William Marshal, Knight-errant, Baron, and Regent of England (MART: The Medieval Academy Reprints for Teaching)

Book Description

Originally published by Johns Hopkins Press, 1933.

Customer Reviews:

Readable and authoritative bio of my favorite knight.......2005-05-21

I learned after reading the Painter biography of William Marshal that it has been largely superseded by David Crouch's (which I will be reading soon), but I believe it still has much to offer.

For this work, first published in 1933, Painter draws heavily on the _Histoire de Guillaume le Marechal_, a contemporary chronicle written by an obvious Marshal partisan. Naturally, the Histoire's version on Marshal's life, the glowing but vague physical descriptions, the legendary exploits and such, is to be taken with a grain of salt. However, Painter's book is much more than a mere translation of the _Histoire_. While Marshal's early life is to some extent lost in the mists of time, significant objective information becomes available beginning with his association with the Plantagenets when he was in his early 20s. From this point on, this well-footnoted book references a variety of chronicles and administrative records, and references to the _Histoire_ grow fewer and farther between.

Two aspects of Marshal's life make his life story especially edifying to the medievalist:

First, it shows us what virtually every younger son who didn't go into holy orders wanted to be. Marshal epitomized the late twelfth-century knight, first distinguishing himself in battle and on the tournament field, then garnering the attention of a powerful patron, Eleanor of Aquitaine, which he then parlayed into a long and profitable royal association that included marriage to the wealthiest heiress in the realm. Late in life, he became the reluctant but highly effective regent of England. Even if the _Histoire_ sometimes is a bit too glowing in its praise, somewhat over the top in detailing his exploits, "reading between the lines" renders an only slightly duller portrait.

Second, his long life and intimate association with English royalty means that his story is also a crash course in early Plantagenet history, beginning with latter part of Henry II's reign and then encompassing Richard I, John, and the first few years of the boy king Henry III. While Painter probably isn't entirely fair to John, with whom William fell out a couple of times, William's experiences with John are well-documented and can still be instructive.

I found Painter's writing surprisingly readable, at least as much, and probably more so, than Georges Duby's. Painter was only slightly less enthusiastic about Marshal than the writer of the _Histoire_, never applying anything but the highest of motives to Marshal's actions. But he does a good job of justifying his positions; I always felt they were grounded in realism.

William Marshal, Knight-Errant, Baron, and Regent of England.

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William Marshal, Knight-Errant, Baron, and Regent of England.
Sidney Painter
Manufacturer: Johns Hopkins Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000L20T9O

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William Marshal Knight-Errant, Baron, and Regent of England
Sidney Painter
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PS4VIY

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Worthwhile Profile of Hollywood's Leading Irishmen.......2001-12-10

_Hollywood Irish_ is a fantastic collection of interviews and photographs of six handsome and talented actors: Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson, Stephen Rea, Pierce Brosnan, Aidan Quinn and Patrick Bergin. The simple introduction provided by Áine O'Connor sets the mood for the rest of the book well. As she mentions, the interviews do reveal insightful, private information: "Liam Neeson reveals how he considered leaving acting and how he found the confidence to continue; Pierce Brosnan, simply and openly, shares the painful story of his wife Cassie's death; Stephen Rea discusses the relationship between acting and politics; Aidan Quinn talks about the Irish identity and its many paradoxes; Patrick Bergin reveals the temptations of an actor's life and the difficulties of doing love scenes; Gabriel Byrne tells us about the risks and illusions that surround fame." In a nutshell, that's the book. Each actor discusses his beginnings, both in life and as an actor. Each discusses, in some capacity, how being Irish has impacted him. Each actor's profile comes with several b/w photos from childhood, movies and family collections. At the end, one can find each actor's filmography. The only complaint I would have regarding the book is that the material is dated (only current to 1997) and I wish an updated version could be compiled. That criticism aside, though, this is certainly a title worth owning.

Insightful interviews........2000-05-03

Aine O'Conner manage to capture the cadences of the various actors very well. While reading the text, I could almost hear the men speaking their words. I suspect that she didn't edit the tapes very much, save for verbal pauses (the usual "uhs" and "you knows") and for length. Ms. O'Conner also included several photographs (many were candid) that were sprinkled throughout the various sections.

While Ms. O'Conner asked many insightful questions, she didn't follow through on many. Indeed, at times I was a little disappointed that she failed to follow up on specific points; however, that point is trivial compared to the overall effort of the book.

If you are a fan of any or all of the actors listed, or simply are curious to see how contemporary Irish actors are dealing with the joys and disappointments of Hollywood, then you should enjoy this book.

