Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Consumer Health    3. Cross-cultural studies    4. Diet / Health / Fitness    5. Diseases    6. General    7. History    8. Pain    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Treatment    12. History of medicine    13. Pain & pain management    14. Science / General    15. Social history   

Reviews (1)

..
worst transaction imaginable.. there was no transaction because a transaction is defined as a trade. I paid for the book, and never received it. Was eventually refunded my money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. History of ideas, intellectual history    6. Industrialized / developed countries    7. World history   

Reviews (9)

Couldn't Put It Down
This was a great book. It was well written and easy to follow. It made you feel as if you were there! I reccomend this for any Capote, Plaza or NYC enthusiasts!

Ebony and Ivory
Some good writing, and a sense of the period that's fairly astounding, but in the end sloppy editing and some mystifying layout choices sink a promising book.
All the details of party planning
After I read this, I asked myself, did I really need to read a book about Truman Capote and the party planning event of the century? I came to the conclusion that i did not need to read this but if I wanted to discover an author who was able to document some of the most intricate details of what Capote did to make all this happen, how his writing of IN COLD BLOOD ties all into this, how he made other people of wealth and privledge yearn to be on his 'kickball' team, then this book is worth its weight in expensive lace. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1924-    2. 20th century    3. Authors, American    4. Balls (Parties)    5. Biography    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Biography / Autobiography    8. Biography/Autobiography    9. Capote, Truman,    10. Capote, Truman, 1924-1984    11. Friends and associates    12. History    13. Literary    14. New York    15. New York (State)    16. Social History    17. United States - 20th Century/60s    18. Biography: general    19. English    20. History / General    21. USA   

Reviews (1)

A glass more than half-full?
Given that our vision is so heavily freighted with the moment, ideas of human progress are in short supply lately. Although not an easy ride, economic historian and Nobel laureate Robert William Fogel's survey of the long run, at least in respect to human morbidity, leisure and longevity, provides escape velocity from pressing concerns about war, pandemic, income inequality and the health of the ecosphere. It might be as another noted economist, Alfred Lord Keynes, said in a different context: In the long-run we are all dead. But, the long-run seems to be getting longer.
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. World - General    5. Economic history    6. Health systems & services    7. History / World    8. Social history   

Reviews (3)

An excellent book about Zionism
What is modern Zionism?Is it Jewish nationalism?Is it simply an ideology of human rights for everyone, including Jews?These are questions that I hoped would be answered (and are answered) in a book that contains articles written from 1843 to 1948 by about three dozen leading Zionists.
splendid compelation
the a hundred page introduction of this work is absolutely essential for people of every ilk who want to undertand the whole zionist idealogy in one fine, easy-read scoop. the rest of this work is a presentation of every important leader of zionism in the course of 19th and 20th centuries with a short description of the writers life, endeavors, and accomplishments in the beginning of every excerpt. Richard A. Macales, columnist, "Mac's Facts"
If you are proud of the role that Orthodox Jews have played in developing the modern Zionist movement, you will love this reader compiled more than 35 years ago (and back in print). Orthodox rabbis and Zionist leadersYehuda Alkalai, Zvi Hirsch Kalischer, Yechiel Michel Pines, Meir Bar-Ilan,Shmuel Chaim Landau, Samuel Mohilever, Avraham Yitzhak HaCohen Kook andIsaac Reines take up a disproportionate amount of space in Hertzberg's richwork. And for good measure you will find the writings of Ben-Gurion andJabotinsky. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History Of Zionist Movement    3. Jewish - General    4. Judaism - Theology    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Religion - Judaism    7. Sources    8. Zionism    9. History of specific racial & ethnic groups    10. Israel    11. Jewish studies    12. Nationalism    13. Social history   

Subjects:  1. Emigration & Immigration    2. Emigration and immigration    3. General    4. History    5. History: World    6. Migration, Internal    7. Modern - General    8. Sociology    9. Cultural studies    10. Economic history    11. History / General    12. Immigration & emigration    13. Social history    14. World history: c 1500 to c 1750    15. World history: c 1750 to c 1900    16. World history: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (1)

A Window to Civilizations of the Past and Present
As far as world civilization textbooks go, this one proves to be the most useful.The book spans from Paleolithic icemen to the industrialized peoples of the 20th century all around the world.Included are timelines within each chapter summarizing major events for the chapter.They are short and to the point.Lovely and helpful pictures appear on every page.As a person reads through this book, the begin to be able to make connections between social, cultural, political, and economic ideas in each civilization and then follows up on how each civilization develops throughout time.It is an excellent textbook for people who want to start studing world history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Social history   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Civilization, Western    3. Fine Arts    4. General    5. History    6. History - General History    7. Humanities    8. Intellectual History    9. Textbooks    10. World - General    11. Art / General   

