Product Description

Product Description
Ross King has a knack for explaining complicated processes in a manner that is not only lucid but downright intriguing. . . . Fascinating."(Los Angeles Times)

By all accounts, Filippo Brunelleschi, goldsmith and clockmaker, was an unkempt, cantankerous, and suspicious man-even by the generous standards according to which artists were judged in fifteenth-century Florence. He also designed and erected a dome over the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore-a feat of architectural daring that we continue to marvel at today-thus securing himself a place among the most formidable geniuses of the Renaissance. At first denounced as a madman, Brunelleschi literally reinvented the field of architecture amid plagues, wars, and political feuds to raise seventy million pounds of metal, wood, and marble hundreds of feet in the air. Ross King's captivating narrative brings to life the personalities and intrigue surrounding the twenty-eight-year-long construction of the dome, opening a window onto Florentine life during one of history's most fascinating eras.Amazon.com Review
Filippo Brunelleschi's design for the dome of the cathedral ofSanta Maria del Fiore in Florence remains one of the most toweringachievements of Renaissance architecture. Completed in 1436, the domeremains a remarkable feat of design and engineering. Its span of morethan 140 feet exceeds St Paul's in London and St Peter's in Rome, andeven outdoes the Capitol in Washington, D.C., making it the largestdome ever constructed using bricks and mortar. The story of itscreation and its brilliant but "hot-tempered" creator is told in Ross King'sdelightful Brunelleschi's Dome.

Both dome and architect offer King plenty of rich material. The storyof the dome goes back to 1296, when work began on the cathedral, butit was only in 1420, when Brunelleschi won a competition over hisbitter rival Lorenzo Ghiberti to design the daunting cupola, that workbegan in earnest. King weaves an engrossing tale from the politicalintrigue, personal jealousies, dramatic setbacks, and sheer inventivebrilliance that led to the paranoid Filippo, "who was so proud of hisinventions and so fearful of plagiarism," finally seeing his domecompleted only months before his death. King argues that it wasBrunelleschi's improvised brilliance in solving the problem ofsuspending the enormous cupola in bricks and mortar (painstakinglydetailed with precise illustrations) that led him to "succeed inperforming an engineering feat whose structural daring was withoutparallel." He tells a compelling, informed story, ranging fromdiscussions of the construction of the bricks, mortar, and marble thatmade up the dome, to its subsequent use as a scientific instrument bythe Florentine astronomer Paolo Toscanelli. --Jerry Brotton,Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (118)

No show 2
Same PROBLEM same order. Never received the book but I did receive the bill. Do I complain to AMAZON or do I send a readers letter to the major newswpapers in Buenos Aires explaining my experience? Thank you, Martin

Superb
If you love the Renaissance and architecture this is a book for you. Exceptionally well informed, very clear in the architectural information, even of involved matters, and very easy to read. A gem.

King includes lots of fascinating detail
This book describes how a fifteenth-century goldsmith and clockmaker, Filippo Brunelleschi, came up with a unique design for the dome to crown Florence's magnificent new cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore.

With the excitement of the Renaissance as a backdrop, author King tells the whole story from Florence Brunelleschi's bitter, ongoing rivalry with the sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti to the near capture of Florence by the Duke of Milan.

To help you make this journey back to fifteenth century Florence, King includes lots of fascinating detail; the traditions of the brickmaker's art, the daily routine of the artisans laboring hundreds of feet above the ground as the dome grew ever higher, the problems of transportation and the power of the guilds.

Interesting read
This book is clearly written and is a enjoyable read. While I was reading it, I was really caught up in the drama and intrigue surrounding the character Filippo. But after finishing the book I had the time to reflect back on it and judge it from the distance. Considering that this project took over a quarter of a century, a few major setbacks should naturally have been expected. Parts of this book reads like a college essay - full of excessive details, footnotes and unnecessary and boring information thrown in to increase the volume of the contents. Although I did find the parts on the building design somewhat interesting, but was kind of distracted by the enormous number of 'scandals' the author referred to. I would say it is more enjoyable as a light read rather than a academic work. Nonetheless I found it enjoyable.

