Product Description
On a pleasure trip to the Sacramento Delta, Sharon McCone encounters ghostly intervention, mysterious vandalism and murder on the site of a decrepit Victorian mansion. Another thrilling mystery featuring San Francisco private eye Sharon McCone. HC: Mysterious Press. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

READ THIS ONE ON A STORMY NIGHT
Sharon has been called to help one of her sisters in trouble.She winds up on an island in the middle of a storm with death and destruction all around her.This is a classic page turner:massive storm ,island cut off from all civilization . Dead bodies mounting up and Sharon has no idea which one is doing it till the very end.Great mystery!!! This story reads like an Agatha Christie novel. A must for the mystery lovers in all of us!

McCone in a new haunt
This is an early Sharon McCone mystery--she's still at All Souls Cooperative--but since she's away in the CA Delta area there's very little interaction with other continuing characters. However, her younger sister Patsy & her kids play a prominent part in the story. The bulk of the story is an armchair type mystery, but there are also some action scenes including a big one at the end. The mystery slowly unfolds. I found the motive easier to determine than the culprit. There are some sub-plots, but Muller eventually weaves it all together into a neat package. You CAN figure out the perpetrator near the end (before its revealed by McCone), but it's not easy. Overall, this is a solid Muller mystery which stands the test of time. It does remind me a bit of Agatha's 10 Little Indians to a degree.

McCone in a new haunt
This is an early Sharon McCone mystery--she's still at All Souls Cooperative--but since she's away in the CA Delta area there's very little interaction with other continuing characters.However, her younger sister Patsy & her kids play a prominent part in the story.The bulk of the story is an armchair type mystery, but there are also some action scenes including a big one at the end.The mystery slowly unfolds.I found the motive easier to determine than the culprit.There are some sub-plots, but Muller eventually weaves it all together into a neat package.You CAN figure out the perpetrator near the end (before its revealed by McCone), but it's not easy.Overall, this is a solid Muller mystery which stands the test of time.It does remind me a bit of Agatha's 10 Little Indians to a degree.By the way, Muller also wrote 2 mystery trilogies starring 2 different heroines: Elena Oliverez (The Tree of Death, The Legend of the Slain Soldiers, Beyond the Grave) & Joanna Stark (Dark Star, The Cavalier in White, There Hangs the Knife).

Investigator in the Family
The Sacramento delta is a constant victim of hostile elements.Sharon McCone is worried about her younger sister, Patsy McCone.Her destination is Appleby Island.

McCone is a staff investigator at a law cooperative, All Souls, in San Francisco.Her sister wants her to investigate mysterious events on the island.People in the area have heardabout the curse of the island all of their lives and so it is not surprising that it is hard to find workers.

The strange events, Sharon thinks, may have been caused by an out-of-sorts child who does not like the new home.Her nephew Andrew, she learns, is considered weird.Oftentimes what is really involved in a mystery story is the mystery of human nature.

Men working on the island saw a hermit's ghost it is rumored.The funding for the renovation of the mansion on the island to turn it into a boatel is in jeopardy because the trustee of one of the participants received an anonymous letter warning it is a bad investment.The story is exciting and colorful.

Sharon goes to Appleby Island
Private Investigator Sharon McCone gets a call from her sister Patsy who wants to employ her to investigate some strange occurrences on Appleby Island. Patsy has joined a group who plan to turn an island mansion into a bed-and-breakfast, but several acts of sabotage are beginning to discourage them.Sharon arrives and is as perplexed as her sister.The mischief continues and eventually escalates into murder.As she continues her investigation, Sharon realizes that someone on the island must be the perpetrator.Eventually there are several revelations which expose the fact that many of the people on the island are not what they appear to be.This is another good entry to the Sharon McCone Mystery Series. ... Read more

Product Description
In her fifteenth case, private investigator Sharon McCone is hired by a shady, millionaire wheeler-dealer named T. J. ""Suitcase"" Gordon, whose numerous enemies quickly become her own. Reprint. NYT. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

An Intelligent Mystery

This is an intelligent mystery.Sharon McCone, sleuth, goes into the private eye business for herself.Her first customer is an old friend from her 60's days in Berkeley.This friend is now in the business of doing turn-arounds for companies facing bankruptcy.Is someone out to kill him or is he paranoid from too many years of drug use?

This is a good page-turner, perfect for the beach, vacation or airplane.

Good, if not startling or anything
Marcia Muller has the distinction of being the first woman to successfully write a private eye series where the protagonist was female. The big wave of these books were, of course, prompted by Sara Paretsky and Sue Grafton, however. The difference between Muller's books and that of the other two women is difficult to discern, but I believe I have the answer. Paretsky and Grafton write books where there's a private eye who's female, while Muller writes about a woman who's a private eye. This is a subtle distinction: there's no doubt that all three series have a lot in common. For whatever the reason, however, Muller's stuff reads (to me anyway) more like a romance novel with a mystery plot than an actual mystery. Having said that, Till the Butchers Cut Him Down isn't a bad addition to her series at all.

Sharon McCone has struck out on her own, leaving the legal cooperative that employed her in the previous books in the series, and decided to become a real private eye, complete with office and assistant. Her first case involves an old friend, "Suitcase" Gordon, who used to deal in illicit things which he always carried in a suitcase, hence the nickname. Suitcase is now a successful businessman, but not a very popular one, and someone's apparently taken it into their heads to kill him, destroy his business, or both. He comes to Sharon to see if she can stop them, and the book goes from there.

Muller's prose is easy to read and workmanlike. There's nothing really poetic here, and the characters are only semi-well-defined, but the plot is reasonable and she knows how to keep the action moving. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a decent mystery, with an afternoon at the beach to kill.

Sharon opens her own agency
Private Investigator Sharon McCone has grown and matured through the first fifteen books which comprise the series which bears her name.In this offering, Sharon starts her own agency, although she rents space from her former employer, All Souls' Legal Cooperative, and thus stays in touch with her old friends.Her first case involves an old college chum whom she calls Suits.Although he was an unpromising youth, Suits has become a man of some wealth and influence.He specializes in taking over companies and turning them around so that they become profitable entities again.In the process of doing so, Suits usually cuts unprofitable people and activities, thus earning him numerous enemies.When someone starts to harass him in dangerous ways, Suits decides it's time to bring in an investigator to find out who's responsible.Sharon travels the country, talking to people in companies which Suits has turned around.There are more than enough suspects, and Sharon has to do some extensive sleuthing to see who is threatening Suits and his wife.She takes on her nephew as a temporary assistant and continues her unconventional relationship with Hy Ripinski.Muller's fans will not be disappointed in this entry in the series.

A Cut Above
It is always a pleasure to start in on another McCone mystery from Marcia Muller. The familiar northern California settings and the now-familiar characters surrounding McCone provide a comfort zone that makes it easy to get into each new tale. I've read all the books that preceded this one and recommend them all. Starting at the beginning is the best way to do it.

