Reviews (65)

Compelling
I just finished reading this book and found it both compelling and haunting.I couldn't put it down.If you are looking for a balcony analysis this is not for you but if on the other hand you want to know what it was like... no what it was really like, day to day, and step into the shoes of someone who was there then this is the book for you.Gen. Dallaire had access to and negotiated over and over again with the top leaders on both sides of the conflict and tells the story, the few triumphs and many failings of the groups in Rwanda, the member nations, and the UN itself, like no one else possibly could.My hats off to him for taking the time to tell this story, no doubt a painful one, in detail and for having given so much personally during that year of his life to save lives and minimize the deaths in Rwanda with the cards that were dealt him.Few, I believe would have persisted as long as he did trying to make a difference under similar conditions.

disappointing book
someone wrote this review above, i want to second it.the book could have been a lot better, was quite disappointing.i got into the habit of skimming through a lot of pages at a time, the last hundred pages or so are the best and worth reading, the rest is just a quick skim.
Must reading if you're interested in world events
My daughter at U of M got me interested in the Rwandan crisis and was just vacationing in Canada and picked up this book by a Canadian General who was leading the UN effort in Rwanda during the genocide and what a tragedy thiswas and remains. I didnt walk away thinking this guy was a great General but he had the guts and the commitment to right to stay in spite of the ineptitude of the United Nations and Cofi Anan who was in a key role at the time. The tragedy of what the free world stood by and let happen is nearly unsurpassed, probably only by the Jews extermination in WWII. If you have any interest in the world happenings and think you have faith in the United Nations just buy this and read it - we need change. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa - Central    2. Atrocities    3. Civil War, 1994    4. Crime And Criminals    5. Criminology    6. Dallaire, Româeo    7. History    8. History - General History    9. International Relations - General    10. Military - Other    11. Personal narratives, Canadian    12. Rwanda    13. Social Science    14. Sociology    15. Political Science / International Relations   

Reviews (182)

amazing
This book made me want to become a marine scout sniper. However, since I'm joining the Army....hahaha...well that's impossible. But this book shows you the thought process of a particular sniper, tactics, his heroism, dedication, FOCUS, and determination to do his job so that more marines could live. An amazing book, I would say. This book also gives you a clear picture of what a marine scout sniper's job is, although there wasn't too much of the recon part of it. This book gives you a mental picture of what's going on in Vietnam, almost like watching a movie. Entertaining, yet informative. Also talked about how they created the M40 sniper rifle and how they got rid of (i'm going out on a limb here) almost all of its weaknesses/faults.

Well-Written History, But...
Well-written history of a war and those who fought in it with heroism and skill, but I shouldn't have tried to read this. It's just too bloody for me, I guess, and I couldn't finish it. But that's nota comment on the quality of the book, just its subject matter, which turned my stomach and really, deeply, got to me. For anyone interested in an ultra-realistic account of a sniper's life in Vietnam, this is the book. It's among the most visceral, lingeringly disturbing memoirs on the subject of modern war I've ever held in my hands.

Sniper book that you can't put down
This book tell the story of Carlos Hathcock tours in Vietnam, an sniper in the top of his game with not equal, the book is full of his sniping mission and is a easy read. I can't recall a moment where I felt the story was dragging.
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Subjects:  1. Americas (North Central South West Indies)    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Commando operations    5. History    6. History: American    7. Military    8. Military - United States    9. Military - Vietnam War    10. Soldiers    11. United States    12. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975    13. History / Military / General    14. The Americas    15. USA    16. War fiction   

Reviews (4)

The ONLY "Before and After" Book on the Iraq Mis-Adventure
James Fallows is unique for giving us the only "before and after" book on Iraq.This book, while it consists of a collection of articles published in the run-up to the war on Iraq, is exemplary for showing what was known before the war, and how a combination of ideological bias, bureaucratic timidity, confusion, and general incompetence actually allowed this Nation to be led to an elective war of devastating consequence and cost.
Fallows Was First
Only one thing puzzles me about James Fallows: why is he not considered among our most important American journalists?
This Book Works Better than It Should
This book has an unpromising premise: Publish a book based largely on essays that have already been published as articles in the Atlantic Monthly from 2002 through 2005.Despite that, this book ends up working far better than one might expect.
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Subjects:  1. Diplomatic history    2. History - Military / War    3. International Relations - General    4. Iraq - History    5. Iraq War, 2003    6. Iraq War, 2003-    7. Middle East - General    8. Military - Iraq War    9. Military - Strategy    10. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    11. Political Science    12. Politics/International Relations    13. U.S. Foreign Relations    14. Political Science / International Relations   

