Robert Lindsay Books

nicholas and alexandra should never had become czar and crazina of russia.nicholas was just to weak spirit and alexandra to strong without know the real russia people.she saw russian as childern who needed to be told how to run their lives by the papa czar.she hide her son illness and brought in a sexual twisted man of god into her family,ruin the romanov's relationship with it's people.stopping changes that would give citzen russian say in their country.in the end the people turn on the romanov's every thing end tragical.

I read this book many years ago and have never forgotten it, and I just recently purchased a copy of my own. Robert Massie is an excellent writer who makes this book memorable for the fun and loving family that the Romanovs were and their terrible, tragic end. I'm now collecting more books on the Romanov dynasty and the individual people who made up this fascinating family. For anyone with an interest, this is the place to start.

Far and away one of the best biographies I have ever read. Massie masterfully gives life to the doomed, tragic last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, and his family. I was absolutely rivetted from page one by this outstanding work. The book gives a sympathetic portrait of Tsar Nicholas, his wife Empress Alexandra, and their ongoing struggle to cope with their haemophiliac son, Alexei, heir to the Russian throne. Alexei's illness indirectly leads to the downfall of the Romanov dynasty and the family's murder. An astonishingly good read, and one I highly recommend to all who are interested in this era of history.

Robert Massie's "Nicholas and Alexandra" is a biographical study centered on the lives of the last Tsar and Tsarina of Russia. Massie's portrayal of the last ruling Romanavs is like many other works on the subject in that it is poignant, dramatic, and vibrant; but never dull. However, Massie's work stands out above other works on the subject for its thorough account of the lives of the imperial couple and most of all, its sympathetic portrayal of them.

Nearly all works of the period agree that Tsar Nicholas II was not the blood-drenched despot the Bolshevik revolutionaries claimed him to be, and although he may not have been as benevolent as his contemporary Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary, he at least lacked the bellicose nature of his German counterpart (and early advisor), Wilhelm II. Massie's account demonstrates how Nicholas II was ill-prepared to ascend the throne in after Alexander III, but unlike the contention of other historians, Massie makes a reasonable case in defending the intelligence of the fallen autocrat.

Massie's account of Nicholas and Alexandra does not absolve the couple from their failure to prevent the collapse of the reign and ultimately their country, but it does partially excuse their inflexibility and fatalism on the serious of misfortunes that continued to plague Nicholas from the very day of his coronation; when hundred of Russian peasants were stampeded to death in a overzealous crowd on Khodynka Meadow. Yet, no Romanov apologist can ignore the detrimental influences on Nicholas's reign, including his wife Alexandra, a German Kaiser, and especially a corrupt starets. That such an array of persons from various strata of society could at times impose their will on a man raised to be an autocrat was a tarnish on Nicholas' character.

Despite his habit of being easily swayed at times, Nicholas is not one-dimensional in Massie's account. It is noted how Nicholas ignored the advice of able ministers and most of all; remained unyielding to grant the masses of his subjects the representation and constitution they desired--until it was too late. Even Massie can be counted among the historians who muse whether the Romanov dynasty might have survived had the Tsar been more accommadating to the popular demands of his people--or if war had not erupted in the manner it did in 1914.

Although Massie's work is very thorough, it only briefly touches the clandestine operations of the Tsarist police state in rooting out revolutionaries and assassins from its masses prior to 1917. Indeed, other works (e.g. Edmond Taylor's "The Fall of the Dynasties") are careful to point out that Tsarist police included a host of known double agents whose loyalties were perpetually in doubt. While Massie makes note of that insecurity in his account of Prime Minister Peter Stolypin's assassination in 1911 by a Tsarist agent, he fails to explain how widespread the problem actually was. Indeed, Taylor describes as monarchy's slide to collapse as a "suicide", not because they were unable to stop that slide, but rather because they were unwilling.

