Richard Kennedy Books

As the leading civilian authority on the U.S. Secret Service (and President Kennedy's interaction with the agency), I was much interested in this book by Richard Reeves. I am a big fan of Mr. Reeves---in addition to a great book on Richard Nixon, he is a great writer and speaker. You can't go wrong in purchasing this fine book. vince palamara

Jackie Kennedy is said to have given copies of this book to her children with the advice, "If you want to know your father, he is in this book." Reeves was said to be surprised at her endorsement and commented. "I wasn't terribly flattering to Jackie in the book."
Well worth the read.

After reading this book, I feel that I come out understanding the Kennedy presidency in better terms. While Sorenson and Schlesinger wrote impeccable accounts on the admininstration, they are somewhat distorted, and make Kennedy out to be a hero. This well-written and higly researched account, I feel to be the definintive account of the administration. It shows the flaws of President Kennedy, and the true personality of the man in the White House, his battle with Addison's disease. Kennedy was a very inexperienced leader at the beginning of his presidency, and I don't feel that it really dawned on him until the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

This detailed account covers his meetings with Premier Krushchev, how he dealt with South Vietnam, and the apparent sickness that came upon him after learning of the death of Ngo Din Diem. You also see that Kennedy was very much a womanizer, almost to the point of obsession it seems. This book deserves much attention, and for anybody who has never read about President Kennedy, an excellent start.

This book is a well-written chronological account of Kennedy's presidency. Minimized is the personal gossip and inuendo while highlighted is the decision-making style of JFK and his entourage as events unfold. You get a sense of what it's like being thrust into the vortex of events for which no president is totally prepared. The writer attempts to reveal President Kennedy as both more and less than the Camelot charisma would have you believe. Thoroughly enjoyable and informative must-read addition.

President Kennedy did not have the easiest presidency imaginable: big issues abroad including Cuba, Vietnam, Berlin, the nuclear arms race and test ban treaties with Russia and the highly contradictory issue of integration at home were all begging for his attention and often at the same time. This biography gives a good insight into the way decisions were taken and that there is a lot of on-the-job learning involved. It is in a sense shocking to read that the way a superpower is run is not that much different from the way an average manager runs his group of a few people.

I found it slightly disappointing that this biography deals exclusively with the presidency of Kennedy, not his formative years as a student, a soldier and a senator. But all in all a revealing insight into the presidency of a man who, after his assassination, become a posthumous hero.

I love this book. My mother first read it to me when I was about ten, and I enjoyed it so much that I made little clay figures of all the characters, then took pictures of them and sent them to the author. He wrote me back a lovely letter (including a drawing he did of Davy Duck) which is still nestled between the pages of my battered paperback edition.

Over 15 years later, I've picked it up for the second time, and I am every bit as charmed by the story as I ever was, but reading as an adult, I am seeing the story differently. I rather wish that, as a child, someone would have pointed out to me that all the trouble in this book happens because the characters don't communicate important information to one another.

The characters all have distinctive personalities, and are in no way cliche. Can you name any other children's book which contains a character made out of long underwear who is obsessed with numerology? I didn't think so. This book still has the ability to make me laugh out loud, and can just as easily bring a tear to my eye.

If you ever believed your toys could become real with enough love, if you ever wanted to go on a pirate adventure for gold treasure, if you love nursery rhymes and boats and the sea, find yourself a copy of this book!

I just finished reading this book. It broke my heart. I won't spoil anything, don't worry. I just don't think this is a good book for young children. It's all fun and adventure till someone gets hurt. That's all I'll tell about the plot. It broke my heart and i don't recomend it for children. I just don't think they're ready for such things unless they have a tendancy to be overly optimistic. If they can find the light in anything then they'll find the light in this book.

This book is one of the most beautifully imaginative stories ever written. I read it over 20 years ago and still remember it with great fondness. It's a wonderful book for girls and boys alike, best for ages 8+.

My 4 year old son is big into ships, particularly pirate ships. This book captivated him (and his 2 year old brother) every night for over a month. Many of the Mother Goose references were familiar to him and he enjoyed hearing the poems over and over. Pirates became the biggest intrigue and the action had to be edited toward the end. Still, it will be a book I am sure we will read again and again. The song "Greensleeves" has taken on a new meaning in our home and the boys are learning the lyrics, it is now the most requested night lullabye.

On a whim, I googled this book today to see if I could buy a copy online somewhere. I LOVED this book as a child and feel a strong desire to reread it. Call it 'comfort food'. I was so enamered with the story, the writing, Amy and the Capt, that I was upset when I turned the last page of this book. It is an amazing fantasy- Kennedy pulls your imagination out alongside his. Highly recommened for any age, this story will inspire your child (or yourself) to become an avid reader of fantasy, such as "A Wrinkle in Time", the Narnia Chronicles, etc. Can't wait to get my new copy.

