C Books

As with most of these DK Eyewitness guides - they are great for kids and adults. Very informative and surprisingly detailed. We purchased this to accompany our viewing of the Tutenkahmen exhibit. It worked great! My son has become an Egyptology enthusiast.

This is the Ultimate Ancient Egyptian sticker book. Besides being colorful and interesting, the stickers and various forms and shapes explain how they were used in Ancient Egypt and are historically correct. It is a useful learning book for any child or adult interested in ancient Egypt history and well worth the price.

I got this book because my 5-year old wanted to learn more about the ancyent Egypt. The images are pretty cool, but the information and contains are randomly written (maybe this is good for older kids that already know some about the ancient Egypt culture). However, you could get a better introductory book for 10 bucks more.

This is another in the series of books published under the "Eyewitness Books" imprimatur. These are designed for younger readers, to introduce them to important subjects. The focus here? Ancient Egypt.

To understand human history, a sense of Egypt's role is critical, just as the study of Greece and Rome. This book does a nice job for its audience; those who want in depth discussion ought to look elsewhere.

The volume begins with a brief history of Egypt and notes the role of the Pharaohs (including an enumeration of some of the more important/renowned (e.g., Akhenaton, Ramses, Thutmosis, and Tutankhamen), with some consideration of the nature of the royal court.

In some ways, as with many others in this series, the approach is "pastiche," featuring a variety of subjects, each discussed quite briefly. But, when one pouts these together, the end result is a decent introduction to key features of the subject covered.

One gets a sound introduction to "everyday life" in Ancient Egypt, including coverage of such topics as food and drink, song and dance, magic and medicine, writing, adorning the body, and so on.

In short, a nice volume for younger readers, to provide them some background regarding an important subject for understanding who we are and where we came from. Also worth noting is the wonderful set of rich illustrations.

THIS DK BOOK WAS JUST VERY INTERESTING.
HISTORY IS THE BEST


KYLE VENTURA
(...)

As an aunt of 6 nieces and 7 nephews all under the age of 6 yrs, I highly recommend this book. It's gentle and sweet and would make a great gift for any small child even if they are not old enough to read because the pictures are just beautiful! I think a soft toy would compliment this story perfectly. A child would feel safe holding an angel in their arms while reading or listening to this story.

As an aunt of 6 nieces and 7 nephews all under the age of 6 yrs, I highly recommend this book. It's gentle and sweet and would make a great gift for any small child even if they are not old enough to read because the pictures are just beautiful! I think a soft toy would compliment this story perfectly. A child would feel safe holding an angel in their arms while reading or listening to this story.

My six year old never gets tired of hearing this wonderful story and it is a great tool to spark meaningful conversations with your child. I'm sure it will be remembered as one of his favorite childhood books!

We read this book about a million times and I still like to read it all the time. It makes me feel better when I'm scared of the dark.

This is a superb-sized book for small hands to help little minds learn about a comforting subject. My friends of grandmother and great-grandmother ages love this sweet gift for their little loved ones. No other for our situations is a better choice! You'll be remembered for your thoughtfulness!!

The author of this book does an excellent job of analyzing the operational and tactical performance of Arabic Armies in the latter 20th Century. But, be forewarned, the book can be a slog to get through for the novice. Mr. Pollack examines the good, bad and ugly of the national performance of several armies (Iraqi, Egyptian, Syrian, Jordanian) in a manner which is useful to any decision maker who might have to confront an Arab Military foe. The best part of this book and its most useful application is in detailing Arabic Armies 'mismanagement' of information. Yes, poor leadership has doomed many Arabic Military operations, but within Arab Military leadership the fatal mismanagement of information is at the heart of each defeat. As detailed by the author, Senior and Junior officers both lie. They lie to their troops, lie to their political masters and lie to each other. At times they seem incapable of any truth telling whatsoever. The author details Senior Officers describing "Great Victories" where battles are being lost. Junior officers repeatedly fail to provide timely analysis of opposing forces or give a true picture of ongoing operations (lest they be termed cowards?). This has caused missed opportunities to adjust deployments and often leads to catastrophic defeats. Another excellent point is that the author never dismisses the ability of the individual Arab foot soldier to display extreme bravery and tenacity often despite overwhelming odds.

