Winning Alternatives to the Billable Hour, 2nd Edition: Strategies That Work

Book Description

This practical book details the economic and client service advantages of alternative law firm billing methods, the various billing methods currently available and how to select and implement the right alernative billing method for law firms of all sizes.

Customer Reviews:

Why should billing by the hour be "the rule"?.......2006-09-05

Why do so many lawyers simply bill by the hour?

In the increasingly competitive legal market, lawyers are searching for ways to bring their clients more value. This book encourages lawyers to break out of the hourly billing rut and try a variety of value-based billing strategies.

The book discusses how clients perceive the "value" of legal services. It also suggests how lawyers can assess such value--and bill accordingly. The book sets forth fifteen alternate billing structures and, most important, highlights the pros and cons of each.

As a coach and consultant to lawyers, I particularly liked the chapter on client communication through billing. This is critical: every client communication (including a legal bill) should be treated as a rainmaking tool. Legal bills need to describe the services rendered in a way that lets the client understand and appreciate the full value received.

Lawyers will enjoy the detailed appendix and attached CD full of sample fee agreements and other client correspondence.

Book Description

This volume brings together top scholars in industrial and organizational psychology with social psychologists to explore the research and theory relating to various areas of workplace discrimination. Many of the contributors to this book participated in a conference on workplace discrimination held at Rice University in May 2000. The idea came from the realization that there had been no attempt to bring together the various literatures on the topic. Discrimination and issues of employment diversity are significant topics today in IO psychology, business, and human resource management. This edited volume examines the following components of this important discussion:
*how to explain discrimination in organizations;
*understanding discrimination against specific groups; and
*implications for practical efforts to reduce discrimination.

This book brings together, in one volume, a review of the research on discrimination based on race, age, sexual orientation, gender, physical appearance, disability, and personality. In addition, it explores the multilevel antecedents and potential bases for a general model of discrimination in the workplace. While social psychological research and theory have provided invaluable insights, an understanding of discrimination in the workplace and solutions will require incorporating factors at the organizational level in addition to factors at the individual and group levels. Although a definitive model is not reached, the aim of this text is to facilitate future research and theory.

Book Description

In his most extraordinary book, "one of the great clinical writers of the 20th century" (The New York Times) recounts the case histories of patients lost in the bizarre, apparently inescapable world of neurological disorders. Oliver Sacks's The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat tells the stories of individuals afflicted with fantastic perceptual and intellectual aberrations: patients who have lost their memories and with them the greater part of their pasts; who are no longer able to recognize people and common objects; who are stricken with violent tics and grimaces or who shout involuntary obscenities; whose limbs have become alien; who have been dismissed as retarded yet are gifted with uncanny artistic or mathematical talents.

If inconceivably strange, these brilliant tales remain, in Dr. Sacks's splendid and sympathetic telling, deeply human. They are studies of life struggling against incredible adversity, and they enable us to enter the world of the neurologically impaired, to imagine with our hearts what it must be to live and feel as they do. A great healer, Sacks never loses sight of medicine's ultimate responsibility: "the suffering, afflicted, fighting human subject."

Customer Reviews:

A mind is a wonderful thing to explore.......2007-08-13

I bought this book for only one of its chapters as research for a screenplay, but ended up reading the whole thing. It is fascinating and will give you an appreciation for your own (hopefully functioning) brain. Each story is complete in itself, so it would make for good commuting or bedtime reading.

The Man Who Wrote this book mistook his patients for hats.......2007-07-15

Dr. Sacks' collection of clinical tales is obviously outdated, however this is not its greatest flaw. All of these stories are indeed remarkable, and they speak to the mysterious nature of the human mind and of course to human resilience. It is incredibly fascinating to think how one's individual nature and function can change in response to a neurological change. Dr. Sacks attempts to introduce and involve the reader in his patients' lives, but unfortunately fails to do so. The reader only establishes a superficial connection with the "client," as Dr. Sacks treats his patients as if they were just scientific specimens. In particular, I had a problem with his language and judgment. In "The World of the Simple," he talks about a mentally retarded girl Rebecca..."one sees this with infants, one sees it with the senile, most poignantly, with the Rebeccas of this world" (186). Rebeccas of this world? I was under the impression that he wrote this book to present the individuality and uniqueness of his patients? He simply calls her "mentally defective" (185). In talking about his Autist Artist, Dr. Sacks concludes that Jose will just "do nothing, and spend a useless, fruitless life, as so many other autistic people do, overlooked, unconsidered, in the back ward of a state hospital." I completely agree that people suffering from autism should be given a chance in the workplace, to be offered opportunities to live a real life. However, I do not agree that it is up to Dr. Sacks to decide and declare Jose's life fruitless if he does not work lives up to his social value. Aside from Dr. Sacks' extremely pretentious tone, he does attempt to explore the inner life and conflict of his patients in an interesting way.

