Eras Books

This book helps anyone on the journey through life. It helps you find center and to me helped me grow spiritually. Finding self and the reason why we are where we are, having help to answer questions,we may not know. Its a wonderful book for evolving souls..Thanks

It is a road map for understanding your journey on the planet at this time. As a reader who went through an intense personal psychological process in healing this book is like icing on the cake, in terms of pulling all the pieces together to make sense of the journey.

This excellent exposition of FDR's relations with the Soviet Union makes us think... of the obvious. We think of Saddam defying the civilized world, we think of North Vietnam using the Kissinger treaty to overrun the south, we think of Anna Nicole with a case of Nesquick--Franklin would certainly try to charm Stalin and he would lose. That America tried to shmooz the communists instead of confront them certanly prolonged the cold war. If Frankin had not thought he could grin the reds into an decent deal, millions would have been free sooner. Crocker gives us Roosevelt's idiotic attempt at such idiocy a full hearing, and finds him a jackass.

This book demonstrates to anyone not snookered by the FDR myth that: Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the most traitorous President America has ever had. He was completely negligent in the manner in which he conducted the War. And the monumentally tragic decisions he made with respect to post-War Europe and Asia are simply unforgivable.

As a pure politician, Roosevelt was out of his league in dealing with Stalin, notwithstanding his assertion to Winston Churchill that:

"I know you will not mind my being brutally frank when I tell you that I think I can personally handle Stalin better than either your Foreign Office or my State Department."

Someone should have questioned the man's competence when he uttered the words:

"I have just a hunch that Stalin doesn't want anything but security for his country, and I think that if I give him everything I possibly can and ask nothing from him in return, noblesse oblige, he won't try to annex anything and will work for a world democracy and peace."

Stalin had already annexed half of Poland and all of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia when Roosevelt made that remark!

With the partitioning (and millions of lives) of Eastern Europe at stake, this man was acting on a "hunch?" Anyone who knew anything about Communism would have known that FDR's hope of appeasing Stalin was wishful thinking. Of course, none of his "learned" advisors (Harry Hopkins, Alger Hiss, etc.) said anything because it would turn out that they were Communist sympathizers.

But that doesn't excuse Roosevelt who should have been informed on who and what he was dealing with. After all, there were ample voices outside of government telling the administration that it was playing with fire by cuddling up with Uncle Joe Stalin. But Roosevelt just turned these voices off by labeling them "Nazi" or "pro-fascist."

The Bolshevik Revolutionary himself (Lenin) had said years before:

"We are living not merely in a state, but in a system of states; and it is inconceivable that the Soviet republic should continue to exist for a long period side by side with imperialist states [e.g. America, Britain]. Ultimately one or the other must conquer. Meanwhile a number of terrible clashes between the Soviet republic and the bourgeois states are inevitable."

Exactly what part of this did Roosevelt not understand?

Additionally, assessments from one of FDR's military advisors stated:

"Russia's post-war position in Europe will be a dominant one. With Germany crushed, there is no power in Europe to oppose her tremendous military forces. It is true that Great Britain is building up a position in the Mediterranean vis-à-vis Russia that she may find useful in balancing power in Europe. However, even here she may not be able to oppose Russia unless she is otherwise supported."

That FDR was mesmerized by Uncle Joe and wanted to keep him happy is beside the point. As the most powerful man in the world with the greatest military force behind him, why did Roosevelt ignore the Communist threat? Why was he giving Stalin so much with so few conditions?

In fact, Roosevelt seemed to go out of his way to assist Stalin, giving him things without a request from the Soviet dictator and even in his absence! Roosevelt apparently thought he was exercising wise foreign policy when he stated:

"Of course, it's just the thing for the Russians. They couldn't want anything better. Unconditional surrender [of Germany and Japan]. Uncle Joe might have made it up himself!"

And in stating the following, it wasn't the first time that FDR would make Churchill part of his act in cozying up with Uncle Joe:

"Trouble is, the Prime Minister is thinking too much of the post-war, and where England will be. He's scared of letting the Russians get too strong."

