Richard Harris Books

During WW2, the 'Office of Strategic Services' was set-up by 'Wild' Bill Donovan as the precursor to the CIA. Unlike the CIA of today (uhhuh) OSS was run on a shoe string and by a lot of academics who watched to many John Wayne movies. The OSS was notorious for trying to pull off missions in France which led to more problems for the Resistance than they were worth. It was a hotbed of Ivy Leaguers who thought that intellectualism would win out over ability every time.

Griffin has done a marvelous job of describing the tenor of the times on both sides of the Atlantic. The Germans cover all the cliches, like the Honorable Prussian Office, the dastardly Gestapo/SS Guy, the bumbling 'Sargent Schultz' type, etc. The Argentines spend their time plotting to overthrow the government (coup d'etats are like a national sport) and deciding on whether to be American or German neutrals. The Americans are all 'can do' kind of guys, especially the marines, and have more luck with the ladies then an Emir in his Hareem.

But, it's all good fun, sort of like Casablanca (but without the music) from the feel of it. Of course, the idea that there will be a sequel is understood, and we'll get to see everyone again real soon. We'll always have Buenos Aires. Here's looking at you amigo.

This is one of the best books I have read about the OSS operations in a theatre that is rarely considered.

WEB Griffin fills a gap in my military history of actions outside the main combat arenas. He obviously researches thoroughly and the result is gripping all the way through.

Honor Bound captures your attention at the start and never lets go. While there is not really a lot of "action," the story, the settings and the character development all make for an excellent book.

The story is the recruitment and development of an OSS team to carry out a secret mission to disrupt German submarine activity in neutral Argentina during WWII. The sub story is the reconnection of a powerful Argentine father and his American son who have not seen each other since the son was an infant. Several other sub stories are also woven in. All are interesting and well told.

The primary setting is WWII Buenos Aires. Most of us are unaware of the atmosphere there during the war, so that makes for a good learning experience. Other settings include Guadacanal, Midland (Texas) and New Orleans. All add interest to the story.

Griffen also does an excellent job of developing his characters. The primary ones really come to life.

If you are looking for "shoot 'em up" action, this book is not for you. If you are looking for a fascinating book about an arena that you probably know little about, give this a try. I am pretty sure you won't be disappointed.

The book set in WWII Argentina, "Honor Bound" is a great historical fiction of the WWII espionage game, coupled with an intense and dynamic story line. Cletus Frade, is a magnificent hero who has intensity, likeability, and charm. The secondary characters are richly developed and are as interesting in many cases as the hero. This story wraps you up in the characters, make you care about them, and takes you on a wonderful journey that ends way too soon, thankfully there are two more books in the series.
This is the best W.E.B. Griffin book yet in my opinion, and one of the most enjoyable books that I have ever had the pleasure of reading!
OVERALL SCORE: (A+)
PLOT: (A+), CHARATERS: (A+), DIALOGUE: (A), SETTING: (A), ACTION/COMBAT: (B-), ANTAGONISTS: (A+), ROMANCE: (A-), SEX: (Light), AGE LEVEL: (PG)

Roadmap to Korean is a great book explaining the languistic structure, culture, and history of Korea(n). Richard Harris has done a great job explaining the most important parts of the language that no other book has bothered to cover. Harris explains the troubles that English speaks will have with the language and specific differences are explained in an English speaker's point of view. I have read over this book many times since I have been studying Korean and each time I get something else out of it. It is a definite buy for anyone wishing to learn the language or just want to simply learn what it's about. It makes an excellent reference for verb conjugations, phrases, numbers, and much more. If you want to learn Korean, this is the book to start with. You will not be disappointed.

As a beginner in Korean, I was looking for something more than a dictionary, but with the understanding of an English
speaking person who has learned Korean. This is it! Richard Harris explains the joys and pitfalls of learning
Korean in an entertaining way. It's just shy of having a conversation with the author. Very enjoyable learning
experience!

This book gives tons of great advice on how to learn Korean. If it were up to me, it would be standard issue for students studying Korean at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA.