Even if you've never read any of the other McCone mysteries, though, this one is very good on its own. Having decided to break from All Souls and become an independent investigator, McCone's first client is someone from her student days at UC Berkeley. "Suits" Gordon has become a corporate turnaround specialist and made some enemies along the way. Now, he thinks someone is trying to kill him and he wants McCone to find out who. The plot keeps twisting and turning right through to the end, with never a dull moment along the way.

This is a very good mystery, whether you're familiar with the San Francisco Bay Area and/or past McCone mysteries or not. There are plenty of surprises, and the pace doesn't let up. I have given 4 stars in past reviews to books in this series, but Mullers has outdone herself this time. Her best yet, in my opinion. Highly recommended with 5 stars.

Usual excellent read
This author always provides the goods.Again, we have a thoroughly worthwhile read with the author's usual compelling characterisations and tight plotting.One minute flaw only - the plotting was a mite confusing.Nevertheless, installments in this series are always welcome additions to my bedside table. ... Read more

Product Description
Max Müller is often referred to as the “father of Religious Studies,” having himself coined the term "science of religion" (or religionswissenschaft) in 1873. It was he who encouraged the comparative study of myth and ritual, and it was he who introduced the oft-quoted dictum: “He who knows one [religion], knows none.” Though a German-born and German-educated philologist, he spent the greater part of his career at Oxford, becoming one of the most famous of the Victorian arm-chair scholars. Müller wrote extensively on Indian philosophy and Vedic religion, translated major sections of the Vedas, the Upanisads, and all of the Dhammapada, yet never visited India. To be sure, his work bears the stamp of late 19th-Century sensibilities, but as artifacts of Victorian era scholarship, Müller's essays are helpful in reconstructing and comprehending the intellectual concerns of this highly enlightened though highly imperialistic age.
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Customer Reviews (1)

An important scholar too oftened overlooked
All human knowledge, however antiquated, possesses some value for the present. True, such knowledge may not yield pure gold, but there might still be a few nuggets one can mine, specks of gold ore that can be used to enrich one's knowledge of human history and of human ideas. It is perhaps ironic that what Max Muller had observed in his "Lecture on the Vedas" became true of his own scholarship. For while he thought the Vedic hymns "tedious, low, commonplace," he still believed that "hidden in this rubbish there are precious stones." In the same way, one will find some "precious stones" hidden in the writings of Max Muller, but only if that person is willing to mine them.
Compiling an anthology of the essential writings of E Max Muller is no mean task. While the aim throughout was to include Muller's best-known and most often cited essays and addresses, page limitations have restricted the number of selections to fewer than twenty. As a result, those that have been included represent a mere sampling of his voluminous output, but a sampling, nevertheless, that presents to the reader the range of Muller's research interests in the origins of language, mythology, and religion. In addition, in view of Muller's wide-ranging interests in the comparative study of religion, mythology, folklore, linguistics, metaphysics, and human cognition, it is hoped that the selections in this "essential Max Muller" will be of interest to scholars and students in fields as diverse as religious studies, philosophy, anthropology, early linguistic theory, and the history of Western ideas.
There were a number of problems Stone encountered in editing this collection of essays that needs to be mentioned. The first has to do with the problem of multiple editions of and revisions to his catalogue of works. For instance, there are two published versions of Muller's famous 1870 "Lectures on the Science of Religion," an original edition, first published in 1872 under the title Lectures on the Science of Religion, and an expanded edition, published in 1873, that Muller retitled Introduction to the Science of Religion (as a point of interest, the latter edition was dedicated to Ralph Waldo Emerson). Further complicating matters, each version ran through several printings in Britain and the United States. Worse still, with each printing, Muller suggested corrections and revisions. In absence, therefore, of a definitive edition, for the selection included in this current anthology, "Lecture One," Stone decided to use the 1872 edition, which is closest to the actual lecture his audiences would have heard him give. It is shorter, "edgier," and less circumspect than Muller's revised and expanded versions.
With respect to other essays in this anthology whose originals were not available to me, Stonehas had to content myself with using Muller's later and sometimes final versions, such as those essays he himself had selected for his Chips from a German Workshop, which by 1881 had grown from two to five volumes, as well as those he republished in his two volumes of Selected Essays (1881). Additionally, the three chapters from Muller's Lectures on the Origin and Growth ofReligion (1878) reprinted here are from his new edition, published in 1882. For this new edition, Muller updated some of his sources as well as tightened up his prose.
A second set of problems the editor encountered were numerous stylistic and mechanical incongruities. Muller was sometimes inconsistent in his spelling, in English transliterations of foreign words and phrases, and in his use of accent and stress marks. In addition, at least by modern standards, Muller made awkward use of commas, colons, and dashes and tended to write highly complex and overly long sentences and paragraphs. Many of the inconsistencies, of course, can be accounted for in the stylistic differences between his several British and American publishers. But his awkward use of punctuation was probably idiosyncratic. Though, for the reader's benefit, Stone has attempted to bring some consistency in both spelling and punctuation and have sought to reduce and simplify other res extraneae, in the end, it seemed inappropriate to "restyle" Muller's essays to fit modern tastes. For one thing, Stone did not want to dilute the nineteenth-century "flavour" of Muller's writings; and, for another thing, because a large amount of his published work had been written for lecture audiences, retaining most of the original accent and punctuation marks may preserve for the reader Muller's own speaking style; that is, it may allow the reader to "hear" his voice-which, according to contemporary reports was clear, passionate, erudite, and engaging. For instance, as Nirad Chaudhuri relates, after presenting a lecture on the Science of Language in the Council Chamber at which Queen Victoria and the royal family attended, Muller wrote to his wife that the Queen "listened very attentively, and did not knit at all, though the work was brought." When his lectures are read aloud, Muller's punctuation does indeed add variety to the pacing of his phrases and underscores their aural intensity. What is more, his indulgent use of commas and semicolons lends greater coherence to his long but carefully constructed sentences. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Quick trip down Mystery Lane
Marcia Muller has developed a formulaic approach in presenting the tales of her famous private eye, Sharon McCone.It seems to fit the bill - no deep psychological dramas (Elizabeth George) or alphabet soup (A is for ....), no coroners or little old ladies - just the unflappable McCone going about her business, solving crimes and getting involved in things she never planned.

This is a short read, a good whodunit where past sins have now stepped forward to claim their retribution. Interesting insight into the world of standup comedy.

The case of the disappearing comedienne
A criminal lawyer at All Souls Legal Cooperative is troubled by a convicted criminal who is on Death Row and has confessed to a murder.The confession is full of holes and the lawyer does not believe that Bobby Foster is really guilty.When he shares his concerns with PI Sharon McCone, she agrees to do some investigating into the situation.She decides that the only way to get Bobby off the hook is to find the person who did commit the murder.The case is two years old and Sharon fears that the trail has grown cold, but she perseveres in her investigation and interviews anyone who had any connection to the victim, Tracy Kostakos.She turns up some disturbing information about Tracy and begins to understand why she was the target for murder.This is a good addition to this series, and continues to develop the characters that Muller's fans have read about in previous books.