Just as it is difficult to excuse the corrupt system of Tsarist counter-revolutionary activity, historians are also unable to justify the Russia's policy in WWI of placing the needs of France above that of her own. The disaster at Tannenburg early in the war is described in detail by Massie, and is correctly portrayed as a premature offensive launched by Russia (with the support of Nicholas) to rescue its beleagured ally from the German onslaught through northern France. Indeed, even after his abdication and arrest, Massie notes how Nicholas pleaded with Kerensky to continue to support the Russia's allies in the war effort--a mission with which the Provisional Government leader would complete in the summer of 1917 with disastrous consequences. Although Massie's "Nicholas and Alexandra" does not outright label the monarchy as a principle agent of its own destruction, his book nevertheless provides a strong case to the conclusion that the last rulers (and their ministers) of the Romanov dynasty practiced an inexplicable policy of self-immolation.

It is perhaps this mystery--or lunacy--of the Romanovs that continues to fascinate so many readers 90 years after their unglorious deaths in their Siberian imprisonment. Undoubtedly, the story of the last Romanovs will continue to perplex students of history for decades to come, and Robert Massie's work will will remain the foremost account of the twilight of Imperial Russia.

Massie has written a masterpiece.
Graceful, informative ,never boring.
One of the best introductions into the insanity
of the Red Revolution and the rise of communism.

Before reading this handsome, well-made volume of six crime novels, I tended to consider 'noir' a movement, one of both style and period. I now know that noir is also and more generally an atmosphere and pertains to a wide variety of literary styles, characters, plots, motivations -- but all informed by a dark and often depressing overall mood. Ultimately, these six novels are character studies and although they are offhandedly described as 'pulp novels', their qualities of description, dialogue, and even basic construction techniques such as gradual disclosure and story arc far exceed most recent crime novels I've read. And although classic noir undoubtedly exposed the dark recesses in the minds and hearts of its contemporary audiences, these stories today confirm that there is very little that can shock us; the beauty and longevity of these novels is in their exposition and description of characters and surroundings and the significance of a single, seemingly insignificant event building to an inexorable, devastating climax.

Rather than recount each novel's plot and characters, I will only add that again, each of the representatives of the noir genre present in this edition illustrate a wide variety of settings and styles, places and characters. From what most of us probably consider classic noir represented by Cain's classic "The Postman Always Rings Twice" with its classic highway settings and passion, to the suave, biting, and sardonic wit of Fearing's "The Big Clock" reflecting the unusual structure of multiple first-person narration around a single, main protagonist in an urban, corporate setting, to the Oklahoman grit of a group study in gang crime via serial bankrobbers in Anderson's "Thieves Like Us", to the more explicitly horrifying, psychologically penetrating and depraved "Nightmare Alley" of Gresham, this edition is like a menu of various aspects and directions noir can and did take.

As other reviewers have stated, there is not a weak novel here. I found "The Big Clock" the most singular in structure, setting, and style and in certain aspects, it defies categorization as 'noir' except perhaps only in mood. In fact, it is the novel that for me most broadened the definition of the genre. I found "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" the most depressing because it appears to be the least fanciful, most truthful and thus the most devastating of the set. In this sense, "...Horses..." comes closest to rivalling truly great literature not so much for its details, but for its overall impact. In my opinion, Woolrich's "I Married a Dead Man" is the least successful because its exploration of mistaken identity (first mistaken, then deliberate) is somewhat banal and after finishing it, I wished Woolrich might have explored the contrast of genteel facade and grasping desperation a bit more explicitly. It is in many ways the most subtle and emotional of the set as well as the most modern (it is chronologically the last), but suffers a bit from the repetitive description of Helen/Patrice and the strain of her external and internal duality.

Several reviewers have found Anderson's "Thieves Like Us" the weakest of the set, but I disagree. The description of a gang is necessarily different and unlike the other novels, Anderson manages to accomplish what the other authors are unable to do (save perhaps McCoy): Describe the criminal as a legitimate, objective individual who deserves our sympathy and even our allegiance. Bowie, the central character, is described as taking a far more relaxed view of his own criminal activity and isn't portrayed in dark, tortured terms. In this light, Bowie has either the weakest conscience or the strongest depending upon how you choose to read him and in either sense, he and together with his cohorts provide and excellent example of the Anti-Hero.

