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Customer Reviews (34)

TRULY LOVE YOUR HORSE? THIS IS A MUST READ!!
This is a must read book for any type of riding that you plan to do with your horse. TRUE Classical Dressage allows a horse the opportunity to perform proper dressage without injury as well as the opportunity to perform in a positive, willing frame of mind.
Help bring back the art of true Classical Dressage. This is the form that promotes a horse with the proper rounded frame instead of the horses too frequently seen currently in competition of all types with the hollow backs & phony head sets.
Learn to develop the trained eye that will reveal who the true Classical Dressage riders are (very few are out there). You will see who has put the necessary foundation on their horses so they may continue to physically and mentally succeed in this as well as other disciplines.
You may be stunned to realize how the judges are rewarding the poor performances perhaps partially because not enough people ride correctly.
Learn what aids bring along the properly developed horse. The unnecessary aids frequently become weapons of torture, albeitunintentionally.Become aware of how many riders are physically & mentally harming their horses for a ribbon.
You can show in Classical Dressage as it was meant to be, or other disciplines for which Classical Dressage builds a strong foundation. Compel the judges to sit up and take notice.
This book encourages the riders who want their horses to be willing, capable partners to become more discriminating in their choice of trainers.
Thank you Amazon.com for providing this opportunity for horse lovers to learn the truth about Classical Dressage. It allows us to become more educated about the trainer and rider "wannabes" who use inappropriate riding and training methods, yet still win ribbons in the show ring.

Foundation Horsemanship I Needed
I rode huntseat/foxhunt for twenty-some years as a young adult. At age 60, retirement allowed me to pick it up again.However, soon after I came to a serious decision point whether to continue riding. Regardless of the horse I rode, they tripped, misbehaved or were dull to the aids. It was shortly after that I met a wonderful horse physio-therapist/dressage instructor who analyzed two of my horses.A long story short, she pointed out aspects of my riding which were impacting the horse. My riding immediately improved. No more tripping and naughtiness; no more setting my horse up to ignore the aids.I purchased this book as the result of following up on some of the points she made. I took it to the barn and she recognized it on sight, exclaiming "An excellent book, too bad more instructors don't read it! I used these principles with you and your horses."So, two reviews in one; one from the practioner and one from the student.Buy it, your horse will love you for it.

The minority report....
This book is very popular with the anti rollkur crowd, but it is opinion, not facts, and not backed up by good solid scientific work.No, I am not a 'rollkurist' and never will be; but this is just a book full of opinions, not 'science'.Not impressed.But no matter, the anti rollkur crowd will definitively shout down ANYONE who criticizes this book and accuse them of being abusive and ignorant of 'real dressage'(which consists of jogging around with the reins hanging down).

Even so, there are so few books on the subject that those who really are attempting to understand and investigate both sides, will probably need to read this book.There really is very little actual information that is realistic and sensible on either side of the subject - this book isn't either, but what can you do?

Long overdue!
A sharply intelligent book that should be required reading for all riders. I don't say "all dressage riders" because the harmful training techniques discussed in "Tug of War" are far from isolated to dressage. Variations of front-to-back riding exist in pretty much every discipline I can think of: dressage, showjumping, hunters, reining, Western Pleasure, saddleseat...

I bought this book immediately when it first came out. It was the single most influential book of my dressage career (and I have a full bookshelf of dressage texts). Can't wait to get the updated edition.

Classical vs Modern Dressage
A great book, lots of interesting information. A must read for the Dressage person who is serious about techniques of training, you should also get the dvd "If Horses Could Speak" with it. ... Read more

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Forced to flee Latvia with their family in 1944, twins Astra and Hugo journey to Germany in carts, on foot and by boat. But at a crowded station, Hugo is injured and separated from his family. In their subsequent search for each other, Hugo and Astra fear for each other's safety. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