Better Than Average
I have read many of Ms. Muller's Sharon McCone mysteries. While there is, in my opinion, no danger that she will threaten the position of ArthurConan Doyal and Agatha Christie at the top of the heap among mysterywriters, I am clearly enjoying these stories or I wouldn't have read somany of them. Partly, I suppose, this comes from my familiarity with, andenjoyment of, her characters. McCone and the other denizens of the AllSouls Legal Cooperative are, by now, all like old friends. Also, partly, itcomes from San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area as the principalsetting for the stories. The scenes she descibes are often familiar and,thus, easy to visualize. This applies especially to this book, parts ofwhich are set in the area immediately south of Market Street in an areanear where I once worked for several years.

Largely, though, I keepcoming back because Muller writes entertaining stories. This one is noexception. In fact, I found this one to be somewhat better than her averagestory. Some, while still fun to read, aren't too difficult when it comes toputting your finger on the murderer. But in this one there were plenty oftwists and turns before the story came to its final conclusion. At times,there was even some doubt about the crime. We have a convicted felon ondeath row but is catually Tracy dead? Or had she simply chosen todisappear? Or is somebody dead, but not Tracy?

My general rating forSharon McCone mysteries is four stars in Amazon's system. This one I rate4+.

Abundance of description shadows interesting storyline
Marcia Muller, the author of THE SHAPE OF DREAD, obviously put a lot of time into this book.Her commitment is apparent in two ways. 1. There is a lot of believable and factual information about prisons, murderinvestigations, comedy clubs, mental conditions, etc.Muller seems to havedone a good amount of research on these topics because there is not doubtin the readers' mind that she is completely factual about everythingsurrounding the plot. 2.Muller seems to be not only committed to herexcellent story line about a murdered comedian, but also committed to herthesaurus.At times, articulate adjectives and adverbs that wereirrelevant to the plot overshadowed the excellent story line.As thereader, I felt that I didn't need to know that the building the maincharacter walked into was khaki stucco surrounded by small palm trees inperfect rows. The reader would much rather know what the investigator wasthinking, for example- Would Ms. McCone find Tracy Kostakos dead or alive?In conclusion, I believe that this book is a good read, only if you enjoyTONS of detail.Otherwise, chose a mystery novel that gives you the factsto attempt to solve the case yourself, not to decide whether the room hasbeen interior decorated to your taste. ... Read more

Product Description
For well over a century, the world has noted the distinctive chairs made by Shaker communities throughout the eastern United States. A writer for House Beautiful suggested at the beginning of the twentieth century that "If you own a Shaker chair, preserve it with great care, for it will soon be considered an antique, and a rare one at that." In this definitive book, that statement is verified as the authors examine in depth the styles and production techniques of chairs made at ten Shaker communities during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Historical and contemporary photographs, extensive journal and account book references, diaries, postcards, catalog advertisements, and detailed line drawings are all used to document the chairs' history. Readers will find valuable information on identification of chair types and origins as well as an analysis of design and construction. An essential resource for collectors, historians, designers, and devotees of antique furniture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A novel where exile, being bereft and disconnectedness ring supreme.
To say that Traveling on One Leg was a gloomy novel would definitely not be off the mark. But it is heavy in a good and honest way. It is rooted in the author's own life experiences and those of the Romanian citizens whom she depicts as also having transplanted themselves to other countries. Because truth is the foundation of this novel, it gives this work a heavy-hearted edge, that as a reader, is not all too easy to digest. The other Amazon reviewers, I agree, hit the mark with their assessments of this excellent novel, in essence, that it is extremely personal and that the evocative nature of loneness and disjointedness is thoroughly yet tangibly conveyed. More than a novel, the reader is almost transported into a nightmarish dream sequence, where life and living is the nightmare. It is a novel that is poetically written in a hardened verse format. The language of poetry is short, trenchant, having to pack a wallop with the fewest words available to the author; the writer has to be extremely selective in her word choice, and Herta Muller is selective, evinced by this novel that does thrust a forceful literary punch.

The story revolves around the female protagonist Irene, a transplant from the repressive country of Romania whose presidential figurehead is a ruthless, paranoid and self-absorbed dictator (Ceausescu) who espouses backward, socialist ideologies. Anyone who lives under the unfortunate umbrella of his leadership don't have much hope of living a life of freedom, individuality, prosperity and a go-at-it-alone work ethic. Hence, people try to defect, and Irene is one of those who does. Yet, her homeland is not the enemy; it is the victim. Irene is just an offshoot of the country, a tree branch connected to the trunk (the country). The disease is communism, and it is affecting every fiber of society. But when she emigrates to Germany (as Muller herself did in 1987), she is not greeted into a land of golden opportunity. She is a legalized émigré who has been uprooted from all that is familiar to her. And although she is free from the harm that communism carries, she can not relate to her new homeland, for there is no pride, no connection, nothing. She has her baggage-mentally and physically speaking-and her memories. And nothing else. She is like a newborn babe who has to start anew. However, the contaminated mother's milk of her homeland has infected her development in more ways than one. Being an isolated loner is just a tip of the iceberg.

While in Germany, she befriends three men Franz, Stefan and Thomas, all of whom seem mentally crippled in their own right. And as misery loves company, she is drawn to them for the individuality. And though their individuality is not one of an uplifting nature (individuality Irene never encountered in Romania), she is attracted to that characteristic in them regardless. As people are not automatons, for they are flesh and blood and capable of joys, sorrows and growth, she sticks with them and by them. But it is really pointless. She is like a ping pong ball going back and forth trying to findsome measure of concreteness to firmly clasp onto.In a nutshell, it's hopeless with these three guys. She is in a void, a kind of limbo where all she can really do is reflect, remember and analyze: "If you would see the city from the inside, it would be different. Irene is a name of a faraway city, if you get close to it it becomes different. It's one city if you go by and don't enter it, and another if you get moved by it and don't leave it. It's one city if you come to it for the first time and another if you leave it, never to return. A different name for each." Pages 81-82. Irene escapes the daily nightmare of faux cultural, social and political assimilation when on page 144 she states: "Neither dead nor alive...It was almost joy." She literally has to be an empty vessel and not be beholden to anybody or anything in order to feel truly free. But that is next to impossible and only fleeting at best.

Traveling on One leg was a fascinating read whereby no core action (marriage, careerism, childbirth), as taken by Irene, could be specifically defined. The whole work, for me, seemed so dream-oriented. It was like a person was trying to keep the insanity that no one else (except Irene) could see or feel, at arm's length. I could almost visualize Irene waking up form a nightmare while living in Romania about what life in Germany could be like. Overall, the book was very powerful, maybe even more so than than The Appointment and The Land of Green Plums. In any event, it is a hard book that one will not easily forget. It is dreary, and yet, it makes me so grateful for my life and what I have in it. Mission accomplished!