This is a superb and easily read treatise, of use both to the military professional and the interested lay reader. The book meticulously details strategic and tactical performance of each of the prinicple Arab states, not only with respect to their well-publicized conflicts with Israel, but it also investigates the lesser-known military endeavors (e.g., Egypt's war in Yemen, Libya's adventures in Chad). As a result, this is a comprehensive evaluation. Fortunately, it was not burdened with background details on Islam and it's baleful influences on the technical aspects of modern warfare: this material would constitute a separate treatise and has been detailed elsewhere. Nonetheless, the insights gained from Pollack's investigation of military performance transfer to Arab domestic politics and Islamic cultural influence on military doctrine.

Unfortunately, the cost of the book and it's length will deter many readers. In summary, this is an outstanding book and should be on the 'must read' list of readers of Middle Eastern affairs. It's only shortcomings were in the maps: symbols used throughout the text were only annotated in one map and never completely explained. Otherwise, a superb work.

This is a solid study. It is well written, well researched, solid on its data, and thorough in its scope.

The sections on inter-Arab/Muslim/African conflict give good looks at relatively obscure pieces of information -- the author's discussion of the Libyan-Chadian conflicts, for example, is outstanding.

A number of interesting conclusions are evident here, whether about Arabs' failure to maintain their weapons and equipment, their poor battlefield employment of intelligence, their horrendous logistical systems, or the failure of their junior leadership to execute, lead, and decide sua sponte.

My only real complaint is that often, I found myself thinking 'but what do you think?' The author is so thorough in the book that he often leaves his intermediary conclusions for the reader to absorb, and extrapolate. This makes the book something of a tool, as opposed to the pedantic thing you would expect given its girth. But I would figure that with all the author's knowledge (and his resume to boot), he would have more of his own things to say. He does offer, at the end, that this book is essentially a shortened version of his dissertation, and there is a follow-on work that looks more in depth, examines other aspects, and offers more analysis.

Bottom line is that this is a great piece of work. It should be seen as, essentially, an encyclopedia. If you're looking for anything else you'll be woefully disappointed. But if you're serious about the subject, this book is well worth the time.

I won't repeat all of the detail and commentary provided by other reviewers, but I wanted to provide a favorable review for this excellent work.

In the introduction, the author addresses the factors often cited for the poor performance of Arab armies--poor junior leadership, poor equipment, lack of intestinal fortitude, etc. etc. He then provides rare detailed coverage of specific operations of the various Arab armies, including their successes and failures, and then returns to address, on the basis of his analysis, the "poor performance factors" for each of the armies which he covers. Very interesting (to military history fans) and well done.

TMR

Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq are six major players in the Middle East. Whether they are US allies (such as Saudi Arabia or Jordan) or die hard enemies (such as Syria or Libya) Pollack gives an objective analysis of their military prowess, or lack there of.

Pollack's argument is twofold. He claims that because of Arab society Arab militaries lack basic skills that modern European armies take for granted. For instance because Arab culture looks down upon those who preform physical labor nations like Saudi Arabia wouldn't teach maitenance skills for rifles and aircraft. As a result Saudi Arabia still rely on foriegn advisors. Pollack notes that "Saudis also were limited in the fact that very few of their people were willing to take on a job that they considered menial labor-hence the support services suffered." (pg. 431)

The second portion of his thesis is that the junior officer corps of most Arab armies is incredibly poor. Considered having one of the finest armies in the Middle East, Jordan showed that on a tactical level it simply could not preform. While most Western militaries have based their soldiers tactics off of the old WW2 German saying "every corporal should carry a field marshalls baton." Arab countries such as the Hashemite Kingdom have good generals but poor lower level leadership. This was evident when Pollack states (talking about the battle of al Karamah), "The artillery was accurate but almost exclusively preplanned, preregistered fire missions and, therefore, did not demonstrate any real improvement over 1967. Whenever Jordanian armor encountered Israeli armor-and these were mostly even fights in both numbers and types of tanks engaged-the Jordanians either lost or, at best gained a draw which still favored the Israelis."(pg.334-335) There was simply little or no improvisation on plans that were drawn earlier.