Good
Very informative and well-researched but a bit dry. This book would have benefited immensely by having pictures with it! ... Read more

Product Description

The author of The Prince—his controversial handbook on power, which is one of the most influential books ever written—NiccolÒ Machiavelli (1469-1527) was no prince himself. Born to an established middle-class family, Machiavelli worked as a courtier and diplomat for the Republic of Florence and enjoyed some small fame in his time as the author of bawdy plays and poems. In this discerning new biography, Ross King rescues Machiavelli's legacy from caricature, detailing the vibrant political and social context that influenced his thought and underscoring the humanity of one of history's finest political thinkers.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Somewhat disappointing
This is an easily readable biography of Machiavelli.
However, while I feel, that many biographies are too overburdened with detail and explanation, this one seems to have too little. I do not want to compare it to those "biographies" sometimes found in tourist guides -it is too well written!- but it somehow left the feeling in me like: is this really ALL there is to N. Machiavelli?
When you have read a good biography, you get the feeling, you "know" the person whose life was described at least a little bit - this book did not leave this feeling with me.

Of course, it could be, that this IS all there is to him - I have not read any other biography of Maciavelli - so my critisism would be unwarranted.

Fantastic Read on a Multifaceted Man
This read was an unbiased look at an individual with whom history has not been so kind.As the name Machiavelli is with synonymous evil and treachery, it is easy to understand that he was basing his philosophy on the times this Florentine was living in.Brutality has always been a part of war and from the point of view that Machiavelli observed the events of the time...from the defenseless Florence who had to pay mercenaries for protection against the Roman Empire, France and Spain to the over throw of power by the Medici.
Although many have seen his greatest work, The Prince, as a guide book for war in it's most sinister format, this book allowed one to see the perspective that lead to such a writing.
For students who may have to be introduced to Machiavelli for work on a biography or someone who is satified with an intiguing, albiet, surface reading, I highly recommend this book.History lovers will enjoy seeing this man revolving in the same world as Leonardo, Vespucci and Michelangelo~

A fun and interesting way to understand the classics
Ross King does it again. Machiavelli is another masterful work by the King of renaissance history. In usual King fashion, this book gives you all the angels: from vatican politics and provincial italian disputes, to Machiavelli's personal and family life. King accomplishes in a few hundred pages what a college courses and political science books fail to do: get to the root of Machiavelli's ideas, way he wrote them and what they really mean. Unlike the impeccable page-turners Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling and Brunelleschi's Dome, Machiavelli gets a little dry in content toward the end with an academic analysis of the Prince and other writings, but still manages to keep you engaged and close on a strong note. The master of renaissance history proves he can sell more than just art.

A fine work for what it is
If you want a detailed analysis of Machiavelli and his work, this is not the book for you.If you want a brief, accessible introduction to the man and his life, then this will be a nice addition to your library.Personally, I tend to like detailed biographies that place the person in his or her context. But I also appreciate works such as this.

The narrative begins with Niccolo Machiavelli, age only 29 (young for the role he would play), becoming a player in Florence's political apparatus. He was a humanist, and had a good education when young. He came from a good family, albeit one that was not wealthy. Shortly after his accession to a good post, he became Second Chancellor. As a part of his position, he also was assigned diplomatic tasks.

He maintained this position until Florence was taken under the authority of the Medici family.In the process, Machiavelli lost his position (and may have been tortured in the process).The book portrays well the frustration Machiavelli felt, as he did many things to ingratiate himself with the powerful Medici family. Indeed, his famous "The Prince" was dedicated to a Medici.After, essentially, realizing that he would not soon regain his position, he began writing, whether histories, political analyses, or plays.Ironically, one of his plays was performed for the Pope (a Medici) and well appreciated by him.

The book continues by depicting his life, including a last moment opportunity to play the role of diplomat--with the backing of, you guessed it, the Medici family.One thing the book does nicely, even though it is rather superficial, is to demonstrate the crazy quilt pattern of shifting alliances. On his personal life, he was quite a pain to his wife (fidelity was not an attribute he displayed) and family, being gone, while a diplomat, a great deal of the time.

The last chapter does a serviceable job of putting Machiavelli in a larger context.The book is well written and well serves the purpose of an accessible, non-academic view of this famous philosopher, writer, and diplomat.

Machiavelli Light
Whether you should read this book depends on what kind of information you're looking for. The book is part of the "Eminent Lives" series, which is designed to allow well-known writers to relate the basic facts of an eminent person's life briefly together with the author's take on the eminent person's life and work.The publishers tout the series as consisting of "succinct" essay-like books intended to be "short biographies for an age short on time." No book in the series (that I have seen) has any significant scholarly apparatus. The series is aimed at readers who are new to the subjects covered.The books are similar to the serious essays you can find in magazines like the "New Yorker" but longer. This book fits the series's pattern.