Somewhat bewildering
Many (most? all?) of the novels by Herta Mûller, the 2009 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, deal in one way or other with life in her native Romania and/or life as an exile in West Germany, where she emigrated in 1987.TRAVELING ON ONE LEG is no exception.First published in 1989, it is an experiential account of the flight of Irene, a young woman of about 30, to West Berlin and then her first year or so living there, through the time she is granted German citizenship.Life in Romania (identified in the novel only as "the other country") is bleak and grim, but life in West Berlin is not much better.Irene inhabits a life of profound solitariness, occasionally sharing a weekend, evening, or bed with one of three German men, but never interacting or communicating with them in any uplifting or interpersonal fashion.And no one else in Germany - neither any of her three male acquaintances or any of the other automatons she bumps into in her daily goings-on - seems to be living an interesting or satisfying life either.

Near the end of the novel, Irene says "I understood why people were unhappy in the other country.The reasons were obvious.It hurt a lot to see the reasons day in day out. * * * And here, I know there are reasons.I can't see them.It hurts not to be able to see the reasons day in day out."

I do not doubt that similar disappointment and confusion is experienced by many émigrés from the former communist states of eastern Europe.Nor do I doubt that many people often experience life as a series of disconnected episodes, some quite dreamlike or hallucinatory in nature.Nor do I doubt that some poor souls fixate inordinately on mundane objects - graffiti, a pebble in a shoe, a pubic hair in the bathtub.But such are not intrinsically the makings of a rewarding novel.To transform such meager material into literature requires, at a minimum, inspired writing and, probably, a generous dose of humor (madcap or acerbic).TRAVELING ON ONE LEG lacks any such transformative qualities.The writing is spare and stark - as flat and black-and-white as the world of Irene it so numbingly portrays.

This is the third of Mûller's works of fiction that I have read in translation in the past six months. After reading one("The Passport"), I could understand how other works of its author might conceivably warrant a Nobel Prize for Literature. Not so with either "Nadirs" or TRAVELING ON ONE LEG.To the contrary, based on them the award of the Nobel Prize to Herta Mûller is somewhat bewildering.Two-and-a-half stars, rounded up to three solely because Mûller is a Nobel Laureate.

Personal,
I was struck by the disconnectedness in this novel. Irene observes herself and her life, even as she moves through it, keeping a distance from herself as from the world around her. One thing contributing to this that is only rarely mentioned, but often present, is the wall separating her new world from her old world. It makes the separation from the old country a definite one, but one gets the feeling that this wall is also present between Irene and her adopted new homeland.

The prose style makes this feeling eminent on every page, on every paragraph. I often had to pause to contemplate this book as I was reading it. It's not a work to rush through, but very rewarding.

Looking Through Irene's Eyes
A short novel that tells of Irene, an emigrant who has crossed over from Romania to Germany. Not a T goes uncrossed in Muller's description of Irene's thoughs. Each flower she touches is thoroughly described and each man in her life is turned out for the reader to see his level worth in her world. As Irene waits to get her German citizenship, she travels to small towns where she meets with her lovers and carefully considers the towns and the men.

It is a book of thoughts, more than it is of action. The reader gets the feeling that it was originally written as poetry.

I enjoyed the feel of the story and how it moved along. I do not, however, think I needed it to be any longer than it was. A full length novel with the story told in this way might have been too tedious. ... Read more

Product Description
Better water management will be crucial if we are to meet many of the key challenges of this century. The approach known as Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is widely recognized as the best way forward, but is poorly understood, even within the water sector. Through case studies, from both developed and developing countries on five continents, this book illustrates how better water management, guided by the IWRM approach, has helped to meet a wide range of sustainable development goals. It does this by considering practical examples, looking at how IWRM has contributed, at different scales, from very local, village level experiences to reforms at national level and beyond to cases involving trans-boundary river basins. Using these on-the-ground experiences, the book provides candid and practical lessons for policy makers, donors, and water and development practitioners worldwide looking at how IWRM principles were applied, what worked, and, equally important, what didn't work, and why.

Published with the Global Water Partnership ... Read more

Product Description
In northern California, there is fog in the morning. Slowly, it clears. We know that the mountains, the trees, the sky are there, behind the fog, but we cannot see them with our eyes. Instead, we know them in our bodies; we know them for having seen them, felt them, watched the fog lift again and again…

This is prayer. This is deep, faithful listening, waiting for what is hidden to be revealed. Prayer is not words; prayer is what happens when you listen and wait, beneath the words, for the outline of heaven to emerge.
--From the Introduction Learning to Pray

Many who seek comfort and healing from prayer are unsure about how to pray. They feel awkward or uncomfortable, not knowing the “right” way to pray. What should prayer feel like, and what is it supposed to accomplish?

In this illuminating book, Wayne Muller offers simple yet profound guidance based on the Lord’s Prayer. It is the prayer most prayed in our culture--included in countless services, private devotions, and twelve-step meetings. Yet in its very familiarity we may underestimate its power to heal and transform our lives today. Now, in the same ecumenical spirit with which he approached the Sabbath, Muller gives us a fresh, new vision of this timeless prayer. “Every word, every phrase,” he says, “reveals some potent teaching about prayer.”

Starting with the word “our,” which reminds us that we never pray alone, and continuing phrase by phrase, Muller leads us into the heart of the prayer, to the assurance of a heaven available to us here and now. He explores how God responds to our needs and wants, how we can seek protection in a world full of danger and evil, and how we are called to forgiveness. He also gently confronts the difficulties that some people have experienced with the prayer. Each short section ends with a Prayer Practice to bring these simple teachings alive in our hearts and lives.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

gentle understanding
A gentle understanding of how to pray through line by line review of "The Lord's Prayer".

The Lord's Prayer: What does it really mean?
Following the outline of The Lord's Prayer, this book is a lesson in prayer. This pulls the words and verses from the famous prayer and gives us a deep understanding of it all.

The chapters are divided up chronologically by phrases/verses from The Lord's Prayer. The author uses real life examples and Jesus' teachings to bring his point across. The chapters conclude with Prayer Practice.

This tells us that prayer is more than a run-down of our desires, it is a readiness to receive.

This book is more than an explanation of prayer, it is a guide to living spiritually. I hope you will read this and be blessed. ... Read more

Product Description
Following the success of Sleeves of Desire, a second publication is now being devoted to the cover art of the label ECM, Edition of Contemporary Music, focusing above all on sleeve design from 1996 to the present. Since its founding in 1969, ECM has been dedicated primarily to jazz and contemporary classical music and is a leading international label in both these fields. ECM has also received acclaim for its unique cover designs, which have always been an integral part of its productions. Over the years, the collaboration between Manfred Eicher, the label s founder and producer, and designers including Barbara Wojirsch, Dieter Rehm and Sascha Kleis has produced an aesthetic of the cover that initiates a dialogue between the photographic image and the music. The search for a cover motif from a storehouse of possible images is presented in a few examples that shed light on how these visual worlds are created and trace their significance for the music. An illustrated catalog of all of ECMs releases completes this publication. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Windfall for some, just Light for the rest
Resting probably on the success of Horizons Touched: The Music of ECM and knowing that ECM-followers are a devoted audience, Lars Müller leaves us with a somewhat lesser volume here.Yes, the poetic imagery is in each and every full CD cover size reproduced here from the ECM's Contemporary Music series, but keep in mind, a) this is a softcover edition of a book with 447 pages, and b) the words have gone mostly missing.Usually, one associates such economy of means and words with some advertising catalog.

