Editorial Review

In this groundbreaking work of science, history, and archaeology, Charles C. Mann radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of Columbus in 1492.
 
Contrary to what so many Americans learn in school, the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled in a pristine wilderness; rather, there were huge numbers of Indians who actively molded and influenced the land around them. The astonishing Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had running water and immaculately clean streets, and was larger than any contemporary European city. Mexican cultures created corn in a specialized breeding process that it has been called man’s first feat of genetic engineering. Indeed, Indians were not living lightly on the land but were landscaping and manipulating their world in ways that we are only now beginning to understand. Challenging and surprising, this a transformative new look at a rich and fascinating world we only thought we knew.

Reviews

An excellent update on the current academic understanding of pre-Columbian America, November 15, 2005
Although recent years have yielded significant progress in understanding how "Indians" lived throughout the Americas before 1492 and Columbus, only isolated bits of the story have reached the popular press. Far too many people still hold to one of two myths of the Indians, or have little conception at all of pre-Columbian America.

The first popular myth is that the Indians were a bunch of primitive savages just keeping the land warm until superior Europeans showed up. It's sad to read reviews here that assert that because Indians used stone tools they were therefore "stone age", with the implication that their culture was no further advanced than that early period.

The second myth makes the Indians into proto-flower-children, naively and simply in tune with their environment.

Both myths are based on stereotyping and are condescending to the pre-Colombians. How could people spread over two continents and many millennia be briefly summarized? They can't be! The Americas saw the development of a broad range of cultures, just like every other inhabited area of the world. Some cultures overstressed their environment and soon collapsed. Others created stable conditions under which they could survive for generations. (Which is not the same as saying they didn't impact nature.) But even the latter could be brought down by climate change, political instability, disease (especially European), or contact with outsiders (Indian or European).

Great cities arose in mesoamerica and the Andes, and also in other areas when the right conditions prevailed. And sophisticated cultures existed even where city building wasn't favored.

This book takes the reader through a vibrant overview of centuries of Indian culture both before and shortly after Columbus landed. Much of the narrative is based on work-in-progress by archaeologists and historians, and will certainly become dated with time, but it is an important update to the common, current understanding of the subject.

For those not enthralled by one of the myths I mention above, most Americans recall our history along the lines of Scene 1: The Pilgrims land and encounter Indians who teach them how to grow corn; they then have a big Thanksgiving party together. Scene 2: Americans moving inland encounter savage Indians who need to be exterminated or moved to reservations to make the continent safe for manifest destiny. Scene 3: The few remaining Indians are victims of brutal European suppression, and we need to buy jewelry and pottery from them to make ourselves feel better about the situation.

This book is a welcome update to our thinking about the Americas before Columbus. It's also one of the best books I've read in long time, and I highly recommend it.

New Possibilites for Pre-Columbian Life in the Americas, October 30, 2005
Mann gives the reader a comprehensive overview of the new theories concerning native American societies before the colonial period. The story is intriguing, and the fascinating narrative will hold the reader's complete attention. The assertions made are too numerous and complex to go into in any detail here, but in brief: we are told that the Western Hemisphere was actually much more populous than anyone had imagined previously. Most of the inhabitants were wiped out by plagues brought by the Europeans. Far from being either brutal and child-like, or "noble savages", the native Americans had established sophisticated societies which served large and growing populations, and which had great impact on their natural environments. No small Indian tribes living in a vast, untamed wilderness! To the contrary, fire was used repeatedly to burn off weeds and undergrowth, extensive mounds and other structures were raised to provide crop land and ponds for fish breeding, and cultivation was widespread. Indeed, Mann asserts that the Amazon, far from being the quintessential wilderness most regard it as, is actually a garden gone wild!
The tale is breathtaking in its scope. But is it true? The author of 1491 acknowledges that the new theories are controversial. For example: everyone agrees the Europeans brought diseases which wiped out large numbers of Indians. But not all agree that the original population was anywhere near the levels claimed. And many researchers contend that structures claimed to be of human origin, such as the Beni causeways in Bolivia, are actually of natural origin. This reader withholds judgement until a lot more evidence is forthcoming. However, everyone interested in history owes it to themselves to read this spellbinding story of an America that just might have been, and then watch as it is either confirmed or refuted by continuing, widely based research.

An Intriguing New Look, September 13, 2005
Charles C. Mann has taken much of what we thought we knew about the Native Americans and their world and thrown it out the window. In a pleasantly informal yet highly professional style, Mann recounts tales of his own studies and travels, as well as those of many archaeologists, historians, and anthropologists past and present throughout the Americas.

If your knowledge of the Native Americans begins and ends with what you learned in school years ago, or with the stereotypes perpetuated by Hollywood, you are in for quite a shock. To begin with, the Native Americans have been "natives" here for far longer than any one suspected. Next, their cultures were heterogeneous and quite advanced, in many ways far outdoing their counterparts in Europe. And in what may be the most controversial sections, Mann maintains that the Native Americans were neither primitive savages who left no mark on their world, nor dreamy proto-environmentalists who lived as one with nature, but rather people who throughly altered and shaped their landscapes.

This is not a book which will please many with an agenda on either the pro-development or pro-environment side, but it will be found invaluable by those who seek a better understanding of the "New World" before the Europeans "discovered" it.

The Real Civilized Old World, October 6, 2005
This is a highly readable and informative compendium of current knowledge on the Americas prior to Columbian contact. Charles Mann has gathered modern research into an engaging narrative that offers updates on old theories, bold new theories that often contradict the old ones, and a fair amount of useful speculation on what was really happening in the ancient Americas. The speculative parts of this book will turn off serious historians (plus those with political, academic, or ethnic agendas, as can be seen in some of the more condescending reviews here), but the speculation offers plenty of food for thought, and Mann has mostly just channeled the exploratory ideas of his sources. In any case, such explorations are grounded in at least partially corroborated findings by modern archeologists, anthropologists, linguists, and experts in other fields, and Mann has made extensive use of legitimate sources both old and new. In fact, his bibliography will provide the enthusiast with reading material for years to come.

In addition to increasing the reader's knowledge of little-covered Native American societies such as the Cahokians and several pre-Inka South American kingdoms, the main running contention in this book is not necessarily historical but ecological. There is growing evidence that Indians throughout the hemisphere did not live in a timeless and static communion with nature, which is a common "green" stereotype. Instead, the majority of native populations actively engineered their landscapes and altered their local ecologies to better suit human needs, though this usually (but not always) resulted in long-term mutual benefits for nature and man, rather than the dead-end destruction resulting from Western methods. And in general, large and structured city states seem to have been remarkably common, even in the previously little-appreciated Amazon basin (which itself is not as "pristine" or "untrammeled" as modern hype would have you believe). And finally, Mann presents the latest evidence showing that Native American populations were once several orders of magnitude higher than those found by European explorers and colonists, with horrendous percentages being wiped out by Western diseases just a few years before. While this book is not a groundbreaking research effort in its own right, Mann has compiled a great amount of knowledge that will go a long way toward shaping your views of how civilized the "old" world really was. [~doomsdayer520~]

Wow!, August 16, 2005
If you thought, as I did, that the Americas prior to Columbus were a couple of barren continents occupied by a sparce population of savages, you are in for a mindblowing surprise in this wonderful new book. There may have been 100 million people living in the Americas in 1491, perhaps more than in Europe. There were bigger cities, some with running water and botanical gardens, larger than any in Europe. Did you know the Inkas invented the salad bar? Okay, that's a joke, but the other stuff is true and a zillion other amazing things. Other books and articles on preColumbian America have disappointed me with their fantasy: Chinese in Rhode Island, King Arthur in Kentucky, aliens in Peru, etc. But this is solidly researched by an award-winning science writer, with endorsements from some heavyweight historians--Richard Rhodes, Tom Powers, Joseph Ellis, and others. There are clear and helpful maps, copious and readable footnotes, and a H-U-G-E bibliography for those of us who teach or just want to know more. On a personal note, Mann explains why he uses the term "Indian" rather than "native American" or more politically correct terms. The Chippewas (aka Ojibwa) in my family always called themselves Indians, so this makes me realize Mann really immersed himself in the subject. This is an important, fascinating, readable, and handsome book

Sound and Rigorous, October 13, 2005
Mann's excellent book does not deliver "new" revelations so much as an accomplished and respected historian's summation of the salient points known to date about the history of the Americas. Certainly much of the material is new to many readers, and in Mann's competent prose, the information is presented in an understandable and compelling style. Significantly, Mann balances his sound and rigorous research with suppositions based on his own remarkable insights. It is a clever and interesting read for the lay historian--as well as an important book for researchers into early American history.

Mann's Atlantic Monthly article by the same title gave promise of a great book., June 18, 2006
This is it. A tour de force, referencing all of the specialized works which the media and other writers have brought to the attention of us non-specialists, and introducing much significant work that hadn't previously been widely reviewed.

Every author has his quirks. Mann sees anthropologists especially, but also the archaeologists, linguists and other specialists with whom they interact, as being constantly engaged in pitched battles defending their various pet theories, to such an extent that they abandon civil behavior towards one another. It's a bit of a bad rap. The anthropologists I've know, from Theodora Kroeber on down, have generally been a more agreeable lot.

Another quirk, not terribly surprising given his topic, is to inflate the significance of the accomplishments of American civilizations beyond even what his surprising findings might support. Yes, they did have fantastic architecture, well-developed and ecologically sensible architecture, elaborate social structures, writing, advanced arithmetic and vast cities and monuments. Even given all that, to suggest that they were on a par with or ahead of contemporaneous European or Chinese civilization seems to be a bit of a stretch.

Mann is very good on the subject of agriculture: the domestication of food crops. The story of maize/corn is especially interesting. It has been cultivated so long that it is the only grain the wild ancestors of which remain a mystery. His description of today's Amazon, Peru and Mexico are so accurate as to give great credence to his accounts of how they got the way they are.

His account of how and when the Americas were populated is likewise very thorough and balanced, giving thorough descriptions of the various schools of thought and well drawn support for his preference of one theory over another. His bottom line is that the continent was peopled well before the previous estimate of 12,000 years ago. He offers support for several novel ideas. The settlers may have traveled south by boat. The original Peruvian agriculture may have been to grow cotton for fishnets rather than food. Peruvian civilization started on the coast rather than in the Andes.

A question Mann chooses not to address is why these descendents of such grand civilizations have fared so poorly in modern times. Even granted their near extinction from European diseases, and their second-class status under the Spanish (the Portuguese, French and British are benignly overlooked), why is it that the native peoples of Bolivia have not adapted well to Western culture, and why does resentment run so high that the nativist politics of Evo Morales, Hugo Chavez, Ollanta Humala and others succeed as they do? Mann remarks several times on the minimal importance of marketplaces among the American civilizations. There was extensive trade, but it seems to have been on a tribe-to-tribe basis rather than person-to-person. Individual needs were satisfied by allocations from community stores. This highly communitarian description ties very well to what one observes in native American ruins and among contemporary native Americans. Is there something in the Indian history and temperament that handicaps their progress in societies that are now patterned according to the European model?

In summary, this book does a wonderful job of filling the huge void in most of our knowledge of the native peoples of the Americas. One can hope that its success inspires imitation; it is a huge topic, with much left to be written.

Indian civilizations much more complex than we thought., November 2, 2006
1491 is part science text, part history book. Charles C. Mann's main premise is that the Americas in 1491 were a much different place than our history books say they were.

Mann's first line of attack is the "empty America" syndrome. He claims there were as many people living in North America as there were in Europe, prior to decimation by smallpox and other European diseases. In the process he also belittles the "pristine America" argument. Prior to the smallpox pandemic, Indians burned the underbrush of our forests; the result was more of a parkland than a wild Garden of Eden. The forest stretching from the coast to the Mississippi came afterward, when the Indian caretakers had been depleted.

Most impressive for me was Mann's analysis of Indian technology. For instance, maize was not an indigenous plant. It was genetically engineered from a mountain grass called teosinte. The Amazonian Indians of South America also managed to invent their own soil, "terra preta," a sort of mixture of pottery shards and charcoal. The South American Indians even experimented in social engineering. Inca warriors would infiltrate villages, "convince" their rulers that accepting Inca rule would be beneficial to their people, then gradually take over. Once in control, they would move some of the subjugated population to others villages where they were required to learn the Inca language. The Incas even managed to "eradicate hunger" in an empire larger than that conquered by Alexander the Great.

Mann hopscotches back and forth between such diverse cultures as Triple Alliance (Aztecs) in Central America to the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) in Canada and New England. Each has a surprise in store for the reader. For instance, it's not true that the Aztecs never invented the wheel. Children's toys have been unearthed with definite wheels. Mann theorizes that because of the mountainous and wet environment the Aztecs scorned the invention. Then he compares them to Europe, where our supposedly superior civilization never did invent the plow; it had to be imported from China.

Another criticism of Native American culture is that they had no system of writing. Mann counters this misconception with the Inca's "khipu," sort of three-dimensional stringed knots, which were felt and read. Scientists are still trying to decipher them. Mixtec Indians also left behind "codices," deerskin or bark books whose painted pages looked rather like murals.

Native America civilizations also appear to be much older than the history books say. The Clovis culture, for instance, has been carbon-dated to between 13,500 and 12,900 years ago and archaeologist Alex D. Krieger lists fifty sites said to be older yet. Some scientists maintain that paleo-Indians "walked or paddled" to Peru fifteen thousand years ago.

An essential book on American history, August 18, 2005
I was excited about this book for a while, yet, particularly after disappointment with 1421's overblown claims, I was skeptical that its initial claims would be supported by hard evidence. Instead, I found that Mann has clearly done his homework to produce a brilliant book describing the lost chapters of American history.

Mann's (and the researchers he cites) basic argument is clear: conventional history on American Indians is stale, often relying on faulty, static, or even blatantly racist research. These societies weren't waiting in stasis for Columbus - they rose and fell, much like European societies, a fact many researchers failed to realize. The introduction is illustrative, in which Mann describes an Indian society that is currently poor and nomadic, although it built large earth mounds and had a successful civilization before 1491.

I also like the fact that Mann presents the conventional historical argument before he introduces the more modern argument. He also does a good job explaining why past researchers may have been mistaken. For example, many glossed over the accounts of early explorers, even though they may have actually been recording what they saw (surely not that surprising when you think about it, but a revolution in the field nonetheless).

The only faults I found in the book were relatively small. First, it would have been nice to have a glossary. Second, while the book follows a well-developed structure, I wanted more. One gets the feeling that Mann only scratches the surface, and he could have easily written another 100 pages while keeping the reader entertained. On the other hand, this book already took so much work that this may be a lot to ask. I only hope Mann produces more books on this subject.

Brilliantly New, August 19, 2005
This is a fascinating book about an amazing subject of such breadth and diversity to startle the imagination. The subject is the Americas in the period before Columbus and the ravages of western diseases. The claims are deeply speculative and some will say revisionist. They are basically trying to get at three perplexing questions. 1) What was the population of the Americas before Columbus and what was its economic development? 2) When did Americans first arrive and from where and by what? 3) What happened to this civilization.

We are told by new scholarship that perhaps Americans immigrated from Siberia or across the pacific not 11,000 years ago but 20,000 years ago. We are also now finding that population densities were much higher then previously thought, not only among the Aztecs and Incas but in the Mississippi valley and elsewhere. At the same time we learn that technology of the Native Americans was higher and more progressed then previously thought. Lastly we are told the claim that diseases whipped out between 90-98% of the people living in America at this time.

These are radical new claims, especially the claims regarding Native American tampering with the environment. These are interesting claims and perhaps some of them are true. There are however several reservations. Evidence for the arrival of Americans 20,000 years ago is scant and based on only a few sites where carbon dating may have been wrongly applied. Secondly, the population densities of the Americas have been widely claimed as larger, especially in Diamonds well received book `Guns, Germs and Steel'. The idea that diseases brought by Europeans lead to one of the worst epidemics in world history, ten times worse then the great plague, is also rehashed from previous studies. The wonderful thing about this book is it presents the new ideas in a clear and convincing format, easily digestible and a fascinating read.

Seth J. Frantzman
... Read more

Editorial Review

High up in the Bolivian Andes-4,000 meters above sea level-lies Pumapunku, an ancient ruined city that simply could never have been constructed by its Stone Age inhabitants."Something here really stinks to high heaven," writes Erich von Daniken.

"In Twilight of the Gods," says von Daniken, "I document precisely what it was that left the first visitors breathless as they stood before the mighty stone blocks some 400 years ago. I will show you what archeologists discovered hundreds of years ago and demonstrate how much has been destroyed over the centuries. Intentionally.

"I will also prove that Pumapunku was not built by any Stone Age people.

"And in December 2012, the gods will return from their long journey and appear again here on Earth. At least that is what the Mayan calendar would have us believe.

"The so-called gods--the extraterrestrials--will come again. We're headed for a 'god shock' of major proportions.

"But doesn't anyone with half a brain know that interstellar travel is simply impossible because of the sheer distances involved? And that extraterrestrials would never look like us?

"Well, dear readers, I destroy these preconceptions. Systematically. One bit at a time."

In his own inimitable way, Erich von Daniken picks these preconceptions and prejudices apart with a clarity no other author could manage. ... Read more

Reviews

Concise and engrossing, August 3, 2010
Having read a lot of Erich von Daniken's work, I knew what to expect going in and I was not disappointed. I was honestly surprised at how quickly I finished this book and how much I learned from it. The subject matter was very engaging and inspired me to conduct additional research on the specific examples presented. This book is very hard to put down, it is very well paced and will leave you with some interesting mysteries.

Amazing reading of ancient cultures!!! A must read for all., August 29, 2010
In the past,I have read about ancient civilizations who made contact with alien forms but so far this book goes above and beyond. The author actually includes his own pictures of the sites he visited so the book has a lot of credibility for those who still are not convinced of these facts. There are too many coincidences of facts that make it impossible not to grasp the idea of aliens visiting the earth thousands of years ago. I'm looking forward to new material from Erich von Daniken. Great work.

Enthusiastic but disjointed, November 8, 2010
Erich von Daniken is most famous for his 1968 book Chariots of the Gods in which he put forth the theory that civilization was brought to earth by alien space travellers that taught some humans their ways and this is the source of the world's major religions and brought mankind from the caveman era to civilization in places such as Egypt. He believes that this truth is documented in the art and writings of the ancient civilizations. The 1970s documentary In Search of Ancient Astronauts was also inspired by this book. Just to be fair to those that read this review, I do not espouse von Daniken's beliefs, but I do find him to be interesting and I enjoy reading about the connections that he sees.

"In Twilight of the Gods: The Mayan Calender and the Return of the Extraterrestrials" von Daniken expounds upon his theory with a bit with more examples of items that should pique the interest of those that endorse von Danikens assertions. Although the title implies this is a exhaustive look at the Mayan Calender and the popular belief that it says the world will end on December 23, 2012, von Daniken does not even address the Mayans until he is two-thirds of the way through the book. Most of his book concerns a pre-Incan site in Bolivia called Puma Punku and the amazing buildings and stonework there.

I do have some argument with von Daniken's history of the Maya. He leads his readers to believe that the Maya were a very healthy civilization before the Spanish began to push into their territory after conquering the Aztecs in 1521. In reality, the classic Maya, the ones that von Daniken is referring to in his book, had collapsed more than 500 years earlier. The Maya that the Spanish conquered were a shell of the classic Maya with a lot of outside influence (if not outright occupation) by such groups as the Toltecs.

Von Daniken implies that the Maya were the earliest civilizations in the area and there is no way that they could have observed some of the older astrological phenomena that they record. He fails to note that the "source" culture for the region is believed to be the Olmec, who existed nearly 2000 years before the Classic Maya.

Interestingly, von Daniken is very derisive of evolution (not of changes in species but in the idea of all life coming from some sort of primordial goo). He uses terminology that reminds me very much of Ken Ham and his Answers in Genesis books. However, von Daniken espouses a theory (I think he does anyway, he throws around a lot of theories at the end of the book) called Panspermia that teaches that an umknown life form shot out its DNA all over the universe, much like one would scatter seeds out of an airplane. Most of it was unsuccessful, but in some places life took hold.

Von Daniken is interesting, as always. However, he is in serious need of an editor to keep him on the topic at hand. I have already mentioned the complete lack of mention of the Maya in the first half of the book, despite the title. Von Daniken discusses everything from Bolivia's archaeological community to Hitler to climate change in his most disciplined section of the book, the first half.

In the last half of the book he seems to toss out random thoughts about the Mayan predictions about the end of time and then moves on to comment on long distance space travel, alien visitors to Tibet, how ideas spread, SETI, warp drives, the astronomers of the Catholic Church and electrons, among other things, in a conclusion that is most unsatisfying.

Is the book entertaining?

Yes, but it could have been much better organized.

Is there food for thought here?

Sure, but to extend the metaphor, if von Daniken were a chef, this would be a very sloppy, half-considered meal indeed.

Erich von Daniken does it again!, September 23, 2010
Must read! My entire way of thinking was changed when I read Chariots of the Gods back in the 70's. It opened my eyes to a lot of things I'd never thought about. This book is very relavent to whats going on TODAY. I truly believe that most of the world is in for a "God shock" - soon!

good news for those who want to know the truth, October 9, 2010
The book is a very good read for those who seek the truth. If you feel short-changed by your religious upbringing about the history of human beings, then this book will give you the seed of wisdom.I can't describe properly why this book gave me wisdom, but it did. I have begun looking for more in what the gods aka ancient astronauts have taught the first successful experiment on human cloning. I am going to read all of Daniken's books. Read "chariots of the gods" or "Footprints in the sands of time" for a primer to the subject and these books will give you what you need to know about human beings. I would like to give the book a 5 rating but in this earthly dimension there is no perfect score, so I give this book a 4 rating.
GS-Malaysia.

Very good book, October 3, 2010
Very good book with new approaches about UFO's phenomena.
Congratulations to Mr. E. Von D�niken.

Simply the best!!!!!, November 21, 2010
Twilight of the Gods: The Mayan Calendar and the Return of the Extraterrestrials

I got this book on Kindle and now I am addicted to kindle. Will never wait a week for a mail man to deliver an Amazon book to my door again and if it is not on Kindle, then I simply will not by it.

This book is great. It is basically the book that is now a mini-TV series on the History Channel called "Ancient Aliens." It is very easy to read, flows with great material and is one of the most authoritative guides on Ancient Aliens and Alien Influence on the planet Earth that I have ever read. Of course, the author is fascinated with Latin American, so he really gets in debt with the alien life that dwelled in the ancient Americas, goes into the Bible and its alien influences plus he by the time you finish the first few chapters, you will know the entire study of Ancient Aliens by intellectuals, including Adolph Hitler, ins such ease that one will not even know that they have become a scholar and expert on the subject of Ancient Aliens and Civilizations.

I really love the book because, like other European Authors, who isn't constantly weighing the reader down with Greek and Roman mythology but is very generous with giving an honest and accurate history, even if it includes saying that white people were not intertwined with every great civilization on the planet, as other authors would like us to believe. He gives the evidence and the facts in a clear and readable manner but it is indeed some heavy material to absorb. I have never read a better book on this subject matter.

Fascinating, November 16, 2010
I found this book to be really fascinating. I have not read his other books but I am vaguely familiar with his work and that of Z. Sitchen. I enjoyed looking at the pictures too - there's a fair many both black and white and color photos. There were times I'd just catch myself looking at one of the pictures for 10-15 minutes!
I found I could read between 25-50 pages of this book at once and that was my limit, but not because it wasn't interesting, it was because I'd have to just 'think' about it.
It was a bit disjointed going between the cultures but that was my only complaint.
I enjoyed it so much I literally read it with a flashlight. It really sparks the imagination!

Mind opening, October 11, 2010
This was my first Erich Von Daniken's book I've read, and at least for me, it has been a very mind opening experience. The author provides very sound evidence for it's claims and theories, although it's up to the reader to decide whether to accept these theories or not.
I have recommended this book to many friends and relatives and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone else. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A story of a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe and his son, a cartoonist who tries to come to terms with his father's story and history itself. ... Read more

Reviews

Raw, Painful and Personal., May 4, 1998
This is a powerful work. The tale of a young man's painful relationship with his father is elegantly interwoven with the father's recollection of life as a Jew in Nazi-occupied Poland. Spiegelman's skill and honesty make this a raw, gut-wrenching read, though the tale is somehow ultimately uplifting.

I first read this book as a teenager, and would highly recommend it to people of any age. Over the years, I have re-read it frequently and shared it with friends of all ages. All have taken much from Spiegelman's tale.

A few notes must be made in response to the 10/26/97 comment posted below by a reviewer from Ontario, Canada. It is quite clear that this reviewer did not, in fact, read the book. (S)he mistakenly attacks Spiegelman for portraying the Poles as rats, and wonders if he would be offended if a book were written portraying Jews as rats. Anyone who took the time to read Maus (or merely to examine it's cover!) would know that it is, in fact, the Jewish people who are portrayed as mice/rats, whereas the Poles are portrayed not as vermin, but rather as pigs.

In fact, far from a "vicious" attack against Poles, there are many acts of kindness by Polish people portrayed in the book. Certainly there is unkindness as well, but how can the reviewer forget that this is a factual account of Vladek Spiegelman's life, told from his perspective. If unkind acts by Polish people are a part of that life, then they should be in the book.

Finally, the reviewer in question inelegantly raises a point of some merit, though it is one that is only tangentially related to Spiegelman's work. The Polish people did, in fact, suffer horribly at the hands of both Nazis and Soviets alike. Their death toll in the concentration camps numbered in the millions, and should never be forgotten or omitted when discussing the Holocaust. This book, however, is about Vladek Spiegelman, and so surely it cannot be assailed for its focus on events from his perspective.

Spiegelman's fidelity to his father's! story is to be admired, not attacked. And certainly not by a reviewer who could not be bothered to read the book.

Explanation of the Animal Portrayals, November 7, 2001
As a history and literature major, I wrote my senior thesis on Maus and Maus II because, after reading them for a class, I couldn't stop thinking about them. The imagery, both drawn and implied, was masterful. Each panel tells the story of the Holocaust as SOMEONE REMEMBERS IT. Spiegelman took his father's story and graphically interpreted it in an incredibly moving way. He did not write a work of historical fact (for whatever those books are worth anyway - even history is a work of memory and interpretation). I love these graphic novels for what they are - brilliant literature and testimony.

I was looking over some of these reviews of Maus because I am going to see Spiegelman speak this weekend and just wanted to know what others had said in the past. I was disheartened to read some of the negative responses to the use of animal caricatures, especially since I have always felt this was the most ingenius part of the works. Looking at these reviews, though, I remembered an interview with Spiegelman I read a while back. He explains the animal caricatures a bit, and I thought it might be beneficial to place a quote here, in this forum.

Published in The Comics Journal, October 1991:

Spiegelman says of the animal portrayals,

"These images are not my images. I borrowed them from the Germans. At a certain point I wanted to go to Poland, and I had to get a visa. I put in my application, and then I got a call from the consul. He said 'the Polish attache wants to speak with you.' And I knew what he wanted to talk to me about. On the way over there, I tried to figure out what I was going to say to him. 'I wanted to draw noble stallions, but I don't do horses very well?' When I got there, he gave me the perfect opening. He said, 'You know, the Nazis called us schwein' (German for pig). And I said, 'Yes, and they called us vermin (German for mouse or rat).'

Ultimately, what the book is about is the commonality of human beings. It's crazy to divide things down the nationalistic or racial or religious lines. And that's the whole point, isn't it? These metaphors, which are meant to self-destruct in my book - and I think they do self-destruct - still have a residual force that allows them to work as metaphors, and still get people worked up over them."

I guess he's right. People do get worked up over the metaphors. Too bad some of those people can't understand them. If you haven't read Maus, you are missing a true piece of art.

Ignore the ramblings of the PC watchdog reviewers., June 29, 2001
First of all, if you've read or are reading the other reviews, ignore the blather about how the whole "Animal Farm" metaphor--Jews as mice, Germans as cats, etc..--being racist and demeaning.

Art Spiegelman attempts to tell the story of his father Vladek's life in Hitler's Europe. By and large, the book is a detailed, objective retelling of his Vladek's story. However, as Art himself will realize, "I can't even make sense out of my relationship with my father--how am I supposed to make sense out of the Holocaust?" and "Reality is much too complex for comics--so much has to be left out or distorted." Thus liberated from the impossible standard of complete objectivity, Art is free to insert two important subjective elements into the story--the depiction of different races as different species, and the insertion of himself as a character in MAUS.

Obviously, Art is not a overt racist--in fact, in the second part of MAUS, Art will scold his father for distrusting a black person, and a German-Jewish couple will help Vladek return home after being freed from the death camps. The point of portraying Jews as mice, Germans as cats, Poles as pigs, etc. is to show what race relations during Hitler's Europe might have been like.

The characterization of race doesn't end there, though--as the scene shifts from Nazi Germany to the present, and as Art must suffer the daily trials and tribulations of life with a father permanently scarred by his experiences, Art depicts himself as a mouse as well, a confession that he himself is unable to completely escape the aftermath of the poisoned race relations of the Holocaust. Maybe this makes him a covert racist. But if he is, then who isn't?

Art's involvement in MAUS goes beyond interviewing his father, though. Later in the story we will see that Art was treated in a mental hospital and sees a psychiatrist regularly. As the book cover declares, "MAUS is a story about the survivors of the Holocaust--and of the children who somehow survive the survivors."