There was only one minor flaw I found, this had nothing to do with what was written but with the book itself. The sofcover copy has a bit of a poor spine and doesn't do well under a little stress.

Pollack's book is as one review by Choice Magazine says, "[an] encyclopedic study will be of great interest to scholars, military planners and analysts, and policy makers." it really is a true encyclopedia chronicaling every major and minor conflict the above countries were involved in. Whether you are reading because you love military or Middle East history, this book is for you. I couldn't recommend Pollacks book more.

This play is an absolute joy to read, with characters who come into their own, If anyone loves the movie or enjoys theatre, this has quite alot for everyone, funny dialogue, romance, murder and of course Teddy... after reading this I was tempted to run up the stairs shouting "CHARGE!!!"
Shipping to the UK was brilliant too came on the expected delievery date.

This is an enduring classic comedy that has been staged with actors of all ages including those in high schools, community theaters and professional productions. The script contains jokes based on the status of "the theater" at the time (common discussions among critics at that time parallel the line in a Simon and Garfunkle song, "is the theater really dead?") The story line is built on a wonderful array of eccentric characters. A great deal of the comedy is based on dramatic irony, where the audience knows something that some or all of the actors on stage do not. Great to stage and fun to see.

I received the product very quickly and easily as is usual with Amazon.

It was hard to read this without thinking of the wonderful movie. In a nutshell it is a play about a family where mental illness (insanity) is rampant. One character thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt and is building the Panama canal in the cellar. Two characters think they are performing a charity by poisoning lonely elderly men which the Teddy Roosevelt character perceives to be victims of yellow fever and buries them in Panama canal locks. These characters are perceived by neighbors as kind and gentle souls. Another character is an escapee from a hospital for the criminally insane. It is understandable why the sane member of the family is afraid to get married. He finds out that he is not related by blood to this family. The play is wonderfully written. I found it disturbing that these kindly gentle elderly women were serial killers. It just goes to show things are not always what they appear. Also, torture was alluded to in the play. All in all a good read.

Although these words refer to Teddy Brewster in this hilarious play by Joseph Kesselring, they could have applied equally to most of the other members of the Brewster household. Teddy thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt, always "charging" upstairs when he is not in the basement digging "locks for the Panama Canal." His two elderly aunts, with whom he lives, also have their own bizarre secret, for which the hand-dug "locks" in the basement are employed to good effect.

Jonathan, Teddy's "disagreeable" brother, who disappeared many years ago, returns during the play with secrets of his own. With his face altered by plastic surgery, he is accompanied by Dr. Einstein, with whom he plans to set up an operating room in the house so the doctor can give new faces to criminals. The only normal person in the family is Mortimer, a drama critic who hates plays, engaged to marry Elaine, the innocent daughter of the minister next door. Mortimer is particularly upset by Jonathan's return--"the most detestable, vicious, venomous form of animal life I ever knew."

The frantic action, the ironies, the comic routines, and the dramatic surprises all center around two bodies, hidden at various times in the window seat of the living room, and the reactions to them by the various people within the household. The local police, friends of Aunt Abby and Aunt Martha, stop by to chat, have coffee, and protect these "sweet" old ladies, often at the worst possible moments, while Mortimer tries to decide what to do about his strange family and the bodies in the house.

Arsenic and Old Lace is such a strong play, with so many hilarious moments, that it is not surprising that this is a staple of local theaters and high school drama groups. Much of the play involves sight gags, contretemps, and weird characters behaving outrageously. Careful delivery of lines and subtlety of gesture are far less important here than the high- speed action, over-the-top characterizations, and split second timing of entrances and exits. One of the funniest and most often performed plays of American theater, Arsenic and Old Lace is as delightful in the twenty-first century as it was when it was first performed in 1941. Mary Whipple

"Atatürk" by Patrick Kinross was first published in 1964. I found this book to be a highly compassionate view of Atatürk's life.