Author King briskly and briefly narrates the basic facts of Machiavelli's varied life as politician, official of the Florentine Republic, diplomat, playwright, poet, political theorist and writer, husband, father, and inveterate womanizer. He also makes very basic comments regarding Machiavelli's most prominent writings (such as The Prince, The Discourses, The Art of War and others). King's narrative is brisk, engaging and informative and contains a number of insights concerning Machiavelli's character and his career. King gives the reader some context by briefly outlining the violent and troubled politics of late Renaissance Italy.

The book, however, has no index, few notes and a bibliography consisting of only seven titles (three of which are three volume sets). The book appears to contain little or no new research. King makes no effort at deeper analysis of Machiavelli's thought, its reception then or later or the endless wars, invasions, plots, upheavals, religious controversies and other miseries of the early 16th century. There is little guidance for further inquiry.

If what you want are the basic facts of Machiavelli's life and career as related in a short and engaging narrative, this book could be a good choice. If you seek a deeper analysis of Machiavelli's significant thought or of a complex and seminal historical period this is probably not for you.
... Read more

Product Description
In 1508, despite strong advice to the contrary, the powerful Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the newly restored Sistine Chapel. With little experience as a painter (though famed for his sculpture David), Michelangelo was reluctant to begin the massive project.

Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling recounts the four extraordinary years Michelangelo spent laboring over the vast ceiling while the power politics and personal rivalries that abounded in Rome swirled around him. Battling against ill health, financial difficulties, domestic problems, the pope's impatience, and a bitter rivalry with the brilliant young painter Raphael, Michelangelo created scenes so beautiful that they are considered one of the greatest masterpieces of all time. A panorama of illustrious figures converged around the creation of this great work-from the great Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus to the young Martin Luther-and Ross King skillfully weaves them through his compelling historical narrative, offering uncommon insight into the intersection of art and history.Amazon.com Review
Almost 500 years after Michelangelo Buonarroti frescoed the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, the site still attracts throngs of visitors and is considered one of the artistic masterpieces of the world. Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling unveils the story behind the art's making, a story rife with all the drama of a modern-day soap opera.

The temperament of the day was dictated by the politics of the papal court, a corrupt and powerful office steeped in controversy; Pope Julius II even had a nickname, "Il Papa Terrible," to prove it. Along with his violent outbursts and warmongering, Pope Julius II took upon himself to restore the Sistine Chapel and pretty much intimidated Michelangelo into painting the ceiling even though the artist considered himself primarily a sculptor and was particularly unfamiliar with the temperamental art of fresco. Along with technical difficulties, personality conflicts, and money troubles, Michelangelo was plagued by health problems and competition in the form of the dashing and talented young painter Raphael.

Author Ross King offers an in-depth analysis of the complex historical background that led to the magnificence that is the Sistine Chapel ceiling along with detailed discussion of some of the ceiling’s panels. King provides fabulous tidbits of information and weaves together a fascinating historical tale. --J.P. Cohen ... Read more

Customer Reviews (107)

An artist consumed by art...
After reading this book you will never see or think of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel the same way again. Ross King not only details Michaelangelo's life in the 16th century and his relationship with the pope, but also, his relationship to the Sistine Chapel's ceiling.You will experience Michelangelo's artistic progression as he worked his way across the ceiling from one end to the other, and if you study the color illustrations (included in the paperback edition or you can find them online), you can see the increased complexity of his vision even as his hand grew more assured in the technique of fresco. A incredible story of an artist wholly consumed by his art.

Excellent
This book is truly excellent. Very wide scope: it covers from the psychology of the artists (particularly Michaelangelo and Raphael) and that of the Pope (Julius II) to the materials used in the colors, and the techniques of fresco painting. I enjoyed the style and the pace. A book to relish.

The Pope's Ceiling - book
This is the second copy of this book I purchased.Very well written, great book.I bought this copy for my sister-in-law who will
be going to Italy this fall. It gives a very in depth background to the painting of the Sistine Chapel, how the paints were prepared, Michelangelo's background and all about the process of painting as well as his other works.

