Reviews (200)

Biased
I read Flags of Our Fathers and enjoyed it more than Flyboys.Bradley has a writing style that is difficult at times as has personal biases come through very clearly.As one other reviewer has written, I found it very odd that he often referred to MG Curtis LeMay as "Curtis."As someone writing about military history, Bradley should have more respect for the uniform and should not call a two star general by his first name like he is talking about one of his golfing buddies.This was very distracting.I also found the first couple of chapters of his history lesson very tedious and unfocused - so much so that I nearly quit reading the book.The latter chapters pick up the pace and are insightful.Bradley also devotes too much time attempting to demonize the American firebombing tactics.Thankfully Bradley's bias and negativity toward the Navy and Army is not as pronounced in Flyboys as in FOOF.This bias is especially odd considering his father was a Navy Corpsman.

Desire to moralize reaches too far
I assume that the author is attempting to show that war creates an environment in which morally degenerate acts become much more likely, if not all but inevitable, on all sides of the conflict.In doing so, however, the author very frequently stretches the blanket of history too far, as when he suggests that the Japanese would have remained forever content to be isolated on their home islands if the American fleet had not paid an uninvited visit to Tokyo Bay in 1853-54 and taught the Japanese the foreign policy advantages of a strong navy.While most historians would agree that the U.S. Navy's visit served the royal court with a wake-up call regarding the existence of a world beyond Japan, that is not the same thing as assuming that without this visit no other internal or external events over the next 70 years would have spurred the Japanese to look beyond their shores and trade an isolationist philosophy for an imperial one.
Fascinating!
I found this to be a fascinating account of the war in the Pacific, and I was impressed with the fact that the author imparts a deep appreciation for America and the sacrifices our soldiers made but can still step back and look objectively at the mistakes on both sides.Does examining our own faults release the other side from responsibility for their crimes, as some other reviewers seem to feel?I don't believe so; I think it's healthy for us to examine our history so we don't make the same mistakes again.It's too bad that some people lump any critique of our own actions into the "pop-revisionist history" category.
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Subjects:  1. Atrocities    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Chichi Island    6. History - Military / War    7. Japan    8. Military    9. Military - Aviation    10. Military - United States    11. Military - World War II    12. Military History - World War II    13. Prisoners Of War    14. Prisoners and prisons, Japanes    15. Prisoners and prisons, Japanese    16. World War, 1939-1945    17. Biography & Autobiography / Military   

Reviews (56)

Our First Black President
Magnificent! Extremely magnificent! Flawless! Intellectual! Glamorous is He! Mrs. Obama is the luckiest woman in the world! Obama is THE FIRST since Dr. King. Blacks are now depending on YOU. You are the reality of Dr. King's dream! You Go Man!
Moving
This was a wonderful unsentimental, honest consideration of race and inheritance. Obama is a really good writer and the book reads like a novel. I loved the stories about learning about his family in Africa the most. It was very powerful.

Inspirational Story of Self-Discovery
This true story is well written with vivid descriptions of people and places in the USA and Kenya.It reads like a polished novel.It is an open and honest account, originally published in 1995, long before Obama was a prominent politician.It is not a political book at all.
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Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    7. Obama, Barack    8. People of Color    9. Personal Memoirs    10. Racially mixed people    11. Racism    12. United States    13. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (11)