Fascinating.......2007-04-18

Each mind described in this book is completely enthralling. You're left wanting to hear more - wondering how Dr. Sacks could hold back from experiments and asking question after question. On the contrary, Dr. Sacks treats all these patients with a high degree of respect and patience. I'm still pondering some of the questions raised in the book - interesting enough, the one that I most remember is the question about our soul...

DON'T MISS IT!.......2007-03-18

One of the most stolen books in our high school library and a very good read for all ages,this is but one of several eclectic books by Oliver Sacks,part of whose work was the subject of the movie Awakenings.

ABSOLUTLEY FABULOUS.......2007-03-09

If your interested in the mechanics of the human mind or just enjoy science--this is the book for you.

Awakenings. A Leg to Stand On. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales. Seeing Voices.

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Awakenings. A Leg to Stand On. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales. Seeing Voices.

Manufacturer: Quality Paperback Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000CDUC7Q

Product Description

This special Quality Paperback Book Club Edition collects four superb books by Oliver Sacks that, as author says in his preface, "form a sort of series, or evolution,: They also form a canon of the most fascinating, enlightening, and inspiring medical writing of our age.

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat & Other Clinical Tales

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The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat & Other Clinical Tales
Oliver W. Sacks
Manufacturer: HarperTrade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HM3M56

MAN WHO MISTOOK HIS WIFE FOR A HAT AND OTHER CLINICAL TALES

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MAN WHO MISTOOK HIS WIFE FOR A HAT AND OTHER CLINICAL TALES
OLIVER SACKS
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P1AYW8

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales

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The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales
Oliver Sacks
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1416542787

Product Description

"one of the great clinical writers of the twentieth century recounts the case histories of patients lost in the bizarre, apparently inescapable world of neurological discorders."

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The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales
Oliver Sacks
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S72EKO

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The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: And Other Clinical Tales
Oliver Sacks
Manufacturer: Harper & Row
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000L55WV6

Customer Reviews:

The Problem With Math.......2007-09-26

Susskind, along with many other, such as Randall Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions makes a serious mistake in leaping to the conclusion that reality corresponds to his mathematical models. Along with other string theorists, they assume that if the math they use to build their models contains some number of additional dimensions, then the real world must contain those dimensions. I see this in much of the literature, including, for example Woit Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory And the Search for Unity in Physical Law who debunks string theory, but nevertheless seems to accept the idea that if the math contains extra dimensions, reality must also contain those extra dimensions. Susskind really goes off the deep end with this.
A mathematical model is just that - a model. It is the best math we can construct at this point in time to describe the reality we are trying to model. It is not the reality itself. If the string theorists are successful in constructing a model that includes six or seven tiny dimensions, that does not mean that those dimensions actually exist. All it means is that the best model we can currently construct has to include those dimensions in the math. We must remember that much more math will come along. Someday, we may have a math that describes the same reality without the additional dimensions.
That said, if the string theorists can make a prediction that absolutely, positively depends upon those extra dimensions and if that prediction is confirmed by experimental results, then they may have a case. So far, the string theorists have failed utterly to make such a prediction. Even here, a different math may come along. The night is young.

As good as it gets!.......2007-08-27

TCL is popular science writing of the first order: a fascinating, informative, and highly entertaining tour of what rate as some of the most abstruse theories ever conceived. In Susskind's own words (p. 348):

"My main purpose in wiriting this book is not primarily to convince the reader of my own point of view; scientific arguments are best fought on the pages of technical journals and the blackboards of seminar rooms. My purpose is to explain the struggle of ideas that is about to take front-and-center place in the mainstream of science so that ordinary readers can follow the ideas as they unfold and experience the drama and excitement that I feel."