Informative and Highly Interesting for Art Lovers and Italian Culture/History Buffs
I purchased this book for my niece for a college project she was working on in a chemistry class (they were studying paint pigments, etc.).It provided her with all the information she needed and she found it a fun and interesting read as well. After she finished she passed it back to me because she knew I would enjoy reading it.She was right!It's a fascinating read.The story would make a great period movie.The relationships, sometimes back-stabbing, political intrigue along with the actual artistic history of the Sistine Chapel ceiling would be better than fiction on screen.Highly recommended book, especially for art lovers, those who enjoy Italian culture and history, and/or those who are interested in Vatican history.

Foremost, great storytelling
The wealth of material and information about Michelangelo and his work-from his personal correspondence as well as from Vasari's "Lives of the Artists," is a full chronicle of the artist's long, spectacularly productive life. King thoroughly culls the record and spins a fascinating story of Michelangelo's creation of the Sistine Chapel, a masterpiece despite the interference and incessant meddling of his pontiff and benefactor Pope Julius II.

Michelangelo viewed himself a sculptor who was commissioned and cajoled by "Il Papa Terrible" into working in fresco. Just as Michelangelo had to learn a new and temperamental art form, King educates us in a lucid, astute and detailed primer just how delicate, exacting and meticulous frescoing is - from mixing the pigments to creating the "cartoons" and applying the colors to plaster that is at just the right temperature and consistency.

King convinces us that what Michelangelo created is a supreme testament to the artist's tenacity and perseverance. The Sistine Chapel is almost miraculous in its beauty. It is equally wondrous that Michelangelo's masterpiece of art and craftsmanship has survived history and continues to amaze just as it first did five centuries ago.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Judgement of Paris
Book arrived in excellent condition, however took a little longer than expected. Immediately opened it up and started to read! Great addition to my art history library. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Wrong cover
If you are hoping for the nice white and blue book you will not receive it. Instead you will receive a grayish-green textbook from back in 2002. This is my second attempt at sending the textbook to get the book that is advertised above. It is the same book as far as content, but it is an older version. I did email amazon the first time I was sent the wrong book. They said they would resend the right one, but it is the same wrong covered book again. It is like asking for an apple but instead you get an orange.

Best Intermediate Audio Course There Is!
This book's audio CD has done absolute wonders for my Korean ability! I listen to it in the car and while doing dishes every day. It is at a solid intermediate level, which means that when you master its contents, you are fluently able to understand and to speak Korean (but you're not quite there when it comes to watching TV and reading adult-level books for pleasure.) The written activities are very thorough, with multifarious examples, so there is plenty to read as well. In my case I was already beyond the grammar level of the book by the time I came to it, but was behind on a bit of the vocabulary and at the ability to understand the spoken word and to speak from my hear on the spot. The audio CD for this course changed my (Korean-speaking) life! Good job Ross King (a fellow Canadian!) and friends! Thank you! I personally think that if you team this book, which deals with overall ability, with Andrew Sangpil Byon's book, "Intermediate Korean: A Grammar and Workbook" which deals primarily (and teaches everything there is to know about it) with grammar only, you will be 100% able to exchange emails and to translate Korean as well as to carry on conversations with people easily. There do not seem to be any "advanced level" Korean study books available, so I guess the next step past intermediate is to actually just do lots of reading et cetera with a dictionary.

Good book in 2 different commercial versions --- please comment!
Good book in 2 different commercial versions --- please comment!
I ordered this book from amazon several times. The received parcels contained a different version of the 1st edition, i.e. an older version (and thus, printing), of the book than displayed here on the amazon webpage. Surprise, surprise! :) If you google "Continuing Korean", you will find out that the original printing (1st edition, 1st printing, 1999-2002) is still being sold and widely available. The original (=old) version has "green boards", i.e. the front/back hardcover is in darkgreen with white and red letters. The here displayed product version (released in 2004, with the same ISBN) is in turquoise and beige, with red and black letters. And it has different dimensions and number of pages, although the contents are the same. Furthermore, the new book version has white, new page paper whereas the original book version has beige, old page paper quality. I like the contents of the book very much, as you can check yourself with Google Book Results. The book 'Continuing Korean' covers all the basic plus intermediate grammar necessary to pass the TOPIK Beginner's Level examination. If you need a textbook which covers more or much more grammar, e.g. for the TOPIK Intermediate Level exam, then I would recommend the grammar books and workbooks by Yonsei University Press! 'Continuing Korean' is a great sequel to 'Elementary Korean, 2nd Edition, 2009' --- just be sure that you dont keep the darkgreen version of it ;)
Feel free to comment which version of the 1st edition you finally/actually received from amazonDOTcom, thanks!