This is an absolutely ESSENTIAL item for ANY student of the Korean language, especially those whose native language is English. Why? 1) It bridges a gap no Korean educator has ever thought (or perhaps known how) to address or even acknowledge. 2) It does the job superlatively well.
While Korea has no shortage of well-meaning and skilled teachers of their language (including several I've had) they invariably fall short in one key area: understanding exactly what obstacles a foreigner faces in learning Korean, and how to help us past them. (In fairness, Korea is still relatively new to the game of exporting their language and culture on a major scale - compared to, say, America or Japan.) Richard Harris turns out to be just the guy for the job; a long-suffering yet enthusiastic student of the language, and a straightforwardly engaging writer to boot.
Aside from drastically different grammar, most of the roadblocks turn out to be conceptual - areas of culture and living where Koreans and non-Koreans simply think differently, in ways that defy literal translation. (this is a language in which one might ask "How are you?" by saying "Have you eaten?" or "Where are you going?") It's in the illustration of these tricky areas that Harris truly excels; anyone who's spent much time in Korea, such as yours truly, has stumbled into more than one of these minefields!
Bottom line: if you're learning Korean, BUY THIS BOOK. It'll save you an incalculable amount of time and frustration, and enlighten you about a lot more than just the language in the bargain.

Roadmap to Korean by Richard Harris takes a look at learning Korean from a historical, cultural, and pop linguistic point of view. There are twenty-two chapters, five sections and an extensive appendices that combined make this a book that the Korean language student will find invaluable. The value doesn't come from teaching you Korean as that is not what Harris is trying to do, but rather from providing a new perspective and insight into learning Korean and finding avenues to overcome obstacles and difficulties...

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I have used other books in this series and they never dissappoint. There is far more here than you can do in any one vacation, but I like it for the full overview that you get of the entire state. Don't expect a lot of maps and directions, but do expect some neat "insider" tips and different travel recomendations.

Having only been to Idaho three times (once for 10 minutes!) I can say that this book will undoubtedly help me plan my next much longer excursion to the great state of Idaho. The chapters cover sections of the state with details on various cities, what to do, where to eat, etc., all of which will be helpful. As with any book on this subject, some items may be out of date even as the book is printed, but I trust that the author's references to restaurants and lodging are dependable. Having looked at other books on Idaho, this one not only covers the hidden gems, I think it covers all the unhidden gems this state has to offer. Though I already admitted I'm no expert on Idaho, I found this book to be comprehensive enough for someone planning a two-week trip to explore this corner of the US.

This book is helpful. There are not a lot of Idaho-specific guidebooks, and this one is pretty comprehensive. One drawback is that it does not have any pictures. Idaho has some beautiful wilderness areas and a few pictures would greatly enhance this book.

This book was a fabulous guide to planning a family vacation. As it turned out, we followed a similar path as the one described in the book --across Idaho to Yellowstone. Advance plans included sites described in this book, and when we added activities, we always checked with the book first. It was never wrong. Using this book helped make our family trip (with three teenagers!) a fun adventure. Thanks Richard Harris for all your good research and tips!

The photos in this book are gorgeous. There's some sublime shots of stalagmite/stalagtite formations in the Devil's Womb, and a stunning two page montage of an iron ore skein in Deep Green Cave. There's also photos of the wildlife you get in the caves - bats, crabs and blind moles, and a couple of cracking shots of some chutney ferrets down in the darkest recesses of Kak Canyon. I *love* this book.

A most enjoyable and informative read, for the "professional" caver, the new spelunker, or the armchair sort (me!) who's just curious about caving!

Beautiful pictures!

I read the entire book in a day and it was time well spent!

In Colorado Caves: Hidden Worlds Beneath The Peaks, Richard Rhinehart examines the exploration, history, science, and conservation of Colorado's fabulous caves. The informative and engaging text is profusely illustrated with the outstanding color photography of David Harris, and includes some b/w historical photographs as well. Well suited for the tourist or spelunker, there are listings of Colorado caves that can be visited by the general public. Whether an armchair traveler or a dedicated cave exploration enthusiast, Colorado Caves is very highly recommended reading!

