The Dodd Family Abroad

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The Dodd Family Abroad
Charles Lever
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1419183338

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The Dodd Family Abroad
Charles Lever
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0548037507

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The Dodd family abroad
Charles James Lever
Manufacturer: Chapman and Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00086UVEG

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The Dodd Family Abroad (Part One)

Manufacturer: Peter Fenelon Collier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000BK2KG6

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The Dodd Family Abroad (Part Two)

Manufacturer: Peter Fenelon Collier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000BK86U0

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The Dodd family abroad ;: To which is added, Diary and notes of Horace Templeton, Esq., late Secretary of Legation at-- (Novels and romances of Charles Lever. Lorrequer ed)
Charles James Lever
Manufacturer: Little, Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0008D37HW

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The Dodd Family Abroad V2
Charles Lever
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0548075719

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DODD FAMILY ABROAD, THE

Manufacturer: LITTLE BROWN & CO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IK46MA

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The Dodd Family Abroad
Charles (Illustrated by Phiz) Lever
Manufacturer: Chapman & Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J2NYVG

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The Dodd Family Abroad, Volume I. The Novels of Charles Lever (Copyright Edition Volume XVIII)
Charles, Edited By His Daughter Lever
Manufacturer: Downey and Co. Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NPV4BG

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Wait For The Libel Trial Results

Excellent Book About Greedster Duo

A rip-snorter - but needlessly and counterproductively brutal

A fascinating account of a fascinating duo
Outrageous Fortune: The Rise and Ruin of Conrad and Lady Black
Tom Bower
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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High Rise Low Down

Shades of Black: Conrad Black - His Rise and Fall

ASIN: 0061146145
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Book Description

The rise and fall of media tycoon Conrad Black and his journalist wife, Barbara Amiel, is one of the great stories of the modern business world. In Outrageous Fortune, London-based journalist Tom Bower reveals how Conrad and Lady Black used other people's money to finance a billionaire's lifestyle, winning friends and influence in London and New York along the way. Their story of overweening ambition and greed is a modern-day classic of hubris.

Born into considerable wealth in Canada, Conrad Black bought and sold (but never effectively managed) several businesses, from mining and tractors to broadcasting companies and newspapers. In 1985 Black's holding com-pany, Hollinger, bought the Telegraph Group, the British newspaper publishing conglomerate. In the years that followed, Black additionally became the proprietor of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Jerusalem Post, and a host of other magazines and newspapers in the English-speaking world.

In 1992 Conrad married Barbara Amiel, who later famously said, "I have an extravagance that knows no bounds." Besotted by his wife, he began living way beyond his means. Fabulous parties, jewelry, clothes, and multiple mansions followed, and by 2001 Black had renounced his Canadian citizenship—which he called "an impediment to my progress in another more amenable jurisdiction"—in order to become a life peer in the British House of Lords.

But the scheming deceptive duo's lies came crashing down when, in November 2003, an American report accused Black of "outright fraud," "ethical corruption," and "corporate kleptocracy." Black was forced out as Hollinger's chief executive, and two years later he was charged with eight counts of fraud—allegations that he will vigorously deny at his trial in Chicago, beginning in March of 2007.

Based on hundreds of interviews with bankers, politicians, journalists, mega-deal makers, and close friends of Conrad and Lady Black, Outrageous Fortune is packed with lively anecdotes and salacious gossip. It is a hugely enter-taining and engrossing account of gullibility in high places.

Customer Reviews:

Wait For The Libel Trial Results.......2007-03-18

Conrad Black has written extensively in reply to his critics and eagerly awaits his day in court to reply to those have so grievously attacked him. He has sued Bower for libel and I would wait for the completion of that action before I leapt to the conclusion that Bower has told the truth in whole or in part.

With regard to the shareholders of Hollinger, he increased their net wealth by about 2.3 billion dollars. If he would do that for me I certainly wouldn't begrudge him a party once in a while.

Excellent Book About Greedster Duo.......2007-01-14

Conrad Black was originally a fairly decent man who lived fairly modestly by billionaire standards. Then, he was seduced by one Barbara Amiel who persuaded him to divorce his first wife and marry her in the bargain. Once married, the new Lady Black went about raising the couple's living standards to absurdly lavish heights.

