It Began in Vauxhall Gardens

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful!.......2003-12-11

Melisande St. Martin grew up in a convent in France, not knowing who her parents were. She dreamed of being taken away by a member of her rich family, as one of her friends did. One day, her dream comes true. Her father, Sir Charles Travenning, takes her away. However, she does not know he is her father. He tells her he knew her father, and is doing him a favor. In fact, he is doing the favor to his ill-fated lover, Melisande's dead mother.

Once she goes to Sir Charles' home, she is made a companion to his soon to be married daughter Caroline, Melisande's half-sister. There, Melisande falls in love with Fermor, Caroline's fiancee, and after that turns dangerous, she falls in love with Leon, an escaped French aristocrat. She is soon betrayed by both, and flees to Fenella's dress shop, where she displays clothes to the wealthy. Once again, she falls in love, this time a lawyer. She is betrayed again, and flees again. This time, the final time, as a lady's maid. Here is where tragedy strikes the tragic heroine of this story. She is to stand trial. . .for murder.

I didn't think to much of this book when I started reading it. I was soon sucked in the story. It is wonderfully written, as are all of Plaidy's works, but this one is special. The last few pages has words so beautiful, it brought me to tears. Unfortunately, I was in school when I read it, and had to stifle them. This book is perfect for anyone interested in a good book with a beautiful ending.

TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION..........2003-01-22

This book is based upon a true story that occurred in nineteenth century England that went on to become one of its most notorious scandals. It is a gripping account of the events that impacted upon a young woman's life and her resolution of the seemingly insoluble.

This engrossing, historical fiction details the life of an exquisitely beautiful, young girl, Melisande St. Martin, who is brought up in a French convent, not knowing who her parents are. One day, when she is a young teenager, an Englishman whom she has seen in town from time to time, Sir Charles Trevenning, goes to the convent. Claiming to be her guardian, though he is, in fact, her father, he takes Melisande to England with him, his wife having died, so that she can be a companion to his legitimate daughter, Caroline.

So begins Melisande's bizarre odyssey in life. After the grimness of life in the French convent, Melisande is thrilled by the promise of a new, more secular, life in a grand manor house in Cornwall. All, however, is not what it seems. As soon as Melisande arrives, she captures the unwanted attentions of Fermor, Caroline's devastatingly handsome fiance, incurring Caroline's bitter jealousy. Melisande tries to escape his attentions by developing a relationship with a French expatriate, Leon de la Roche, only to find that he, too, has issues.

Ultimately, through the gossip of the servants, Melisande discovers that the kindly gentleman, whom she thought was her guardian, is, in fact, her father. He, wishing to preserve his reputation and avoid scandal, sends the still innocent Melisande to London, placing her in the care of Fennella, a wealthy and kindly woman of dubious reputation. There, things do not go according to plan, and Melisande leaves Fennella's home, finding a position as lady's maid to a Mrs. Lavender. It is in the Lavender's home that she makes the acquaintance of a yet another man who is to disappoint her. Their relationship would culminate in an event that would find eighteen year old Melisande standing trial for murder.

Simon & Schuster's Guide To Bonsai (Nature Guide Series)
Average customer rating:

Beautiful pictures, straightforward advice

Encyclopedia Bonsai

A bonsai necessity

A good guide for identfying your new tree.

Simon & Schuster's Guide To Bonsai (Nature Guide Series)
Gianfranco Giorgi
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Bonsai | By Plant | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Japanese Gardens | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Techniques | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Bonsai (101 Essential Tips)

Bonsai (Rd Home Handbooks)

Bonsai Survival Manual: Tree-by-Tree Guide to Buying, Maintaining, and Problem Solving

Beginning Bonsai: The Gentle Art of Miniature Tree Growing

Bonsai: Grow Your Own Bonsai from Cuttings, Seeds, and Saplings

ASIN: 0671734881

Book Description

Brimming with fascinating and practical details and illustrated with 150 beautiful color photographs, Simon & Schuster's Guide to Bonsai provides everything the plant enthusiast needs to know about this unique and intriguing art.

