Reviews (6)

A Century of Unprecedented Bloodshed
In both relative and absolute terms, the bodycount of the last century was the highest in recorded history. There were 16 conflicts that left more than a million dead, another 6 that claimed from a half million to a million lives, and 14 more that claimed from a quarter to a half million lives; all told, about 167 to 188 million people lost their lives as a result of armed conflict. Harvard historian Niall Fergusson has written a monumental tour-de-force attempting to answer the question: why?
An ambitious work comes up a bit short
Niall Ferguson's The War of the World has received a fair amount of "buzz."And, indeed, as one reads it, the scholarship, the knowledge of historical nuances, and the command of the sweep of the 20th century are all readily apparent.However, in the end, the book is somewhat unsatisfying.
"The horror, the horror"
Niall Ferguson is a godsend. Having read his biography of the Rothchilds, and being a Jewish reader, I delved into The War of the World expecting a good treatment, but not necessarily that much new about these twentieth century conflicts. As the reader from Jerusalem points out, I feel that Niall gives a sentsitive and harrowing portrayal of the Jewish aspect of the Second World War even while covering the whole scope of both World Wars and beyond with abundant detail. Towards the end of this book I felt myself covering my face and even weeping at the sheer horror of the totalitarian regimes - Niall exposes the sheer brutality of both Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia, all the while illustrating all of the other myriad perpetrators of the bloody centuries war as he depicts it, the ordinary citizens across Erurope and Asia, as well as Ally brutality (though he, I think, points out adequately that Alllied brutality mostly had at least a modicum of salubrious intent - that is to simply win the war). Again, I must repeat that Niall really makes the point at the sheer horror of the Nazi genocide against the Jews - the animal barbarity to it - was the culmination of all this violent pull into the modern world. I cannot help but think we, as humanity, have not and will not get past this incident for a long time. I think the years since the Nazi Holocaust, because of the distraction of the Cold War, and current technological post-modernism capitalistic nihilism have masked what still remains an unanswered, unended, scar on all accomplishment and evolution of human culture and civilization. I can also thank Niall for this book, I deeply appreciate its insight, and for pointing out how we still need more answers, more questions, and more education of this period of history. I think this is, perhaps, only the end of the beginning of this search. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Causes    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Military - General    7. Military History - Modern    8. Military Sociology    9. Modern - 20th Century    10. War    11. World - General    12. World politics    13. History / Modern / 20th Century   

Reviews (10)

Incredible Incompetence!
Chandrasekaran's considerable time in Baghdad allowed him to provide this detailed of incredible incompetence.Early in the book we learn that the cafeteria in the Republican Palace was always serving American fare, and the hundreds of Iraqi secretaries and translators, mostly Muslim, were offended by the presence of pork.Nothing came from Iraq - everything, including the water in which hot dogs were boiled, was shipped in from approved suppliers in other nations.No Iraqis were hired to cook, serve, or clean - they could poison the food.Whatever could be outsourced was - private guards made more than $1,000/day.Iraqis post-Saddam had less electricity, water, trash collection, sewer service, gas availability, traffic mobility, health care, and employment - despite administration claims.
Outstanding
The Iraq war was preached as the liberating creation of an exemplary Arab democracy. Did US post invasion efforts match the rhetoric? The most charitable answer, based on this work, is quite contrary.
a heartache
I have recently read the excellent book "Fiasco," about the war in Iraq.
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Subjects:  1. Government - International    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. History: World    5. Iraq    6. Iraq War, 2003    7. Middle East - General    8. Military - Iraq War    9. Military - United States    10. Military History - 1990-    11. Military-Political Relationships    12. Political corruption    13. Postwar reconstruction    14. United States    15. Current Events / Military   

Reviews (2)

A history of the IB, its increasing introduction in American school systems, and how it makes a difference
Jay Mathews & Ian Hill's Supertest: How The International Baccalaureate Can Strengthen Our Schools deftly assesses the statistics about the Baccalaureate, including its impact on student chances for success in college and life. Chapters provide a history of the IB, its increasing introduction in American school systems, and how it makes a difference in the transition to college. Sounds like dry reading: but the concurrent story of one American high school that adopted the IB adds a personal flavor and human interest touch to the statistics and discussions.