The yardstick by which all textbooks should be measured
This book is perfect in every way and was the major, if not central, contributor to my fluency in Korean. The grammar is perfect for the second and third year of a Korean course and the dialogues have a very rich and native flavor to them. The vocabulary is extremely useful and complete. I believe that complete is the exact word for this. This book is complete in every way from the table of contents to the very accessible glossaries in the back.

With the CD that comes with it or a standalone textbook, this book is ideal. The exercises within it are perfect and they reinforce what was learned in the previous chapter. Even the cheesy reading passages are appropriate for the corresponding skill level of a learner at the corresponding level for every chapter.

The color of the cover, the layout of the book is perfect; the font is perfect. The quality of the paper is perfect. Even the introduction is perfect.And the mistake count? To be honest I read this whole book and it only has 4 mistakes in all of its 500 pages. That's like less than 0.01% - as flawless as a book gets in my book.

The only problem I found with this book was that the subsequent volume that Ross King promises within it has not been delivered. Long story short, if all foreign language textbooks were like this, the world would be a more polyglotal(polyglotish?) place.

continues, but leaves out alot
This book finishes where book one left off with more advanced grammar and vocabulary. However, the included cd only covers the dialogue, leaving the example sentences with no audio examples, which is unfortunate. There are cheaper and better audio courses available. For example, the Kanada course comes with five audio cds and runs only $20. This course also covers more territory and grammar. So for about the same price as continuing Korean with postage, you could get four books and 16 cds from the Kanada course. Try that instead. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

better than expected.
My son needed this book for a college class. The price was 1/2 that of a used book in the book store. The book arrived in a 2 days. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
A cryptic summons to a remote country house launches Isaac Inchbold, a London bookseller and antiquarian, on an odyssey through seventeenth-century Europe.Charged with the task of restoring a magnificent library destroyed by the war, Inchbold moves between Prague and the Tower Bridge in London, his fortunes-and his life-hanging on his ability to recover a missing manuscript. Yet the lost volume is not what it seems, and his search is part of a treacherous game of underworld spies and smugglers, ciphers, and forgeries. Inchbold's adventure is compelling from beginning to end as Ross King vividly recreates the turmoil of Europe in the seventeenth century-the sacks of great cities; Raleigh's final voyage; the quest for occult knowledge; and a watery escape from three mysterious horsemen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

Boring and Pointless
Once in a great while, you find a book that brings back some childhood memory.This book brings back Lima beans; it's there staring at you all un-appetizingly but you know you've gotta plow through it in order to get desert or find a way to sneak them to the dog who- being incredibly stupid - loves them.Except not even my dog would like this book.

The book reads like a modern historical thriller written by Charles Dickens - provided he wrote the book in a hurry while giving up on plot for Lent.The central plot literally goes nowhere.The characters are as well developed as a Jackson Pollack painting.The scenes where action is supposed to be taking place are incredibly disjointed and you get no sense of proportions or distances and everyone is constantly falling over something like a rug or a pebble or a really slippery spider - it might make more sense if the book started with "In the year 1620, everyman woman and child was transformed into a zombie - a clumsy one at that."

I have heard the Ross King was not a bad writer; this still may be the case and perhaps this book was something of a warm up for him.The setting starts out okay, but doesn't really grab you.I first tried to read the book and only made it to page 8.The characters all have Dickensian names like Inchbold who works at Nonesuch Books - a fitting name for a book that center around a fictional tome.But the story, honestly, is boring and it makes zero sense.As I mentioned above, to make a bad story worse,the prose is startlingly bad - most notably when it come to describing movement or action scenes, though even the descriptions are dull and the attempted use of era specific parlance is jilted - it reminded me of Stephen Colbert talking jive.

I rarely give negative reviews - but this book is simply bad.I loaned the book to a friend just to verify the badness - that's how bad it was - and asked her to mentally change the names of all the characters to Nipsy Wonder Bread to see if it had any impact to the story whatsoever.No, she said, actually, it was a bit of an improvement.

horribly overrated
While the author knows how to fill a page with fine descriptions and mini-events, he fails terribly when it counts most.There are silly transitions and unbelievable turning points throughout.In addition, he does not know when to streamline and when to flesh out.I read carefully for a hundred pages, I skimmmed the next hundred and stopped reading around pg 230.I absolutely do not understand the glowing reviews by some professional critics.He is NOT an Iain Pears.