I can heap no greater praise on Susskind than to say that TCL brilliantly achieves his purpose. It is one of the finest pieces of popular science writing that I have ever read. Somewhere in this book Susskind alludes to another book he hopes to write one day. Here's very much hoping he directs that (and other) future efforts to a non-specialist readership. It is very much to the benefit of science and the public when scientists translate their work for the edification of non-scientists. Kudos to Susskind for joining the ranks of the most able popularizers!

Plain English, finally!.......2007-05-07

Choice book, great theorist writes in plain English..I have read 3 times, always something new!

Why is there Something rather than Nothing?.......2007-01-30

Very illuminative book in understanding the present state of the relevant physics and cosmology.
Really, we have no need of intelligent design theory if progress in science goes on.
Although the book is full of analogies and slogans instead of formulas, it provides a good overview of physics and cosmology.
The book is written in a lively way and thought provoking with challenging concepts.

Not Convincing .......2007-01-21

I'm not a physicist, but I could say that my interest in science stemmed from my background as an Engineer in electronics. And no need to go over the scientific aspects mentioned in the book since others have done a good job. Yet, I was surprised at a scientist, or rather the father of the String Theory, and quite knowledgeable in Quantum Mechanics, would treat man as a separate being from the universe. When we say that the universe is fine tuned to suite us, who is "us"? Aren't we a part of this universe in quantum physics perspective? And although I liked his scientific analogy a great deal and I learned a lot, not to say that I completely understood it, but his Anthropic views and conclusions threw me off balance. I'm sure that he has much more explaining to do before he could come to this conclusion. But generally speaking; if you are interested in science of quantum physics, it is a page-turner and the writer's ability to bring the complexities of this field to a layman's lever was amazing. And one more thing; the title was misleading when the writer used the word "illusion" in juxtaposition with"intelligent design"

Cosmic Strings and Other Topological Defects

Average customer rating:

Good book, though dated

Cosmic Strings and Other Topological Defects
A. Vilenkin , E. P. S. Shellard , Alexander Vilenkin , and E. Paul S. Shellard
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0521654769

Book Description

This book is a comprehensive and coherent introduction to the role of cosmic strings and other topological defects in the universe. After an introduction to standard cosmological theory and the theory of phase transitions in the early universe, the book then describes, in turn, the properties, formation, and cosmological implications of cosmic strings, monopoles, domain walls and textures. It concludes with a chapter considering the role of topological defects in inflationary universe models. Ample introductory material is included to make the book readily accessible. It will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology.

Customer Reviews:

Good book, though dated.......2000-04-27

With so much having happened in cosmology in the past several years, pretty much any book not written very recently or about intro topics has lost some of its relevence. With that restriction in place here, one still finds this book to be very informative and useful. Many pioneering efforts are encapsulated here, and although alternative theories have surpassed some of the theories presented in this book any cosmologist should have this book on his/her shelf.

The Mathematical Theory of Cosmic Strings (Series in High Energy Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation)

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The Mathematical Theory of Cosmic Strings (Series in High Energy Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation)
M.R. Anderson
Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0750301600

Book Description

This book is a comprehensive survey of the current state of knowledge about the dynamics and gravitational properties of cosmic strings treated in the idealized classical approximation as line singularities described by the Nambu-Goto action. The author's purpose is to provide a standard reference to all work that has been published since the mid-1970s and to link this work together in a single conceptual framework and a single notational formalism. A working knowledge of basic general relativity is assumed. The book will be essential reading for researchers and postgraduate students in mathematics, theoretical physics, and astronomy interested in cosmic strings.

Mathematical Theory of Cosmic Strings: Cosmic Strings in the Wire App

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Mathematical Theory of Cosmic Strings: Cosmic Strings in the Wire App
Malcolm R. Anderson
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M4OZWI

Book Description

A practical introduction to one of today's most exciting and rapidly growing areas of polymer science.