All this luxurious excess cost a ton of money. So, Black set about looting the publicly held company in which he held the controlling votes. He installed a compliant board of directors, slashed expenses and either fired or sued anyone who objected.

However, all this corruption eventually attracted the attention of both investigative reporters and law enforcement. For all of Lord Black's power, he was ultimately unable to prevent his demise. He has been ousted from the ownership of his company and is on the verge of standing on criminal trial in his native Canada.

This is an excellent book about how greed and avarice often leads to one's own demise.

A rip-snorter - but needlessly and counterproductively brutal.......2006-12-22

Now that the levee has broken, you would have to go a long way to garner sympathy for a couple with the hubris of Conrad Black and Barbara Amiel, but in his splendidly vituperative "Outrageous Fortune", Tom Bower almost pulls it off. This is a real piece of work (though, as Bower might say, if the shoe fits...) and no effort has been made to present any sort of balance whatsoever: Even the title is snide: Not "Conrad and Barbara Black", nor "Lord and Lady Black", but "Conrad and *Lady* Black" - a snipe at her overweening delight at ennoblement, and perhaps a cute reference to Black's habit of referring to his wife (from well before his peerage) as "the Little Lady".

Make no mistake, this is a rip-snorter of a read: I've been devouring pages, missing stops on the tube, walking into lamp-posts and zoning out of conference calls on its account: it is the Barbarians at the Gate of the new Millennium - tempered only by the fact that its characters seem transparently unleavened by the financial expertise, corporate understanding, commercial cunning, capitalist audacity and iron balls of the KKR crowd: these protagonists, as Bower paints them, are as self-absorbed, self-aggrandising and self-enriching as the best of them, whilst still being deluded and dim-witted schmucks.

Which is rather suspect in itself. If you accept that view then it is truly remarkable that the Blacks lasted as long as they did at the top of the pile. Bower does not dispute that Conrad Black attracted - and retained for decades - some high-quality help: Lord Carrington proposed his ennoblement and Baroness Thatcher seconded it (despite Bower's assertion that she found Black "ordinary"); Henry Kissinger sat on Hollinger's board even until the endgame played out (as did Richard Perle and KKR founder Henry Kravis' wife). So either Conrad Black was an extraordinary con-artist, or Bower is not giving credit where it is due.

Nor is much credence given to Conrad Black's intellect or Amiel's journalistic prowess: Bower would have you believe that Black simply has a large vocabulary, a photographic memory and a penchant for gormlessly reciting details of naval battles at dinner parties, and suddenly took a couple of months to dash off a rangy biography of Roosevelt, which did nothing but illustrate his own shoddy scholarship. Now I haven't read this book (and nor, at 1245 pages, am I planning to), but the critical reaction to it on this site - which I have a healthy respect for - has been almost unanimously positive. Again, you get the sense that credit might not have been given where due.

Finally, the book is studded with of startling exchanges which are set out as direct quotations - in situations where it is difficult to believe that the remarks could have possibly been recorded nor word-for-word remembered: Amiel's off-the-cuff remarks during dinner parties and to household staff and Black's asides to his co-directors during meetings and on the telephone over a twenty five year period are faithfully reproduced as if from a stenographer's notebook. I can't help thinking Bower is talking a biographer's licence here - that's a polite way of saying he made these quotes up - perhaps on the basis of a vaguer recollection like "then Conrad said something rude" or some such thing.

Tom Bower has certainly done some homework and tracks the financial shenanigans skilfully, and I doubt there will be much sympathy out there amongst the schadenfreude for the misfortune of an unpleasant couple who are in the process of getting what has been coming to them, but all the same this relentlessly brutal entry can't help but remind us that this celebrated president's biogrpaher isn't the one writing this part of the last century's history.

Olly Buxton

A fascinating account of a fascinating duo.......2006-12-12

Apparently only a miracle will stop Lord Black from missing his billionaire lifestyle from a prison cell. Tom Bower's account is gripping. The subjects of his attention, Lord and Lady Black, certainly are much more interesting that the average pair accused of siphoning millions from unsuspecting shareholders. Bower credibly builds the portrait of two people that feel that the law should not apply to the ostensibly rich. Notably, the intellectual pretenses of Lady Black are effectively drowned in the repeated demonstration that, as she said, her extravagance knew no bounds.