A Must Read
Tug of War is a must read for parents entering the sad and unpredictable phase of life you never thought would be your reality...divorce and child custody issues.We don't enter parenthood thinking that one day we will have to make custody decisions regarding our children.Mr. Justice Harvey Brownstone approaches the subject with great knowledge and real life experiences he witnesses each day in his courtroom.Each aspect of this procedure is explained in detail and most importantly, in easy to understand text.The author pays careful attention to the fact that people from all walks of life may be turning to his book for guidance.It certainly provides much food for thought and hopefully alternatives for parents in this situation.The bottom line...it's not about you, it's about your children. Some examples of events that have occurred in Justice Brownstone's courtroom are chilling when you remember these are innocent children's lives being discussed.As an educator, I have witnessed all too often, parents who can't separate their issues and their children's education issues at a parent conference.Too many times I've had to referee "the games" parents play when it comes to their children.I only wish I had copies of "Tug of War" to give them as their "homework assignment"!This is a book that should become part of every university's curriculum, especially in courses focusing on family and education careers.I personally have given copies to people I know who are in this precarious situation.Thank you Mr. Justice Harvey Brownstone for tackling this most important and current subject.

Worth the Read!
This book is so unique (the first written by a sitting judge) and readable that I finished it in one sitting. It's written for the general public and speaks primarily to people who need to resolve issues relating tocustody and support of their children. The judge makes a plea to parents to use the family court as a last resort and explains alternatives to litigation, like mediation. He also provides a thorough explanation of how the family courts and laws operate, including how they intersect with the criminal justice system. But, the book really shines when the judge shares what he has seen in his courtroom during his 14 year career on the bench. Using real life anecdotes, sprinkled with empathy and humor, Judge Brownstone teaches us all about the impacts of separation and divorce on children. Read this book to educate yourself and give it to someone you know who could benefit from Judge Brownstone's insight.

Tug Of War
Pedestrian, condescending, over rated and over hype...it fails to address how the Family Law Act is failing. Blameworthy parties are understated or excused! Lets hear of inept lawyers and judges; cases of misconduct and malpractice;failure of law societies and biases; poor outdated support systems eg records; inept case process coordination/mananagmt between eg: LAO and courts; inequity and risk associated with LAO eg: when costs of justice ie BCMs, can and do trump or torque justice; the unhealthy'familiarity' in many areas between staff, mediators, lawyers etc.ie: Inadequate independent internal oversight.
Most important the over riding evidence that the settlement process is not working and that systemic deficiencies give rise to bias, power imbalances, and expediency in outcomes...
The system is failing and the Family Law Act as with the LAO Corp which often gets called in,needs a thorough review and reform.
Incidences of "Self representation" are symptomatic of deeper broader problem.
This book focuses on getting a lawyer and on blaming short comings on clients' ..which i felt was an obvious dodge spiced with too many exclamations!!!!
This reader has seen enough first hand and remains unconvinced by the book..I am glad I read it because it obliquely confirms for lay persons that something is systemically off in the family law system in Ontario at least. I'd like to read the authors next book if he writes one which provokes harsher realism and candor and critical analysis of the system in detail and with more case examples; and what can be done to fix it .
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Meet the Beasties! These beautiful hand-painted books include a word list and word-building activities about fuzzy friends that young readers will love. Each book reinforces a specific skill such as identifying colors, reading maps, performing math, identifying shapes and sizes, learning about opposites, and much, much more! ... Read more

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The halls of Sweet Valley Middle School are buzzing. Identical twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are running against each other for sixth grade president. It's sure to be the most dramatic event of the year because each one will go to any length to win. The candidates disagree on everything, right down to how they should make use of the sixth grade class money. But all this fighting can't go on without taking its toll. Both sisters know that if they want to remain friends, one of them will have to drop out of the race. But which one will it be? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Elizabeth Vs Jessica for Class president
When Linda moves away from Sweet Valley to Texas,The students of Sweet Valley Middle School nominate a new 6th grade Student Class President,Elizabeth,Jessica and Randy Mason are nominated.Randy is nominated as a joke[like in Little House episode The Election] Ellen takes Elizabeth's Flyers and put it in the school fountain,I never thought Ellen would stoop so low! and Lila took the signs. The Unicorns lured others away from Elizabeth's speech.Jessica wants a Costume party[Dress up as your favorite book or movie character] That's what she wants to do with the money. Elizabeth wants a VCR for the library. Elizabeth or Jessica has to drop out.Who will it be?

Politics gets ugly
The 6th grade president Linda..(Linda..I love that)..is on her way to another town,so the election for a new president is ON! Both Elizabeth and Jessica are determined to win,and neither believe that the other candidate,Randy,has a chance.The war beteen the two girls gets pretty ugly,especially as Jessicas best friends are those nasty Unicorns!