Everyone should read ee cummings, even non-poetry lovers will love cummings whimsy and clever wordplay. He has also written the most beautiful, most romantic poetry of anyone in the English language.

It really is a great collection of e.e. cummings - certainly everything I wanted.

But what's to review - it's e.e. cummings, it's great

Now I must get back to my toboganning into know

Enjoy.

P.S. e.e. cummings was emphatic about his name being in lower case, so I do have to criticize the Editors of this book for putting his name in caps

One of the great poets of the 20th century gets a nice treatment here. A few of my favorites were not included (disappointed!!), but all in all this is a solid, representative anthology.

This is not a review. It is a complaint about the review I just read critisizing the editors of this fine collection. E.E. Cummings HATED that his publishers put his name in all lower case. He was not emphatic about it. He thought it was gimicky and exploitive of his publishes.
Whoa, when'd this horse get so high. ooop
S.

This review is from a strictly prose guy, as poetry usually goes right over my head. In my efforts to understand poetry, I have discovered that the work of e.e. cummings breaks through the stylistic barriers that make many people shy away from poetry altogether. cummings' use of bizarre spacing, punctuation, and phrasings keeps the reader away from the "sing-song" routine that tends to damage the credibility of many a poem, and cummings uses the art of style to say many things and make many points in just a few words. The most fascinating aspect of cummings' work is letting the small number of words in a poem really sink in until you gain many insights. This book usefully arranges cummings' most noteworthy poems into categories so you can more easily dwell on his major areas of subject matter. cummings did not live the hard life of many noteworthy poets, so a good number of his poems are musings on abstract concepts like life, love, mythology, and mortality. However, his much sharper observations on war, prostitution, politics, and the dark side of urban life can be truly shocking once you delve into their deeper meanings. Contemplating the title of this review, which is also the first line of the poem on page 181 of this book, will help any poetry-fearing reader to dive into cummings' world.

I am a fan of the Kennedys and I love this book! It is just pictures...pictures...pictures! It is so wonderful! I had to wait 6 long days for it to come to my house. But it was worth it! I love all of the photographs of Caroline as a 2 year old at the beach playing with her parents. I also like the ones of John at the beach with his mother.
This book is wonderful. And I love it. If you buy it, it is worth the money! I paid 12 dollars for it! Mark Shaw did a good job!!!

Mark Shaw's photographs capture the idyllic moments of John, Jackie, Caroline and John Jr., whether at play in the White House or laughing together on a Cape Cod beach. The simple yet stunning photos of this famous foursome will be as familiar to you as your own family photo album.

To those who were there when John Kennedy was in the White House, this book will serve as a touching remembrance and to people who know about the Kennedys from just a historical standpoint, the photos and words will provide a more personal glimpse into the years that are commonly referred to as the Camelot era. Richard Reeves words are not overly sentimental but an accurate assessment of the life and times of this legendary family.

Overall, The John F. Kennedys: A Family Album, is a pleasant, yet sometimes sad journey looking back at what was considered the perfect family of two successful, stunning parents and their adorable children. Behind the photos, all was not perfect but Mark Shaw's camera didn't lie -- in the end, they were like any other family with problems but in-between they knew how to have fun and simply enjoy each others company, as is evident in many of Shaw's photos, especially those showing them at play at their home on Cape Cod.

Followers of the Kennedy's will no doubt enjoy this book, as will those who are interested in what life was like for a very public family who shared their private times with a talented photographer and with the world. If you like taking a look back in time, you will no doubt enjoy the journey Mark Shaw and Richard Reeves takes you on.

This book about the Kennedy family is one of the best! I am a fan of them, and I love those pictures! My favorites are the ones of Caroline and her brother in Caroline's bedroom in the White House, and the ones of John-John and Caroline with their Father and Maud Shaw, the nanny, which I'm guessing is in early 1961. This book has no words, except for the intro and the back describing the pictures from the chapter. This is a definite need for anyone who is a Kennedy fan!!!

This book has beautiful photographs of the former first family. Congradulations to Mark Shaw for a wonderful job!!!!!! FOR QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ON JACKIE ONASSIS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT MellissaLD@aol.com. HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark Shaw's book is a real treat. His loving, poignant photographs show the real love, the real bonds, the real ties within the most famous family. The pictures of little Caroline and John are among my favorites. Caroline and John from all accounts have remained so natural, so wonderfully, refreshingly normal. I loved seeing these two children at play. Pennsylvania Avenue could have been Main Street. To their parents' credit, they grew up unaffected. This book shows it.