Bower's examination of the various facets of Lord Black is solid. The multiple quotes from his subject denying at all times any wrongdoing, always in elegant terms, confirm the picture of a man that considered himself a mix of intellectual giant and paragon of rapacious capitalism at its best (or worst). Apparently those that were silly enough to entrust their money to him fully deserved the systematic pillage that Lord Black and his associates applied to the companies under their management. The record of how Lord Black used people with solid reputations to get seals of approval for his shenanigans should send shudders down the spines of those that think that seating at a Board of Directors is a good opportunity to get some money and a good lunch while, at most, giving a glimpse at the reports and requests from the company's management before signing their endorsement.

The timing of Bower's work is superb considering that Lord Black will face trial soon. After finishing it, the reader is ready to follow the saga to what will most probably be a fitting conclusion.

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Liberals will love it
The Latest Big Busines Scandal

CONRAD AND LADY BLACK
Tom Bower
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0007232349

Customer Reviews:

Liberals will love it.......2007-04-07

Mr. Bower is a journalist; that is quite evident in the book. Despite its sometimes hurried nature, he is fact-oriented, and is also disinclined to make deliberate redactions to preserve the consistency of his narrative. That narrative is, of course, one that liberals can easily relate to: Conrad the Arrogant, done in by adult hubris, who climaxes his flame-out with a return to his teenaged chicanery. A fitting end, so says the narrative, to someone who merely shuffled assets, and who hid his limitations of both vision and character with Nietzscheanseque hubris, marshalling his intellectual skills to camouflage them - someone who proved in the long run to be incapable of building and growing a business. Anyone who does not believe that this encapsulation reveals the "True Story of Conrad Black" will likely become ill a few times while reading it.

Unfortunately, Mr. Bower's evident skills fail him when he moves beyond pure journalism. He seems to believe that the formation of an executive committee of the Hollinger Board, an organ of many boards, was part of a nefarious plot by Black, et. al., rather than a late attempt to square off with more contemporaneous corporate practice (p. 233.) On the next page, disclosing the "unreasonably low 1.25 interest rate" for a 90-day loan, he does not specify whether that rate was per annum or for the term of the loan.

That elision, though, is a minor one. Like the confusion between Michael Milken and Ivan Boesky on p. 161, it could be attributed to Mr. Bower passing along what he learned from his interviewees.

A more serious limitation makes itself evident when Mr. Bower tries to read the true character of both Conrad and Barbara Black through their writings. When he tries to, he is consistent with his typecasting of both; anyone whose preconceptions match with his will see this book as a five-star. Those whose don't, will see it as a one-star. Had he brought more interpretative depth to his writing, his "Conrad is his father's son" and "Barbara is a self-indulgent arriviste" templates would have revealed something, both to him and the reader. George Black's personal maxim, "if anyone who says I'm a war profiteer, they're goddamn liars" would have been a good place to start.

The Latest Big Busines Scandal.......2006-12-11

Conrad Black was born to relatively wealthy parents in Canada and was able to start from there and build quite a large business empire, mostly in newspaper publishing. He subquently became a British citizen and was knighted. He married the beautiful columnist Barbara Amiel who later famously said 'I have an extravagance that knows no bounds.'

If the schedule is maintained, Conrad Black will go on trial on March 5, 2007 charged with eight counts of mail fraud and wire fraud relating to the alleged diversion of millions of dollars from one of his companies. If convicted he could be sentenced to up to 40 years.

This is an unauthorized biography, and is not very complimentary. It describes a Conrad Black that seemed to have the ability to borrow lots of money to buy companies but than no capability to manage them profitably.

If nothing else, the Blacks are interesting people. They present a story like the lifestyles of the rich and famous but based on lies and illegal borrowing of millions of dollars.

