed are in Hospice Care and know they will be "soon departed". They are ordinary people from all walks of life taking stock of their lives and relationships. Most of them have extrodinary things to say which can help all of us live more meaningful and richer lives.

Great food for thought...and action
Interviews with 104 terminally ill patients result in great gifts of insight from about twenty of these people. There are some "stars" in this tome, named Gary, Kenneth, Shirley, Harriet, William S., Lucille and Christine. These few really let their light shine in reference to their faith in the one true God and Jesus Christ and love for others.

The primary insight is that these people are past any hope for a longer life and, in preparing for death, lay aside the former "important" things like money, success and material things and try to gather in the things that really do matter: a life without regrets, forgiveness, and showing kindness to others. The thing that resonated with me was the joy of reconciliation with others, especially family, and letting go of grudges and cherishing the good things that can come out of bad experiences. Sadly, there were a few people who seemed bitter and full of regret in their dying.

Unfortunately, like typical "churched" Americans, the vast majority of the dying looked forward to heaven, but showed no clear evidence of a real relationship with the God of heaven and His Son. Calvin K.'s sad testimony was "I was the Captain of my own spirituality", but, he professed no hope beyond this world despite being a minister. Many voiced the belief that they had not done anything "that bad" and didn't feel that God would hold it against them. These were countered by the few who seemed very sure of where they were headed. Most people just "hoped" they'd go to heaven and were pretty content they'd lived a good life.

Overall, the book was inspiring and motivated me to seek the good in each day, and to be kind to everyone I can be.
A kind word or even a smile to a stranger may make an eternity of difference for them.

My biggest disappointment was the fact that so many are still ignorant of the truth of the Gospel of Christ and I blame that mostly on the watered down preaching that so many put stock in rather than reading the Bible for themselves. What you "think" is the truth may not be. We will all die someday and we need to figure out where we're headed before we get there.

Touching
Life is a Gift is a collection of thoughts from over 100 diverse terminal patients who were on the verge of death. If the reader will carefully examine the testimonies of these people, there is much to be learned about life...and how to get the most out of it.Read this book.You will be glad you did.

A Bit of Perspective
In a world which seems to be largely driven by avarice and strife, this book is a refreshing opportunity to examine what is transcendently important for the human experience.

The truth is; none of us get out of here alive. This superbly crafted book offers some unforced, non-didactic advice for how to really live while you have the chance.
... Read more

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In the half century since its commercial unveiling, television has changed our lives dramatically, yet few of us know how it was invented, who invented it, or how it actually works. TUBE tells a riveting tale of technological and commercial adventure--and of a group of brilliant minds, each distrustful of the other, as they raced for fortune and scientific glory photo insert .Amazon.com Review
Telling the tale of the corporate revolution that forever changed the nature of the individual is no easy task. Authors David E. Fisher and Marshall Jon Fisher have hidden their sociohistory between the lines of the exciting story of the race to invent television. Eccentric geniuses John Logie Baird (whose only other invention was stay-dry socks) and teenaged Utah farm boy Philo T. Farnsworth struggled with limited resources to produce the first television systems, but their greatest challenge was coming up against the giant corporations that had nearly infinite money and resources. Pitting these lone romantics against the collective will of RCA, Tube turns a history of science into a thrilling page-turner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

the human stories in the race to create TV
What a find! Most books that deal with the history of a technology are pretty dry and boring, even if you are a geek, but Tube is an exciting account of the history of television that emphasizes the human lives that shaped it. I don't think I've ever raced through a book as fast as I did with this one. So much is going on with so many racing to be first that you can't wait to see what happens next.

David Fisher provides just the right amount of technical information with very simple graphics to allow the reader to understand the importance of different discoveries to the advancement television. If you can understand an ordinary light-bulb, you can keep up with this book.

Did you know that the FCC first approved a color TV system that would have required a spinning disk in every home set? But no company produced any sets for the home so it went nowhere until the relentless David Sarnoff succeeded in driving RCA, the company he headed, to produce a color system that was compatible with black and white TV.

The personal story of Philo T. Farnsworth, a self-taught Iowa farm-boy who was the first to come up with an all-electronic (instead of mechanical) television system would make this book worthwhile if that were the only story told, but there are a host of colorful characters that will keep you reading.

I'm not sure if this book is still in print; I found it in a used book store but if you find a copy, grab it! There's even a chapter at the end to fill you in on the early development of digital TV, though that is a story of committees rather than personalities.

A poorly-researched semi-fictional account
To those seeking an introduction to television history, it may initially seem like an accurate book.First impressions can be deceiving.