A Great Short Introduction To Darwin and his Impact
I found this to be just an extremely helpful shorter study of Darwin, pleasantly written, but containing much valuable information packed into its 283 pages.One particular talent of the author is the ability to explain scientific issues in the most understandable fashion--somewhat of an unique talent in my experience.Wisely, the author does not recapitulate the well-trod voyage of the Beagle, but begins his discussion after Darwin's return from this epic voyage in 1836.The central issue simply put:why did it take Darwin better than 20 years after his return to publish "Origin of Species"?To answer this question, the book focuses upon a biography of Darwin during the years prior to the "Origins" publication in 1859.One sees how much data and supporting evidence Darwin had amassed during this period--but still no publication. In fact, it was not until A.R. Wallace sent Darwin a paper from the Far East, which closely paralleled some of Darwin's own ideas, that Darwin sprang into action and produced his monumental book. An entire chapter is devoted to the book itself, the clearest and most understandable compact analysis I have seen. Next, the author addresses (again in a clear and compact chapter) the course of evolutionary thought (and anti-evolutonary thought) that resulted from Darwin's book. As throughout the rest of the book, this chapter is as even-handed and fair as one could wish for. A super bibliography is attached as well. Basically, this is an informative and pleasant reading experience, both for experienced Darwin/evolutionary hands as well as those new to the topic.

Darwin's own secret notebooks and personal letters provided the foundation for this coverage
The Reluctant Mr. Darwin by David Quammen comes to life in a vivid rendition by actor and award-winning narrator Grover Gardner, who brings passion and enthusiasm to this story of Darwin. Darwin's own secret notebooks and personal letters provided the foundation for this coverage, which tells of the evolution of his theory.
Darwin diagnosed
This was pretty good as a diagnosis of Darwin and how he became the man and how he created his ideas. Good points include how he went back to England and stopped collecting for a while until he was inspired by the writing of one of his proteges. We see Charles Darwin, the man, in this book. It lacks pictures and graphs and could have benefitted from them. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography And Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. England    7. History    8. Life Sciences - Evolution    9. Natural Selection    10. Naturalists    11. Scientists - General    12. Miscellaneous Items    13. Science / Evolution    14. Science: General Issues   

Editorial Review

On any given day, one out of four Americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fast-food restaurant, without giving either its speed or its thriftiness a second thought. Fast food is so ubiquitous that it now seems as American, and harmless, as apple pie. But the industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. Eric Schlosser, an award-winning journalist, opens his ambitious and ultimately devastating exposé with an introduction to the iconoclasts and high school dropouts, such as Harlan Sanders and the McDonald brothers, who first applied the principles of a factory assembly line to a commercial kitchen. Quickly, however, he moves behind the counter with the overworked and underpaid teenage workers, onto the factory farms where the potatoes and beef are grown, and into the slaughterhouses run by giant meatpacking corporations. Schlosser wants you to know why those French fries taste so good (with a visit to the world's largest flavor company) and "what really lurks between those sesame-seed buns." Eater beware: forget your concerns about cholesterol, there is--literally--feces in your meat. Read more

Reviews (1313)

Easy to get lost
If you like fact reading, you'll like this.I thought he was to discriptive and went on and on and on about nonsense. Some of the info was really good, but it was hard to stay focused and really take it all in.I found my mind wondering and thinking about other things.

Like a guilty little trip to the corner Mickey D's
Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation" is a thorough if somewhat slanted analysis of the fast food industry.The author hooks the reader early with sweeping invectives against the titans of fast food.Before you can say "Supersize Me," you've learned that Ray Kroc and his cronies are responsible for the homogenization of global culture, the spread of E. coli and other deadly pathogens, the obesity of America's children, and the exploitation of the unskilled masses.Take a deep breath - that's just the intro.
Top-notch Journalism
The author brings a high level of professionalism to his story about the growth of the fast food industry and the consequences of its ruthless pursuit of profits.
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Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Convenience foods    3. Corporate & Business History - General    4. Fast food restaurants    5. Food Industry Services    6. Food industry and trade    7. History    8. History: American    9. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    10. Nutrition    11. Social History    12. Sociology - General    13. United States    14. United States - General   

Reviews (5)

Then and Now
The photographs in this book are good shots - clear, and larger than I had expected. It is very interesting to see how the historical city of Boston was, and how it has changed over the years, most times for the better, though sometimes for the worse.Perhaps I would get more out of this if I knew more about Boston. Unless you are already familiar with this city, then "Boston Then and Now" gives you the feeling of peeping through the windows of a house that's up for rent, rather than being taken on a guided tour. A map certainly would have been helpful, and how about an entire page of background information rather than a footnote? Just an idea, in case someone decides to revise it someday. Nice book. Worth buying.