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Trashy but oh so good.
fine time travel escapades

Conrad's Lady (The Conrad Stargard)
Leo Frankowski
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1416509194

Book Description

One moment Conrad Schwartz was suffering from a severe hangover as he hiked through the mountains of present-day Poland, the next he was hurled back to the same country in the 13th century. He remembered from his history classes that in another ten years, Mongol hordes were scheduled to attack, pillage, burn and kill-and Conrad was likely to suffer all of the above. So, he set out to turn Poland into a world power by introducing universal education, aircraft, radios, stemboats, and discourage Mongols or anybody else from messing with either Poland or Conrad. But things weren't going to be quite that simple. The Mongols were not quite as awed by advanced technology as he had hoped. Also, he was under observation by Time Lords who didn't approve of disruptions in the flow of historical time. Last, and anything but least, he had married the formidable Lady Francine, and there was absolutely nothing simple about that noble-born and tempestuous woman. . . .

Publisher's Note: This book has appeared in parts as The Flying Warlord, Lord Conrad's Lady and Conrad's Quest for Rubber. This is the first unified appearance of the complete book.

Customer Reviews:

Trashy but oh so good........2006-07-06

We've been trying to find the paperback versions with no luck. Thanks!

fine time travel escapades .......2005-12-18

"The Flying Warlord". Since coming from twentieth-century Poland, Conrad Stargard has been planning for the Mongol invasion that will occur based on the history books he has studied in 1241. In his nine years in thirteenth century Poland he has brought twentieth century transportation, communication and weapons; Conrad pushed the rights of women and the poor. Now, the gazillion horde blitzkrieg begins while the Time Lords are upset with his thirteenth century reengineering. Book four in the series is a strong close out to the three previous tales that set up the Mongol Horde invasion of Poland.

"Lord Conrad's Lady". Lord Conrad's wife Lady Francine is an upset woman. It is not the barbarians being defeated at the gates or that Cracow burns, or even a serial killer (another of those twentieth century oddities). It is the hotties flirting with Conrad, who acts like a rock star even as the Time Lords consider intervention. Book five feels more like an afterthought clean-up tying up loose ends that "The Flying Warlord" failed to do so. Still the time paradoxes caused by Conrad is fun to follow.

"Conrad's Quest for Rubber". The Exploration Corps are on a field expedition to study the midnight sun when Conrad recalls them to send them to the Amazon Rainforest seeking rubber. They bring disease that devastates the native population while also succumbing to the local illnesses and peril. Still Lord Conrad requires rubber and so they continue the quest. The sixth tale comes across flat except perhaps for die hard fans as the tale seems like a second aftermath in spite of the Time Lords deeper involvement.

Though two of the reprints seem like afterward minor tales, fans will enjoy the time travel escapades of Lord Conrad mindful of the movie Norman's Awesome Experience, but also wondering why not package The Flying Warlord with the first three thrillers.

Harriet Klausner

Lord Conrad's Lady (Adventures of Conrad Stargard/Leo Frankowski, Book 5)

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A Great, Classic Series!
Five Stars is Not Enough
Excellent 5 Book Series
Happy, technical, exciting
A most fun read, Good characters and plot twists.

Lord Conrad's Lady (Adventures of Conrad Stargard/Leo Frankowski, Book 5)
Leo A. Frankowski
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345368495
Release Date: 1990-08-13

Book Description

VACATION IN PEACEFUL MEDIEVAL POLAND

See the ancient city of Cracow burn!

Wallow in the frightful murder of noblewomen and children at the invincible castle of East Gate!

Enjoy the attack of the crazy old ladies at Sir Miesko's manor!

Watch the regretful demise of the remaining Mongols as they drown in the cesspool at Three Walls!

Consider various offers made to Conrad Stargard by eager blondes of just-barely-marriageable age!

Notice his wife, the formidable Lady Francine, getting annoyed!

¸ Superlative lodging provided by the Pink Dragon Inns
¸ Excellent duty-free values on cloth, coal, and Mongol arms & armor
¸ One-way packages
¸ Call your intertemporal travel agency for details

Customer Reviews:

A Great, Classic Series!.......2005-08-15

This series is a real favorite of mine. Great story line, great characters, and unique ideas. Now (as of Summer 2005) the latest Conrad book, "Conrad's Crusade" is now available from Leo Frankowski, on line! It is solid action on par with the best in the series. An e-copy is available at (...) and I recommend it highly.