"Nightmare Alley" is the longest and the most absorbing of the set. It is also the most violently and sexually explicit, has the largest cast of important and varied characters, and best succeeds in addressing the big questions concerning truth, faith, relationships, society, etc. Who are the real freaks -- carnival oddities and tricksters, or respectable society members seeking spirituality? Those with mere physical abnormalities or those who deliberately develop intentional differences? What is deception, particularly self-deception? "All the world's a carnival" might be a nihilistic worldview, but Gresham's portrait of an intelligent young carnival magician's development from a sensitive, impressionable boy into a full-blown 'spiritualist medium' whose only desire to trick the vulnerable out of their money (and who ultimately is tricked by one who lacks his ultimate weakness -- his conscience) is devastating. Although I predicted the ending, this truly nightmarish journey down Stanton Carlisle's alley is the point of the book. The true ending is, in fact, never reached and is a brilliant literary stroke.

I highly recommend this set of novels.

This collection of novels from the 30s and 40s was terrific fun and an outstanding introduction to the genre. You can debate whether they're all noir (at least what I expected noir to be); but nonetheless they each convey a distinct impression and view of the time. Without getting into lengthy reviews, I enjoyed Woolrich's "I Married a Dead Man" the most--from his eloquent style to the actual story-line. You know you're reading a master story-teller. Second was Gresham's "Nightmare Alley;" although sometimes I thought he could have expanded on some aspects of the story and shortened other passages (i.e., a little bit of editing would help). But each novel was distinct and enjoyable. Highly recommended.

First of all, the Library Of America collection provides the reader with some of the most beautiful hardcover editions available today. That said, the selections chosesn for this edition are all first class; for someone just getting into hard-boiled fiction, this is the ideal place to start. If you're like me and have been reading this genre for many years, this is a perfect volume to add to one's collection.

Ha! Just skimmed some other reviews and I wanna add my two cents. Yes, this volume is definitely something. Some impressions follow.

The Postman Always Rings Twice: Indeed, Cain knew how to make the reader keep turning pages. Short, sweet, and fascinating. After I discovered the significance of the title (which is a bit of a "trick"), I liked the whole effort all the more.

They Shoot Horses, Don't They?: A bit monotonous to read; a bit dark. That was the point. All told, a fascinating novel. Among all literature named in the world, *this* is one of few titles inspired by God: so memorable and unique, so perfect. It turns out to impart chilling meaning, as well, on several levels.

Thieves Like Us: My least favorite. This was a subjective reaction, however. I wanted the story to take turns it didn't take. Moreover, Anderson as an author took note of things I found not-so-interesting; apparently, the book's status to this day speaks otherwise on behalf of many other readers, however.

The Big Clock: Short, sweet and sterile. Almost machine-like in its plotting and execution -- if so written intentionally, a fascinating stylistic choice given its title -- but, notably, full of interesting and colorful characterizations. Possibly my favorite.

Nightmare Alley: Relentlessly grim and ugly. I'm not so sure there is a single character to root for in this story. That was probably very much intended. Fascinating but, again, very grim. Literary nihilists of today would do well to take a lesson from Gresham's characterization, plot and style.

I Married A Dead Man: Although the novels were presented chronologically, this was a nice way to end the volume. A very simple, linear, domestic story, without hard-boiled criminality or complication, which unfolds with some plot which stretches credibility, but lies ultimately within the realm of the possible. Notable among noir novels for Woolrich's ability to evoke two unexpected emotions at the end: a sense of deep and abiding love between two of the main characters -- before the real and final ending -- and a sense of genuine sadness.

Worth owning. Might take the reader a while to get through. This is, in effect, six books in one, running to nearly a thousand pages. But it was definitely fun; and as another reviewer implied, it's surprising how little has changed.

Noir emerged in the early 20th-Century from Pulp paperbacks published for mass consumption. Highlighting in gritty and sensationalistic detail the sordid undercurrents of Western society, Noir became an artistic force that became the medium for the representation of the down and out segment of the populace. Whether set in the impersonal grime of urban reality or at the deceptive simplicity of rural picturesqueness, Noir in Film and Literature revealed the odyssey and travails of lost souls whose misguided characters bore too much of the weight of their selves and their pasts to break from the shackles of their present.

"Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1930's and 40's" is the American equivalent in prose of the influential and enduring genre. The grim and unforgiving tales of the dejected cast of mid 20th-Century American life are openly depicted ("The Postman Always Rings Twice"; "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?"; "Thieves Like Us"; "Nightmare Alley"); vicissitudes of fate ("The Big Clock"; "I Married a Dead Man"). Whether set in scenic California, the vast and open Midwest, or a high-rise office in Manhattan, these novels uniformly render a panorama of blighted dreams, twisted turns of fate, and the sad recurrence of misfortune in desperate individuals doomed to tragedy.

None too substantial in content but highly readable, this edition is the first of a handsome 2-Volume anthology on American Noir fiction published by the venerable Library of America. Edited by Robert Polito (Poet, writer, anthologist on Noir Lit. and author of a biography on Jim Thompson), these stories enduring relevance are seen in various forms of contemporary society: from the writings of James Ellroy, Brett Easton Ellis, Lawrence Block, and Robert Bloch; in films like "Scarface", "Pulp Fiction", "Fight Club"; and in everyday life.

This book gives all you need to know about when and where
Burns met anyone,wrote his poetry,whom the poem was
about and many other items of interest about Burns.

Och, every Scots should have a copy!! Maurice Lindsay is a well-known poet, broadcaster and writer on many aspects of Scottish life and Literature (see his Castles of Scotland for one). He has written several on Burns already.
If it touched Burns, it's listed here. This is not a collection of Burns poems, but a companion to them. An excellent work for people just becoming acquainted with Scotland's beloved poet and need to understand the poetry better. Many editions of Burns works have glossaries to help with the Scots, but it still leaves the general reader or student with a lot of questions. This book fills in the gaps, so should be used as a study companion piece to books with Burns' complete works.

Highly recommended for fans of Burns wanting to understand the man and the period he lived.

Just about every person, place, or thing mentioned in the songs and poems of Robert Burns (1759-1796) is given a paragraph or two. Indispensible encyclopedia on the "most gifted British soul" of the 18th century.

Och, every Scots should have a copy!! Maurice Lindsay is a well-known poet, broadcaster and writer on many aspects of Scottish life and Literature (see his Castles of Scotland for one). He has written several on Burns already.

If it touched Burns, it's listed here. This is not a collection of Burns poems, but a companion to them. An excellent work for people just becoming acquainted with Scotland's beloved poet and need to understand the poetry better. Many editions of Burns works have glossaries to help with the Scots, but it still leaves the general reader or student with a lot of questions. This book fills in the gaps, so should be used as a study companion piece to books with Burns' complete works.

Highly recommended for fans of Burns wanting to understand the man and the period he lived.

this isa really good book the 2 volumes cover almost every topic imaginable at the time involving sound and its consequences.
The only bad thing is tat the printing is a little off but well what can you expect from 10 bucks

These books, published first in 1877, contain the fundamental and basic theory for all those who work with vibrations and acoustics. The first book covers mechanical vibrations and the second book covers sound. Rayleigh's principle was published here.

This is one of the first (apart from the Helmholtz's 'sensations of tone' and Tyndall's 'sound') books published in the field of acoustics. Many of the topics in this book are the research results of Lord Rayleigh himself. The book is written in a very logical manner. Any acoustician who wants to understand physical principles should start with Rayleighs work. Although some of the results from this book are well established and used by some of the advanced prediction computer codes (Rayliegh's quotient e.t.c) today, the devolopment of the theory fascinates us to understand and use the codes well.

Vibrating plates, rods, membranes , their equations and the solutions are here in these books.
About the only real place that I've ever found anything on Chladni standing waves.
Since much of this work isn't his originally, presenting it in a way that even a beginner can follow is very much one of the master works of classic physics.
That the book could be more readable is my only complaint.