An informative introduction gives such useful details as plant physiology, the history and philosophy of bonsai, choice of plants, and special tools and products to use in bonsai. The individual entries that follow describe over 125 species to cultivate and offer visual symbols that indicate whether full sun or shade, plentiful or little watering, and indoor or outdoor settings are best for a particular species. Simon & Schuster's Guide to Bonsai is a fascinating and authoritative reference to this exotic ancient art.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful pictures, straightforward advice.......2007-08-12

I decided to order this book after purchasing a bonsai tree at Walmart (which I have since been told is a bad idea, but my tree is doing wonderfully in spite of its lowly beginnings). I'm a rather visual person, so the fact that the book is full of pictures is immensely helpful to me. It's a very informative little book and I would definitely recommend it to those who are looking to get into bonsai.

Encyclopedia Bonsai.......2003-08-30

The first one hundred or so pages of this book are devoted to the art of Bonsai before it goes into description of the different types of Bonsai. For each listing there is a photo of the tree in Bonsai form, as well as four icons. The icons tell whether or not this is an outdoor bonsai, how much water it needs, how much sun it can get, and how hard it is too grow. The actual description under each listing is divided into five parts: a brief description, repotting information, pruning and wiring information, feeding (fertilizing) information, and additional notes. Ultimately, the descriptions could be more detailed, but provide all of the necessary information.

There are many species covered, but the list is by no means all-inclusive. Coast Redwood, Baobab and Cotoneaster are conspicuously missing from this text. The trees that are included:

Acacia;
Apricot (two kinds);
Bo Tree;
Bougainvillea;
Box;
Camellia;
Carmona;
Cedar Of Lebanon;
Chinese Ash;
Chinese Juniper;
Chinese Persimmon;
Chinese Pistachio;
Common Horse Chestnut;
Common Myrtle;
Crab Apple (two kinds);
Crape Myrtle;
Cypress: Bald, Hinoki, Italian;
Dwarf Lilac;
East Indian Satin Wood;
Elephant Bush;
Elm: Caucasian, Chinese;
European Beech;
European Larch;
European White Birch;
Fig (four kinds);
Frethorn;
Giant Sequoia;
Glossy Privet;
Golden Larch;
Gooseberry;
Hazel;
Hawthorn;
Hemlock: Eastern, Japanese;
Hornbeam: Regular, Hop, Japanese;
Italian Alder;
Jacaranda;
Japanese Blume;
Japanese Larch;
Japanese Privet;
Japanese Red Cedar;
Japanese Sago Palm;
Japanese Wisteria;
Judas Tree (red bud);
Liquidambar;
Maidenhair Tree;
Manna Ash;
Maple: Trident, Field, Montpelier, Japan;
Mastic Tree;
Milkweed;
Narihira Bamboo;
Nebrodi Silver Fur;
Needle Juniper;
Nettle Tree: Southern, Chinese;
Oak: Cork, English, Holly;
Oleaster;
Olive: Wild, Common;
Orange Jasmine;
Pine: Arolla, Black, Japanese Black, Japanese Brocade, Japanese Red, Japanese White, Mountain, Scots;
Peach;
Pink Carnation;
Pomegranate: Regular, Dwarf;
Potentilla;
Queensland Umbrella Tree;
Quince (three kinds);
Rosemary;
Saint Lucie Cherry;
Setsuke Azalea;
Smoke Tree;
Spruce: Nowway, White, Yezo;
Strawberry Tree;
Sweet Chestnut;
Sycamore;
Tamarind;
Tamarisk;
Theezan Tea;
Thyme;
White Mulberry;
White Willow;
Wild Pear;
Winged Spindle;
Winter Jasmine;
Yew: English, Japanese;
Zelkova

A bonsai necessity.......2001-01-15

Simon and Schuster's book of Bonsai is a classic to use for a bonsai enthusiast. It gives details on conditions, soils, plants and care for numerous plants used for bonsai. They have information that is not available in many other bonsai texts. I have read dozens of bonsai books and have over 15 of my own including this book. I would highly recommend it for all but the novice.

