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Excellent guide to comprehension of bin Laden
This is the third book I've read on terrorism and was the best by far. Not only does it take the reader through the important points of bin Laden's life and the historical events that surround them, but the author also analyzes the larger context within world politics. I particularly enjoyed the analysis of the strategic importance of Stinger missiles in the past and the future.
Know your facts before reading this book
Warning, before reading this book make sure you are well schooled in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, US involvement with Somalia, the Persian Gulf War, and Islam. The more you know about these subjects the more you will realize that Bergen interjects his political opinions throughout the book with side comments; by selectively adding some facts and leaving out others; and by the clever arrangements of facts.Bergen is biased against the US and eerily; the net affect is some sort of weird admiration for OBL.
This Was Good....But Bin Laden's Mistress
This book had a lot of technical stuff, but I still really enjoyed it.
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Subjects:  1. 1957-    2. Bin Laden, Osama,    3. General    4. Government policy    5. History    6. Islam    7. Jihad    8. Politics - Current Events    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Religion    11. Religious aspects    12. Terrorism    13. United States   

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Confused, Disorienting, Brutal Book Mirrors Combat
This is a different kind of Civil War book, a micro history covering a brief period time through the lens of scores of Confederates and Unionists who simultaneously experienced the artillery duel and Pickett's Charge on July 3, 1863. good book but not my cup of tea
this book is a good information packed book that puts you in the battle but I wasn't expecting a minut by minut account of the battle it was a good book except that i kept confusing a lot of the lower ranking soildiers. It showed how brave the Virginians truely where

Excellent! Not to be missed
Taking us back to that fateful day on July 3rd 1863, John Michael Priest does indeed take us "INTO THE FIGHT" as we are told the story of Pickett's Charge.While reading this book, one can't help but be transported back in time to that smoke filled battlefield on the ridges of Gettysburg.By using first hand accounts by the soldiers who were there, Priest gives the reader a vivid picture of what it must have been like to experience the terror of that chaotic day's fighting from both Union & Confederate sides. Numerous maps throughout the book (25 to be exact) clearly illustrate troop movements and artillery placement making it easy for the reader to follow along as the action unfolds. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anybody interested in understanding the third days fighting at Gettysburg. The maps alone are worth the price of admission. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (George Edward),    2. 1825-1875    3. Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysb    4. Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysburg, Pa., 1863    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History - U.S.    8. Military    9. Military History - U.S. Civil War    10. Pickett, George E    11. Pickett, George E.    12. United States - Civil War   

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Great Title; Poor content
It's disappointing that not one, but two books by this author, filled with inaccuracies, could find their way to publication. A glance through the chapter about Blondes relates the tired Jean Harlow/Christian Science/Evil Mother Jean story that first appeared in Irving Shulman's 1964 best selling, but totally made-up HARLOW, AN INTIMATE BIOGRAPHY. Mr. Wallace apparently missed both the excellent David Stenn and Eve Golden bios of Jean Harlow that were written in the early 1990's, which refute that legend based on hospital records and other 'minor' facts, etc. Babylonland
As in his previous volume "Lost Hollywood," Wallace here does little more than recycle the gossip & rumors found in Kenneth Anger's "Hollywood Babylon."Much of it is fun reading - for example, it's always amusing to re-visit Mae West's witty one-liners - but the book is rife with factual inaccuracies and typos.Many of them - but certainly not all - have already been cited in other reviews.One correction I might add is that Herbert Stothart, not Max Steiner, was the film composer for "Wizard of Oz."After that sort of gaffe, it becomes difficult to trust Wallace's information (new to me) that "Oz" author L. Frank Baum designed the crown-like chandeliers that still hang in the dining room at the Hotel del Coronado. Wallace's assertion that "Citizen Kane" was "certainly the best" film music Bernard Herrmann ever composed would likely be disputed by most film music critics (the consensus would appear to favor "Vertigo").The absence of even a single footnote and the lack of a bibliography are simply additional indications of a carelessly researched and poorly edited volume.Rather disappointing.