Five Stars is Not Enough.......2000-09-27

This is the best time travel series in a realistic timeline ever written. Before these books, L. Sprague De Camp had held that title for decades with his "Lest Darkness Fall", but it was too short. Mark Twain may be the most famous with his "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court", but that is more light hearted than serious, and disappointing at the end. The Conrad series delivers on all the promise, and even after 5 books, it still leaves you wanting more. (There is a sixth book now, but Conrad is a minor character, and I've reviewed it separately.)

I say realistic timeline, because Conrad isn't really from our timeline. I was a little suspicious right from the start, but it wasn't until Conrad reminisced about the Mongols invading France that I thought "Hey, wait a minute". It turns out that it didn't happen to us (even without Conrad). But the historians I read agree that it would have, except the great Khan died and the Mongols had a war of succession which they never recovered from. This is often used as an example of the actions of one person changing history. I never even heard the story, until Conrad got me to look it up. Go figure.

This is an action story, with fighting and sex, where Conrad overcomes insurmountable obstacles, and usually has a good time along the way. The author doesn't just ignore the time travel though. He writes a science fiction sub-plot about that too. In fact, the author is obviously an engineer, not just because it takes an engineer for Conrad to build the things he does, but also from the way the books were planned out and crafted. Obviously the author planned the Mongol invasion and built the series around it, but he also foreshadows romantic sub-plots 3 books in advance.

I love these books, and share other reviewers disbelief that they haven't been reprinted since 1993. If you've already read them, and love them too, you might want to try "The Misplaced Legion (Videssos Cycle, Book 1)" by Harry Turtledove, about elements of one of Caesar's legions travelling into Rome's future of the Byzantine Empire. Only it's not the real Byzantine Empire, it's a parallel universe where magic works. Aside from that, it's Byzantium during the 1100's written by a Byzantine historian. And of course you'll want to read the "Island in the Sea of Time" series by S. M. Stirling, about modern day Nantucket going back in time to the Trojan War. These works are different, but also 5 stars.

Excellent 5 Book Series.......2000-09-13

Happy, technical, exciting.......1998-08-01

What a thrilling conclusion to an absolutely magnetizing series. I read the series at least three times a year. Conrad is the thoughtful, generous, thrilling, competent, and manly guy that all men want to be. Don't we all wish we could have the heroism that he has? Not to mention Francine, Cilicia and aaaallll the others! What a wonderful series!!!!!! (By the way, is the rumor true that another book is coming out?)

A most fun read, Good characters and plot twists........1998-04-13

I have read all of the books in the series four times so far. Each time I find something new to enjoy. I would like to see more books in this series if the Author could be persuaded.

BEYOND - Fantasy Fiction - Volume 2, number 4 - 1955: Stream of Consciousness; Sizzlestick; Age Cannot Wither; Dragon Lady; The Paynim's Flute; It's Colder Inside; They

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BEYOND - Fantasy Fiction - Volume 2, number 4 - 1955: Stream of Consciousness; Sizzlestick; Age Cannot Wither; Dragon Lady; The Paynim's Flute; It's Colder Inside; They
H. L. (editor) (Roy Hutchins; Sam Merwin Jr.; Cleve Cartmill, Evelyn E. Smith; Ralph Spencer; E. B. Battles; D. V. Gilder) Gold
Manufacturer: Galaxy Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ICHDGY

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The Lady
Conrad Richter
Manufacturer: University of Nebraska Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0803289189

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The Lady
Conrad Richter
Manufacturer: A Borzoi Book / ALFRED A KNOPF
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VUOL40

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Lord Conrad's Lady
Leo Frankowski
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVJALK

Matador/Witness/"The Law of the Jungle"/The President's Lady (Reader's Digest Condensed Books, Volume 4: 1952)

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Matador/Witness/"The Law of the Jungle"/The President's Lady (Reader's Digest Condensed Books, Volume 4: 1952)
Barnaby Conrad , Whittaker Chambers , Jim Corbett , and Irving Stone
Manufacturer: Reader's Digest Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Product Description

"Matadore" by Barnaby Conrad"Witness" by Whitaker Chambers"The law of th Jungle" by Jim Corbett"The presidents lady" by Irving Stone

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Suspense
Joseph Conrad
Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 054390170X
Release Date: 2000-07-25

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