Editorial Review

On August 5, 1949, lightning came crashing down in the vast spruce forest above Seeley Lake, Montana, and touched off a roaring blaze. As every Westerner knows, lightning means fire, but the fire that raged through Mann Gulch that day was huge--the sort that occurs only every few decades. A battery of paratrooper-firefighters, many of them fresh veterans of World War II, had been anticipating it, and even looking forward to the chance to fight a great fire. Before the day ended thirteen of those smokejumpers lay dead, their charred remains evidence that something had gone terribly wrong. Norman Maclean gives a thorough account of the incident in language not meant for the squeamish: "Burning to death on a mountainside is dying at least three times ... first, considerably ahead of the fire, you reach the verge of death in your boots and your legs; next, as you fail, you sink back in the region of strange gases and red and blue darts where there is no oxygen and here you die in your lungs; then you sink in prayer into the main fire that consumes." After August 1949, he notes, the Forest Service came to recognize that not all fires need to be fought and that fire benefits most forest ecosystems. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

The beginning of wildland safety
Living in Montana and being a a Wildland firefighter as well. This book shows the true speed, power and ultimately the violence that a full blown fire can build to. The men that died in Mann Gulch created in death the first vestiges of the high level of training and safety we now all use when in similar situations. Along with fire on the mountain, required reading if you want to see as fire as we do!

What a Blowhard
The book is way to long it could be 200 pages. Maclean babbles on for paragraphs about something that could be said in a paragraph or two.

A fitting tribute
Norman Maclean was born to write this book. As an outdoorsman, a wildland firefighter of the same generation as the books subjects and one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, Norman Maclean's voice becomes the ideal homage to the hero's of Mann Gulch. While fans of Maclean's fiction might miss some of the poetry of his previous works, they will visit a new side of the author in this work as he pieces together the puzzle of Mann Gulch and makes peace with his own personal ghosts. Here the author, in his words, seeks to let the "tragedy become a story". The tragedy is told in detail, both honestly and reverently. Maclean labors to remain dispassionate and honest, to, "not become to sentimental". The tragedy he relates is horrible, the story of the tragedy is beautiful. It is a fitting tribute to the crosses of Mann Gulch and the memories of those who died there. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Forest fires    3. Historical - U.S.    4. History: American    5. Mann Gulch    6. Montana    7. Natural Disasters    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Prevention and control    11. Smokejumpers    12. Trees & Forests - General    13. United States    14. American history: postwar, from c 1945 -    15. Fire services    16. Nature / Trees    17. Social history    18. USA    19. c 1945 to c 1960   

Reviews (1)

What about the Gettysburg Address?
A gorgeously illustrated, eye-catching text that spans the prehistory and history of the region that we now call the United States. When I was growing up in the 1970s, we had several well regarded books on American history. Yet none had the profusion of colour illustrations on almost every page. Students using this as their first text will not notice it, but the book speaks to substantial advances in the lowering cost of colour printing in 30 years. Of course, we have much more than just eye candy here. The illustrations are well integrated into the textual narrative. The text flows with a well polished grace that should draw in the interest of many students.
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History - U.S.    4. History: American    5. Minorities    6. Pluralism (Social sciences)    7. Politics and government    8. Social conditions    9. Sources    10. United States    11. United States - General    12. American history    13. History / General    14. Social history    15. USA   

Editorial Review

On December 31, 1999, after nearly a century of rule, the United States officially ceded ownership of the Panama Canal to the nation of Panama. That nation did not exist when, in the mid-19th century, Europeans first began to explore the possibilities of creating a link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the narrow but mountainous isthmus; Panama was then a remote and overlooked part of Colombia.Read more

Reviews (92)

A Thorough History
This book is a very thorough history of the French and US efforts to construct the canal. I had no idea of the extent of the French efforts, nor of the extensive efforts made by the French to promote financing of the project.The sanitation and logistical infrastructure that ultimately had to be put in place for the US effort to succed was mind-boggling.Overall, I enjoyed the book, however the level of detail was at times a bit much.