The storytelling in MAUS is stellar, and the craftsmanship is as well. The comics medium allows Spiegelman to employ some interesting tricks. For example, whenever Vladek is trying to sneak around, he is portrayed with a pig mask. When Vladek and Anja are trying to escape from the ghetto, Anja, who in real life was easily identifiable as a Jew by her appearance, is drawn with a long tail, while Vladek is not.

In sum, MAUS is a gripping story of his parents' experience during the Holocaust, filled with countless brushes with death, tales of betrayal, and plenty of terrible, graphic illustrations of victims being executed. It is not a history text in the most austere and empirical sense. Rather, it is a confession that the Holocaust defies dispassionate and detached analysis.

Powerful, Evocative, April 14, 2000
Don't let the comic-book type format fool you: Maus is the horrifying biography of a man who survived(?) the greatest atrocities the 20th Century had to offer. Mr. Spiegelman makes great use of the illustrated book format to allow the reader to meet the Jewish experience under WWII Naziism without rejecting it. Words of caution to any reader: leave yourself enough time to finish the entire volume at once, because you won't want to put it down, and leave yourself time afterward to come to terms with what you have read. I also recommend waiting at least a day or two between this volume and its sequel (Maus II) to avoid overload; Maus is the most powerful, most haunting, and most accessible statement I have encountered on the horrors of the holocaust.

Astonishing . . . nothing else like this, February 5, 2000
Maus is one of the most amazing comic stories I have ever read. It is so horrifying and so human, yet it never becomes overly depressing and is lightened somewhat by the fact that all the characters are animals. The story is a brilliant mix of Art Spiegelman writing the story itself and trying to come to terms with his father, and his father's harrowing experiences at the height of Nazi power in Europe and in the concentration camp at Auschwitz (although the concentration camp part takes place in the second volume).

This volume of Maus is mostly about Vladek trying to avoid the Nazis, as all the Jews in Europe were trying to do at this time. There are many colorful characters and stories packed into Maus, and it is a grim reminder of a dark period of world history. Beware though . . . the second edition (And Here My Troubles Began) is even more horrifying.

Maus is brilliant. Buy this and the second part too - there is no way you'll regret it.

An ASTONISHING Tale..., October 29, 2003
"Maus I" is a powerful and awe-inspiring experience. I have never read anything quite like it, I have to admit. It's really hard to comprehend the term "page-turner" until you read this very unique and intense tale of surviving one of the most terrible times in history.

Written in comic book form, Art Spiegelman tells the tale of his father's hardships and survival in the Holocaust. Vladek Spiegelman (his father) was a POW, but managed to sneak out of one of the camps that held him, only to later have him and his whole family thrown into terrible death camps. Uncertain of what tragedies they would endure or when they may be the next to be sent to Auschwitz, Vladek was always certain that they would make it out alive, no matter what obstacles were thrown in their way. This is a survivor's tale, as well as a tale of how a son tries to patch up a damaged relationship with his father. The account we are given is absolutely horrifying, but at the same time triumphant.

I literally could not put this book down once I started it. It's a very fast and easy read. This is a great advantage because this makes it easier for those who do not read a lot to be able to read it without any problems. It's an important tale that needs to be told and it is one that needs to be read by as many people as possible. The Holocaust is something we should never forget and it's something that needs to be taught to everyone. This book is a great way to get people aware of the situation who may not know a lot about that terrible time.

The comic book structure and style really makes the story work. While this is something I could've read in plain text or in a regular novel, the drawings help you experience just exactly what is taking place. It makes it easier for you to want to continue reading without forcing you to strain yourself. The style and structure also insures that more people will give it a chance and read it.

"Maus I" is an important tale of survival, hope, hardships and family. It's a tale worth being told, that much I can assure you. If you have never read this before, I strongly recommend that you pick it up sometime and give it a chance. It is an easy and fast read that will give you an experience like none you have ever encountered. It may be a sad and terrible tale to hear, but to know that somebody can survive such a horrendous scenario like the Holocaust and come out of it alive just goes to show you how strong a person can be, both inside and out. It is an important tale that deserves to be heard by as many people as possible.

Introducing the tragic tale of Vladek Spiegelman, October 28, 2002
What got Art Spiegelman's "Maus: A Survivor's Tale" noticed was the simple and rather obvious conceit of telling a story about the Holocaust in which the Jews are portrayed as mice and the Nazis as cats. But the reason Spiegelman won the Pulitzer Prize is because ultimately the story being told is more important than the metaphor employed by the cartoonist. Vladek Spiegelman was a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Holocaust and "Maus" is about the attempt of his son, a cartoonist, to come to terms with not only his father in Rego Park, New York, but the terrible things that happened to his father in Poland in this first half of the tale, "My Father Bleeds History." This proves not to be rhetorical hyperbole, because Vladek's past becomes almost omnipresent as he tells his story to his son. Almost as important, the suicide of Artie's mother comes into play as well, for ultimately in this story, as in life, everything is related.

Tragically, as Vladek reveals more of the events that irrevocably altered not only his own life but that of his son, Artie is repelled rather than drawn closer to his father and the gulf between then becomes clearer. Knowledge, which should bring insight and understanding, fails and creates only bitterness. However, you must remember this is but the first half of the story, which concludes in "And Here My Troubles Began." What makes "Maus" remarkable is not that it is a "comic book," what the "New York Times" called "an epic story told in tiny pictures," but that it is a very intimate story about someone who survived the Holocaust. The body might survive the concentration camp, but "Maus" is about what happens to the mind, the heart and the soul.

I have been reading the concerns of those who are bothered by the portrayal of each ethnic group as a different animal, particular the decision to represent the Poles as pigs. The main oppositional pair here of the Jews and Nazis as mice and cats certainly can be seen as arguing that the Holocaust is another example of "cat and mouse" that has been played out between the strong and the weak throughout human history. No matter when the Holocaust stands on your own personal list of historical atrocities, clearly it is not as much of an aberration as we would like to think. With regards to the Poles being pigs in Spiegelman's schema, my understanding is that "swine" was an epithet used by Germans to all races, since all non-Aryans were, by definition, sub-human. But Spiegelman also shows the French as frogs and a gypsy is a moth (in "Maus II"), which seems to indicate he is taking advantage of existing conventions. Obviously the selection of some animals has inherent symbolism: the dogs/Americans are the ones who beat the cats/Nazis. Then again, in practical terms, what other animal, easily recognizable, could the Poles be in this iconography? Still, an interesting question to debate with valid points on both sides of the issue.

Comic Book History with appeal from age 12 to adult, May 31, 2002
Art is struggling to come to terms with his mother's suicide, and so he sets out to extract from his father (Vladek), the account of his life with his first wife Anja (Arts mother). Vladek and Anja were survivors of the Holocaust, and through the oral retelling of their story, Art is able to piece together the facts that led to this tragic event in his life. The comic book form offers a unique literary approach and appeals to a large age group from middle school to adults.

The author is the narrator as he interviews his father, Vladek, day after day, and uses juxtapose as he tells the story of past events alongside current events, involving relationships with Vladek and his second wife, Mala. Art and Mala are disturbed by Vladeks behavior, which epitomizes the racist caricature of the "miserly old Jew." Maus: A Survivor's Tale, My Father Bleeds History is a fascinating account of historical events that happened in the lives of one family and the people they came in contact with, before, during, and after the Holocaust, and culminates with a sequel, Maus II: A Survivor's Tale, And Here My Troubles Began. The book has won several literary awards including the 1986 National Book Critics Circle prize in biography, and a Pulitzer Prize for Special Awards and Citations. Although Maus has been classified as fiction because of the lack of footnotes and bibliographic references, there is no doubt that Art Speigelman has an ingenius approach to the recording of historical, and factual events of the past.

Entertaining and Informative, June 20, 2002
I read this as part of a WWII class. I was attracted to this novel from the get go because of it's comic book style and ease of reading. That is not to say that it is a typical comic book. While Speigelman does indeed use the comic book format to tell his story, the story itself is very realistic and easy to relate to even though it's told using animals. Regardless, it is an enjoyable experience and does a good job of conveying the experience that Speigelman's father went through in Nazi Germany. I look forward to getting Maus II.

Teachers Unite! This book will hook your students!, March 3, 1999
As a high school English teacher, I am constantly looking for new ways to reach reluctant readers. MAUS is just the book to do this and to introduce the Holocaust. Its easy to read prose is helped by the even more fascinating pictures that entice the reader to read on. The secondary theme of a strained father-son relationship appeals to teenagers as well. Three of my students are collaborating on a graphic novel about the Korean War--inspired, as I'm sure you will be too, by Spiegelman's gift of story-telling. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it
This is a frightening account of the German, Austrian and Hungarian hyperinflations of the early 1920's. It includes blow-by-blow accounts by diplomats, bankers, and ordinary folk who survived the total annihilation of their currencies. Fergusson has done an outstanding job of documentation and must have spent thousands of hours in archives. It is indeed a shame that this book is out-of-print.

Review of the 1st Edition "Making the Same Old Mistakes, but not Makin' Mo' Money" or "Zeros in -- Zeros out. Naught is Naught."
Review of the First Edition (rare hardcover) of When Money Dies, written by me on May 25, 2006, & not reedited:

I first read this book some 25 years ago. I was so impressed I immediately bought a dozen copies & gave them to pals. (In 1980 they were 3-4 pounds sterling each--it's ironic & interesting that the price of this out-of-print book now fetches multiple zeros).
Here are some parallels with our time:
The Germany of the '20s finds it cannot meet the costs of war reparations. The US of the 2000s starts a war intending to pay reparations before it begins, and then finds itself unable to meet the mounting costs of war reparations it originally thought would leap out of the ground and just pay themselves. (Meanwhile, the US's wounded soldiers [& the families of its dead soldiers] are going to require entire lifetimes of domestic reparations).
The Germany of the '20s attempted to buy/finance prosperity with ballooning deficits. The US of the 2000s wants to buy/finance prosperity with ballooning deficits. Neither nation-State can be told it is wrong--and neither admits (or even recognizes) inflation is a hidden and pernicious tax.
Germany before the '20s had every confidence in the mark. The US in the 2000s believes the only currency in the world is the dollar, & the only thing money can be made of is paper and ink (never gold or silver). But as one mixes ink with paper, hoping the mixture will have exchange value, one finds that one has given value to neither material.
As Germany becomes more unhinged in the '20s, it moves towards a strong man as a moth to a flame. As the US grows more unhinged, it loses faith in its 'strong man' (even if he does not lose faith in himself). If the US should subsequently shun whoever wants to be the next 'strong man', there may yet be be hope. Since it is possible for the next wannabe 'strong man' to be laughed off the stage, it is yet possible the US will not succumb. The jury is still out.
At times the mark strenghthens (goes against the ultimate trend, for short periods): the Germans of the '20s (and other investors) think the crisis is over and it is time to buy. At times the dollar strengthens (goes against the ultmate trend [?], for short periods): the world of the 2000s thinks the crisis may end--isn't it now time to buy cheap US assets?
The Germans of the '20s can add more zeros to their paper--but paper production does not keep up with the 'demand' for money. The US of the 2000s has but to generate a computer entry and like magic, the 'demand' for money is met. The paper of Germany leaves a trail [Fergusson proves this]--computer entries can be a hidden and dirty little State Secret [until prices rise as the money actually depreciates, the state can suppress much of the evidence].
At many levels, this book about a frightening past speaks to a menacing present. Because of its price, many will not get to read that message. Between the Germany of the '20s and the US of the 2000s, there are differences too, but not differences that necessarily help. The potential for money supply to soar (the Fed's ability to create credit by computer without even having to buy ink, paper, and printers) has never been so boundless. We of the 2000s prefer to believe we are more intellegent than the Germans of the 20s. We live with the hope that our enlightened leaders [!] comprehend inflation & understand that deficit spending shall ruin us. Enlighted people that they are, from government top to government bottom, we know and rely upon our leaders' fiscal responsibility. Just look at how enlightenment runs through the Nation--budgetary constraints are placed upon our brilliant leader, by those guardians of the Public Purse & Trust, a US legislature that checks and balances all his raw power. In truthiness [that is, if one buys their spin], they all do their utmost to preserve & protect the currency, while shouldering their duties to preserve and protect our Constitution. Tonight, can I sleep contentedly, knowing both these National Treasures are safe and sound?
Read this book: it is still found in libraries. You will be witness to ink on paper that actually has and holds its value.
May 25, 2006

Everybody talks about inflation, but nobody knows anything about it
This book tells the story of the hyperinflation in Weimar Germany and its aftermath (1919-1926) and, to some extent, the ensuing rise of Hitler's Nazi Germany. It is a story which is so complex and convoluted that it takes a historian to even begin to do it justice. Fortunately, this book's author is not only an accomplished historian, well versed in his subject, but also a gifted writer. The result is a remarkable book about an almost indescribable and incomprehensible period in the world's history.

So, if you've ever wondered about the hyperinflation in Germany following the Great War (WWI), and by extension what the REAL consequences of inflation, hyperinflation, deflation and depression might be, this is the book you've been looking for. In fact, I've only read one other book which even comes close; that being `The Fiat Money Inflation in France: How It Came, What it Brought, and How It Ended' by Andrew Dickson White. But this book is much more timely, much broader in scope, much more comprehensive, and much easier to relate to our more modern times.

In it, you'll learn a lot and find the answers to many puzzling questions. Among them: what caused the inflation, what were its impacts, and why it was allowed to continue; which groups and social classes fared the best, which the worst, and why; how the inflation resulted in the redistribution of wealth; what happened to landlords, shop owners, government employees, members of unions, free workers, and pensioners, as well as the middle-class; what the man or woman on the street had to do simply to survive; who prospered, who lost everything, and why; what the government did and didn't do and what the impacts were on people at all social levels, and on industry; how the hyperinflation was finally ended, why the resulting deflation and depression was worse in many ways, and why; and what those living through the deflation/depression period had then to do in order to survive and, in some cases, prosper.

There is also much anecdotal evidence as to just how much misery both inflation and deflation can cause. For example: the well dressed elderly man who couldn't afford two cents (American money) for a bag of apples; the little old lady who supported herself by selling her crucifix chain one tiny gold link at a tme; the foreign students who bought rows of houses out of their allowance; the substitution of paste-board coffins for wooden ones; the life insurance policies that eventually were worth less than their annual premiums; the banks that did away with smaller savings accounts because the paper required to book them was worth more that the money in the accounts; the man who said it was better to have a prostitute in the house than the corpse of a dead baby; the beggars who, in October 1923, purportedly wouldn't accept anything smaller than a one million mark note; and finally, that even with the first "billiard" [a thousand million million] and five billiard notes being printed in November 1923, people still clamored for more.

Apart from the Weimar Republic: This book is essentially a case study in inflation and its aftermath which should be of interest to anyone contemplating or concerned about the current state of America's, and the world's economic future, and the direction America is headed. In reading it, it is well to keep in mind what Gunter Schmolders articulates (pg. 248), "With inflation alone can a government extinguish debt without repayment, or wage war and engage in other non-productive activities on a large scale: it is still not recognized as a tax by the tax-payer."

In any event, if you do read this book, and if you are anything like me: You'll likely conclude, as I did, that everyone talks about inflation, but no one, especially the politicians who cause it, really knows what they are dealing with or what the consequences may be.

Can history repeat?
"When Money Dies" is very well written, and historically accurate. What a terrible situation that the German government put their people in! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Age of Wonder is a colorful and utterly absorbing history of the men and women whose discoveries and inventions at the end of the eighteenth century gave birth to the Romantic Age of Science. 

When young Joseph Banks stepped onto a Tahitian beach in 1769, he hoped to discover Paradise. Inspired by the scientific ferment sweeping through Britain, the botanist had sailed with Captain Cook in search of new worlds. Other voyages of discovery—astronomical, chemical, poetical, philosophical—swiftly follow in Richard Holmes's thrilling evocation of the second scientific revolution. Through the lives of William Herschel and his sister Caroline, who forever changed the public conception of the solar system; of Humphry Davy, whose near-suicidal gas experiments revolutionized chemistry; and of the great Romantic writers, from Mary Shelley to Coleridge and Keats, who were inspired by the scientific breakthroughs of their day, Holmes brings to life the era in which we first realized both the awe-inspiring and the frightening possibilities of science—an era whose consequences are with us still. ... Read more

Reviews

Just Before the Golden Age of Victorian Science, September 8, 2009
I have found the history of British science to be one of the best ways to study the intellectual history of the 19th century. This book, which focuses upon the period between Captain Cook's first voyage in 1768 and Darwin's Beagle journey in 1831,takes the story of British science back a bit earlier, and explains some of the important precursor developments to the later dazzling Victorian period. If that was all it did, that would be plenty for the author has written a fine scientific history. But the book is far richer than even this accomplishment for it seeks to establish ties between science and the British Romantics, surprisingly demonstrating that not only did Romantic poets and painters not run away from science, some of them embraced and even engaged in it. Along the way, the profession of scientific researcher emerged as well as some of our basic ideas about scientific progress.

The narrative is built around a series of significant individuals, for whom the author creates scientific biographies. The first is Joseph Banks (1743-1820) who became the godfather of British science during this period from his post as President of the Royal Society. One of the major sciences that underwent development during this period was astronomy; several chapters are devoted to the pathbreaking work of William Herschel (who discovered Uranus) and his sister Carolyn who pioneered new developments and telescopic designs. In the process their work turned the attention of artists to the skies and the evolutin of universe. A chapter catches the excitement of early balloonists and the Romantic wake they left behind as they explored the skies. Exploration was anordsother feature of the period, and was encouraged by Banks who had been on Cook's first voyage to the South Pacific. Mungo Park (1771-1806) anchors a chapter on this, and his tragic disappearance (as well as many other African explorers) reminds us how overwhelming a challenge African exploration presented during this period. Chemistry was another of the major sciences that took off during this period, as demonstrated in the fascinating activities of Humphry Davy (1778-1829), who pioneered in studying gases, electro-chemical analysis, agricultural chemistry, and became a great popularizer of scientific developments. The author frequently links up scientific developments with poetry, with Coleridge, Wordsworth, Keats, Byron, and Tennyson all making appearances, some supportive others not, and with painters whose portrayals of balloons and scientific breakthroughs conveyed the excitement of the period. Davy himself wrote poetry which he recorded in his lab books along with experimental data.

Many of these scientific developments seemed to challenge traditional religious views and raised new philosophical issues. I found the discussion of "Dr Frankenstein and the Soul" highly interesting. The "Vitalism debate" of 1816-22 centered on the issue of whether there was a life force at work, despite scientific scepticism. Naturphilosohie, a form of scientific mysticism, arose to challenge materialistic interpretations of life. The author does a fine job in explaining how Mary Shelley's novel pictured scientists as being potentially dangerous and raised fundamental issues about the human soul. By the 1830's the British Association for the Advancement of Science is launched and we are on the cusp of the "golden age of Victorian science."

The author seems equally at home in science or poetry and art, having written extensively on Coleridge. The book includes a large number of breathtaking color plates which help the reader grasp what the narrative is discussing. The research is impeccable, with 27 pages of notes, a 12-page cast list of mini-biographies of anyone mentioned in the text, and an 11-page bibliography broken down by topic. Poetry is not my thing. Nonetheless, i found this book to be incredibly rich in ideas and perceptive analysis. A rare bird to be sure.

Wonderful Age of Wonder, August 5, 2009
This is a marvelous book, depicting an era where scientific work was far different than it is now. One did not need years of training or huge government investment to make a major discovery back then, but rather hard work and ingenuity. As an example, an amateur like William Hershel, a composer and instrument-maker could become the greatest astronomer of his generation. What's more, the discoveries were intelligible to all educated men of the time and could affect the arts, as we see from scientific comments of writers such as Samuel Johnson, Coleridge, Keats, Shelley. Who would ever have known that the author of the RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER also coined the word "psychosomatic" and may have coined the word "scientist"? The writer of this book did.

The title is a misnomer, December 27, 2009
I always feel bad when I disagree with those glowing reviews. But in this case, it's warranted.

This is a fine book, well worth reading. It just isn't that groundbreaking, or novel. It does not come close to paying off the elegant title.

Holmes may be an expert on Romantic era poetry, and he has obviously learned a lot about the lives of Banks, Faraday, et al. But he falls short, far short of linking the philosophy of the Romantics to the science of the day. There is no consideration of the "beauty and terror of science." A few pages are given over to Mary W. Shelley's creation of Frankenstein's monster, but no connection is forged between the piece of fiction and the terror of science.

All that being said, I am glad I read it, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading superficial biographies of great minds.

Romantic science?, September 1, 2009
What's Romantic science? Fear not, there's no discussion of the particularity, it's just science.
Richard Holmes is a celebrated biographer of the romantic poets. Here he turns his attention to the scientific geniuses of the age. Beautifully written as ever, it is only when you finish the book that you'll start to have doubts.
Was Astronomer Royal Maskelyne as fluffy a bunny as here he appears? (in Dava Sobel's viewLongitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time he was the very picture of the selfish machiavellian bureaucrat)
Why is there a long chapter on (mostly French) ballooning which even Holmes (nice pun) describes as "something of a scientific cul-de-sac"?
Why is Shelley so prominent? He never met any of the principals of this book (Banks, Herschel, Davy).
Is the selection of scientific geniuses a bit skewed? Nothing about medicine, little about geology, metallurgy, biology - and as for practical progress based on science like manufacturing and engineering, forget about it.
Do Davy's poems merit pages and pages? Might we not appreciate some laboratory notes?
The illustrations are nice, but why so many poets, especially the standard views of them?
This book on reflection seems to be a bit of a grab bag of discards from the author's researches in the romantic age. To be fair, Holmes has mastered the science as it appeared then. He could probably even explain the nuances of the phlogiston / oxygen debate. But he has not written a comprehensive history of Romantic science. He has written well, though. You'll enjoy this book.

A great book by an eloquent biographer, July 27, 2009
The Romantic era is indeed an age of wonder, when science was fun and close to punk rock. Holmes' 500 page account brings all these stories of discovery to life with sweet details. It does not take a historian or a scholar of Romanticism to see the beauty of this book and the message it conveys. Through a series of connected biographical accounts, or what the author calls "a relay race of scientific stories," readers are taken on a kaleidoscope tour of one breakthrough after another. There are more to the era than such household names as Newton and Descartes.

what a wonderful book, August 22, 2009
Brilliant job--a great topic, excellent writing, everything you want in a book. Don't be set off by the length. It is an easy read.

I am fascinated by the history of science and technology. This book is a must for those interested in a broad overview of the time period covered. Davy, those wonderful and crazy fellows with air balloons, the voyages to the Pacific to explore....and so on. A real delight is how the author eemplifies what CP Snow alluded to as two cultures---science and the humanities. In this book they find one another. There's even some hints of sex...scientists and sex--what a tease!

Just as important as its relevancy is the writing. This is a gifted author. His writing flows effortless, it is punctuated with pithy observations (e.g., the author must have had a great time visiting the homes and neighborhoods of many of the main characters--how poignant that most are still there but not even celebrated for what happened there).

The book made me wish that we might still have individual greatness in the sciences, that we had something akin to a singular scientific academy like the one that existed in those days. Perhaps a hundred years from now humans will be able to recognize, like this author, the important social, literary, and scientific currents that flow through today. I hope so.

Chronicling the transition from natural philosophy to science, November 28, 2009
I loved this book. For me it captured some sense of the transition from "natural philosophy" (thinking about and speculating about nature) to science (making careful observations and weaving those observations into theories of nature). I loved how Richard Holmes brought some of the people involved in this transition to life. The role of Joseph Banks, the relationship between William and Caroline and John Herschel and many, many more delightful insights into the people who influenced the transition to scientific thought.

Here's a quote from John Herschel in the book that to me captures some of the sense of the Age of Wonder:

"To the natural philosopher there is no natural object unimportant or trifling...A mind that has once imbibed a taste for scientific enquiry has within itself an inexhaustible source of pure and exciting contemplations. One would think that Shakespeare had such a mind in view when he describes a contemplative man finding:

Tongues in trees - books in the running brooks
Sermons in stones - and good in everything

Where the uninformed and unenquiring eye perceives neither novelty nor beauty, he walks in the midst of wonders."

I know we all have our particular tastes, but this was for me the best book I've read - on any topic.

To read it is to read the opening of the human mind-a must have for any library., August 5, 2009
Like the polymath intellectuals of the times, The Age of Wonder reaches across multiple themes and disciplines, combining biography with the history of science, literature and even social change. Holmes' biographical accounts carry the reader through the book, each figure serving as a new torchbearer in the progression of science in the age--and each figure also bringing new questions as that same science slowly reveals a universe far vaster and stranger than the easily defined world of the old philosophy. The Age of Wonder is a book about discovery, both exciting and frightening--discovery that removes surety as much as it offers hope. To read it is to read the opening of the human mind, and to be called again to look at the world with wonder.

I am Scott C. Waring, author of novels George's Pond & West's Time Machine.
West's Time Machine
George's Pond: Created in the Beloved Tradition of Charlotte's Web

Pick a Richard Holmes, either Richard Holmes, February 3, 2010
It must be tough to be this Richard Homes and at a cocktail party where a guest comes up and says, "Gee, I loved your book `Redcoat: The British Soldier in the Age of Horse and Musket,'" and have to explain that while you appreciate the compliment, that book is by the other Richard Holmes. Yes, History lovers, we are very fortunate that there are two Richard Holmes, one a marvelous biographer, this one, and the other among the finest military historians of the age, the other one, and after reading `The Age of Wonder' by this Richard Holmes, and `Redcoat' by that Richard Holmes, I've come to the conclusion that one can't go wrong in choosing either for one's next read. There are enough excellent five-star reviews of `The Age of Wonder' for me to add only that any book whose frontispiece is one of my favorite paintings, `The Orrery,' by Joseph Wright of Derby, is likely to be a hit with me, and it was. If you're interested in the period, you will be fascinated by the read. Then buy and read `Redcoat' and you'll be prepared if you ever find yourself at that cocktail party.

Wonderful stories of science and art in the Romantic Age, July 8, 2010
This book is a fascinating voyage back to the Romantic Age in Europe when there were still far flung parts of the globe to explore, most of the chemical elements awaited discovery, and time and space were found to be much vaster than anyone had expected. Even more wonderfully, scientists and artists were not naturally at odds--chemist Humphry Davy and poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge were friends, Percy Bysshe Shelley attended science lectures at the Royal Society and a musician, William Herschel, became the leading astronomer of England. Poets looked to the brave new world of science for inspiration, and many scientists--including Davy and Charles Darwin's grandfather Erasmus--wrote poetry. While scientists were perfecting the inductive reasoning of Newton and Francis Bacon they also used poetic devices like analogies to advance their understanding and inspire their research. It was an exciting and unsettling time and that makes for a great reading experience. ... Read more

Editorial Review

World War II is divided into nine chronological chapters, each introduced by a general overview of the military and political situation. This is followed by a comprehensive timeline, covering events in all theaters of the war. The opening chapter analyzes the build-up of hostility in the years leading up the war, both in Europe and in the Pacific. Similarly the final chapter analyzes the immediate and long-term consequences of the war and the way it has shaped recent history. In the chapters that cover the events of the war itself, the main spreads move from one theater of war to another but are linked by an easy-to-use system of cross referencing to earlier events and the consequences of the actions described on the spread. The main spreads are interspersed with features, eyewitness accounts, and galleries of weaponry and equipment.



This title differs from DK's previous World War II title, in that it is a spread-by-spread account á la History (with "previous" and "following" tabs placing each spread in chronological context) of the war, rather than a narrative that needs to be read from start to finish. ... Read more

Reviews

WWII, a stunning, definitive, visual history, March 29, 2009

As a history buff, I truly appreciate DK's new WWII book.

Unlike many history books,this collaborative effort combines a world view of the war. Utilizing newly released archival photographs and reports, the events are reported in a largely unbiassed perspective. The team of writers takes readers from 1914 (WWI) to 1950, and the aftermath of the many political events and agreements.

There are many features that make this book unique. The various time lines included detailed history month by month for the various camps during the war. The sheer number of remarkable photographs probably numbers in the 1000's. Rare German medals, personages, allied tool kits, and on-field documentation (German/Japanese/US/British/Italy) are sprinkled liberably over the 360 plus pages. Quotes are well chosen and the different campaigns are covered.

It is truly amazing that information of this quality is now available. Moreso, the different reports and original material must have been staggering.

No WWII history class should be without this book.

Tim Lasiuta

I understand it now, July 21, 2009
For the first time in my 38 years, I better understand the time-line of events throughout WWII. The book goes just far enough into the details to give an understanding of the what and why things played out. The calendar timelines for each year helped me to understand when events played out.

I did find it interesting that it seems that most photos in the book are used twice... Once as a small image somewhere in descriptive before/after panel, then later as a bigger image elsewhere in the book. This did not negatively affect the overall impression of the book but was just something that I noticed.

I borrowed this book from my local library, but I'm thinking I may purchase my own copy to keep on my shelf.

How to have World War II, "the war that changed the world," at your fingertips!!, September 22, 2009
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"The treaties that ended World War I left many countries bitter and resentful and failed to establish a lasting peace. In the political and economic uncertainties of the time, right-wing Nationalist parties had a strong appeal, most ominously Hitler's Nazis in Germany."

The above is found on the cover-page entitled "The Seeds of War 1914-1938" of the first chapter of this amazing, comprehensive book that details World War II (WWII), "the largest and most destructive war in history." This book was assembled by DK Publishing.