Patrick Kinross' narration is insightful and reads like a story; very different from a dry historical text presenting fact after fact. He draws a rich picture of the life of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in terms of the changing political, religious and social landscape of his country in the first quarter of the 20th century. Atatürk literally created the nation of Turkey from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire as World War 1 re-drew the political lines of Europe.

He gives the reader a very personal understanding of the intense sense of purpose and duty that drove Atatürk throughout his life, and also how it led to many contradictions in his life. Atatürk created a secular nation by first engendering the support of eminent religious authority figures, without telling them his aim was a secular nation. Atatürk wanted Turkey to become just like a "modern Western democratic republic", but became a benign autocrat, leading a one party system where all representatives were hand picked by Atatürk.

Kinross begins with Atatürk's birth in Salonika and traces his troubled early school years and enrolment into the Military Secondary School where Atatürk discovered himself as a soldier and was given the first name "Kemal", meaning "perfection". From his portrayal of Atatürk in his younger years, we are given to understand that Atatürk developed very early a fierce sense of dedication to a country he recognized as flawed and in need of change. He demonstrates an astounding prescience, has a sharp mind, a passion for raki and debate, and an abiding abhorrence for what he saw as the role of religion in the decline of his country.

We follow Atatürk through the despairing times of World War 1, where Atatürk's actions and leadership are nothing short of heroic. The insights he develops into the military and political situation of the time picks him out as a potential threat to his superiors, but also identify him as an invaluable commander. For many years he works in the background to develop a network of resistance against the self serving Ottoman authority. Instead of bringing about a change of government, he finds himself pushed to the side as several revolutionaries take the fore, become despots in their own right and are then torn down - such as Enver Pasha. "Enver Pasha killed Enver Bey" is a telling quote I remember.

Eventually the situation for Atatürk comes to a head when the allies of the First World War begin plans to dismantle Turkey and occupy the country. Atatürk, using all his skill and cunning as a diplomatic, soldier and hero rallies a new line of defense that pushes the allies out of Turkey and forms a new government, the first Republic of Turkey.

I found some important subjects were left out or not given sufficient attention. There was only a passing reference to the swap of Greek and Turkish population in 1923. And although the Kurds' role in the independence war was described in some detail and the conflicts between Armenians, Kurds, Greeks and Turks over land was much discussed, there was no evaluation of Atatürk's attitude towards each group as a people or how this affected his actions.

At times, Kinross seemed too compassionate towards Atatürk, almost apologetic. The book made much of the contradictions within Atatürk, but rarely explored the darker side of his character. Instead, his actions were repeatedly explained or justified by his admirable sense of duty to his country. Nowhere was this clearer than in the portrayal of Atatürk's involvement in the Independence Tribunals of 1927. These tribunals were brought in to punish the leaders of a Kurdish revolt, but were also used to summarily round up all of Atatürk's political enemies at the time - including former friends and compatriots without whom the Republic of Turkey may never have come about.

I understand now, why there is still a deep reverence throughout Turkey for this politician and leader, Atatürk, who people still call the Father of Turkey. For he was truly the father of Turkey: he led a movement that completely and permanently changed the political and social face of the nation. Turkey changed from a caliphate to a republic, and that was just the beginning. After that, Atatürk gave the people a new language (yes, "gave" - he helped create it and personally taught it); laws were introduced changing the national costume; and women were made equal to men - all this in less than fifteen years!

I also understand that a major part of Atatürk's legacy is the shock of such massive changes introduced in such an extremely short time - a shock that still resonates today. At least one of the multiple coup d'état in the latter half of the 20th century (after Atatürk's death) were instituted by people who felt empowered to act by a sense of duty and revolution that Atatürk himself encouraged. The fact that religion lost its primacy under Atatürk also left his country with a deep and lingering conflict between religious and secular life that is at the forefront of Turkey's political situation today. Much like present day Indonesia, religious parties have gained prominence and seek to re-assert religion as part of government.

I began reading this book on the plane trip home from my first holiday in Turkey to visit my partner's family. It took me six months to finish the book and has given me a much deeper connection with this beautiful country and the people I met.

