Editorial Review

Granted privileged access to Russia's secret archives, Edvard Radzinsky has broken down the iron curtain of myth, secrecy and lies that has surrounded Stalin's life and career, painting a picture of the Soviet strongman as more calculating, ruthless and blood-crazed than has ever been described or imagined. ... Read more

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Reviews (66)

Very biased and Anti Communist Propaganda book
I m not a big fan of communism, nor of Stalin. But I cross checked the facts mentioned in this book with facts in some other books I have read on similar subject and found that author Edvard Radzinsky is strongly biased against Stalin. In the entire book he seems to give no credit for anything to Stalin nor to his leadership qualities during the course of Second World War. Dont waste your money on a propaganda book. Better to go for an unbiased account from a neutral observer, thats what Biographies are supposed to be.

Engaging
This is one of the most interesting biographies that I have ever read. It should be, as the author is also a successful Russian playwright, and he is not inexperienced at writing biographies. Combine this talent for researching and telling dramatic stories with the fact that the author had privileged access to formerly top-secret archives of the Soviet Union, and the ingredients are there for the compulsive read that it is.
Solid Research Based on Russian Archives
The research done in this book is solid. I read both Russian and English stories, articles, and even books on the recently (if you can call mid nineties that) opened archived by the FSB (then KGB).
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Subjects:  1. Audio - Nonfiction    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Audiobooks    4. Biography    5. Heads of state    6. Sources    7. Soviet Union    8. History / General   

Editorial Review

A biography of Meriwether Lewis that relies heavily on the journals of both Lewis and Clark, this book is also backed up by the author's personal travels along Lewis and Clark's route to the Pacific. Ambrose is not content to simply chronicle the events of the "Corps of Discovery" as the explorers called their ventures. He often pauses to assess the military leadership of Lewis and Clark, how they negotiated with various native peoples and what they reported to Jefferson. Though the expedition failed to find Jefferson's hoped for water route to the Pacific, it fired interest among fur traders and other Americans, changing the face of the West forever. ... Read more

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Reviews (318)

Vivid and entertaining
When I read this book it helped me get ahead in history amazingly. I may just be one of those odd people, but to me, the 200 year old mistakes and goof-ups were hilarious. Although he is descriptive, Ambrose does not mince words.
great book
i loved this book. i knew i would before picking it up, and i wonder if that had anything to do with the 5 star approval on my part. ambrose can tell history like no other. i tried a few other lewis and clark books, but i like a good story rather than history books, and this one is both.

Absolutely Wonderful Reading
Stephen Ambrose takes history and turns it into a fascinating, easy read. It was exciting to learn so much while at the same time enjoying every turn. History has never been this much fun! The author writes in such a way that you feel as if you are actually watching the events take place before your very eyes. This is a definate, must read!
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Subjects:  1. 1770-1838    2. Americas (North Central South West Indies)    3. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    4. Audiobooks    5. Biography    6. Clark, William,    7. Explorers    8. History    9. Unabridged Audio - History    10. United States    11. United States - 19th Century/Old West    12. United States - General    13. History / Americas (North, Central, South, West Indies)   

Editorial Review

The Bataan Death March was just the beginning of the woes American soldiers captured by the Japanese army in the Philippines had to endure. The survivors of the march faced not only their captors' regular brutality (having surrendered, they were considered to be less than honorable foes), but also a host of illnesses such as dysentery and malaria. For three years these "ghost soldiers" lived in misery, suffering terrible losses.Read more

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Reviews (284)