Inaccuracyland
Despite Mr. Wallace's avowed claim to find the "truth behind the anecdotes," this book--just like his first on the subject (Lost Hollywood)--is nothing more than a series of mostly unsubtantiated Hollywood myths coupled with outright inaccuracies (e.g., Mr. Wallace indicates Jean Harlow as being the recipient of James Cagney's grapefruit-in-the-face in the famous "Public Enemy" scene--when, in fact, it was Mae Clarke), held together by numerous misspellings and typos.Only for the desperate!The dust jacket is nice, though. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. California    4. Cinema/Film: Book    5. Entertainment & Performing Arts - Actors & Actresses    6. Film & Video - General    7. History    8. Large type books    9. Los Angeles    10. Motion Picture Acting    11. Motion Picture Industry    12. Motion picture actors and actr    13. Motion picture actors and actresses    14. Performing Arts    15. Regional Subjects - West    16. United States    17. United States - State & Local - West   

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I loved this book.
I picked this book up for the first time in a summer rental house.I couldn't put it down and I had to run out and buy my own copy when I got home.I was not familiar with Millay before reading this book, so I cannot compare it to the million other opinions of her, but as a narrative on its own I have been mesmerized.I think this is an extremely well written biography that captures the essence of the relationships we nuture and cherish.Everytime I pick it up again I slip effortlessly into a different place in time when one could simply be an artist, a genius, and be celebrated.The descriptions are vivid and the narrative is strong and engaging.It's simply a well written book and I loved it.

Edna St. Vincent Millay, Subject of Nancy Milford (oh, and she was a poet, too)
In this biography, Milford seems to be an historian first and a writer second.Or, perhaps, a prima donna first, an historian second, and then a writer.There is nothing wrong with either order unless one's prerogative in reading happens to be pleasure.Then, dear reader, it seems you have been "punk'd."
Edna deserved better
I have always loved the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay and eagerly looked forward to reading Milford's book, as a matter of fact I was extremely happy to see the size and heft of the book thinking that Milford must have clearly explored all the facets of Millay's life. humpf
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Subjects:  1. 1892-1950    2. 20th century    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. General    8. History    9. Large type books    10. Literary    11. Millay, Edna St. Vincent,    12. Poets, American    13. United States    14. Women    15. Women and literature    16. Millay, Edna St. Vincent   

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In 1957, the Russians launched Read more

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A great American and the exciting story of his experience at NASA.
Reading Gene Kranz's experience as mission controller at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration brought back childhood dreams of being a "space man". Gene Kranz lead an exciting life, and he relates his story through exciting tales from is tenure at NASA.
Tremendous as a Source Text
Let's be very upfront on one point: Kranz is not a gifted prose writer. He is a celebrity as a flight director, a competent test pilot, a keystone of one of the finest scientific and engineering achievements in the history of mankind, and probably one of the excellent leaders of the last century. But he is not a gifted writer.
Gene Kranz - Biographical review - Leadership in Space exploration
Having been interested in this period of the initial years of the space program, I was hoping to gleen more insite into events and people during this period. I was not let down as some of the details and specifically the difficult logistics of operations was layed out and described. All this without the technology that we have today for satellite communication/Internet etc. Superb description of the Apollo 11 landings and mindset for success of the Apollo 13 events, showing the stunning and legendary team building abilities and decision making insites of the period. Worth reading for anyone interested in those years of Space Exploration. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aeronautics & Astronautics    2. Astrophysics & Space Science    3. Ground support systems (Astron    4. Ground support systems (Astronautics)    5. History    6. Large type books    7. Manned space flight    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Systems engineering    11. Technology    12. United States   

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Superior
My students, who detest reading with a passion, invariably enjoy reading this book.Full of "good guys" and "bad guys" it forces them to choose a side, which makes it great for essay assignments.

Couldn't put it down?No...I could
Though it's not the worst book I've ever read, I had the hardest time getting past the third chapter.With promises that this book was interesting I was quite disappointed.The book reads like you are reading a geneology chart instead of a book of scandals.It throws in a name, and then EVERY person they are related to, who they are related to and so on.The story is interesting...if you can get past all the [crud].If you're looking for an interesting book with history you've come to the wrong place.If you are looking for a history book with a few interesting high spots...you'll love it.