SNOBS
"Boston Then And Now" was reviewed by Charles Higgensworth III.I do hope there won't be a number 4 Higgensworth.This man should drop the attitude.Then people may like him almost as much as this book.What a jerk!

A good backstop to any trip to Boston's sites
We purchased this book in Boston and found almost all of the sites we saw in town in this book.In this book, the older, up to 150-year old photo of the original structures on the current site, or older pictures than offered a juxtaposition of the surrounding landscape of buildings present in the past and now around selected sites.Read more

Subjects:  1. Boston (Mass.)    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History - U.S.    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Pictorial works    7. Pictorials    8. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S./New England    9. Travel    10. United States - State & Local - General    11. Places & peoples: general interest    12. Travel & holiday guides    13. Sale Books   

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Ancient World    6. History / Ancient / General    7. World history: BCE to c 500 CE   

Reviews (5)

The Pictures are Really Entertaining.
Happily, I discovered this book shortly after another one of my recommendations; "The Elementary Common Sense of Thomas Paine." It was truly fascinating to read about the events that occurred in Colonial America shortly before the Declaration, and see those events referenced in our constitution. You will understand the evolution of our government from colonial to country by reading both. Enthusiastically Recommended for all ages.

Every American should buy this book
This is a visually wonderful book.Sam Fink originally did a pen-and-ink version of this, which was later revised to be a full-colour version for Welcome Books.Apart from the briefest of commentary pieces, this is simply the text of the U.S. Constitution, from Preamble to Twenty-Seventh Amendment.Fink has done an engaging hand-inscribed version with illustrative artwork, sometimes symbolic and sometimes demonstrative.For example, for the Thirteen Amendment (the one passed in 1865 to abolish slavery), Fink's graphic shows strong chains being broken by a pair of shears that have been painted red, white and blue like the flag.For the Sixteenth Amendment (the 1913 amendment permitting general income taxes), Fink's drawing shows a man standing next to Uncle Sam, with Uncle Sam's hand reaching surreptitiously into the unsuspecting man's pocket.
Why would you buy this book?
The title of this book is the giveaway.Apparently, the author has not read the Constitution FOR the United States of America.It is NOT the Constitution of the United States of America."for" places the Constitution in proper context as the set of rules for the government.
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Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional Law    3. Constitutions    4. Government - National    5. History    6. History: American    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Oversize books    9. Specimens    10. U.S. Constitutional History    11. United States    12. United States - Revolutionary War    13. American history: c 1500 to c 1800    14. History / United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800)    15. USA   

Reviews (72)

Worth Reading, But Incomplete
This book is well written and well organized.It provides a useful big picture sense of how the war was planned, the internal friction between different governmental and military constituencies, and the failure of Franks and the NSC to provide a useful counterweight to Rumsfeld's attempt to turn the Iraq campaign into a showcase for "transformation."
Thorough but dry
This is a thorough, but distressingly dry, blow by blow account of the execution of the Iraq war. I had difficulty finishing the book. The build up to the war is better written and of more interest than the description of battles which follow, the latter a "laundry list" of exchanges between the Americans and the inevitably hapless Iraqi forces. If you see Rumsfeld as the demon in this episode in history, then this is the book for you. Of special interest, however, and to my great astonishment, is the difficulty (and often inability)of the American forces to communicate with each other in battle situations, despite all the super-advanced technology at their disposition. Unbelievable! I understand the concept of "the fog of war", but this aspect of the conflict came as an eyeopener. Surely, lives were lost as a consequence.
Excellent
This is the most definitive military study of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It vividly records the planning and execution of the war plan, acquaints the reader with the view of military commanders on the ground, and records the battles they fought.
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Subjects:  1. History - Military / War    2. International Relations - General    3. Iraq - History    4. Iraq War, 2003    5. Middle East - General    6. Military - Iraq War    7. Military History - 1990-    8. Modern - 21st Century    9. Political Science    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Current Events / Military   