Before rushing to 'punish' the review/author, bear in mind that I'm only keeping with the spirit of ECM, and it is ECM and ourselves that I'm trying to be of service.

A beguiling catalogue of hieroglyphs
Windfall Light follows upon Horizons Touched: The Music of ECM as an entry point in bookform to the engaging universe of ECM, the Editions of Contemporary Music, established by Manfred Eicher back in 1969. 40 years later it occupies a most respected place in the (serious) music industry.

Horizons Touched was a prismatic testimonial of the spirit animating the ECM project through the eyes of many of the musicians and collaborators who were part of the ECM story. What I learned from that book is that ECM is unlike any other record label. In fact, to see it only as an economic venture - with a mission to efficiently push "audiocontent" into the market - would be to misunderstand what ECM is about. Remarkably enough, ECM in itself is a work of art, a breathing and living whole that links a community of artists to a community of music lovers, driven by an ethos of love and respect for the music and the creative process from wich it emerges. For me personally moving into the ECM orbit has resulted in a genuine revolution in the way I listen. There is something in the way in which ECM brings music in the listener's personal sphere that forces us to take notice, to become an active part of the unfolding musical process rather than simply a consumer. The distinctive and authoritative ECM sound plays an important role in drawing the listener into the music. But it's not only a matter of sonics. Also the careful packaging, with imaginative artwork on cardboard sleeves and CD booklets, prepares us by creating, in all kinds of provocative and counterintuitive ways, the right mood.

Windfall Light is a book about the ECM artwork and covers. It supersedes the earlier ECM Sleeves of Desire : a Cover Story, published in 1996 and no longer available. As with the previous volume it's Lars Müller who is responsible for the editing and publishing of the book. In a short essay, he explains how the book has been conceived as a visual score, punctuated by five short texts, challenging the reader through an idiosyncratic rhythm of CD covers, session pictures, double spread cover photos and a few stills from JL Godard movies. The final section of the book is devoted to a full catalogue, showing each and every of the more than 1000 covers produced over the years.

What becomes clear from browsing through these pages and trying to make sense of this giant visual puzzle, is that there is, yet again, no "system". There are covers with pictures, with abstract graphic work, with text. There is colour and there are grey tones. There are sharp pictures and there are blurry images. There doesn't seem to be a trick to bring us, listeners, systematically in the right mood to listen to a particular piece of music. Most often the connection with the music is obscure. What we see is often provocatively un-photographic. We see a lot of scenes from nature, but hardly any genuine landscapes. Urban settings return on ECM covers in many guises, but pictures of architecture or cities as a whole are far and few between. There are motto themes but visually they are distinctly minimalistic. We see great expanses of (most notably) water and sky. The subarctic north is very present in its mineral pureness. We see urban non-places, filled with shadows and fleeting silhouettes. There is snow, that strange and amorphous element that is able to poetically transform our lifeworld overnight. ECM covers seem to tickle our receptivity to the music by withdrawing rather than to make a statement. Sometimes there is only the faintest hint of what the image is about. It speaks of transience and fragility. "The contrast of light and darkness, of proximity and distance, of clear etched contours and fuzzy boundaries presents the visible world as a reduced form of a richer reality that remains - and has to remain - invisible" (Hilmar Frank on Caspar David Friedrich).
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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

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Heiner Müller lived through Germany's tumultuous history from Hitler's rise through Soviet occupation to the building and eventual demolition of the Berlin Wall. One of his earliest memories was of his father being beaten by Brownshirts and taken away to a concentration camp; later, Müller chose to stay in the Soviet Zone even when his father defected to the West. His work presents a phantasmagoric vision of culture and history. Though a committed Marxist, Müller loathed the East German government, and his works were often censured for their caustic portrait of a Germany whose history was an unending act of division and violence.

This new anthology traces the multifaceted evolution of Müller the playwright, poet, and eloquent observer of his century's violent trajectory. The writings collected here range from Müller's earliest work, including short stories and early poems from the 1950s, to some of his last works, including Germania 3 Ghosts at Dead Man. Translator and editor Carl Weber provides helpful introductions to each of the selections.
ABC: A Collage of Poetry and Prose
Report on Grandfather: A Short Story
The Correction: A Play
Poems: 1949-1992
Love Story: A Short Story
The God of Happiness: Fragment of an Opera
A Comedy and Two Poems
Mauser: A Performance Text
The Wound Woyzeck: A Public Address
Two Prose Texts
Shakespeare a Difference: Text of an Address
Mommsen's Block: A Poem / Performance Text
The Future is Evil: A Discussion
Auschwitz ad Infinitum: A Discussion
Ajax for Instance: A Poem / Performance Text
The Death of Seneca: A Dialogue
Dreamtexts: Two Prose Texts
Germania 3 Ghosts at Dead Man: A Play
Conversation in Brecht's Tower
Late Poems: 1992-1995 ... Read more

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Richard Muller has put all theological students and pastors in his debt with his dictionary. Explanations of vexing Greek and Latin theological terms are drawn mainly from Protestant scholastic theology. Muller frequently explains the differences between the Catholic, Lutheran and Reformed systems which developed after the Reformation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A must have resource for students of Protestant theology
This work will be especially helpful to you if you are studying texts that date back to the time when it was normal for Americans to have had Latin in high school and that would include such worsks as Karl Barth's 16 volume "Church Dogmatics" where the Latin goes untranslated in the older translation of his Dogmatics. Muller's personal interest is primarily scholastic Calvinism, but the theological terms interpreted and explained here are helpful to anyone studying the Reformation, classic dogmatics, or the Reformers' interaction with late medieval scholastics and the terms normal for the Reformation debate. As one previous reviewer noted, the term "media gratiae" is interpreted as means of grace by both the Reformed and the Lutherans, but that the Lutherans use the stronger term "media salutis" (means of salvation) when speaking of the sacraments. The reason is that salvation is exclusively tied to the Word and the 2 Gospel sacraments in Lutheranism whereas Calvin and Zwingli always allowed for independent action of the Spirit outside of the 2 sacraments in particular. Another good example of Muller's fairness to other traditions is his description of "consubstantio." Muller points out that "consubstantion" is not the appropriate term to describe Luther's understanding of "real presence" in the Lord's Supper. The term was mistakenly given to Lutherans by the Reformed, but it is incorrect since Luther's understanding of Christ's presence in the eucharist is a sacramental union of Christ's body with the bread and wine and not a local presence. Those are just two examples and any student of the church fathers will benefit from Muller's explanation of terms such as "persona," "ousia," "substantia," etc. in relation to the early Church's understanding of the trinity (mia ousia, treis hypostaseis) and the two natures (naturas) in the person (persona) of Christ. Overall an exceptionally helpful resource for Protestants.