Don't bother
Execrable crap tries to cash in on historico-literary mystery boom and fails in a morass of bad writing, over writing, bleeding into a pool of undigested facts, names, and dates.

Don't bother.You won't care what happens to the characters, and the mystery as much as it makes sense, is a dud.

Confusing and Disappointing
King's narrative was bogged down with unnecessary details, historical conspiracies, name dropping and dead-end plot-lines in which a seventeenth century book-seller is given the task of tracking down a mysterious volume.I was pretty disappointed in the conclusion and the anticlimactic revelation of the purpose of the sought book.I had really been looking forward to reading Ex-Libris and I really wanted to like it (being such a bibliophile and having a soft-spot for books about books) but it was far too scattered and inconsistent.

An ingenious intellectual Puzzle?
Newsday calls this book an ingenious intellectual puzzle.Maybe I am not so untellectual as I think.
I did like this book but found it a bit of a chore to read. About halfway through I noticed the quote on the front cover by the "Denver Free Press" that compares it to "The Name of the Rose". the only similarity is that there are books involved and a bit of a puzzle to figure out.Other than that, different century, different location, great characters.
The characters are a bit flat, the main characters, Isaac Inchbold and Emilia could have been given a bit more depth.

All in all, not a bad read but not a page turner either. ... Read more

Product Description
Ross King’s delightful, Rabelaisian novel recounts the adventures of young George Cautley, an aspiring artist who, as he makes his way through London’s high society, finds that nothing is as it seems and everyone wears a disguise. Moving from masquerade balls in London to the magnificent and mysterious opera houses of Venice, Cautley is drawn into a web of intrigue and murder spun by the seductive and tempestuous Lady Beauclair. Suspenseful, menacing, and laced with black humor, King’s picaresque tale is full of surprisesand suspense, told at the pace of a thriller and with the richness of a restored painting. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Odd and unsatisfactory
Halfway through Domino I was seriously beginning to wonder whether the author was visually impaired, not a native speaker of English, or both. Even allowing for the strain of writing in a pastiche of eighteenth-century English, the language is just odd - is there any native English-speaker who doesn't feel the word "waggle" to be inherently silly? It is used here in passages of high drama.And the "evocative descriptions of the sights, sounds, smells and society of eighteenth-century London" which are promised on the back cover, and do indeed fill the book, persistently give the impression that the author had never seen the things he is describing - very odd in a novel about a painter! It's not only the descriptions of historical details that are out of kilter (surely anyone who has ever looked at Hogarth's pictures of London low-life would have noticed that the women don't wear buttoned blouses?- or that it would be impossible for them to "unbutton the tops of their petticoats" in the street to attract custom?) - everyday things are misdescribed in odd ways; as when the face of a character who chokes goes "the colour of Rhenish wine" - pale yellow - despite wearing thick heavy make-up.

The behaviour and manners of the characters is quite improbable for the period. A threadbare would-be painter could not possibly mix in society with a rich lord as a social equal, and could certainly not address or refer to him by a nickname. Nor would a fashionable portraitist demand that a stranger visiting him would dress up in the clothes of a wealthy lady client so he could go on painting her portrait - a life-size lay figure for that purpose was a basic piece of an artists equipment. And so on, and so forth. This might not matter if the characters and the story were interesting, but they aren't. I would call this book a failure on every level.

a voice teacher and early music fan (early history as well)
DOMINO= A MASK TO DISGUISE AND CONCEAL THE ACTUAL VISAGE OF THE MASQUERADER AND THAT'S WHAT THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT! But unless one has a special interest in this late 18th century era, it would be laborious reading indeed. However, if one does have an interest, as I do, it is worth 'wading' through.Though it is fiction, it reads very much like a documentary, though confusing at times.

'Domino' is a Rabelaisian journey, by internationally best-sellingauthor, Ross King.Reaching into the world of 1770's London from the palatial palaces of the city's finest to their country manors, from the garret room of George Cautley, a hapless young struggling artist adrift in the gilded world he wants to conquer to the magnificent opera houses of Milan, with their deep dark secrets.Ross King, indeed, does much more than paint a portrait of a time long gone, but brings it to life, with an immediancy that only very fine historical writers can achieve.