This book consists of two intermingled parts:

(1) IMAGES. It is packed with images, even "rarely seen" color photographs as well as maps and graphics. Thus, they're not kidding when they say in this book's first subtitle that this is "the definitive visual history" of WWII.

(2) TEXT. All these images have to be organized and this book's text does it very effectively without overwhelming the reader with excessive detail. The text throughout this book is concerned with the following:

(i) Events: WWII began in 1939 and ended in 1945. Each chapter (that is, the middle chapters) is concerned with each year of the war. As well, there are two additional chapters. The first chapter (whose title and summary is given above) discusses the build up of hostility in the years (1914 to 1938) leading up to the war. The final chapter explains the aftermath of the war (years 1946 to 1950).

Each chapter is divided into subsections. Each subsection is composed of a double-page layout. For example, the chapter for the year 1939 (chapter 2) has nine subsections with two of these profiling people (see below) and one of these profiling weaponry (see below).

(ii) People: The most influential individuals of WWII are profiled, revealing their personality, etc. Most important, the critical roles they played in the war's outcome are explained. For example, Chapter 2 (the year 1939) profiles Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin in separate subsections.

(iii) Eyewitness Accounts: Dramatic episodes in the war are brought powerfully to life through first-person written accounts. What is sad is that some of these people who wrote these excellent accounts did not make it through the war.

(iv) Quotations: From political leaders, combatants, and civilians. Here's one of my favourites by Winston Churchill (October 1939): "I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."

(v) Factoids: Interesting facts are peppered throughout the book.

(vi) Weapons and Technology: Weaponry, aircraft, tanks, submarines, etc. are showcased as well as code-breaking communication devices and medicine. For example, chapter 2 has a subsection devoted to rifles.

(vii) Key Moments: Critical moments in the war are highlighted.

Each chapter begins with a double-paged introduction and a double-paged timeline.

The introductions have a colour-coded world map for a month (usually December) in a particular year and superimposed on the map are explanations (with pictures) of key events that occurred in that year. For example, chapter 2 has an introductory map entitled "The World in December 1939." (At the bottom of the introduction is a brief summary of significant war events for that year.)

Finally, there is a timeline of significant events for a particular year. These timelines are divided into months so finding information is extremely easy. For example, for the 1939 timeline, when did Germany invade Poland (thus starting WWII)? Answer at a glance: September 1. When did Germany's Blitzkrieg (mentioned on the book's cover) begin? Answer: May 10, 1940. When was the first atomic bomb (again, mentioned on the book's cover) dropped (thus beginning the "nuclear age")? Answer: August 6, 1945. (Note that pictures are superimposed on these timelines.)

In conclusion, this book effectively organizes a vast amount of material into a slim volume. For those who want to know, understand, and SEE what happened during World War II, this is the book to get!! I leave you with the very last factoid found in this extraordinary book:

"559. The number of cemeteries that have been created by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to commemorate those who lost their lives fighting in World War II."

(first published 2009; forward; 9 chapters; main narrative with images 350 pages; index; acknowledgements)

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Best Version of DK's WWII Manual yet., January 6, 2010
I have the 2004 version of DK's WWII volume but noticed this latest incarnation is 40 pages heavier. I had to see what changes were made and I'm glad I did for this new version is better (for the most part). This new book is not the old book with extra pages. Its been completely revamped style wise, adding new material but it carries much of what the old book has. Many of the pictures and maps are the same but there is new material, new photos as well as larger photos.

Part of the new pages is consumed by expanded timelines graphics, providing more info than earlier chronologies. New pages were added to post WWI era including the impact civilian populations of Europe had under Nazism. Coverage of countries like Italy, France, Poland, Australia, China, the Balkans etc have been enhanced. Key battles, the air war and other topics are expanded as well. Intelligence, communications, war on the home front, life in a U-boat, medical care on the battlefield, death camps, Warsaw Uprising, the lend-lease program, exiled governments, assassination attempt on Hitler and much more. The photos of Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, Mussolini, Patton, Montgomery, Zhukov, Rommel, Mao and others are larger, more impressive.

But even with the added pages, some articles have been scaled back or eliminated. Guadalcanal and Malta have less material to name just a couple instances. Manstein's relief attempt of Stalingrad, Operation Winter Storm, has been eliminated.
This book is very well done and if you're looking for a visual representation of WWII (with a little less battle coverage and more world view) with a concise summary then this volume is worthy of your consideration.

A Very Interesting Book, December 23, 2009
We bought this for our 16 year old son for Christmas. It looks very nice and has so much information and pictures. The paper picture cover is the same as the hardback underneath. Being a DK book, I expected it to look more child-like, but it is not disappointing. Everyone would enjoy it.

Great Book, February 6, 2010
This is a great book about the history leading up to and during World War 2, I learned a lot that wasn't taught in our schools. Good pictures and explanitions !! ... Read more

Editorial Review

“This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected.We will do what damage we can.”

With these words, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland addressed the crew of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts on the morning of October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar.On the horizon loomed the mightiest ships of the Japanese navy, a massive fleet that represented the last hope of a staggering empire.All that stood between it and Douglas MacArthur’s vulnerable invasion force were the Roberts and the other small ships of a tiny American flotilla poised to charge into history.

In the tradition of the #1 New York Times bestseller Flags of Our Fathers, James D. Hornfischer paints an unprecedented portrait of the Battle of Samar, a naval engagement unlike any other in U.S. history—and captures with unforgettable intensity the men, the strategies, and the sacrifices that turned certain defeat into a legendary victory.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews

And That's the Way It Was., February 14, 2004
As one of the "Tin Can Sailors" mentioned in Jim Hornfischer's book, I would like to assure one and all of the authenticity of the content of this book. Personally, I am aware of the amount of research, interviewing and travel that was involved in the creation of this all too true story of one of the most amazing naval battles of World War II.
When I read the book for the first time I was back in time to October, 1944, when I was an eighteen year old kid, ready to take on the world, including the Japanese Navy - not realizing that I would soon have that opportunity. Hornfischer's accounts of the battles from the standpoint of each of the ships are wonderfully done. His stories of what it was like to be on life rafts with dying shipmates, sharks and unbelievable thirst, still bring tears to my eyes.
To gain a real understanding of what it was like to be a part of that Battle Off Samar, and in fact to be a sailor in World War II, read this book.

An Epic Naval Battle Remembered, February 3, 2004
"This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do all the damage we can." - Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland, from the dust jacket.

One of the saddest truths about the turn of the new Millennium is the realization that the veterans of the so-called "Greatest Generation," those who defeated Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, are now rapidly passing into history. As such, it has become even more important that the stories of their heroism and sacrifice be written down for posterity while the heroes themselves are still around to tell them. With his new book, "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors," literary agent and author James D. Hornfischer has documented one such lesser-remembered World War Two tale with a reverence befitting the brave men who fought and died for America's freedom.

The events of the book take place during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which stands as the largest naval engagement in world history, and was fought between the Japanese and American navies in the vicinity of the Philippines as General Douglas McArthur's forces were invading to take the archipelago back from the Japanese. The Leyte Gulf campaign has been well documented in other books about the Pacific war, so Hornfischer focuses most of his attention on one particular engagement off Samar Island. There, a small task force of American escort carriers and destroyers (the "Tin Cans" of the title), held off a far superior enemy fleet of battleships and cruisers with a combination of near-suicidal bravery and spectacular seamanship coupled with a healthy dose of sheer good fortune.

"Tin Can Sailors" is exhaustively researched, which gives the narrative the kind detailed nuance that elevates it above the level of mere reportage into inspired storytelling. Hornfischer sets the stage by introducing the main players, both the ships and the men who sailed on them. He gives an overall view of events leading up to the battle to assist the casual reader in placing it in context, and also presents enough of the Japanese point of view to give an appreciation of how desperate the forces of the Rising Sun were at this stage of the war. Desperate enough, in fact, to risk virtually their entire remaining surface fleet on a gamble, the success of which hinged on their ability to bluff hard-charging American Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey. If not for the almost superhuman courage of the Tin Can Sailors, they might well have succeeded and seriously imperiled McArthur's invasion forces.

The battle scenes in the book are particularly well depicted; some of the first hand accounts are every bit as graphically disturbing as, say, the first half-hour of the movie "Saving Private Ryan." Such images are absolutely vital to the telling of the story, and the author handles them deftly, never lapsing into sensationalism. Hour-by-hour position maps showing the locations of the ships are helpfully provided to assist the reader along with a generous selection of photographs. The extras make "Tin Can Sailors" one of the best battle books I've read in terms of helping the reader see the action as it is taking place. The epilogue contains a list of those who died fighting the battle, and what's immediately striking is that America lost more fighting men in just over three hours in this one small corner of World War Two than it has during the entire nine-plus months of the Iraq war.

Overall, "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" is a first rate work of history that will be enjoyed equally by both military buffs and more casual readers. The book was obviously a labor of love for its author, and he should be saluted for his efforts in writing it.

Heroic stand of tin can sailors, September 7, 2004
This is an excellent illustration of leadership, courage and heroism. While the major forces of the American navy went after a diversion to the north, early on the morning of October 25, 1944 a powerful Japanese fleet surprised a much smaller American force protecting nascent American gains on Leyte. While historians will long argue the errors that led to this surprise, none can argue that the response from the American forces was dramatic, powerful, effective and almost suicidal. Yankee ingenuity, respect for their leaders, and old-fashioned stick-to-it-iveness made up in quality what the Americans lacked in quantity.

Three small destroyers dashed into harm's way and leveled mortal blows before they succumbed to withering, overpowering -- but often inaccurate -- Japanese fire. While some would flinch at calling these acts 'suicidal' against cruisers and battleships, the sense of purpose and patriotism, combined with the small chance that a good offense is the best defense seemed to drive these men to heights of fury and fight against the thunderstorm of Japanese ships.

Storms actually played a positive role in this fight, hiding both the smaller American ships, sometimes at lucky moments, as well as those pesky American fighter planes darting in and out of the clouds. But what really seems to have mattered was accurate firing, productive -- if incomplete -- intelligence, good leadership, and the absolute audacity of the crews aboard the American ships and planes. And timidity on the part of the Japanese admiral, believing he had stumbled upon a superior force of sull-sized carriers and cruisers, helped turn the onslaught into a full-fledged diaster for the Japanese, who lost perhaps 11,000 men to terrible but lesser casualties of fewer than 1,000 for the inspired Americans.

The research is thorough, with fascinating detail and first-hand reports from the battle and the men who fought it. Maps detailing the progress of this brief but spectacular battle help guide the reader. Read it and respect the men who made this happen.

Pays tribute to heroes and their sacrifices for us, February 16, 2004
Anyone who is unsure of whether to get this book should set their reservations aside and grab it now. I have no hidden agenda to hype this book - I just grabbed it off the shelf at the store and struck gold. Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors stands proudly in my library and holds its own with other great non-fiction books.

James Hornfischer didn't just find a great story to tell, he crafted it with a very skillful narration. A writer of non-fiction who can capture a reader and pull him into his story is rare and the author does this very well. He had me cheering as Ernest Evans led the Johnston on the attack against the entire Japanese fleet. He left me horrified by the effects of the pounding that the Tin Cans took and stunned by the heroism and sense of duty of those who manned their posts until the very end.

The book gives a nice overview of the Pacific Theater until the point of this battle. Hornfischer clearly explains what has happened so that you can understand the context of the Battle off of Samar. He does this without going too far in depth and losing the reader. The explanations of the development of the Navy and Naval Aviation were clear and concise. I learned quite a bit about the planes that were used and the men who piloted them. The same can be said for his explanations of the different naval vessels and what made them unique.

If you like books told from numerous first-person accounts that personalize a story and let you get to know those involved, then this book is for you. It is an honorable salute to those who survived and the heroes who did not.

The best historical account. of the Battle of Leyte Gulf., August 19, 2004
When I was a young adolescent, I wasn't like other kids. I actually read about WWII history. When I found out my 7th grade English teacher was a "Fireman" in the boiler rooms of the USS Pennsylvania facing the Southern force in Surigao Strait, I bombarded him with a host of questions, and my classmates had no idea what we were talking about. Suffice it to say, through my previous reading, I thought I was pretty knowledgable about this naval battle.



The author has blown that preconception out of the water. He brings the level of scholarship on this battle to a whole new plane. The meticulous research he has undertaken shines forth in this account, and it is simply an incomparable work. No matter if you have previous exposure to historical accounts of this battle (specifically for Taffy 3 and it's air groups facing Kurita's Central force, Southern and Northern aspects are not as in depth), or not, this book is the definitive work on the topic. Included is the deep and detailed bibliography. A true historical gem.

The Last Stand was a Proud One, February 29, 2004
James D. Hornfischer has written a superb book on a little known naval battle that may stand as one of the most heroic efforts by the United States Navy in it's long and illustrious history. The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors focuses on a period of a few days in October 1944, during a time when the invasion of the Philippines was just underway and the Japanese Navy was doing all it could to hurl the American invasion back into the sea.

Early on the morning of October 25, 1944 Taffy 3, made up of six U.S. escort carriers and a screen of eight destroyers stumbled into a vastly superior Japanese naval force made up of four battleships, eight cruisers, and eleven destroyers. The Japanese fleet was within range of the American force virtually before either group was aware of the presence of the other. The Japanese began bombarding Taffy 3 almost immediately. To save the carriers, the small force of American destroyers and destroyer escorts throw themselves at the Japanese task force believing that by sacrificing themselves they can buy precious time for the American carriers and allow them to flee southward toward another grouping of friendly ships. Naval aviators from Taffy 3 also do all they can to thwart the on rushing Japanese, but many planes are launched quickly from the carriers armed with the wrong type of ordinance. Still, between the attacking aircraft and destroyers, they manage to slow, at least temporarily, the Japanese fleet. In the end three American destroyers are sunk and nearly 1000 sailors and airmen die.

Though the battle was small two huge firsts took place on October 25, 1944. The first and only American aircraft carrier was sunk by enemy naval surface gun fire. Also, October 25 marked the first successful kamikaze attack of World War II.

Well written and well researched The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors will be an easy read...it is gripping and a page turner. One aspect that Hornfischer is clear on is the cause of the battle. He clearly feels that Halsey must bear most of the blame for this near disaster. Halsey was guarding the northern flank of Taffy 3. Though the attack that nearly distroyed Taffy 3 came from the West, Halsey was not in position to give assistance since he had run off to the north looking for a rumored grouping of Japanese aircraft carriers.

Disaster was averted to be sure, but only because of the heroism of the skippers of three destroyers and their crews.

If you're a history lover then you'll love this book.

Incredible, Astonishing, Inspiring--and True, March 30, 2004
By Bill Marsano. The Battle of Leyte Gulf, in October of 1944, is still the greatest naval battle in history: Two gigantic armadas, Japanese and American, clashed as the Americans tried to take back the Philippines. Beyond the enormous forces involved, this battle, or series of battles, has other fascinations. For one, it was the last clash of the big-gun navies--battleship to battleship (featuring American battleships resurrected from Pearl Harbor). We shall not see its like again. Two, an American fleet was decoyed, leaving the invasion beaches with little protection. Three, that little protective force thereupon responded with what many consider the finest display of heroism, sacrifice and fighting seamanship in the history of the U.S. Navy.

James D. Hornfischer covers all three areas--plus some postwar history, including the reason the Navy has been wary of celebrating what he calls "the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour. If his prose rarely rises above the workmanlike, that's OK, because it seldom sinks to cheap melodrama and also (so far as I can tell) avoids the kind of amateurish mistakes and ignorant howlers that marred the likes of Craig Nelson's "The First Heroes." Indeed, Hornfischer does an excellent job of conveying the WWII naval milieu, probably because (despite his evident youth and lack of naval background) he seems to have done real research, incl.uding his own interviews. We come to know that there are human beings involved; this is not just a tale about sheet metal and shellfire. That means we are powerfully affected when he talks about the cost. He does not shrink from the terrible sufferings and horrible deaths involved, whether from scalding steam or explosions or fires in battle--or from delerium, exposure and sharks during an aftermath of long-delayed rescue.

The center of this story comes after the battleship duel (a disaster for the Japanese): When the decoy succeeds, Japan's powerful Center Force is left free to swoop into Leyte Gulf and destroy Gen. Douglas MacArthur's invasion force on the beach. Standing in the way (and utterly unaware) is Taffy 3, whose job is simply air support for the troops.

It's hard to express the imbalance between the two forces, which is so great it makes David vs. Goliath resemble a sporting proposition. The Japanese have 11 destroyers, 2 light cruisers, 6 heavy cruisers and 4 battleships (the largest of which, the Yamato, outweighs all of Taffy 3's ships combined). Taffy 3's excellent Fletcher-class destroyers are, as Hornfischer aptly notes, its only ships "not conceived as lesser versions of a more capable vessel." Taffy 3's 6 aircraft carriers, for example, are mere escort or "jeep" carriers (never intended for fleet actions). Its remaining ships are 4 of the frankly desperate "destroyer escorts," mainly intended for antisubmarine work.

The clash of these forces makes for exciting reading; as a Hollywood script it would be laughed out of town as outrageous fiction, but it is in fact true and inspiring. It would be unfair to the book to go into details here, but I should add that Hornfischer is particularly good on the ship-by-ship tactical end. Too many other accounts have focused excessively on Japanese confusion: While that did weigh in the balance, it's also clear that in some cases David simply outfought Goliath--and out-thought him, too.--Bill Marsano is a long-time amateur of naval history.

The Naval Equivalent to "Flags of Our Fathers", February 27, 2004
This book is superbly researched and written. It documents the personal lives of those Naval personnel, true patriots and heroes, which made General MacArthur's return to the Philippine's successful even after Bull Halsey naively fell for being pulled off of a screening position by a decoy of Japanese Aircraft Carriers. Called the Battle of Samar, I first became aware of this battle while taking my father-in-law to his WWII ship's reunion and no book will ever do a better job of documenting the battle. He served on a Destroyer Escort (DE411)which was the sister ship to DE413 (Samuel B. Roberts). The Sammy B., is one of four U.S. ships lost in the battle, whose activity is vividly documented by Hornfischer. There are maps with sufficient details to support the narrative and show locations of task forces and individual ships as the battle raged. Based upon hundreds of personal accounts weaved together in the sequence as events occurred, they make the battle come alive with the heroic accomplishments, pain, and heartache of sacrifice necessary for our freedom and liberty today. Exceptional quotes are too numerous to list in this space but the one I often recount for folks is from the skipper of the Sammy B. as the Johnston came by in the middle of the battle, "It gave me a hurt feeling to look at it...I saw her captain... I had met him at conferences...He was on the fantail conning his ship by calling down to the engine room...stripped to the waist, covered with blood...left hand wrapped in a handkerchief...That's the last I saw of him." Hornfischer sums it up very well when he writes, "...it was the greatest naval battle ever fought for distances it spanned, for the tonnage of ships sunk, for the duration of the duels between surface ships, and for the terrible losses of human life." The images of this book will remain with me for a long time!

An Amazing Story that Deserves to be Remembered, November 13, 2005
I first heard this story on audio CD and was so enthralled by it that I later read the book, which had the added benefit of maps of course. This is World War II history, naval combat narrative, and personal reporting at its finest.

My interest in this book started for two reasons. First, my paternal grandfather served aboard a Pacific based destroyer in World War II (DD-727, USS DeHaven II). Second, from reading "Battleship at War" by Ivan Musicant about the USS Washington I was particularly struck with awe and admiration of the accounts of the night time battles in the Solomons campaign, where US destroyers sacrificed themselves to engage Japanese battleships at literally point blank range. In many of these engagements the valiant little destroyers proved their worth, raking the superstructure of enemy ships more than ten times their size and allowing the larger US ships to either forge victory, or to escape alive to lick their wounds and fight another day. All this while lit up by Japanese searchlights, and drawing heavy fire.

This inspired me to search out stories about the bravery of US destroyers in WWII. Admittedly this seemed like a niche interest, but "Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" is a book that goes far, far beyond a battle history of some brave little ships that charged headlong into certain destruction as a course of duty.

The books starts by laying the framework for the final showdown of the naval battle for the Philippines, the battle of Samar, in which a large force of Japanese battleships -including the Yamato, the largest battleship ever built with the largest caliber naval guns ever fielded- came upon a small task force of US escort carriers and destroyers, Taffy 3. The Yamato itself was larger than all the destroyers of Taffy 3, and yet, in one of history's most improbable twists, the destroyers made torpedo and gun runs that effectively thwarted the Japanese onslaught! After describing the men who served on board the destroyers, the US invasion and Japanese defense strategies, and the battles leading up to Samar, the author gives us an incredibly vivid, personal, and detailed account of the battle itself. He doesn't hold back on the carnage of the encounter, which only strengthens the appreciation I feel for the men who served in the US Navy during WWII. The battle takes up the majority of the book, followed by an account of what the survivors whose ships had sunk from underneath them had to endure, adrift on the tropical, shark infested sea for over two days.

Every page of this story is not only amazing, but true. The bravery, sacrifice, and heroism replete in this book can only serve as excellent role models. Ever since reading this book, if I ever find myself in a situation I think is tough I simply have to think of what the men in the destroyers off Samar accomplished in far more dire circumstances to put my "troubles" in perspective.

As an additional bonus the book is beautifully written, with lyrical and lucid descriptions of the sea, and the battles that are waged upon it. It covers the historical, strategic, tactical, technical, and, to the largest and most satisfying degree, personal sides of the battle; It is written mainly from the American side, but from the Japanese side as much as possible as well.

All in all, HIGHLY recommended!

Excellent Writing, March 22, 2004
"The Last Stand Of The Tin Can Sailors" by James D. Hornfischer. Subtitled "The Extraordinary World War II Story Of The U.S. Navy's Finest Hour". Bantam Books, 2004.
From the biographical information on the WEB, it does not appear that the author, James Hornfischer, served in the Untied States Navy; this makes his book even more of an amazing accomplishment. He has absolutely captured the essence of an enlisted man in the US Navy, so much so that I can smell the gray paint (oil-based) that we slopped around the compartment in the Naval Air Training Center, Norman, Oklahoma. I can still remember the Chief warning us not to let the paint go on too thick as the paint would burn during action. ...As if we would ever see a battle in NATTC, Norman, which was about as far from either ocean as you could get. I was there as an Airedale in 1958, and, being Irish, I was proud of the Kelly green diagonal stripes on my dress blue jumper. In my opinion, Hornfischer has captured the quintessence of the feeling or disdain that the black shoe navy had for aviation, the brown shoe navy. The author has taken all these minimal details and woven a real and personal story of the men who served in the little "Taffy" fleet that was attacked by Imperial Japanese Navy that day in October, 1944.

First, he has addressed what the noted historian, John Keegan, was not willing to consider in his book, "The Face of Battle" (Viking Press, 1995):
personal courage in naval actions. In at least three places in "Tin Can Sailors", Hornfischer tells how it feels to be going into action where the chances of survival are nil. Yet they went: courage to stay at your station and to continue to load and fire despite the odds. Second, his detailed account of the action makes a good case for the fact that the Imperial Japanese Navy withdrew, NOT because they had misidentified the USN ships they were facing but rather because Japanese ships had been damaged so much. This book gives a detailed account of the damage inflicted by the destroyers (both DD and DE) and by the naval aircraft that were constantly strafing and bombing the Japanese ships. Even American (or British) admirals would hesitate if so many of their vessels had been so damaged.
Last, and it seems fitting in this book, the author only briefly mentions Admiral "Bull" Halsey. Halsey's misinterpretation of the strategic situation led to the potential disaster in Leyte Gulf; the heroism of the ordinary seamen prevented the disaster while writing a chapter of bravery. for the United Sates Navy. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Gave me back my hope, March 25, 2006
As a survivor of the genocide of Rwanda, this book reminded me of my own ordeal during the genocide. At first I was angry with Immaculee when I read the summary of her book, how can she forgive? Then when I started reading the book, I understood, I couldn't put it down, I couldn't stop crying, so many feelings that I thought existed only during that time, came back, I felt a lot of thirst, my mouth dry as well, my heart beating very fast...however at the end of the book I felt that something great have happened to me, a HEALING. I felt an excitment to live and to dream again, to stop living in the past, it reminded me that we are all God's children and that there's always HOPE.

Thank you Immaculee, God worked through you!

"Shining and Beautiful in Body and Soul" Immaculee Ilibagiza: A Grace of God, March 1, 2006
Immaculee's crucial book "Left to Tell" is beyond an account of the perils of genocide she survived by the Grace of God in Rwanda; Immaculee herself is a Grace of God for humanity.

Her story reaches the core of my being, as it will anyone who has a heart. But it is not just her story that is simultaneously so unfathomable yet so compelling, it is the love and forgiveness she radiates to all who were the killers of her very own family.

Both she and her precious book serve as an example from On High. The Christ-like forgiveness and compassion, the mission to help orphans left alone from the genocide of their parents, and her message of becoming one with God amidst our darkest hours, is indeed a sainted mission.

I applaud Immaculee; her courage in painstakingly detailing her accounts that ultimately created this book; her mission, and the purest love she radiates that is a profoundly bright light doing nothing less than bringing the Light of God into the hearts of humanity.

Let us join her to help the orphaned children. Visit orphansofrwanda.org for ways to help. Thank you, Immaculee, for sharing how God's Love can triumph and transform. Thank you for your profound book and for being a Grace of God.

Barbara Rose, Ph.D. author of If God Was Like Man, Know Yourself and If God Hears Me, I Want an Answer!

A wonderful book, February 22, 2006
Left to Tell is one of those books that I feel so grateful to the author for taking the time to write, for it offers improvement to us all. It is heart-touching, edifying, and life transforming. It tangibly teaches us, through the author's very real life trials, that there is more to life than we normally see, a divine element, and that life only becomes what it was meant to be when we bind with the spiritual in the depths of our human hearts.

In a way, Left to Tell reminded me a little bit of another fabulous book, Embraced by the Light. But in Embraced by the Light, Betty Eadie had to die to experience another reality. In Left to Tell, author Imaculee had so many thousands die around her, including her dearest family members (I write this weeping), to ultimately discover the truly beautiful Divine Reality that is always with us, if we would only call to It sincerely and passionately enough.

The story in Left to Tell is a tragic story that is still being played out today. Humanity is still plagued by groups of people who feel determined to wipe out other groups of people. The spiritual disease is the same, only the names and labels change. Read Left to Tell and you will learn that the only way to go is Love, and the only thing to offer is forgiveness. You will also learn that no matter what travesty hits you, no matter your age or situation in life, through faith in God's power, you can craft the life He intended for you. Left to Tell is indeed a beautiful book that is highly recommended. And I do thank the author for her sharing.

A Book The Entire Planet Should Read!!!!, March 10, 2006
I was up until 2:30 in the morning because I could not put this book down...
well except for the times that I was sobbing for several minutes at a time.
But even though this book is an unflinching account of
the some most heinous brutality in world history, it is amazingly
uplifting.

Some one else's review discribed Immaculee as a Grace of God.
And that she is. I'm not religious but I am spiritual, and even
though Immaculee is a devout Catholic, her spiritual revelation
transcends any religion. Her message of a love and forgiveness
so vast it is nearly incomprehensible, points the way to the only
way to recover from the mass insanity of the world today.

Immaculee, thank you for sharing your story, thank you for
how your book will make a difference in so many lives that
will touch the world. I want to share this book with everyone
I know.
This is one of the most important books I've ever read. In my life.
God Bless you Immaculee.

Hell on Earth; Paradise in Her Soul, September 16, 2006
Many authors try to solve the mystery of suffering by examining it purely through a theological grid. Others attempt to understand evil only through the framework of personal experience. Immaculee Ilibagiza combines both. Her devout faith in a good God along with her hell-on-earth, paradise-in-her-soul approach makes "Left to Tell" a unique and rewarding book.

Every honest person admits that they want to discover God amidst the good and the bad of life. We all ask the questions that Ilibagiza addresses. "Where is God?" "How do I forgive evil?" Few are forced to probe such questions in the midst of such soul-numbing devastation.

Through her candid autobiography of suffering, heaven and hell meet, paradise and prison convene. Through her riveting account of their encounter, readers bump up against the reality that the infinite love of an all-wise, but often mysterious God, can provide hope to the hurting, release from rage, and faith during the darkest night of the soul.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Soul Physicians," "Spiritual Friends," and "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction."

Harrowing but hopeful, March 11, 2006
This beautiful, but heartbreaking true story by Immaculee Ilibagiza brings a nation's horror right down to a personal level. So much of our world seems in an endless cycle of murder and revenge; Ilibagiza experienced unimaginable terror and personal loss, but emerged with a strong faith and a willingness to forgive.

In sharing her story, she gives hope, not only to her torn nation, but to the whole world. This is one of the finest stories of this genre since THE HIDING PLACE by Corrie Ten Boom or THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK.

This book is both timely in its relevance and timeless in its truth. It's well-written, but not an "easy" read. It's a book to ponder, to absorb, to weep with, and ultimately to learn from. Take this journey from despair to hope.

Surviving the genocide., March 10, 2006
We often speak of the power of love, but we forget (or at least undermine) that hate is sadly, just as powerful. You get a sense of this as you read "Left to Tell". Before the book came out, I had heard Immaculee Ilibagiza speak at a radio station and I'd also read a lot about her online. When I heard the book was out, the most natural thing for me was to get it and read it. I devoured it in two nights, and it touched me in a way I didn't think possible.