Warning on Kindle Edition of the Dictionary
The Kindle edition of the Dictionary is not searchable (and the only index is based on English & has no page numbers) making it very difficult to use.A searchable dictionary is great, as the reader can zip straight to the desired entry but, without a search capability or even an index, the only way to find an entry is the old-fashioned way - by iteratively flipping pages in the guessed-at location of the desired entry; given that each Kindle page flip takes 6 to 8 thumb strokes, this is a very cumbersome process.For $5 more you could buy the paperback which, although you probably won't carry it with you on the road, would be much more usable.

Note: Within an hour of bringing this to Amazon's attention (on a Saturday, no less), they had refunded my purchase priced and promised to look into this design flaw (my term) and to let me know if it gets fixed.

Acclaimed Treasury Of Greek & Latin Terms
'This latter, saving knowledge is available only in the revelation given in Christ.' p 97

The alphabetical Dictionary of Theological Terms is a rare modern classic, and a reliable barometer, widely portrayed as a lexical, non-technical tool for those interested in theology dating back to the Reformation era. Its principal scope is also its primary appeal as it is most interested in historical vocabulary that issued in theological codifications that were precise and dogmatic, and predominantly loan words that were transliterated directly from the Latin or Greek into later English formulations. It also serves as a basic theological cross-reference work.

Church history is important, especially to Reformed theology. This work brings together the major doctrinal words and definitions drawn from the original languages in which the New Testament was written in, therefore settling on the accepted and sure findings of orthodox theologians in the church's service who preferred to work and were skilled in those two languages. Professor Muller seeks to collate and perpetuate as trustworthy those interpretations that were transmitted faithfully. This dictionary also submits the essential truth that what was at stake was often forged in disputation, at times involving minutiae of grammatical differences or affected meanings, which went on to establish themselves as distinctly heterodox.

'media' (given or received means): in the justification of the sinner, the means of grace given by God, Word and sacrament, as distinct from faith, the medium or receiving means. (p 187)

Surely a redemptive word affected to a large degree through its common association with modern secular means!

'mirabilia' (wonders, wondrous things): amazing, and even seemingly inexplicable occurrences that are not, however, in the category of miracula. Angels and devils have the power to perform mirabilia but not miracula. (p 193)

'media gratiae' (means of grace): in addition, Word and sacraments are the sole officially ordained or instituted instruments or means of grace. God has promised the presence of His grace to faithful hearers of the Word and faithful participants in the sacraments. (p 187)

'perseverantia' (perseverance of the saints): a term used by the Reformed to indicate the final indefectibility of the elect, who, although they continue after justification to experience temptation and sin, will ultimately never fall beyond the power of God's grace. Even if the exercise of faith ceases, the cessation will be only temporary. (p 222)

Worth every penny
Muller's dictionary is a tremendous work and tool for those who need or desire to know what all of those italicized words really mean.First published in 1985, my edition is from 2006 and says it is the seventh printing.There are (many) reasons for this.
First, Muller's preface provides a helpful bibliographical list for further reading.This is easily overlooked.Furthermore, each entry is not limited to a mere definition but provides context to each term.Muller even adds historical examples to help connect the word to more concrete ideas.Some entries are only a few sentences, whereas others occupy a few pages (e.g. "persona").There is even an index that allows the reader to look up English words/phrases and points you to the correct Latin or Greek word.As Muller states, "The object of this volume is to provide an introductory theological vocabulary which will help students to overcome the difficulties inherent in current English-language works that use Latin and Greek terms and even to move somewhat beyond the vocabulary of those works" (9).There is a noted limitation to this reference tool: as the subtitle explains, these terms are mostly drawn from Protestant Scholastic Theology.Nevertheless, this is a valuable tool and worth the investment.

Very Helpful Tool!
This is one of the most helpful tools in my library.Muller defines key Latin theological terms that you will read in key importantant works of dogmatics.He doesn't just give the simply definition, but also writes about its historical significance in the development in the history of doctrine.At the end of entry Muller gives significant cross-references of other Latin terms.This work opens up the rich history of thought in the church and is easily understood.This is a great tool for any student of theology, layman or pastor.You don't need to know Latin to profit by this book.I highly recommend this book! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Makes physics understandable
This book does a wonderful book for anyone interested in Physics.

It focus a lot on alternative energy, a topic that is very hot right now.

The explanation of electricity and power is also very accessible to those who are not physics majors.

The discussion of nuclear power also is very interesting including why a dirty bomb is physically not very feasible.

Get this book if you are interested in physics but don't want all the technical jargon associated with it.

Very good - but
Very interesting and well written but in the Kindle version, the illustrations appear as black boxes and the tables are nearly unreadable.This is true on my Mac as well as on the Kindle. I suggest you buy the hardcopy if you intend to use this as a text.I notified Kindle support of the difficulty nearly a month ago.they responded that they would see if it could be fixed.So far, no fix and no further response.

Should Be Required Reading by Everyone
Physics and the laws thereof determine what is possible as far we can understand, but even more important, physics can guide us toward better decisions. Dr. Muller brings physics well within grasp of most capable people with this excellent book.

I would buy this book for every kid in your life who shows even the slightest spark for learning. Even if only a page or two are read, the reader benefits. In other words, it doesn't have to be read as a textbook, enjoy it as though Dr. Muller himself was taking you on an adventure in learning.

Is it hard? The hardest part of the book, thanks to Dr. Muller's style, is the cover!

I will be offering this book to my best and brightest business clients as a gift. Only some will read it. Those who do read this wonderful book will decrease their own brain's entropy! And we need more of that!

Uneducated people believe stupid stuff.

Chris Reich
TeachU.com ... Read more

Product Description
The Gestapo is widely regarded as the most dreaded organization of the Third Reich, yet the very name of its commander has curiously been erased from the pages of history. As director of Section IV (Gestapo) of the Reich Security Headquarters, Heinrich Müller reported directly to Heinrich Himmler and Reinhard Heydrich.

At first operating only on German soil, Müller eventually exercised power over all of Occupied Europe. Assisted by a grimly talented staff, of which Adolf Eichmann became the most famous, Müller was eventually responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews, prisoners of war, and citizens of the various occupied countries. On April 29, 1945, Heinrich Müller walked out of Hitler's bunker and disappeared off the face of the earth. During the long Cold War that followed, the Americans and Russians could agree on very little, but they agreed on one thing: Heinrich Müller never existed.

