Events Books

It is difficult nowadays to get an objective, nuanced opinion on Islam, neither flattering nor biased against it. If I were to recommend a way to try and achieve that, I would suggest to read several good books on the matter, including this one among them: I like it because the author is extremely specific, i.e., he goes down to the detail and critizies what he does not like in muslim behaviour or thought. In that way, even if one does not agree with him on all (or part of )what he says, it is to be praised that he gives a fairly opportunity to answer back. Besides, it is very complete (but only as far as Switzerland is concerned) and reasonibly readable book (without being light).

Other books that I would recommend to read would be the following: A) ASSESSMENTS OF ISLAM: 1) The best, impartial, wise: "Islam. History, present, future" by Hans Küng (written in German, already available in Spanish, English translation coming in 2007); 2) Moderate Islam at its best: "The Great Theft : Wrestling Islam from the Extremists" by Khaled M. Abou El Fadl; and 3) Autobiography of a courageous woman: "Infidel" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She is a controversial thinker with a very interesting life. B) HISTORY: 4) General: "The Venture of Islam", by Marshall G. S. Hodgson (nowadays a classic included in any bibliography on Islam); 5) Turks: "The Turks in World History" by Carter Vaughn Findley; 6) Political theory: "God's Rule : Government and Islam" by Patricia Crone; and 7) Jihad: "Understanding Jihad" by David Cook (it also seems interesting although I have not read it yet: "Jihad in Islamic History: Doctrines and Practice" by Michael Bonner).

This work is an outstanding compilation of Islamic and western law concerning all aspects of life. It is a subject that touches all of us since the tragic events of Sept. 11th.

I offer many praises to Dr. Sami Aldeeb Abu-Salieh for writing this book and Dr. Sheldon Gosline for translating it into English. They have provided us with the first clear picture of Muslims in the West. Although much of the research is specific to Islam in Europe and Switzerland in particular, the conclusions are universal to all western nations. Dr. Aldeeb spent a lifetime studying this subject and his knowledge is totally evident. The translation into English of the original French and Arabic text was a massive task. It was undertaken with great care. If you are at all interested in the subject of Islam you must see this work!

Translated into English by Sheldon Lee Gosline, Muslims In The West: Redefining The Separation Of Church And State is accessibly written by Sami A. Aldeeb Abu-Sahlieh (Director of Islamic Law, Swiss Institute of Comparative Law, Lausanne) who drew upon his more than twenty years of personal and professional experience to examine the cultural, social, and political interactions of Muslims in Switzerland. Individual chapters address everything from conflicts of religion and the right to worship, to issues involving religious cemeteries and burial grounds. A very thoughtful and insightful work offering principles and wisdom that can be generalized to the Western world as a whole, Muslims In The West is an original and welcome contribution to Islamic Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

This is the second book of Horror Short Fiction I have read this summer from the author Robert S. Rhine.

These are quite enjoyable, summer-by-the-pool stories.. If you are looking for a quick read, these will fit the bill nicely, or I should say : grotesquely. In particular, I enjoyed: "What if Clouds were UFOs " , " Taking out the Garbage" and "My Brain Escapes Me".

I picked this book up after being directed to Books of Blood by Clive Barker. I thoroughly enjoyed both. I recommend this highly for those of you who dig horror.

If Hannibal Lecter were a writer he would write stories like these but probably not as well as Robert Steven Rhine.

I bought this book at Borders when I was searching the "literary" racks for something better to read than the horrible mass-produced sludge (Tom Clancy's NetForce, the Left Behind series, most anything written by a best-selling author other than Stephen King) that now clogs the paperback sections. My one complaint is that the book wasn't packaged and marketed for a larger audience. The writing is sharp, fast-paced, and intelligent - as if our best science fiction writers had suddenly decided to write horror. The stories remind me of Richard Matheson at his best. This is the only book I've read this year that didn't immediately strike me as either pretentious (like Fight Club's ill-advised use of "avante-garde" prose stylings or Hannibal's sophomoric sermonizing) or insultingly stupid (like the Left Behind series - oh, the pain!). Maybe Sun Dog will keep this book around and bring it back in an affordable, mass-market edition that can connect with the thousands of readers out there who want something intelligent and entertaining, but who can find neither.

A great collection of horror, Sci-fi, and dark comedy. Robert Steven Rhine has a sick mind and he's not afraid to show it. The Raoule stories were by far my favorites! It's obvious from these yarns that Robert Rhine has some insidious knowledge of L.A.'s seedy underworld...maybe he's been there...or wants to be! From this collection of goods it's obvious that Robert Rhine will be horror's newest rising star!!