Reviews (3)

Poor Logic
Thomas Dilorenzo shines at misinformation in his new book.Among the lies he states is that it is not widely taught that the Civil War was not just about slavery but also for economic reasons.This is interesting to me as a history teacher, since any modern text, college, high school or grade school would have this information.
Lincoln Unmasked: Dishonest Abe. By Thomas Dilorenzo
A lot of research examines Abraham Lincoln and other origins of American National Socialism. Much of the work helps to explain the massive growth of government in these United States of America and the growing police state. More work needs to expose the influence of American National Socialism upon socialists worldwide, and upon the National Socialist German Workers' Party.
A Real Inconvenient Truth
I've already read DiLorenzo's The Real Lincoln; and I must say, this new book of his is far more trenchant in its libertarian exegesis of creepy "Father Abraham."Anyone interested in human freedom and dignity should get this book.Its a twelve-pound sledge of intellectual dynamite to evicerate the socialist propaganda of Eric 'Stalinikov Marx-o-holic' Foner with.
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Subjects:  1. 1809-1865    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography And Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Historical - U.S.    8. Lincoln, Abraham,    9. Presidents    10. Presidents & Heads of State    11. Public opinion    12. U.S. History - Civil War And Reconstruction (1860-1877)    13. United States    14. United States - Civil War    15. History / United States / General   

Reviews (70)

Sophomore AP History Student
I honestly do not think that I am very good at United States History (still got an A+) and being that it is now two months before the May AP Season, I can tell you with confidence that after reading the 1070 pages, my knowledge of US History is flimy. Of course, I plan on going back and reading teh book again and buying the Princeton Review's prep book, but I cannot tell yet for sure how well the book has done for me.
Easy to read with relatively short chapters
The American Pageant is a very easy to read US History textbook. The chapters are all relatively short and average about 25 pages. The margins are about half an inch and the presentation is overall easy on the eyes.
Poor service. Product misrepresented.
The book we received was not the full book with the ISBN number we ordered. It was volume one of two with a different ISBN number, which was clearly noted on the back of the book. We had to send the book back AT OUR EXPENSE! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - U.S.    3. History: American    4. United States    5. United States - General    6. American history    7. USA   

Editorial Review

The largely blue collar citizens of Kansas can be counted upon to be a "red" state in any election, voting solidly Republican and possessing a deep animosity toward the left. This, according to author Thomas Frank, is a pretty self-defeating phenomenon, given that the policies of the Republican Party benefit the wealthy and powerful at the great expense of the average worker. According to Frank, the conservative establishment has tricked Kansans, playing up the emotional touchstones of conservatism and perpetuating a sense of a vast liberal empire out to crush traditional values while barely ever discussing the Republicans' actual economic policies and what they mean to the working class. Thus the pro-life Kansas factory worker who listens to Rush Limbaugh will repeatedly vote for the party that is less likely to protect his safety, less likely to protect his job, and less likely to benefit him economically. To much of America, Kansas is an abstract, "where Dorothy wants to return. Where Superman grew up." But Frank, a native Kansan, separates reality from myth in Read more

Reviews (356)

An amazing book for understanding why "they" vote like that!
The book demonstrates with eloquence and grace how "values voters" are duped into voting for an economy they probably disagree with. The book points out how abortion, gay rights, family values, tv violence, rap lyrics and the rest are all tools that are used to "fire up the base" but they are NEVER acted upon, and they never WILL be acted upon in anything but the most lip-servicey ways....
Must read for all Americans
Gives a very interesting view on how we got into this predicament and why people in general will vote against their own interests.