What TUBE gains in advertising space, it lacks in accuracy. To a reader with sufficient previous background, it will appear to have been written and researched on the quick, and it comes to several misleading conclusions that evolve into outright fabrication.The authors do not seem to know how to get out of corners they carelessly write themselves into.They seem only too willing to make judgements on technologies and events which they clearly have not fully researched.There are simply too many outstanding errors for Tube to be a dependable reference for historians.

Let's hope if Tube has been reprinted, that the Fishers have done more background research, and have fixed the recurring 'boo-boos' that troubled the version I read.

A 2nd edition (with corrections) or even an enclosed 'errata' page is long overdue. Call me cynical, but I strongly suspect that the errors would happily be carried through to further printings, (if this has not occurred already).I do not recognize the new cover, but I expect it is simply a paperback version of the earlier hardcover with no content changes.

This may seem strong, but the more knowledge you amass about TV History from reputable sources, the more frustrated you will become with Tube.

A surprisingly likeable and interesting book.
This fine work has many of the qualities of a suspense novel, and is probably one of the best books of its kind ever written. It is written with a heart, and the reader easily feels what some of its subjects endured inthis fascinating tale of the development and evolution of television, andlater, color television. After this read, the reader will want toimmediately order the equally excellent book about the development of HDTVby Joel Brinkley.

An accessible history of television technology
Tube is easily the most accessible history of television's early years (its "prehistory"), and a good read to boot.The great Zworykin/Farnsworth technology battle is pretty well presented, and the men themselves come alive in the text.Color television's development gets easily the best treatment I've seen anywhere in the non-technical press.However, the final chapter on the future of television was mostly worthless; historians (along with most of the rest of us) do not do well in predicting the future.In a few years that chapter probably will be seen as an embarassment which the rest of the book does not deserve

La personnification de l'histoire

L'auteur du livre nous a raconté une belle histoire, celle des principaux protagonistes de l'invention de la télévision.Il a su vulgariser les notions scientifiques complexes qui intervinrent dans la réalisation du téléviseur moderne.Il s'adressaità un large public.C'est pourquoi son histoire est personnifiée.

Nous retrouvons les principaux inventeurs indépendant qui orientèrent leurs recherches dans le cadre du paradigme mécanique, Jenkins, Baird, Ives.D'autres figures peuplent les recherches dans le cadre du paradigme électronique, Zworykin, Farnsworth.L'auteur entre dans le détail biographique propre à nous illustrer les conditions de l'invention.La personnification de l'histoire permet d'attirer le lecteur.

Par ailleurs, le livre rend bien la complexité du développement de la télévision.Ce n'est pas un seul individu qui trône au dessus de l'histoire. En effet, l'invention de la télévision va d'au moins 1880 à 1939 et elle a mobilisé des chercheurs de partout dans le monde : Allemagne, Japon, Canada, Italie, URSS, France, en plus des États Unis d'Amérique et de la Grande Bretagne.Des inventeurs indépendants, des chercheurs universitaires et des chercheurs de grande compagnies y investirent nombre de jours.Plusieursbrevets furent déposés.Il n'y a pas -le- brevet décisif, mais plusieurs connaissances, savoir faire.

Cependant, pour le spécialiste de l'histoire des techniques, il ne s'agit que d'un livre de vulgarisation respectant avec intelligence les règles de l'art.Les livres publiés antérieurement sur l'histoire de la télévision (et il n'en existe guère peu) étaient soit trop rivés sur les faits, soit trop techniques, soit trop concernés par les débats entourant la télédiffusion de l'apprés seconde guerre mondiale.

Or, nous sommes toujours en attente d'une histoire de la télévision sous l'angle de l'histoire des techniques.Une histoire qui répondrait aux questions suivantes : quelles sont les contraintes exercées sur l'innovation technique par l'option paradigmatique des chercheurs?quel rôle a joué la présence de l'industrie dans le passage de l'invention à l'innovation? comment des inventeurs indépendants, tel Farnsworth ont-ils pu tenir tête à des industries telles RCA? pourquoi les Bell Lab., disposant de compétences techniques et de savoir faire éprouvés, en plus des ressources financières nécessaires, se sont-ils lancés dans l'aventure de la télévision mécanique plutôt que celle électronique? ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (10)

Characters a little 2D compared to other Phyrne Fisher books
I really love Kerry Greenwood's books (usually 5 stars), but occasionally the characters aren't as well developed as some of the other books. This one seems to start out more formula driven.I really love getting to know her characters and understand the social background. This time they seem to just be presented purely in the interest of driving a nice plot, relying on the background of the characters we already know.If Kerry didn't have a ghost writer on this, then it seems like she was in a hurry to get to the end.What Phyrne does at the discovery of the first murder, just seems silly.And her lack of caring about the feelings of others seems actually out of character. Phyrne doesn't seem to have any self doubt and comes off just a little too arrogant for my taste in this particular book.If you are just starting out with Phyne I would start with the books in order and put this one off until you have finished the others.