I love this series! Lynn Austin has a very good writing style that captures and holds your attention immediately. I look foward to reading book 5 and would reccommend everyone read these books.

This is the first Lynn Austin novel I have read. I took it on vacation and could not put it down, reading into the wee hours of the night. Now that I finished, I want to read the others in the series but have found that many are no longer available. This book was a great picture of how when we allow small sin into our lives, we become hardened and the bigger sins don't seem as big anymore. It really brought the biblical story to life in an interesting way for me. It was interesting also to see how one can twist scripture to decieve someone into believing God approved of child sacrifice, and temple ladies. I'd recommend the book to all.

I love this series so much that I have had to replace the entire set three times. I lend them out and they disappear!
These are by far the finest novels that Ms. Austin has written. I was drawn into the story, and I just couldn't put the books down. Ms. Austin provides Scriptural references so it is easy to see what she is basing her story on. After reading the Scriptures, elements in the story that are taken right out of the Bible are easily discerned from those that the writer may be taking an artist license with. It breathed life into these characters and made them very relevant to me.

I immediately began reading the remaining books in the series, and every one was a delight. I enthusiastically recommend the series.

I received this book hot off the press in July. This is by far the best of the Chronicles of Kings series by Lynn Austin. Her grasp of the historical and current implications of Manasseh's dilemnas and reactions to situations indicates the depth of her research. Lynn depicts a man torn by trying to develop his own sense of worth and his fear of not living up to the legend of his father. Being Hezekiah's son attached certain expectations to Manasseh's reign, but Manasseh's lack of character is soon recognized. Read about this turbulent time and feel the characters come to life. I found it difficult to put this book down and became emotionally involved in the lives of the characters. Read the first three in the series but don't miss this one - by far the best yet from this author. I can hardly wait for the next sequel in this series!

Pray, she says. Pray for spiritual understanding of these scriptures. Pray because the Almighty is moving. Pray because we may, in fact, be witnessing the Apostle John's vision in REVELATIONS as they are occurring!

In three parts Mrs. Johnson uses included scriptures to discuss America's role in the last days. The purely academic is avoided by working through current events. Arguing from the Prophetic dreams and visions interpreted within the Bible, the author applies the same standards to the parallel symbols of seals, trumpets and vials in the visions of the end time. Aware that the reader is not likely an expert, explanations are clear and connected to modern reality. Gently, the logic of years of study unavoidably eases the reader into the shocking realization that this is, in fact, happening. This is new. The trumpets have begun! God is real, here and now in action. Awesome.

--Sylvia Lynn

This book is by no means run of the mill. It is absolutely gripping. It has fascinating, detailed accounts of America in Biblical Prophecy without taking anything out of context.

If you have never read a book on Bible Prophecy make this one your first!!! If you have read more Bible Prophecy books than you can count, this one will be like a fresh breeze that will blow all the rest out of the water!!!!!!!!!!

Mystery Babylon the Great,Defender of Israel by Kristie Johnson is perhaps the best and most Bible Scripture referenced book on Bible "End Times" Prophecy I have ever read.I am an Ordained minister, member of The First Methodist Church of Bisbee Arizona,currently Retired and living in Globe,Arizona.Former Pastor and Missionary for 25 years.
Ms. Johnson identifies myths about the church's teaching on the timing of the Rapture, the timing of the Tribulation and the possible identification of the United States as "Mystery Babylon" described in the Bible book of The Revelation.Most inspiring is the proper use of Scripture to support every one of Ms Johnson's points.I recommend this book as the best Bible Study of the Book of Revelation I have ever read...a virtual Bible Course in one book!!Buy it and be amazed at what God is doing in these Last Days,more exciting and certainly more Scriptural than the Left Behind series because this book is NOT fiction,it is Truth!Every Pastor & Minister should own this book!Sincerely in Christ,Rev. Boonie Johnson,First Methodist Church of Bisbee,AZ and retired living in Globe,Arizona.

Kristie Johnson has successfuly put into writing Biblical Sound real time scenarios without the "fluff" that most Authors of Prophecy use to sensationalize their works. She is a straight and direct and is successful in debunking nonbiblical myths, that are taught by many Christian Leaders of today. I have discovered that her writing is sincere and is easily confirmed by any student of Scripture, World Events and History. I therefore, recommend Mystery Babylon, The Great, Defender Of Isreal to all who are hungry for Truth and understanding of todays events and tribulations.