This is the 4th edition of this volume. Harris provides a nice overview to media psychology. I think the book is mistitled because it does not really deal with cognitive psychology (as a cognitive psychologist would define it). For example, there is limited discussion of factors influencing attention to TV or the cognitive representation of media stories or even how media stories are comprehended. Rather, the book really looks at social psychological approaches to the media (e.g., models of advertising effectiveness, motivations for watching TV, effects of TV violence etc). The volume is an excellent introduction to what is often referred to as media psychology, but I do think it is mistitled. Also, there are topics that are missing from the volume. For example, there is a growing research literature on factors influencing the entertainment value of a TV show or movie and that literature is not discussed in this book. I do use it as a textbook in a undergraduate seminar I teach and the students generally enjoy the book, but it is a textbook, but it does an excellent job at introducing readers to the psychological study of the media.

This is one of the best texts on the effects, either real or imagined, of mass communication on its consumers. Texts on research can be hard to get through. However, Richard Jackson Harris takes years of scholarly writings from the classic "Bobo Doll Study" to the latest in mass communication research and provides the reader with one of the most objective, comprehensive, witty and easy-to-read texts this subject.

For any mass communication scholar or practitioner, this is an absolute must read. I have written several research papers throughout college and graduate school, and this book was an indespensible tool. If communication is your thing, get it now!

The wealth of diversity in Faces of Korea is second to none. The author has well-researched and documented the experiences of foreigners living in Korea. From men and women to young adults and elder citizens, from migrant laborers and corporate professionals to teachers and writers, the interesting diversity in this book adds to its authentic credibility.

This is a collection of accounts of a number of people who live, or had lived, in South Korea. The occupations of the people whose stories are relayed in this volume are varied, and range from those working as office workers, those who are students or who are serving in the US military, and of course those working as the obligatory ESL teacher. The nationalities are as diverse as the occupations - as well as people of Korean descent, there are also Americans, Japanese, Filipinos, and New Zealanders, all of whom have interesting stories to tell about various aspects of their lives in Korea.

The book is split into 6 main sections, each dealing with a particular general aspect of life in Korea. One section is about working in Korea, another discusses social relations in Korea. People of Korean descent share their experiences in one section, and students in Korea get another section. A particularly interesting section is dedicated to those people who have formally made Korea their home, including one white US male who renounced his American citizenship to become a Korea. The final section, which I suspect will be the cause of most people's interest in this book is teaching in Korea. This is hardly surprising since ESL teaching is a relatively high profile and popular occupation for many young foreigners in Korea.

All but one of the contributors to the teaching section have taught in Hagwons, the most common employer of ESL teachers in Korea. The sole exception was the contributor who had only taught as an university instructor, although a number of the Hagwon teachers also went on to teach at a university - again hardly surprising, since it is quite a popular gig, usually teaching 15 hours or so a week, for nearly twice the pay of a Hagwon teacher. This section will be of most use to those readers who plan on teaching in Korea, as a number of the contributors discuss the common pitfalls for a novice in this field, and tips to help get by. This isn't to say the other sections aren't of interest. Many of the contributors give interesting insights into life, love, work and play in the Land of the Morning Calm. Recommended reading for those wanting insights into life in modern Korea, as well as those considering teaching in Korea.

Often overshadowed by the massive historical figure of Winston Churchill, with whom he both served and faced across the dispatch box, Clement Attlee was one of the most important figures in twentieth century British political history. Leader of the Labour Party for twenty years, he took it from its nadir in the early 1930s to electoral triumph a decade later, and successfully managed the talented and fractious group that realized Britain's postwar embrace of socialism. Understanding how this was accomplished is one of the many goals of Kenneth Harris in this biography, which illuminates Attlee's personality while chronicling his role in transforming his country.

Born in 1883, Attlee enjoyed an almost impossibly idealistic childhood. The son of a diligent, prosperous solicitor, he grew up in a comfortable and loving household. Some of this may have been reflected in his education; his time at both Haileybury and Oxford was undistinguished academically, as Attlee focused more on social pursuits than on his studies. Though he followed his father into a career in the law, Attlee found legal work tedious, and was drifting through life when he accepted an invitation from his elder brother Lawrence to visit the Haileybury Club in Stepney, a social and educational organization run along military lines. The visit was to prove to be the turning point of his life, as Attlee soon agreed to participate in the running of the club. The commitment inaugurated his new career as a social worker and led to his embrace of socialism.