More than just a flight to freedom...
Ghost Soldiers is an excellent account of the liberation of the allied POW's from the Cabanatuan death camp in the Philippines. The book consists of a very large part of primary material, the authors interviews with the former prisoners and in some cases their surviving relatives.
A gruesome POW journey and the great raid that liberated those that survived.
This is a great book that goes back and forward detailing two journeys that finally meet at the end.
Pretentious and Boring
Despite what the tag line promises, this is not an epic story of WW II's most dramatic mission.It is ridicuous to even suggest such a thing.At best this is a superficial recounting of a late war mission which turned out not to be not nearly as dangerous as it could have been.The bravery of the men who took part in the raid cannot be questioned.However, there are countless other tales of WW II that recount much more horrificly dangerous events than the one depicted here.The book simply fails to deliver.If you are looking for a gripping tale of the horror and heroism that defined WW II this is not the one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - History    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Cabanatuan    4. Campaigns    5. Concentration camps    6. History    7. Military - Strategy    8. Military - United States    9. Military - World War II    10. Philippines    11. Regimental histories    12. United States    13. World War, 1939-1945    14. History / Military / World War II   

Editorial Review

Dave runs American history through the wringer, and comes up with some wonderfully warped formulations. (The Vikings, for example, "were extremely rugged individuals whose idea of a fun time was to sail over and set fire to England, which in those days was fairly easy to ignite because it had a very high level of thatch, this being the kind of roof favored by the local tribespeople...") Covering pre-Columbian days through the dawn of the Bush administration, Read more

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Reviews (44)

I'm a Dave convert now...
I read this book because a friend suggested that Dave would provide some good laughs.Boy was he right!
I laughed my butt off!
I bought this book years ago before a plane trip to Boston. I was glad I was on a prop plane that was very noisy, because I was laughing out loud and no one could hear me. This book is an absolute riot, even if you don't know American history well (although it's definitely funnier if you do). I used to have a large collection of Dave Barry's books and stopped collecting after his "Dave Barry Does Japan" flop, but this is easily the funniest of all of his books (and one of the books I kept). HIGHLY recommend.

laughed so hard I almost choked
Pulitzer Prize winning humor columnist Dave Barry set out to write a American history book that would be accessible to lay people.How did he accomplish this?For one thing, there are no dates to memorize, unlike the ones that menaced us in school.Or rather there is a single date (Oct. 8) for all important events, so chosen because it's his son's birthday.
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Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Humor    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Audiobooks    4. General    5. History    6. Humor    7. Unabridged Audio - History    8. United States    9. United States - General    10. Non-Classifiable   

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Reviews (3)

Worth the Time
"Great Classical Composers" is nearly seven hours in length, but you'll find the time well spent if you are interested in classical music. Beginning with Bach in the 17th century and ending at the dawn of the 20th with Verdi, Strauss and Tchaikovsky, the tapes cover over two hundred years and arguably the greatest composers who ever lived.
Waste of Money
This book is boring. Reader speaks in monotone. Does not hold attention and runs in circles.More informative books available on this subject.

Enteraining way to learn about 8 great composers featured
If you want to learn about these composers but don't feeling like reading about them, then this is for you.Each tape has 2 sides, containg information on a certain composer.Different voices are used to portray different people, and excerpts from some of the composers' most famous works are included on the tape. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Other    2. Audiobooks    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Composers    6. Composers & Musicians - General    7. Genres & Styles - Classical    8. History & Criticism - General    9. Music appreciation    10. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction    11. Music & Performing Arts   

Editorial Review

The appeal of Dava Sobel's Read more

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Reviews (235)

Stunning Tale of Old Whaling Days
I just finished this last night...wow! The narration is lively and keeps the pace of the story while the author imparts a great deal of information that could have been dull but is not. The prose is so vivid that I could not eat while reading the passages about dismembering the whale; I could almost smell the burning oil and feel the slick decks. Amazing that men made a living this way! I can hardly wait to start Philbrick's MAYFLOWER.