The Naked Crowd's title comes from an example author Jeffrey Rosen uses to audiences and classes. He descibes an airport scanner that "undresses" you as you go through it, revealing not only potential weapons, but you in all your nakedness beneath your clothing. Rosen then tells his audiences that technology exists to easily obscure the face and other identifying parts of a person's body on the screen, but still be able, with complete accuracy, to see potential weapons. When given the choice of "the Naked Machine" and "the Blob Machine," there are always people who choose "the Naked Machine."
Rosen examines how, in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, Americans have been willing to give up their liberty, not for security, but for the illusion of security. He explores the proliferation of closed circuit TV cameras throughout Britain, which has been shown to have no effect at all on security. He discusses how the public and politicians alike are looking for a technological "silver bullet" that will solve our security problems. He mentions in passing an article in The Atlantic Monthly, about the dangers of depending on slick technology to solve our security problems. Bruce Schneier's book Beyond Fear, expands on this theme and offers practical solutions to the problem, and I highly recommend it in addition to The Naked Crowd.

Using examples from history, sociology, psychology, and the law, Rosen shows how we have come to this seemingly un-American state of affairs. The Naked Crowd is really quite readable and thought-provoking in a non-partisan way. He praises both Franklin Roosevelt and Rudolph Giuliani as effective leaders in a crisis, and doesn't mention Bush at all. An especially entertaining and revealing episode has Rosen interviewing Larry Ellison of Oracle in his Atherton, CA mansion.

After a final chapter about the trend of exhibitionism (Jerry Springer, weblogs) that doesn't add to his arguments, Rosen spends the epilogue proposing and discarding possible solutions to the issue of liberty vs. security. He finds that our best bet is probably to count on politicians to balance the two, rather than leave it to judges or technocrats. He doesn't seem entirely satisfied with that answer, either, and leaves unsaid what is likely the real answer, which is to educate ourselves as citizens and stay on top of complex and changing issues and demand that our representatives protect both our lives and our liberty.

A good companion read on the subject of personal privacy in a post-9/11 world.

It discusses the various difficulties and societal effects that stem from applying various approaches to nullifying the Global Terrorism Threat. Britain's "Panopticon-esque" 4.2 million and growing cameras National CCTV Surveillance System, and its direct and ancillary effects on the day-to-day behaviors of Britons, is well presented and juxtaposed against U.S. surveillance solution implementation paths such as CAPPS.

The book does a fine job of describing the problem, but I feel Mr. Rosen is a bit light on clearly identifying solution options. Buy it. Read it. Learn from it.

The premise of "The Naked Crowd" is that we have become addicted to expensive feel-good gadgetry to protect us from terrorism, but that this gadgetry neither serves the needs of those who want more security nor those who want more privacy.

Rosen finds plenty of examples to bolster his case: the face-recognition systems that can't tell men from women, and suspect databases that force customs officials to pull 5-year old children and 85-year old seniors out of line, and have turned travel into a Kafkaesque nightmare for some unfortunately named individuals.

The more interesting question that the book addresses is why we are drawn to these worthless schemes. Rosen gives the unexpected results of an airport scanner test as the provocation for writing the book. People offered a choice of going through two airport scanners, which were identical in every way - except that only one had the image of the travellers' naked bodies obfuscated from the guards' screen - often chose the "Naked Machine" in preference to the other. The reason they offered was that they were using their voluntary humiliation as proof of their trustworthiness.

Rosen suggests that this need to "expose" ourselves has been caused by our moving from small communities, where we knew everyone, to a hyperspace of constantly changing crowds of strangers. We each develop a mental thumbnail sketch of ourselves that we feel obliged to "market" via weblogs, bulletin boards - and user reviewer bio's. It forces us to concentrate on revealing ourselves, rather than trying to retain whatever privacy we could in townships where everyone knew everyone else's business.

It would have been helpful if Rosen had offered a working definition of "privacy" or an explanation of why we should "protect" it. He pokes good fun at the British, who have mounted video cameras on every available vertical surface in the country in response to three decades of terrorist bombings. He uses this as the prime example of an invasive, but useless, defense system. The cameras haven't resulted in the arrest of a single terrorist: they have simply become a very expensive way of nabbing the occasional car thief.

However, the British don't find the cameras particularly intrusive. They, on their part, are dumbfounded at Americans' willingness to allow employers to read private emails, which they find far more intrusive than a web cam in the parking lot. Whose definition of privacy is "right"? If we can't define "privacy", how can we "protect" it?

As much as has been written on security and privacy recently, I found a great deal new to think about in "The Naked Crowd". It raises issues which are more complicated than simply choosing the level of "privacy" we are prepared to give up for more "security."

This is a great book on privacy and the freedom we are willing to give up because of fear (sometimes overrated fear) that the media wants us to believe. The book starts off describing how England has set up CCTV cameras all around London and are using them to prevent small crimes instead of terrorism which it was set up for..