Drawing on international contacts he developed during previous studies of Bormann, Peiper and Heydrich, Charles Whiting now takes on the greatest unsolved mystery of the Third Reich: The true role and subsequent whereabouts of Heinrich "Gestapo" Müller. The few experts who would admit to knowing his name offered contradictory assessments that sound suspiciously like a smokescreen. Müller is dead; he is alive; or he is not only alive but has written three volumes of memoirs. He is in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, Langley, or Damascus. He was working for the West all along, or the Russians, or he was exactly what he appeared to be. World War II veteran and tireless researcher Charles Whiting unravels at last a 50-year-old mystery and cover-up. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

REALLY disappointing
This is a book about the life and presumed fate of Heinrich Muller (also referred to as Gestapo Muller).For those who don't know who Muller was, he was the head of the German Gestapo (Geheime Statspolizei) during WWII and disappeared without a trace near the end of the war.It has been presumed that he died in Berlin or elsewhere in Germany during the last days of the war. It is also possible that he escaped, either with help from the Americans or Russians, to play a key role in counter-intelligence at the beginning of the Cold War (there were also apparently rumors that he was seen living in New Hampshire!).As head of the Gestapo, he played a key role in the implementation of the Final Solution and in eliminating political opponents of the Nazi regime, and is the only major Nazi war criminal whose ultimate fate is unknown.The names of Goring, Himmler, Rosenberg, Kaltenbrunner, and Heydrich are well known to even the most casual students of WWII, but Muller's role in the events of WWII is virtually unknown, and he certainly had a more significant role than most of the other defendants at Nurenburg.This is really the stuff of legend: the head of the Gestapo, one of the most infamous, brutal police forces in history, is virtually unknown outside of Germany and disappears without a trace.What happened to him?Did he die in Berlin, or did he elude justice in a more dramatic fashion?A novel with such a plot would not be believable, and this is history!Whiting tries to present answers to these questions in his book.There is actually surprisingly little known about Muller (his youth, his role in the Nazi regime, and his fate), and a well written, well researched biography could have been infinitely fascinating.Unfortunately, this book is neither well written nor well researched.Whiting decided to write a book filled with unsupported inuendo, hearsay, and speculation.The reader can draw no definitive (or even speculative) conclusion about the life and fate of Muller after reading this book.It is poorly organized, documentation and footnotes (or endnotes) are non-existant:it is virtually impossible to know if this is history or historical fiction.I can only characterize this book as REALLY disappointing.Unfortunately, there is no alternative to this book that I know of, and if you really want to know something about Muller, this is about all there is.Not recommended unless you absolutely must read something (no matter how poor) about Muller.

Sloppy and inaccurate
Charles Whiting is a popular British historian who has a score of decent to good books to his credit.Unfortunately, this work on the notorious Gestapo Mueller, potentially a fascinating book, full of historical detection and intrigue, is largely a dud, a disappointment.

The book is poorly written, and apparently unedited.Dates are wrong (Lidice), birthdays wrong (Hitler was 55, not 65, when he died), names are misspelled, and many, many factually highly questionable assertions are boldly put forth without any kind of documentation or footnotes (occasionally a reference to a personal conversation with someone now dead).Heydrich took time out of his busy persecution of a continent to fly combat missions deep in Russia?Come on.

Whiting spends no time on the founding and development of the Gestapo under Goering, the wrangling with control over this tool of terror between Goering and Himmler, the actual duties and execution of those duties by the Gestapo, nothing.This kind of information would be important, and is best read about in Heinz Hoehne's book on the SS.The reviews of the Roehm Putsch, the Venlo Incident, and other prominent episodes are all better covered elsewhere.There is some background, very lightly gone over, of the various major figures in the story, although even they have not been thoroughly fact-checked; Himmler's alleged crack to Pohl on Heydrich's death makes no sense, Heydrich's alleged Jewish background is trotted out again although thoroughly debunked in every serious book on the subject, etc.Of all the weakly drawn characters, that of Muller is most sketchily presented, with more than a bit of speculation, repeated charges of unproven and highly unlikely treasonable activity as regards going over to the Russians, and not a shred of evidence indicating anything after May 2, 1945.Although the book is supposedly on the search for this man after the end of the war, there is no reason whatever to suggest he survived its last days; the lack of his actual body, in a city where tens and tens of thousands died in the last week of the war, is indicative of chaos, not escape.

The book reads as though it were dictated, late at night, and never reread.One reads over phrases like "the Second World War Two" all too often.There are no footnotes or references, several of the photos are actually of the author and not the book's subject, and so on.I did like the crack about the US Freedom of Information Act, though.

Muller was a figure very much in the background, though of great importance and power.While it seems most likely that he did, indeed, die in the first days of May 1945 somewhere in Berlin, there is plenty of room for speculation in other directions.His story would make an absorbing book...but this isn't the one.

What happened to Heinrich Muller.
I enjoyed two of Whiting's previous books, but this one was hard to follow.One of the previous reviewers stated this work was rambling.I have to agree.The flow in this book from chapter to chapter was terrible.The author would review one section about the Red Orchestra, then in the next chapter review some aspect of Roehm, Boring, Nebe's life.One had a hard time with what the author was trying to prove.Intermingled in this writing was slugs of information about Gestapo Muller.It almost appeared that the author had a hard time finding enough material about Muller, so anything related to him was thrown into the book.
This could have been a good book if the author had focused on the subject.Rather he threw everything in, including the kitchen sink.I did learn something about Gestapo Muller, so that is why I rated this two stars.Otherwise this was a poor read.

Good Writing, Failed Scholarship
This book appears to attempt capitalize on recent interest in SS-Gruppenfueher (General) Heinrich Mueller's career, particularly noted in the series of books by Gregory Douglas based on primary sources available since the early 1990s (to Douglas, at least). This book reads well, but is not referenced in a manner that will be useful to readers who prefer documentation (and yes, there are publishers who allow it!). For the general reader, who isn't interested in such distinctions, it may be a good read, but absent any analysis of Mueller, his career, or recent findings, the book fails to hit its intended mark.

Don't Waste your money
Prior to reading this book, I had read the excellent three volume set "Gestapo Chief" by Gregory Douglas. I bought this book, hoping to get additional information on Heinrich Muller. Unfortunately, this book was apparently writtento discredit Douglas'3 books. The book's cover is even identical to Volume 1 of Gregory Douglas' books. This book is essentially a rehash ofprevious books on the SS and Gestapo, ... and much unsupported conjecture about the career and subsequent disappearence of Muller. ... If you want to know the truth about Heinrich Muller, read Gregory Douglas' 3 books. Together, they are the standard work on the Gestapo Chief against which all other books on the subject must be judged. ... Read more

