This is the only book providing thorough, complete coverage of sights in the Bavaria and Franconia region.

Mr Arnold combines good Historical accuracy with a very pleasant writing style. The narrative provides a good balance between strategic/grand tactics events, and small unit combat details.

On the large picture, Mr Arnold tries to analyse the decisions taken by the commanders with the information they had at the moment, not with the hindsight historians usually use to criticise great commanders. This is a refreshing way of seing the command-decision aspect that fascinates so many.

On the detail side, the book provides several minor actions taken by units from both opponent armies. For once, one does not feel that the author based his book exclusively on sources from one side.

There is only a little fault, probably a lapse: the maps are not numbered, although all text references made to them are! A minor problem, that I solved quickly with a pencil.

The book is a pleasure to read and highly recommended. Maybe somewhat less biased that Petre's, and much easier to read. With Scott-Bowden's book (for the organisation details) and Esposito's book (for the maps), you'll have everything you'll ever need to reproduce a full wargame of the campaign.

THIS BOOK WAS OF PARTICLAR INTEREST TO ME AS ONE OF THE DESCENDANTS OF THE FRIENDLY FAMILY. THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION WAS THOROUGH AND I WAS DELIGHTED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPRECIATE THE RESEARCH WHICH EVENTUATED IN THIS PUBLICATION. IT WAS A SPECIAL FEELING WHICH LINKED ME WITH FAMILY MEMBERS, WHO AS A RESULT OF HISTORY, ARE NOW LIVING IN ALL AREAS OF THE WORLD.

This book has taken me to germany where my ancestors came from. I myself have never been there but the author Kathleen Saal makes you feel like you have visited in the time period of our great grandparents. It is obvious that the Author has done alot of research for this book. She brought to life a time period of simpler times and showed us some fabulous German traditions. Learning about Berta Hummel's Homeland is inspiring to all who collect Hummels. The craftsmanship in Germany from the Hummels, to the Wood boxes and Wooden Creche are very refreshing in this day and age of mass production. I highly recommend this book to not only those who collect Hummels but also those who are from Germany or share roots there. I'm sure Kathleen Saal will tell even German people about traditions in Germany they didn't even know about.

Beautiful, lovely, sexy and fascinating -- makes me want to do a little Spanish dancing and start an adventure.

I just got back from a trip with my mother and sister. We went to Munich, Fuessen, Wuerzburg, Rothenburg, and Triberg. We had 4-5 different travel books with us, and this one certainly won as the most comprehensive and easy-to-read.

Dr. Sutterlin has written a truly remarkable and intriguing book. Since the fall of the Wall, it is important to understand the diplomatic intrigues involved in the Munich Revolution against the background of American Wilsonian missionism. The ironies involved in the Munich situation often parallel those of more recent history. This book is a wonderful source for all who want to know every detail of the almost hippie-like backdrop of the Munich Revolution. It is exceptionally well-researched, extremely analytical. It also is very well written and reads like a novel. I could not put it down.

This novel is one of a series, and makes the presumption that you have read the earlier novels in the series, with references to previous action. It is written in a narative style. The main character is not fully identified by name until page 74 (part of the assumption that you have read the previous novels). Tony Whats-his-name from book one in the series reappears, along with other characters from previous books. There are numerous digressions, and a tendency to use foreign language terms.

The plot is a whodunit as various characters search for the lost Trojan gold that disappeared from Germany during the final days of World War II. In the chaos at the end of the war, many valuable items disappeared, apparently looted. Now a story has emerged that the Trojan gold (artifacts that had been in a German museum) was carried to safety and hidden. Many people have an interest, either for museums or for their own profit.

With two people murdered, and an assortment of people just happening to be on the scene, there are questions about some people's motives (other than the fact that several men are trying to seduce Vicky). Vicky finds her life in danger, as various people follow clues in attempts to track down the gold. There are indications that it had been hidden in a schrank (a type of wooden cabinet). The good guys prevail over the bad guys, but the story leaves things unfinished and the schrank disassembled.

This book was such a satisfaction to read and reread. I've grown so attached to Peabody and Vicky Bliss, not to mention their fellow characters, that waiting for Barbera Mertz to write more books about them is torture. I hope Ms. Mertz lives to an active old age for the selfish reason that I want her to keep pumping these books out as long as possible.

In Trojan Gold she really delivers the good stuff. John and Shmidt's personalities get a good filling out, reading it is like eating Godiva chocolates, only better. Words can't say enough. In her previous Bliss mystery, Sihloette in Scarlet, the plot seemed weak, but the follow up made up for it. Apologies for misspellings.

I must admit that, as much as I loved Street of 5 Moons and Night Train to Memphis, this is the best of the series. The humour is wonderful: I had to put the book down several times due to hysterical laughter. However, this is not the only reason to read this exceptional Book! The mystery is compelling, the setting is beautiful, and the characters gain much more dimension. After being dissapointed by Silouhette in Scarlet, this book more than reaffirmed my faith in Elizabeth Peters. And for those of you who are also in love with John, he's back in top form here with very few traces of the obnoxious twit he was in Silouhette. He's absolutely charming and romantic. How lucky Vicky is!