One of the better stories
A creepy old mansion, murders, and spooky caves--what could make a better story?! I admit I've always had a "thing" for caves, and these sound particularly fascinating. Aside from the great story, though, there's the usual selection of lost capital letters, comma splices, and the like. Sigh. That's why I didn't give it 5 stars.

Reliably engaging. Particularly sexy.
This is the sexiest of the Phryne Fisher series that I've read. Yowsa. A good mystery with a big, thrilling conclusion. One of Greenwood's best.

I'm Jealous of a fictional character!
Phryne Fisher is an enchanting young socialite who enjoys setting society in 1928 slightly on its ear. She drives a cool car, flies planes, is a crack shot, and shows up at house parties with her Chinese lover, scandalizing her hosts and fellow guests. And she is gorgeous and wealthy, too. Is it wrong to be jealous of a fictional character?

Urn Burial follows a typical theme for mysteries set in the 20's - a weekend party at a country house. So it is no big surprise when the river cuts the house off from the town and they are all trapped with a murderer. The cast of characters is also as expected with some old maids, a military man, young socialites and dashing young men. But this setup has some modern twists. I don't remember books written in the 20's having quite so much sex in them, for example. Not that this is a bad thing, just different. The attitudes and actions of the characters also have a touch of modernity to them - there are stronger roles for women and less social rigidity that probably existed at the time.

And did I mention that this book is set in Australia? Another interesting twist on the classic mystery. This book highlights and incorporates into the story some of the amazing natural wonders found all over Australia.

This book is a good read. The characters are good, the setting interesting, and the urn theme is bizarre and intriguing. There is some sex, some action, and a good ending. If the mystery is a little weaker than you might like, you don't notice much because it is all of a piece and enjoyable.

Did I guess it? Parts. Will I read more? Yes, I'm looking forward to them!

An Australian gothic mansion poses threats
Kerry Greenwood's URN BURIAL: A PHRYNE FISHER MYSTERYtells of a holiday at an Australian gothic mansion in the country where a host faces death threats and traps are set. When murder results and mysterious funerary urns appear, Phyrne sets out on one of the most dangerous investigations of her life. ... Read more

Product Description
Global investing isn't new. In fact, investors have been looking to overseas markets for hundreds of years, and with good reason. A global portfolio can bestow innumerable rewards on the savvy investor, yet many US investors remain woefully under-exposed to foreign equities. Despite the fact that US equity markets make up less than half of world markets, only a small portion of our investment dollars are allocated overseas. Even the most sophisticated investors have been deterred by misconceptions about the risks associated with owning foreign stocks or a lack of information about foreign markets. But the notion investment options are limited by borders is antiquated and downright detrimental to successful investing.

Once considered the playground of only the ultra-rich or institutional investors, global investing is fast becoming not only possible, but a necessity, for every investor. As part of Fisher Investments Press, Own the World introduces readers to the vast advantages of seeking investment opportunities all over the planet. Own the World provides investors with tools to build a global portfolio and points out potential hurdles to avoid. It also educates readers on the nuts and bolts of foreign markets, how to easily understand them, and vehicles for investing there. By detailing the vast and currently underappreciated benefits of global investing and the distinct advantages of a global approach, as well as common pitfalls to avoid, Own the World can help readers to tread more confidently into global markets as they look to optimize their investment results. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

For the beginner
This book should be called Own The World Lite, or Own the World for Dummies. It covers the why fairly well, but is short on the practical how to, and skims issues like currency risks. It's a primer if you are trying to decide to diversify overseas and not much more.

Global investing? Yes sir!
One of the best books I've read this year. Part how-to, part manifesto, this is a great book on the hows and whys of "global" investing. Not international, but global.

The book details the benefits and risks to global investing, but mostly that the benefits outweigh the risks. And, if you think you are a global or international investor, you are probably kidding yourself and aren't global enough.