Your kids deserve IB - learn what it is and why from Jay
"Washington Post" reporter Jay Mathews extends his appreciation of challenge in our high schools by identifying the grandest and most challenging of them all:the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.Jay created "Newsweek" magazine's Challenge Index, and his writing is always approachable and easy to follow.This book maintains that special style.He writes here very specifically about a local DC-area high school and its experiences with beginning and maintaining the rigorous IB curriculum.You come to really care about the students and teachers he profiles, and to share their trials and successes and occasional failures with them.The book features an extremely effective method of integrating chapters about the creation and operation of the IB program as a whole - written by a co-author from the IB Organization - with chapters about Fairfax County, VA's Mount Vernon High School and the people involved with getting IB up and running there.And of the battles in Fairfax County and elsewhere about IB and its rival, the Advanced Placement (AP) program.In my mind there is no contest - IB is far and away the better program, especially for exposing kids to what college will be like.And there is no better predictor of success in college (i.e., graduating) than having taken at least one rigorous course in high school, especially one from IB which teaches how to think and plan and lean.But read Jay's book and decide for yourself.He does an excellent job of iterating the AP proponents concerns about IB, some legitimate - most not, and of exposing as fools or frauds a few of the opponents and their methods for keeping this excellent program out of their schools.They won, but did their kids a real disservice with their victory.
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Subjects:  1. Aptitude Testing    2. Curricula    3. Education    4. Education / Teaching    5. History - General History    6. Secondary    7. Testing & Measurement    8. World - General    9. Examinations & assessment    10. History / World   

Editorial Review

Scott McCloud's Read more

Reviews (8)

Amazing

Great book for establishing your comics
Scott Mccloud's Making Comics resembles a constitution for those want to establish their comics either as a hobby or as a carrier. It goes through so many details regarding creating your panels, establishing scenes, storytelling, characters designs and feelings, drawing styles, and the list goes on. Simply, the book gives you a guideline for establishing a living world in papers. What makes "Making Comics" unique is that it can teach you how to be a comic artist even if you're not good enough in drawing. The book illustrates the fundamentals of drawings comics and let you be creative for starting your own comic book. All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book, and it will help me a lot for my comics' drawings.

Disagree with review below--this is a remarkable book!
The previous reviewer accuses Scott McCloud of lacking the authority to write a guide to making comics. But McCloud's book is based on clear demonstration, not on authority.
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Subjects:  1. Cartooning    2. Comic books, strips, etc.    3. Comics & Cartoons    4. Comics & Graphic Novels    5. Drawing Of Specific Subjects    6. Educational    7. Fiction - General    8. Fine Arts    9. History & Criticism    10. History: World    11. Humor    12. Technique    13. Techniques - Cartooning    14. Comic book & cartoon art    15. Comics & Graphic Novels / Comics & Cartoons   

Reviews (2)

Western Civilzation by Jackson Spielvogel
This book is an excellent resource for preparing for the Western Civ. CLEP exam.There is a website for the book that has review games and excercises (including my favorite flashcards) for each chapter.I plan to use it with my high schoolers to get ahead on college and save a bundle in course fees!Amust!

This is a decent (but dry and disorganized) history book
If I could give this book three and a half stars, I'd rather do that, because the rating truly falls between "It's OK and I liked it."
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Subjects:  1. Civilization, Western    2. General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Textbooks    7. World - General    8. History / General    9. World history   