If you are a student of history, or if you have ever visited Turkey and wanted to know "how".. I highly recommend this book.

Review from my blog [...]

Unfortunately we know very little about the history of Modern Turkey and the Turkish people in general. I would even say all we know is unsubtantiated ...in general against Turks. This wonderful book of outstanding historian Lord Kinross is telling the real story behind the modern Turkey and the avant-guard philosophical foundations that created this modern republic out of ashes of a country which was torn off completely by wars followed one another. This book is clearly proving us that Ataturk is not only the most important political leader of our century but also may be some centuries back and some centuries forward yet to come. Any person from the developed Western societies who are serious about learning something about a nobel nation such as Turks and their genius humanitarian leader Ataturk, this is the book to read.

At 9:05 AM on each November 10th, all the inhabitants of Turkey stop their worldly activities and observe a few minutes of silence. They are observing the death of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey, in 1938. Ataturk was a man larger than life. After the destruction of the Ottoman Empire during WWI he defeated western European powers bent on carving up the spoils for themselves, and formed the new Turkish Republic in 1923. Ataturk was directly responsible for the disaster inflicted on British and Australian forces at Gallipoli, dramatized in the 1981 Australian motion picture. He also fought unsuccessfully against T. E. Lawrence and his Arabs. After forming the new Turkey, he completely reformed its society, replacing the arabic alphabet with latin, abolishing both polygamy and the fez, and installing a secular government. Lord Kinross' masterful book captures the broad scope and the thrilling details of the life of this amazing man and demonstrates his influence on the 20th century. Ataturk is one of the best biographies ever written, about one of the most interesting men in history.

having searched for a book on this leader but finding it out of my price range i happened to find a copy for £10 in Turkey of this book. It is a brilliant read. A man forgotten in the west but so properly idolised in turkey. Now I understand what all the fuss is about. This character is no Mussolini, Stalin or other jumped up tin pots but a man of the most amazing integrity and insight. It is amusing the way Lloyd George spend his whole career trying to undermine him but in the end with the defeat of the grekks fell from power due to his integrity. A tear passed my eye reading about the death of this hero and I certainly felt that i understood a bit more the respect and emotions theTurks have towards him.

I am Turkish. So I have read lots of things about Ataturk throughout my education. But it was all about the events like wars, revolutions, treaties but not the feelings about this great man. Now I understand some of his moves better.

I think everybody can learn something from this book but especially people of Turkey should read it to learn what kind of events our nation lived on our way to freedom and what kind of differences a leader can make.

I enjoyed this book very much and wonder why it's never been available on Video.

Many tv mini series have been put into video and dvd. is there any chance that this one will? this is a fantastic story and i would love to see the series again.

I have read this book many times and have thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the mini-series when it came out in the 70's. I too am perplexed as to why it has never been released on video as so many others are.

I read this book for the first time in junior high school and fell totally under its spell. I now own a very tattered paperback which I have read many, many times. No matter how many times I read this book, I find something that I didn't in a previous read. You really get caught up in the lives of Maggie, Lillian, Mercer, Mays, Jackson and all the rest. To me, this is the mark of a great author. I waited anxiously, fearing that it could never equal the book, when the mini-series came out and was delighted all over again. If you are a reader of history or just want a plain good read, this book is for you. I keep hoping that sometime the mini-series will be available for purchase on VHS or DVD.

I found this book kept my interest from front to back. I had amazing little tidbits of information about every president and their wifes. I thought this book to be thoroughly entertaining.

I am in agreement with the other reviewers that this is a very good history of the US/Philippine War that should be more broadly read. Parallels with Vietnam and the present oily Iraqi War are eerie: attacks on the patriotism of war critics to silence them, support of the wide spread use of various tortures against the adversary including "The Chinese Water Treatment" (aka "Chinese Water Torture"--from which "Waterboarding" is only a variation), the excusing of massacres of civilians by American soldiers, etc. There truly is nothing new under the sun when it comes to these dirty little 3rd world wars. I'm reminded of the poet Robinson Jeffers' poem "Blood Lakes." So many blood lakes and we always fall in--with apologies to Jeffers' spirit if I've essentially misquoted him.