Product Description
Carl Schmitt (1888-1985) was one of the twentieth century's most brilliant and disturbing critics of liberalism. He was also one of the most important intellectuals to offer his services to the Nazis, for which he was dubbed the "crown jurist of the Third Reich." Despite this fateful alliance Schmitt has exercised a profound influence on post-war European political and legal thought-on both the Right and the Left. In this illuminating book, Jan-Werner MŸller traces for the first time the permutations of Schmitt's ideas after the Second World War and relates them to broader political developments in Europe.Offering a fresh account of Schmitt's life and career along with discussions of his key concepts, MŸller explains why interest in the political theorist continues. He assesses the current uses of Schmitt's thought in debates on globalization and the quest for a liberal world order. He also offers new insights into the liberalization of political thinking in post-authoritarian societies and the persistent vulnerabilities and blind spots of certain strands of Western liberalism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Resurgence of Carl Schmitt
During recent years, considerable attention both in Europe and in this country has focused upon the work of the late Carl Schmitt (1888-1995).Schmitt, of course, continues to be a highly controversial figure, given his past designation as the "Crown Jurist" of the Nazi legal establishment. His successful efforts to undermine the Weimar Constitution (including his legal duel with Hans Kelsen) and to lay a legal foundation for the Nazi legal system are well known.His criticisms of democracy, liberalism and parliamentary government are biting.But Schmitt lived a long time and wrote incessantly on a variety of topics, including international relations, the concept of statehood, and political theology. As the subtitle of the book suggests, this is not really a biography of Schmitt, although there is a brief outline of his life developed throughout the book. Rather, it focuses upon Schmitt's impact primarily upon post-World War II European thought.As such, it is quite a challenging monograph unless one is conversant with postwar trends in European and particularly German political and legal theory.Without this background, as well as a solid grounding in Schmitt's manifold writings, at times it is hard to follow the book's analysis, though clearly it is a work of superior scholarship. Most of the sources cited in the footnotes are, as one would expect, articles and books in German. So, while it is not a good book for someone just becoming familiar with Schmitt, it clearly is most helpful (and perhaps even essential) for the more advanced Schmitt student. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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Attending a private eye convention in her hometown, Sharon McCone catches up with old friends, until one is suddenly killed in a suspicious fall and recruits Wolf, the Nameless Detective, for her investigation. Reprint. PW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Female private investigators are strange
When Sharon McCone was home visiting her family, her mother wanted her to speak to her brother John who was planning to fight for custody of his children.Her father, retired Navy, was a cabint maker and the husband of her sister Charlene was a musician.Sharon was supposed to be the stable, the together member of her family.She was in town attending a convention.Sharon's friend Elaine Picard was in charge of hotel security.The Nameless Detective, Wolf, was also at the convention which was being held in San Diego.

Elaine Picard fell from a balcony.Her death did not seem to be the result of an accident.Wolf witnessed the fall.He and Sharon proceeded to investigate the matter, informally.Sharon was nearly arrested for having committed a breaking and entering at Picard's residence.I should tell the prospective reader that the narration is in the first person, double first person that is to say.

Sharon discovered that Elaine had written to her lawyer that the hotel was being used for some illegal purpose and that she had not yet determined the nature of the illegal acts.Sharon felt that Elaine's death had something to do with the disappearance of a business tycoon.There was a chain reaction as the deaths and disappearances in the case escalated.

A Nearly Perfect Duet after an Off-Key Beginning
Anyone who is a fan of either Marcia Muller (or her detective, Sharon McCone) or Bill Pronzini (or his detective, "Nameless") should be sure to read this book.By enjoying two top mystery writers at the top of their game sharing a common plot, you will learn more about each author's style and their characters.

The book seems primarily inspired by two earlier Pronzini books about the Nameless Detective, Twospot, a "he-said, he-said" collaboration with Collin Wilcox, and the award-winning Hoodwink, set at a pulp writers' convention.As wonderful as those book are, this one vastly exceeds them.

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of the two detectives who are both attending a private detectives' convention at the Casa del Rey on Coronado in San Diego harbor.For Nameless fans, there's quick excitement as Sharon McCone supplies a nickname for Nameless, "Wolf," after newspaper reports of his operating as a lone wolf detective during the years before he teamed up with Eberhardt.

They each stumble onto the sense that something's amiss at the hotel . . . but for different reasons.Wolf finds a boy wandering around among the cottages on the grounds, and later finds that no one was registered to the cottage that he was staying in.Sharon runs into her old boss, Elaine Picard, who runs security at the hotel.Elaine wants to speak with Sharon about something that's bothering her, but there's no time to get together.Then the two leads coalesce as Wolf watches Elaine take a header from a high tower in the hotel to her death.At first the two detectives occasionally share observations, but before long both abandon the convention and begin to search together for answers to the puzzles.

The convention backdrop provides lots of opportunities for humor about the profession, which has increasingly become based on electronic surveillance.Neither Sharon nor Wolf like that development, and you'll enjoy their take on it.

The book starts off slowly as the two narratives repeat each other excessively in the beginning pages.That bogs the book down, and makes it seem clumsy.Soon, the separate action begins and the narration becomes strong and independent.

One of the high points of the book is that three different characters have to locate the same undisclosed place.Each uses a different method to identify the location.From this and other multifaceted perspectives, you get a strong sense of how the same mystery can be attacked from many different directions.

There's also a nice contrast between Sharon's willingness to bend the rules, and Nameless's commitment to following all of the rules.

The book has a wonderful blend of characters, subplots (including both detectives' personal lives), motives and action.Because it has both a "she said, he said" perspective, the book has a balance that few detective novels manage.Perhaps the fact that Ms. Muller and Mr. Pronzini are wife and husband in real life helped contribute the chemistry that makes this book so wonderful.

If you only read one mystery this year, make it this one!

After I finished this book, I wondered about how I could employ a female perspective to round out my thinking more often.

Interesting collaboration
Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini team up with their characters Sharon McCone and "the nameless detective" to create an intriguing mystery.Sharon and the detective she calls Wolf meet in San Diego at a convention for private investigators.Sharon is also pleased to see an old boss of hers who is now head of security at the hotel where she's staying.When Sharon's friend falls over a balcony, she and Wolf decide that it is no accident and they set about to prove that there has been foul play.Sharon and Wolf take turns telling the story and they each work on bits and pieces of the murder plus other mysterious happenings which seem to be related.This book has a deliciously convoluted plot and a mystery which Muller and Pronzini develop to a crescendo and then reveal to the reader bit by bit.The addition of the character Wolf is a nice departure for this series, and it's interesting to catch a glimpse of McCone's family as well.

Double the Fun
Bill Pronzini and Marcia Muller are my 2 favorite mystery writers working today."Double" offers both Sharon McCone and the Nameless Detective working together.They team up to investigate the murder of Elaine Picard, a former friend of McCone, head of security at the Casa del Ray hotel in San Diego where a private investigator's convention is being held.McCone and Nameless (whom McCone calls "Wolf") alternate chapters.This novel sizzles with action and it is one of my favorites of both Pronzini and Muller.I'm hoping that one day the husband and wife team of Pronzini and Muller will write another joint venture featuring Sharon McCone and the Nameless Detective.An excellent novel that is highly recommended.

2 Writers Equal A Good Mystery
In the beginning of this book I found the changing of viewpoints every other chapter disruptive of the flow of the story, but this improved as the book went on.Overall, this is a good book and I would recommend it.

I prefer the Sharon McCone books written only by Marcia Muller, but this book is definitely important to the history of Sharon McCone and is worth reading. ... Read more