Reviews (4)

terrific look at Marie Antoinette through her fashion
This is a terrific look at Marie Antoinette through the fashion she wore that defied French society over the objections of the aristocracy yet set trends with these same nay-sayers imitating or parodying the monarch while the hookers and madams copied her.The premise of Caroline Weber's fashionable biography is that the doomed queen was her own person from the time at fourteen she first sat on the throne to her last dance with Madam Guillotine.This book is well written and fascinating and fans of the French Revolution era will be enthralled by the detailed accounts especially the haunting all in white final ride to the execution as the author uses the clothing to symbolize the extravagance and ruin of a regime.With a salute to Arnold's Clothing Theory, Caroline Weber provides a fresh look at this violent period through the wardrobe of its most representative figure.
a tour-de-force!
I am glad that Carrie Weber's fascinating book "Queen of Fashion" is making a headway into American and Canadian popular culture to counteract some of the false information that will undoubtedly be generated by the Coppola film. No, Marie-Antoinette was not an empty-headedteenage spendthrift just trying to have fun. There was a method to her "madness." In spite of her joie-de-vivre, she was a Habsburg, and the Habsburgs always knew how to wield power. Weber, through anecdotes and vivid descriptions shows how the ill-fated queen used costume throughout her life to make a statement, which ultimately shaped her destiny. She dressed stylishly as only former courtesans had dressed to show that she and no other was her husband's mistress.An excellent book!

Sartorial savoir-faire
"Queen of Fashion" is a stylish and engaging tour de force that offers a truly original perspective on the life of France's ill-fated queen. In her absorbing and rigorously researched account of Marie Antoinette's life, Weber convincingly shows that the history of the queen's wardrobe and the court politics at Versailles are inextricably interwoven threads of French history. The stylish essence of this book is its ability to communicate the complexity of the period's politics with an accessibility and elegance that will appeal to a broad range of readers. A must-read for anyone interested in the history of fashion or France. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1755-1793    2. 18th century    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Clothing    5. Courts and courtiers    6. Europe - France    7. Fashion    8. France    9. Historical - General    10. History    11. History: World    12. Marie Antoinette,    13. Queen, consort of Louis XVI, King of France,    14. Royalty    15. History / France   

Reviews (4)

They ain't Heavy!
A compelling view of German history told from a personal perspective.A valuable lesson reinforced, for me, was the connection from one generation to the next.Some will read this book and see five Germanys, others will see one universal truth: "Power does not concede, without a demand."
A Unique View of German History
Fritz Stern, emeritus professor of European history at Columbia, has produced quite a distinctive book on German history: it is at once an autobiography as well as an examination of Germany during its five most recent identities: Wilhelmine; Weimar; Third Reich; Divided Germany; and finally unified Germany.This dual focus serves Stern rather well--since he was born in 1926, forced to flee Silesia (now part of Poland) for the United States in 1936, and has had extensive involvement with Germany and things German since at least the early 1950's, his personal perspective and activities are quite valuable. Particularly his discussion of the German Democratic Republic (aka East Germany) is full of insights, as is the book's discussion of the Federal Republic (West Germany) and the reunification process.I found it helpful to have a copy of Stern's "Dreams and Delusions: The Drama of German History", a collection of his essays, handy for reference. At over 500 pages, this is a long book, which has a large cast of characters (such as Haber, Kohl, Schmidt, and a whole slew of academics, diplomats, journalists, and others) about whom Stern offers some perceptive insights.To be sure, Stern on Stern sometimes resembles one of those Christmas letters, but after all it is his life he is recounting.An unusual way to learn a good deal about Germany from one who has sought over the last 50 years or so to explain it to the rest of us.

The historian as celebrity
Occasionally an historian becomes famous -- usually posthumously.There are Thucydides, Herodotus, Edward Gibbon, a couple of American historians ending recently perhaps with Arthur Schlesinger.But for the most part historians are archival and campus moles who influence people in small and indirect ways.Here a Columbia historian, Fritz Stern, because of his trans-atlantic life, his brilliant insight into the mind and heart of the Germans who forced his emigration in the Third Reich, his ability to connect sympathetically with many people of influence and enlightenment --here is a man who is an historian and truly an intellectual celebrity.He has lived through a flight from the Nazis, campus upheaval over the Vietnam War, the reunification of a Germany unable to define itself or its history, and the probable end of American hegemony in the world.He has taken all this in and written about it with brilliance and insight.He is the model of an historian of European and world history on the American scene.
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Subjects:  1. 1926-    2. 20th century    3. Europe - Germany    4. Germany    5. Germany - History    6. Historians    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Modern - 20th Century    11. Stern, Fritz Richard,    12. History / Germany   