Great Look at the Lives of Some of Hollywoods Finest Actors.......2000-03-26

This book provides a facinating, indepth journey into the lives of six very capable and successful actors. Many humourous and sometimes tradgic tales of life in Ireland and struggles to make a name for themselves there and in America. Each actor tells of personal hardships that they have battled throughout their lives and how they have created such prominent status in today's Hollywood scene. Each story is spoken first hand which adds to the richness of these beautiful retold memories. This book provides a greater sense of who these men are by recalling tales from childhood, adolecence and adulthood which explain their journeys to becoming the great actors they are.

Book Description

In Style hailed Lucinda Lewis's Roadside America as "a ride through the history of the automobile-for those who lust for the open road." Time magazine said that her "elegant images of classic cars magically transport the reader to the intersection of Nostalgia Road and Dream Drive." Now, building on the success of that evocative celebration of America's love affair with the automobile, comes Roadside America: 365 Days-a year's worth of fabulous automobiles from all eras.

Fans of vintage cars will surely find their favorites among the Packards and Cadillacs, woodies and pickups, Edsels and Bel-Airs, Corvettes and Thunderbirds, hot rods and muscle cars-all shown in glorious full color by one of the world's premier automobile photographers. Peppered with quotes from those who traveled the country's fabled roads in the days before interstates and chain restaurants, when the journey took longer but was richer for the experience, this irresistible volume-in the enormously popular format of Abrams' Earth from Above: 365 Days and The Universe: 365 Days-is the ideal gift book for every classic-car enthusiast and anyone interested in America's fabulous and fast-fading roadside culture.

Customer Reviews:

wow.......2007-09-20

this may be one of my favorite automobile/landscape books of all time. its just beautiful. the pictures of vintage cars and famous vintage sites is worth any price. dont think about it, buy it while you still can.

Exciting Mix Of Automobile History & Premium Photography.......2000-12-18

When it comes to the love of automobiles, my hub is somewhat of a road warrior. So, when he purchased this book, I must admit I feigned polite interest. After thumbing through pages of classy, glossy dream vehicles--- I was hooked. This was no ordinary book on cars. This was eye candy with all pedals to the metal.

Photographer Lewis relates that ad agencies would urge her to shoot cars in studio setups. But she always preferred to go on location to wait until the dawn sky "radiated a glow that rolls like warm caramel across a car's sheet metal."

That glow rolls through the pages of this sumptuous photographic history of the American motor car. The book starts with the Model T (costing $850 in 1908) and Henry Ford's vow to "build a car for the great multitude." It picks up speed in the '20s with the birth of the U.S. highway and cruises to our current national love affair with SUVs, "two-ton behemoths that swill fuel like hogs at the trough."

The automobiles themselves will be treat enough for car nuts. For the rest of us there is Lewis's affection for Americana. She shoots a '35 Ford pickup, black with red-rimmed wheels, against the bleakness of Two Guns, Ariz.; a ruby red '59 Cadillac Eldorado convertible in the glitter gulch of Fremont Street in Vegas; and a muscle-car legend, the '64 Pontiac GTO, beneath a towering doughnut sign in L.A.

A great gift for car loving guys & gals on Valentine's Day or any day. Warning: The rumble of the road will be calling you!

The Open Road Comes Alive.......2000-11-20

Lewis captures the epic wonder, strange beauty, and raucous vitality of the American road. Her eye is attracted to the things we often notice, but seldom observe. The text is excellent, offering actual experiences of those who journeyed along these fabled highways in the past. The color photography is mouth-watering and extremely vivid (the neon practically jumps from the page), but the black and white photos are especially haunting. They explore some of the same terrain immortalized by photographers such as Robert Frank and Dorothea Lange. All in all, a splendid book.

Worthwhile time-travel guide; review exerpt from lacar.com.......2000-11-18

...Arranged in chronological order, the seven chapters take us from 1895 through 1999. The pictorial focus is on American iron, largely from the '50s and '60s. Lewis' narration accompanies in a casual tone with dry humor and interesting historical anecdotes, allowing the reader to mentally complete the cross-country journey with ease. I found myself reliving the multiple coast to coast excursions I took in the 1970s and felt the seeds of yet another trip being planted.

...Roadside America is a long-term book. Lucinda Lewis has lovingly recorded historic cars in historic settings with such visual detail that it is impossible to take them all in at one viewing. You will come back time and again. This book evokes all the romance and sense of adventure that early automotive culture has come to mean. Whether you are a fan of beautiful old cars, traveling Americana, automotive culture, or dramatic professional photography of all of the above, Roadside America, The Automobile and the American Dream is for you.