That Roosevelt was good at schmoozing with other politicians is beyond doubt. However, in making the above statement, he showed his utter incompetence in dealing with Russia effectively and realistically. If FDR had understood the Russian threat even half as well as Churchill did, the ensuing enslavement of Eastern Europe behind the Iron Curtain would have been averted.

As a learned man of history, Churchill understood the threat of a Russia occupying Eastern Europe. Consequently, he had been promoting a plan for an allied invasion through the Balkans in order to occupy Eastern Europe. At the time Churchill made his proposal, Germany was still on Russian soil. An attack up through the Balkans would have enabled American, English and French forces to occupy Eastern Europe before Russia:

"The paramount task before us is, first, to conquer the African shores of the Mediterranean and set up the naval and air installations which are necessary to open an effective passage through it for military traffic; and, secondly, using the bases on the African shore to strike at the under-belly of the Axis [Balkans] in effective strength and in the shortest time."

However, it was not to be. Stalin didn't like the plan. Consequently, Roosevelt did not like the plan. As America's General Clark would later comment:

"A campaign that might have changed the whole history of relations between the Western world and the Soviet Union was permitted to fade away ... Not alone in my opinion, but in the opinion of a number of experts who were close to the problem, the weakening of the campaign in Italy in order to invade Southern France, instead of pushing into the Balkans, was one of the outstanding mistakes of the War ... Stalin knew exactly what he wanted ... and the thing he wanted was to keep us out of the Balkans ... It is easy to see, therefore, why Stalin favored ANVIL [Normandy Invasion]."

May Truth be redeemed and this man (FDR) dethroned from his mythic throne in the annals of history.

I like his photos 'cause he's able to thriller me!

I like his photos because he's able to thriller me.

I enjoyed this book so much that I nearly wrote to the author to congratulate him. The content is easy for modern readers to relate to: young adults exploring religion and sexuality and occasionally rioting against college authorities. Hessinger skillfully interweaves these themes with the political, economic, and cultural values of the early republic to discover the roots of this generation's apparent crisis. The book is not only a compelling piece of scholarship but also a model of clear, succinct, engaging historical writing. I recommend it highly, with the caveat that it will be best enjoyed by those who are already knowledgeable about the nineteenth-century United States.

So you think your teenager gives you trouble? Well, get in line with generations of previous Americans! This book shows that young adults produced much anxiety in the decades following American independence. Armed with new notions of equality and finding new opportunities unleashed by market capitalism, youth in the early national era disrupted traditional patterns of courship, churchgoing, and apprenticeship. Effortlessly blending entertaining anecdotes with sophisticated theoretical analysis, Hessinger has written a fascinating book that will appeal to both scholars and a general audience.

From the1940s to the mid-1960s, several evenings a week, thousands of Irish and Irish Americans flocked to Boston's dance halls on Dudley Square to enjoy an unparalleled social scene of music, dance, and shopping. Musician and music book editor Susan Gedutis is also a performer of traditional Irish music in the New England area, and she's the logical author to add rich detail and social history to See You At The Hall, a probe of the history of Boston through the eyes of those who performed there. Narratives weave with social history to make for a compelling study in See You At The Hall.

Would you like a cup of tea? How about a slice of soda bread? This book is as warm, lively, and fun as an Irish family gathering. Though the author is a music scholar, this book is refreshingly free of the weighty tone of most academic works--the writing is smooth, informed, and accessible, the tone affectionate. Ms. Gedutis has interviewed many performers and fans about this era, and their recollections are amusing, poignant, and nothing if not sincere. Not only do they recall strong images of a lost city, but they place the music in historical context: as the author points out, when the Irish first came to America, music halls--like social clubs, pubs, and church groups--were just one of the "meeting places" where new immigrants could relax among their own as they tackled the routine problems of life. The Irish well know the power of story and song-- in relating our history, in affirming our personal and collective identity, and in establishing a foundation of shared experience and hope in building a community.

Ms. Gedutis refuses to paint the tale with a broad brush, however. She addresses the social and cultural forces that less informed authors might miss. One example is the tension between some Irish and Irish-American musicians. The former apparently felt that the latter, not born of the Sod, weren't "real" Irish musicians. This view was heartily countered by Irish Americans, who pointed out that many of the "real" musicians couldn't read music. On the argument went, while people danced in the background.