The book talks about the things that we fear... We fear things that are big in casualties but doesn't happen that often. This is like people who fear flying, but drive every day and as most of us know there are more accidents in cars than in planes. Then the book goes into the fact that we are willing to give our freedoms and privacy because we fear terrorism and we think that adding technology and country wide databases will help solve all our problems. We are letting the government turn our country into a police state and the exact same thing our founders left England and started this country to get away from. The book also talks about how we are willing to give up privacy so easily. In old times there was more structure in society we were all classified based on our status or wealth. Because of this we knew who we were dealing with, we knew who we could trust and who we could share things with. In today's society we are sharing things freely over the internet and through email to people we haven't even seen. The book also claims not to have all the answers on how we should prevent terrorism or how or what we should be willing to share, but just wants us to look at the options out there and realize that create a master database with everyone listed in the US is not the answer and has not proven to be effective in stopping terrorism. We need to make sure that if we are going to give up some of our freedom we are going to get tangible and recognizable results. We are going to get the protection we need (if that is even possible) for the freedom we give up. We also need to make sure that the people using the technologies like CCTV and master databases have checks to ensure that these systems are used for the purpose they were created and not for fight small meaningless crimes. This is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone...

Nation under Siege is a mandatory read. It should be mandatory at the Army War College or at Command and General Staff College. M. Blake's eye-opening work is the finest description of the current conditions in Iran that I have seen. The detail, personal knowledge, and new information contained in the work pulls back the curtian of ignorance that prevails in the national media. Also, the book flows well and I could not put it down. This will be a national bestseller!

Critical and fresh, forthright writing for today's political world. While Blake paints a bit more gentle picture of the last Shah of Iran than others, the cut-to-the-bone analysis of the nuclear question in Iran is original, honest, and on the mark. All leaders of countries concerned with what happens in Iran during the next decade should read this book - a brilliant insight into the Iranian Political Psyche. Many people may not want to agree with a Nuclear Iran, but after reading this book they should understand the Iranian reasoning for having nuclear power.

This is only book i ever picked up and just reading the opening dedication brought unexpected and instantaneous tears from my soul to my eyes.
This book really details with amazing knowledge and facts what Iran is from its early past rulers and conquerers to the present.
A real EYE OPENER. This book CUTS to the QUICK and DESTROYS the BIASED MEDIA'S VIEWS.
Move over C RICE., M BLAKE should be the PRESIDENTS ADVISOR.

'A Nation Under Siege' is simultaneously a personal memoir, a breathless sprint through the religion and history of Persia/Iran, a detailed account of the abuses and incompetence of the mullahs, and a call to action on the part of the Western World.

Many may disagree with the conclusions of the book - which simultaneously argues that Iran can be converted to a peaceful democracy and also retain its nuclear program - but it's an engrossing book nonetheless. Considering the constant coverage on the news about the spread of democracy in the Middle East, the plans of the mullahs and the neo-cons in the government, it is topical and timely. Well illustrated with color photos and maps, it's a must-have for readers of geopolitics.

We all know that there is an organization called the United Nations. But many of us are a little suspicious about it. Is it effective? Is it counterproductive? In this book, Alex Grobman shows how the UN has dealt with a member nation, Israel. And what he shows is scary. I think it demonstrates that there is something intrinsically wrong with the entire concept of the UN.

The point is not that the UN is bad for Israel (although that is manifestly true). The point is that the UN is simply bad for human civilization. In an attempt to build a foundation for a global human society, I think we've created a cornerstone for a wacky global tyranny that threatens scholarship, justice, and prosperity.

This book does a good job of exposing the UN's libels and demonization of Israel. There is a focus on the infamous "Zionism equals racism" resolution of 1975 (which was repealed in 1991). And there is an analysis of how much damage that resolution caused.

Should the UN be reformed? Some people say it ought to be. As the author relates, others are not so sure. And I think that the UN ought to be outlawed. But no matter what your opinion may be, this is an interesting book.

Some people say that the UN is useful just because it brings people together to talk. But I think when it merely gets used to applaud lies, it is being astoundingly destructive. I feel that it is bad that the UN has sided with aggressors so often. But I think this book shows that perhaps the worst problem with the UN is that it acts as a huge megaphone for lies.

The book begins with a short introduction to Zionism and anti-Zionism, showing the international scope and political nature of anti-Zionism. Following that is a discussion of Soviet bloc policies towards Israel. After that is a chapter analyzing the Zionism = Racism resolution. Next we see more on the history UN's attitude towards (and present obsession with) Israel, including that of the non-governmental organizations.