Virtually all her family members were butchered - by neighbors, former classmates, teachers, and family friends. Only her brother Aimable, who was studying in Senegal at the time of the genocide survived. Ilibagiza was hidden for months in a tiny bathroom in the paster's house with several other Tutsi women. The killers came in the dozens and ransacked the room multiple times, but never bothered to move the wardrobe that hid the bathroom's entrance. In the bathroom hiding with them was also a brave seven year old girl, who kept silent the whole time. They were fed scraps and leftovers to avoid any suspicion since most of the people who lived in that house were unaware of their presence. She lost half her body weight by the time she left the bathroom. Immaculee gives an incredible (almost unimaginable) account of how she forgave those who killed her family, how her faith was tested and strengthened countless times, and how she has achieved inner peace.

Immaculee is now married and lives in the States with her husband and children. She said she would not tell her children what happened - they would read it for themselves when they grew up. I only understood what she meant when I finished reading the book.

Discovering God Amidst Horror, March 10, 2006
What an account of heartbreak and faith. It is one of the best I've ever read. Immaculee Ilibagiza's story is both simultaneously heartbreaking and tremendously hopeful for humanity to find love and God, even amidst a holocaust.

This is an incredible book written by an incredible woman who is shining a light for all. It makes you wonder about the small things people get upset over and puts it all in great perspective. I'm in full agreement with the reviewer who called her a grace of God. It is only God's love shining through Immaculee that can make an impact as important as this for humankind. A Profound and life changing book and person.

Compassion Taken to Its Pinnacle and One Woman's Resolve in Achieving It, March 9, 2006
Those like me, who were deeply moved by the heroism of resort hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina in Terry George's 2004 film, "Hotel Rwanda", will find this intensely personal memoir just as inspiring. The thought of almost a million people killed over a 100-day period is unimaginable, but that is exactly what happened a mere dozen years ago in Rwanda when the dominant Hutu tribe slaughtered the minority Tutsi tribe in a civil war. In the western province of Kibuye, author Immaculee Ilibagiza was 22 years old when for three months, she was huddled clandestinely with seven other Tutsi women in the claustrophobic bathroom of a local Episcopal priest, an ethnic Hutu named Simeon Nzabahimana, as the unprecedented genocide occurred.

While parallels to Anne Frank's diary are inevitable and unsettling in the tragically ironic way history repeats itself, Ilibagiza provides a more reflective perspective than a young, naive adolescent like Frank really could. From her unflinching recollections (with assistance from writer Steve Erwin), there is a palpable sense that she has wholeheartedly earned the right to embrace the impossible in order to endure an unconceivable series of tragedies, most of which occurred after her hiding - the shooting death of her father when she was in hiding, her mother's murder by machete, her brother Vianney's death among a stadium of refugees looking for food and shelter, another brother's death during an escape attempt to the Congo, as well the killings of her grandparents. The brutality of these deaths is only surpassed by the individuality of each one, i.e., these were not communal executions in gas chambers but murders that occurred one at a time.

Much of her resolve and pervasive sense of humanity comes from her faith. As a devout Catholic, she survived her ordeal by promising never to seek vengeance against the ruling Hutus. One cannot help but be moved by her tenacity and uncompromising faith, and her youthful idealism has actually evolved into her current career working for the UN Development Program with the charter of seeking global tolerance. True to her word, she obviously does not begrudge the UN for their peacekeeping forces' delinquent and limited involvement in the Rwandan civil war. Ilibagiza's precisely written story certainly puts one's comparatively trivial problems in perspective. A powerful read.

A Stunning Account, March 6, 2006
Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza is an awe inspiring account of her survival of the Rwandan Holocaust of 1994. She was a college girl forced to hide in a 3 by 4 foot bathroom with many other women for 3 months while Hutu terrorists hunted daily for her. During these months she lost half her body weight. Yet during this ordeal she experienced amazing spiritual insights as she greatly deepened her Christian/Catholic faith. This is a book about survival, but it is also a book about love and forgiveness. This is truly a must read. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In the late 1960s, Eliot Wigginton and hisstudents created the magazine Foxfirein an effort to record and preserve thetraditional folk culture of the Southern Appalachians.This is the original book compilation of Foxfirematerial which introduces Aunt Arie and hercontemporaries and includes log cabin building, hogdressing, snake lore, mountain crafts and food, and"other affairs of plain living." ... Read more

Reviews

One of the Foxfire books we use the most, July 29, 2003
Owning the FOXFIRE series of books this is one that I probably use the most, since I am an organic gardener who found value in the information on planting according by the moons phase as well as how to weave baskets as well as the quilting section.

These are not fancy dancy books, but basic down to earth helpful information that the modern homesteaders we know still use. And the section on snake lore is informative as well as enchanting. Same with the section on moonshine.

And for those like ourselves who have designed and are in the slow process of building our dream homes or cottages the section on chimney building is one of the best we have ever read or used.

I also will add that the used copy we bought via Amazon,com to replace another copy we gave away, arrived in mint condition. If you haven't bought used books via Amazon.com you are missing out on a money saving gem.

The Foxfire Series is a Treasure, November 24, 2005
The Foxfire series is the creation of English teacher Elliott Wigginton (Wig) who made it a point to have students participating in his program interview older folks to find out how they did things in everyday life. And even though this is the work of high school students, the writing is clear, concise, informative, and very readable. Good writing is good writing.

Each volume is like a time capsule, capturing the wisdom and know-how from individuals born around the turn of the 20th century. And while the focus is based around the inhabitants in and around Rabun County, Georgia, this information shows life as it was in America circa the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.

After reading several of these volumes, I think what appealed to me most of all was the fact that these older folks in the 80s and 90s weren't viewed as forgotten relics of a bygone era. They were treated with respect and dignity, and their memories treated as the treasures that they indeed are. It's a shame nowadays that we don't have more publications like Foxfire that highlight the knowledge gained from our older population. So many folks in the 70s, 80s, and 90s sit alone at home, or nursing homes forgotten and alone. They are untapped resources of great stories and wisdom. Fortunately for us, the people at Foxfire realized the value of these individuals and preserved some of those stories for future generations to cherish and enjoy.

If you have an interest in 19th century knowlege and an appreciation or an interest in how things used to be, you cannot do without this series.

great book I know for a fact this is the way it was., June 22, 1999
My great-grand parents and my grandparents and even most recently my 97 year old aunt did live and think like this. I at the age of 52 now have planted by the signs all my life since age 8. My mother believed in a lot of the old remedies in this book. My mother's mother was part Cherokee indian and they too passed along a lot of what was in the book. If things continue on the same tract as they are going now, we will probably be doing this very same thing real soon. The only problem, the young generation of today do not know how to do any of the stuff in the foxfire book and just laugh at us oldies when we try to tell them how it was and may very well be in the future. I hope they never have to experience this way of life. They will never make it. I have an issue I purchased in 1972 . I can't tell you how many time I have referred to it regarding some of the remedies and the food. A person can make a great quilt from this also. Never tried the still "ha, ha"

The best begining is a simple one., October 12, 2000
My father tried to teach me from the moment I would pay attention, until the time I "knew it all", about simplicity. When I was in boy scouts, I read all kinds of books. The problem with most is that most people have no kind of base to start from. The whole foxfire series tells a story of the way life used to be. If you are into "outdoors" type books or life style, it captures the wonder of it all. Most books of this nature tend to get technical leaving what was interesting behind, fun. Around the time I was getting burnt out on tech books, my father found original foxfire books. Now all of the tech books mean more to me than ever before. They approach simple living "camping" from an entirely different vantage point. Now it's time to get my own set.

buy it and use it, June 17, 2006
Don't get me wrong the entire series is amazing. Book one is the best and one of the more practical. The chapter on log cabin building was my inspiration to build my own cabin. At least 75% of the cabin was directions from this very book. Reading a Foxfire (any of them) does something to you that's hard to explain. I think of Foxfire books as almost a self-help guide that teaches you how to slow down for a minute. I recommend this book for anybody with high blood pressure or some kind of anxiety problem. It's therapeutic. These students met some really neat people of Appalachia. We can't let this way of life fade away as it almost has in my hometown, Knoxville.

Fueled by moonshine, March 17, 2006
In 1980 I was a freshman in college with a part time job that paid $3.50 an hour. My car at the time was a 1973 Plymouth station wagon that got 12 mpg on a good day. Downhill. With a tail wind. Because fuel costs were eating up a good part of my check, I began to explore the possibilities of fueling the car with alternative fuels, mainly moonshine. The Foxfire books were one of the sources that I turned to in an effort to learn about the process. Needless to say, I never got around to building my still, but my interest in the tradition of oral history was fired in a big way. I picked up the rest of the set over the next few years and was fascinated by them all. The Foxfire books are the ultimate "how it used to be" source. Highly recommended.

A day late and a dollar short........., February 9, 2000
Because I have hundreds of books, and thought I might put someof them up for auction......I looked through the library and tried toweed out some I could get along without. We were living in Montana with two kids, no money and looking to improve our lives. Because of where we were living, we couldn't raise a hog, didn't have snakes, but we did hunt. And we did have a garden and were able to plant by the signs. And this book was a God send in a lot of areas. Guess I'll hold onto it. You never know when all the wonderful tips will come in handy again! PS: If moonshine is in your domain.......the guidance in this book is great! END

PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST IN THIS GENRE, March 25, 2007
The Foxfire books are a wonderful thing and we are so lucky to have them. Many of the ways, crafts, planting lore, animal lore, and as the book says "affairs of plain living" are preserved here. This particular volume includes different wood and it's uses, Mountain Recipes, Slaughtering Hogs, weather signs faith healing and so very, very much more. this is a wonderful recording of life the way it was and probably never will be again. The book is quite well written and has faithfully recorded even the dialect of these wonderful people, from which so many of us sprung. That is a big part of the charm of these works. This book includes actual interviews with folks from that region of the country which I am sure are long dead now. Their knowledge would be completely lost without works such as this. Another generation or two and it will all be completely gone. Thank goodness we have recordings such as this. Recommend this one highly.

A heapin' helpin' of good reading, July 24, 2002
If you've never heard of the Foxfire series, then you are in for a treat. By all means, you have an interest in the lore of the Smokey Mountains, Appallachian culture, or if you just want to learn the "way it was", then start reading these books.
Subjects ranging from folk medicine, ghost stories, cooking, woodslore and much more. If you are involved in "living history" or you work for a recreated farm/museum, these books are a gold mine of information. The text can be a bit difficult to follow, but this is because it is written the way these people still speak. If anything, it adds to the authenticity and charm of the series. Even if you never attempt to build a log cabin, or make "leather britches beans" you're sure to find a "heapin' helpin' of good reading.

How did Americans get food before the Supermarket?, August 13, 2002

Thankfully, the old ways of Appalachian country living are preserved in these interesting and relevant instructional books. If you've ever been interested in how rural Americans survived before the days of Wal-Mart and Shoprite, you only have to look to the Foxfire books.

These books are very useful and informative. They come with plenty of diagrams and photos to teach you how to live off the land. Before the advent of trailer homes and double-wides, rural Americans had to build log homes. Before satellite TV and Playstations we had banjos and ghost stories. And before welfare, people were self-sufficient and could live off the land.

Not only can these books teach you about country living, they are handy for any writers or researchers who want details on Appalachian mountain life. There are lots of monologues and stories told by old-timers here. In many cases the living language of these folks is preserved quite well, and by reading their stories you almost feel like you're with them.

-- JJ Timmins ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

Juggling Union, Slavery, State Sovereignty, Republican Platform..., March 13, 2010
If you are interested in the history of slavery or the ideas of Abraham Lincoln, this book is enlightening. Rather than read what others say about the Lincoln-Douglas debates, during which Lincoln gives his reasons for being Abolitionist, I would suggest reading these documents yourself. The first speeches can be a bit hard to get through unless you have a good knowledge of what Douglas said, but once you understand Lincoln's and Douglas's basic ideas, the rest goes fairly fast and you'll be able to see Lincoln's personality come out.

I couldn't put it down.

Here are just a few of my observations from the speeches:

The several speeches in this book, including those given at the Lincoln-Douglas Debates by Lincoln (not Douglas), show Lincoln was an Abolitionist. His opponent, on the other hand, claimed neither for nor against but would have allowed the resolution of the issue to go either way. In fact, Lincoln makes very good arguments pointing to Douglas being in a conspiracy for slavery.

Lincoln, time and again, pointed out in his speeches how Douglas was actually trying to force all States to be Slave States, by inserting wording into certain legislation that would have made this possible and by supporting the Dred Scott decision.

Lincoln spoke against any forcible meddling in the affairs of the Slave States (war) and preferred to solve the question peaceably. He was of the opinion that at some point in time, either all States would be free or all would have slaves and that the Founding Fathers foresaw the inevitable end to slavery. He definitely intended to work to end slavery, while his opponent pretended to allow any resolution to the problem.

Lincoln was asked, if a Territory where there were slaves wished to become a State, would he allow that Territory to become a State. Lincoln replied that unless he could find something unconstitutional about it, he would feel forced to admit the Territory. However, Lincoln was against slavery in every Territory, and he believed that no Territory would vote to allow slavery. Douglas, on the other hand, was doing everything possible to allow slavery in Territories if even one slaveholder brought his possessions to that Territory.

From reading these speeches, one can see that Lincoln was juggling a variety of factors but was able to put his ideas together logically and believably. He gave some points to the South by saying that, yes, every person including blacks are equal under the law but that equality in intelligence, for instance, was yet to be proven. When he made such comments, however, he never emphatically stated such as opinions. From a historical viewdpoint, I don't think that any of these statements take away from his greatness nor his real desire to see all people free and equal. ... Read more

Editorial Review

" On March 30, 1970, Secretariat drew his first breath in a little white foaling shed on a historic farm called The Meadow in Caroline County, Virginia. Three years later he would leave the nation breathless as he captured the Triple Crown, shattering records and rivals alike. At The Meadow, America s Super Horse learned to gallop across its rolling fields and its loamy track. There, Secretariat first felt the calming hand of a groom, the taste of a bit in his mouth and the weight of a rider on his back. At The Meadow, the foundation was laid for a legend. Though much has been written about his spectacular racing career, the complete story of Secretariat s birthplace and the Chenery family who raised and raced him has never been told...until now. And a Chenery granddaughter is telling it. Secretariat s Meadow The Land, The Family, The Legend reveals an intimate picture of this storied place from the viewpoint of Kate Chenery Tweedy, daughter of Penny Chenery (Tweedy) and granddaughter of Meadow Stable s founder Christopher T. Chenery. Co-authored with Leeanne Meadows Ladin, the book tells not only Secretariat s story, but the story of an enduring piece of land where an empire built on broodmares eventually produced an immortal son. " ... Read more

Reviews

More Than Just a Horse, More Than Just a Horse Story, September 3, 2010
This wonderful book brings to life all the people who made The Meadow Stable such a prominent figure in Thoroughbred racing, from Christopher T. Cherney's dream to his grand-daughter's, Penny Cherney's dream horse, Secretariat.

This is no one note history of an East Coast Horse Country family, so much more than a simple regional history. It is a tribute to the land, the beginning of a breeding/racing empire and the extended family who made it all possible, a rare trifecta of fate. Such a book could only be accomplished by an author who has intimate knowledge of such details, Penny Cherney's daughter, Kate Cherney Tweedy, is one of the authors. She is joined by Leanne Meadows and noted Virginia photographer, Wayne Dementi. The story, photographs and acknowledgement of so many people who make up a successful racing operation endears these three to my heart.

A horse-crazed teenage girl, I was glued to Derby, Preakness and the Belmont Stakes every year, hoping to witness such a winner. I can remember in vivid detail Secretariat's ascent to Triple Crown glory and into my heart where he will live forever. Other college girls had their rooms plastered with posters of the Pop stars, mine were newspaper clippings and photos of the greatest thoroughbred of my generation. His effect has not lessened some 30 years later, tears still run down my face whenever I see a film clip of "Big Red" on the racetrack. I know I will never see anything like Secretariat again in my life.

This Autumn there is to be a film released about Secretariat starring Diane Lane as Penny Cherney, the "First Lady of Racing". Three horses are making up his role, I am surprised it did not entail more. This book comes at the crucial time to heighten interest in him again and then there are those of us who have already purchased a box of tissues and tickets for the local primere.

May I also recommend some of my Secretariat favorites:

Secretariat, Updated Edition

The Life & Times of Secretariat, an American Racing Legend

Secretariat: The Making of a Champion

Later this month another Secretariat book, this time for children, will be released: Big Red Horse, the Secretariat Story. You know there will be a place on my bookshelf for it no matter what the age of the target audience.

Enjoy the book!

UPDATE: 10/16/10 Just finished "The Big Red Horse" and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Hearts of the Meadow, September 2, 2010
The Hearts of the Meadow

This book seems to pick up where Raymond Wolfe's 2001 edition of 'Secretariat' left off. In the footnote at the end of that work Raymond updated the readers on the condition of the Meadow in 1998, with Ross Sternhiemer's purchase of the estate. 'Secretariat's Meadow' begins there and takes us back into the history of the land and its people, the players and circumstances that generated the spirit of determination that would eventually give to America if not its greatest then certainly one of its most gifted Thoroughbred performers. A brief synopsis of this piece might look like this: with beginnings dating back to the early 1700s, the land rooted in plantations and slave ownership, we are led through ante and postbellum periods with regard to specific families, characters , social conditions, and geography. At the core is one clan, the Morris family, headed by a physician who acquired the acreage from wealthy landowners. The Meadow remained with the family for more than a century when in the clutches of the devastation and poverty the civil war left behind, the land was sold. The war filtered out the strong from the weak, and James Chennery and wife Ida, relations who resided at the Meadow for a time, were determined to survive the aftermath. Moving to Richmond and then to Ashland, their future lied with the education of their children. All their sons and daughters succeeded in their own respective professions, journalism, medicine, and engineering, the latter ascribed to the ambitious and creative Christopher who would eventually return the Meadow to the family. Developing a passion for horses and horse racing in particular, young Christopher set out to accomplish his most pressing need, to secure his finances. Years later, after co-founding a successful utilities operation in New York and establishing financial independence, he was then in position to pursue his passion, to purchase and return the Meadow to its family roots and install a Thoroughbred breedership upon it. The rest is history. The story of Secretariat is one of the determination bred long before into the land and blood of the Meadow, into the hearts of a people who were determined to survive the devastation of war, and into the souls of a handful of Virginians who longed to return the land to the best parts of its past. I sense this story will be told and re-told according to differing views by later generations, perhaps a work that chronicles all of American racing and its roots in aristocratic circles of which Virginia with its Bullfield and Meadow is at the epicenter. Whatever the piece, the Meadow with its people and horses offers fertile ground for choice. In his work 'The Horse God Built', Lawrence Scanlan tells of a young woman he met working at the Meadow who used to hear a galloping horse on its track at 3 am on certain days. Others heard it as well. The spooky sound left Whitney Jones believing it was the spirit of Secretariat breezing through his birth place, continuing to live the dreams of all his connections and predecessors. She recalled another incident when opening a gate, she had the experience of something powerful running through her. The Meadow's pride for its finest sons and daughters, both human and non-human, has been carved deep into the bone of its land and people.

This is a wonderfully written and researched account of a segment of American history. The only suggestion offered is for the inclusion of an appendix detailing the historical events of The Meadow in a chronological manner. This can provide a quick reference tool for readers.

Scretariat's Heritage, September 3, 2010
I just received my copy of Secretariat's Meadow and couldn't stop reading until I had finished the book. The history behind The Meadow is fascinating and so well told. Of course Secretariat's personal story is mesmerizing but it is only part of the whole picture. A thank you to the authors for bringing this family story, the people and the wonderful horses who created The Meadow, to life. The photographs are wonderful-thank you again. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Secretariat: Big Red, huge heart, October 6, 2010
Here is a heartwarming overview of a racing dynasty that produced one of, if not the most famous thoroughbred racing horse of all time - Secretariat. This coffee table-sized, visually appealing book focuses on the history of the Chenery family and their meadow, the Virginia breeding farm where many top thoroughbreds got their start. From the Civil War-era to the 1970s when Secretariat became their Triple Crown winner, the stories and photos of the family and their farm are unique and fascinating, sure to appeal to history buffs, horse breeders, and just plain horse lovers everywhere. One enlightening chapter is devoted to the African-American stable hands who did everything from mucking out stalls to training the colts, to working as exercise jockeys, to handling valuable breeding stallions (often not an easy task), and finally, to being head groom and companion to the big red horse that captured not only a nation, but the world. For those readers, like me, who can't get enough of the big, chestnut horse, you may be disappointed at the dearth of photos of Secretariat himself, as he was not only one of the great legends of all time, but he was a hell of a magnificent looking stallion!

Reviewed by Christina Forsythe

Secretariat's Meadow, October 26, 2010
I am not one for doing a lot of reading, but a friend of mine insisted. Her sister co-authored the book and it was fantastic. It let me know some of the history about the area that Secretariat came from and how close I am to that area now. I live in chesterfield, Va, just south of Richmond and Doswell is about 30 miles to the north.

It was a great book and now I am waiting for the movie, which I also have seen, and it was FANTASTIC.

Beyond the Movie-the Story of Secretariat's Home, October 10, 2010
His story has been told and retold so many times that it doesn't seem that there could be anything more to say, but "Secretariat's Meadow" is something new: a journey back in time to a once-important stable that was the first home to not one, but several great champions of the 20th century, including the great Secretariat.

This is a story that the co-author, Kate Tweedy, is uniquely qualified to tell. The daughter of Penny Chenery, she spent time at the Meadow in her childhood and witnessed firsthand her mother's efforts to save it from insolvency and the campaigns of both Riva Ridge and Secretariat that claimed five out of six Triple Crown races over two consecutive years. This is the story of a farm that was a family home as well as a racing operation, and the people there who made it all possible.

Reading through the book is like finding previously undiscovered gems in an heirloom jewel box. Among them, some sweet and previously untold stories of Big Red's younger days, and photos of horses other than Secretariat and Riva Ridge running in the Meadow silks--for many, the first such photos ever seen. The many photos are fascinating and the text is well written. An absolutely beautiful book and a worthwhile addition to the library of any Secretariat or horseracing fan.

secretariat, October 8, 2010
I woild highly reccommend this book. It tells the story of Claiborne farm and the people involved. It tells the history of the Chenerys, the farm and its horses. The photos are a real treat and everything about this book is done with extreme care and quality. The photos of Riva Ridge and Secretariat are a real treat as are all the other photos of the people and the farm. Kate Teedy also has a nice way of writing and putting it all together. You won't be dissapointed.

Secretariat's Medow, September 28, 2010
At first I didn't think I would like this book, I thought it would be more of a story like " THE MAKING OF A CHAMPION", However after giving the book a chance I LOVED IT. Gives the reader a real view of history behind the Meadow and the people that made it work. Makes a GREAT coffee table conversation piece.
The pictures of Secretariat and the other horses, & the history behind them.
Really takes you back to the "HIS" quest for the coveted CROWN

Linda

An accessible, insightful, and candid tour, September 25, 2010
Secretariat's Meadow: The Land, The Family, The Legend is a gorgeous coffee table book, illustrated throughout with black-and-white and color photography and images, detailing the history behind the famous Triple Crown-winning racehorse Secretariat, his birthplace, and the family that raised and raced him. The genesis of the modern racehorse legend and the people responsible for his care stretches back hundreds of years, but Secretariat's Meadow especially focuses upon Christopher Chenery, who masterminded the transformation of a humble farm into the genesis of a legendary champion. Any reader with an avid interest in the history of championship horse racing is sure to delight in this accessible, insightful, and candid tour.

Gorgeous, December 13, 2010
An absolutely beautiful collector's book on a much beloved horse and the family who did absolutely all the right things, at absolutely the right time, to enable his historical performances on the track. The (should be) legendary Christopher Chenery was quite a man; his lifelong achievements are something to be proud of, he was extraordinary. There are some beautiful photographs of The Meadow, as well as its history, and there are many beautiful photographs of Secretariat. Two of the most poignant photographs, in my opinion, was one of Secretariat at six months of age. I'd never seen this picture and wish there was someplace I could purchase a copy of it, it brought me to tears. The other was a photograph of a very young woman who traveled from the Midwest to The Meadow to visit the horse she loved so much, Riva Ridge. In this photograph, the girl is stroking his face and talking to him and the horse is standing in a posture of gentle reciprocation, it is an exquisite portrait of a very special moment in time. I wonder who that young woman was: her back story would make a wonderful novel for young adults. Thank you, Ms. Chenery, for sharing your family history with us. I know the life experience of every person (some much more than others, obviously) carries memories that may not be so good, situations that pause us even now (no matter how many years distant from them we may be), and I'm certain yours is no exception. But...you were remarkably blessed to have been part of something so glorious and courageous, your grandfather's and mother's stoicism and ultimate victory. I'm sure you appreciate all of this, or you wouldn't have produced this beautiful book. Thank you for sharing it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Sure, it?s the Happiest Place on Earth, but how much do the 45 million-plus people who visit the Disney World theme parks annually really know about it? From where to find all the hidden Mickeys to the truth behind Madame Leota?s ring at the Haunted Mansion, readers learn all about the hidden magic that permeates these fabulous resorts in this tell-all handbook. Readers also get the insider?s take on:

• The smell of home-baked cookies on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom
  
• The Fountain of World Friendship in Epcot that contains water from rivers and oceans around the globe
  
• Walt Disney?s opening day speech tapped out in Morse Code in Frontierland
  
• The eco-friendly benches (recycled milk jugs) in the Animal Kingdom
  
• Two versions of The Great Movie Ride at Disney?s Hollywood Studios
  

Reviews

Sorry to have to criticize, July 25, 2009
I enjoy books about Disney and normally don't judge them harshly.

But people should be warned about this one. In just the first couple dozen pages, there are numerous items that are out of date. It's kind of sad that families will go searching for the old-fashioned phone in the General Store, will go to awaken Tinker Bell in the Fantasyland shop, will go to see Tink in the keyhole of the sewing table there, the wooden leg on the lost and found shelf at the Frontierland station -- when all of these features have been removed over a year ago. In addition to being outdated, the information is sometimes just wrong. For instance, it isn't true that "WDW imagineers could not dig a basement in Orlando as they did at Disneyland in California ..." There are no utilidors in Disneyland. (Walt was frustrated to see a cowboy walking through Tomorrowland on his way to work in Frontierland in Disneyland -- since there was no other way to cross the park. And the idea for the WDW ultidors was born!)

If I can spot things that are wrong, I wonder what a real Disney expert would find. The editing was skethcy, too. For instance, the red and green faces of Cinderella's evil stepsisters are "belying" their anger and jealousy. "Belying" means hiding or contracting. What the author meant was "revealing."

Unfortunately, this book is a regurgitation of all the "WDW Secrets" lists on the Internet. Some of the items on those list aren't legitimate. For instance, the three-circled cut-out shapes in the stone wall that curves along the walkways to the front of the castle - at no time of day do they cast a Mickey-shaped shadow on the ground. I read about this online a couple of years ago and went on many occasions to the castle to see the shadows. I kept coming back to check. I asked castmembers. It doesn't happen.

Great Book even for the WDW Professionals :), August 24, 2009
Hi, my wife and I have been going to WDW every year since 92', and have read a lot of books about the parks, and I think this is one of the best, a lot of Disney Imagioneer secrets that were laid out when they were creating the parks, rides & attractions, and that are right in front of you, but you have to know what to look for, and this book has a lot of info in that regard. Well put together, and easy to read, I learned a lot and look forward to looking for a lot of these hidden secrets on this year's trip.

Enjoy the parks even more!, June 9, 2009
As a long time Disney fan, I've devoted a lot of time to my Disney obsession, both on vacation and at home (so much so, that I met my wife on a Walt Disney World fan site). I've read so many Walt Disney World guide books that they all look alike to me anymore. The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World is not a Disney World guide book intended to teach you how to get around the parks and when the best time to ride Dumbo is. What this book does is point out a lot of the overlooked and hidden details about the park. Many of the details that the average guest may look right at, failing to understand what they're looking at or why it's there, and failing to appreciate the meaning of it as a result. This book points out the painstaking detail the imagineers design into the park in an attempt to maintain an authentic atmosphere, or to ensure you truly *feel* the emotions they want you to feel at that moment, thus, allowing you to truly experience the magic. This book is for those who have reached the point where they wander through the parks, no longer paying close attention to their surroundings as a result of a mistaken belief that they've seen all there is to see in the parks. It will elevate their appreciation to another level and is a must have addition to any Walt Disney World fan's bookshelf!

Revealing information but A LOT of it, January 28, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. I have been going to Disney World ever since I was a newborn. This is the first time I purchased a book about Disney World because I wanted to know a little bit more about the place i love. The book has a lot of really interesting facts, but there are so many little facts that the book gets a little complicated to read. The book, at some points is described as if you are walking through each of the parks, and unless you vividly remember each section, you're not going to know what the author is talking about. I suggest reading the book with the virtual map of Disney World that you can find online or through google earth, it makes it less confusing because you "see" exactly what the author is talking about. Overall this book got 4 stars from me because it presented some interesting facts but didn't need to include the initials of every imagineer that ever created anything....

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World, August 22, 2009
This is a fantastic and fun to read book.
It is full of little odds and ends and interesting tid-bits about all of the Disney World parks such as the accuracy and historically correct design of the different areas of the Magic Kingdom.
I liked it so much, I ordered a second one for a family member.

Enjoyable read, May 30, 2009
I'm always happy to learn more trivia about my favorite place on Earth, so I picked this book up as soon as I found out about it. I think I wanted to be blown away by all sorts of hidden secrets, but probably half of the items in here I already knew about or had noticed before. That said, there were still several new things that I'll be looking for on our upcoming trip.