Perhaps we can overcome our national "Altzheimer's" on the issue of these 3rd world colonial/neo-colonial wars and stay out of them when the next opportunity presents itself. In the meantime, I would settle for our exit from the present Iraqi mess with all due and reasonable speed. America's moral force and image in the world is not improved by our involvement in such bloody horrors.

A very interesting story about the American armies attempt to end the Phillipine insurgency that broke out in the wake of the Spanish-American war. Originally allied with the Americans the Phillipinoes were angry that the U.S had promised indpedendence and from their point of view, reneged on the promise. An insurgency broke out and the American army used classic anti-insurgency methods to break it, including creating institutions and providing incentives for the people not to back it, as well as combatting it. Famous figures such as Roosevelt, Taft, Pershing and Macarthur's father were involved. This is an important part of American history that is often forgotten.

Seth J. Frantzman

This book reviews the politics and media surrounding the actions by the US in the Philippines following the Spanish-American war. It gives great insight into the propaganda used to sell the war to the American pubic and to obfuscate the atrocities that American soldiers committed there. Miller paints a fascinating picture of egocentric American political and military commands steeped in duplicity and self-delusion; these patterns will be interesting and familiar to any student of the wars in Vietnam and Iraq.

The material is sourced mainly from newspaper editorials, political speeches, congressional inquiries and the letters of politicians and high ranking military figures.
This book will not tell you anything about what the war was like for the soldiers on the ground, American or Philippino. It won't tell you much about tactics. It won't teach you anything about Philippine culture of the time, either.

This book is an excellent general history of the American invasion and conquest of The Philippines in 1898-1902. The author immersed himself in private letters, official hearings, and newspaper editorials from the era. The result of this research is a compelling picture of a sleazy and violent episode in American history, when Republican politicians launched a war to boost their prospects in the 1898 midterm elections. The book is timelier than ever after 9/11, since imperialism has come back into vogue in the guise of anti-terrorism -- anyone who has illusions about America's "innocence" today should read Miller's accounts of atrocities and racism circa 1900.

I gave the book four stars instead of five only because the narrative is based almost exclusively on U.S. sources. In particular, Miller's endless rehashing of imperialist and anti-imperialist newspaper editorials gets quite old at times.

This book was originally from 1982, written in a time of post-Vietnam regret. However, this book may have picked up on themes, very much in the U.S. press in the period of the Philippines war of a century ago, that are suddenly current in fall 2005: systematic use of torture by American forces (particularly the "water cure"); carelessness with the lives of civilians in the battle zones; denunciation of Americans with doubts about the war as unpatriotic or traitorous; the denial of normal legal due process to an enemy deemed too savage and inferior to be worthy of it; considerable confusion on the events where U.S. forces transpose one war (i.e., Spain 1898 or War on Terror 2001) into a new one (the Philippines in 1899 or Iraq today) more by act of U.S. will than enemy action. The author does stretch some comparisons between the Philippines war and Tonkin Gulf and My Lai, but given the events of Operation Iraqi Freedom the book seems eerily more relevant now.

Another reviewer has noted that Mr. Miller's research was almost entirely from U.S. sources. That does take it down from five stars but we should remember that this book, as with the Iraq war, is more about the U.S. mind-set than about the other side. Thus the book's tone is a bit as lurid as the press of that day but it is startling how the U.S. public read this news coverage year after year and then -- as Mr. Miller notes -- forgot. We might wind up putting Iraq out of mind as well, its veterans and victims as forgotten and neglected as those of 1902, a point Mr. Miller does us a favor by raising. Scary.

Bought this for my granddaughter and hope she finds out the the sewing machine isn't too scary.

Great tools to help your child (or yourself) get used to using a sewing machine.

I purchased this book for my 9 year old grandaughter. What a wonderful introduction to sewing. First and formost, it is fun, visually attractive, in a easy to use spiral format on durable stock. It begins with some nice graphics and games that involve learning the parts of the sewing machine, moves on to some FUN drills that teach little hands how to control sewing lines, curves, points and so on. It ends with some very basic projects that kids can complete on their own giving them a real sense of acomplishment. This is a must have for children learning to sew.