The book then shows some of the rather long-standing antisemitic propaganda (including blood libels) that led to the Zionism = Racism resolution. And there's a discussion of Arab and Jewish responses to that infamous resolution. Following this, there's a chapter on the uses and consequences of holocaust denial.

The final chapter tells us about some recent UN behavior, including the 2001 Durban conference, the UN investigation of the battle at Jenin, and the UN ruling on Israel's security fence.

Perhaps best of all is an excellent bibliography. While the entire book is under 200 pages, over 20 of those pages are used for a bibliography of books and more than 10 additional pages contain a bibliography of articles.

I recommend this book.

As far as I am concerned, any book that exposes the United Nations as an apostate organization bent on the erosion and even destruction of Israel and its western allies is well worth reading. That puts Alex Grobman's book, NATIONS UNITED: HOW THE UNITED NATIONS UNDERMINE ISRAEL AND THE WEST, on my short list of `must reads'. Grobman glaringly illustrates how the U.N. consistently betrays its own charter by failing to support the Jewish state; a nation created in part, by the United Nations.

Dr. Grobman begins his work at the conclusion of WWII, giving a precise analysis of the groundwork surrounding the establishment of Israel. He then takes the reader through the progression of events that have caused support of Israel, by the U.N., to deteriorate to the point of implacable antagonism and opposition. Such events are detailed as the former Soviet Union's disdain for Israel and the mounting dissent of the increasingly more powerful Middle Eastern Muslim countries, whose U.N. membership currently outnumbers Jewish membership by 23 to 1.

You will also glean valuable insight as to how the finances of the U.N. (which comes largely from the west) are being used to promote an anti-Semitic and anti-Western worldwide agenda; how the U.N uses primarily anti-Israel and secondarily anti-Western propaganda to mask the truth of oppression and fanatical leadership of many of the Muslim member states.

Dr. Grobman goes on to illustrate the plethora of ways in which the U.N has aided and abetted atrocious behavior and mishandling of funds by the Palestinians. The reader's attention is also directed to the June, 2006 U.N. Human Rights Council meeting where the primary focus was human rights violations against occupied Arab peoples (Palestinians), but human rights violations in places such as Darfur, Uzbekistan, Mexico and Sri Lanka went completely ignored.

The summary conclusion of Dr. Grobman's brilliant and critical work here is that the United Nations is like a cancer to world society whose time for dissolution is long overdue. The corruption (Oil for Food) and consistent pressing of political agendas has gone on for far too long and it is critical to the future of western civilization that this spurious organization designed to protect human rights be brought to justice for its corruption and terminated from existence for its failure to hold itself to its own charter laws.

This is a must read for anyone who has as much as a minor concern for the future of our world.

Monty Rainey
Junto Society

Written by Jewish historian Alex Grobman, Nations United: How the United Nations Undermines Israel and the West is a stinging indictment of anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, and anti-Israel speech and action, especially as seen in the United Nations in modern history and the present day. Chapters briefly summarize the origins of Zionism, decry the UN's 1975 Z=R resolution that declared Zionism to be "a form of racism and racial discrimination" (this resolution was repealed in 1991, yet Grobman maintains that repercussions remain), discuss the reprehensible usage of Holocaust denial as a weapon and its consequences, describe modern anti-Semitism in the context of Z=R, and much more. The final passage, "Is the UN Worth It?" crystalizes Grobman's doubts about the failings of this international institution. Part history, part ardent defense of Israel and its practices, part political manifesto, and entirely critical of the UN, Nations United is heavily researched with an extensive list of articles and an index, and worth reading for its insights into the conservative Zionist perspective regardless of whether one agrees entirely with its claims.

This well-researched work chronicles the founding of the United Nations, its role in the recognition of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent history of relations between the two. Unfortunately the world body's attitude towards Israel started to deteriorate soon afterward as Grobman's analysis reveals. This change was brought about by the USSR in alliance with Arab states, later joined by the so-called Non-Aligned block of nations. The book explores the origins and development of the transformation in detail.

The UN became a hotbed of Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism; this strategy culminated in the disgusting 1975 resolution equating Zionism with racism. Although the US finally managed to have it revoked in 1991, the sinister forces behind it were not stopped by the end of the Cold War. The hostility towards Israel and the West did not cease and these agendas are more active than ever, with a majority of member states issuing an unending stream of condemnations against Israel while ignoring the murderous acts of terrorist groups and criminal states.

One of its more loathsome "achievements" was the World Conference Against Racism, the unrestrained Anti-Israel hate-fest which took place in Durban in 2001. The author shows that the organization thrives on Antisemitism while remaining willfully blind to atrocities in places like Rwanda, Chechnya and Darfur. It is obsessed with the deligitimization of the Jewish State and continues to disseminate anti-US and anti-Israel propaganda through its plethora of agencies and associated non-governmental organizations.