The style of the book is basically a walkthrough of the four parks with the aim to draw your attention to all the wonderful details at WDW. There are interesting tidbits throughout about why things are designed the way they are and how the Imagineering mindset works. My favorite part was a breakdown of the history of each park, walking through nearly year by year and detailing when attractions/parades opened and closed. I love that kind of stuff.

Overall, a nice book and a worthy read for the WDW fan.

Even this Disney veteran learned a lot!, September 12, 2009
I am a genuine Disneyophile -- I've been to Walt Disney World at least once a year since it opened in 1971. So most Disney books are more like a familiar stroll with an old friend. But this book had plenty of secrets that even I didn't know!

No matter which Disney park is your favorite, you'll know all kinds of new fun facts and trivia. This will make your next (or first) trip to Disney World even more special!

Disney Magic, August 5, 2009
What a great book. I like how it was broken down by park and ride or attraction. Lots of great information and very fun to read. I loved reading about the stories behind the rides and attractions. If you are a fan of Walt Disney World I highly recommend this book.

Good Book For Disney Enthusiasts., July 27, 2010
Good Book For Disney Enthusiasts. Full of a lot of history and back stories on the parks.

Great book for those truly looking for all the little details, July 10, 2010
Perhaps my favorite aspect of Walt Disney World is all the little details the Imagineers have added throughout the parks to make them so special and complex. As a result, I really loved this book and carried it with me on my last trip to the World. I've read a lot of things online about hidden details in the parks, but this book introduced "secret" details to me that I'd never heard before. I really liked knowing the historical background of so many aspects of the parks in addition to the hidden details there, and although I couldn't take note of all of them this trip (the book is so detailed that one could probably make a trip or two down to the World solely to look for all the details mentioned in this book), just knowing that all this rich detail exists makes me appreciate Walt Disney World so much more. I must say I would've liked if the book could have included Downtown Disney, the water parks, and/or at least some of the resorts, as there are tons of details there that I would have liked to hear about, but I understand why the book was just limited to the four main theme parks.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates Walt Disney World for not just the rides and characters, but for the special touches that make it so truly special. It is NOT a guidebook or a tool to help you plan your trip, and would be best used in conjunction with a guidebook such as the Unofficial Guide or Passporter. Also, although the book was published in 2009, since Walt Disney World is constantly changing, some things in the book may already be outdated, but there are enough details in the book that can still be found that make it highly worth reading. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Gail Collins, New York Times columnist and bestselling author, recounts the astounding revolution in women's lives over the past 50 years, with her usual "sly wit and unfussy style" (People).

When Everything Changed begins in 1960, when most American women had to get their husbands' permission to apply for a credit card. It ends in 2008 with Hillary Clinton's historic presidential campaign. This was a time of cataclysmic change, when, after four hundred years, expectations about the lives of American women were smashed in just a generation.

A comprehensive mix of oral history and Gail Collins's keen research--covering politics, fashion, popular culture, economics, sex, families, and work--When Everything Changed is the definitive book on five crucial decades of progress. The enormous strides made since 1960 include the advent of the birth control pill, the end of "Help Wanted--Male" and "Help Wanted--Female" ads, and the lifting of quotas for women in admission to medical and law schools. Gail Collins describes what has happened in every realm of women's lives, partly through the testimonies of both those who made history and those who simply made their way.

Picking up where her highly lauded book America's Women left off, When Everything Changed is a dynamic story, told with the down-to-earth, amusing, and agenda-free tone for which this beloved New York Times columnist is known. Older readers, men and women alike, will be startled as they are reminded of what their lives once were--"Father Knows Best" and "My Little Margie" on TV; daily weigh-ins for stewardesses; few female professors; no women in the Boston marathon, in combat zones, or in the police department. Younger readers will see their history in a rich new way. It has been an era packed with drama and dreams--some dashed and others realized beyond anyone's imagining. ... Read more

Reviews

We've Come A Long Way, Baby - But We Still Have A Long Way to Go, October 26, 2009
From June Cleaver to Hillary Clinton, Gail Collins` new book, When Everything Changed, reminds us of both how much everything has changed for American women in the last 50 years and just how little. Collins writes skillfully about the "olden" days when a glamour career for a woman was to be a stewardess and when the reason most women went to college to get a "Mrs.".

As accessible as she is on the Op-Ed page of the New York Times, and as wryly funny, Collins illustrates the historical facts with the stories of real women including those whose names we all know (Hilary Clinton, Sarah Palin and Michelle Obama) as well as those we would probably not know unless we read her book.

What Collins does particularly well though is to highlight that there still isn't gender parity in America's workplaces or homes. She ends on a note that celebrates how far we've come with a reality check - the gender pay gap still exists, too few women serve as CEOs or sit on corporate boards and the work-life balance conundrum has yet to be resolved.

When Everything Changed is an inspiring book. If we have forgotten the sacrifices and struggles of women who blazed the trail and take the fact that they changed the world, we should be reminded. And even if we haven't, Collins shows us that we have miles to go before we sleep.

Here's how America's I.Q. was doubled, October 25, 2009
Revolutions with the greatest lasting impact are sometimes the quietest events of their time, a description that applies to the dazzling struggle for equality that American women waged from 1960 to the present.

Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra O'Connor tells of graduating from Stanford Law School and being unable to get a job in any Phoenix law firm except as a file clerk. She grew up on an Arizona ranch where her Dad expected her to handle almost every job done by men; yet, even with a Stanford law degree, she was virtually shut out of the legal profession in Arizona.

Her court nomination was heralded as a major breakthrough. Why? Why is recognition of anyone's intelligence a "breakthrough"? Collins is a gifted writer who explains why equality is so radical, yet so just and inevitable.

O'Connor's career, and that of millions of other women during the past 50 years, is a genuine "revolution" in social attitudes. It changed America and the world without a shot being fired and only a few bras burnt. Accepting women as equals in all endeavours doubles the intelligence of any society. Fifty years ago, women had the choice of career or housework. Today, women have the right to hold almost any job (except submarine crews) they want.

It's a long complex and continuing effort. After the Equal Rights Amendment was abandoned, women by the millions set out to win their rights one issue and one job at a time. Collins tells a masterful story based on personal efforts. The "revolution" was privatized; nothing could stop it. This isn't a book of dull theory, bewildered opposition, political theory or arcane legal savvy; it is the stories of hundreds of people who made Equal Rights a fact of American life and an example for the world.

Often, great events are the product of great leaders motivated by great ideals. Instead, the campaign for women's rights involved dozens of leaders plus millions of individuals. This mass movement made it an inevitable event, despite the rage of Schlafly, Bryant and other conservatives who can't respect the right of people to make their own decisions.

The difference is subtle, yet profound. Personally, I grew up in a society whose formal head is the Queen of England. It took until the 1980s, and Canadians hailed it as a major breakthrough in equality, for a woman to be named Governor General of Canada (the Queen's representative). Really. Is it a cultural breakthrough when a woman is appointed to represent a woman? Or is it a century overdue?

For Canadians, a woman representing a woman is major progress. Yet, this incident typifies similar idiocies in the U.S. It is so logical as to defy explanation. However, changing attitudes is a genuine revolution. What is so strange about allowing anyone to use their full intelligence? Yet, as Collins deftly illustrates, it takes a lot of quiet cleverness to penetrate the fog of the status quo.

Collins cites example after example, showing how individuals overcame the idiocy of the incumbency. It is a beautiful, inspiring and very timely book in response to those who always say "No!" to every decent new idea.

a book for all, but especially for young women, November 6, 2009
Gail Collins has written a revealing book both for those women of a "certain age" who lived through the events she chronicles and for those who are too young to know how difficult a journey it has been. The names everyone knows are here but the real beauty of this book lies in the stories of those unheralded and brave women who, at great personal cost, stood their ground and made a difference. Collins's witty, concise, reportorial style makes for a delightful read, once past the somewhat leaden introduction.

I learned many surprising things about where we were in the decades of my early adulthood and about how we came to be where we are now, as well as how far we have to go if we do not backslide. Collins skillfully puts the progress of women into the larger picture of social history.

This book is my holiday gift of choice for all the women in my family, especially daughters and daughters-in-law. They are the ones who will continue the amazing journey, provided they heed the warnings Collins implies.

A terrific book, but more "herstory" needed, November 7, 2009
There is something ironic in finding a link to an excerpt of this book in AARP's website. This is a book as much for my daughter as for those in my generation who lived through this entire period. Gail Collins has done a stellar job of telling the story of women's struggle for equality during these past five decades, with enough wit and anecdotes to make the narrative always lively. But I hope others will follow suit and write about stories she didn't have the space to include -- for example, about the women who flooded therapy programs, graduating with a new consciousness which was passed to their primarily female clients; about the women whose novels and criticism changed a generation's mind (e.g., THE WOMEN'S ROOM, WRITING A WOMAN'S LIFE, BELOVED, THE WOMAN WARRIOR, et al); the women who bankrolled the movement at critical moments, such as Peg Yorkin, Joan Palevsky, and Barbara Dobkin, among others and those that changed the landscape using the resources of major institutions like the Ford Foundation); the women whose efforts on campuses transformed undergraduate and graduate learning, including curriculum, pedagogy, and the canon; the women who fought for and gained some equality in the major religions; the women, like Judy Chicago, whose The Dinner Party opened the door to looking at herstory from a new artistic perspective. So my only quibble with the book is that it did not include as much social, intellectual, literary, and artistic history as I may have wished. However, its political history is superb. I hope Ms. Collins or others will follow suit and write a companion volume.

Great Herstory!, November 6, 2009
Finally, someone has written an accessible, readable book about a critical period in American history. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "When Everything Changed." This is a wonderful, creative, and informative book about a revolution that seems to have gone unnoticed. For those of us who lived through these tumultuous times, the book is a refresher, a reminder of the struggle that was both personal and historical in nature. For those of you under thirty-five, it is a must read. You must know where you have been, to know where you are, so that you can know where you are going. You must understand your Herstory. (My only negative is minor. I understand that Ms. Collins did not set out to write the "definitive" history of the time period. But, I was distracted from some of the main points by too much reliance on the individual stories. On occasions, I felt overwhelmed by too much anecdotal information, too many quotations, and too many stories of individuals; albeit, fascinating in there own right. More analysis and less reliance on individual stories would have made this a truly great book.) On the whole, however, I highly recommend this book to all. I only wish this book was published when I was teaching my Herstory Unit! Oh, the stories you would be able to tell your students....It should be in every library from middle school and up. It should be on the reading list of every history teacher. Everyone will enjoy this excellent history.

A Fast-Moving and Involving History with No Hidden Agenda, January 5, 2010
My lovely and accomplished daughter gave WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGED to me for the holidays. This was a most thoughtful gift, since Gail Collins is among my favorite newspaper columnists. IMHO, her columns are sensible and elegant and often hilarious. Further, she never wastes her space. To me, she reads like the second-coming of Russell Baker, albeit more focused on politics than the strangeness of modern life. She is superior with my morning coffee.

The subtitle of WEC--The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present--pretty much sums up the intentions of Collins in this book, which is to provide an overview of how everything changed over 50 tumultuous years. To do so, she devotes the first section of her three-part book to the expectations and opportunities women faced in America in 1960. Then, part two examines how opportunity exploded for women in the mid 1960's. Finally, section three explores the backlash provoked by social change and then follows the experiences of a range of American women through the 70's, 80's, 90's, and the 00's.

At the end of section three, she observes: "So there you are. American women had shattered the ancient traditions that deprived them of independence and the right to have adventures of their own, and done it so thoroughly that few women under 30 had any real concept that things had ever been different."

There was much to like about this book. But I especially enjoyed the story of Howard Smith playing games with the Civil Rights Act and its historic unintended consequences; the overview of women in the civil rights movement; the respectful treatment of the maddening Phyllis Schafly; the analysis of the failed Comprehensive Child Development Act; and the discussion of Clinton's run for the presidency and its aftermath. For me, Collins's treatment of these subjects was especially fresh and revealing. At the same time, this work had, like the rest of the book, great clarity, sly humor, and a light touch. Never is her work pedantic, poorly paced, or boring.

Regardless, there was one tiny shortcoming in WEC, which I must point out to the Amazon.com community. Not to spoil everything; but Collins wrote this 471 page book without a single reference to Seamus, the Irish setter Mitt Romney strapped to the roof of the car during a family trip to Canada. (Her loyal readers know what I'm talking about.)

Otherwise, excellent and recommended.

I wasn't paying attention. . ., February 11, 2010
I lived through all of this, so I thought I would be familiar with all Collins had to report. I was in error. I may have been alive, but I was not noticing. I remember many of the events, but I did not react at the time to their importance. This book became, then, a necessary lesson in what I lived through and profited by but paid too little attention to.

Most informative to the reader are the author's many personal interviews that portray the details of the daily lives of American women of the era. This is not library research. It is woman to woman sharing of memories, frustrations and small victories that took place as "everything changed".

I asked for this book for Christmas, I have given it several times as presents and when it gets to paperback, I may just stand on a street corner and give it to every woman passing by.

A Must Read for Women!, March 6, 2010
Can you figure out this answer to this riddle?
"A man and his son were in a car accident. The man died on the way to the hospital, but the boy was rushed into surgery. The surgeon said "I can't operate, for that's my son!" How is this possible?"

When I first heard this riddle as a girl in the `70's I was stumped for the answer. Thanks to the women's movement modern girls are probably (hopefully!) quickly able to discern the answer. This is because everything has changed for women. While the glass ceiling still exits and stereotypes abound, generally, women are free to be, do, and own almost anything that was once reserved for men only.

When Everything Changed by Gail Collins details the historical changes from 1960 to the present, and examines the impact of these events on the lives of ordinary women. As Collins explains, once upon a time, men and women existed in different societal spheres, with men occupying the higher level:

Then, suddenly, everything changed. The cherished convictions about women and what they could do were smashed in the lifetime of many women living today. It happened so fast that the revolution seemed to be over before either side could really find its way to the barricades. And although the transformation was imperfect and incomplete, it was still astonishing.

When Everything Changed is an entertaining, but more importantly, a knowledgeable book of recent history that should be read by women of all ages!


Oh and here is the answer to the riddle: the surgeon is the boy's mother.


Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (October 14, 2009), 480 pages
Review Copy Provided Courtesy of the Publisher.

Amazing Journey Doesn't Even Start to Describe It, January 12, 2010
This book hit very close to home to me, as I identified with so many of the women Ms. Collins interviewed. Not just the fascinating stories, but the broad sweep of history in the woman's movement from 1960 to the present. From my 60's childhood, to coming of age during the early days of "libbers" (the name I recall hearing most often), the sweeping changes of the 70's, the having it all '80's, through the reality of the 90's and today.
As I sat there and pondered what it all meant as witness and participant, Ms. Collins summed it up for me in the final paragraph: " . . . But women did not figure out how to keep marriage from crumbling into divorce, and they were not particularly successful in making their lovers grow into dependable husbands. They had not remade the world the way the revolutionaries had hoped. But they had created a world their female ancestors did not even have the opportunity to imagine."
One minor issue: I would have preferred the biographical information about the women interviewed at the beginning of the book, not the end. I honestly couldn't keep their names and stories straight.

Reaching for Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited, January 5, 2010
Flight attendants, along with millions of other women and men, who hired on or committed to various jobs and work in the USA from 1960 to the present, will surely find Gail Collins' book When Everything Changed, The Amazing Journey of American Women From 1960 to the Present a powerful and accurate account.

Collins' research includes many quotes and personal stories from the early 1960s to the present. Instances of gender based discriminatory practices range from some airlines' policy makers enforcing the firing of stewardesses for marriage, pregnancy, aging and weight. Unreasonable restrictions on women are also included in a story from a Kansas housewife explaining she did not even have her name on the deed to the house she and her husband purchased in 1960.

The pain of the set backs and the pleasure of ongoing successes are apparent through the stories of women who stood their ground and often created alternate routes for progress. Examples include Lorna Weeks' fight for a switchman's job at Southern Bell in one of the first victories on the road to try to end job discrimination against women. Some airline stewardesses, experiencing severe discriminatory policies from employers, showed up at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission offices being set up to implement and oversee the Civil Rights Act of 1964 even before the office furniture and typewriters were unpacked. The newly founded National Organization for Women (NOW) was so inundated with mail that it lacked enough staff to sign up the women trying to become NOW members.

Backlash efforts against the women's liberation movement are documented and followed up by the enduring efforts of women and men to "make it after all." There are pivotal points in the 1970s when the efforts of women are focused on education and serious efforts that required long term commitments. Hillary Clinton's campaign as a serious candidate for president of the USA during the first decade of the twentieth first century is a strong testament to the effectiveness of changes from 1960 to the present.

I yearned for an accurate account of the amazing journey of American women from 1960 to the present. Gail Collins' book When Everything Changed, supported with its impressive bibliography and index, met my expectations. I highly recommend this book as a must read for women and men of all ages.

Georgia Panter Nielsen, author, retired career flight attendant and retiree organizer ... Read more

Editorial Review

THE ACCLAIMED BOOK, NOW IN PAPERBACK, with a reading group guide and a new afterword by the author.

At the height of the Cold War, JFK risked committing the greatest crime in human history: starting a nuclear war. Horrified by the specter of nuclear annihilation, Kennedy gradually turned away from his long-held Cold Warrior beliefs and toward a policy of lasting peace. But to the military and intelligence agencies in the United States, who were committed to winning the Cold War at any cost, Kennedy’s change of heart was a direct threat to their power and influence. Once these dark "Unspeakable" forces recognized that Kennedy’s interests were in direct opposition to their own, they tagged him as a dangerous traitor, plotted his assassination, and orchestrated the subsequent cover-up.

Douglass takes readers into the Oval Office during the tense days of the Cuban Missile Crisis, along on the strange journey of Lee Harvey Oswald and his shadowy handlers, and to the winding road in Dallas where an ambush awaited the President’s motorcade. As Douglass convincingly documents, at every step along the way these forces of the Unspeakable were present, moving people like pawns on a chessboard to promote a dangerous and deadly agenda. ... Read more

Reviews

And We Are All Mortal
In James W. Douglass' outstanding new book, "JFK and the Unspeakable," the author explains the title in his introduction. Coined by spiritual writer Thomas Merton, The Unspeakable refers to "an evil whose depth and deceit seemed to go beyond the capacity of words to describe." Regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Unspeakable succeeded due to deniability by the nation's citizens of the horrifying truth of the event and to plausible deniability by the government agencies responsible for the murder. (Vincent Bugliosi's recent fictional paperweight is a perfect example of the plausible deniability that allows the Unspeakable to thrive.)

Many excellent books have proven that the assassination of JFK was the result of a conspiracy. Douglass verifies the certainty of the conspiracy and, as the subtitle of the book states, explains "Why He Died and Why It Matters." He scrutinizes the historical facts surrounding the assassination, from the creation of the CIA to the gradual obliteration of the freedoms upon which this nation was founded.

This book is primarily the story of John F. Kennedy who changes from a Cold Warrior to an altruistic leader willing to risk his life to ensure that the world's children will not become victims of a nuclear catastrophe. Equal time is spent on JFK's presidency as on the assassination but one of the many rewards of this book is the author's capacity to show the relationship between his policies and his death. And the book is a tragedy because it gradually becomes obvious that each step he makes toward peace steadily increases the hatred of his enemies who will eventually betray him.

It is also the story of the designated patsy, Lee Harvey Oswald. Moved around the country like a pawn by government agencies (as was the second "Oswald"), he was being set up as the scapegoat. Enter some despicable characters, including David Atlee Philips, James Hosty and, of course, Michael and Ruth Paine. Simultaneously, the Soviet Union was being set up as the evil empire behind the assassination, along with its satellite Cuba.

Douglass credibly illustrates the origin of the Crime of the Century. During President Truman's administration, the CIA was empowered to be a paramilitary organization with unlimited powers. Truman's successor, President Eisenhower, fell out of favor with the CIA when he planned a summit meeting with Soviet Premier Khrushchev. This was cancelled after a U.S. spy plane crashed in Russia. Eisenhower had reportedly ordered such flights cancelled and had his suspicions about who had ruined his peace plan. He subsequently issued his warning about the "military industrial complex" in his farewell address. But he didn't defy "this conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry." He left that task to his successor, JFK.

The Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba was planned by the CIA to regain control of the island and to re-open the casinos for organized crime. President Kennedy refused to provide air support for the Cuban brigade because he knew that he had been lied to by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and by the CIA; the invasion had been designed to fail without U.S. support but they hadn't told this to JFK who refused to fall into their trap. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK once again enraged the CIA and the Joint Chiefs by resisting their tremendous pressure on him to take military action which would have led to nuclear war.

Following that crisis, JFK became intent on ending the Cold War by establishing a peaceful relationship with the Soviet Union. However, many CIA and Pentagon personnel believed that it was better to be "dead than red" and that it was preferable to destroy civilization rather than let the Communists rule. They also knew that war generated billions of dollars into the arms industry. As a result, they would repeatedly subvert the President's policies and isolate him within his own government. Enter some more despicable characters: Richard Bissell, Charles Cabell, Henry Cabot Lodge, Lyman Lemnitzer, Curtis LeMay and perhaps the most contemptible of all, Allen Dulles. Ironically, JFK learned to trust Khrushchev more than people within his own government.

At American University on June 10, 1963, JFK spoke about his desire for world peace. He communicated his resolve to form a new relationship with Khrushchev. He spoke about the necessity of a pursuit toward disarmament. He related his intentions to establish a Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. He acknowledged his country's past faults and recognized the Russian people as wanting peace as much as the American people. "And we are all mortal," he stated. Though this extremely important speech was ignored in the United States, it was disseminated throughout the Soviet Union, per order of Khrushchev, who was prepared to respond favorably to JFK's peace initiative. The speech also certified JFK's death warrant. With so many powerful enemies opposing his policies and hating him, JFK didn't have a chance as he was being maneuvered into the crossfire in Dallas.

President Kennedy was aware of the power of his enemies and he knew the dangers facing him. But he persevered and mandated that all U.S. personnel would be withdrawn from Vietnam; he was determined to never send in combat troops even if this meant defeat. He also refused to intervene militarily in Laos. He exchanged private letters with Khrushchev, which infuriated the CIA, and secretly initiated plans to attain rapproachement with Cuba, which further incensed the Agency. Cuba's Fidel Castro, whom the CIA hated as intensely as it hated Kennedy, was equally eager to begin an American-Cuba dialogue. In fact, Castro was meeting with a JFK representative when the President was murdered. JFK died a martyr and the forces of evil that killed him also killed his vision of peace.

Lyndon Johnson, the CIA's ally, assumed the presidency. He cancelled talks with Khrushchev and refused Castro's pleas to continue the dialogue. He reversed JFK's withdrawal plan from Vietnam as well as his plan to neutralize Laos. The military industrial complex took control of the country. The policy of plausible deniability led the way to assassinations of foreign leaders, the overthrowing of foreign governments and horrors committed all over the globe. If JFK had not been murdered, we would not have had the prolongation of the Cold War, the Vietnam War, Watergate, the purported War on Terror and the steady moral deterioration of America. Interestingly, one month after JFK's assassination, President Truman wrote an article for The Washington Post cautioning about the threat of the CIA taking over America.

The author meticulously examines the evidence and draws conclusions which ring with unassailable truth: (1) The CIA coordinated and implemented he assassination of President Kennedy, an act of treason which destroyed democracy in the U.S. (2) The Warren Commission was created to propagate lies to conceal the truth from the American people. (3)There has been a continued cover-up by successive administrations and their stooges in the mass media. (4)The murder of JFK is directly related to the current domination of the American people by powerful oppressors within a shadow government that will continue to insist that only sustained war can keep the country safe from its enemies, never admitting that they themselves are the supreme evil.

This is an exceptional book that will be used by future historians to determine the truth about the assassination and how it changed America. And it will also be used to honor John F. Kennedy as a courageous president who believed in doing God's work on earth. In doing so, he came into conflict with the Unspeakable and his life was extinguished.

AN ENGAGING, TRAGIC BUT FINALLY HOPEFUL ENCOUNTER WITH OUR HISTORY
Along with over ten years of meticulous research and one hundred pages of footnotes (worth reading), this book has soul. For those tempted to despair that our national leaders are not capable of turning our nation toward peace, this book tells us how it has already happened. John F. Kennedy was taking stands for peace that risked his life as well as his presidency and it seems that the nation hardly noticed. For those who are willing to engage in hard-headed thinking and research, this book will belie the ho-hum assumption that we will never know why Kennedy was killed nor who is responsible. We can know and we need to know as citizens. If you can read only one book on the life of JFK, this is it.

We are all jurors
We are all jurors in an ongoing trial to find the truth of John Kennedy's murder. Most of us have fallen asleep; some left the chamber, and others don't even care anymore. But a few, a very small few, have been paying attention for the last 45 years as arguments for the prosecution of Lee Harvey Oswald, headed up by government lawyers and their lackeys have been constantly countered by a volunteer and unpaid defense team for the truth made up of laymen, clergymen, historians, teachers, researchers, republicans, democrats, non-affiliates of all ages shapes and sizes. It has been a bewildering experience to have been patted on the head and told to go to sleep by the Warren Commission only to be rudely awakened by a garrulous DA from Louisiana, followed then by a government report which said, well, there might have been two, but go on back to sleep. Dazed and confused we began to leave the room but were called back in by Oliver Stone who told us to take a look at his evidence of Oswald's innocence. We were intrigued, but an impish Gerald Posner convinced Dick Cavett and other icons of American mainstream media that Stone's myth was just that and the case was indeed closed: Oswald did it. But Stone had garnered enough interest to cause Congress to form the ARRB- under George Bush Sr, no less. It took Bill Clinton half his presidency to get the thing going, but we watched with bated breath as the Assassinations Records Review Board began pulling from the FBI, CIA, and the rest of the alphabet bits and pieces of information that left gaping holes in the official story. Most of us didn't believe it anyway, but a few, a small few did notice that there seemed to have been two brains pulled from John Kennedy's head during the so-called autopsy. In fact so many moles began popping up it was difficult for the gatekeepers to bop them in the head fast enough. Distracted as we were by 911 and the war on terror, and the revelation that our government has the capacity to pull off an Operation Northwoods, as the ARRB found out, we continued to keep half an eyeball on the story, those of us who were paying attention. But then just as we were ready to reach a verdict of no true bill, Peter Jennings pops in to save the day for the prosecution. Disregarding all prior logic, evidence and common sense he lulled us back to comfortable numbness as he proved through computer generation, laser beams and some small degree of witch-craft that yes, indeed that was some magic bullet. Nevertheless, while almost dozing off again we heard rumblings of another defense witness about to enter the courtroom. He was David Talbot, an almost Main stream media type who was arguing that John and Robert Kennedy were possibly victims of powerful forces in our own government who wanted and needed them gone. But before he could present his full case a boisterous and bellicose advocate of Governmental Righteousness threw on to the floor, almost breaking it, an objection, claiming his stake in the case with a tome of such immense size and weight that no one, at first, dared to read it or question its obvious Buglisosian authority. When it was finally opened, the muse of Arlen Spector saundered forth speaking in only a language that he could understand. Talk shows raved about Vince's masterpiece; gatekeepers swooned, and the prosecution let out a huge and foul-smelling sigh of relief as they said, There! That ought to put this damn thing to rest finally! Everyone began to pack up and leave, most never having read briefs by Scott, Gerald McKnight, Larry Hancock, etc., defense advocates who had built their arguments on the works of Vince Salandria, Marrs, Howard Roffman, Sheim, Weisberg, etc., and the thousands of pages of released and obscure documents. But just as the courtroom almost emptied, looking like a Senate Chamber with a wobbling old man named Byrd trying to make a point, in comes a Jesuit priest. I'm no Catholic, I thought, as I was getting up to leave with the two or three other jurors who had sat through the whole case so far, trying to pay attention, but this guy seems to know his stuff. He's talking about everything we have already heard but putting it all into context. His summation is actually making sense- reason, logic, truth, honesty, footnotes, primary source interviews, follow-up questions, giving the benefit of the doubt to all sides. I sat back down. As James Douglass presented his case, scales fell from my eyes. Oswald was innocent. I look around. Is anybody there?

David Neal
Kitty Hawk, NC

This is the Only Book I Have Read that Could Change History...
if enough people read it. It shows that the dichotomy between ""Conspiracy Theory"" and structural analysis which looks at institutions as the source of historical change is a false dichotomy. It is documented like no other historical work that I have ever read. It is one third who done it while never forgetting the real issue is why done it. One can understand why it had such an impact on someone as well versed in Cold War foreign policy of the period as Daniel Ellsberg. One can also understand why -- in this age of censorship-- in spite of its outstanding recommendations by the most credentialed key figures imaginable, it cannot be found in any bookstore in NYC. Meanwhile suddenly Mafia done it books are being pimped by foremer Lone Nutters in a rush to convert to the right church. Hmmmm.

This is not merely a book about Kennedy. It is the most important new turn in Cold War historiography since
the publication of Gabriel Kolko's The Politics of War in 1968.