Twin vs. Twin
This was the very first Sweet Valley book that i ever read.I'm a very big Sweet Valley fan.In this book, Elizabeth and Jessica run against each other for 6th grade Class President.The outcome is quite a surprize.This still remains one of my favorite Sweet Valley books.

A fun book to read!
The Sweet Valley Twins books have always been enjoyable to read. They tell exciting stories of twin sisters growing up in a sweet town in California. In this story, Jessica and Elizabeth are running against each other for class president. The sisters are constantly arguing and they almost put their friendship behind them. But, of course, the girls work out their arguments at the end, and they don't let some silly class election come between them. I think it's a fun story to read, and I recommned it! ... Read more

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With insight drawn from years of counseling, Jan and David Congo suggest ways to help you and your mate stop causing pain in your relationship and start creating a partnership that will endure and thrive. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This book for those that want a refreshing look at marriage.
WHAT A REFRESHING LOOK AT THE SUBJECT OF MARRIAGE! DAVID AND JANET DEALWITH THE STRUGGLES THAT COUPLES HAVE WITH MARRIAGE IN A VERY HEALTHY,INTERSTING, BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE. THE BOOK DOES NOT STOP AT ANALYZINGMODERN MARRIAGE STRUGGLES, BUT ALSO OFFERS SOME VERY, VERY UNIQUELYINTERSTING, ROMANTICAL (AND BIBLICAL!) AND PROVEN EFFECTIVE WAYS TO MAKEYOUR MARRIAGE PACKED FULL OF POSITIVE DYNAMITE. ENJOY! ... Read more

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In this trickster tale from Africa, Anansi proves to Elephant and Killer Whale that in a battle of wits, brains definitely outdo brawn. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Anansi The Trickster Wins the Day
Anansi stories are always interesting because the clever spider trickster is always landing in some kind of adventure or trouble...many time of his own greedy, impulsive design. Bobby & Sherry Norfolk offer several Anansi stories that are full of humor and important character-building lessons. This book follows that same tried and true pattern.

If your child has a vivid imagination and a sense of humor, he / she would probably enjoy this cause and effect story where Anansi actually wins the day by succeeding in his trickery: convincing two very large animals that he, a little spider, is stronger than they are. Educationally, the tale presents themes about consideration, pride, boasting, overconfidence, respect, listening, and the Virtue of the Small. This book is worth reading to and discussing with children. The story illustrates the fact that sometimes brains can win over brawn.

The companion websites from August House & StoryCove are enjoyable for young people as well. ... Read more

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Prominent economist Paul Erdman looks at the ongoing currency crisis and predicts what effect it will have on the American economy. "This concise, lucid primer . . . will transform the financially illiterate person into an armchair expert on such topics as currency markets, derivatives, and international trade."--Publishers Weekly. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent book with 5 star content.However, a terrible edition.BEWARE!
This is a fascinating book for anyone interested in Foreign Exchange (FX) markets.Although not up-to-date, in discussing the currency crisis of the late '90s, it provides very valuable information about how the international FX markets work in practice and the competing considerations that central banks have to address.In terms of content, I would give the book 5 stars and highly recommend it to finance/banking/macro economics undergraduates, as well as to MBA students interested in markets.

However, this paperback edition (supposedly updated, though it doesn't say in what respects) is an appalling piece of publishing.There are many numbers indicating footnotes in this edition, yet the footnotes have not been reprinted (I can only assume they were there in the original hard-cover edition)!Footnotes are there for a purpose and provide valuable further details of points discussed, as well as references.It is inexcusable that these should have been omitted from this paperback edition.I felt as if I had ben cheated and only received a part of the book.Additionally, this edition was digitally reprinted in 2008, which leaves charts and diagrams somewhat fuzzy.Because of the publishing, I feel I have to reduce the overall star rating to 3 from 5.

If you want to read this book (which I hope you do), I strongly recommend buying a used copy of the hardcover edition, which is likely to be much cheaper too.