A question the liberal elites can not answer
Frank as well as the liberal elites, just don't get it.That is why they are asking this question. Liberal elites are constantly mocking and discriminating against middle America.I am proud to be from middle America.There is no mystery as to why we vote Republican. We have not been tricked to vote Republican, we vote for candidates that have values, morals, love of our country and respect for each other; from life to death.There is more to life than how much money you have, the car you have or house you own.We are not impressed with wealth and power. These are the things that the elitist will never get.Kansas is beautiful, the people are relaxed, educated and extremely friendly.There is simply nothing wrong with Kansas.Instead, it should be a model for both the east and west coasts. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1951-    2. Conservatism    3. General    4. Government - U.S. Government    5. History - U.S.    6. Kansas    7. Kansas - State Government    8. Political Ideologies - Conservatism & Liberalism    9. Political Science    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Politics and government    12. Politics/International Relations    13. United States - State & Local - General   

Reviews (4)

Interesting but reflects the political ambivalence of Holland
Buruma is a good writer and paces the book very well.There are several pointsof value (exile returns to native land, cross-cultural comment etc.) but for me the most insightful were the snippets from newspaper commentaries that Buruma uses as a preface to each chapter. A mixture of shock and surprise, mixed with dollops of self-criticism.
Raises some important issues
Buruma shows how in the Netherlands, genuine concerns about the behavior of Muslim immigrants often do not get expressed due to concerns about accusations of "Islamophobia."After all, slanders against the Jews in the 1930s and 1940s proved to be extremely damaging to European society.But the author shows that in this case, a few simple truths need to be aired, even if they are unflattering to some people.As Buruma explains, Pim Fortuyn did that.He wanted all Dutch to be part of the Dutch community, not as some sort of fascist exclusivists but inclusivists who asked for loyalty towards common goals.
One of the best books I have read this year....
One of the best books you will read this year. And yes the author being of Dutch birth caught my eye, since my husbands family (DeRoos) are also of Dutch background. And the author having lived here in the states since the mid 1970's is able to give the reader a view of both sides of the issue or cultural differances.
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Subjects:  1. 21st century    2. Assassination    3. Ethnic Politics    4. Ethnic Studies - General    5. Ethnic relations    6. Europe    7. Europe - General    8. History    9. Middle East - General    10. Modern - 21st Century    11. Netherlands    12. Peace    13. Politics / Current Events    14. Social Science    15. Sociology    16. Toleration    17. Violence in Society    18. Political Science / Peace   

Reviews (2)

for all fans of great non-fiction
I picked up this book because I have admired Jeffrey Goldberg's writing on a number of topics.This book is more a memoir than a political history (although I learned quite a bit of that in the course of reading this book -- the middle east is not a topic about which I know that much). If you are a fan of well-written non-fiction, then you will enjoy reading this book.Mr. Goldberg's writing is lively, largely cliche-free, often moving, and engrossing.As I write this, I realize that Prisoners is also a travel narrative of ancient and modern Israel...All in all, a lot of bang for one book.Highly recommended.

Highly Recommended
"Prisoners: A Jew and a Muslim Across the Middle East Divide" is a memoir as much as it is a commentary on the Jewish-Palestinian conflict in Israel. Goldberg, a long time journalist for the New Yorker and Middle East correspondent was also very much of his generation -- a Jewish-American growing up in New York City, who (having reading Leon Uris' Exodus) longed for strong Jewish heroes of the John Wayne sort. That longing took him to Israel where he served in the IDF as a guard at Ketziot, a bleak desert prison that houses thousands of Palestinians arrested during the first Intifada. His interviews and accounts of Jews and Palestinians ring true and I think that's partly due to his respect for journalism done well and because he is a Zionist with a hopeful heart who longs for peace. It's that hopeful heart of his that takes a beating, as did my own, as I read this book. He writes an entertaining and informative account and this is not a book that one will read and forget. Rather, it's one to be discussed and considered. If I could only recommend one book this year, I think it would have to be this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arab-Israeli conflict    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography And Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Contemporary Politics - Middle East    8. Ethnic Cultures - General    9. Jewish journalists    10. Middle East - Israel    11. Palestinian Arabs    12. Political    13. United Arab Emirates    14. United States    15. Current Events / International   