The short reveiw
Here is all you need to know so as not to spoil the story:
Excellent Account and Audio Read
This review refers to "In The Heart Of The Sea" by Nathaniel Philbrick, Unabridged Audio edition, read by Scott Brick
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Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Fiction/Suspense Thriller    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Maritime History    4. Ships & Shipbuilding - Shipwrecks    5. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction   

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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Corporate & Business History - General    4. Unabridged Audio - Business/Professional    5. Business & Economics / Corporate History    6. Unabridged Audio / Business/Professional   

Editorial Review

For years the popular myth surrounding the Vietnam War was that the Joint Chiefs of Staff knew what it would take to win but were consistently thwarted or ignored by the politicians in power. Now H. R. McMaster shatters this and other misconceptions about the military and Vietnam in Read more

Reviews (49)

How we stumbled into the Vietnam War
H.R. McMaster's "Dereliction of Duty" is an excellent account of the Johnson Administration's run-up to - and failures preparing for - the Vietnam War.McMaster (a U.S. Army major when he wrote the book, now a colonel) details the decisions and actions of President Johnson, Secretary of Defense McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other presidential advisors from 1963 to 1965.
THE LAST STEP TOWARD WAR
Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam by H. R. McMaster is an exceptionally well researched and well written book.One certainly gets the impression that McMaster has studied the main decision makers of Vietnam so well that he wrote about them with the familiarity and insight that is normally only reserved for siblings. While a bit long, this book explains the blow-by-blow decision making that led to the Vietnam War.
Well Documented But Highly Slanted
McMaster has taken upon himself the task of blaming the civilian leadership in the U.S. for the disaster in Vietnam.How they misled and lied to the public and ignored the advice of the military.
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Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Other    2. Audiobooks    3. Military - Vietnam War    4. Unabridged Audio - History    5. United States    6. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975   

Editorial Review

In Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel's memoir Read more

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Reviews (911)

Unforgettable Tale of Holocaust Horror
Beyond and essential read, Night speaks to the reader about fundamental questions at the heart of the human condition.A powerfully moving autobiography, the story of this teenager's journey through the most horrific death camps of Nazi Europe, strips away discussion of anti-semitism and hatred, to present the raw suffering of individual humans, stuck in situations beyond their control.From the establishment of a ghetto in Elie's home town of Sighet, the reader can only watch with growing horror as the young man and his family are swept up in the Holocaust.Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Gleiwitz: some of the most infamous places in modern human history, rise around Elie, as we watch him stripped of absolutely everything.The reader is swept along helplessly, as Hitler's "Final Solution" unfolds - death marches, starvation, selections, cattle-carts full of people, torture, floggings, mass-murder - and as Elie is gradually reduced to nothing more than a 'hungry stomach'.
must reading
this is a disturbing work in that it recounts a man's experience of the nazi death camps. Warning: this book will shake you up mentally, and emotionally.It is not for the faint of heart.Yet, it is a must read because of the exposure it gives to humanity at it's worst and humanity under it's worst.

Lost in Translation
The short novel Night has emotional power not only because of the dark subject matter, but because Elie Wiesel is a gifted writer who deftly reveals the spiritual and mental anguish of the main character.Generally considered autobiographical, the account follows a young man who feels he is losing not only God, but his humanity as the Nazi machine ravages Europe.The novel itself deserves 10 stars.
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Subjects:  1. 1928-    2. Audio: Juvenile    3. Audiobooks    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Historical - Holocaust    6. History - Holocaust    7. Holocaust    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Personal Memoirs    10. Personal narratives, Jewish    11. Unabridged Audio - Autobiography/Biography    12. Wiesel, Elie,    13. World War, 1939-1945   

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Reviews (15)

Action packed and well written account
I very much enjoyed Wellum's account of his involvement in one of the most critical times of our world's near history.His personal and conversational writing style brings a fresh and candid account of his heroic time as one of Britain's most valuable fighter pilots.I also found it unique for the author to bring a personable understanding to himself and others during a time more trying than most of us could ever imagine.
An excellent first-hand account of being a spitfire pilot
I fully agree what Mark Hopper had to say in his review.For me the book was definitely 'life-changing'.I know from history how important and vital the Battle of Britain was, but seeing the battle portrayed in films and reading it in history books just didn't have the impact as Geoffrey Wellum's account.He's certainly the person who sits on my 'hero pedestal' now. Please write some more Geoffrey and detail for us how the rest of the war was for you. How did the war affect your life in subsequent years? Did you marry Grace?You have done all your old friends and comrades a great service by writing this book.Well done and thank you.