I found this book several years ago at the public library. It delivers just what it promises, a useful method for improving circulation, health and thereby skin tone and color. Using this method provides a viable alternative to surgery. It's longer lasting, relaxing, non-invasive and cost-effective. A valuable book for anyone committed to self-responsible self-maintenance.

Because it's out of print, I've borrowed this book again several times since. I've also looked for something simliar to purchase, but nothing comes close. Alas!

This book was worth every penny and then some.

The technique works. Not only do you look younger
(after repeated use), but your face feels rejuvinated.

Thank you, Lindsay!

I discovered "New Beauty: The Acupressure Facelift" about five months ago and have practiced Lindsay's acupressure methods nearly every day since. I have noticed great results! I love this book and wish it would be re-printed. She provides a wonderful alternative to surgical facelifts--something plastic surgeons certainly wouldn't like! Still, I think all women should be able to learn about the benefits of facial massaging and exercises and decide for themselves if this method is right for them. It IS right for me.

I use SpaceMaster, as well as other ICE publications as source materials for my campaigns. This system is easy to incorporate into any existing RPG that needs a touch of the futristic. Check out RoleMaster as well.

I found the story entertaining. The characters were likeable and believable. I reccommend this novel to anyone thinking of writing as a team. Great book, Jennifer Lindsay aka Kate Allan and Michelle Styles!

When can we get more?

I don't even own a television set anymore because there is so little out there that's even entertaining, much less worthwhile. I downloaded the first few episodes of The Practice because I got hooked on Boston Legal, although I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that in public. BL is well-crafted and often hilarious, but I would have to call it a high grade of low entertainment, often relying on crass sexual references for a laugh. Real often. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait for the next season of BL either, but The Practice is much more serious-minded without ever being dull.

The Practice often deals with issues that are far from glamorous, such as defending petty thieves. The personal lives of the lawyers are interwoven skillfully with their work, and are as interesting as the professional side but seldom take center stage, because these are men and women whose careers come first. And one thing that's refreshing is the portrayal of major female characters who are not really conventionally attractive. It is TV, so inevitably, some of the women are stunningly beautiful. Several of the men aren't exactly hard to look at, either.

But it's rare to see women in a TV show who really are not very pretty, and who are portrayed as competent and intelligent. I've heard a saying that goes something like "Hollywood's idea of an ugly girl is a pretty girl wearing glasses". As an aside, I've seen trailers for a show called "Ugly Betty", and the lead character seems to be a rather attractive young woman who dresses funny. Ellenor Frutt is not really ugly, but she doesn't have the type of face or figure that inspires lust or envy. She could easily be made better-looking with lighting and camera work, but instead, we are treated to moderately unflattering shots that allow the pores on her face to show, making her seem even more like a real person. Lindsay Dole is quite pretty but the camera, again, treats her like a regular person and sometimes catches her at a less than flattering angle.

Although the personal stuff is not neglected, the show really does revolve around the cases. It explores the feelings that come up for Eugene Young, a tough guy who is also a very decent man, when he repeatedly finds himself defending (and often freeing) rapists and child molesters. Lindsay is also the victim of her own success when her defense of a drug dealer begins to attract other clients in the same line of work--and she finds herself referred to matter-of-factly as a "drug lawyer". I am probably combining material from seasons one and two in this review, because I downloaded them all and watched them every chance I had. I would be glad of the chance to download the rest of them, although I would much rather buy them on DVD.

I gave five stars because this is a review of the show, but I have to say something about the "Amazon Unbox" experience as well. The software you have to use to download the episodes is annoying, and takes a certain amount of patience. I work as a PC support technician, and I'm used to arguing with software and working around its limitations, so I had only a limited amount of trouble watching these episodes. Many of the people I am called upon to assist every day--and these are intelligent, educated professionals for the most part--would not manage it without some help and would grow very frustrated in the process. First, the Unbox software purports to be able to play the episodes, but when I tried to do that there was a lot of distortion, rather like what you used to get when you tried to watch a cable TV channel that you don't subscribe to (maybe that still happens, I don't know, I only use cable for my internet service these days).