A U.S. Triumph in a Different Era
I grew up hearingstories from my grandmother about living and working in the Canal Zone during construction. She and her 2 sisters were nurses.Her brother and her father, also worked on the canal. My dad, uncle and aunt were born in the Zone. I came to this book with a lot of interest due tofamily involvement.
Great background on a world altering historical event
Most people have limited education in the building of the Panama Canal.The sum total of my knowledge, prior to reading this book, was that Theodore Roosevelt fostered a revolution in the Columbian state of Panama in order to complete the work abandoned by the French.That disease and pestilence was rife in the region and that American technology and know how carried the day.Mostly correct, but woefully simplistic.
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Subjects:  1. Engineering - General    2. Historical Geography    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Latin America - Central America    7. Modern - 20th Century    8. Panama Canal    9. Panama Canal (Panama)    10. History / General   

Reviews (1)

Must have for all ages!
I had borrowed this book from our local library and was very impressed. There's so much information in it and so many great pictures...it is worth having on your shelf and you will refer to it often as you look up historical words or questions you run into, your children can use it for school...It is the only book of this kind, that I could find, that has the entire history and is not concentrating on just one time-period or subject abt. American history. I also bought the "world history" one from National Georaphic. It is a great price and I haven't seen it at this price anywhere else (trust me I've done some research before buying). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Almanacs    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History - U.S.    5. History: World    6. Native American    7. Reference    8. United States    9. United States - General    10. United States History (General)    11. American history    12. History / General    13. USA   

Reviews (9)

Vive La France!
Is not the words "Joie de Vivre" French for joy of life? Qui!
fluff history
Some more rigorous historical analysis would have turned this 'lite' read into something worthwhile.The crude translations of 17th-century France into modern-day America, irrespective of different economic systems and radically discrete cultures, turn what could have been an inspired thesis into the kind of chatter you'd expect to hear from grandma.

"stylish" social history
This was such a pleasant, historical read.I'm very interested in all things stylish, if not fashionable.This title interested me at once.It really describes how so many things we use today date back to the era of Louis XIV. Today's obsession with luxury goods really has its roots in France's history.Louis XIV wanted every aspect of his life, including those around him, to be luxurious.Today, many middle-class (and sometimes lower class) working person thinks they deserve a Louis Vuitton bag or Lexus SUV.Living in style is a privilege, but can be obtained with some creative thinking and budgeting, just as long as we have our priorities straight. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 17th century    2. Cookery, French    3. Customs & Traditions    4. Europe - France    5. Fashion    6. France    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Louis    11. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    12. Popular Culture - General    13. Social History    14. Social Science    15. Social life and customs    16. Sociology    17. XIV,    18. Social Science / General   

Reviews (1)

Foundational Work in Gender History
Joan Scott's "Gender and the Politics of History" is one of the landmark books in the field of gender history.What is gender history, you ask?To a large degree, that's a question this book is trying to answer.This book can be regarded as an explanation of *what* gender history is (as Scott defines it, at any rate), why it's important, and how it can be done.Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. 20th century    3. Gender Studies    4. General    5. History    6. Sex Roles (Sociological Aspects)    7. Sex role    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Sociology Of Women    11. Women    12. Women's Studies - General    13. Women's Studies - History    14. Cultural studies    15. Historiography    16. History / Europe / General    17. Women's studies   

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    2. Encyclopedias    3. History - Military & Wars    4. History - Military / War    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Military    7. Military - General    8. Military Science    9. Military history    10. Reference - Encyclopedias    11. Technology & Industrial Arts    12. World - General    13. BCE to c 500 CE    14. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    15. Reference works    16. Revolutions & coups    17. War & defence operations    18. World history    19. c 1000 CE to c 1500    20. c 500 CE to c 1000 CE   

Editorial Review

Perhaps the greatest book by one of our greatest historians, Read more

Reviews (68)

One of the most important and fascinating books i have ever read & read again
I first read this book many years ago and have re-read it more than once since then. This book is one of the most engaging I ever read and is also a volume that includes a wealth and variety of knowledge that makes me want to read it again now. Few books have left me feeling such conflict at finishing it. Part of me is exultant at the pure pleasure of the learning experience, part sad because the glorious experience is ended. No person who considers themselves educated - truly educated - can fail to read this powerful volume.

Informative Read
The Discoverers by Daniel Boorstin gave a great background to the technological and geographical improvements over the past 4000 years.
Discover the Discoverers
Discoverers is a stand-out for both its scope and detail (more on detail in a moment), but what makes it truly remarkable is its subject matter, its illumination of ideas and bits of knowledge so basic to our everyday thinking that we scarcely, if ever, pause to think about them: our concepts of time, location (geography), physiology, culture, among others.The book is eye-opening, as it shows through historical exploration that for most of human existence most people have lived without using our concept of a year, our idea of a week, and much less our calibrations of twenty-four hours to a day, 60 minutes to the hour and 60 seconds to the minute.Similarly, the notions people have had about where they were on the planet, what the planet was, where it was in the universe, etcetera, were all equally vague (although everyone, everywhere, seems to have been fairly comfortable in the "knowledge" that their particular city was the center of the world and the world the center of the universe).Once Boorstin has laid bare the arduous path the human mind has had to trail-blaze to arrive at our modern ideas of time and space, he turns to the human body, showing that our modern knowledge of its constitution and function, too, is the result of hard-won, centuries-long, intellectual battles.
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Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. Discoveries (in geography)    3. Discoveries in geography    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: American    7. Science    8. World - General    9. Geographical discovery & exploration    10. History / General    11. History of science    12. USA   