Reviews (23)

Don't Drink the Koolaid
As a Marine who met John Boyd in the early 1980's, I can attest to the fact that he was clearly brilliant, irrefutably abrasive, and undeniably anti-authoritarian.To his credit, Robert Coram has captured those aspects of his personality well, and his biography reads like an exciting novel.
briliant thinker
Boyd was a genius fighter pilot. He reinvented air-to-air combat tactics in the 1950's, 60's, and 70's. Even today, his ideas on combat seem advanced.

The Fourth Generation Warfare Godfather
While experts on the 2nd Iraq War give credit for the quick victory to SECDEF Rumsfeld's deputies and the Bush Administration, the core foundation to maneuver warfare (and the key to the victory) was provided by the deceased Colonel John Boyd.His concepts of OODA (observe-orient-decide-act) forced the U.S. Military to change their thinking on command and control of armed forces and their interaction on the battlefield and beyond.This book, "The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War", is an outstanding biography of this amazing warrior. From his blue-collar upbringing in Erie, Pennsylvania to his battles in the Pentagon, the Ghetto Colonel help form the AirLand battle strategy of the 1980s (with the advent of the F-15/F-16), and Maneuver Warfare for the 1990s and 2000s (influencing USMC thinkers).
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Military    5. Military - Aviation    6. Military - Strategy    7. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Editorial Review

This beautifully written trilogy of books on the American Civil War is not only a piece of first-rate history, but also a marvelous work of literature. Shelby Foote brings a skilled novelist's narrative power to this great epic. Many know Foote for his prominent role as a commentator on Ken Burns's PBS series about the Civil War. These three books, however, are his legacy. His southern sympathies are apparent: the first volume opens by introducing Confederate President Jefferson Davis, rather than Abraham Lincoln. But they hardly get in the way of the great story Foote tells. This hefty three volume set should be on the bookshelf of any Civil War buff. Read more

Reviews (120)

America's War and Peace
My interest in history has been directed mostly at Russia. American history has never been that interesting to me. That changed when I read Foote's history of the Civil War. I had never read a history so rich, so beautifully written, so engrossing. This reads like the most satisfying kind of novel, the characters finely drawn, the plot compelling. That it isn't a novel at all only adds to its power. My anger at the stupidity and cruelty of some characters and the bad treatment of others, my sorrow over the deaths, and even my exultation over some of the victories (I was alternately rooting for both the North and the South, so strongly did Foote make me care for their respective soldiers and leaders) were all the stronger for knowing that they really lived. They could scarcely be more real to me had I met them.
Nobody does it better!
Shelby Foote created a masterpiece that assured his own place in history.Who can't think of the mini-series without thinking of Foote?Well, this is the work that got him his place in The Civil War and deservedly so.Many books have been written about the civil war from the perspectives of its actors, but none have been so evenly treated, nor so thorough.Fifty years old, it is still a relevant work and worth owning, in any form.

Live the Civil War... It's worth your time and effort
Even as an avid reader of US history, I'd read nothing about the Civil War before reading Foote's work.I was frankly intimidated by a topic that plenty of people spend their entire life studying.This spring, I finally tackled the Civil War and I jumped into the deep end by starting with Foote's 3-volume set.I couldn't be happier with my choice.
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Subjects:  1. 1861-1865, Civil War    2. Civil War, 1861-1865    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. History: American    6. United States    7. United States - Civil War    8. Civil war    9. History / General    10. USA   

Editorial Review

Some historical events simply beggar any attempt at description--the Holocaust is one of these. Therefore, as it recedes and the people able to bear witness die, it becomes more and more essential that novel, vigorous methods are used to describe the indescribable. Examined in these terms, Art Spiegelman's Read more

Reviews (129)