The book also has some interesting trivia and anecdotes that keep it lively.This would be a great father's day gift or graduation gift for investing enthusiasts. ... Read more

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Un historia que despierta la imaginación de una manera tan poderosa y conecta al lector de una forma tan profunda. El caballero de la armadura oxidada es mucho más que un libro, es una experiencia que expande nuestra mente y que nos llega al corazón. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

This book will help you understand what life is really about.
To grow as persons, we must understand what is the meaning, the purpose of our lives. This books carries us through the three different spiritual experiences we must face first, to achieve that knowledge of purpose, and to help us get rid of the many armors we build around us to "protect"; in this case, prevent us, from living a full and meaningful life.

I paid for this book but never received it
El Caballero De La Armadura Oxidada / the Knight in Rusty Armor (Spanish Edition)

El Caballero: Un cuento que todos deberiamos leer
El Caballero de la Armadura Oxidada no es un libro... es una experiencia que expande nuestra mente, que nos llega al corazón y alimenta nuestra alma. Sus profundas enseñanzas éticas son de una sencillez y humildad tal que se consiguen interiorizar naturalmentey la riqueza de su prosa nos inunda de belleza. El protagonista, un caballero deslumbrado por el brillo de su propia armadura, a pesar de ser bueno, generoso y amoroso, no consigue comprender y valorar con profundidad lo que tiene, descuidando 'sin querer' las cosas y las personas que le rodean.

Wow!! It's like a movie with no image
Audiocoleccion has done it again! This audiobook excels the book in so many way. With such a great script it was easier but they really mastered the audio production. If you are a fan of audiobooks and are LEARNING SPANISH, be sure to get a hold of this one. Cheers

Femomenal!
Un libro motivador, sencillo pero con mucho que dar! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

A treat for fans of the genre, and highly recommended
Death at Victoria Dock is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of the fourth mystery following the brilliant and seductive Phryne Fisher. When a young man with a pierced ear and blue tattoo dies in front of her, she vows to uncover who killed him and why - a search that will take her to tattoo parlours, pubs, spiritualist halls, meetings with Anarchists, and more. A tangled web of intrigue unfolds in this extraordinary mystery. Smoothly narrated by expert actress Stephanie Daniel, Death at Victoria Dock is a treat for fans of the genre, and highly recommended. 5 CDs, 6 hours 30 minutes, tracks every 3 minutes for easy bookmarking.

Kerry Greenwood
The USA should discover Phryne Fisher. These books are fun! Kerry Greenwood has created a character all women will love - 1920's modern, stylish, independent. Phryne travels through life solving peoples problems, and collecting a wonderful cast of friends. Traveling with Phryne (always first class and in the latest fashions) is a rich adventure.

Not much mystery here

Kerry Greenwood manages a nice line in self-deprecating humour in this

one, having Phryne go to bed with a murder mystery only to discard it

"having guessed whodunnit by Chapter Three".


Either that or it's unintended irony!


No mystery at all to whodunnit as far as the murder at the eponymous

docks, and none intended, and the minor mystery of the missing girl was

just an excuse for some chick lit melodrama with hidden diaries, incest

etc.


I'm increasingly of the view these are not meant to be bona fide mystery

novels, but heaps of Aussies keep buying them (a baker's dozen of Phryne

Fisher novels alone) so they must be popular with fans of other genres

(and mostly sheilas, I reckon).


This bloke is bowing out at #4.

less of an easy read compared to others but worth it nonetheless for its action
I want to give it 3.7 stars. I normally give all Phryne Fisher Mysteries 4 stars but this one had too much politics for me. I realize that I should appreciate being educated but really, I just want to relax and read when I pick up one of these books.Maybe I'm being too harsh.There were a lot of great action in this one.It wasn't one of the best but certainly worth reading.

Unflappable female sleuth in 1920's Australia
Death at Victoria Dock was a quick read and a nice bit of escapist fun.Phryne Fisher is beautiful, rich, quick-witted, brave, and irreverent, and lives in 1920's Australia. In this tale, she's drawn into anarchist circles by driving down the wrong road at the wrong time.Shots hit her car, and when she stops she sees two men fleeing the scene, and a wounded young man lying in the road, who bleeds his last into her silk shirt.

Not one to suffer indignities gladly, Fisher sets out to avenge her ruined possessions and the death of a beautiful young man.This leads her to the morgue, a tattoo parlor, dubious pubs and parties, and satisfying bedroom encounters with a mysterious Latvian. Along the way she takes, and solves, the case of a missing schoolgirl. And she tries to convince the police to head off a deadly bank robbery being planned by some anarchists who have obtained a machine gun.

Greenwood populates Fisher's world with nicely assorted characters, and keeps the plot(s) moving nicely.

This was the first Phryne Fisher book I've read.The book jacket flap says that there are lots more books in the series, and I'm off to the public library in search of them. ... Read more