well written
I was required to read this book for a history class in college this semester. I am usually not a big fan of history, it's not my specialty, but this book kept me interested and hooked to the story. It reads rather quickly and is very enjoyable. It is not boring as I find many accounts of history. I do not know what other books are out there about the Margaret Eaton controversy, but I think this one is tops. I definately recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. Case studies    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Large Print    6. Politicians    7. Sex role    8. Sexual behavior    9. United States    10. United States - 19th Century    11. United States - General    12. Women    13. Eaton, Peggy    14. Friends and associates    15. Jackson, Andrew    16. Van Buren, Martin   

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Many writers have described the famous clash between the Read more

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The first pre-dreadnought
Monitor skillfully holds the reader spellbound about the ship, and her irrascible genius inventor. I also came to realize just how technically advanced this ship was compared to her contemporaries. This book is a quick and powerful read that you don't want to put down, and it conveys the depth and level of accomplishment achieved by John Erriccson in getting her built in the short time he did. An outstanding history replete with circumstances and entertaining anecdotes as well. A highly recommended book.

Can't Put Down
For Civil War and Naval History buffs, this telling of the Monitor's creation and her campaign against the South's Merrimac is spellbinding.

ExcellentCoverage of the Monitor
Alot of detailed information well put together and very readable. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1861-1865    2. History    3. History - General History    4. Large print books    5. Military    6. Military - Naval    7. Military Science    8. Monitor (Ironclad)    9. Naval operations    10. Technology    11. United States    12. United States - Civil War   

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A not-so -great book on a Greek island
I enjoy reading books on Greece so I buy a lot of them. This one was a disappointment. I have to agree with the reviewer (above) who says it is a waste of time. It is one of those books that lament the advent of mass tourism and infrastructure development, and I suppose these inevitable changes deserve lamenting in several senses, but other writers have done it so much better. Maybe the first and last chapters could be recommended but the rest is boring. None of the characters come alive and none of the real issues they face are made as clear as they should be. All the people (tourists and locals) seem to do is drive around looking at the mountains and eat... and they all eat too much.

A House In Corfu
A House In Corfu made me long to go at once and savour the tastes, smells and colours so wonderfully described in Emma Tennant's book.Her tales of locals, family and the glorious blue sky and sea had me wanting more as soon as I finished it.

A House in Corfu
I was amazed by the negative review another reader gave this lovely book.I would guess that most of us who like to read about a life spent in the sun, do not expect, or want, an action-packed plot!The whole point of living a Meditteranean idyll, where one day slips lazily into another, is that not a lot happens.Or not the kind of things that we would all hate to confront in real life, such as police car chases, broken hearts, or other major dramas.What we want is to be transported to another world and to imagine ourselves there.This book is about being happy - never easy to portray, but Emma Tennant has succeeded.It made me feel a great deal happier than I was before I picked it up.It is also beautifully written. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Corfu Island    3. Corfu Island (Greece)    4. Description and travel    5. Europe - Greece    6. Greece    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Homes and haunts    11. Social life and customs    12. Tennant, Emma    13. Tennant family   

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An honest look back ...
Leo Litwak's recollections of his service in WWII as a combat medic is not what I had expected.I had anticipated a memoir - instead the book is essentially a collection of vignettes and impressions the author had during his service in Europe in the final year of the war.Litwak admits in his foreward that unit names and places had been changed, and that some individuals mentioned in the book were composites of personalities he knew.I appreciated his honesty. the medic: life and death in the last days of WWII
I was disappointed in this book. Maybe I went into it with too high an expectation. I knew going in, it was a dramatized version of Mr. Litwak's experiences but I expected more insight into his job as a medic. there were relatively few scenes of his actually work. In that way, I would say the title is misleading. It really is a book of one man's army service in Europe during the later days of World War II. He seems to have disliked everyone he served with and Mr. Litwak has the right to be. there were more sex stories than medic stories.the Sgt. Lucca story I thought would help me gain more insight into the author. But it left me looking for more of an explanation of how Mr. Litwak really felt.Did he like the Sgt. or not?He seems to have been hurt by his death but I am not sure. Not your usual combat medic
I was expecting a more in-depth analysis into the combat and mental condition of a medic, but what I got was a long drawn out story of himself.There was no connection w/ his fellow men and if there was, it was just a misconception.Basically, he just want to forget about the war, the horror, and the cruelty behind it.If that is the case, then why write the book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1924-    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. History: World    5. Large type books    6. Litwak, Leo,    7. Military - World War II    8. Personal narratives, American    9. United States    10. World War, 1939-1945    11. Litwak, Leo   