After service in the Army during the First World War - a period Harris covers only briefly - Attlee returned to the East End and began his career in politics, first as a councilman from Limestone, then (in 1922) as a member of the House of Commons. His rise in the parliamentary party was swift, taking place during some of the most tumultuous years in the history of the Labour Party. Harris does an excellent job of describing the political crisis of 1931, which tore the party apart. Though the subsequent election devastated the ranks of the party in the Commons, the resulting political vacuum provided Attlee with the greatest opportunity of his political career. As one of the few surviving members with ministerial experience, Attlee rose in prominence, becoming first deputy leader, then assuming the leadership of the party in 1935.

Almost nobody expected Attlee to last as the head of the Parliamentary Labour Party; instead, he became the longest-serving leader in its history. That he was Harris attributes to his personal qualities, most notably his hard work, his ability to moderate ideological conflicts within the Labour Party, his skill in presenting Socialist views in terms that appealed to the party rank-and-file, and his ability to manage the fractious egos in the party leadership. It was the last of these that Harris sees as the greatest test of Attlee's abilities, as he worked with a number of gifted and ambitious colleagues who thought that they could do a better job of leading the party (and later the country) than he could. Attlee was helped by the mutual jealousies of each of these plotters, which often checked the efforts of any one of them to supplant Attlee, and by the unstinting loyalty of Ernest Bevin, with whom Attlee developed the closest friendship he enjoyed in politics.

The Second World War dramatically altered the Labour Party's role in government. Rejecting Neville Chamberlain's offers of a coalition, Attlee supported Churchill's ascent to the premiership in May 1940 and served in the War Cabinet for the remainder of the conflict with Germany. Harris gives considerable credit for the success of the coalition to Attlee, who took over many of the domestic aspects of governing while Churchill focused on the management of the war. This included planning for postwar construction, which evidenced many socialist ideas and approaches and would serve as a blueprint for much of what Labour would accomplish after the war.

Though Attlee wished to remain in the coalition after the defeat of Germany, the Labour Party's insistence on an October election led Churchill to dissolve Parliament in May, 1945. The resulting Labour landslide defied nearly everyone's expectations, including Attlee's, and made him prime minister of a government committed to the longstanding Labour agenda of nationalization and expanded social welfare policies. Harris' coverage of Attlee's premiership is thematic; he divides his chapters into sections analyzing Attlee's foreign policy, economic policy, and his approach towards burgeoning decolonization. While useful in defining Attlee's underlying ideas and attitudes, it fails to convey the full complexities of the job he faced as prime minister during some of the most challenging years Britain faced.

These challenges gradually wore down the Labour government, leaving Attlee in charge of an exhausted and ailing group at the end of his term. The party's reduced majority in the election of 1950 made another election in the near future inevitable, and when it came in 1951 the Conservatives emerged with a small majority. Attlee continued on as leader for four more years, primarily to rescue it from the growing divide between right-wingers and the Bevanites, until retiring after the 1955 election as a beloved figure and a respected elder statesman.

Harris' book is rooted in the author's familiarity with his subject; he knew Attlee for years and conducted several interviews with him. This familiarity doesn't prevent Harris from rendering critical judgments, though. While a staunch promoter of Attlee, he doesn't hesitate to condemn the prime minister when condemnation is warranted, such as with Attlee's handling of the Palestine problem. Is it this mixture of insight and criticism which makes this book an essential resource for anybody interested in the prime minister and his achievements, one unlikely to be surpassed in its account of Attlee the person.

Compiled, organized, and written by Colorado native and former tour guide Richard Harris, The Getaway Guide To Colorado is a fun and practical introduction to the sights and excitements of America's highest state, ranging from newly created national parks and monuments; to ghost towns, gold mines, and Victorian-era historic hotels; to paths for hiking, biking, and whitewater rafting, and so much more. Maps, descriptions, contact information, and a great deal of enthusiasm pack the pages of this wonderful and enthusiastically recommended sightseeing guide.

Enjoy Hidden Highways Arizona, an almost pocket-sized paperback which covers all the ghost towns, canyons, and back roads of the state of Arizona, with a map-oriented approach packing in almost fifty maps and written descriptions providing both insights of the natural and man-made attractions and histories of each area. Add black and white photos and you have a practical take-along tote.

Like the book My wife and I like going to new places for a weekend .