I checked out this book from my school library a few years ago, and loved it. It was the first 'Vicky Bliss' book that I read, and since then have bought all the others. I have been trying to find a copy of this book that I can buy, but have not had luck so far. This is definitely a wonderful book, and displays all of the wit and humor that is in all Elizabeth Peters books.

Our protagonist, gorgeous and brainy, Vicky Bliss is again on the move when she and her boss from the National Museum of Munich discover that someone is making excellent copies of the most famous jewels in the world. In this case it's a replica of the Charlemagne talisman. Vicky's who has a PhD in Art History and Medieval European History is also an amateur sleuth. With the only clue that she has, she goes to Rome to locate the street of the Five Moons where she hopes to find a connection to the thieves. Well, of course she gets into trouble and is rescued by a "dangerously exciting young Englishman." Sir John Smythe is truly charming and the chemistry between he and Vicky is terrific. This is a lovely romantic mystery and the second book in the Vicky Bliss mystery series.

Another great story by Elizabeth Peters who is also Barbara Michaels!

My mother introduced me to Elizabeth Peter's writing and suggested I check out a book from the library just to test her out, and I was certantly glad that I put my toes in the water...because I'm hooked! This was my first Vicky book (though out of order...thankfully it's not horribly essential to read in order) and I loved it, and read it twice in a row. I've gone on to read the entire series...but in the order: 2, 4, 3, 5, 1 and have found each book equally wonderful. Her characters are so complete, and I find myself falling for the crafty yet humorous Sir John Smythe :)

First off, I am an Elizabeth Peters fan, and have been since I read the first book of hers to show up in my local library "The Seventh Sinner". I've read all of her books, both under the Peters name and those she has written as Barbara Michaels. The Peters books are all imbued with a certain lighthearted charm. The characters are all slightly larger than life, vivid and distinctive. The heroine of Borrower of the Night, Vicky Bliss, is one of my favorite recurring characters. She can actually make this shortish, stout brunette feel a bit of sympathy for the trials of a tall gorgeous blond. A small bit, but still.. The story is a playful reworking of the gothic, complete with an ancient castle (well, ancient in American terms), a dainty damsel in distress, gallant men, and even an hint of witchcraft. But what sets the Peters books apart is here in full measure - intelligent plotting, realist reactions of the characters, and introduction of history and art in such a pleasant way that one learns more than one is aware. In fact, one of the later Vicki Bliss books, "Trojan Gold" inspired my college paper on the famous founder of that golden trove, since lost. This isn't all fluff, there are some ponderings on medieval "law and order" that hit home. But EP has built a loyal following because she entertains, and "Borrower" is one of her best. 'Course, I like all of her books. I reread them, and EP has expanded my list of the many places to which I would like to travel. "Borrower" is a wonderful starting place, if you are a poor deprived reader that hasn't read an EP book before. For an addict like me, it's a loverly fix.

Borrower of the Night by Elizabeth Peters exemplifies what a good mystery novel should be. It is witty, intelligent, and highly captivating. I looked for this book last year when it was still out of print and was unable to find it in any bookstore, so I checked it out of the library. Although I had already read it, when Borrower of the Night was re-published I had to buy it so I could read it again and again, it is so good! For fans who have already read later books in the Vicky Bliss series, go back and read this book, it is one of the best in the series. You will notice minor discrepancies between Vicky's habits in this book as compared to the later ones; for instance she is an avid smoker in Borrower of the Night, and in Night Train to Memphis, she can't even inhale a cigarette. Also, some character names are re-used for different people who have no relation to one another. However, these do not detract from the overall quality of the book. Borrower of the Night finds Vicky in a small German town competing with her lover Tony to find a renowned artists' lost shrine. They encounter seemingly supernatural adversaries in the 16th century castle that has been converted to a hotel. There are several smaller mysteries that must be solved before Vicky can even begin to decipher the mystery of the shrine. Odd characters, secret passages, and ancient mysteries riddle this novel as ultimately, Vicky must struggle for her life beneath the crumbled ruins of an ancient building. This book is a must read for all mystery lovers!

This is the first story in the Vicky Bliss mystery series and although, it's not absolutely necessary to read the stories in chronological order, it really does help to understand the background of the main characters and frankly, it makes reading the books even more enjoyable. In BORROWER OF THE NIGHT, Vicky Bliss, art historian and college professor finds a reference in a book that might lead to the discovery of a missing masterpiece by Tilman Riemenschneider, a very famous German sculptor.

Tony, Vicky's boyfriend and colleague, challenges her to see which of them can locate the missing treasure first. Their information leads them to visit Rothenberg, Germany, and an ancient castle. Several other people are also on the trail of the missing treasure, including Herr Dr. Schmidt and a wealthy American named George. Gorgeous Vicky is in her glory when she collects many admirers among the group, but the beautiful young countess who lives in the castle seems to have captured the interest of Tony. What can be more sinister than an old castle with secret passages and a history of evil inhabitants?

I listened to the audiotapes of this book read by Barbara Rosenblat. It was helpful to hear the pronunciations of the German words and her narration was wonderful.

If you're intrigued enough to want to read this series in order, here they are: BORROWER OF THE NIGHT, STREET OF THE FIVE MOONS, SILHOUETTE IN SCARLET, TROJAN GOLD and NIGHT TRAIN TO MEMPHIS. These are all excellent stories and I only wish that Elizabeth Peters would write more of them.