A good guide for identfying your new tree........1998-06-12

More then 100 full-color photographs of 150 species of trees.

Vita's Other World: A Gardening Biography of Vita Sackville-West

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Vita's Other World: A Gardening Biography of Vita Sackville-West
Jane Brown
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Portrait of a Marriage: Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson
Vita: The Life of V. Sackville-West
Tales of the Rose Tree: Ravishing Rhododendrons And Their Travels Around the World
The Letters of Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf
Portrait of a Marriage

ASIN: 0140093540

Rome and the Literature of Gardens (Classical Inter/Faces) (Classical Inter/Faces)

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Rome and the Literature of Gardens (Classical Inter/Faces) (Classical Inter/Faces)
Victoria Emma Pagan
Manufacturer: Duckworth Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Reference | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Greek | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0715635069
Release Date: 2007-02-16

Product Description

Rome and the Literature of Gardens explores the garden as a powerful locus of transformation and transgression in the De Re Rustica of Columella, the Satires of Horace, the Annals of Tacitus, and the Confessions of Saint Augustine. In keeping with the approach of this series, a concluding chapter examines the reincarnation of these expressions in the contemporary plays Arcadia and The Invention of Love by Tom Stoppard. Many books on gardens in ancient Rome concentrate on either technical agricultural manuals, or pastoral poetry, or the physical remains of Roman gardens. Instead, this book considers images of gardens from a kaleidoscope of genres, especially those that the Romans made their own: satire, annalistic history, and autobiography. This atypical approach makes a unique contribution to the field of Latin literature and garden history, bridging the gap between material culture and cultural history.

Southern California Gardens: An Illustrated History

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Southern California Gardens: An Illustrated History
Victoria Padilla
Manufacturer: Allen a Knoll Pubs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Pleasant read
Really 3.5 stars.
Not My Genre...
Best fantasies I've read in a long time
Garden of the Stone

The Garden of the Stone
Victoria Strauss
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Arm of the Stone
The Burning Land
Awakened City
The High Lord (The Black Magician Trilogy, Book 3)
A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire)

ASIN: 0380797526
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Book Description

At the heart of the fortress lay the Garden. At the heart of the Garden lay the Stone. -- a living entity of power beyond understanding. Then came Bron, his arrival long foretold as the one who would restore the balance to a world torn asunder centuries ago. But Bron had other plans. He stole the Stone...and vanished.

Now Bron's daughter Cariad, a skilled empath and assassin, must follow the footsteps of a father she's never known into the depths of the same fortress. Waiting there is Jolyon, her father's greatest enemy, a man whose thirst for domination is matched only by his taste for blood. Cariad must learn the secret of Jolyon's strength before it is too late. For just as her father's arrival was prophesied, so too is his return.

Customer Reviews:

Pleasant read.......2003-09-29

I didn't know that this book was a sequel when I took it off the shelf, nor did I realise it when I read it. Magnificently crafted to be a stand-alone book, it immediately picks you up and takes you into the action. It is a well-crafted story, of an assassin girl, Cariad, who is led by the legacy of her departed father, who captured a mystical artifact known as the Stone. She is a member of an underground resistance group who fight against the oppression of the Guardians and their suborders.

The typical elements of a fantasy story are in here - hero is a part of a prophecy, item of mystical importance, love, danger, the final confrontation of good and evil. Strauss has intertwined these elements finely, but in truth, her story-writing skills are a little lacking.

There is a fair amount of emphasis on detail - but not where it counts. She explains the surroundings well, and the history, but leaves little to character development, especially in regards to the supporting characters.
Also, the climax of the story seemed rushed; it was over in a few pages. There was a lot of build-up, so the finale turned out to be a little anti-climatic, espeically as it was extremely predictable.

Not really a book for those die-hard hard-core fantasy lovers out there, but those of you who enjoy a simple read with a non-complex world, then Garden of the Stone is for you

Really 3.5 stars........2003-01-28

I am rounding up the rating because until I got to this page I had not realized that this was the second book in a series. Strauss at least gets point for writing a sequel that stands so well on its own merits. I did not realize that this was the second book in a series, and never felt as though I were missing information. This said, I may have either liked it less or more than most of the readers because I have read out of order.