The "Asian Contagion" Reviewed.
A simple yet far reaching book about the "Asian Contagion" and currency crisis of the late '90's. You should first read "The Vandals Crown", then this book, followed by "The Chastening". You'll then have a complete and chronological history of numerous currency crises involving the IMF, World Bank, and the major geopolitical figures. Fascinating foundation of fundamentals in action for anyone interested in trading the FOREX markets. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A well-written, comprehensive history of a forgotten war
Denis Whitaker was there on the sodden polders of Zeeland. He remembers the brutal battle to save the Dutch in their own land. He and the many Allied troops fought valiantly against the Germans to open up Antwerp todeliver the much-needed supplies. This big book, full of maps, is burstingwith first-hand accounts in a first-rate narrative. ... Read more

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When the Allies invaded mainland Italy in 1943 they intended only a clearing-up operation to knock Italy out of the war, but Hitler ordered the German armies to defend every foot of the country, which they did until May 1945 after a bloody and bitter struggle. The ’Tug of War’ was the mysterious force which causes a war to race out of control, grow into a huge conflict and attract vast numbers of men, tanks, guns and aircraft, which the Allies could ill afford, to reach objectives they had never intended in the first place. The book analyses the main battles of Salerno, Cassino, Anzio, the march on Rome and the characteristics of the soldiers involved and the rivalries of the Allied commanders ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Content, Shame about the Presentation
Graham & Bidwell served as officers in the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy during the war. They have written other books together, but here they have produced a very good overview of the war in Italy from 1943 to 45.

"Tug of War" is the history of the Italian campaign, primarily from the Allied perspective. It is a blow-by-blow account of the major and minor battles, focusing on the campaign up to the capture of Rome on June 4th 1944. This focus is also its biggest weaknesses.While there is a good overview, from both sides, on the first year of the Allied campaign, the remainder is given short thrift, reinforcing the view that Italy was a sideshow once the D-Day landings had occurred. This is a shame, because the operations north of Rome to the Alps were in many respects better handled then what happened south of Rome, and also had an arguably more significant impact on the force allocations of the Wehrmacht. It was after the removal of the DRAGOON (Allied landing in Southern France) landing force that the Allied armies in Italy were numerically inferior to the German forces, as far as I know. Yet they still managed to drive these back to the Alps, despite Italy being a very forbidding battlefield for the attacker, especially if he arrives from the south.

Graham & Bidwell are immensely critical of most of the leaders of the Allied forces. They have no time for either Alexander or Clark (the first seen as lacking grip, the latter as vainglorious), and they are refreshingly candid about shortcomings in leadership regardless of nationality. Their argument that the best commander in Italy was Feldmarschall Kesselring (closely followed by Juin of the Corps Expeditonnaire Francaise) has a lot of merit, and while they rightly admire the leadership qualities of him, or von Senger und Etterlin, a German Korps commander at Anzio who was to rise to command the Army Group in Italy when Kesselring left, they are not given to uncritical adulation of Wehrmacht officers either, pointing out the shortcomings of von Mackensen at the head of 14. Armee.

Arguably the most important battles in Italy were the landings at Salerno and Anzio, and the ill-considered attrition battle for Monte Cassino. Graham & Bidwell deal with the landings in some detail, down to tactical level, while focussing on some of the operational aspects of the Cassino battles.

Their account of the Liri battles, Operation DIADEM, is focussing on the actions of the French and American forces, rather then the British, and this has to be applauded. Especially since the extraordinary performance of the French is often overlooked, and the extraordinary stupidity with which the British and American commanders sidelined the French Corps is often forgotten as well. Graham & Bidwell make a point out of reminding us of both.

The book has a good narrative flow and writing style, and contains a set of pictures and standard maps. It would have been helpful to have a better OOB, because the movement of forces in and out of theatre on both sides was significant. The quality of maps in the paperback edition on which this review is based was acceptable, but by no means impressive.

Overall I wish that this book (or at least my edition) had some additional features, such as better maps, and a better treatment of the campaign north of Rome. Hence the very harsh judgment to give it only three stars. It is really just a nudge and a wink from a fourth star.Anyone interested in the campaign in Italy should get this.