Introduction to Ionomers affords chemists, engineers, and graduate students an opportunity to familiarize themselves quickly and thoroughly with one of today's most commercially important classes of polymers. Featuring a balanced, fully integrated presentation of basic science and state-of-the-art applications, the book provides the depth of knowledge researchers need to make optimal use of established ionomeric processes or to develop new systems of their own.

The book's primary conceptual thrust is the relationship between polymeric architecture and polymeric morphology and properties when affected by ionic groups. While it provides in-depth coverage of all common classes of ionomeric materials--including polystyrenes, polyethylenes, polyurethanes, and polyacrylics--non-crystalline materials are emphasized over partly-crystalline materials. Co-author Adi Eisenberg, a leading ionomer pioneer and innovator, provides a uniquely intimate historical perspective on the field as it has developed over the past three decades.

Newcomers to ionomers will appreciate the authors' clear and methodical presentations of difficult concepts, designed to promote rapid mastery of the core principles involved. The product of an exhaustive survey of the huge and rapidly growing world literature on the subject, Introduction to Ionomers is also an excellent resource for experienced professionals attempting to stay abreast of important recent developments in the field.

Amazon.com

Renowned evolutionary biologist George C. Williams promises Clues to Plan and Purpose in Nature in the subtitle of The Pony Fish's Glow, but he's being ironic. The clues he discusses all point to no plan, and most emphatically to there being no planner. Williams claims to be promoting the "adaptationist program," yet he is an advocate for the middle ground between Stephen Jay Gould and Daniel Dennett. Like the majority of working biologists, Williams believes that most features of organisms can be explained as useful adaptations, but they are adaptations with a past. People are the products of an evolutionary history that leaves even their best- designed features, such as the eye, with bugs that any competent engineer would iron out.

Customer Reviews:

pretty good: read Dawkins and Ridley first though.......2003-11-16

I read this book because Richard Dawkins called it a classic in an endnote. It's not bad, and if you enjoy reading about biology you'll certainly enjoy it.

But I'd recommend books by Richard Dawkins, especially "River Out of Eden," and Matt Ridley, especially "The Red Queen," and "Genome," ahead of this one. Williams also wrote "Why we Get Sick." Although the writing in "Pony Fish" is better, "Why we Get Sick" has a lot more information for the curious, and you might prefer it if you've read a bit of Dawkins and Ridley already.

In this book, Williams basically explains adaptionist storytelling and shows the coherence and power of modern Darwinism. To readers of Dawkins and Ridley, there will be very little new information. But it won't bore you either. He covers material such as the perfections and flaws of bodies, the evolution of sexuality and the human experience of reproduction. Again, Ridley and Dawkins cover all this in more depth, and they are more readable authors.

The highlight of the book is the last chapter, "Philosophical Implications." It's fairly understated; but it's interesting to see a great scientist take a stab at the religious and philosophical significance of his science. If there's a reason to read the book, it's just because George Williams wrote it, and you probably don't have the privilege of sitting down with him for coffee and picking his brain. This is what he'd tell you if he had the chance, and it's an opportunity to listen.

Essential ideas........2003-01-22

Besides his excellent explanations of 'past evolutions' and the 'evolution at work', the author discusses some essential religious, moral and scientific items.

With bees and ants as examples, Prof. Williams explains clearly that the Darwinist evolution is about genes, not about living beings. He also discusses the advantage of sex and aging for a successful gene reproduction.
Other important remarks are, firstly, the fact that the brain erupted only to propel genetic success, not to investigate philosophical or other problems. Secondly, there is a probable discrepancy between adaptations dated from the Stone Age and our actual living conditions, which could be at the origin of actual defects (e. g. myopia) or inadaptations.

But the more important items lay on a different level.
On the religious front, Prof. Williams attacks righteously the God-is-good gospel. Living beings on earth have only one purpose: the success of their own genes. This brings us to a second very important point: natural selection, albeit stupid, is a story of 'unending arms races, slaughter and sufferings'. It is a law of nature and its immorality has to be accepted and, at least, to be thought about.

On the scientific front, the author castigates what he calls domain (field) confusion: the mingling of physics, morality, mind and data processing.
A frequent example is the mixing of the biological (the working of the brain) and the data processing fields.
But more important is the mix up of religion and biology. Prof. Williams declares courageously that it is biologically speaking untenable to declare that a human being exists from the moment of conception. Only a full-term baby is that.