In his year-end column for World War II Magazine, book review editor Robert Citino selected American Warriors as one of the best World War II books of the year. I agree. History books should be informative, accurate and readable; American Warriors is all of these and more. The author brings to light the military careers of five of our recent presidents, highlighting their naval service in the Pacific. Extensively end-noted, American Warriors draws on interviews with more than 100 veterans who served with the presidents as well as on a comprehensive bibliography of primary sources. Folklore has no place in this well-researched book. Presidential scholars will find it a dependable resource; more casual readers will find it swift paced and enjoyable. I highly recommend American Warriors.

As we currently ponder our country's military involvements and the credentials of those who would be President, a.k.a. Commander in Chief, this is a timely book to digest.

American Warriors is a highly readable, yet detailed account of the naval service of five United States presidents. Before picking up this informative book, I knew that presidents Kennedy and Bush Sr. served in World War II. I certainly did not know that five presidents were naval officers in the Pacific.

I am particularly impressed with the author's interviews of well over 100 veterans who served with the presidents. American Warriors is a reflection of his diligent pursuit of the details that are often passed over by political biographers. Time and again he sorts out conflicting testimony with rational explanations of events seen through multiple eyes.

Many Americans are aware that President Kennedy was the skipper of PT 109, which was sunk by a Japanese destroyer. I would venture a guess that very few are aware that Kennedy skippered a second PT boat, or equally surprising, that Presidents Nixon and Ford each served in the Pacific longer than either Kennedy or Bush.

American Warriors sets the standard for reporting these five presidents' military service. Presidential biographers would do well to take note of this insightful book. Military history fans will be delighted.

American Warriors is a detailed, annotated account of five American Presidents who also happened to serve their country as soldiers in the Pacific theater during WWII. The author has thoroughly researched the naval careers of each of these men, and has skillfully annotated their records by interviewing the many veterans who served with them.

The thoroughness of the research in American Warriors does not affect its readability. The accounts range from Lyndon Johnson's reconnaissance mission for General MacArthur, to the rescue of George H. W. Bush after his near fatal glide-bombing attack in his VT-51 Avenger. The details describing John F. Kennedy's heroism and dedication to his crew after the ramming of his PT-109 provide an equally important "rest of the story." The particulars of Richard Nixon as a young ground aviation officer stationed in the Solomon Islands present an interesting contrast to the Machiavellian characteristics that he later exhibited. And the natural leadership qualities of Gerald Ford are clearly displayed during his duty under fire as officer-of-the-deck on the carrier Monterey. In summary, the exploits documented in American Warriors serve as fascinating prologues, that should enhance the reader's knowledge of the more well-known political personas later developed by these Commanders-in-Chief.

American Warriors is highly recommended for those interested in modern presidential history.

American Warriors chronicals the time spent by Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Bush in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Most of us knew these five men from their times as President and their poltical careers prior to becoming President. Some of us knew about President Kennedy and the PT-109 story and the dangers he faced while serving his country in WWII; but few of us knew that the other Presidents served in the war and faced life-threatening situations that shaped their future views of the world prior to entering the political area.
All of these Presidents had to make decisions during their Presidency to send others to war. The book shows that these men knew war first-hand and were undoubtedly influenced in their future political careers by their dangerous wartime experiences. American Warriors provides information on these five Presidents that is not typically addressed in other biographies using interviews with veterans who were there to corroborate events during these Presidents' service in the Pacific Theater of WWII.

This is a great book, even if you're into escapist roleplaying, and pretending you're a knight, this will teach you what real chivalry was.
Bigger and more concise than the hagakure, it should be required reading for anyone who aspires to be a good person.

A very good dual-text copy of the writings of Geoffroi De Charny (the Knight that kept the oriflamme, a symbol of France, and the first famous possessor of the Shroud of Turin) into what Chivalry is, and what Knighthood should be, and the differences between that and what it really seemed to be.

The prose is well done, giving good insight into the mind of the Knight of that era. Examples of the problems of lust versus courtly love, the appropriateness of staying just a little hungry, and a comparison of the Orders of Grace (priesthood) with the Orders of Knighthood all work together to give the reader a sense of the noble and knightly duties in the pre Republic days of Europe. This is a good starting point (along with Ramon Lull's _The Book of the Order of Chivalry_) for the novice to learn how social Chivalry developed from the military form to the current socio-political. The parallels in current day knighthood can easily be seen once an understanding is gained of the past, and this book brings the past into focus in an amazing way.