One of "The Few" Writes One of the Best
As other reviewers have noted, there have been enough books written about the Battle of Britain to fill several warehouses.Some good, some not so good.This is one of the most personal and satisfying accounts that you will ever read.Geoffrey "Boy" Wellum was in the thick of it, and brings the reader along for the ride.In the beginning you feel the excitement of flight training (and the ever-present danger).By the end you experience the mental and physical exhaustion that left this veteran pilot certain he would never survive the endless combat missions over his home country and eventually over occupied France.And when he was finally released from operational flying... he "rested" by teaching others to fly and as a test pilot!My only disappointment in this book is that it ended. It's hard to believe that in the past 6-7 months we've been given two great reads on the Battle:"Fighter Boys" and "First Light." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Military    2. Air forces & warfare    3. Biography: general    4. British & Irish history: Second World War    5. European history: Second World War    6. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

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Reviews (11)

General Ike:A Personal Reminiscence
First rate! Could not put the book down, lots of new and fresh insights into DeGaulle, Churchill, Patton, and Montgomery (what a piece of work...) I read a great deal of WWII history, and it is a joy to read new information for a change! In addition the reader will gain knowledge of the great and rather-more-complicated man than we might think, President Eisenhower.Written in a clear and understandable way for the non-military, John Eisenhower is a gifted historian.In summary, I am making it a priority to purchase his other books, as this is the first of his works I have had the pleasure to read.

Good piece of history
All in all, this book does a really nice job laying out a biography of Eisenhower, and does so in an interesting fashion.Ike is explained in chapters that could largely standalone and are demarcated by the people he's working with.There's a chapter on Eisenhower and Pershing, then one on MacArthur, Patton, DeGaulle, Montgomery, and Churchill.Needless to say, the chapters on Patton, MacArthur, Montgomery, and Churchill were very interesting.I dozed off on the DeGaulle piece, while was riveted by the Patton chapter.Those who are familiar with the Patton story will appreciate Eisenhower's behavior toward his early (and ranking) comrade.
General Ike:A great book
This book is written by DDE's son, John.The book covers many people that Ike dealt with during his army career and as President.It is well written, well researched, and very enjoyable.I recommend this book to anyone interested in history, WW2, world politics.One of the best biographical books I have read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Autobiography/Biography    2. Audio - Autobiography / Biography    3. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    4. Audiobooks    5. Biography    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Generals    8. Historical - U.S.    9. Military    10. Military - United States    11. Military - World War II    12. Presidents & Heads of State    13. United States    14. World War, 1939-1945    15. History / United States / General   

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Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. History   

Editorial Review

Every Wednesday, work at Amazon.com--along with just about every other company connected to the fantastical "information superhighway" invented by Vice President Al Gore and actress Hedy Lamarr--grinds to a halt as employees hasten to read the latest issue of Read more

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Reviews (206)

One of the funniest books I have ever read, but you need to know some history
This book contains the funniest satire that I have ever read. The Onion is a fictitious newspaper that contains satire of the news rather than news. The first page is dated January 1, 1900 and the last page January 1, 2000. A great deal of knowledge of history is necessary to appreciate some of the stories. For example, the headlines for August, 1914 are
Why didn't I bring this to work today?I need a laugh...
As I sit here going on my 10th hour of work (more accurately, I'm waiting for some people to perform their jobs so I can finish mine), I'm wondering why I don't just keep my copy of this book in my desk.
HYSTERICALLY FUNNY, French Surrender
The first real laugh I had after the 9-11 attacks came from The Onion.I saw an article with the headline, "9-11 Hijackers Surprised To Find Selves in Hell."
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Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Misc. Nonfiction    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. General    4. Political Science    5. Topic - Political    6. American history: from c 1900 -    7. Humor / General    8. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    9. USA   