In addition, it should be mentioned that this book is nicely complemented with another recent book with incredibly importatant fresh insight into Dallas-- and in this case, its continuing implications for Watergate. Russ Baker, the author of Family Of SecretsFamily of Secrets: The Bush Dynasty, the Powerful Forces That Put It in the White House, and What Their Influence Means for America has written for NYT, WaPost, Vanity Fair, and many other reputable publications. He has also served as an editor of Columbia Journalism Review. His book has incredible new insights into the mysteries of why H.W. Bush was in Dallas on 11/22/63 and why did both he and Barbara make up false alibis to suggest otherwise? Why was H.W. Bush contacted by Oswald's #1 Dallas CIA handler George deMohrenschildt, when H.W. became CIA director in 1975? (This was less than two years before deMohrenshilds's suspicious death two days before he was scheduled to testify before the House Select Committee on Assassinations.) Were Bush's claims that he had never worked for the CIA before 1975 truthful or even truthy? The author's supply of documentation is so bountiful and well sourced, that one is led to conclude no to both of these questions. Then, wait till you get to Watergate. This is not your Woodward's version. This author has the journalistic resume, attention to detail, and caution regarding overstatement, that make his questions about the official version resonate long after one has put his book down.

Reintroducing JFK: Seeing our Slain President Through a New Lens
I had just turned 13 the month before the startling news was broadcast into my 8th grade classroom: President John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas and had been rushed to the hospital. It was followed by the bulletin that the President was dead. Lorenzo, my fellow classmate, an Italian Catholic, burst into tears. I sat quietly thinking: at least we got that Papist out of the White House! The anti-Catholic indoctrination I received from my church and parents never allowed me to see JFK as a person, only a symbol of a false religion to reject. Oh, and he was a Democrat as well!


Had I known the JFK that Jim Douglass reveals in his new book, I would have had more reasons to dismiss him: a President engaging in peacemaking activities with the Premier of the godless Communists, Nikita Khrushchev, passing letters back and forth that even members of his Cabinet were unaware! A US President secretly arranging for face-to-face consultations with Fidel Castro to resume normal diplomatic relations with a communist Cuba! The man who issued the secret National Security Action Memorandum 263 ordering the removal of 1,000 US Military advisors from Vietnam by the end of 1963 and ALL US Troops by the end of 1965. Under the guise of "peacemaking" President John F. Kennedy was urging "capitulation" to the Soviets in the Cold War - at least from my junior high school analysis.

Jim Douglass describes JFK's "turning" - his movement toward peace rather than "victory" after the almost catastrophic "Cuban Missile Crisis" the year before in 1962. While the world was on the brink of nuclear devastation, I had practiced the "duck and cover" technique at school in the event the Ruskies dropped "the big one". My own personal "turning" toward peace began five years later when I had to register for the military draft when I turned 18 in the fall of 1968. Fortunately I was no longer dependent on getting political perspective from US News and World Report (The Commies are killing our missionaries in Vietnam!) nor my theology from my evangelical/fundamentalist church (Jesus' call to "Love your enemies" was trumped by St. Paul's admonition to the Christians in Rome: "Let every soul obey the governing authorities").

Having been issued a uniform and rifle for the compulsory ROTC class when I registered for my college freshman year, I had an epiphany on the rifle range when I realized that even though the targets were circular, they were, in reality, the bodies of the "Viet Cong". Under no reading of Jesus' teaching could I justify pulling the trigger so I registered as a conscientious objector. I had begun my own turning. Little did I know that one year later, I would be marching on the local Wheaton, IL draft board arm-in-arm with a Catholic priest! Another year later would find me taking some courses with that priest at the nearby Catholic Maryknoll Seminary. Soon I would discover Jim Douglass' The Non-Violent Cross after I had left behind my anti-Catholic upbringing and was open to hearing the "Gospel" through a new lens. My own turning toward peace.

Why would a legendary peace theologian get caught up in conspiracy theory? That was my first question when I received an invitation to attend a Pax Christi retreat 5 or 6 years ago led by Jim Douglass. I'd read virtually all his excellent books, followed his campaign against the Trident and the White Train delivering nuclear weapons to those submarines, and had met him at several conferences on peacemaking. When he and his wife Shelly moved to Birmingham to form a Catholic Worker House, I anticipated seeing more of him because I was only four or five hours away in southwest Georgia. However, soon after they arrived, our family moved to Minnesota. Now here was a chance to re-connect with this insightful theologian-activist. But his retreat topic was on the connections between the assassinations of the Kennedy brothers, Martin King and Malcolm X! He talked about how American deals with its prophets - in similar fashion to the way the Romans dealt with the notorious Galilean troublemaker during the administration of Pilate and Felix. At the time, Jim was only beginning the long research project that has led to this first of what promises to be a trilogy of books on the killings of prophets and peacemakers in the 60s in America.

Research indeed! JFK and the Unspeakable has close to 100 pages of small-print footnotes to document and explain his sources about the JFK most of us did not know. However, a small but powerful force within the government, namely the CIA, the FBI, the Joint Chiefs of the military, and even some of his own Cabinet and advisors, came to feel the need to remove him as a danger to an American strategy of global domination. Kennedy, recognizing that the use of nuclear weapons against the Soviets would leave an estimated 140 million dead, decided you could not "win" the Cold War. The others in that military-industrial-intelligence complex felt that with "only" a few million Americans killed if America struck with a first-strike, we could "win". The window for such an advantage in the nuclear arsenal and delivery systems would narrow and begin to close after 1964, leading some to conclude that the obstacle that the President embodied would have to be removed before the end of 1963.

The "unspeakable" in the title comes from Trappist monk/peacemaker Thomas Merton's book, Raids on the Unspeakable. It is a term he used to describe the confluence of evil within systems like governments, corporations, and other power centers. Walter Wink uses the term "the Domination System". St. Paul referred to "the Principalities and Powers". President Eisenhower coined the phrase "the Military Industrial Complex". Catholic Worker Dorothy Day talked about "this filthy, rotten system. The "unspeakable" that conspired (breathed together) against JFK (and later his brother as well) was the manifestation of the national security state that insisted on total allegiance to both its ideology and methodology. Kennedy ran for office as a Cold Warrior. Only his glimpse into the abyss that was the Cuban Missile Crisis allowed him to see how close that system pushed toward a nuclear holocaust.

Kennedy was truly saved by his enemy - Nikita Khrushchev. The irony this book discloses that all three antagonists, Castro, Kennedy, and Khrushchev, all had struggled for peaceful co-existence in opposition to their own advisors. Each leader was trapped within national systems that had a vested interest in keeping the conflict going rather than risking a negotiated resolution.

Through extensive interviews and research, Douglass paints a compelling portrait of the supposed assassin/"patsy", Lee Harvey Oswald. While the Warren Commission (conveniently controlled by ex-CIA Chief, Allen Dulles) failed to interview numerous witnesses that might challenge the "lone gunman" theory, Douglass sought out the stories that convincingly (to me) argued for at least one or more "Oswald" doubles. Douglass argues that the CIA hoped to pin blame for the assassination of the US President on both Cuba and the Soviets, urging the new President, Lyndon Johnson to "retaliate" with their desired preemptive nuclear strike.

It was the successful cover-up orchestrated by the Warren Commission Report that led to the subsequent assassinations of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, followed by Kennedy's brother, Bobby is the argument Douglass puts forth. JFK and the Unspeakable is the first of a trilogy of books attempting to unmask or at least begin to demystify this force of evil that has so captivated our national soul.

Besides attempting to portray John Kennedy's courage in his "turning", Douglass also wants to steel his readers who are committed to peacemaking to be realistic about the challenges we face. If the "unspeakable" is willing to kill a sitting President, what should we expect if we attempt to follow Jesus down that same road? The Kennedy that Douglass portrays is less overtly religious than Martin King in his last days ("I only want to do God's will."). JFK "looked into the abyss" and chose his path of change or turning when he decided that the fate of the world's children were at stake if these nukes were ever used again. Kennedy realized that even just the atmospheric testing of these weapons imperiled the health of all humanity with the radioactive fallout.

But Kennedy's religious tradition also spoke to him clearly - especially through the powerful words of the initiator of Vatican II, Pope John XXIII with his final masterpiece, Pacem in Terris. The impact of this work so moved Nikita Khrushchev that he is reported to have kept a medallion given to him by this beloved pontiff on his desk in the Kremlin as a way to irritate some of his own Politburo advisors. Kennedy's own commencement speech given at American University five months before his death certainly owed some of its power and insight to the recently deceased pope who died two weeks prior to that June 1963 address. In that speech which ironically was carried more widely over the radio to Soviet citizens (and ignored by most US media), Kennedy cautioned Americans not to demonize the other side. His words, "... not to see only a distorted and desperate view of the other side, not to see conflict as inevitable, accommodation as impossible, and communication as nothing more than an exchange of threats. No government or social system is so evil that its people must be considered as lacking in virtue.", could (and should) be readily applied today to Ahmadinejad's Iran.

The book also raises a very disturbing portrait of how this National Security State imperils our democracy. The idea of a group of secretive men (although there are probably some women in the mix today) deciding who can be or remain President exposes the figure-head nature of the power of that office. The collusion of un-elected agents, military officers, wealthy business elites, "diplomats" and others plotting behind the scenes to replace the elected head-of-state is not just something that happens in Third World nations. Was what happened in November 1963 in Dallas really a coup-d'etat?

Back in the mid-70s, William Stringfellow raised questions about the compatibility between democracy and the apparatus of a National Security State. Stringfellow, drawing on the insights of Biblical prophets and the writings of Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel, called the allegiance demanded of citizens by this obsession with "security" during the Cold War by its Biblical name: idolatry. With the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet empire, cold warriors searched about for new adversaries so they could continue to justify our dependence on and subservience to the military industrial complex out of fear. Terrorism conveniently became the new whipping boy and the anticipated "peace dividend" disappeared.

While Douglass' JFK story harkens back to the Cold War, the idolatry of the National Security State is as strong as ever - and its practitioners stand ready to remove or marginalize any who stand in its way. How else could one explain the almost universal condemnation of former-President Jimmy Carter's sit-down with the leadership of Hamas and Syria this Spring? Or the annual rite of genuflecting before the power of AIPAC by both Democrats and Republicans - each vying to out-do the other in pandering to the Israeli state, ignoring and neglecting the cries for justice emanating from behind the 26' tall "security barrier", the new Berlin Wall that Carter has identified as apartheid?

This book is sobering, disturbing -but ultimately hopeful as well. If even such a stout Cold Warrior as John Fitzgerald Kennedy could decide to "turn toward peace" -albeit at a terrible price - can we too break the shackles of fear and greed and begin that same turning ourselves? As Jim Douglass reminded a friend of mine: who is the real "hero", the prime mover of this story? It is God - God working through JFK, Khrushchev, and others who had the courage to take risks for peace. "After all," Douglass reminded him, "the nuclear holocaust didn't happen!"

We must open ourselves to recognize the common humanity we share, as "we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's futures. And we are all mortal." When we recognize and act on this, we join hands with the Creator and work together to build a world of peace. One place to start is exposing, unmasking, naming the truth behind this system. Exposing it to the light. It might put us in its target but only by escaping its clutches can we truly be free and healed of that primal urge to dominate.

Highly Recommended
Jim Douglass presents a credible, coherent, and convincing narrative for the events surrounding JFK's assassination. He uses resources from U.S. and Soviet archives, first hand accounts of people now willing to talk, dogged researchers over the years challenging the Warren Commission and others. 100 pages of fine print footnotes back up 400 pages of text.

Douglass establishes a clear motive and case for CIA involvement. He also paints a complimentary picture of Kennedy's courage and conviction in bucking the power and prestige of the CIA and the Joint Chiefs.

This book implicitly raises the question of whether today's politicians are willing to risk proposing far reaching changes in war/peace policies that challenge the "unspeakable."

LATER March 3, 2009
For a more extended comment, see my review of the book in Sojourners Magazine of March 2009, pages 40-44

Mystery Solved
Well, Does Douglass give us the name of the man whose finger was on the trigger? I think not. The beauty of the Oswald Theory was that it gave us a name. But by now the Oswald Theory is full of holes. Oswald would have to have been Mighty Mouse--here, there, and everywhere--for the Oswald Theory to hold up.

Douglass does not just point to those holes. He does two things that I have not seen done elsewhere in the literature. He gives us a coherent, persuasively well documented account of a change--an evolutionary process--that JFK underwent in the course of his thousand days as President. Secondly, he tracks Oswald's career from Marine to person-having-a- remarkable-complex-of-relationships-with-the-CIA-and-the-FBI. The details of this relationship are documented in mundane bits of data stretching over many years. These relationships have many reciprocal aspects: they display not simply Oswald's interest in these organizations, but these organizations' interest in Oswald. Because the network has many seemingly contradictory strands, the tendency of lay observers has been to accept official statements that the whole network is simply a sort of tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury--and signifying nothing. The reciprocity and mutuality in the relationships is, as Douglass shows, what gives the lie to the official theory.

"Theory" has, itself, a bad odor for many an American who has become discouraged and demoralized by seemingly irresolvable theoretical conflicts. So we find Americans dismissing evolution as "merely a theory." Likewise with global warming. But for those of us who believe theories can be confirmed, this book can provide a moment of discovery. In disconfirming the thesis "Oswald did it," James Douglass elaborates and confirms "the unspeakable"--a theory maybe no more than one American in a thousand is willing to consider: that our government killed Kennedy. To be sure, it's not all that global and fuzzy. It's not "the government did it," but specific agencies and named individuals within the government. Having read the book, and having long held a position on Kennedy's death that was incompatible with Douglass's, I am convinced that Douglass got it right. - T. B. O'Neill

There is room at the top of your shelf for this book.
There may be only five or six books dealing with John Kennedy's assassination which not only provide a complete review of the event or new insights, but are also extremely well written. This book belongs on the top shelf with them.
This brilliant history does not so much tell the reader which antagonists were against Kennedy, it allows a recognition by the reader of forces building independent of our democracy yet ostensibly within it.
While some familiar witness testimony is covered again, this narrative might even have been better had these not been included. The reader's knowledge of Kennedy's shooting provides the answer--the relationships within intelligence agencies, the State Department, and foreign governments provide a vivid equation which the reader himself creates. A remarkably unique book.

JFK and the Unspeakable
Ever since establishment of the CIA, that entity has carried on a foreign policy of it's own creation and, as Douglass meticulously documents, one that promotes conflict around the world in the interest of the military-industral-media establishment. Circumstanial as the evidence of conspiracy in the murder of Kennedy may be, its shere volume shatters the attempts made to cover-up the crime. Scholarship evidencing the reasons why "the powers that be" wanted Kenndy taken out is most convincing. This extreme act of betrayal and treason - and secrecy in government in general - is a cancer that will continue to haunt the nation and undermine its future, until such time it is properly addressed. This book is a critically important contribution to the history of our watch.

Kennedy Assassination & Beyond.....
It was no accident that on Friday, June 26, 2009, film director Oliver Stone (director of the film JFK) brought a copy of this book to his interview with Bill Maher on Maher's HBO show REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER (episode 159).

JFK & The Unspeakable is perhaps the best book ever written about the life and presidency John F. Kennedy. The author James Douglass is an impeccable researcher. He takes us on a journey that indisputably defines why and how the "Military Industrial Intelligence Complex" decided to conspire to assassinate the leader of the free world and then conspire again to cover it up. To date, no author has ever put together all the pieces of factual evidence that clearly define and elaborate the conspiracy that Oliver Stone once defined as "the crime of the century."

The conspiracy to assassinate President Kennedy (and then cover it up) has recently been further amplified by Russ Baker's new book FAMILY OF SECRETS. Again, extremely well researched, author Baker's indictment of the Bush Family and its secret involvement with JFK's demise is yet one more nail in the coffin of how far reaching the Kennedy assassination permeated the ruling elites of America. Family of Secrets: The Bush Dynasty, the Powerful Forces That Put It in the White House, and What Their Influence Means for America

The Kennedy Assassination is still a festering cancer upon the soul of America. To understand the TRUTH of what really happened is the first and most important remedy for real healing to take place. James Douglass has given the world an extremely important tool to make this possible. Russ Baker (author of FAMILY OF SECRETS) takes us one step further by showing us how the Bush Family participated and why Nixon had to resign from office. Both of these books are a true educational experience! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Mad Men Unbuttoned, footnotes to the show and the era, including these fascinating tidbits:

• Don Draper's character is based on the real-life Draper Daniels, protÉgÉ of Leo Burnett who started off as a copywriter and rose to creative director, eventually heading the team that launched the Marlboro Man.
• The iconic "Think Small" Volkswagen ad positioned the Beetle as an ugly but well-made car—a revolt against excess. Not only did unit sales top 500,000 cars a year, but the campaign succeeded in junking all the rules of car advertising.
• When barred from visiting Disneyland on a trip to the United States, Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev threw a tantrum and left Los Angeles in a huff the very next day.
• The Group by Mary McCarthy, the novel Betty Draper is seen reading in the bathtub, transformed the way women viewed love, sex, and marriage.
• In 1947 Christian Dior showcased its revolutionary New Look line. Betty, Peggy, and the rest of the steno pool at Sterling-Cooper can be seen sporting the sloping shoulders, hourglass silhouettes, and billowing skirts of the New Look style.

Reviews

Fun, smart, and beautiful, July 20, 2010
This is the smartest and the most fun of all the Mad Men books -- and it's also the most beautiful. Natasha Vargas-Cooper is obviously a fan, but she's also a terrific writer; and I am in awe at her success at finding the photos, ads and images that became the icons of the era. Her explanations of "How to be a Betty" and "Sex and the Single Girl" should become classics.

A BETTER KIND OF TV COMPANION BOOK, July 27, 2010
Too many tv companion books offer little more than boring recaps of episodes with maybe some commentary of varying quality added.

This book is not like that, happily. Instead, we get short essays that are related to the episodes sometimes only tangentially, but illuminate the culture , current events, and aesthetics of the era " Mad Men " is set in.

Grouped by broad categories, these essays ( by multiple contributors) are quick and to the point, and cover many surprising topics. Some expand on small details of the show that you may have missed ( I know I did), or cover a major societal shift.

The book is a pleasure to look at- beautifully designed, with many full color photos and illustrations and a bold and simple overall look.

When I say this is a book that you'd never guess was an adaptation of a website, I mean that as a compliment.

The annotated Man Men, July 22, 2010
I've been a fan of Natasha Vargas-Cooper's Web site and was looking forward with anticipation to Mad Men Unbuttoned. It casts intriguing light on the behind the scenes story of many aspects of the show, from flight attendants to the lives of housewives and models to literature. I'd recommend it for those who are interested in 1960s history, and who've been driven to Google by the references made by the characters. Just don't expect the book to be the definitive answer on these subjects. Some of the essays are a little sketchy and seem a bit cobbled together to pad the book. The Grace Kelly one in particular could have been more comprehensive. The Web site Basket of Kisses has analyzed the Betty Draper-Grace Kelly connection in a much more insightful way. Likewise, there's no question what Carla would be called in Westchester -- she's a "housekeeper." But aside from the quibbles, it's a fun read and it will be a good companion to Season 4.

An Excellent Study of the 1960s, and What the Show Represents, December 5, 2010
When someone asks me what the TV show Mad Men is about (after hearing me rant on and on about its utter genius), I usually say something like: it's about the cultural shift of the 1960s, backed by the history of its time and the extremely pertinent New York advertising age. Natasha Vargas-Cooper says it a bit better:

"It's about the culture clash and contradictions that occurred during the twilight of the Eisenhower era, the great societal shake-up of the 1960s, and how that pressurized time in history formed modern America, its families, its consciousness, and its consumers."

It's because of that overwhelmingly detailed, yet spot on, prose that I was attracted to Vargas-Cooper's writing. Although an unauthorized guide to the show, it's a fantastic companion piece (and I highly Matt Weiner hiring her as a researcher for the show). Separated into different sections (The Ads and the Men Who Made Them; Style; Smoking, Drinking, and Drugging; etc...) the book delves deeper into everything the show represents, giving a grander understanding to each ad, each character trait, and each decorated home.

It's not just an ode to Mad Men - it's a cultural study of the time period (or, as the book says, "a romp through 1960s America"). It uses Mad Men as a backdrop to discuss what was really going on, from fashion to politics. Those who are intrigued by the age would be just as interested in the literary work.

The first chapter, which discussed actual advertising from that time period and the movers and shakers that made it happen, was actually my favorite. It overviewed the historic ad campaigns (Marlboro Man, Volkswagen Think Small, Western Union, etc), showing the actual ad and how it was thought up. After each company and product was discussed, it showed how some Mad Men ads were similar, and how the characters mirror some of the real high power people of that age. It shows how Sal's art was at turmoil due to the fact that many companies started to turn to photographs; how shops were re-designed, much like Menken's. My personal favorite, it showed the start of the font Helvetica, and how it was used as an "everyman" sort of font that people could understand despite size and wasn't too fancy or too bold.

Other chapters went into the style, movies, literature, and decor of the time period, showing where Betty may have gotten her fashion influence. It shows how the times are changing, and how the characters must evolve with it (tighter waists like Joan, fuller skirts like Betty's). Or, how certain movie actors of the time were very similar to some of the leading characters (the Cary Grant/Clark Gable/Humphrey Bogart/John Wayne sexual alchemy of Don Draper). Or, the books the characters read, and how they showcase another side of the character's life.

Indeed, the book is completely inclusive, discussing every aspect the 1960s and show both represent. It offers a fuller look into the program, but more so, a deeper look into the time period and what the characters were up against. It was a book I purchased and figured i'd read on and off throughout the holiday season, as it wasn't a page-turning fiction novel, but greedily devoured in around three days. The chapters are short and too the point, with enough detail piled in that it had me repeatedly wanting to share the information with others. I'm excited to see what Vargas-Cooper has in store next.

Is it time for season five yet?

Website in Tangible Form, September 15, 2010
This book is just fine...if you're not a follower of Vargas-Cooper's website. Essentially, the book is the website in paperback form, as other reviewers have stated. While the book itself isn't bad, it's just pretty disappointing if you've read all the articles on the website. It does have some lovely images, but that's not enough to justify keeping the book for me. If you want a nice book to keep on your coffee table with condensed articles regarding show references, this is great. For me, I think I'll pass.

GREAT BOOK!, August 4, 2010
Regardless if you watch the show this book is wonderful! You're given an introduction to the characters so any references could be understood without much knowledge of the show because it really is so much more than an "episode guide".
Really interesting book, well written, wonderful pictures. Even though it's a paperback the pictures and overall design of the book make it feel like a beautiful hardcover coffee table book.

10 THUMBS UP!

a lovely complement to the TV series, July 25, 2010
If you love "Mad Men" then you'll treasure this book. This collection of essays and fab illustrations provides some lovely insights into Don Draper's early 1960's world. The fashions. The cigarettes. The commercials. The cocktails. All here.

Perhaps you missed living through that era. This book will give you a foundation that can enhance your enjoyment and comprehension of "Mad Men."

Made for Mad Men lovers and children of the 60s (and before), November 23, 2010
I've enjoyed this book immensely - the pictures definitely make the book and take you back to a time that was a little twisted but certainly more innocent. Leaves you longing for the good old days as well as another season of AMC's Mad Men. Pour yourself a Scotch into a Roly Poly glass, have seat in your favorite Barcolounger, and enjoy being transported back in time to the world that was created by the Don Drapers of Madison Avenue. A must-read for fans of the show and the era.

The real men behind the "Mad Men", September 2, 2010
//Mad Men Unbuttoned: A Romp Through 1960s America// uses the characters and episodes of //Mad Men//, a TV drama about 1960s New York admen as a jumping off point to give readers an overview of the 1960s from hippies to Kennedys to the Marlboro Man.

Even for obsessive fans of the series, the book will be an eye-opener. Everything the characters do, say and wear has meaning. Don Draper's speech about responsibility channels a speech Leo Burnett, the king of 1960s admen, made in 1967. References to "metropolis" mean a popular foreign film, not Superman's hometown. Pete Campbell's annoying personality represents an entire subset: prep school boys. Who knew? You'll want to re-watch the entire series, book in hand, telling the characters, "Now I get it!"

Some of the excerpts from '60s personalities are more academic than most readers would enjoy. But, with each section only two to three pages, it's easy to endure a tiresome section when Brigitte Bardot, AA, and the real meaning of Burt Cooper's Japan decor are just a few pages away. Did Vargas-Cooper read more into the series than the creators intended? Maybe. But overall //Mad Men Unbuttoned// offers an interesting insight for series fans.

Reviewed by Jodi Webb

Simply Marvelous, September 2, 2010
I am a devotee of both Mad Men and of the era it is set in. This book was a perfect match. It's smart. It's witty. It's colorful. It has wonderful pics and crisp, often brilliant writing. Most importantly, I found that because it was written by someone who is in her 20's (and I just turned 30) I could really relate to its perspective. This is about the period during which the Boomers grew up and memoirs from that era abound. But this book as the freshness of rediscovery not of rememberance, and that makes a big difference. This is not a dumb or quick and dirty fan book. In fact, none of the 100 or so super illustrations come from the show. They all come from the period. So there's about 80 or so of these photos that refer to moments in the show, and then a great, sometimes funnier than hell essay written by Vargas-Cooper to go along with each one. This is a win-win situation. You can get this book and thumb through it while Mad Men is on the air, like for the next two months or so. Or you can get it to fill the void between seasons. Open it up and I swear you can smell the Marlboros, the whiskey, the AquaNet and the Glo-Coat. A yummy book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

On Combat looks at what happens to the human body under the stresses of deadly battle the impact on the nervous system, heart, breathing, visual and auditory perception, memory - then discusses new research findings as to what measures warriors can take to prevent such debilitations so they can stay in the fight, survive, and win.A brief, but insightful look at history shows the evolution of combat, the development of the physical and psychological leverage that enables humans to kill other humans, followed by an objective examination of domestic violence in America. The authors reveal the nature of the warrior, brave men and women who train their minds and bodies to go to that place from which others flee. After examining the incredible impact of a few true warriors in battle, On Combat presents new and exciting research as to how to train the mind to become inoculated to stress, fear and even pain.Expanding on Lt. Col. Grossman s popular "Bulletproof mind" presentation, the book explores what really happens to the warrior after the battle, and shows how emotions, such as relief and self-blame, are natural and healthy ways to feel about having survived combat. A fresh and highly informative look at post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) details how to prevent it, how to survive it should it happen, how to come out of it stronger, and how to help others who are experiencing it.On Combat looks at the critical importance of the debriefing, when warriors gather after the battle to share what happened, critique, learn from each other and, for some, begin to heal from the horror. The reader will learn a highly effective breathing technique that not only steadies the warrior s mind and body before and during the battle, but can also be used afterwards as a powerful healing device to help separate the emotion from the memory.Concluding chapters discuss the Christian/Judeo view of killing in combat and offers powerful insight that Lt. Col. Grossman has imparted over the years to help thousands of warriors understand and come to terms with their actions in battle. A final chapter encourages warriors to always fight for justice, not vengeance, so that their remaining days will be healthy ones filled with pride for having performed their duty morally and ethically.This information-packed book ploughs new ground in its vision, in its extensive new research and startling findings, and in its powerful, revealing quotes and anecdotes from top people in the warrior community, people who have faced the toxic environment of deadly combat and now share their wisdom to help others. On Combat is easy to read and powerful in scope. It is a true classic that will be read by new and veteran warriors for years to come. ... Read more

Reviews

Wow!, November 8, 2004
Advertising for this marvelous work states, "a ground-breaking examination of what it takes to perform, cope and survive in the toxicity of deadly combat as a soldier in a foreign land and a police officer in the mean streets of urban America." It really is all that, and more... Outstanding isn't a strong enough word to describe it.

If you are a soldier, a police officer, a martial artist, the holder of a concealed weapons permit, or just live in a bad neighborhood you really ought to read this book. Both authors really know what they're talking about, clearly able to articulate hard won wisdom in this well-written and comprehensive tome. Their thought-provoking, insightful work definitively examines every aspect of the psychology and physiology of deadly conflict.

The book begins by describing what happens to a person anatomically during a battle then covers the perceptual distortions that take place in combat. Having done college studies on eyewitness testimony and psychology and the law I recognize and agree with many of their points. The second half of the book covers why people put themselves in harms way and what happens to them after the smoke clears. It talks about post traumatic stress disorder, survivor's guilt, and a host of related subjects. I particularly liked the section on the Judeo/Christian views of killing which really help warriors understand and come to grips with their actions in battle - be it on the field of war, a city street, or even in their own back yard.

The research is great. The various vignettes and quotes are quite interesting. Even if you are never involved in a deadly encounter it really helps you understand and have a new appreciation for those who are. I have several friends and relatives in the military as well as a few in law enforcement. This book is going to be one of their holiday presents. This compelling study isn't just for professional warriors, however. Anyone with an affinity for martial arts like myself will find it an excellent read as well.

Lt. Col. Grossman is a retired U.S. Army Ranger, scholar, and the Pulitzer nominated author of On Killing, another great book. Loren Christensen is one of my favorite martial arts authors. A retired police officer, Vietnam veteran, and 8th dan black belt he really knows his stuff. Gavin DeBecker who writes the foreword is an expert on preventing violence and author of The Gift of Fear, the definitive work on that subject.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults and Martial Arts Instruction; co-author of The Way of Kata, The Way to Black Belt, and The Little Black Book of Violence

A MUST read for all "warriors"., March 26, 2005
This book explores in detail what physically and mentally happens to most people when confronted with a deadly threat. Both authors have written previous books dealing with this subject. This collaboration brings together the best both have to offer.

Col. Grossman has an extensive military background as a member of the Army Rangers. His book, On Killing, was written over a decade ago and is still one of the definitive words on the subject. Through research and interviews, Col. Grossman was able to open a window into the soul of a "warrior" and explain why even when directly threatened, it is not a simple thing to take another human beings life.