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Unforgettable saga of romance, intrigue and adventure.
The Devilfish story describes the scenic beauty of the primeval forest and complex culture of the Tlingit Nations of Southeastern Alaska. The story combines romance, intrigue, adventure, pathos and tragedy into a concise narrative about what it means to be Native-American. It also describes the dangers that lurked in the mountains and in the waters of the Alaskan islands as Tlingit hunters and fishermen struggled against the natural forces to harvest the prodigious food resources of this region. The Tlingit people placed a high priority upon value of respect: respect for the Creator, respect for all creatures, respect for other persons, and respect for oneself. When any one of these four kinds of respect was missing, an individual's life was considered to be out of balance. Thus, dire consequences were believed to result in sorrow and turmoil. In order to restore order to the life of an individual or community, the offender must provide restitution equal to the severity of the offense at a future gathering known as a "potlatch." Devilfish Bay describes the consequences that transpire when the rule of respect is broken. Aspirations are dashed, lives are lost, heroic efforts are required to bring order out of this imminent chaos. Strong emotions, that tug at the heart of the brave and test the courage of the intrepid, reveal both the best and the worst of motivations that lurk in the hearts of man and beast. This is the stuff out of which classics are created and cowards forged. Thus, the reader isdrawn into the vortex of the ensuing conflict and struggles with the problems of revenge and justice. Historically, the Tlingit nation numbered in the multiple thousands and they subsisted from hunting, gathering and fishing. They continue to be divided into two ceremonial groups -- Raven and Eagle. Every Tlingit belongs to a community longhouse, a clan, and a moiety which is either Raven or Eagle. In some communitites the symbol of the Wolf was used interchangeably with the Eagle.Each clan had its own traditions and stories. Devilfish Bay is a gripping saga of human love and loyalty, danger and disaster and turmoil and triumph. The narrative depicts those values and valor that make life worth living and forces the reader to reflect upon one's own culture to decipher what is meaningful and sacred. It demonstrates that critical times provide the arena for true gallantry. The Devilfish story is an unforgettable saga about a family that put their honor above their very lives. It suggests why the Tlingit people still cling so tenaciously to their land and culture in an era of forced assimiliation. This story seems destined to become a classic in the literature on the Indigenous Nations of North America. --Kenneth D. Tollefson, Ph.D Emeritus Professor of Anthropology Seattle Pacific University ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction - General    2. General    3. Sociology    4. Non-fiction    5. Action Adventure    6. Native Americans    7. History    8. Anthropology    9. Biography    10. Social Sciences   

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History is fun and accessible
In STARK contrast to Doughead's completely irrelevant remarks (funny for someone who HAS NOT read the whole book)...
English History appetizer, anyone?
It's nice - but rare for somebody like me -- to be able to sit back with a cup of tea and read a history book for enjoyment's sake.Not that I don't like history, but I'm more used to reading fiction written in a more entertaining style. Let's face it, that is a knack that seems to elude many History authors; so a book as informative yet digestible as The Year 1000 was a very pleasant surprise.
A Medieval World You THOUGHT you knew.
I must admit that I had my stereotypes of Medieval England.I could only imagine oppressed, dirty, superstitious people with lives so unbarably hard that they labored through life just waiting to die.Harsh, I know, but I blame the movies... The Year 1000 gives new light to old myths, and in the most light-hearted, layman, even funny ways.Perhaps you imagine the medieval worker as having grotesquely rotten teeth because there was no tooth paste?Actually, their teeth were surprisingly good because sugar had not yet been brought to England.It's little facts like this that make this book perfect for a anyone who wants to know a little more but without being bored to tears. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Large print books    6. Large type books    7. One thousand, A.D   

Editorial Review

"In retrospect," writes David Halberstam, "the pace of the fifties seemed slower, almost languid. Social ferment, however, was beginning just beneath this placid surface." He shows how the United States began to emerge from the long shadow of FDR's 12-year presidency, with the military-industrial complex and the Beat movement simultaneously growing strong. Television brought not only situation comedies but controversial congressional hearings into millions of living rooms. While Alfred Kinsey was studying people's sex lives, Gregory Pincus and other researchers began work on a pill that would forever alter the course of American reproductive practices. Halberstam takes on these social upheavals and more, charting a course that is as easy to navigate as it is wide-ranging. ... Read more