Editorial Review

Stephen E. Ambrose combines history and journalism to describe how American GIs battled their way to the Rhineland. He focuses on the combat experiences of ordinary soldiers, as opposed to the generals who led them, and offers a series of compelling vignettes that read like an enterprising reporter's dispatches from the front lines. The book presents just enough contextual material to help readers understand the big picture, and includes memorable accounts of the Battle of the Bulge and other events as seen through the weary eyes of the men who fought in the foxholes. Highly recommended for fans of Ambrose, as well as all readers interested in understanding the life of a 1940s army grunt. A sort of sequel to Ambrose's bestselling 1994 book Read more

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Reviews (257)

A great survey of the Army that defeated Fascism...
The point of this book is that the United States, after watching the first few years of the war, became, itself, a massive war-power of nearly unparalleled strength.
Comprehensive and Captivating
I thoroughly enjoyed Ambrose collection of stories from GIs who learned soldiering the hard way and returned to civilian life. Ambrose levels a severe criticism, well-deserved, on the US high command: their use of replacements. In this book you will see summary tables of how many men served in each division. This table reflects the quality, or lack of quality, of division commanders and the difficulty of the missions they accomplished. But, most of all, it shows how lack of experience increased casualties. Time and again veterans recount how, as raw replacements, they were sent to divisions in the line --- to watch other replacements quickly become casualties. Not only did the soldiers have to learn their craft --- the officers also learned some hard lessons. I remember a story of a battlelion commander in Normandy warning the green colonel replacing his to have his battlelion dig in before bivoacing. The officer ignored the advice, the Germans figured out where he was and his command became casualties. In this book, Ambrose recounts the experiences, in glory and sometimes humorous detail, of these GIs who fought on the western front.

Ambrose struck a perfect balance
As the title advertised, this book follows the battles right after the allies left the beaches of Normandy, all the way through France into German territory.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Abridged Audio - History    3. Abridged Audio - Misc. Nonfiction    4. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    5. Audiobooks    6. Campaigns    7. History    8. Military - United States    9. Military - World War II    10. Soldiers    11. United States    12. United States - General    13. Western Front    14. World War, 1939-1945    15. History / General   

Editorial Review

You can make all the plans you will, plot to make a fortune in the commodities market, speculate on developing trends: all will likely come to naught, for "however carefully you plan for the future, someone else's actions will inevitably modify the way your plans turn out." So writes the English scholar and documentary producer James Burke in his sparkling book Read more

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Reviews (30)

Correlation is interchangeable with Causation
After having consumed the Connections book, television miniseries and audiobook, I would like to comment on the three.
The relationship of history and technology
I used to regularly watch Mr. Burke's "Connections" television series on cable, and I enjoyed his rather unorthodox portrayal of history.However, some of his connections between events struck me as tenuous at best.Perhaps that was a result of the time constraints imposed by a television show, because many of the same examples appear in this book, and the connections are much more adequately explained.
Connecting the dots of human progress
This book is a combination of history, science, and the history of science.It shows how random and often accidental connections between events and individuals have fostered many of the scientific and technological discoveries and advances of mankind around the world.The advances covered include coinage, writing, anesthesia, and modern cities, and the book as a whole is laid out chronologically.The book mirrors the PBS television show of the same name, and hosted by the same person, James Burke; though the book and the show can be enjoyed independently of each other.Both are quite educational in nature, though the TV show is a little more interesting than the book.The book itself is fun to read, with a lot of facts that are well laid out.Overall, this would be a good book to learn about the history of science, and how science has affected history.The way the book is laid out leaves the reader hanging at the end of each chapter.Each new discovery seems to hint to the reader that another one is sure to come, encouraging you to read on.Overall, a good book, but not a great one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Misc. Nonfiction    2. Audio Adult: Other    3. General    4. History    5. History / General   

Editorial Review

Neither Hitler's rocket blitz of England, nor his use of unprecedented weapons technology, nor--most horrifically--his systematic program of genocide could have been achieved without the purposeful work of Nazi physicists, biologists, mathematicians, and technicians. In Re