This is a great book. Inside it has actual patterns for your kids to practice tracing with their machine stitching. Very colorful and excellent quality...thick pages. Can't wait to try it out with my daughter after we give it to her at Christmas.

This book was exactly as described. Easy to read and use. Cute projects for kids!

This book got to me soon than expected which I was very happy about.
The book is in excellent condition

If you feel like you are a product of your parents and the tragedies that have occured in your life. Read this book. It is life changing. When you enter into Christ, not only does your future change, but so does your past. "All things" become new. Thus, your heritage... Christ. Your future... Christ. Your destiny, your freedom... Christ in you, the hope of glory! (Beleive the lie, empower the liar.)

David Needham is one of the professors I've had the pleasure to sit under at Multnomah Bible College. This was the textbook to his Spiritual Life class at the school, back when he still taught it there. I have become deeply impacted not only by the book, but by the man behind it. David Needham is one of the most passionate teachers I've ever seen. When I read his book for the first time it turned a 180 in my Christian life. I realized how many of Satan's lies I'd been kept under, even in my Christian life. This book has impacted my life and relationship with God more than I can possibly say. Dear Christian, do you know who you are? Just another plain old sinner, saved by grace? Please don't buy into that lie! Read David Needham's book, and let the truth of the Word of God liberate you to dimensions of life you've never dreamed of!

"Birthright" is the updated, revised, expanded edition of Needham's earlier work by the same title.

Needham has done Christians a great service in biblically explaining the nature of our new nature in Christ. He teaches from the Scriptures with precision, clarity, and practicality who we are in Christ.

Carefully and graciously, he describes how the notion that Christians are not saints is inadequate. With depth, he demonstrates that the flesh and the old nature/sin nature are not the same.

The result is an increased joy in our regeneration and an increased confidence in sanctification through Christ.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction," "Soul Physicians" and "Spiritual Friends."

Of all the terrific books I've read, there are only a few to which I return again and again; "Birthright," by David Needham, is on that list. I do not return to it simply to remember a concept, like a reference book. I keep this book close at hand because I need it, again and again.

A beautiful testimony to the courage of these elite soldiers whose mission was to serve as bait for enemy forces far greater in number. Blackjack-33 is the code name of such a perilous mission.

Blackjack-33 is one of the best written first hand account of men in combat. Very well written and hard to put down. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great true account of the Mobile Guerilla Forces in action in Vietnam. I can't wait to receive and read the author's other books.

The Vietnam war is still an enigma for many of us who were not there. It is fascinating and a bit frightening. Many people only understand it based on movies like Platoon or Full Metal Jacket. This book does a fabulous job of illustrating an unknown aspect of the war, yet makes you understand how the pieces fit together. Very descriptive and action packed, you feel as if you are close to the action and get a better feel for the life of a soldier in the bush.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable book and increased my education and awareness of the war.

Mr. Donahue brings out a little known aspect of the Vietnam War--the use of Special Forces and Cambodian soldiers to fight the VC on their own ground. You can get more of a description of the book by reading the adjacent reviews. I spent almost two years working with the Vietnamese day by day, and consider this book to be a must read for anyone interested in the genre. It is very well written and makes the scene jump out at you. For me, it was almost like revisiting my experiences back then.

A fabulous book for anyone looking for firsthand accounts of the great work our fighting men & women did in Vietnam, and an excellent antidote for the overplayed drivel Hollywood & the "mainstream" media try to spoon-feed us.

The author provides a minimal amount of background info on himself and the Mobile Guerilla Force, and then jumps right into the action. He gets your heart pumping and your senses instantly alerted through first-person writing, and once you start this book it is very difficult to put down. Mr Donahue does not hold back anything from the reader either; he skillfully relates the sights, sounds, smells, and even tastes of combat in Vietnam.

If you are looking for a well-written first-hand account about the experiences of combat in Vietnam, then I highly recommend this book. If you are a little squeamish, or prefer to research the unit histories and command structures of combat units in Vietnam, well, I STILL recommend this book (and all of Mr Donahue's books).