'Domino' is the story of the inscrutable and beautiful Lady Beauclair, the castrato singer Tristano, and the unworldly Cautley, and Eleanora, mistress and muse.It tells how the young inexperienced Cautley makes his way through 18th century London high society, where nothing is as it seems and everyone wears a MASK.By way of dark and menacing maneuverings of the tempestuous immoral Lady Beauclair and the castrato Tristano as well as other characters, Cautley is drawn into a web of intrigue.

Laced with black and somewhat evil humor, this picturesque tale of art, artists, patrons and ne'er-do-wells is filled with surprises, victories and tragedies told with the pace of a thriller and richness of a restored oil painting.Replete with mystery and immersed in historical details, THIS BOOK IS ALSO A PHILOSOPHICAL MUSING ON THE DISGUISES OF THE WORLD AND EVERYONE'S SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH.

Beautiful language, but ponderous pacing
Lushly written by a writer who has clearly done their research.The descriptive passages rival those of Suskind's PERFUME, and the story is beautifully structured, the character's well drawn.So why, then, didn't I like this book more?I suspect it might be a question of pacing.I found it a little ponderous, at times more concerned with displaying its own knowledge than telling the story. Still, for fans of the period, I can easily recommend it.

A Great Disappointment
I really wanted to like this book. I am a great fan of historical fiction and have enjoyed some of Ross King's later books, particularly "Michaelangelo and The Pope's Ceiling". I struggled through to the middle of "Domino" before I finally gave up on it, deciding that there are too many other good books to waste anymore time on this one.

The major flaw in "Domino" is that there is not a single likeable character in the story. Neither is there someone despicable enough to hold the reader's attention. In this, his first book, Ross King doesn't give the reader any reason to care about the fate of the characters. The supposed mystery is a Domino itself - a trumped up, unimportant story masquerading as a fascinating life story that is not even interesting.

I recommend that if you like Ross King, read his later books. He seems to have developed a lot after this one.

Domino falls flat
This novel is rich with historical and period detail and many of the passages in the book are beautifully written. There are also some very funny scenes throughtout.Yet it is a difficult story to follow and many aspects of it are just implausible. It really lacks a plot and never solves the mystery.If you love historical fiction then this book might hold your interest, but much of the book just does not make sense. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

One of the best
Went through many korean textbooks, and this is one of the better and more comprehensive ones.Though all elementary books generally have the same material, this book is formatted/organized well and easy to read through quickly.

The second/intermediate book should be bought together with this if you are serious about learning korean.

Nice book for self study
I started studying Korean with this book for TOPIK exams. It's nice for self-study, contains lots of information and exercises with answers too. However, the material at times appears to be too dense and requires supplementary explanatory material. Good for use in conjunction with any good Korean online lessons.

A Dream
I love this book so much. It came with the CD as promised and its very simple. With a little more time after my semester finishes, I'll definitely be able to practice more. The best part about this book is that any question that appears in the book has an answer in the back. That's a huge plus for someone who is learning on their own with the help of [...] for more pronunciation.

A Dream
I love this book so much. It came with the CD as promised and its very simple. With a little more time after my semester finishes, I'll definitely be able to practice more. The best part about this book is that any question that appears in the book has an answer in the back. That's a huge plus for someone who is learning on their own with the help of [...] for more pronunciation.

Not enough audio
Firstly, only chapters 1, 2, and 5 have vocabulary.The rest of the audio disc comprises all of the conversations and parts of exercises.Also, the vocabulary words don't have any English.In other words, they don't say "English (pause) Yong-oh" but instead just say the Korean.This might not be a problem for some people, but if I'm trying to learn straight vocabulary and can't look at the book or my notes, it's very convenient to have this.

Secondly, there are a lot of errors in the book.Sometimes they just say the wrong word or have a typo.However, for a second edition, I would have expected that this was cleared up. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I'm Forcing Myself to finish it
Once in a great while, you find a book that brings back some childhood memory.This book brings back Lima beans; it's there staring at you all un-appetizingly but you know you've gotta plow through it in order to get desert or find a way to sneak them to the dog who- being incredibly stupid - loves them.Except not even my dog would like this book.