Well researched presentation, if sometimes difficult to read
"Tug of War: The Battle for Italy, 1943-1945" by Dominick Graham and Shelford Bidwell is a work that rightly belongs on the shelves of all serious students of the Second World War who have interest in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations for its depth of topic.Graham and Bidwell present a thoroughly researched treatise of the topic (ie., the Allied invasion and battles for control of Italy) that covers strategic and operational issues, as well as command personalities, in great detail.Not surprisingly given the level of detail provided (especially in passages where combat actions are being described temporally and spatially) the authors have utilized both a great deal of primary (e.g., after-action reports, unit war diaries, etc.) and secondary (e.g., researched works of other historian/authors) sources.Unfortunately for the reader/student Graham and Bidwell give only a rough idea of what their primary sources were and provide only a 'selected' bibliography.In this regard the reader/student needs to trust the research of the authors' as one cannot easily verify statements.Yet, the depth of topic discussion is truly impressive and the serious will not be disappointed (as long as the aforementioned caveat is taken into account).

"Tug of War" spans a little over 400 pages and is separated into eight sections, each dedicated to particular periods of action in the Italian theater, usually temporally, but also spatially (geographically). The first two sections of the book, I-Soft Target and II-Salerno are focused on the 'why' (section I) and initial 'how' (section II) the Italian Theater of Operations came into existence in late 1943.After a relatively short section dedicated to the Salerno-Anzio inter-period (section III), the authors present a 99 pp. section (IV) dedicated to the Anzio landings and subsequent bloodletting to defend (Allied) and regain (German) the bridgehead.Not surprisingly given the historical importance and interest in this particular action, this section is extremely well done.Section V gives a discussion of the period after the long Anzio stalemate to the planning (section VI) and initiation of Operation DIADEM, the final thrust out of the Anzio and Cassino areas to Rome (section VII).These last two sections are particularly interesting since the Anzio action often overshadows all that follows in many accounts of the Italian campaigns.The final section (proper) of the book deals with the final battles (still very bloody) aimed at finally breaking the German resistance in Italy after the fall of Rome to the end of hostilities.As was true of the previous two sections, this final section provides much material for student rumination.All in all the depth of coverage throughout the book is quite impressive and the serious will certainly not be disappointed.The remainder of the book (minus the final six pages) gives a chronology of events in the theatre; reference sources, bibliography (again not done for ease of re-researching), and chapter notes; and an index of military units and formations.

If there is a major criticism of "Tug of War" it would be its oft difficult readability.One could easily imagine a case where two contributing authors might have widely differing styles and thus provide a significant challenge to an editor(s) to smooth out the prose.When reading "Tug of War" this is exactly the feeling one gets.In expository passages and portions where the authors provide background or post-battle analysis the prose flows quite well and readers should have no problems having their attention maintained.In contrast, when combat is described, either temporal or spatial in nature, the prose is very dry and encyclopedic; dare this review say 'aseptic', to borrow a term from his own field of training.It is not hard to imagine that one author contributed the majority of the first styles while the other contributed the latter.However these differences arose it makes for often difficult reading.This is likely to turn off most less serious readers, and maybe even some more serious.

In the end "Tug of War" is a solid piece of historiography that is deep in research but suffers from two differing writing styles (whether a direct result of dual authorship or not) that were simply not edited more smoothly.4.5 stars for historical content, 2.5 stars for readability - 3.5 stars total.

*Note:This is a review of the hardback version of Graham and Bidwell's book.
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Inheritance Tug-of-War Stories is a collection of inheritance stories based on true situations observed or told to the authors. Following each story are provocative questions and legacy building tips to help you start thinking about your own estate or your parents' estate and how to take actions to lead your family in unity. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (17)

IN THE SEARCH OF TRUTH
Ordered the book and read it twice. I was confused as to the content when Judge Key made remarks throughout the book like...Mrs Smith's makeup was perfect and Mrs Briggs dressed plain. There were quite a few things in the book that made this book hard to deny it was a little one sided. Having said that, the entire case was just gut wrenching. Both families are in pain!