In recalling this era, this book can't help but make one wonder if, in a world where Play Station and cable tv isolate us from one another, perhaps more of us (of all ethnic backgrounds), need to "go to the hall," to reconnect with our neighbors and friends for a dance, a drink, and a bit of chat. (Of course, the photo of Cardinal Cushing doing the Highland Fling is itself worth the price of the book.)

I find Prof Huang's "Selling China" much more than just an academic achievement which it is -- with its disciplined arguments supported by a wealth of well-researched facts.

After 18 years of working on the Greater China scene -- most of it foreign investment related, for me, the greatest value of the book is its main theme -- that the large inflow of FDI over the years reflects weaknesses rather than strengths of the Chinese system. It is not just another point of view in the already overcrowded gallery of China commentary. For me, the well-argued and well-researched "unconventional" view answers some of the key China investment related questions at a very practical level, and should have important implications for government policy making and corporate decision making alike.

I have seen a number of rave reviews for this book in various economic journals and now I have read the book myself. This is a must read for those who wishes to gain a deep understanding of China's fast-evolving economic and business landscape. I also recommend it to readers who are interested in an unconventional and novel take on foreign direct investment

This book is a brilliant look at the way distributors and studios exploited film fans during the video nasty era, by not only evoking images for the video covers that were horrific, but in some cases actually had nothing to do with the film in question.

Which can lead you to discuss if, in fact, the studio and distributor were more responsible for the rise of the reputation of the "video nasty" than the actual films themselves.

An interesting look at a thankfully long gone era in film censorship.

Beyond mandatory, if you don't own this book and keep it next to your bed then you're not a true horror fan. Hardcover with over 300 artworks from some of the wildest horror/exploitation movies ever released. You name it and it's here...BLOOD VENGEANCE, DEATH SHOCK, SS EXPERIMENT CAMP, THE BEAST IN HEAT, CANNIBAL TERROR, THE BLUE EYES OF THE BROKEN DOLL, INVASION OF THE BLOOD FARMERS, SATAN WAR, KILLER NUN, WOMEN BEHIND BARS, SCHOOLGIRLS IN CHAINS, LOVE CAMP 7, MARDI GRAS MASSACRE the list goes on and on.

Quit reading this review and just buy it. Maybe they'll come out with a part 2! Slasher fans also check out "Legacy of Blood", great book.

What a great book! All the people I'm familiar with and thousands I'm not. A fascinating look at the marvelous talent of the silent era! A great reference book and more.

This is another book that is indispensable for anyone writing on the subject of silents. Has birth dates and death dates for players, as well as cause of death and other info where available. Highly recommended; fascinating!

I really enjoyed this; not only a fascinating and entertaining read, it's absolutely jam-packed with beautiful photos. I had no idea how important and vital this area was in silent film history, or that this was where luminaries such as Wallace Reid, Mary Miles Minter, Allan Dwan and Marshall Neilan (to name a few) got their start. Bravo!!

This book is filled with beautiful photos of silent film studios, performers, and production personnel. Author Robert Birchard chronicles the forgotten story of the "Flying A" studio in Santa Barbara, California. Any silent film fan will absolutely love this book. You don't have to be dyed-in-the-wool fan to like this book though, because it is a quick read due to the many photographs. The author provides detailed descriptions of the personnel in the photos, whether they were famous or obscure. The book certainly shows how making films during the silent era was as much an adventure as it was a job.

A Simpler Time is one of the best books I have read about a youngster's experiences growing up during the distant past. Author Youngquist does a great job of creating his world for the reader. His writing is clear and concise, and he helps me live his experiences along with him. I'm anxious to read what he has written about his life in the Foreign Service!

I read this book (advertised as excellent for young boys) as a young girl of probably 12 to 13, around 1948 or 1950. This series as well as the Civil War series by the same author were invitingly dusty volumes with old-fashioned type that spoke to me somehow of forgotten knowledge and great adventure. The protagonist, Henry Ware, was a character that could be described as a young Indiana Jones, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone. The books described the great and vanished Indian tribes of the old Northwest Territory, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan. I have held these stories of brave young men, frontier settlers,and indigenous Indian tribes in my mind for nearly 50 years and hold them in great respect and esteem.