Why are so many amazed that its a "comic" book?
...I loved this graphic novel, and so many accolades have been heaped upon this book that I need'nt say more. However, in reviewing some of the readers responses, and colligiate papers regarding the works of Maus, many seemed surprised or shocked that such amazing storytelling could be attributed to the comic book form. Why? I have been a lover and reader of comics for many years and this so - called "low" art form has produced some of the most memorable, touching, exciting, and thought-provoking material I have ever read. Granted, a large percentage of "comic" books cater to the stylized "men-in-tights" brigade, however even this attitude has changed much within the industry and modern comics. Even the long-running "hero" titles touch upon modern issues with a compexity that some people might find surprising. It should also be noted however that largely indie, underground, and other "non-mainstream" works really drive the graphic novel and comic industry in terms of content. If you thought comics simply "silly childrens stories" or "lame escapism" you should read some of the highly recommended titles of the genre and see why "comics" are being used as source material for a lot of current and upcoming films.

An Incredible Historical Perspective
Making one man's story about his life during the Holocaust into a comic book isn't contrite or demeaning. It's brilliant.
Ja! Like lightning!
Despite all the press and hype regarding it, I had never heard of Maus until mid-last year when browsing through a book store. The image of Hitler as a cat with two mice seemingly losing all hope on the cover really struck me, and I then made a blind purchase. I didn't even flip through the pages to see the art style, or read the back of the book or inside flaps to get an idea of what it was about. All I knew was that Nazis = cats, and Jews = mice. Having loved my experience in various history classes, I figured I'd get something out of this comic. Then I read it, and didn't. It all seemed bland, some parts rushed, and I didn't like the art style too much. Then, almost a year later, I reread it, and I don't know what it is, but my view changed. I actually got the characters, loved the story of survival, and understood just how bad the times were from the narrator's point of view. I still hated the art style, but everything else was meaningful. While most stories of the Holocaust rub in your face how bad things were, giving you every tiny detail about the pain and suffering, Maus takes things in a different direction. Art Spiegelman, the semi-author and artist, interviews his own father, a Holocaust survivor, and tells his story in comic form. It's not "normal" though- his father, Vladek, is a cranky old man now, and Art even makes a comment that he's now the stereotypical Jew. Maus takes both the real story of the Holocaust as Vladek experienced it, as well as the in-between portions of getting together with his father and the difficulties the two experience together in trying to make things work out. It's these little things that make the story so much more real than just simply a survivor telling their story straight forward.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography And Autobiography    4. Children of Holocaust survivors    5. Comic books, strips, etc    6. Comics & Graphic Novels    7. Fine Arts    8. Historical - Holocaust    9. History: World    10. Holocaust    11. Holocaust survivors    12. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    13. Jewish - General    14. Literary    15. Literature: Classics    16. Military - World War II    17. Personal Memoirs    18. Poland    19. Spiegelman, Vladek    20. United States    21. Europe    22. Fiction / Graphic Novels    23. Graphic novels    24. Spiegelman, Art   

Reviews (11)

Generals in Bronze
You will not be able to put this book down! It is not written in the word's of Bill Styple or even the artist James Kelly. He wrote down what civil war generals told him while he was sketching them long after the war. If you are interested in civil war history, it will blow your socks off!
Candid Conversations with Civil War Generals
This is one of the best books for candid and truthful conversations with Civil War Generals.This is archival quality and should be a must read for any student of Civil War military and social history.

GENERALS IN BRONZE
I highly recommend this book. Styple does an excellent job of editing James Kelly's notes and presents a picture of famous generals that is rarely seen. The general's views of each other were of particular interest. I think I will always remember that on the monument at Monmouth that actress Nell Starett posed for Molly Pitcher and that Thomas Edison posed for one of the gunners. These are facts that are little known. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History - U.S.    4. History / Military / United States    5. History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)    6. History: American    7. United States - Civil War    8. Army    9. Civil War, 1861-1865    10. Interviews    11. Personal narratives, American    12. Soldiers    13. Veterans   

Reviews (19)

A gorgeous history of the craft's stormy history
An impressive selection for military specialty collections and aviation holdings is Grumman F-14 Tomcat: Bye-Bye, Baby!,compiled by Dave Parsons, George Hall and Bob Lawson. The dramatic oversized presentation charts a craft which had a terrible time being 'born', evolving during the era of McNamara's 'whiz kids' in the Pentagon who wanted a new fighter for both Air Force and Navy personnel the TFX. The underpowered failure eventually was halted by Tom Connolly and the Tomcat was born. Color images pack a gorgeous history of the craft's stormy history.