The book provides answers on why the UN has failed so miserably with almost every single crisis that it was intended to solve or ameliorate. One of the main reasons is projection: the hatred of successful societies deflects attention from the abject failure of the accusers' own miserable countries. Another is that the privileged UN bureaucrats are in it for themselves, forming part of the set of parasites called "transnational progressives." These fat cats pursue their self-serving agendas by using the money of Western taxpayers.

Another illuminating book covering some of the same ground is Tower of Babble by Dore Gold, whilst Global Deception by Joseph Klein and The Beast on the East River by Nathan Tabor show how the UN has become a threat to the security and sovereignty of the USA. Dominated by power-hungry bureaucrats, shady billionaires and special interest groups, Turtle Bay is nothing else but a pestilential swamp of corruption, nepotism and even drug dealing, as revealed in The UN Gang: A Memoir of Incompetence, Corruption, Espionage, Anti-Semitism and Islamic Extremism at the UN Secretariat by Pedro Sanjuan. Finally, the collusion of the mass media and the details of the Oil-for-Food scandal are brilliantly covered in Eric Shawn's The U.N. Exposed.

Nations United provides detailed information on the history of the Middle East conflict and on the nature of the UN. Copious notes at the end of every chapter plus an extensive bibliography provide an impressive collection of sources for further investigation. The book makes a valuable contribution to the literature on this corrupt and criminal organization.

United Abominations

Lovers of good political writing will enjoy this. I was greatly inspired by the first edition of this while I was a college student in the 1980s (when Mr. Mandela was still imprisoned).

Among the highlights are "Bantu Education" (1950s), a look at how the educational system for Black South Africans was designed to produce a class of cheap labor (as a Black South Carolinian, I can relate). Mandela's court speech prior to his imprisonment in 1964 reads like a South African "I Have A Dream" as he eloquently states the case of Black S/Africans and his willingness to be a martyr for that cause. (Check the actual sound recording of this on the CD "The Voice of Nelson Mandela" for the full effect).

Later, we see the level of principle of Mr. Mandela as he spurns offers for freedom under the conditions set by the S/A government in the 80s. We also read his post-release speech as well as his calls for peace among warring factions in S/A.

Makes you wish for eloquent, principled, and effective leaders like this in America. At least it can inspire future generations toward that direction. By all means, read it.

What a bottomless well of encouragement and inspiration one gets from its reading! Nelson Mandela, basing himself on the mass of Black, Colored and Indian, workers, peasants and other democrats of South Africa, was unbreakable at the hands of the horrific, murderous and terrorist system of aparthied. Akin to Nazis Germany, the Jim Crow USA South and Zionist Israel, South Africa enjoyed the backing of the US and British and Israeli governments until it was overthrown.

Joining the African National Congress in 1944 at age 26, he and other youth would lead its transformation from and organization of " gentlemen with clean hands" to the mass revolutionary democratic movement that would lead the revolution over apartheid. Doing so even while in prison for nearly 30 years. He was finally released in 1990 at age 72 and was soon after elected South Africa's president.

For decades, a popular demand in South Africa and around the world was: Free Nelson Mandela! This book does an excellent job of showing just why Mandela was so popular among the masses in his country and so feared and hated by apartheid's rulers. He was a first-class revolutionary who fought for decades for his country's freedom and always believed in the power of the masses of people to make change. This book is so inspiring because you read Mandela in his own words, starting as a student leader in the 1940s to a leader of the African National Congress's armed wing in the 1960s to an internationally known political prisoner in the 1980s. He never gave up and he outlasted the vicious apartheid system. The photos in the book also do a great job of showing what the struggle against apartheid was like.

What a wonderful experience-- reading and studying speeches and documents prepared by Nelson Mandela during five decades of struggle against the apartheid regime in South Africa! Here are key documents of the African National Congress, including the Freedom Charter that became the central document of the mass movement that brought down apartheid. Also Mandela's speeches at different stages of the struggle, including historic courtroom addresses when he was on trial for his life; documents Mandela prepared as the apartheid regime was forced to negotiate with him and the ANC in the late 1980s; and his first speeches after he was released from prison in 1990.
These speeches give a vivid reminder of the brutal, racist regime that was apartheid (and we should never forget that the South African regime was a pillar of U.S. domination in Africa from the 1940s on.) Mandela gives us a real feel for the determined, difficult, and courageous struggle of millions of people who never accepted submission to apartheid and the world-wide importance of the fight for a democratic, nonracial South Africa. And you see truly inspiring leadership in the persons of Mandela and his fellow leaders in the ANC.
Don't miss the 32-pages of photos that really help bring this rich struggle to life as well!