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Excellent Overview of Postwar Years
This is a totally engrossing introduction to the events and concepts that launched us into the modern age.Imagine what life was like during the advent of space travel, television, and suburban life.Can you imagine what it would've been like to be one of the first people to eat a McDonald's burger or watch Richard Nixon on national teevee insist for the first time that he wasn't a crook?This book details these facets of life in a very entertaining but informative manner.
Contraceptives to Civil Rights to the Cold War
David Halberstam has given us a splendid view of the 1950's from the perspective of the 50's and early 60's - the book is a well written and enjoyable work showing us what happened in this crucial decade.
The calm before the storm
What is it about the 1950's that so many Americans cherish?Is it the homespun food of apple pie and burgers devoid of GM products, foreign influences and weight concerns?Or is it the large cars made possible by cheap gas?Maybe its the music; a lot of new and exciting stuff, but without the undertones of death, government corruption, street violence and broken families...Maybe it is all of this and more, for the 50's represent to many the last decade in which everything seemed to fit together and all was well in the USA.David Halberstam, journalist par excellence, examines this most pivotal of decades and reveals all that festered under the surface, waiting to blow in the following decades.
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Subjects:  1. 1945-1970    2. 1945-1989    3. 20th century    4. History    5. History - General History    6. Large Print    7. Large type books    8. Military - United States    9. Nineteen fifties    10. Politics and government    11. Popular culture    12. Social life and customs    13. United States    14. United States - 20th Century    15. History / Military / United States   

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Tail Gunner
An excellent account, modestly written, by a very brave man. Worth reading to get an insight into what being a tail gunner was like -exposed and lonely!Read more

Subjects:  1. Aerial operations, British    2. Biography    3. Fighter pilots    4. Great Britain    5. History    6. History - Military / War    7. Military    8. Military - Aviation    9. Military - World War II    10. Personal narratives, British    11. World War, 1939-1945    12. Air forces & warfare    13. Aircraft: general interest    14. Biography: general    15. British & Irish history: Second World War    16. History of engineering & technology    17. Second World War, 1939-1945    18. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

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Subjects:  1. 63 B.C.-14 A.D.    2. Ancient - Rome    3. Augustus,    4. Children: Grades 3-4    5. Emperor of Rome,    6. Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D    7. Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D.    8. History    9. History - Ancient    10. History - General History    11. Juvenile Nonfiction    12. Juvenile literature    13. Rome    14. Social life and customs    15. Ancient Rome    16. Augustus    17. Humanities    18. World history: BCE to c 500 CE   

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boring, plotles, dull
I, Like many other unfortunate youth, had to read this book for school and do journal responses for each chapter. I did the assingnment with little difficulty without finishing the book. It was that predictable! I only read the first two chapters before I could do the responses with little trouble.
My brother sam is dead
Over the summer I read My brother sa is dead by James luneden Collier and Christopher Coliier. As one of my favorite books, there was many things i liked about I found interesting. When reading this book, you forget about reality and you start to feel as if you were in the story yourself.
Great Book to Spark an Early Interest in History
James Lincoln and Christopher Collier's story "my brother Sam is dead" begins at the dawn of the Revolution, a time when Loyalists felt much the same as Mr. Beach's remark to Sam in Chapter 1: "I think men of common sense will prevail. Nobody wants a rebellion except fools and hotheads." Doubtful or unaware of just how focused and set on independence from the Crown of England the Rebel militia actually were, the loyalists or tories of Colonial America were caught off guard when they realized "Live Free or Die" was more than a motto is was a commitment.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult    2. General    3. History    4. Juvenile fiction    5. Large Print    6. Large type books    7. Revolution, 1775-1783    8. United States   

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Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. History / General   

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Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. Medical / Nursing    4. Medical-History    5. Psychology & Psychiatry / General   

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Don't buy
It is impossible to know what was happening in Hoff's life when he sat down to write this book. That is a personal issue for Hoff to work out by himself.
Wonderful book
Very entertaining and very enlightening.I highly recommend this book as a good read.

On Second Thought
I read this book shortly after reading the Tao of Pooh 3+ years ago, which I absolutely loved and continue to loan to friends and family when I see them struggling. I have always discouraged the reading of the Te of Piglet to these same people. After searching f