Editorial Review

Few political memoirs have made such a dramatic entrance as that by Richard A. Clarke. During the week of the initial publication of Read more

Reviews (475)

Read this book, learn the truth behind the administration.
After hearing Bill Clinton's superb retort against Fox's hatchet man and kept hearing him tell the dude to read Clarke's book I said to myself, why not read it and see what he's talking about.Wow...it's an incredible insider's look at the fight against terrorism past and almost to the present.The conservative sound machine can try and spin Clarke's words however they want, but the man served 4 administrations while trying to secure our country so he's not a partisan clown.Basic upshot, Clinton tried tons of things to stop terrorism and it was a top priority in his administration, and when the chimp in chief got in to office, he was more concerned about a failed anti-missile program than terrorism and down-graded terrorism priorities; failed to properly respond to the attack by al-Quaeda by not doing enough in Afghanistan, and then started this war in Iraq that was basically a recruiting poster to even moderate islamic people to take up arms against an invading nation.I don't recommend many books, but this was a real eye-opener by a man who seriously knows his stuff, and who sinecerly cared about the security of his nation.His conclusion, be afraid people because we don't have the terrorists on the ropes and many things needed to be done to secure our nation haven't been done, and there doesn't seem to be any plans.
Continuity is Key.........
Either fight or scuttle.
Fightingthe Enemy; Fighting Ourselves
Clarke's first-hand account of the circumstances leading to his exclusion from the discussions of the counterterrorism "experts"--Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, and Cheney--followed by this terrible triumvirate's acting on the foregone conclusion that nothing but an invasion of Iraq would slake America's thirst for revenge and restore America's pride and power is, if not the only book you need to read about the post 9/11 fiasco, certainly among the more lucid, level-headed, and edifying accounts about the arrogantly myopic thinking that got us into Iraq.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. Government - U.S. Government    3. Government policy    4. History    5. History: World    6. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    7. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    8. Politics / Current Events    9. September 11 Terrorist Attacks    10. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001    11. Terrorism    12. United States    13. War on Terrorism, 2001-    14. Current Events / General   

Reviews (48)

Helpful guide for Black America
Covenant with Black America is poignant, practical and plausible.It lays out what matters most to Black Americans.More importantly, it shows ways to achieve our goals.
Despite what you've heard, not all truths are self-evident...
The Covenant with Black America is a profound literary work that reveals the truths about America and its tenuous relationship with the African-American community. After an introduction by Tavis Smiley, leading authorities cover agendas that should be of major concern to all African-Americans: healthcare, education, employment, environment, etc.
A Must Read
This book is relevant not only for African Americans, but ALL Americans because the state of African American people in this nation is an American concern. The book is very well written and comprehensive giving some startling research statistics. This book will also make you re-examine your priorities and make you more attentive to the policies that are implemented in our government. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1975-    2. African American leadership    3. African Americans    4. Ethnic Issues    5. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    6. Political Ideologies - Nationalism    7. Politics and government    8. Social Science    9. Social conditions    10. Sociology    11. Black studies    12. Social Science / African-American Studies    13. USA   

Reviews (85)

A Hard Adventure
A Hard Adventure
Unbelievable!
Can you imagine an overweight, past-his-prime ex-president with lingering injuries today disappearing into an unexplored part of the world for many months, with mostly useless provisions, without any communication with the outside world, while the world wonders if he is dead or alive?The first part of the journey is a trek through a barren wasteland, with pack animals dying all around you.The second part is down a river that no has ever traversed.What is around the next bend?A village of Indians who have never seen a white person, who would rather pump you full of poison arrows than befriend you?A series of impassable rapids, only to be followed by more rapids?