Roadside A Winner.......2000-10-04

I was wowed by this book. I've seen vintage car books before, but this one is different. First, the photography is a notch above the best I've seen. Lucinda Lewis is a true artist with the camera. Second, this is no ordinary chronicle of automotive history. Instead, the author takes the reader on an imaginary journey across America, much of it on historic Route 66, where each car is photographed (beautifully) in a period setting appropriate for the vehicle. The author loves cars and loves photography, and her passion comes through in the book. Much of the text of the book is about the "roadside experience" and the development of auto travel in America rather than detailed technical descriptions of the vintage cars. Because of that, this is a book you can enjoy as a good read while being dazzled by some astounding photography.

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The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun (Campaign Module WG 4, An Adventure set on Greyhawk's World for Character Levels 5-10)

Manufacturer: TSR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FW156G

Average customer rating:

Regarding "Excellent Party Potential"

Great, dark, mysterious adventure

Good Side Trek for the Lost Caverns

The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons module WG4)
Gary Gygax
Manufacturer: Random House Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Board Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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The Village of Hommlet (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Module T1)

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Assault on the Aerie of the Slave Lords (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons module A3)

Pharaoh (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons module I3)

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Official Competition Adventure: The Bane of Llywelyn [An Adventure for 6-10 Characters, Level 4-7]

ASIN: 0394530020

Customer Reviews:

Regarding "Excellent Party Potential".......2003-11-29

NOTE: THIS REVIEW FOR REFEREE'S EYES ONLY. THERE ARE SPOILERS HERE FOR PLAYERS.

The prior two reviews are right on the point. I wanted to elaborate on the comment made in the one review regarding this AD&D module's "Party Potential."

My sister and SO had just shown up, and we -- including my brother, my wife and I as well -- had the evening left after a Thanksgiving meal. What to do? Gaming had been mentioned, AD&D specifically. Eyes turned towards me... "Wayne, can you come up with something?" "Ahh, yeah, maybe..." And I went and did some thinking.

Any DM who's been forced to come up with a scenario on short notice knows this situation. Four players and about 4 hours to work with, including set-up & prep. (And you know gaming sessions always take longer than you anticipate) I wanted the adventure to be memorable, and come to a satisfying conclusion within that time. I asked the players if they wanted a thinker-type module, or a knock-down, drag-out melee.

You can guess their vote. Well, I'd remembered Tharizdun had a No-BS lead-in with the players needing to assault a tough humanoid faction holed-up in the Temple. Tharizdun ended up being a perfect choice: A combination of old-fashioned PC assault and intelligently sketched humanoid defenders. I used the PC tournament character roster from Module S3: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks.

I altered the scenario background slightly, directing the Gnome King to request the party's aid in rooting out this nest of bandits. The gnomes had sent their forces against the humanoids previously, but had been unable to concentrate their forces effectively enough to crack this nut. But the PC's party represented exactly the sharpened force necessary for the task. They'd be the assault force, with the gnomes to follow-up and secure the Temple afterwards.

The 5 PCs and 13 'spear-carrier' gnome warriors attacked the temple directly. I added fabric/chain link curtains to the entrance to prevent any cheap-shot player Fireballs hurled through the entrance. I thought the attack was too easy for the PCs at the beginning. The tarry net trap at the entrance caught them by surprise, but the two Fighters were able to hold off the humanoid counter-attack at the next doorway. The rest of the party extricated itself from the net undisturbed.

The two fighters -- a dwarf and human -- were able to make short work of the Orcs. (Which I'd traded for the uninspiring Norkers... two players were relatively new, and the orcs made a nice mental image from the recent LoR movies.) Despite the numbers attacking, they were able to slay several per round. The gnoll archers were firing into the melee, hitting friend and foe alike.

The fighters were able to press forward and to the side a bit, allowing the rest of the party to slowly emerge from the bottleneck. This continued for a bit, with bodies piling up. Humanoid reinforcements started trickling in at first (per the module's clever chart, showing how the lower-level's rooms would empty out and come to the aid of their comrades upstairs).

The wizard, levitating above the melee and shielded from normal missiles, cast a Cloudkill. The noxious vapors started forward in the room, and eventually down the stairs ahead. This slayed the mid-level defenders, killing the gnolls to the last one. With the pressure on the PCs eased for a moment, the orcs in close melee started dropping quickly.

The reprieve was not to last. The 5 trolls and giant trolls came up the stairs and pushed through the poison cloud. The tide turned here, for the PCs were pressed hard. The dwarf fighter went down, with the cleric saving him at death's door. The trolls were cutting the gnomes down like grass; the gnome archers fled the scene.

The mage's lightning bolt and frost wand helped to regain control of the situation, until the 2 hill giants and mountain giant leader arrived. A Cone of Cold repelled the hill giants, causing them to flee down the stairs badly wounded. But the mountain giant pressed on. Given the 2 trolls still functioning at this point, the party was in desperate straits. The remaining fighter went down, and the mountain giant tossed the cleric across the room like a rag doll. The mage and thief (who'd been finishing off downed but regenerating trolls) pressed their attack, facing a badly wounded giant and barely wounded troll. They knew they would either succeed in this next round, or not at all.