Rather than messing with my video drivers (which have never given me any problems with anything else I was trying to do) I found the downloaded file, which was in .wmv format, and played it in Windows Media Player. Not difficult if you know your way around your PC, but many people do not. And when I bought Season 2 as a package deal, the software tried to download all the episodes... found that there was not enough room on my hard drive for more than 3 or 4 of them... and hung there indefinitely, "checking for disk space". I had to delete all of them, restart the software, and select individual episodes for download. There were other times when the software hung or did not display any episodes, and I had to restart it or reboot the PC, which is very stable in general (running XP service pack 2).

Even after getting past the limitations of the download utility, I was irked when I tried to bring an episode to another location to watch it on a different PC and was prevented from doing so by DRM. In theory, I was entitled to 2 licenses and was willing to use up the other one. Media Player asked me if I wanted to acquire the license, I said "yes" and was asked for my amazon.com credentials, which I supplied. Sounds promising, right? Unfortunately, that was as far as I got. It just... hung there, acting like it might do something for me but never did. I might have been able to download the episode again in order to watch it, but unfortunately, I did not have access to a high-speed internet connection at that location.

Another thing I don't like about the Unbox thing is that I have to use up hard drive space to store the episodes (OK, I'll admit it--mine isn't very big). And if I reformat my system partition and reinstall Windows, which I do periodically, I'll have to argue with their software some more if I want to watch the show again. Of course, some of these problems could be circumvented if I were willing to go to the time and trouble of running the video files through some software that re-record them in unencrypted form. Let's face it, people, ways can be found to get around your DRM. The people you are harming are your legitimate users, and consequently, your bottom line. I find the whole Unbox business cumbersome enough that I would not bother with it for a show that was only moderately interesting, but I'll admit it, for this one I would. More episodes, please! Preferably on DVD.

My daughter loves, loves, loves this movie. Sometimes she watches it three times ina row. It is entertaining to children with all its silliness, but it has a great message and it's higly educational. My daughter now knows the definition of mercy and compassion, and she's seen it practically applied in the example the movie gives. Obviously, it's up to my husband and myself to truly teach her these values, but this movie helps a lot. Plus, she learned a great Bible story in a truly entertaining and funny way.

My daughter and I really enjoyed watching this video. The animation is much richer than in previous Veggie Tales videos we've seen, with a 3-D quality and good sound track that made it especially enjoyable to watch. I also liked the fact that this animated movie follows the actual story of Jonah in the Bible fairly closely, with the exception of the fish slapping, which was bizarre and hilarious if not factual, and the Pirates who don't do anything, who added a lot of color, laughter, and life to the story even if they are two thousand years ahead of their time. This 5 star movie is great for the whole family.

With so many really bad CGI (computer graphics imagery) shows and movies out there, it's refreshing to see a great film made by people who obviously love what they're doing. The story of Jonah and the whale is told, or rather re-enacted by the pirates that don't do anything, who in 2008 came to theaters in a new Veggie movie. This story within a story is funny and fun, light hearted, told and animated with a light, sure touch. Even the opening credits are funny, but stay for the end and the "Song Under the Credits", a zany, light-hearted finale. The songs are as poetic as Godspell, and the film is far above the lesson- laden kids' shows that drag down so much of current kids' fare.

Some will dismiss this movie as religious moralizing, but by being up front about its message, normalizing it, as it were, the result it fresh and effervescent. Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly, mused Chesterton. These veggies are good for you, but they take themselves far more lightly than the bulk of kids shows. If laughter is the best medicine, the prescription is Veggie-Tales.

This was my first Veggiefilm I saw and the reason I'm a fan. You can really tell that it's been more work put into this film than the shorter ones. The characters are believeable, and the graphics is what to be expected. But the absoluitely best part is the songs.

A friend of mine, who's not a christian, heard the soundtrack to this movie and was impressed. The quality is to be compared with the big smashhits from Disney (and with me being a big fan of Disney mainly because of the music, this really says alot!) You can follow the story simply by listen to the music, and they are really catchy.