Editorial Review

Jared Diamond's Read more

Reviews (74)

A Well Written Account Of How Poor Environmental Practices Can Lead To Social Collapse, But Too Mealy Mouthed InIt's Tone
Jared Diamond is a highly respected scholar who, like Bernard Lewis and Karen Armstrong, is able to write serious books that convey a wealth of knowledge but are also a pleasure to read. This is in contrast to the many dry, dull tomes written by some others in academia. In this aspect, "Collapse" is a success. But, unfortunately, it just doesn't rise to the extremely high standard set by his previous title, "Guns, Germs And Steel," one of my favorite non-fiction books.
Will Our Society Choose to Fail or Succeed?
How a society manages its natural resources, and how it responds to climate and environmental change, can spell the difference between its destruction or survival; this is Jared Diamond's essential message in Collapse. Dr. Diamond, professor of geography at UCLA, uses the example of a number of civilizations that either died out due to poor resource management and climate change, or survived through recognition of these problems and comprehensively addressing them.The book brings to the forefront an important question: are we managing *our* resources wisely today?
My 100-word book review
Collapse is a thoroughly researched and fascinating book offering reasons why civilisations have failed in the past. The Mayans, Easter Islanders and Greenland Norse each encountered complex problems that eventually became catastrophic. Jared Diamond offers no simplistic explanation but describes a number of causes, such as climate change, geography and psychological flaws, which can reinforce one another and lead to disaster. The author does not take an overly pro-environmental stance, recognising that industry has a vital role to play in protecting our world. He provides a salutary lesson from history that current and future generations would do well to heed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Civilization    3. Environmental Policy    4. General    5. Historical Geography    6. History - General History    7. Public Policy - Environmental Policy    8. Social Change    9. Social Science    10. Social history    11. Sociology    12. World - General    13. History / World   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Case studies    3. England    4. Europe - Great Britain - General    5. Great Britain    6. Great Britain - History    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Investigation    11. London    12. Murder    13. Murder - General    14. Murderers    15. United States - 20th Century    16. History / Modern / 20th Century   

Subjects:  1. Crusades    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. History: World    5. Medieval    6. Middle East - General    7. Military - General    8. History / Medieval   

Reviews (47)

a genuine journey of discovery
This is a fascinating book, a well told tale, and a genuine journey of discovery. Stewart combines a physically demanding expedition with cultural exploration and, in the process, achieves genuine insight into lives most of us will never have the faintest conception of. Some reviews of the book (e.g. Washington Post) miss the critical element of the journey that sets it apart from books that are entirely expeditionary in nature (like mountains climbed and rivers rafted) - and that is the Muslim cultural proclivity to welcome / shelter / feed travelers no matter how desperately poor they may be (and most in rural Afghanistan are very poor indeed).A critical talent that allowed Stewart to achieve this (besides his keen wit and prodigous writing skills) is his linguistic diversity, which allowed him to do what he did without getting killed or dying in the process. When the British Special Forces declare him a f'g nutter I found myself smiling along with Stewart at his formidable achievement.

A little shy of cultural insights
I would actually give this book a 3.5, but that's not an option.I think I was expecting a broader range of cultural insights from this book.The first half got a bit tedious and sometimes read more like an itinerary than an elucidating journal.The second half perked up for me; I admit this could be because the actual terrain improved and people themselves were more colorful and friendly.In the end, I did take away something from this book and do have a better idea of what Afghanistan's mountain region is about.I passed the book on to a friend this weekend as a suggested read.But the fact that I did this is a testament to my reaction to the book, for I never give away books that I love.Perhaps one day I'll come to regret it!And I can say, I don't regret having read this book.