Most impressive TOMCAT read in a long time
Not too much to say, other then this is one of the most impressive collections of 200 pages ever.
Grumman Tomcat Images
Excellent pictures and commentary about the F-14 Tomcat from the pilots who flew them and the people who built, tested, and serviced them. Well done! I loved it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Military    4. Military - Aviation    5. Military - Naval    6. Air forces & warfare    7. History / Military / Naval    8. Naval forces & warfare    9. USA   

Reviews (5)

Great reference
A must own reference text for gun collectors. It is a detailed guide of make, model, caliber and potential value. It has most manufactured firearms from more than 150 years ago from all over the globe.

A 'must' reference for any avid firearms collector
What does the newly updated 16th edition of the classic STANDARD CATALOG OF FIREARMS get you that differs from past editions? There are more model entries, more pricing data, and more photos: over 1,500 pages packed with detail. All prices have been updated for collectible firearms made between 1838 and 2005, over 600 new entries added, and photos over 7,000 firearms packed in - there's even a 16-page color section on museum-quality antique firearms from around the world. With its serial number lists to help avoid fakes, this 16th edition is a 'must' reference for any avid firearms collector.
Seems very detailed.
The book is very detailed. The loads of pictures helped me confirm the items were properly identified.
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Subjects:  1. Antiques    2. Antiques & Collectibles    3. Antiques / Collectibles    4. Antiques/Collectibles    5. Firearms & Weapons    6. Firearms And Gunsmithing    7. Militaria, arms & armour    8. Reference works    9. Small firearms, guns & other equipment   

Reviews (4)

Pure modeling eye candy
Sure it's spendy, but you will spend countless hours drooling over this book by one of the premier modellers in the world right now.As mentioned, every facet of AFV modeling is covered in this publication.From equipment to the process of painting the entire vehicle, groundwork, accessories, etc.
Best AFV Work Book To Date!
Up until now Tony Greenland's book "Panzer Modeling" was the one book I pulled out when I start a new AFV. Mig's Book F.A.Q. will now sit on my workbench for a long time. This book is to be used as a reference anytime you are looking for a step-by-step way to paint anything from an Ammo Crate to an entire Tank! It's definitely worth the $ Dollars spent. My book was advertised as a hardcover from an Amazon retailer but came to me as a soft cover. This book will probably never see my bookshelf and is made to sit next to you as you work.
The "Masterclass" for finishing techniques
If Tony Greenland's book set the standard for building AFV's then Mig's "FAQ" has just set the standard for finishing AFV's. Like the title suggests, Mig lays out basicly everything you would want or need to know (and then some!) about different finishing techniques in this book. From what tools and materials are used, to tips on how to paint and prepare groundwork, and everything in between.The book is printed on nice, heavy stock glossy paper, it's laid out well, and the pictures are nothing short of gorgeous. I have heard one person who bought the book complain that there wasn't enough text to explain things, but the pictures more than speak for themselves and it is easy to see what Mig is explaining. To conclude, if you build AFV's get this book, I'm sure you will find yourself referring to it very often. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Military    4. Military - Other    5. Military Science    6. History / Military / Other    7. Models & model-making   

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

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. Cabanatuan    2. Campaigns    3. Concentration camps    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. Military    7. Military - Strategy    8. Military - United States    9. Military - World War II    10. Military History - World War II    11. Philippines    12. Regimental histories    13. Special Forces    14. United States    15. World War, 1939-1945    16. History / Military / World War II   

Reviews (2)