CASA Volunteers need to read this one
This is a good book for continuing education for CASA Volunteers. I wish the judge had been a little more explicit on some details, but I think it is a fair writing of the facts and he was limited, as a judge, in what he could disclose.

great read
this is by far the best book i have read on this story of this little girl. people say its a lie but until you read everything everywhere then youll know what is truth and what is a lie. i recommend this book

Should give it a negative number
This is so pitiful.The book is a total sham, a total lie.Raye Dawn Smith is now trying to profit from her own daughters death while she is in prison in Oklahoma.She has now sued for monies that was awarded little Kelsey's estate because of situations happening between DHS and CASA.
Book is total poorly written as if a grade school person has tried to put it together.It has been written by a ghostwriter from OKC that "admits" that she put her on little spin in it.She didn't even KNOW about the case. But she has her own drama going on and is writing a book that she now admits is BIASED.
This book was biased also.It's a good book for people that want to read something that is showing you "How NOT to Write A Book"!!!If you can believe it, this person supposedly shows people HOW to write.NOT.

Sad Story
I find it sad and disturbing that the hate in this horrible situation has spilled over into what is suppose to be an honest and helpful part of Amazon's book service. The writer of this book, the judge in the case of little Kelsey Briggs, could not speak during the ongoing affair so has chosen, right or wrong, to tell his side. There are, in fact, so many sides that it's like a bad movie. A relative of mine taught school at Meeker High School and said that, in his opinion, everyone but sweet little Kelsey was to blame for her death, maybe not directly but the poor child never had a chance. She was pulled and tugged by every side and obviously battered for months. Her parents, step-parent, both grandparents and the system killed this darling little girl. The author of this book has struggled with his writing somewhat but appears to back up what he says. The reviews that are so vicious are by people who have never written reviews before so doubt they even read the book but wanted to lash out in one more way. Read the book and judge for yourself. You would do well to toss out any reviews other than those by readers who have also reviewed other books. Otherwise I'd say the writers of the reviews simply are spewing more hate in this case. It has been unbelievable around here. Oh, and it's widely know the author is donating any money made on the book to child abuse charities. Everybody knows that. ... Read more

Product Description
1926. The war-ravaged vineyards of France. In this masterpiece of suspense from CWA Historical Dagger Award–winner Barbara Cleverly, a nameless soldier plunges Scotland Yard inspector Joe Sandilands into a shifting world of deception, rage, and murder.…

A well-earned vacation takes a sharp detour when Sandilands is called to France, where a shell-shocked patient—a tragic casualty of war—is in the throes of a violent nightmare. Trying to determine the mystery man’s identity proves a difficult, internationally delicate task: several families are claiming the unknown soldier as their own.

But it is at a famed château, where the wine flows and disturbing secrets abound, that Sandilands meets a woman who takes his investigation in a chillingly different direction. Strong-willed and alluring Aline Houdart’s husband has been missing and presumed dead for nearly ten years. Her true motives are as elusive as the truth about a long-ago night…when a horrific crime was committed and lives changed forever. Now Sandilands, an ex-soldier himself, a man who has seen his share of bloodshed and sorrow, is waging his own battle for justice. It is a fight for his fallen comrades that will unmask a killer. Or bury the truth forever… ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Interesting mystery involving Scotland Yard
Joe Sandilands, a WWI vet working for Scotland Yard, is sent to France to see if a mute former soldier suffering from amnesia might actually be English. The soldier is claimed by several different families as their long lost son or husband, and Joe must wade through each story, some motivated by despair, some by greed, to find the identity of the damaged soldier.

Joe Sandilands mysteries
I love this series of novels.Looking forward to reading the L. Talbot series now.

"To Walk in their Own Ways..."
The sixth in the Joe Sandilands murder-mystery series is a little different from its predecessors, in that there is no murder in the mystery (well there is, but it doesn't happen during the course of the investigation, and it's not the focus of the novel). In the summer of 1926, Sandilands is roped in by a superior officer into investigating an enigma in the south of France, effectively disrupting the holiday that he's planned. A catatonic soldier is being kept in a local sanatorium, and four different claimants have come forward, declaring that the man belongs to their family:an elderly mother, a mistress, a farming family, and young wife.

Sandilands has been invited to stay at the vineyards of Aline Houdart, who is convinced that the man is her husband. Yet the doctor in charge of the man's wellbeing has another opinion: that the man is English, considering that he speaks this language whilst enacting a bizarre scene of murder. Despite his desire for a holiday, Sandilands joins forces with Inspector Bonnefoye (who reappears in Folly du Jour: A Joe Sandilands Mystery) to eliminate those attempting to exploit the unidentified soldier and return the man to his rightful home.