Medgar Evers was an American Hero. A young, articulate African American man, he had the courage to be head of the NAACP in Mississippi during the darkest days of the Civil Rights Movement. He was shot in the back in his driveway by an avowed "rabid racist" named Byron de la Beckwith.

Beckwith was tried twice for the crime; each time the jury was hung.

A quarter of a century later, an intrepid reporter named Jerry Mitchell of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger shook Mississippi to the core when he uncovered new evidence that pointed to Beckwith's guilt. Myrlie Evers, an amazing woman who was widowed by Beckwith's bullet, took that evidence to the Hinds County District Attorney's Office and asked that the case be reopened.

At first, the DA was sympathetic but skeptical. Then a brilliant Assistant District Attorney, Bobby DeLaughter, began investigating the possibility of indicting Beckwith.

This is the true story of DeLaughter's dogged, relentless search for justice. The story was partly told in the film "Ghosts of Mississippi" in which DeLaughter was played by Alec Baldwin. However, DeLaughter's real life account of the trial is far more captivating, amazing and, ultimately satisfying than the movie's version.

This book has the passion and riveting surprises of the best of Grisham or Turow, combined with the emotional impact of "Eyes On The Prize" and "The Long Walk Home." DeLaughter, a fluid and powerful writer, takes us deep into the heart of evil as he investigates a powerful Klansman.

In the end, this book is a triumphant and uplifting reminder of how the legal system can still bring justice.

Highest Recommendation.

As a new lawyer, this book really helped me realize so many things as to what a lawyer should do before, during, and after the trial.

I am a Filipino, there is no racial discrimination in our country... yet I cried many times while reading this book.

If you read this book you will really learn to appreciate the value of human dignity.

I had been interested by the story of Medgar Evers and the difficulty the state had in prosecuting his alleged killer for some time. When the State of Mississippi reopened the case for a potential third attempt at prosecution I was hopeful that some sense of justice might be achieved but not at all convinced that the then alleged killer would be found guilty of Medgar Evers' murder. Bobby De Laughter has written an insightful, thoughtful and intriguing book. As I read his account of the various threads of the story, the leads the DA's office had to develop to prosecute this case after so many years and the elements of good fortune that allowed this case to be pursued successfully I could not help but feel the presence of Medgar Evers. The goodness of the man and his persistent quest for justice is echoed in the actions of Mr. De Laughter, Ms. Myrlie Evers, the many dogged investigators and committed professionals who played their part in making the third trial come together.

This is a great read, so compelling I could not put it down. In many ways this book reads like a mystery. So much of what was needed to prepare the case against Byron De La Beckwith was lost during the long period between the killing and the final trial. Twice shut out, the stakes couldn't have been higher for the prosecution in this third outing. The book is no less suspenseful because the verdict is known. Although an intensely personal account, Mr. DeLaughter clearly and consicely explains the legal hurdles the prosecution faced and incisively analyzes the behavior and motivations of the defendant. Mr. De Laughter is widely descibed as very private, but in his writing he and his experience are so accessible the reader feels as if s/he is there every step of the way. This is an intelligent and inspiring work that should not be missed.

Then Assistant District Attorney (now Judge) DeLaughter helps do much to portray modern day Mississippi as it is, and dispel the hackneyed and narrow minded portrayals of the state as the last great bastion of racism. Judge DeLaughter is modern Mississippi, with an unwavering sense of justice, fairness, and a dedication to bring the guilty to trial. A movie was made regarding this incident, but this succinct and well written book lends such a better understanding that it must be recommended even if one has seen the movie. This is the face of modern Mississippi, and of this we are proud.

The New Jerusalem reprints G. K. Chesterton's classic travelogue in which he sought to better understand the Middle East in the years following World War I. Nearly three decades before the creation of the State of Israel, Chesterton observed the Christians, Jews, and Muslims of Palestine; his unvarnished conclusions are presented at face value, without any allowances for political correctness or other modern contrivances. In addition to his blunt assessments and judgments are also a wonder of firsthand description and depiction of ordinary people surviving day-to-day life, and evidence of seekers searching the holy land for revelation, and extended philosophical speculation concerning the ancient histories destinies of races and faiths of people. Though limited by Chesterton's individual perspective and opinions, The New Jerusalem is an invaluable addition to collective understanding concerning Palestine and how it was viewed by individuals and religious organizations nearly a century ago.