The book reads like a modern historical thriller written by Charles Dickens - provided he wrote the book in a hurry while giving up on plot for Lent.The central plot literally goes nowhere.The characters are as well developed as a Jackson Pollack painting.The scenes where action is supposed to be taking place are incredibly disjointed and you get no sense of proportions or distances and everyone is constantly falling over something like a rug or a pebble or a really slippery spider - it might make more sense if the book started with "In the year 1620, everyman woman and child was transformed into a zombie - a clumsy one at that."

I have heard the Ross King was not a bad writer; this still may be the case and perhaps this book was something of a warm up for him.The setting starts out okay, but doesn't really grab you.I first tried to read the book and only made it to page 8.The characters all have Dickensian names like Inchbold who works at Nonesuch Books - a fitting name for a book that center around a fictional tome.But the story, honestly, is boring and it makes zero sense.As I mentioned above, to make a bad story worse,the prose is startlingly bad - most notably when it come to describing movement or action scenes, though even the descriptions are dull and the attempted use of era specific parlance is jilted - it reminded me of Stephen Colbert talking jive.

I rarely give negative reviews - but this book is simply bad. ... Read more

Product Description
The life stories of Duncan, Macbeth, and Mary, Queen of Scots, are told here along with the life stories of all the other monarchs, regents, and pretenders to the throne who have made up the turbulent history of Scotland. From the Celtic era to the present, this book tells the stories of the men and women who ruled Scotland-and the many who died trying. Vivid illustrations of the kings and queens, castles, and Scottish artifacts add to this book's historical appeal. ... Read more

Product Description
An illustrated portrait of Diana Ross traces her rise from a humble Detroit childhood to international fame as a member of the Supremes and as a solo artist and discusses her career as an actress. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

book report
My granddaughter had to do a report on Diana Ross for Black History month. They were limited on the materials that they could use. He wanted them to read than just to use the internet.
She enjoyed the book and found it more interesting when Michael Jackson was mentioned in it.
I grew up in that era, and found the book interesting,also. When you are an idol you don't know where and how they got to be where they are. You think it was easy for them.

The Meaning of "SUPREME"
When the name Diana Ross comes up it is so much more than SUPREME. It shows what talent, hard work and great work ethic can make happen. I am sick and tired of people using Diana Ross as punching bag or a joke when she has opened doors for just about every female singer (of all colors) and it is LONG overdue that credit is given where credit is due. also check out the great new book "It took a life time to get here" that was written by Tom Adrahatas.

More positive role models needed
I think a more positive role model should have been picked. I am sad that Diana was chosen as one.I do not want my children looking up to someone who is a drug and alcohol abuser. Her/the Supremes music is to be admired, no question about that. But as a role model, Diana is certainly not one.

An eneresting, exciting book, of Diana Ross.
I loved the book and all the facts about Diana Ross? It showed me that if you are coming from a not so wealthy background,and you can still make something out of your life when you are odler.

A great book aboutthe best DIVA ever!
There was a time that J. Randy was a freind of the diva Miss Ross.I guess he was her Linda Tripp!Since she did find out that he was writing a book about her,without telling her, I think confidences shared would beexpected to be kept silent. After all, he was the president of the Supremesfan club, and had access to Diana, THE GIRLS, and the people at Motown.Ithink a more balanced account of her life and the MYTHS surrounding her isto be found in a chapter of a new book called "DIVAS".Anyoneinterested in anather slant on The Supremes and Diana should read "ALLTHAT GLITTERS".Iam a big fan-I try to be objective, but Diana hasgotten a bad rap, especially since 1985.Get the "DIVAS" bookfor a really more balanced viewpoint of the star and the myths surroundingher life.The music still stands! ... Read more

Product Description
This story of King Alfred the Great opens in the winter of 877, in the Danish camp at Gloucester. Guthrum decides to attack Wessex and succeeds in taking the Saxons by surprise. However, eventually the Viking King is forced to make peace with Alfred and he even accepts baptism, amid much feasting on both sides. This book is part of a series which describes important events in history, capturing the action in a fictional account based on the historical facts. It includes "The story so far" which sets the scene at the beginning of the book and "The history file" outlines what happened beyond the end of the story and describes how we know the facts. A glossary explains key history words and a timeline sets the story in context. The book is suitable for pupils at Key Stage 2. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Beware the king
I think It was very good and you can use it for history about the tudors.I read it at school. ... Read more

Product Description

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Inductive Logic Programming, ILP 2004, held in Porto, Portugal, in September 2004.