Accompanying him is his fourteen year old foster-niece Dorcas (introduced in the previous book The Bee's Kiss (Joe Sandilands Mysteries)) who provides insight on several of the suspects and behaves years older than she actually is. I'm not entirely sure her presence in the story is required, but her repartee with Sandilands provides several amusing moments.

This is an intriguing, but slow-paced mystery that some may find disappointing after the action and exoticism of Cleverly's earliest books; especially those set in India. However, there is a poignancy and bittersweetness to this WWI mystery, that contains plenty of historical detail concerning the war and the effect that it had on the families and soldiers of France. All of the "suspects" attempting to claim the soldier are three-dimensional and fascinating figures, each with slightly different reasons for wanting to have him for themselves.

It is disappointing then, that by this stage Sandilands himself comes across a little too good to be true. He seems to be irresistible to women, sports a heroic war-wound, holds a high investigative position despite his age... and this book further reveals that he's a wine connoisseur. I've always found him a little bland, but for whatever reason, he grated with me a little in this installment, particularly when teamed up with Dorcas, who seemed equally unrealistic in her skills and capabilities.

But this is a minor quibble, and certainly didn't stop my enjoyment of the story - in fact, it's one of my favourites, and is an interesting change from Cleverly's usual formula.

Cleverly Becomes Less Clever
In the first few books in the series, Cleverly had hold of something special: exotic settings, strong, elusive women, obversations about the role of Colonial Britain and a detective with some potential for fatal flaws.As time went on, though, the quality of the writing and the plotting began to deteriorate, as if the publisher saw the series as a way to keep the moola flowing and imposed an arbitrary guiideline: publish yearly (or more frequently) or perish.After reading "The Bee's Kiss" I was annoyed--flat,unsuccessfully plotted and the detective, Sandiland's, only reacted to events from the outside.His flaw seemed to be more fatal than interesting.Iread "Tug of War" in order to decide if I would leave the series off my future list after having read them all in order of publication.There are new and continuing series that are rewarding and fun to read."Tug of War" confirmed for me that Cleverly had lost her way: gone was inspiration, gone was exoticism--even full character development was left to a few lines of exposition and little action or behavior to move us into the lives of these characters. Caught between the rock of identity of the "unknown" soldier and the hard place of historical sentiment, Cleverly tosses together improbability and implausability with the solution coming as no surprise.Sad to see what had the makings of a superb series go down the drain: however, the first three are worth reading.

Murder in Champagne during WWI
Barbara Cleverly has created another complicated case for Joe Sandilands of London's Metropolitan Police to solve. As in The Bee's Kiss and The Last Kashmiri Rose, this novel has a complex plot with lots of twists and turns and a murder that was committed during World War I. Joe must determine the identity of a shell-shocked soldier in a French asylum who is being claimed by four different French families, but who may actually be English. Joe is a well-rounded and engaging character, and the background story of the bloody WWI battles fought in Champagne is fascinating. However, in this novel, Joe is traveling with a 14-year old young lady named Dorcas who he is charged with delivering to relations in the south of France. She basically becomes Joe's co-equal in solving the mystery.Her ability to analyze a complex series of events that occurred long before her time and to make character judgments in a nano second are simply not believable. I could have done without Dorcas, but this is still a first-rate mystery. ... Read more

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Explores the fluctuating power of the dollar in this constantly changing world while giving explanations as to why the dollar is where it is today, making predictions, and presenting advice on the investment direction one should pursue in today's markets. Tour. ... Read more

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The action from Big Fish in the salt is exciting, but the fishing experience entails a lot more that simply pursuing and catching fish, it's also the camaraderie enjoyed with friends that share your passion.In his latest book, saltwater fly-fisher Nick Curcione shares all that you need to know to enjoy sucess in the salt; reading it is like having a conversation with a knowledgeable good buddy.Nick has decades of experience fishing in salt water, and now you can learn from this great fly-fisher, including: equipment: backing, line and leader basics; knots; saltwater flies; casting; strategies; conservation issues; auxiliary gear like clothing; first-aid kits; stripping baskets; tools; watercraft; and so much more.Nick's knowledge of fly-fishing the salt is vast, and much of it has been learned from his many well-known friends, now you can learn from best. ... Read more