Editorial Review

Continuing right where the first book left off, Read more

Reviews (34)

Great Book!
I teach 6th grade social studies and have found that these books are very popular as well as informative.In fact, I am replacing the ones I have because they are falling apart!

Outdated research but very funny
This, much like the rest of 'Cartoon history' series is history with a clear point of view. Gonick's point of view often makes him distinctly biased as well. However, this results in biting and insightful humor, so the net result is clearly a gain.
not as good as the first
I found the history of world religions and chinese history interesting but would have liked more on the history of technology and politics. A little more analysis. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caricatures and cartoons    2. Cartoons and caricatures    3. Comics & Cartoons    4. History - General History    5. History: American    6. Reference    7. World - General    8. World history    9. Cartoons & comic strips    10. Humor / Cartoons    11. USA   

Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. World - General    6. Social history   

Reviews (7)

Ideas on Display
If you want to understand the important ideas which have marked the development of mankind, read this book.From paleolithic and neolithic times, Watson tells us about the rise of language, the concept of deity, of cities, the domestication of plants and animals, romanticism, the factory, nationalism, the university, and many others.The writing is lucid.The book ends at 1900, where his other history, THE MODERN MIND, begins.IDEAS has 746 pages of text plus notes and references.I rarely feel this way about long books, but I wished it had been longer.OUTSTANDING!

A book on History from a different perspective...
This is a fantastic book that covers how ideas have developed through History and explains a lot of things about ourselves, members of the Western world in the 21st century.
Ideas: Importance, origin, inspiration and impact - simply
Riveting!Quite frankly this book puts EVERYTHING in context.The scale, depth and range of this work is mesmerizing.To chronologically review and assess the importance and origin and inspiration and impact of ideas (wherever geographically they may have originated) is a task one wouldn't think was possible.But Peter Watson weaves this multi-dimensional tapestry so comprehensively and clearly a reader might almost feel the exalted rank of the "universal man" was within their grasp. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History Of Civilization And Culture (General)    6. History: World    7. Intellectual History    8. Intellectual life    9. World - General    10. History / General   

Reviews (10)

Good Despite Some Oddly Jarring Inaccuracies
I found this book both informative and in many ways refreshing.There are too many narrative accounts that tend to slide past what it meant to be a member of the Continental Army on a day-to-day basis--and what fighting the war meant to the individual soldiers who did it.
Ordinary people make history, too
I really enjoyed this book.It brought to life in vivid detail the deprivations and tribulations faced by the ordinary soldier in the Revolutionary Army.There have been so many books written about the leaders of the Revolution (some good, some pretty boring), but so few volumes about the ordinary men who made up the colonial troops.These people were the foundation of the new country and they deserve to be documented.The author chooses to give us their stories in an interesting way and paints word pictures that let the reader see exactly what conditions were like for the common soldiers.I was fascinated and could hardly put the book down.If all history was presented in this easy to understand and interesting way, more students would love it as much as I do.

Enjoyable to read, but not really much new information...
This is a generally well-written and enjoyable to read book, but it doesn't quit live up to its sub-title: The Untold Story of George Washington and the Men Behind America's First Fight for Freedom.The book is foremost a retelling of the Battles of the Revolution.It does present viewpoints from the soldiers and others who fought, but I didn't really find a great deal that hasn't been written before, although the portion devoted to Blacks in the Revolution was interesting.Interesting also is how many soldiers died from poor conditions and disease.But I didn't come away feeling that I really got to know the "Men Behind America's First Fight for Freedom."As I said before, the book is mainly a retelling of the story of the battles of the War and secondly, a telling of the battles from the perspective of the common soldier.
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Subjects:  1. 1732-1799    2. 18th century    3. Continental Army    4. History    5. History - U.S.    6. History: American    7. History: World    8. Military - United States    9. Military History (General)    10. Military life    11. Revolutionary    12. Social conditions    13. Soldiers    14. U.S. History - Revolution And Confederation (1775-1789)    15. United States    16. United States - Revolutionary War    17. United States.    18. Washington, George,    19. History / United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800)