Loren Christensen is a former police office and co-author of another excellent use of force book, Deadly Force Encounters. That book focused on law enforcement experiences with lethal force. Again through interviews and research, Christensen, and his co-author Dr. Alexis Artwohl, gave a human face to the peace officer forced to kill.

On Combat combines the world of the military combat veteran with that of the police officer. The authors contention is that both are worthy of the term "warrior". The "warrior" is the 1% who protects the 98% from the remaining 1% who would do them harm.

The book is divided into four sections. Each section deals with a different aspect of combat but always from the perspective of how a human deals with combat.

The first section is titled, "The Physiology of Combat: The Anatomy of the Human Body in Battle". The authors describe a basic element of combat as the "Universal Human Phobia". That phobia is the innate human aversion to killing one of their own. With only a small percentage of the population as an exception, human beings will find it difficult to take another human's life in a face to face confrontation.

Equally as important to understand is the body's reactions to being attacked. Interpersonal human aggression creates a "toxic and corrosive" atmosphere in the daily work of warriors everywhere. Our bodies will respond in ways that we may not be able to control but must understand nonetheless if we are to competently handle a lethal threat. Automatic systems designed for thoughtless survival kick into gear. Adrenaline is released, digestive processes cease and even bladder and sphincter control is lost. These are things to prepare for and not be surprised should they happen.




The automatic systems in place are the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) nervous systems. The SNS arouses use to action when necessary and the PNS works to regain control and establish a balance in your body. The snapping back of your body from the arousal to an attempt at normalcy can be a dangerous condition. Napoleon said, "The moment of greatest vulnerability is the instant immediately after victory." It may not only be a physical collapse but also a dangerous mental collapse as well.

Maintaining good sleep habits, which would include a minimum of 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep, is very important to aid in the bodies' maintenance. Less than that places unneeded stress on the body. There is an amount of stress is actually beneficial, however, that is caused by increasing your heart rate. The increase must be caused by SNS arousal. Heart rate increases caused by exercise will not have the same effect. The authors emphasize that the numbers are not precise and different people will have different experiences depending on factors such as training and physical fitness levels.
Of particular interest is the fact that it appears that an hormonal induced heart rate of 115-145 bpm produces an optimal level of performance in those skills most necessary for combat and survival. Complex motor skills, visual reaction time and cognitive reaction time are all at their peak.

The reason for bringing this information to the reader's attention is to emphasize the importance of realistic and stressful training which can create almost an "autopilot" response to a deadly threat. It is also important not to allow your heart rate to climb too much higher than 145 bpm. Generally, your skill level and reaction times begin to deteriorate when heart rates go beyond 145 bpm.

One major way to combat stress and its negative effects is through tactical breathing. The authors describe that there are only two autonomic nervous system actions you can consciously control; breathing and blinking. Of the two, controlling your breathing will be of great benefit during a stressful situation. You can decrease your heart rate by practicing tactical breathing. The breaths should be deep `belly breaths', that is, during inhaling, your stomach expands like a balloon. Each step is done while mentally counting to four. The four simple steps to this breathing are:
In through the nose, two, three, four.
Hold two, three, four.
Out through the lips two, three, four.
Hold two, three, four.

This tactical breathing sequence is most effective when repeated at least four times.

Section two of the book discusses the possible perceptual distortions that may occur during a lethal force encounter. The authors use information collected by Dr. Alexis Artwohl and Loren Christensen in preparation for the writing of their book, Deadly Force Encounters. The findings were based on a survey of 141 officers. These findings described the most common distortions that occurred.

Perceptual Distortions in Combat
85% Diminished sound (auditory exclusion)
16% Intensified sounds
80% Tunnel vision
4% Automatic pilot ("scared speechless")
72% Heightened visual clarity
65% Slow motion time
16% Fast motion time
7% Temporary paralysis
51% Memory loss for parts of the event
47% Memory loss for some of the subject's actions
40% Dissociation (detachment)
26% Intrusive distracting thoughts
22% Memory distortions


It is important to note that some people may have experienced more than one type of distortion while others experience none at all. Again, having knowledge of a possible experiential distortion will prepare an officer for its occurrence, thereby providing an `inoculation' against its effects.

Section three describes the mental attitude necessary to be a warrior. The book goes into greater detail about stress inoculation and its importance to effective, realistic training. There are also some important training principles outlined.

Principle 1: Never "Kill" a Warrior in Training. Learners are expected to complete a scenario even if hit, stabbed or shot. As a trainer, tell them, "You're not dead until I tell you you're dead!" Don't give up, always win.

Principle 2: Try to Never Send a Loser off Your Training Site. Have your participants go through a scenario as many times as necessary in order to have them succeed. Scenarios designed to make the trainee look foolish or fail just prove that the training designers are jerks.

Principle 3: As a Trainer, Never Talk Trash about Your Students. Don't ridicule or try to tell funny stories about the last trainee who tried to complete your scenario. Your role as a trainer/leader is not only to pass along knowledge but also to inspire. You cannot do this when you are not respected. If criticism is to be given, give it in private. If praise is warranted, do so publicly.

Encourage your learners not to worry over a `bad' day of training. Fix the problem, correct the deficiency, strive to improve and move on.

The will to do the job (kill if necessary) is sometimes enough to change a situation from one of having to use lethal force to something less. The determination to perform the ultimate act may be perceived by the intended recipient of your force and in itself be enough to deter their actions. If you've got that steel-eyed certainty in your eyes, the bad guy may not wish to actually test your resolve. You are the weapon; everything else is just a tool.

Your resolve to succeed must include the possibility of losing some blood. You can loose a half-gallon of blood and your body will continue to mechanically function. Ceasing to fight before that much blood is lost is due to a lack of will, not lack of hydraulics.

You need three very simple things in order to survive a lethal encounter; the right weapon, the skill to use that weapon, and the mental decision to use that weapon, even if it means that someone may die. This decision must be made well in advance of a time during the confrontation with the deadly threat. At the time you are confronted with violence is not the time to wonder whether or not you can respond with deadly force if necessary.

The remaining chapters in this section discuss the history of weaponry (and its effect on combat), and some superior reasoning for the increase in school violence. Although both subjects were interesting, I chose not to include them in this review since my emphasis was on the mental and emotional preparation for deadly force use.

The fourth and last section of the book deals with the aftermath; what does a person feel like after they have taken a life. One of the most common reactions expressed is relief, "Better him than me". This feeling can often lead to guilt of sorts, "Why did he make me kill him". Although the feeling of relief is perfectly natural, allowing that to progress into guilt is not. After all, winning a deadly force encounter is certainly cause to feel happy about being alive.

The authors contend that there are ways of handling an emotional upheaval such as having to kill someone. First, you cannot act like it did not happen. You should talk about it, preferably with a mental health professional. Second, after a year or so has passed, you should not be unduly affected emotionally by remembering the event. As the authors put it, "The memory must be separated from the emotion." If the fear of the repeat of such an event has a significant negative impact on your day to day life you should seek the help of a mental health professional. Examples of this could include; not being able to go near the area an event occurred without feeling anxiety or having nightmares about the event.
The critical incident debrief is also an excellent way to assist personnel in getting through what can be an emotionally tough time. By debriefing we can reconstruct the event in hopes of finding out what worked and what didn't. We can also fill in the holes (if any exist) by bringing all involved parties together and thereby get a much better overall view of the incident. A positive emotional side-effect of this is that pain shared with others is divided amongst the group and not the sole burden of any one person. Additionally, joy shared is multiplied and everyone can feel better at another person's accomplishment and success.

Another important way to assist is simply by letting your friend or loved one know that you are glad they are O.K. It is not necessary to try and approve or justify their actions but just let them know that you are happy that they're O.K. An offer of your personal time to listen or help with anything else they might need would go far in letting them know how important that they are.

One of the last points to be made in this book is the idea of justice not vengeance. Although not considered to be a major problem in law enforcement, it is nonetheless important to emphasize that killing, when justified and necessary, is not something to be glorified or celebrated. It is just something that is. When forced to kill another human being is not something we do with a hatred of the crook or glee at their demise. We just do it. We must strive to dispassionately but effectively protect others as well as ourselves.

Steve Winchell is a 27 year veteran of southern California law enforcement. He has been a firearms instructor for the past 9 years. For the past 3 years he has been a full time member of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department Weapons Training Unit.

A Must Read For All Cops & Soldiers, May 27, 2005
After reading "ON COMBAT", I bought 2 more copies for relatives in law enforcement and another 8 copies for the Sheriff's Office I work for. As a person with over 25 years in law enforcement and a tour in Vietnam, I highly recommend this book for anyone in law enforcement, the military, and their families.

It not only provides a wealth of information on surviving deadly force encounters, both physically and mentally, but it does so in a very easy to read format. Everyone I loan my copy to says they hate to put it down once they start it.

The book contains many insightful first-hand accounts from people who have been in deadly force encounters.

I was so impressed with the book, I added a 1 hour segment to my law enforcement 1st Aid /CPR courses to share highlights from "On Combat" with my fellow officers because it offers much that can enhance their safety and their well being.

The section dealing with the influence of violent video games on our children and their desensitization to violent behavior is something every parent should know.

If you are a cop, a soldier, or a trainer of either, this book should be required reading!

Understanding combat - mental preparation & fear signals, October 17, 2005
Overall a very good book which breaks down the effects of combat into detail. The book is divided in to four chapters:

1: The Physiology of Combat:The anatomy of the Human body in Battle.
This section gives a great insight into rationalising combat (those working with the law e.g. police, army etc.) the effects of experiencing a tramatic situation and analysing different levels of fear.

2: Perceptual distortions in combat: An Altered State of consciousness.
Very interesting section of the book, examines some of the reactions a person may experience during combat such as slow motion time. This part of the book is most appealing as anyone can read and take on board the various effects and be better prepared if they are ever in a violent/fearful situation.

3: The call to combat: Where do we get such men?
This section gives an insight into army/police training how to overcome stress and fear. It can also be applied by the average reader if they engage in any martial arts or other contact sport. Throw's light on the strength and will to live in near death situations and how mental attitude can carry you to surviving a dangerous situation.
4: The price of combat: After the smoke clears
This section examines the after effects of combat and is mainly applicable to those returning from war or were in the army. Some still carry the burden of what they saw, did or didnt do etc and gives tips on how to help them re-integrate in 'normal' society.

Overall, the book was an interesting read, a lot of examples used are American (as is the book) and would be great for anyone working in law enforcement/ the army.
For the average person reading this book most of it is interesting. You can apply the some of the learning and perhaps handle an unexpected situation much better. However, some of the information can sound like Americans blowing there own horn as they are fine examples of warriers and they are principled people (shame about those abusing their authority as seen on the news).
This book is quite easy to read, last chapter not very relevant if your not in the army but well written and makes you much more aware and sympathetic to understanding combat.

Survival Training: Mind and Body, February 23, 2005
Lt.Col. Grossman has written an exemplary work on the realities of combat. This is another must read for those who go " . . . willingly into the heart of darkness, into the toxic, corrosive, destructive realm of combat." Lt. Col. Grossman incorporates many of the old studies with new research to give us a better understanding of what to expect, and what to do, during combat. He presents it in a manner which is easy to comprehend, yet interesting to read.

For more than 25 years I've worked in and studied this field, and reading Lt. Col. Grossman's book has helped to put all those years of experience and training into a better perspective. All new "warriors" should read this book before picking up a weapon and heading out onto the streets or into the bush. They must be prepared mentally, as well as physically, and must ask themselves if they can do this. Only then would they be ready for what they will experience.

A Non Warrior's Review, May 7, 2007
Many of the prior reviews were from those who go into danger to protect our nation and our neighborhoods. Their universal acclaim speaks volumes about the quality and integrity of Grossman's work in providing the tools to perform, sruvive and return.

On another level the book provides the average citizen the start of an understanding of how much different combat ( in Iraq and the liquor store holdup gone wrong) is different from what we see on TV, read in the papers and hear from those "professionals" who regularly review the performance of those who were engaged in combat. The book is a true eyeopener. On a personal level the book helped me understand what happened, how through chance I survived an armed robbery /kidnaping gone wrong.

For the concerned citizen the book serves another purpose and that is to validate Grossman's credentials to have written Stop Teaching Our Children To Kill. Sadly Grossman was not called upon to appear on TV during the non-stop coverage of the Virginia Tech killings. Perhaps the reason the book does not get the coverage it deserves is the direct and indirect threat it poses to much of the media.

Both On Combat and Stop Killing Our Children are great contributions and highly recommended.

BINGO, March 8, 2007
This book was recommended to me by a fellow police officer after I was involved in a shooting. I did not read it until a month after my incident. Everything in the book seem to relate to what I was going through. I then realized what I was going through was normal, and that I was going to be alright. This book truely helped me get over a difficult time in my life.

A10A, September 30, 2006
I am a Sniper in a special STRIKE team in the British Army on my second tour of Iraq. This book is one of the best books I have had the privilege to read. It gave me the tools I needed to go from shooting at great distances under pressure and then picking up my hart-rate to go into a hostile house to arrest the target. It has done more than just that, it has helped me understand who I am and why I am.

A Warrior's Almanac, July 7, 2008
All the information police, soldiers and other warriors have been missing for over fifty years is right here in this solid volume.

Lt Col Grossman and Loren Christensen put it all together. They've created terms we did not know we needed, for things we didn't even know occurred. Grossman has a cute but very apt description of the function of the midbrain, fulfilled by 'the puppy,' as he calls it. He calls fear of human violence the 'universal phobia,' and tells you why it's universal. He gives a brief overview of what happens to your body when 'fight-or-flight' kicks in, then delves deeply into sensory distortions experienced in life-or-death situations. This is only the beginning.

The authors divulge the training a person needs to enter the 'toxic, corrosive realm of combat,' and why we need those who are willing to do so. Stress and fear innoculation, dealing with killing, being wounded, and cultural issues are dealt with in section three.

Sometimes the aftermath is far more traumatic to a person than the 5 minute episode of all hell breaking loose. The authors use almost 100 pages to discuss what happens after the smoke clears: PTSD, debriefings, a full explanation of tactical breathing, guilt, and communicating with those who've been 'there.' Along with the guilt issue, the author also addresses the conflicts that can develop from within because of a person's religious beliefs after killing.

I believe this book to be of immense value to all emergency responders, police, and military personnel. After borrowing it and reading it, I've ordered it and recommended it to just about everyone I know in those communities.

I would have a hard time recommending this book to anyone on the outside, which is part of why I rated it a four. There is a large amount of insider jargon, and a cultural bias, in the warrior community. This will not translate well for those Lt Col Grossman refers to as 'the herd.'

The second reason I gave it a four is the physical quality of the book. The binding seperated from the spine almost immediately, and I can see the cover coming off within a few readings.

Outstanding book to prepare combatants for reality, March 22, 2005
"On Combat" is the much anticipated follow up to "On Killing", also by Dave Grossman. This book is an absolute must for any warrior working in the law enforcement or military communities. Grossman destroys the myths commonly associated with the effects of combat and the related stressors. This book should help you mentally prepare yourself to survive, both physically and psychologically, should you be involved in a deadly force encounter involving the loss of life. It should be required reading for all law enforement & military trainers. Anyone in a combatant support group designed to provide mental health assistant to warriors should also read it (several times). It is an outstanding read and extremely interesting throughout. It could very well give the reader a mental edge in combat that could determine who lives and who dies.

I gave a copy of this book to a friend at work whose son was returning from a combat tour in Iraq with the Marine Corps. He and his wife both read it and found it to be extremely helpful. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A staggering achievement, September 17, 2009
I have embedded as a freelance photojournalist with US soldiers in Iraq three times, including a small part of the time that Finkel describes here, in 2007. At that time, and as excellently described here, the country was basically a hellstorm.

There are z-e-r-o images or anecdotes in this book that come across as anything less than powerfully true, and many of his observations mirror in some ways things I saw on a much smaller scale. So for me, the credibility was rock solid. I kept thinking to myself, "oh yeah, I remember when something like X happened."

But, the most factually accurate book won't work if it's not written well. That is NOT a problem here. He tells it straight and without a lot of florid adjectives and overwriting. It's a strong enough story to succeed on its own merits, without the author trying to make us notice him as well. I really respect how he keeps himself totally out of it. There's nothing wrong with an "I" biographical style, but it's good to see the soldier's stories told here with a minimum of editorializing. It just tells us what happened; a lot of it's pretty horrible, some of it is very funny, with plenty in between.

Dexter Filkins' "The Forever War," had been my most respected book about Iraq, but this surpasses it only because it focuses so closely on an individual unit and the men doing the job. Filkins does a lot more in his book, but I think the tight focus of "Good Soldiers" helps it stand even more apart.

I'm not even sure it could be summed up as what it's "about." It doesn't have a happy ending, there's no big defining battle, just a lot of fights that don't seem to add up to much. It's not pointless, because we know that the 'surge' the men suffered through actually did work to some extent (though no one knows the future), so we can look at the sacrifice of the men who died a lot differently.

It's not easy to read. It's not fun. It always seems like the audience wants these types of books to be either blatantly anti-any-war polemics, or rah-rah, wave-the-flag screeds. Iraq was neither of those places. It wasn't anything other than the worst place on earth, with a lot of bad things happening, and everybody telling a lot of funny stories while they were hoping to get home okay. Nobody really remembers or considers the soldiers who had to go out there, into that fight. They think they do, but they don't. This book will help you understand; oh, will it ever.

"It's all good", September 20, 2009
My son was in this battalion and is an admirer of the battalion commander, "Col K" as everyone calls him. I had heard many of the stories in this book but not in their totality. David Finkel has written an intense, compelling, and emotional account that succeeds in covering the war on so many facets simultaneously: strategic, operational, tactical, homefront, and the Iraqi perspective as well. A map would have been nice but this was not an account written to stop and reference maps, but to be read and felt. Every chapter has a chronologically correct statement from President Bush about the war. We read what is happening at home with the wives and in the hospitals where the severely wounded are recovering. We also learn about the Iraqis who work as translators for the battalion. We follow the soldiers home on leave from the war zone. It's the story of this battalion, its commander, some officers, and those wounded and killed during an extended deployment who just kept on giving and doing their duty. This book to quote Col K's motto, "it's all good."

Personal, emotional, and powerful, September 15, 2009
In "A Note on Sources and Methods" at the end of this book, the author writes, "From the beginning, I explained to [the soldiers of the 2-16] that my intent was to document their corner of the war, without agenda." The result is the most intimate and touching story about the lives and deaths of American servicemen not just in Iraq, but in any other war for that matter, that I have ever come across. Other excellent books about the war in Iraq have achieved greatness in other ways, but this account is unique by virtue of the author's ability to open windows into the souls of the men who experienced the war - their hopes, dreams, nightmares, and fears - and to give readers unprecedented insight into the way the war has touched those men and the families they left behind when they deployed.

This book is neither pro-war nor anti-war. It does not represent an effort to glorify or demonize any person or policy. It is, quite simply, an honest account of the realities on the ground for one battalion of soldiers based in a hostile environment during one of the most crucial periods of the war. In meticulous and thoughtful detail, Finkel recounts the experiences of the individuals who served in the 2-16, from the early days of anticipation, to the final days of dealing with the realities of a complex and often frustrating conflict with no easy answers and no clean conclusion. Much of the book focuses on the confident and optimistic commander of the 2-16, Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Kauzlarich, but readers will also come to know dozens of other personalities from the battalion, running from the top to the bottom of the chain of command. In that sense the book achieves its goal of documenting the war on multiple scales, from the private thoughts of individual soldiers to the overall experience of the battalion.

Anyone with an interest in the war in Iraq or military affairs in general will benefit tremendously from reading The Good Soldiers. I felt at various times while reading it excited, impressed, or deeply sad, but always enlightened by the intimate details of the story. It is a powerful book that sets aside politics and ideology to reveal war for what it really is and how it affects those who are closest to it.

From someone who's been there, October 12, 2009
I wasn't with the 2-16, but after reading this book, I agree with another reviewer in that I felt like it was almost written about me and my unit. Loops around the FOB; an Ambien to sleep, and then another, and then another and then another; rearranging furniture, positioning yourself a certain way in the turret for when an EFP might hit so you'd still have one good leg. It's all real. This book was hard to read. I read it as I flew back from Iraq and in public, there were times I needed to put the book down, breathe deep, and thank God I have a Xanax prescription to go with the Ambien. Well told story, excellently written, and I recommend it to anyone with family or a loved one over there. This book writes about what a lot of us did over there, and how we dealt with it. It might help you understand them and why they act and do the things they do. As a soldier who's been there, I ask you to read it. Try and understand us better.

a soldier's perspective, October 30, 2009
I was very impressed at how well David Finkel captured the emotion of this deployment that I was a part of. The frustration, contradiction, and common humanity he describes brought back quite a few memories and put them into words with freshness and bluntness.

And while I appreciate his powerful listening skills, representing the viewpoints of the soldiers, perhaps the author overplays his cards. The angle he seems to be coming at it with is that these fourteen months in Iraq were so intense that nobody else could understand it other than those who were there. To a degree, that may be true, but if there was not enough common emotion between soldiers and civilians, then the book itself would be pointless.

Those who have never been to war may not understand the soul-shattering depths of combat, but the assumption that soldiers cannot relate to civilians, in my estimation, leads to many of the tragedies that occur after soldiers return from war. We as soldiers are told that noone can understand us, so many turn to new cars, video games, and alcohol to drown away our memories... and that does not work.

Soldiers may not be able to explain everything they feel to those who haven't been there, but if people take the time to listen to what we choose to share instead of instantly saying "thank you for your service" before driving away in a car with a "support the troops" sticker, then a bridge begins to form. These surface-level signs of support build more barriers (again, in my estimation) than tear down.

And despite seeming to realize all this, Finkel overplays the isolation. He illustrates the absurdity of the pain and death in this war and then scoffs off peacemakers trying to make these connections to the population back in America that is usually only connected to the war by "updates" on the bottom of their cable tv screens. There are some activists that create even more divisiveness, but since being back, I have found that the overwhelming number that I have met are seeking to serve the troops and reconcile the pain that this country--at home and abroad--has experienced. As I type this, I am working with a community peace group who is working to learn as much as they can about the needs of returning veterans because a national guard unit in their town is coming home in a few months. I have found that most of the time those who are quickest to say "support the troops" are also the quickest to create an atmosphere where soldiers feel they cannot share how they really feel.

As a listener, Finkel is superb. And while capturing the emotion, he leaves out many of the things that created such intense emotion. Perhaps unaware, perhaps trying to be non-controversial, the book doesn't describe events like when Bravo Co. moved into the factory in Kamaliyah, how the local community came out to nonviolently protest our prescence in their neighborhood. He doesn't mention any of the reasons why 2-16 was regularly under investigation. There is nothing about the list of informants that we lost out on patrol, many of whom wound up dead or that many times, when Iraqis did risk their lives to help us and wound up dead in the back of an Iraqi Police truck, American soldiers would poke at the bodies and take pictures. There was so much confusion and contradiction there, but many of the reasons behind it were left out.

He also leaves out many less than "humanitarian" descriptions about Kauzlarich... probably because he wasn't there for most this, but a more complete picture of the man would include things like calling my one African-American friend "my little tar-baby", or telling another friend that he was on his list of "bad soldiers" and "20% of the names on that list are no longer living". While the book mentions the compassion he shows to Sgt. Emory when visiting him in the hospital, it doesn't tell about what he said behind his back; we had a picture on our wall of Sgt. Emory in the hospital, wearing a helmet to hold his head together... "oh! there's Sgt. Emory and his duh-duh-duh helmet" Kauzlarich said as the soldiers in the room had to restrain themselves from unleashing their anger on him. And the most important thing Kauzlarich said that was left out was his policy (not an uncommon one) that whenever an IED went off, we were authorized to shoot anyone in the area. This policy was one of the hugest contributors to the emotion that Finkel captured so well in his book.

Overall it is a very powerful read. I realized he had limited space and knowledge about some of the things that went on, but on an emotional, gut level, if you really read between the lines, this book will help you understand a little bit of the isolation and absurdity that so many soldiers experience.

Heroism and heartbreak, September 22, 2009
Disclaimer: I know both the author and principle character, Lt. Col. Kauzlarich, but I learned a great deal about the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment in this tremendously well-written and moving book which provides an accurate snapshot of the grim reality of war and one unit's experiences in Baghdad during the surge in 2007-08.

Finkel set out to write a newspaper story on one unit participating in President Bush's "surge" strategy in Iraq and ended up crafting a book because the Rangers had such a compelling odyssey to relate. Few reporters have the kind of extended access and time on the ground with the troops that Finkel did, and I feel he does a terrific job of capturing the challenges and frustrations that we face in Iraq, dealing with the vast gulf between the cultures, the sheer complexity of kinetic and non-kinetic operations there, and the fascinating interaction of personalities that you see, especially with "Muqqadam K" and his Soldiers as well as his Iraqi counterparts in the military, government and tribal circles.

I'm grateful for the service, sacrifice and contributions of the Rangers and their families. Finkel, a Pulitzer Prize winner for his groundbreaking series on Yemeni tribalism, approaches the project as a true professional, leaving out his own politics or views on the war, and instead focusing on the Soldiers in the fight and at home, as many are left to pick up the pieces and sort through the agony of physical and emotional wounds, most of which will never fully heal. I knew two of the Soldiers from the battalion who did not return, and so the book hit home to me on a much deeper personal level, and I think Finkel did a good job of helping the reader to know them a little bit. These men who made the ultimate sacrifice will always be remembered.

What should also not be forgotten is that these men and women took on some of the most vicious fighters in the JAM and made 9 Nissan a better place than when they arrived. Whether or not the Iraqis can maintain that momentum and progress is up to them, but the cost of the progress and improved security is laid bare by Finkel and heartbreaking.

Was it worth it? That is for the reader to decide. But, if you're looking for the best possible depiction of the Iraq War from a battalion/company perspective, then this book has no peer. It makes and excellent companion to David Bellavia's "House To House" memoir of the Iraq War from 2004-05. This book gets a full five stars from me not only because it tells an important story, but because the men and families of the 2-16 IN Rangers deserve no less.

Seeing you're own story from another viewpoint., September 25, 2009
What I think is the most odd about this book, for me anyway is that I was in it. I recieved a call from one of the guys I was in 2nd Platoon B co with and sure enough there I was, even quoted. the long loops around the FOB certainly happened.

Although the chapter in question deals mostly with March until I read it I had no idea he'd done what he'd done. Unfortunatly he took two VERY dramatic events and condensed them. The death of Andre Craig was a sad affair but there was a lot more to it, as well as the Death of James Harrelson.

To be honest I'm not sure the photo used was approriate, people do not want to see a burning Humvee and a soldier dragged away from it. I was there and I don't even want to see it. It crosses into the relm of "does the public have a 'right' to know?"

I will say that his depiction of "lost Kauz" was excellent. "killer K" as we called him was very good at demotivating the troops even as he struck an upbeat speech. One incident that always stuck out in my mind was the ham sandwich being ordered by the BC (Battalion COmmander) on battalion Net not an hour after Craig was declaired KIA.

I'll be honest it was very difficult to read this book. It forced me to relive the events, but I would recomend that if you really want to know "what it's like" over there, this is a good place to start.

The Good Soldiers, November 22, 2009
The Good Soldiers by David Finkel

Scribe Publications Pty Ltd ISBN: 9781921640063 [...]

David Finkel is an editor, journalist with The Washington Post and the author of The Good Soldiers. He is a Pulitzer Prize winner for his explanatory reporting in 2006 for a series of stories about U.S. funded democracy efforts in Yemen.

Finkel was embedded with the 2-16th Infantry Battalion based in Baghdad. They were to be part of President George W. Bush's "surge" in 2007. Finkel's account of the new strategy of the war in Iraq is told through his eight month involvement with the 2-16 Battalion soldiers, in the U.S. and the highly volatile and unpredictable roadside bombs of Baghdad.

He captures the feelings of the pre deployed soldiers with their ideals of hope, honor, love of their country and winning the war. Finkel grabs the reader by the scruff of the neck with his no holds barred description of events that change these soldier's lives forever. Actions that occur in Baghdad which the newspapers report as horrific, is the normal day to day routine for these soldiers. This is due to their crazy environment they now live in. Finkel describes how these young men are robbed of their youth as they learn very early on in Baghdad about death, fear and destruction.

Finkel was able to capture the heartache and difficulties that the families and soldiers faced when they returned home. As one soldier wrote in his last journal entry, `I've lost all hope. I feel the end is near for me, very, very near. Day by day my misery grows like a storm, ready to swallow me whole and take me to the unknown. Yet all I can fear is the unknown'. His wife mentioned `that he was turning into a zombie and their marriage was dying'.

The Good Soldiers is beautifully written and is difficult to put down. This book is not just for soldiers. Families that have had family members deployed to Iraq would find Finkel's book to be an inroad to the minds of their loved ones. Like this comment on how his soldiers felt, "They're angry. Very angry," he said of the platoon, which of course included himself. "How can anybody kill and function normally afterward? It's not the humane response."

The Good Soldiers is the best book I have read on the Iraq War.

Reviewed by Gordon Traill
Australian Iraq Veteran
Editor: www.peacekeepers.asn.au

Will Recommend to Everyone! Both Engrossing and Disturbing., December 2, 2009
I would not normally be interested in a military type book, but I read this because it was a gift and it had gotten numerous excellent reviews. I believe this is the best book I have read all year! I learned so much I didn't know about the war in Iraq and especially from the perspective of the soldiers right there in the middle of it. This book had a profound effect on me and I developed new-found respect for our soldiers in Iraq. I had no idea how difficult every single day is over there. The best thing about this book is it is extremely readable and is hard to put down once you start it! It will give you so much to think about and be grateful for!