This book attacks essential everyday problems and is a must read.

Average customer rating:
The Pony Fish's Glow and Other Clues to Plan and Purpose in Nature

Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I2S6ZG

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The Pony Fish's Glow : And Other Clues to Plan & Purpose in Nature (Vol. 9) (Science Masters Ser.)
George C. Williams
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Canada, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KPCIB4

Product Description

Dramatic new discoveries reveal that electrically charged particles in the air may control your moods, health, and sense of well being.

The Ion Miracle: The effects of negative ions on physical and mental well-being

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The Ion Miracle: The effects of negative ions on physical and mental well-being
Jean-Yves Côté
Manufacturer: Francois Lepine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0978110552
Release Date: 2007-02-11

Book Description

Negative ions are electrons flowing in the atmosphere, ready to cause a reaction between chemical components. An important function of negative ions is to allow our body to absorb oxygen when breathing.

AVCO RR-246: Excited States of Negative Ions of Atomic Oxygen

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AVCO RR-246: Excited States of Negative Ions of Atomic Oxygen
Bennett Kivel
Manufacturer: Avco-Everett Research Labs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KF4NSA

Dr. Donsbach tells you what you always wanted to know about negative ions

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Dr. Donsbach tells you what you always wanted to know about negative ions
Kurt W Donsbach
Manufacturer: International Institute of Natural Health Sciences
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00072VI1Q

Dynamics of Negative Ions (World Scientific Lecture Notes in Physics)

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Dynamics of Negative Ions (World Scientific Lecture Notes in Physics)
Jean Pierre Gauyacq
Manufacturer: World Scientific Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

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The Ion Miracle
Jean-Yves Cote
Manufacturer: Des Livres des Copies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 2922562018

Product Description

The benefits of negative ions of physical and mental well-being. Reprint of original 1999 French edition translated by Helge Dascher.

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Negative Ions
Kurt W. Donsbach , and Morton Walker
Manufacturer: International Institute of Natural Health Sciences
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0866640371

Negative Ions (Cambridge Monographs on Physics) - THIRD Edition

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Negative Ions (Cambridge Monographs on Physics) - THIRD Edition

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HKKAKI

Average customer rating:

Decent, not as disturbing as the previous two books

Not as bad as The Favored Child

Meh.

Meridon

cheers for the gypsy brat!

Meridon
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

The Favored Child : A Novel

Wideacre : A Novel

Earthly Joys: A Novel

The Virgin's Lover

The Constant Princess

ASIN: 0743249313

Book Description

Meridon knows she does not belong in the dirty, vagabond life of a gypsy bareback rider. The half-remembered vision of another life burns in her heart, even as her beloved sister, Dandy, risks everything for their future. Alone, Meridon follows the urgings of her dream, riding in the moonlight past the rusted gates, up the winding drive to a house -- clutching the golden clasp of the necklace that was her birthright -- home at last to Wideacre. The lost heir of one of England's great estates would take her place as its mistress....

Crowning the extraordinary trilogy that began with Wideacre and The Favored Child, Meridon is a rich, impassioned tapestry of a young woman's journey from dreams to glittering drawing rooms and elaborate deceits...from a simple hope to a deep and fulfilling love. Set in the savage contrasts of Georgian England -- a time alive with treachery, grandeur, and intrigue -- Meridon is Philippa Gregory's masterwork.

Customer Reviews:

Decent, not as disturbing as the previous two books.......2007-09-11

Throughout her entire life Meridon has sensed that she doesn't belong in the life she's leading, that `Meridon' isn't even her real name, and that she has a real home somewhere, waiting for her. She's grown up in a gypsy lifestyle with her beloved sister Dandy and their step-father, a horsetrader. Leaving their step-father, Meridon and Dandy join a traveling circus and are finally able to start saving some money of their own, but just when things are going well an unthinkable tragedy strikes, leading Meridon to seek her true heritage.

This is a somewhat satisfying conclusion to the 'Wideacre' trilogy. It certainly is more uplifting than the previous books. There are times that the heroine is rendered unlikable to the reader, and some of her actions seem contrived as merely plot devices. Overall, it was an interesting, if occasionally disturbing, series -- not bad for an author's first works.