In this film, the humor that is present in all of the Veggiefilms have been taken up a notch. All of the films are funny, but this one is hillarious.

And the big underlying message (which is not so underlying)? That everybody deserves a secound chance. Before I saw this movie, I haven't thought of this story this way (call me stupid, being 24 and all...). The miovie has something to say to everybody. From the kids who's not willing to forgive their friends for doing something stupid, to the grownups in church who believe they are better that everybody else, not willing to see that neither themselves ever can deserve the grace of God. And finally, to the non-believers it tells the story of a God who gives a secound chance, no matter how "bad" you are, and no-one else believes you should have it.

A bit too grown-up and long for my 2 and a half year old, but it's pretty good. Veggie Tales is a known product, so you know what to expect.

This film lets you see just how bad the British really are. Americans, don't forget we fought a similar war to get out from under their thumb. They dubbed us terrorists then just as they dub the IRA terrorists. Forget the Middle East, free Ireland George!

Very dramatic without being a "Hollywood" type of film. Shows how awful the Brits actually were to Catholics in the North. Must see.

The tragic riot known as "Bloody Sunday" is recreated to powerful effect in this film, shot in pseudo-documentary style by Paul Greengrass. The film unfolds virtually in real-time, so the viewer feels like an eyewitness to tragedy. While not for the faint of heart, "Bloody Sunday" serves as both highly visceral shocker and edifying political drama.

If you grew up with the Irish Civil War a constant part of the evening news, you don't want to miss this movie. James Nesbitt (Jekyll) portrays an Irish member of Parliament who is trying to make peace between the IRA and the British Government. A peaceful rally goes bad, and the horrors of the conflict come to life. The way it was filmed (hand-held cameras) lend an air of reality and the incredible sadness. This movie is based on actual events that took place in Ireland during that time. It held my attention the entire time. Highly recommended.

Paul Greengrass, who brought us the powerful and controversial "United 93," made a stunning film about the events that transpired on January 30, 1972 in Londonderry. Greengrass presents the film in a documentary fashion, giving the impression that you are observing the events as they take place. On that day, the Civil Rights Movement, led by MP Ivan Cooper, were determined to march in spite of an official ban on all such gatherings. The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association fought against many abuses of power on the part of the Northern Ireland administration, but the core issue was the abolition of Operation Demetrius, or internment. Basically, British soldiers could arrest and intern those suspected of being paramilitary groups without charge or trial.

Cooper, who came from a rural Protestant background, wanted only a peaceful march. He urged IRA members not to bring weapons to the march, and advised youth who were harassed by soldiers to "just walk away." Unfortunately, due to high-levels of IRA/British soldier clashes, the "Paras" (1st Battalion of the British Parachute Regiment) were out in force. In addition, despite Cooper's pleas to the contrary, armed "Provos" (members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army) were present. It's still not clear how it began, but shots were fired, and the Paras killed 14 unarmed marchers and wounded several others. The film clearly implies that the British shot first, though that's something that may never be determined with certainty.

Shortly after the events of Bloody Sunday, the British government convened an inquiry known as the Widgery Inquiry. It absolved all the British soldiers of responsibility. In response to political pressure, Tony Blair launched the Saville Inquiry, which as of now has yet to release a report.

In the final part of the film, with Ivan Cooper and other Civil Rights leaders speaking at a press conference after the events, Cooper says: "I'd like to say to the British government- you know what you've done, don't you? You've destroyed the Civil Rights Movement. Tonight, young men will be lining up to join the IRA, and you will reap a whirlwind." His words proved to be prophetic. Had Bloody Sunday not happened, it's likely that the Civil Rights Movement could have achieved what the Good Friday and St. Andrews Agreements are now achieving.

The acting and direction in this movie are top-noptch. Even though the viewer knows what's going to happen, one feels a certain amount of suspense. The interment issue has an eerily contemporary ring to it, and this film shows the dangers of a militarized police force. The two featurettes on the DVD are quite informative as well. In sum, this movie is highly recommended, both for history fans and those who want to use the lessons of history to change the future.