Cariad, a talented assassin who fights the tyranny of the Redenned, is waiting for the father who she has never met to return.

The way that Strauss approaches magic in the world is interesting. I like the tension between handpower and mindpower and the balance necessary between the two. The Garden of the Stone offers us an alternative way of viewing our own history-- a nice achievement for any fantasy novel.

Sometimes I lacked a feeling of freshness, and the pacing felt as though it could have been handled better. These are not major complaints, but kept me from experiencing the book as anything stronger than enjoyable.

Recommended, but unlike me you should probably read the books in the good order.

Not My Genre..........2002-01-17

I'll admit once again that I haven't read Sci-Fi/Fantasy since college. I had a lot of anxiety when I first ordered "The Garden", anxiety that vanished once Victoria's wonderful prose and charecter building took over. I've read both the first book ("Arm of the Stone") and this sequeal and I remain anxious; anxious for another Strauss offering.

Best fantasies I've read in a long time.......2000-07-05

I've read both The Arm of the Stone and The Garden of the Stone, and found them to be exceptional fantasies. I couldn't put them down! They're not the run of the mill, dime a dozen, clone fantasies you usually wind up with when you go to the bookstore, with elves and quests and magic swords and cardboard characters and ridiculous dialogue. They're real novels, with interesting ideas, fascinating world building, and wonderful characters who come alive on the page and stay with you long after you're finished reading. Oh yes--and there's an exciting plot too. And lots of very cool magical stuff. I loved these books, and I hope Ms. Strauss writes more soon!

Garden of the Stone.......2000-06-24

Bron, the man whom secret prophecy said would restore a balance between mindpower and handpower, vanished decades ago with the Stone - a powerful talisman through which the unfathomable energy and wholeness of the world can be approached by people with the Gift. Yet though the Stone is gone, much on the surface of the world of mindpower remains the same. The changes in the world since the loss of the Stone have been insidious. The theocracy of the Fortress still rules, maintaining an elaborate charade to keep the awareness of the Stone's loss from the masses. But constructions built with Gifts are beginning to fail across the world, and not even the ultra-conservative Reddened faction of the Arm of the Stone can stop the apparent unbinding of mindpower.

The book expresses well about mankind's nature and destiny and avoids the obvious position of cheerleading magic and raspberry of technology. Thoughtful and resourceful, this reflectss humanity, posing hard questions and exposing weaknesses that we might yet, with no little difficulty, overcome.

The Butchart Gardens
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The Butchart Gardens
The Butchart Gardens
Manufacturer: The Butchart Gardens
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000N6L172

Product Description

Large program type paperback, in full color. Introduction to the Butchart Gardens, with photographs donated by patrons.

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Victoria Moments in the Garden
Victoria Magazine
Manufacturer: Hearst Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Landscape | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Victoria The Pleasures of Tea: Recipes and Rituals
Victoria Intimate Home: Creating a Private World (Victoria Magazine)
The House in Bloom: Decorating with Floral Themes
Jenny Walton's Packing for a Woman's Journey
Christmas With Victoria 2000 (Christmas with Victoria)

ASIN: 0688097367

Book Description

As enticing as a stroll through a garden on a beautiful summer day, Victoria Moments in the Garden is a delight from start to finish. Romantic descriptions of this country's most exquisite public gardens complement sumptuous photographs by Toshi Otsuki that capture each landscape at its visual peak.

In this photographic tour of a dozen of America's most special gardens, horticulture writer Tovah Martin unveils all that is extraordinary and inspired in the art of botanical display. Moments in the Garden explores a vast range of gardening styles, from the classic formality of Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania to the adventurous informality of Joana Reed's Longview Farm also in Pennsylvania; from the wilderness delights of the Garden in the Woods in Massachusetts to the wildlife gardens at the Wing Haven bird sanctuary in North California. Readers can visit Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, surrounded by magnificent Italianate sculptures and fountains, and are invited guests at the Emily Dickinson garden, where an eclectic combination of perennials prosper much as they did in the poet's time. The history and development of each is explored, its spirit and beauty captured at its most brilliant. All have been diligently preserved, maintaining the textures, shades, and forms of the original gardens, some first planted more than 150 years ago.