Are we there yet?, October 21, 2009
I rarely write reviews but I felt it was important that I voice my thoughts.

What a powerful and emotionally draining book. It was difficult to read. I remember the 1st time I saw the Vietnam Wall memorial. I cried over the loss of life for nought. So much sacrifice, so much pain. I spent six years active duty USAF. I'm always struck by the fact that the biggest war mongers are those who have never served. There's a line about . . . Patriotism being the last refuge of scoundrels . . . Our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents killed for nothing. We have fought a war that we did not need to fight. The repercussions will be felt most by those who served and their families while the perpetrators of this war will mouth worthless platitudes about the necessity of being in Iraq. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In 97 Orchard, Jane Ziegelman explores the culinary life that was the heart and soul of New York's Lower East Side around the turn of the twentieth century—a city within a city, where Germans, Irish, Italians, and Eastern European Jews attempted to forge a new life. Through the experiences of five families, all of them residents of 97 Orchard Street, she takes readers on a vivid and unforgettable tour, from impossibly cramped tenement apartments down dimly lit stairwells where children played and neighbors socialized, beyond the front stoops where immigrant housewives found respite and company, and out into the hubbub of the dirty, teeming streets.

Ziegelman shows how immigrant cooks brought their ingenuity to the daily task of feeding their families, preserving traditions from home but always ready to improvise. While health officials worried that pushcarts were unsanitary and that pickles made immigrants too excitable to be good citizens, a culinary revolution was taking place in the streets of what had been culturally an English city. Along the East River, German immigrants founded breweries, dispensing their beloved lager in the dozens of beer gardens that opened along the Bowery. Russian Jews opened tea parlors serving blintzes and strudel next door to Romanian nightclubs that specialized in goose pastrami. On the streets, Italian peddlers hawked the cheese-and-tomato pies known as pizzarelli, while Jews sold knishes and squares of halvah. Gradually, as Americans began to explore the immigrant ghetto, they uncovered the array of comestible enticements of their foreign-born neighbors. 97 Orchard charts this exciting process of discovery as it lays bare the roots of our collective culinary heritage.

Reviews

A Great Read, June 30, 2010
I heard the author of this book on NPR and wanted to know more about the topic. I found this book fascinating. It shared many insights into life in the tenements of New York in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, most especially about the foodways of the immigrants. It was fascinating to read about the different groups and the "exotic" foods that they ate--some of which have become staples of our modern American diets. One small complaint was that I felt the book ended a bit abruptly. I think even a short conclusion or epilogue would have added to the book's closing.

If you do read this book, I'd also recommend looking up the website of the Tenement Museum in New York, which now occupies 97 Orchard Street. You can see addtional photographs and additional details about the lives of the families profiled in the book.

The Kindle formatting was good. The pictures mainly seemed to translate well, although some were small. But judging by a reviewer of the hardcover, this was also the case in the paper book.

The price was a bit high for a Kindle book, but I decided it was worth it for such a fascinating glimpse into the lives of our ancestors.

most interesting, July 12, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. I heard an interview with the author on NPR radio and I ordered it that day. It didn't tell as much about the families themselves, but I suspect not much more was known than what Ms Zeigelman wrote.
The talk of food and the recipies were so descriptive that I had to go out and buy dark breads, cabbage, saurkraut, sausages, etc.
Having German and Polish parents I grew up with most of the food.
All in all, the book was entertaining as well as informative.

A good book for the new generation, July 4, 2010
the book was a classic in telling the story of immigrants.. I live in a small town in Pittsburgh and could relate to all that was written in the book.. The food especially and the hard life the immigrants were living then..We still have the same going on in Pittsburgh but with different ethinic groups , nigerians, hatian and mexicans. They live in smaller tenaments in the city and our trying to keep their heritage from evaporating in the American climate.. So a great book for a better understanding of immigrant heritage..

Great Stuff!, August 14, 2010
Simple, straightforward telling of true tales. Well researched, scrupulously documented, with an eye and ear for detail. Vivid, memorable. Yet surprisingly not at all dull. The writing is smooth and straightforward. A pleasant read that's also educational. Highly recommended!

The Melting Pot's Cooking Pot, November 20, 2010
This is an intensely personal book for me. My father was born in 95 Orchard Street, directly next door to what is today the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side of New York City. The fourth child of immigrant parents, he was the first born in the US. A physician, a scientist, a bon vivant, my father was immensely proud of his heritage and of his Orchard Street-Lower East Side beginnings.

While growing up, I ate many of the same or similar foods that my parents ate as children, but to me, they were all jumbled up. I thought I knew the derivation of corned beef and cabbage, lasagna, fresh green salad, garlic dill pickles, rye bread and all the other foods put before me on the dining table. However, this book has been a real eye opener; an informative, nostalgic, and entertaining trip to my "roots".

Jane Ziegelman, the author of 97 Orchard, has written what is called "An Edible History" and it is just that. If one were to construct an immigrant-style recipe for this book one would perhaps say: "take a cup of history, a tablespoon each of sociology and anthropology, a pinch of original recipes, mix well, edit and print".

Five fascinating and interweaving chapters present the culinary history of five different immigrant families who resided in 97 Orchard Street over the course of a 70 year period. First the Glockner family from Germany, then the Moore's from Ireland, the German Jewish Gumpertz family, the Russian Jewish Rogarshevskys, and the Baldizzis from Italy each lived in the crowded tenement, and each contributed their culinary traditions to what we Americans eat today.

One cannot underestimate the complexity and arduousness of the life of an immigrant woman trying to feed her family while living in a fifth floor tenement walk-up with no indoor plumbing or running water! Tubs of water (and everything else) had to be hauled up and down flights of stairs. This premium on water affected the way one cooked. Soups and one pot dishes were the most efficient methods of feeding large families nutritious and budget conscious meals. All ingredients were purchased fresh from the pushcart vendor or public market for the meal at hand. There was no refrigeration, no food storage. If the recipe called for three eggs you bought three eggs. Life was immediate and nothing was wasted.

How our lives have changed (thank goodness for that!) but our food traditions have endured.

I found the book highly entertaining and informative.

PS.I will be attempting the Eggplants in the Oven recipe soon.

Great book with a flaw, June 26, 2010
This book is wonderful, but has a major flaw: the photos are very small and very hard to see. There are a couple of cartoons and captioned drawings and it's impossible to see what they say because of how tiny they are.

A unique topic and a fascinating book, October 6, 2010
I loved this book, from the details of what it cost to feed immigrants at Ellis Island to the specifics of what different ethnic groups ate as they moved into American society. The author has a light touch and keeps things moving so quickly that the book is easy to swallow in one sitting. She also has a gift for making the various immigrants come alive so that there is much to enjoy besides the food. It's fun to recognize foods from my childhood - and my current kitchen output - in the foods that immigrants adapted from the old country when they got here.

Is this for foodies? Well, if they are foodies who are interested in their heritage, rather than what is the newest thing on the block.

This would be an enjoyable book for those folks/families who like to read aloud to each other. Lots to discuss as you go.

A strong positive recommendation.

Living Food History, September 14, 2010
As someone who is fascinated by all things food, including and especially the history of food as a mirror of culture, I loved this book. In addition to the foodways of each of the immigrants in the United States, the author explores each family's food culture in their native land and then discusses what did and did not transfer to the U.S. and how their culture was then changed by the U.S. And, further, how the rest of America assimilated that which the immigrants brought with them and changed our food habits for the better.

I particularly loved the chapter about the Irish immigrant couple, which goes into significant detail about why the potato famine was as devastating as it was to a whole generation of Irish and how British land and export policies caused the tragedy in the first place. It's a not often told story and not well known. I thought it very interesting that the Irish immigration was largely an immigration of teenagers and young adults, rather than families, and included more young women than men.

The other favorite chapter was the one about the Polish-Russian Jews because that is my personal heritage. When I was a child in the 50s and 60s, my own immigrant parents from Poland fed us in pretty much the same way as the Jewish mother back at the turn of the 20th century. It was all very familiar to me.

The reason I have given 97 Orchard 4 instead of 5 stars is that I wanted the author to provide a concluding chapter that brought all the threads together, discussing the legacy of immigrant foodways to our eating habits today. The book seemed to to end with a "plop!" rather than tying the themes together. Maybe in a later addition the author could remedy this lack.

97 Orchard Street, September 25, 2010
I enjoy cooking and bought this book to read about the foods the imigrants cooked & ate in the 1800's. However, the history of the early daily lives of the newly arrived immigrants was fascinating!
If you like history and food you will enjoy this interesting book on the history of the immgrants who arrive in NYC in the 1800's.

Tasty Alternative to Conventional History, December 2, 2010
This book tells the history of New York and of the United States in microcosm and through food.

There's a certain genius to that.

I found the chapters on the German immigrants the most enlightening because Americans of German descent assimilated so long ago that much of the story was fresh and new to me. My own ancestors came from Germany to Virginia before the American Revolution, so they were not a part of the cultural center of German immigrant life in New York. (In fact, until recently, I didn't even know that my ancestors had come from Germany instead of England. They merged into the forming country like salmon swimming in a familiar stream.)

So this book was priceless to me. It was not only a history, but almost an "alternate history" for my own family.

And who doesn't love a good sauerkraut, am I right? ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Good lessons in visual storytelling, September 10, 2005
Having taught screenwriting for UCLA's Writing Program as well as being a working screenwriter for the past 20 years I've always been asked what separates a professional screenplay from the thousands of amateur screenplays out there. One of the things aspiring writers lack is what we call "getting your chops", a term borrowed from musicians. Meaning real, live experience that simply can't be taught. And usually, the only way to get it is by having your material produced. Jennifer Van Sijll's book CINEMATIC STORYTELLING, is the first book I've read to take an intensive look at what takes years and lots of produced credits to learn. By using written scenes from movies, coupled with actual film scenes printed alongside, Jennifer teaches visual storytelling in a way few books have done.

What I learned early on in this business is that there are several drafts after the one you sell. Many of us refer to them as the producer's draft, the director's draft, the actor's draft and the crew's draft. And you will make changes in all of those areas for reasons of character development, budget, schedule, location and ego.

Do writers really need to know about how films are shot and edited, even how sound can enhance a screenplay? The answer is yes and Jennifer's book, very appropriately titled provides invaluable information, something all writers whether aspiring ones or seasoned pros like myself need to consider. What she illustrates are the various parts of a movie and how they relate to the screenplay. The book is divided into chapters with topics like framing, locations, sound effects, transitions, camera motion and lenses, lighting, props and many more. Each chapter has many specific written scenes and still photo clips from well-known movies

Consider transitions, difficult for aspiring writers and even some pros. Learning to write good transitions between scenes rarely is taught in writing courses, and often left to the director, producer or editor. CINEMATIC STORYTELLING presents the reader written scenes from Citizen Kane, Fatal Attraction and many more movies, illustrating how sound and visual transitions are used in a finished film. A good writer can add smooth transitions into their screenplay and make their screenplay read more like a movie and more likely to be read. I've always been told my screenplays are easy reads, meaning that the reader is quickly engaged in the story, and this is directly due to my knowledge of visuals including transitions, close-ups, wide shots and sound cues. The secret here is writing it like it's part of the natural organic form of the screenplay rather than clumsy, noticeable descriptions. You don't have to write CLOSE UP, to indicate one.

Experience teaches the working writer and Jennifer's book is a solid attempt at dealing with this interconnected world of writing and making movies using many classic movies like Citizen Kane, Chinatown, The Searchers (my personal favorite), as well as contemporary movies like Pulp Fiction and lesser-known indie films including the cult favorite Harold and Maude to give a really good balance to her observations. She has focuses on framing, sound effects, transitions, camera motion, lighting, even camera lenses, which may not sound like anything a writer need know. However, a working knowledge of all those elements can and will contribute to a well-written screenplay.

I've always taught students that screenplays should be entertaining to read, in the same way movies should be entertaining, no matter how serious the subject. Breaking the rules is fine once you've sold your big feature, but don't forget the old saying, "you gotta learn the rules before you can break them". You have to write some thing that readers will want to read, to turn the page, to "see the movie". By knowing what directors, editors and even actors will need to interpret your screenplay, you can write a richer, clearer story. It's one of the best ways to protect the story you want to write, a lesson that took me years to learn. There are two things to remember when you're writing a screenplay, write a good story and write a good movie. Jennifer's book will help you make your screenplay more like a screenplay and will be useful time and time again.

Review for "Cinematic Storytelling" that appeared on Microfilmmaker.com, November 17, 2005
I recently reviewed a great debut film called 'Ascension' from a new microcinema director. The story and shooting style were fairly direct and straightforward; but--as this movie showed--just because the script didn't call for Michael Bay-style camera moves, it didn't mean that the shots had to be boring! A lot of beginning filmmakers (and even some that have more experience) can feel that they have to have lots of swooping crane or dramatic steadicam shots in order to have a great-looking movie. This isn't true. In reality, if you don't know how to effectively use the camera in the first place (visually speaking, not technically), you have no business putting it on a crane or steadicam; these devices cannot fix a visually uninteresting or inappropriate shot.

Enter Cinematic Storytelling. Using some of the most iconic and well-known films as examples, Jennifer Van Sijll explains how to use visual composition, lenses, editing, sound effects, transitions, camera position, and much more to give emphasis and convey information and emotion in your movie.

Comprehension
One of (the many) cool things about this book is that you don't have to have had any prior experience working with cameras to be able to understand the material. If you can read English and can look at the picture examples given (still photos from various films), then you can understand the concepts conveyed in the book.
Concepts and techniques (such as montages, intercutting, visual foreshadowing, etc.) are defined and clarified; even very subtle techniques that are almost unnoticeable in movies are pointed out and their effect explained. (For example, in describing the X-axis in screen direction, Van Sijll notes:

"As Westerners we read left-to-right. If you rented fifty studio-made movies, there's a good chance that the 'good guy' will enter screen left every time. When the 'good guy' moves left-to-right, our eyes move comfortably. Subconsciously, we begin to make positive inferences. Conversely, the antagonist usually enters from the right. Since our eyes aren't used to moving from right to left, the antagonist's entrance makes us uncomfortable. The screenwriter exploits this by transferring our learned discomfort to the characters" (4).
The author then goes on to show stills and a script excerpt from Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train to illustrate the effect of this principle.

Depth of Information
The book covers a tremendous amount of information, starting with the conventions of stationary camera techniques and progressing through editing, sound, lenses, camera movement and positioning, lighting, and finally, environment (location, wardrobe, props, etc.). However, each topic has still photos of at least one movie that exemplifies that certain technique, as well as an explanation of its dramatic value. This latter part is essential, because it's pointless to just talk about certain camera shots, effects, movements, etc. if you don't explain why they are important or what they are effective for. Additionally, the techniques are explained in the context of the movie photos, thus illustrating their effect.

[Quick side note: Jennifer Van Sijll draws from both old and new movies as examples. From Fritz Lang's 1927 milestone Metropolis, to Citizen Kane, Psycho, Pulp Fiction, The Piano, and Requiem for a Dream, all of the films she picks are excellent for viewing. You might want to add the "example movies" in this book to your Netflix or Blockbuster rental list. (Not like it's probably already long enough as it is!]

Interest Level
I found that it was very easy to maintain interest in this book. Truth be told, I was rather skeptical at first when I was informed that I'd be reviewing a book entitled Cinematic Storytelling; I was expecting a textbook-sized tome with simple drawings and technical words. Not so. The format is very easy-to-follow; each chapter has approximately between 4-10 sections, with each section usually covered in one full page. This makes for quick reading and easy comprehension. There are no big, technical-geeky words to wade through, and the explanations and summaries are brief, but detailed and thorough.

Reusability
This book is definitely a must-have investment for a filmmaker; whether you are just starting your first short or are working on your tenth full-length feature, this is a book you'll want to have within reach while planning your shot sheets and/or storyboards. And you'll probably find yourself coming back to it again and again with each new project you do.

Value vs. Cost
While the listed retail price this book being $25, it is worth far more for the information and ideas it provides. If you've never taken any kind of cinematic layout class (and even if you have!) this book is well worth the price. This book helps you to make the maximum impact with your main artistic tool: the camera itself. Just like writers understand the impact of their words, and painters understand how colors are used on their canvas, so must the filmmaker understand and know how to use the camera without relying solely on special effects and equipment.

Overall Comment
This book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested or involved in filmmaking, storyboarding, camerawork, cinematography, producing, and/or directing. Too many filmmakers--both microcinema and "big Hollywood"--don't fully understand the purposes and implications of various shots; this book will help you make the best use of your time, equipment, story, planning, and ideas.


Understandability - 9
Depth of Information - 9.5
Interest Level - 9.0
Reusability - 10.0
Value vs. Cost - 10.0
Total Score - 8.3

Reviewed by Kari Ann Morgan
Microfilmmaker.com

Writers, look through someone else's eyes., October 2, 2006
What a fascinating book for a scriptwriter to read! At first, you think "This isn't meant for me--it has chapters on camera lenses and camera positions, and wardrobe and sound effects! That's stuff directors and cinematographers and other people work with." From understanding the medium you're working in, comes better work.



Jennifer Van Sijll's Cinematic Storytelling provides 100 film conventions (as mentioned in the full title) in concise, two-page examples. The pages are index card-like in their brevity, but are so well-done there is no need for extra words. First, she lists the filmmaking element, such as "Motion," and gives an explanation. Next, she gives a film example, such as E.T., and explains the scene pictured in stills and how the particular scene conveys the element. If needed, she lists a script note or two and then explains what the dramatic value is of the element. Lastly, she lists a few other films that can serve as examples. The page with movie stills also contains the scene's script passage to show how the element was written. A writer will find the pieces of script excellent examples from which to learn.

Van Sijll's layout and logical progression through the different elements of film, from frame composition to locations and lighting, are easy to follow and almost Zen-like in their simplicity. Despite that simplicity, they do make an impact and stay with you long after you've put the book down. You'll find that when you sit down to write, you'll try and put those elements into your script with just a few well-chosen words (so not to look as if you're trying to direct). There are no exercises or homework and there is no general format information or advice on what the latest trick is to get your script seen. This is straightforward instruction presented in an easy-to-follow way.

After each chapter, Van Sijll inserts a "Chapter Credits by Film Element" index where you'll find a segment on each film she's highlighted. Within the segment, you'll find its release date, writer, director, production company and distributor. It's an unconventional scriptwriting book, for sure, and definitely worth checking out. Van Sijll teaches at San Francisco State University, holds seminars, and also works as a script analyst for producers. I enjoyed this book thoroughly.

Don't Let Good Reviews Fool You, November 5, 2009
I read many reviews before I commit to getting a book. Because this book was so well reviewed, I thought it would be perfect.
I am a screenwriter and I recently directed my first commercial. I turned to this book to expand my visual vocabulary. I expected to see many visual conventions explained in graphic detail that I could adopt or at least be aware about.

Don't let the reviews fool you. This book is academic jargon. Deconstructionist dribble. Postmodern silliness. It is not -- I repeat, NOT -- practical cinematic storytelling devices put on paper by a working professional, but reads more like an undergraduate film student's take on Citizen Kane, Raging Bull, etc...

If you like film criticism, great. But this book claims to be a resource for screenwriters hoping to use a richer visual technique, or for directors who need to know the most common shots and visual conventions.

So you understand what I am saying, understand: the very first chapter/point is "The Horizontal Axis." Our young author -- with no real experience -- then goes on to relate how often times good characters move from left to right, and villains move from right to left. If you don't see how annoying and impractical and just plain theoretical this book can be, let me choose another example.

Chapter 14: Triangular Composition.
Using the film "Witness" as an example, our naive author goes on to show how the filmmakers used triangles to show a love triangle between three central characters. First of all, there isn't any use of triangles in any obvious way, even in the picture she chose. Second of all, because she overlays the screenplay, you can see how there is no notion as such in the screenplay as well. Worst of all, the author then claims that the other elements in the frame --a birdhouse, picket fence -- are themselves triangular and part of the thematic message.

This is the BS that they taught me in college English courses. This is what they call deconstructionism where the author's intent has nothing to do with a reader's ability to derive whatever meaning they want.

If you are looking for a good practical shot guide, or anything to expand your moviemaking technique, do not get this book. It is not written by a filmmaker. A PA would no more about film than this woman.

If you like post-modern crap, then get this book. I wish I could get rid of it.

EXCELLENT REMINDER FOR SCREENWRITERS, September 4, 2005
Years ago I placed two stickers on my computer monitor. One sticker said: "You are a storyteller." And the other sticker said: "Think Visually." The first sticker was to remind me that, in my simplest form, all I wanted to do was tell stories to move and entertain people. The second sticker was to remind me to not be so clinical in my writing and think visually as to how I want the scene to look; to look at other approaches, VISUAL approaches, so I don't become a static writer writing just the basic words to get the scene across.

Years later, those stickers are gone but the core ideas are not.

It is the most common thing I write on a script that I am editing: "How do you show?" The character is angry. "How do you show?" The character wears a t-shirt. "Does it say anything?" The character drives up in a car. "What kind of car is it?" And, more often than not, the writer looks at me with a blank look on their face to say: "You expect me to put that in?" "OF COURSE I EXPECT YOU TO PUT THAT IN! AREN'T YOU A WRITER?"

Then the argument comes back to me: "I've heard that Producers don't want lots of detail." "I've heard that Producers look at how much white space there is before they'll read the script." "I'm trying to keep it as basic as possible." Which tells me they want to keep it BORING! You are a WRITER. WRITE!

"Cinematic Storytelling" is a book that rubber stamps my continued arguments with writers. It breaks down, by explanation, script examples and photos, how a scene is put together visually - and all the different combinations there-in. The subtitle to the book is: "The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know"

Jennifer Van Sijll, using examples from the silent film "Metropolis" to Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill 1" (and everything in between) explores those 100 Powerful Film Conventions in great detail.

The book is broken up in 17 chapters, each with an introduction and then within those chapters she breaks down each convention. For instance, Chapter 5 deals with "Time" while Chapter 9 deals with "Lenses." As you read through this book she provides you with an explanation to the convention, she will often provide the bit of the script that refers to that convention, and then photographs from the scene to reinforce the convention.

In the chapter on "Lighting" (Chapter 12) she breaks down "Motion Lighting" showing how the opening scenes of ET used lights in motion to heighten the suspense of ET running through the forest. First, with the truck head-lights and then, secondly, with the flashlights the pursuers use. She also re-prints the part of the script where this scene is described to show you, the writer, how it translated from the page to the screen. There are quite a number of "script segments" that are, of course, different from the draft or shooting script to what was actually shot, printed and shown. Did you know the opening to the film "Adaptation" was actually in the 2nd Act of that film?

Besides the above, she also includes details on each example she used at the end of each chapter: Title, date, writer(s), director, production company and distributor. I think this information would be very helpful if you're doing research on these persons or the process.

I found myself, as I read through this book, thinking about the films I had most recently seen trying to find examples of what she was referring to. I was questioning some of my favorite films confirming a lot of what she explains in the book. These conventions really do add to the whole story-telling process and they do help the page "come alive" on the screen.

There are two complaints I have with this book:

1. 90% of the script portions she uses come from films that were directed by the writer. Joel and Ethan Cohen ("Fargo" and "Barton Fink"), Orson Welles ("Citizen Kane"), Luc Besson ("The Professional), etc. Obviously their vision is going to be more "complete" because they are directing what they have written. What I feel would have been more beneficial, especially for amateur screenwriters, is to show how a "Spec" Script was modified from the written version to what the director envisioned. Did the sparse description turn into a riveting scene because of what the director did with the script? Or was there enough on the page for the director to work with? As an amateur writer there is a "less is more" approach to writing which, in my opinion, saps the writer from being creative and stamping their script with a particular vision. A few more examples of this would have been helpful.

2. The other complaint piggy-backs the first. Many of the script examples she provides came from screenplays that were obviously shooting scripts or scripts that had been through the Hollywood mill. Jennifer explains in the "Note on Credits and Script Sources" how she came to the scripts and what she had to work with. I think it's excellent to have the script portions in the book and extremely helpful to the reader - but it also may confuse new writers who suddenly feel they have to include scene numbers or every single camera angle. She DOES note when the script portion is a draft or a shooting script but I still think this could add to some confusion.

But how does this book help that writer who's afraid a Producer will balk when they see a camera movement or a highly detailed description? What I feel this book DOES do is confirm that writing a screenplay is more than just typing: "Joan walks into a bar." And turns it into: "Joan, mid-thirties and wearing a slinky red dress, slinks into a smoke-filled sports bar." If a Producer doesn't get more drawn in with example number two - then you probably would not want to work with that Producer.

Overall this is an excellent book which goes beyond the typical screenwriting books. There is no mention of proper formatting. No talk of three act structure. The book challenges you, the storyteller, to look at your script in a visual way. To push those visual clues and see how you can write a script and add those images that fit YOUR vision, too.

Screenwriters, whether amateur or not, need to be reminded that they are, indeed, storytellers and they must tell their stories visually. This book helps you explore those visual options.

"Cinematic Storytelling" reminded me of the basics of screenwriting: "Telling a story in a visual way." It's a lesson all screenwriters need to learn - it's a lesson all screenwriters need to remember.

MARIE JONES, ABSOLUTEWRITE.COM BOOK REVIEWER WRITES:, August 31, 2005


The language of cinema gets full exposure in this comprehensive reference guide that takes a look at 100 years of film history and technique, focusing on elements such as lighting, editing, sound and direction as key tools for powerful storytelling.

Most of us think of visual effects and dialog as the most obvious tools of communication when it comes to film, but a deeper examination of what makes a good film great reveals true artistry that goes beyond what is being said and done on the screen. Author Jennifer Van Sijll, a screenwriting teacher at San Francisco State with an MFA from USC's Dept. of Cinema-Television, has undertaken a huge task here, compiling dozens upon dozens of examples of how the use of sound, camera motion, angles and picture quality all serve to enhance the magic of cinema.

Chapters cover the gamut from screenwriting and directing technique to the use of space and dimension, frame composition, editing, using the expansion and contraction of time, sound effects, scene transitions (both audio and visual), lighting, use of color, props, camera motion, differing camera lenses, where to position the camera, wardrobe and locations and so much more. In fact, if it isn't included in this virtual encyclopedia of film technique and artistry, it must not exist.

Each chapter includes plenty of film grabs from the most memorable films in history, from "The Graduate" to ""Pulp Fiction" to "Citizen Kane," as well as photographs that compliment the description and give the reader a more visual sense of the technique's effect. There are also descriptions of the dramatic value achieved with each technique, as well as actual pages from the screenplays that drive the point home. Sijll also includes suggested reading and additional films to view that compliment the elements being discussed, so filmmakers can continue to explore the concepts and techniques outside of the content of this book.

Making films is all about telling a story and that is not just done with words on a page, or even pictures on a screen. There are so many elements involved in the creation of a film, and understanding how to use those elements can truly make the difference between a movie and a masterpiece. For anyone interested in a career in film, "Cinematic Storytelling" is a priceless guide to creating memories on screen that will last a lifetime and beyond.

Spectacular, August 28, 2007
To call me a newbie screenwriter would be to insult newbie screenwriters. I'm a fledgling, nascent, inchoate, and very bad screenwriter. And if you would read the mere one-page script I wrote yesterday, you'd call me some choice names but I daresay 'screenwriter' will not be one of the myriad.
That said, this is such a great book, the highest quality through and through, from the binding to the clear type and the clear picture examples of each shot type. I found myself reading this like I would an easy novel: it was literally a page-turner and filled with so much information, and information I could immediately start using.
With each example, I popped in the respective DVD and found the particular shots and marveled at how the author's description and subsequent interpretation of the scene was spot on, a real "Aha!" moment on each page. In my long and very arduous road to screenwriting mediocrity, I believe 'Cinematic Storytelling' will be a staunch ally, immovable from its perch as a resident of my reference bookshelf.

Flawed format. Wait for DVD!, October 6, 2007
I certainly agree with the existing reviews regarding content, and have nothing to add in this regard.
HOWEVER, there are two problems:
1. The book measures 7 1/2" tall and 11" wide. This makes it hard to hold and fits poorly on the reference bookshelf where it belongs.
2. The book mentions an upcoming DVD. This would a MUCH better format than book.
This book tries to illustrate various cinimatographic points with still shots from exemplary movies. Sometimes these still shots cannot illustrate the point adequately, while a video clip would be TREMENDOUS at illustrating the point. (For example: various transitions: How in the heck can you illustrate transitions with still photos?!)
WAIT FOR THE DVD. It should be TREMENDOUS,and well worth the purchase.

A Solid Shelf Reference, October 27, 2008
As a Line producer/Unit Production Manager (DGA) in the film industry, I wish more first time directors - and even seasoned ones - had books like this sitting on their shelves. They might learn a few more techniques about planning shots and informing the crew to make for a more efficient, cost-effective production. That time and money could always be used to make the film better in another aspect. Unfortunately, some directors believe that giving information to the Keys and the crew gives away their Directorial vision. They are 'organic' directors which means that they have the brains of a potato. Sharing the vision gets a better vision from the Keys and the crew. Worthwhile Reference.

Great take on film theory., May 9, 2007
The use of storyboards and stills from scenes in congunction with a theoretical breakdown make this a vey useful and thought provoking study on cinema. ... Read more