No comments about Twenty-Two Years a Slave and Forty Years a Freeman (Large Print Edition): Embracing a Correspondence of Several Years While.

No comments about The Last Journals of David Livingstone in Central Africa from 1865 to His Death Volume II (Large Print Edition): Continued by a narrative of his last moments.

3 comments about Richard Harris: Actor by Accident.

1. With the kind of life Richard Harris lived, this book could have been so interesting and anecdotal. His spirit was not captured. Friends and family are absent. But worst of all, there are no pictures of this handsome, masculine man. I bought it only because it was the only biography of Harris I could find.



2. In reply to Sara Cox's review of "Actor by Accident," there's a recent biography of Richard Harris, by Michael Feeney Callan, entitled "Sex, Death, and the Movies: An Intimate Biography of Richard Harris" (it's brand new, w/pictures). I bought it through Amazon's UK site (don't think it's available here in the US yet). It's a fantastic biography, written mostly in Mr. Harris' own words! Hope this helps!



3. With all due respect to the other reviewers, we Richard Harris fans should stick together, but I'd stop well short of calling this book a disappointment. Certainly, some pictures would have been a worthy addition, but by and large, the book is written in a detailed journalistic manner by someone who had clearly spent time with Mr. Harris. I've read all three biographies and learned something new in each of them. I read this book last, and yes, it was written well before his passing. One reaches the 'The Field' at the end of the book and realises, that at the time of writing, Mr. Harris had a good last run ahead of him. He was a rare bird, and fans can certainly read him back into life in the pages of any of these books.

5 comments about Old Books, Rare Friends: Two Literary Sleuths and Their Shared Passion.

1. Those who love books and the history of the written word have benefitted from these devoted "literary sleuths" who not only devoted themselves to located lost treasures, but who pioneered the rights of women in academe. A story of how devotede friends could pool their talents to rescue lost arts and discover the literary secrets of groundbreaking authors. A suprisingly exciting read.



2. For everyone loving books, history and detectives this book is a great pleasure to read. With great enthusiasm Leona & Madeleine write about their lives and the books which they bought and sold. It makes one jealous of times when rare books could still be found under piles of dust instead of being sold for fortunes. So stop reading the reviews and start reading this book now.



3. Given to me as a birthday present on a misty Northwest beach,the whimsical allure of these charmingly self-possessed women residingin one of the toughest cities in the world, drew me into its first pages even as the rest of my party sat around on logs, barbecuing fine local viands & feeding the camp dogs. From their student years, surviving the Depression & WWII; to studying & getting published through the exciting times of starting a company & their book-hunting jaunts to musty basements in faraway places this is a lively, lovely duet by two voices weaving a deeply evocative memoir...



4. Sometimes I will fall in love with an author's life as perceived through her books, and read all of her works for other glimpses into her private paradise. Authors such as Will and Ariel Durant, Edwin Way Teale, Stephen Jay Gould, and Oliver Sacks have shared their curiosity, astonishment, and joy with me. These authors are endlessly inquisitive. Each new discovery in their world, whether it is a fern, a skull, or an anecdote about a long-dead king is greeted with joy and eagerly shared with the reader.
   
   Now in the dusty corner of bibliomania, I have found two more authors who are willing to share their joy of discovery with me. They even have a name for it: 'Finger-Spitzengefühl'--"the electrifying alertness to what is unusual or important in an early printed book. When 'Finger-Spitzengefühl' is coupled with serendipity, the gates of paradise open for the dealer in old and rare [books]."
   
   Leona Rostenberg and Madeleine Stern share their "thrill of the chase and the joy of the find," as well as a seven-decade-long partnership in life--"the partnership of 'Faithful Friends' who share 'a deep, deep love.'"
   
   I have to admit I had trouble getting into this book. I read some of the earlier pages six or seven times because I kept falling asleep and losing my place. However, once the authors were out of childhood recollections and into the chase--first of all for the works that Louisa May Alcott had published under a pseudonym--then I was hooked.
   
   These authors have illuminated many once-obscure corners of history through their curiosity and devotion. They deplore collectors who pursue rare books as an investment, much as I would deplore a physician who is in practice 'only for the money.' Leona Rostenberg and Madeleine Stern have devoted their lives to the search for the old and rare, and their love, curiosity, and wisdom show through on almost every page of this book.



5. For those of us who lust after books about books, as well as the history of successful booksellers, this book is one of the best. "Old Books, Rare Friends" details the struggles and triumps of two of the most famous women in bookselling during the twentieth century. They include lots of stories about tracking those elusive hidden gems overlooked by other more successful book dealers. They also describe each woman's scholarly adventures, successes and failures. I read this when it was first published, but wanted to own it so I could re-read it from time to time. If you love books you can't go wrong with Madeleine and Leona's story.

No comments about Stories by English Authors: Germany and Northern Europe (Large Print Edition).

No comments about Memoirs of General Lafayette (Large Print Edition): with an Account of His Visit to America and His Reception By the People of the United States.

No comments about The Station; The Party Fight And Funeral; The Lough Derg Pilgrim (Large Print Edition): The Works of William Carleton Volume Three.

No comments about Autobiography of Madame Guyon (EasyRead Edition).

No comments about James Fenimore Cooper (Large Print Edition): American Men of Letters.

No comments about Dog Years LP.