G.K. Chesterton displays his level of wit and insights into Palestine. His candid views are presented here in a style that is fresh and interesting to modern readers. I highly recommend "The New Jerusalem".

When G. K . Chesterton published The New Jerusalem he was called an anti Semite. He denied it but after reading the book it's pretty clear that Jews were not his favorite people. He refers to the poor newly arrived immigrant Jews as tacky to the point of hideousness and showered contempt on the sophisticated fully assimilated upper class London Jews. He even goes as far as to opine that had a great disaster had befallen England during Benjamin Disraeli's years as prime minister, Disraeli (because he was Jewish) probably would've sailed off to America or somewhere else without a thought for England. That's harsh.

Chesterton also had sour things to say about Orthodox Christians. His comments on the religious Jews of Jerusalem are a little kinder or at least less mean but his only real admiration seems to have been for the Muslims of what was then called Palestine. He seems to have viewed them like we view wild lions today. You can't help but be awed by the beasts but you also know that if that they're dangerous.

Finally, this cold, gloomy book makes a startling prediction that has, alas, come horribly true. Chesterton bluntly stated that the area known as Palestine was hopelessly divided if a Jewish state was ever established there the local Arabs would fight it.

Please don't come to this book looking for the cuddly fellow who wrote the Father Brown stories because he is not here.

G.K. Chesteron's book titled THE NEW JERUSALEM is the only "angry" book this reviewer has ever read of Chesterton's vast literary work. This book is not for the timid or the dull. Those who are serious Catholics, religious Jews, or devout Muslims will learn from this book. Those who religious views are fashionable and politically correct will be shocked by honest language and thoughtful insight.

Chesteton reminds readers that Palestine and Judea (modern Israel)was at one time under Ancient Roman control and during the late 11th. and 12th. centuries under European control. The complex history of the Middle East includes peoples of different cultures, languages, and political views. The fact is that Europeans as well as Western Asians. The Middle East was "the cradle" of early Catholocism, the flowering of Judaism, and the original area of Islam.

Those who are aware of the Byzantine rule know that the Byzantines used the Greek language. Yet, they ruled using Roman Law, and the Greek Orthodox Church was very similiar to the Catholic Church. As an aside, the Greek Orthodox ligurgy and sacramental system are similiar to those of Catholicism. This reviewer is very aware that there are differences which have caused bitterness and schism.

Chesterton chides the British for not knowing little or nothing of the Middle East, and the same could be said of American "experts" whose knowledge of the history and georgraphy of this area is either nil or fabricated nonsense. Chesterton contrasts the vague, undignified language of modern policy "experts" with the clear yet poetic bluntness of the Old Hebrew Prophets whose denounciations was quite understandable by those whom they condemned.

Contrary to modern fads and notions, Jerusalem was and is a place of vivid religious and cultural differences which has exploded at times in violence and bitter clashes. As Chesterton makes clear, modern fashionable Protestantism would never have survived in Jerusalem. Islam, Judaism and Catholcism did.

Chesterton saw the post World War I situation with prophetic vision. He argued that while there was no war, there was no actual peace, and the Middle East was an armned camp. This was a problem for the British who were under the illusion that their inherent superiority and arrogant ignorance would protect them from the realities that Chesterton clearly understood.

Chesterton reserves his most serious writing for Zionism. He presents those of the Jewish faith that they were Europeans or Zionists. Chesterton DOES NOT condemn Judaism. He was critical of what some may consider Jewish Nationalism as compared to Judaism as a religion. By avoiding these issues British, and later American, policy makers tried to exert their influence with little knowledge much to their chagrin. Chesterton argued that Europeans regardless of their religion benefitted from Catholic Canon Law, a gradual respect for legal rights, and the rediscovery of reason via Aristotle and Catholic Scholasticism. The Zionists were forced to ask themselves whether or not they were Westerners. This is still a current debate. Chesterton commented that he had more respect for Jewish radicals who championed the rights of the poor than he had for the wealthy plutocrats, Jewish or not.

G.K. Chesterton knew that after World War I, the Middle East was a political powder keg. One weakness of this book is that Chesterton could have critisized the Balfour Declaration (1917) which was so poorly written and vague that both Arabs and Jewish Zionists could use it to justify their political aspirations. An Ancient Hebrew Prophet would have been much clearer and succinct.

G.K. Chesterton defends his views from a Catholic point of view. THE NEW JERUSALEM is a well written and blunt assessment of the Middle East that thoughtful men (there are so few of such men) will have a better understanding of the historical drama (a tragic historical drama)that is evolving. What is more tragic is that sensible men were avoided or ignored when something could have been done during and just after World War I. But men in power were and are seldom sensible.