The Cold War Sometimes Turned Hot
I recommend this book as a "must read" for anyone interested in Cold War military history and intelligence gathering as well as all former "spooks". Mr. Burrows has written a detailed account of United States Air Force, Navy and CIA airborne electronic and photographic reconnaissance efforts from the end of WWII through the US Navy's P3 incident on Hainan in 2001. The development of specialized aircraft (U-2, SR-71), electronics and camera equipment as well as modification of ordinary aircraft (B-29, B-47, C-130, etc) for reconnaissance missions is covered in sufficient detail to satisfy everyone expect hardcore technical buffs. Very good book
Written very well. It brings out into the open for the first time the people, the missions, and the politics behind a dark chapter in our country's history. The crews were sent into very dangerous situations with limited or no support, and if they survived, they received very little recognition. The crews that did not come back were left to die, and their families were lied to in order to cover up the true circumstances that lead to their lose. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Air warfare    2. Cold War    3. Communist countries    4. Espionage, American    5. History    6. History - Military / War    7. History: World    8. Military - Aviation    9. Military - General    10. History / General   

Reviews (21)

For the layman's library as well as the expert's
If you--like this reader--want to be an educated newspaper reader and voter, then this book is worth the investment in time and money.Professional reviews indicate Amar's brilliance in the field of constitutional law, but that brilliance translates into a highy readable book.
For lawyers and scholars only
America's Constitution follows the US Constitution, from the soaring brillinace of the preamble, through article 7 and each of the amendments.Amar describes in depth the historical and political background of each section and explains what the drafters had intended, why it was written with the particular words and expressions that were used, and the intended and unintended consequences of the choices made by the framers.
great intro to the constitution
Amar explains in his postscript that his aim in writing this book was "to offer a comprehensive account of America's Constitution, introducing the reader both to the legal text (and its consequences) and to the political deeds that gave rise to that text." He has achieved this aim splendidly. This phrase-by-phrase guided tour through the document never fails to inform and provoke, whether or not one agrees with its author (and I don't always). It's also a very approachable book, in terms of both style and content. The knowledge base assumed here is considerable, but not forbidding: anybody with a good working knowledge of the Seven Articles and the better-known Amendments ought to be able to thread his way profitably through Amar's lucid and energetic narrative.
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Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional History    3. Constitutions    4. Legal Reference / Law Profession    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. U.S. History - Constitutional Period To Civil War (1789-1860)    9. United States    10. United States - General    11. Political Science / Constitutions   

Subjects:  1. Aptitude Testing    2. Armed Forces    3. Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery    4. Examinations    5. Study Aids    6. Study Guides    7. Test Prep    8. Tests    9. United States    10. Study Aids / Armed Forces    11. Theory of warfare & military science   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (58)

100% Recommended
It recounts the hellish 12 months that Primo Levi, an Italian jew, spent as Haftling 174517, at the notorious Deathcamp (during 1939 and 1944 2 million people were murdered there). He was captured by the Fascist Militia in December 1943 and wished to be charged based on his religious beliefs rather than his political ones in the view that he would be treated more leniently. After a period in a detention camp at Fossili, Modena, he along with the rest of the Jews are transferred to the concentration camps. The opening chapters describe the horrific conditions of the transfer and the hasty selection process used to determine who would go to the camp and who would go to the gas chambers at Birkenau; all the women, children and infirm were sent to cremation without question. In some ways he was fortunate to have avoided arrest until the latter stages of the war as the Germans decided that the prisoners in the lagers would be of more use to them alive than dead, at Auschwitz they were detailed to build a Buna - a synthetic rubber processing plant which never saw a day of production. Prior to this the prisoners were killed without recourse.
Primo Levi enthusiasts: This is a re-issue of 'If this is a man'
It's a great book. But if you've already got 'If this is a man', don't buy this.

Brutual & Clinical Look of Survival
I stopped reading books of the Holocaust several years ago simply because the stories that come out of the Holocaust are heart-wrenching, bitter, courgaeous, guilt-ridden .... all of the emotions and thoughts that we human have produced can be a lot to digest at one time.
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Subjects:  1. Auschwitz (Concentration camp)    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Historical - Holocaust    4. History: World    5. Holocaust    6. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    7. Italy    8. Jewish Holocaust Personal Narratives    9. Levi, Primo    10. Levi, Primo - Prose & Criticism    11. Literary    12. Personal narratives    13. Personal narratives, Italian    14. World War, 1939-1945    15. European history: Second World War    16. History / Jewish    17. Poland    18. The Holocaust