Do be advised -- the French and English are interleaved, so you'll either be reading on the right (english) or left (french) once you get past the introduction!

Those who are members of mideval Recreation will find this book great insight to how the Knights of the day thought, felt, and acted about thier role and the betterment of thier Order. This book gives the reader a chance to view the concepts of chivalry through the eyes of one of the greatest Knights of France.

The original author, Geffroi de Charny, probably did not write this book -- like many busy leaders, he probably dictated it. Kennedy's translation lets you hear him speak. If you think you'd like to hear what a serious, practical, yet idealistic knight thought about chivalry, this is the book for you.

This book outlines every facet of the facinating life of E.E. Cummings. A must read for anyone researching or interested in his life.

Recently having completed DREAMS IN THE MIRROR, I can say that I haven't read a better biography in a long time. If you are a true E.E. Cummings fan (or e.e. cummings as he spelled it), the insights that Kennedy has into the man's life, as well as the interpretations of his poems, seems to make sense. I own a copy of his "Complete Poems 1904-1962", and having read many of them, I thought that the logical next step was to see how someone else thought of them. Kennedy's biography of Cummings is the only one that I know of in existance. Adding to that is Nancy Andrews, Cummings' daughter, who gave a lot of insight into her father, as well as previously unpublished poems and even drawings(!!). The book doesn't read like a novel, so don't expect to pace though it quickly. It is a well-written account of Cummings' life, so remember to pay attention. Being it as it may, and considering that information, I say go on and read it. It's worth the time.

a wonderful book ... especially the love story and photos of cummings and marion moorehouse

'Dreams in the Mirror: A Biography of E.E. Cummings' is a precise account of a unique, creative poet. Richard S. Kennedy has made sense of the seemingly incoherent mind that made the literary world spin in a profoundly deconstructed orbit during the period following Cummings' graduation from the Harvard School of Arts and Sciences in 1916. Perhaps the most significant element of Kennedy's book is the previously unpublished Cummings' poem discovered in the dusty closet of a Tunisian Bed&Beakfast he'd occupied in 1931. Titled 'Insanity is Just a Mind of State', it is one of Cummings' most autobiographical works, revealing the poet's life-long regret that he'd never wrestled an alligator. The lament, on page 79, reads:

'i'm mad; say they
but Almonds aren't NUTS!
(is) thE river SEINE in pariS;?'

The human mind is a beautiful thing.

Richard Trask's objectivity must be maddening to the conspiracy nuts since he clearly doesn't give credence to their silly theories, while at the same time he doesn't openly criticize their ideas. He isn't looking for a fight. He simply researches the objective photographic history and refuses to jump on the bandwagon of insanity currently awash in the country by those claiming the Zapruder film has been altered. I was glad that he did not spend a lot of time in this arena, it would have cheapened the high quality of work Trask is known for. ALong with "Pictures of the Pain" Trask must be ranked among the great photographic historians of this case. I highly recommend this work

I whole-heartedly agree with Mr. Von Pein's extremely comprehensive review. If you are into the photographic and film record of the Kennedy Assassination, as I am, than Mr. Trask's published works will satisfy your desire for an in-depth analysis of the major photos and films taken during the November 21st-November 22nd period of time. All three of his books are worth the investment for the wealth of photos they contain and the analysis of those photos.
As to NATIONAL NIGHTMARE, I liken it to that first cup of cold water after a long run. It is satisfying and quenches the thirst. Mr. Trask approaches the history of the film and his analysis of it with no agenda. He is not out to change anyone's mind as to "who dun it," unlike David R. Wrone, who does a good job of describing the history of the film in THE ZAPRUDER FILM: REFRAMING JFK'S ASSASSINATION, but then goes off into the wacky world of Zapruder film tampering by unknown conspirators. I consider myself a historian, an as such, am much more impressed with Mr. Trask's objective approach to his subject. One gets the impression that he discounts the conspiracy theories in favor of the Warren Commission findings, but it serves as an undercurrent, not as a presumptious raison d'etre for the existence of the book. Mr. Trask simply presents the photographic record in wonderful detail, leaving the theories for the reader to muddle over.
This is really an extaordinary book, and my hope is the Mr. Trask (I hope you're reading this, sir) publishes a book of all 400+ frames of the Zapruder film in the largest, clearest, most colorful format that technology can provide and takes a page to analyze each frame of the film. One frame per page accompanied by a page of analysis would amount to a holy grail of sorts for me and no doubt for all those who understand the importance of analyzing the history of November 22, 1963 through the numerous photographs and films taken on that day.

I love reading Richard Trask's books about the JFK assassination; and this one, published in late October 2005, is certainly no exception. It's very informative and definitely a worthy addition to anyone's collection of written materials surrounding the shocking murder of President John Kennedy in November of 1963.