Not as bad as The Favored Child.......2007-09-07

Meridon is the story of Sarah Lacey, given away at birth by her mother Julia. Julia's attempt to break the chain of squires at Wideacre had repercussions she couldn't possibly have predicted.

Meridon and her sister Dandy have a hard life from the get go. Raised as twins, Meridon only cares about one person only, Dandy. Everything she does is an attempt to keep Dandy safe and out of trouble. They end up being sold to a man nsmed Robert, who runs a show with horses, and eventually the trapeze. When tradegy befalls, Meridon runs, eventually findsing her self at Wideacre, the place she's drewamed about since she was small.

Discovering she is the lost heir to the estate, she trys to become the lady she feels she should be.

I have to agree, the book feels a little anticlimatic, but all last books in trilogies are that way sometimes. Shes nowhere near as evil as Beatrice Lacey, nor as gentle and forgiving as Julia. Julia was used her whole life, Beatrice used. Meridon, well...she finally rises from the ashes of her family and lives the life she wants.

Meh........2007-07-14

I bought this trilogy after reading some of the authors other books - The other Boleyn Girl, The Boleyn Inheritance, The Queens Fool, The Constant Princess, etc. I enjoyed those books immensely. They had some humor and intrigue and were very well done.

The Wideacre series is nothing like the others. It is a tacky, trashy, tawdry, semi-historical soap opera. Incest, greed, and horses seem to be the main characters of the series. Meridon was a waste of time, and the first two books in the series were not any better. I felt compelled to finish the series only because I had paid for the books, and kept hoping the storyline would improve. I was bored with the same description of Meridons hair as a tumbling mop of copper curls that was used repeatedly, and the whole character of Dandy was useless. And even though I don't have a medical degree, I think that the product of two generations of incest would be not only a little farfetched, but not in the robust health Meridon enjoys for most of her life.

Meridon.......2007-03-24

Fascinating. Couldn't put it down. It is a page turner to the last page

cheers for the gypsy brat!.......2007-02-24

(Spoiler warning) This novel offers a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, first because it is the conclusion and second because Meridon is the first of the Lacey women who is sympathetic, endearing, likeable, and one whose choices the average reader can endorse, which always makes for a rewarding read. The novel can be equally enjoyable on its own--and might be better enjoyed that way by readers who would find the incest theme of the other two books too disturbing. The whole success of the Wideacre trilogy seems to rest on Gregory's ability to make a frankly unlikeable character interesting enough that we hang in there to learn how the story ends. In this case the character is Dandy; though we the reader may not find her appealing, Sarah/Meridon's feelings for her are completely compelling. The details, atmosphere, and emotional resonance are absorbing and utterly realistic, a rare but prized accomplishment in historical fiction. I still hold my breath through the gambling scene at the end, though I've read the book several times now. Every time I find myself rooting for the gypsy brat to discover her way, mature into a woman, overcome all her obstacles, and win through to what is right for her--and she does. A thoroughly satisfying book.

Average customer rating:

Meridon
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Penguin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0140130756

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Meridon
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000K1N5JW

Product Description

Meridon knew she did not belong in the dirty, vagabond life of a gypsy. At night in her dreams, the copper-haired young girl rode a great horse across the wheat-rich fields and graceful gardens of one of England's ancient estates... and in her dreams, she was mistress of all this land.

Wideacre Trilogy: Wideacre, The Favoured Child, Meridon (Set of Historical Novels)

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Wideacre Trilogy: Wideacre, The Favoured Child, Meridon (Set of Historical Novels)
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

The Other Boleyn Girl

ASIN: B000NCYLVY

Product Description

Three softcover books: Wideacre/THE FAVORED CHILD/MERIDON. Included are these three books; there isn't any kind or case or box just the three books in new condition

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Meridon
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000GLWZY2

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Geometry;: An intuitive approach
Meridon Vestal Garner
Manufacturer: Goodyear Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Mathematics for elementary school teachers

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Mathematics for elementary school teachers
Meridon Vestal Garner
Manufacturer: Goodyear Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books

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MERIDON
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Meridon
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Penguin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ4PG2

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Meridon
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: 045111020X

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