But Moments in the Garden has its practical side as well. Classical plant combinations, selected for their beauty, hardiness, and fragrance, are presented, along with suggestions for planing layout, and ornamentation for your own garden. You'll find expert advice on herb gardening with heirloom varieties, and ideas for using dried plants and flowers in decoration.

Band Boxes and Tissue Covers, Easy Projects with Fabric (Fabrications, 244)
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Band Boxes and Tissue Covers, Easy Projects with Fabric (Fabrications, 244)
Victoria Waller
Manufacturer: Kappie Originals Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RSEF38

Product Description

Patterns for band boxes and tissue covers.

The Butchart Gardens (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)

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The Butchart Gardens (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000E221JM

Book Description

This unique sociohistorical account of family studies traces the development of various theories or methods within the context of the social values, technological changes, and political events of the twentieth century. Each chapter discusses the origins of a particular theory or method, its core assuptions, its applications, and its link to preceeding and succeeding theories or methods.

Sourcebook of Family Theory and Research

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Sourcebook of Family Theory and Research
Vern L., Ed. Bengston
Manufacturer: Sage Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Methodology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Research | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Parenting & Families | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Sourcebook Of Family Theories And Methods: A CONTEXTUAL APPROACH
Family Theories: An Introduction (White, Family Theories)
Readings in Family Theory
Methods of Family Research
Family Policy Matters: How Policymaking Affects Families and What Professionals Can Do

Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0761930655

Book Description

Now available in paperback for classroom use!

"This comprehensive text provides a rich source of perspectives on theorising about the family for scholars, researchers, and students. Another of the book's strengths is the emphasis on multimethod approaches in family research. The book covers an impressive range of topics and issues - marital happiness, adjustment of children in divorce marriages, gay marriage, sibling ties, ethnic families of colour, stepfamilies, aggression culture, work and family, religion, and social policy, to name a few. In summary, this superb volume is highly recommended and amply reflects the many contemporary perspectives on the family." â€”Philip Siebler , Monash University, Victoria

Sponsored by the National Council on Family Relations, the Sourcebook of Family Theory and Research is the reference work on theory and methods for family scholars and students around the world. This volume provides a diverse, eclectic, and paradoxically mature approach to theorizing and demonstrates how the development of theory is crucial to the future of family research.

The Sourcebook reflects an interactive approach that focuses on the process of theory building and designing research, thereby engaging readers in "doing" theory rather than simply reading about it.

An accompanying website,Â http://www.ncfr.org/sourcebook,Â offers additional participation and interaction in the process of doing theory and making science. Editors Vern L. Bengtson, Alan C. Acock, Katherine R. Allen, Peggye Dilworth-Anderson, and David M. Klein have brought together a prominent group of diverse contributors ranging in race and ethnicity, age and seniority, and gender and sexual orientation.

The Sourcebook begins with a section that sets the context for future family research. The subsequent sections explore changing family patterns, changing family interactions within and across generations, and families and larger social forces. A concluding section discusses issues of teaching family theories and research.

Key Features

Focuses on the process rather than the outcomes of family theory and research methods
Emphasizes the value of multi-methods approaches in family research by integrating theory development with the development of research methods
Differs from many other publications on family research by describing the development of new ideas rather than just summarizing existing findings
The interactive Web site andÂ the special feature boxes within the chapters engage readers with theory and methodology. Boxed features includeÂ Case Studies, Spotlights on Theory, Spotlights on Methods, and a Discussion and Extension sections.
Represents a "Whoâ€™s Who" of family researchers with contributions from many of the best researchers in the family realm

The Sourcebook will be an excellent addition to any academic library. It is an authoritative reference for scholars and researchers in Human Development and Family Studies, Sociology, Social Work, and Psychology. In addition, the Sourcebook can also be used in graduate courses on family theory and methodology.

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