Five-star rating for Stewart's experience; three stars for his writing of it
Try as I might, I couldn't quite enjoy "The Places In Between," Rory Stewart's travelogue from his walk across post-Taliban Afghanistan.Stewart is an amazing young man, brilliant and courageous, and his trek is an ambitious, noble effort.But his writing was so dispassionate, so resolutely matter-of-fact, that I quickly stopped caring.
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Subjects:  1. Afghanistan    2. Asia - Central    3. Description And Travel    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. History    6. History: World    7. Middle East - General    8. Middle East - History - 20th Century    9. Modern - 20th Century    10. Social life and customs    11. Stewart, Rory    12. Travel    13. Travel - General    14. Travel / Middle East / General   

Reviews (7)

Excellent survey of western history
Civilization in The West is a superb text.Written by an outstanding group of historians the book is highly readable and contains a wealth of information.The suggestions for additional reading at the end of each chapter are invaluable and list the key texts for any time period.Finally, the colorful illustrations and photographs brilliantly compliment the text.This book is a definite buy for anyone interested in a general guide to western civilization.

Definitely a college text!
I enjoyed this text during my history class very much because it was so in depth. The hundreds of famous paintings alone make this book worthwhile, but it reads very much like a college text. Don't get me wrong -- I came to love history through taking this class, and the book was a large part of that. You must have a high level of literacy and some previous knowledge of history to read this book very easily. NO DETAILS ARE LEFT OUT!!! The book is fabulous and I would recommend it to any level anyways.

Good textbook, not nearly as bad as some i have had to read
The book had lots of info and was easy to understand. It covered all of the most important aspects of western civilizations. Anyone who complains that it was hard to read is an ... I would consider myself smart but i am by no means a rocket scientist and i found this book easy to read and enjoyable. It provided lots of information about certain interesting aspects of different civilizations cultures that would appeal to anyone who whould sign up for a history course. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. Civilization, Western    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Textbooks    7. World - General    8. History / General    9. Other Geographical Groupings, Oceans & Seas    10. World history   

Reviews (1)

An interesting thesis
Clark has wriiten an interesting book about the history of Prussia in which he argues that Prussia has been misunderstood as a reactionary militaristic state when in reality it was the most progressive of the German states. Throughout the eighteenth century the Prussian government would protect small farmers from abusive aristocratic landowners and also educate the Prussian peasantry. This legacy of reforms would continue throughout the nineteenth century with a nationalized health insurance program and a state pension system. Moreover the Prussian state was tolerant to various ethnic groups such as Poles and Jews since there was no such thing as Prussian identity because Prussia included Catholics from the Rhineland and Protestant Poles in East Prussia. Clark contends that the Prussian idea of an enlightened cosomopolitan Prussian state dissapated after the German wars of Unification and the nationalist idea that stressed a racial notion of the nation took over. In the closing chapters of the book Clark seems to blame Nazism on the southern Germans and the Austrians since they formed most of the Nazi leadership and the fact that Prussiawas the last German state to keep a democratic majority of mainly the SPD until the collaspse of the Weimer Republic. The only weakness of Clark's book is that he seems to ignore the fact that the origins of German nationalism originated in the writings of Herder and Hamman, who were both Prussians,despised the enlightenment and wanted a nation based on exclusively linguistic ties and not a cosmopolitan Prussian state. Nevertheless this book gives an interesting and new view of German history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Germany    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Military - General    6. Prussia (Germany)    7. Western Europe - General    8. History / Germany   

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   

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 (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?
Millard finds a hidden gem of a story and tells it wonderfully.
Reading this book makes you wonder how many great stories from the past we never get to hear because someone like Candice Millard doesn't find them and tell them.As you read this wonderful book, you realize how easy it would have been for this amazing adventure tale featuring one of the premier figures in US history to just slip unknown into the past.Fortunately for all of us, Millard found this story, polished it up and presented it to us for our enjoyment.
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Subjects:  1. 20th Century World History    2. Amazon River Valley    3. Biography    4. Discovery And Exploration (General)    5. Expeditions & Discoveries    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Latin America - South America    10. Modern - 20th Century    11. Natural history    12. Presidents    13. Presidents & Heads of State    14. Rain forests    15. United States    16. United States - 20th Century    17. History / General