Under the pair's desperate attack, the troll died for good. The mountain giant surrendered, gravely wounded. The gnome forces arrived, their poor timing receiving only weary looks.

The lower levels remained, unexplored for now. Yes, I'd say Tharizdun makes a fine party module.

Wayne Gralian
Wayne's World of Books / Krakow RPGs
WaynesBooks.com

Great, dark, mysterious adventure.......2000-05-02

A well-named module... WG4 is an excellent Greyhawk adventure written by Gary Gygax in 1982, but almost no one remembers it! Even better, it forms the epic prequel to the legendary S4, Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. (Tharizdun - The Phantom Menace?) I personally believe this is Gygax's most bleak, mysterious, demonic, sinister, and gothic adventure, followed closely by T1-4. Oh yeah... it's a lot of fun at parties, too. :)

Good Side Trek for the Lost Caverns.......1999-02-15

This module suffers from being basically an extended random encounter for the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. Given that, it's a very GOOD addition to that adventure. However, it lacks good art (actually, it almost lacks art, period) and doesn't have enough "personality" to make it a great module. In essence, this is a "hack'n'slash" adventure that is something of a war of attrition with humanoids that have set up housekeeping in a temple to an imprisoned evil power. It has the beginnings of some great atmosphere, but ultimately lacks luster. Get it if you have the Lost Caverns; then it is imbued with the added depth it sorely needs.

Book Description

Your one-stop-shop for unparralled coverage of payroll control systems, best practices, measurements and reports, cost account, and outsourcing. Includes a step-by-step checklist of activities to follow when setting up a payroll system and how to install controls that combat payroll fraud.

Order your copy today!

Customer Reviews:

A Good Basic Overview.......2006-02-28

The title says it all--this is a good basic overview of payroll. You will not become an expert by reading it, but what can you read that makes you an expert? This book will give you the vocabulary and the tools you need to take your first steps in payroll. After that experience is the best teacher.

Valuable Payroll Resource.......2004-01-04

I think this is a good beginner-to-intermediate level book about payroll. While I doubt this book can serve as your only source to setting up a payroll system (a claim never made by the author), it can serve as a valuable guide to implementing or reviewing your current payroll internal controls, best practices and payroll policy manual. It may also help you analyze whether you are paying too much money or spending too much time on your job costing system. If you like examples, the author uses many short case studies to clarify his main points.

He keeps the book up-to-date by discussing topics such as payroll information technology, current payment alternatives and Internet references. He discusses other issues in detail, such as fringe benefits, vacation pay, minimum wage laws, payroll calculations, retirement plans, and stock option plans.

Given the popularity of outsourcing the payroll function, I think the book could have went into more detail about how to select the right payroll outsource vendor and how to ensure that the outsource vendor maintains proper internal controls (e.g. obtaining an annual SAS 70 Type II). Also, I felt I could have skipped the payroll tax portion and read IRS publication 15, 15a and 15b and my state's corresponding payroll tax publication. Finally, to help improve the books longevity, the author could have either left out the current year tax rates and limitations altogether or listed Internet references where the current and future rates and limitations could be referenced.

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This digital document is an article from Mississippi Business Journal, published by Venture Publications on January 14, 2002. The length of the article is 886 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Horne CPA Group enjoys best of both worlds. (Essential Business).(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
Author: Wally Northway
Publication: Mississippi Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 14, 2002
Publisher: Venture Publications
Volume: 24 Issue: 2 Page: 20(1)

Article Type: Brief Article, Company Profile

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Interpersonal SKills: The New Essential in Accounting.: An article from: The National Public Accountant

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Interpersonal SKills: The New Essential in Accounting.: An article from: The National Public Accountant
Max Messmer
Manufacturer: National Society of Public Accountants
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The National Public Accountant, published by National Society of Public Accountants on February 1, 2001. The length of the article is 850 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Interpersonal SKills: The New Essential in Accounting.
Author: Max Messmer
Publication: The National Public Accountant (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2001
Publisher: National Society of Public Accountants
Volume: 46 Issue: 1 Page: 28

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Marketing, an essential item in your business planning. (Getting Down to Business).(Column): An article from: The National Public Accountant

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Marketing, an essential item in your business planning. (Getting Down to Business).(Column): An article from: The National Public Accountant
Judy McCarter
Manufacturer: National Society of Public Accountants
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The National Public Accountant, published by National Society of Public Accountants on November 1, 2002. The length of the article is 1232 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Marketing, an essential item in your business planning. (Getting Down to Business).(Column)
Author: Judy McCarter
Publication: The National Public Accountant (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2002
Publisher: National Society of Public Accountants
Page: 20(2)

Article Type: Column

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