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Fantastic book
This book, and Joe Richard's previous book - Princess - are absolute works of art. Joe was a painter, and in these two books he was painting a picture with words. Princess is about his love affair with an old Friendship sloop, and Tug of War is about his experiences aboard tugs during WW2. ... Read more

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Tony English wrote Tug of War for negotiation experts and others who might be interested in a fresh analytical method which draws on the literature of negotiation but delves into many other disciplines, including international relations, fine arts, philosophy, management, anthropology and psychology. The book focuses on international negotiation but is relevant to negotiation in general. Tony interviewed many veteran negotiators in diplomacy, hostage release and business. He weaves the rich character, skills and experience of individual veterans into the book, and presents two cases in fine detail. The informants include: Hugh Davies, lead British negotiator for the return of Hong Kong to China; Sir Alan Donald, British Ambassador to China and several other countries; Terry Waite, of Beirut kidnap fame; Meg McDonald, Australian Ambassador for the Environment and team leader for the greenhouse gas negotiations at Kyoto; Malcolm Lyon, Australia's lead negotiator for the Torres Strait Treaty with Papua New Guinea; Don Kenyon, Australian Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, and former Chairman of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body; Doug Anderson, Managing Director of P & O Ports; Sam Passow, Research Director of London's Centre for Dispute Resolution; Geoff Goon, a major exporter of fruit and vegetables from Australia to the Middle East; Steven Hochman and Kirk Wolcott, dispute resolution advisers to President Jimmy Carter; and a few others who needed anonymity. Tony also draws on his own experience in several countries. At the core of the book is the tension, which comprises complementary phenomena, both physical and abstract, that compete for influence over our behaviour. Profuse forces generate tensions. Tony presents a model of negotiation context that comprises tensions and the forces generating them. Expert negotiators are expert tension managers and therefore have high 'contextual intelligence', a variation on Robert Sternberg's concept of Successful Intelligence in cognitive psychology. Tony links contextual intelligence with seven traits identified in his veterans. Some writers refer to the tension but neglect its nuances and miss its generic value in analyzing negotiations and other human activity as people try to impose manageable order on chaotic information. We are all tension managers, whether or not we are aware of it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Stretch for Practitioners and Scholars of International Negotiation
In this scholarly but accessible book, the author achieves four main feats that are rare in the academic literature on negotiation and many other areas of the social sciences (including my own - business economics). First, he does not use statistics or any other weapon to kill off his flesh-and-blood informants. The book is alive with real and sometimes quirky individuals. Second, he bounces theory and practice off one another in a way that enhances the reader's grasp of their relationship. While he does respect mainstream theorists in negotiation, and gives them focused coverage, he builds on their work without tugging his forelock as he argues for analysts to pay more attention to the nuanced concept of tension that is fundamental to negotiation. Third, he does not see his own discipline or himself as a fortress. He draws on a wide range of fields to support his particular theoretical approach, which he presents as one way, not the only way, of seeing international negotiation. Fourth, his expression is never pretentious and is almost always simple and fluid. This can be a trap for the unwary reader who might expect complex ideas to be written only in complex ways. This is a smooth read but not an easy one. The author uses jargon from time to time but only if there seems to be no other way out. The writing, including the footnotes, is never superfluous and is often entertaining. For example, "Gregory was cremated with a fat reefer in his pocket."

The book is well-structured and takes the reader on a highly original journey into the world of expert players. In an unconventional and therefore risky way, the author convincingly presents and analyses two quite different cases in fine detail in order to demonstrate his theory of context, tensions and tension management. The first case is in diplomacy and the second in hostage negotiation. As a business analyst and manager with a special interest in China, I was disappointed at first that there was no detailed case in international business. However, I soon realised that business negotiation in China and elsewhere gets a lot of coverage in other ways. Several informants are business managers, and two are senior diplomats who have transferred their experience and skills to the business world.

If you are a practitioner or scholar with an interest in improving your analytical skills in international negotiation and related fields (e.g. mediation, conflict management, hostage release), read this book, stretch your brainpower and imagination, and enjoy yourself along the way.If you think analysis of paintings, photographs, music and novels has nothing to do with negotiation, think again. ... Read more

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A madman seems to be trying to spoil the annual winter intramural competitions at a rugged, outward-bound coed boarding school in the Adirondack mountains, where the weather is the bitterest in years. ... Read more