"National Nightmare On Six Feet Of Film: Mr. Zapruder's Home Movie And The Murder Of President Kennedy" is a softcover volume containing 392 pages packed with just about every conceivable piece of information revolving around the infamous 26-second color motion-picture film taken by Dallas dress manufacturer Abraham Zapruder on November 22, 1963, which is a film which shows, in all its morbid detail, the assassination of an American President in broad daylight on a city street in Dallas, Texas.

Mr. Trask details the full history of the film and provides a good deal of background and biographical information on Mr. Zapruder, an ordinary Dallas businessman, born in Russia, who, by pure happenstance and coincidence, turned out to be the amateur filmmaker whose name will forever be associated with the death of JFK.

But, if it weren't for the prodding of his secretary, Lillian Rogers (who encouraged Zapruder to go back home and retrieve his 8mm Bell-&-Howell movie camera shortly before the President's motorcade arrived in Dealey Plaza), that brief and awful 26 seconds in history would probably have never been captured through Mr. Zapruder's lens.

Like Richard Trask's other books on the JFK assassination which focus attention on the photographic aspect of the tragedy, the text of "National Nightmare" is ever-readable, easily-understood, and refreshingly-non-biased when it comes to taking a "Conspiracy vs. No Conspiracy" position by the author. Mr. Trask lays out the facts and leaves it at that.

This book's endnotes/footnotes are all positioned at the back of the book in one separate section, so as to not clutter up the main text of the volume. (So keeping two bookmarks handy is recommended, because a lot of interesting info can be gleaned from some of these endnotes too.)

One big surprise to this writer when perusing this book was seeing a COLOR version of the Robert Croft photograph printed on Page 67 (within a 16-page spread of mostly all-color photos and Zapruder Film frames). I had never seen the Croft picture in color previously. And it's an excellent-quality print of that famous amateur photo that I found in this volume, too. The picture is needle-sharp and the color is virtually perfect.

The Croft photo, by the way, depicts the President's limousine on Elm Street, just after the car has made its sharp left turn from Houston Street in front of the Texas School Book Depository. It was taken at a point equivalent to Zapruder frame #161 (per this book's text and captions), which is just about the time the first gunshot was being fired in Dealey Plaza.

Other highly-recommended publications authored by Richard B. Trask (centering on the photography of President Kennedy's assassination) ..... "Pictures Of The Pain" (1994) and "That Day In Dallas" (1998). The latter is a condensed version of the former, focusing attention on just three of the photographers who took pictures in Dallas on the day JFK was killed (Cecil Stoughton, James Altgens, and Jim Murray).*

* = Although condensed into a smaller number of pages than that of its predecessor "POTP", "That Day In Dallas" does contain "revised and enlarged" material throughout its limited number of chapters. And the specific photographs represented within that volume are unrivaled in their clarity and quality of physical presentation, in this writer's personal opinion.

I truly enjoyed both of those books, and was very glad to see "That Day In Dallas" come out a few years after "POTP", because "That Day" provides a larger-print format for many excellent-quality assassination-related photographs, including several pictures you're not likely to see in any other book on the subject.

As a companion piece to "National Nightmare", I would also recommend highly the MPI Home Video DVD "Image Of An Assassination: A New Look At The Zapruder Film" (released in the summer of 1998), which contains four "digital" versions of the entire 26-second Zapruder Film in various formats, including "zoomed-in" variants and a previously-unseen "Widescreen" version of the movie, which includes the imagery between the "sprocket holes" from Mr. Zapruder's "camera original" film.

That DVD also contains some valuable and collectible "bonus" video programming, including interviews with Zapruder associates, as well as the March 1975 "Good Night America" program (hosted by Geraldo Rivera), during which U.S. audiences first saw the horrifying images of Mr. Zapruder's movie. The DVD also has a crystal-clear video copy of the Live interview that Abraham Zapruder gave on WFAA-TV just hours after he had filmed the assassination.

Many of the above-mentioned items from that "Image Of An Assassination" DVD are also referenced by Mr. Trask throughout the well-written pages of "National Nightmare".

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In "National Nightmare On Six Feet Of Film", Richard Trask has admirably filled in yet another in a seemingly-never-ending series of pieces of subject matter that comprise the wide and varied fabric that form the mosaic of literature covering the topic of the John F. Kennedy assassination.

Nowhere can be found a more detailed and fact-based history of Abraham Zapruder's historic film than that which resides within these 392 pages.

the other reviewers have captured what i would have said far more eloquently. i'll just add my five stars and tell you that 'come again in the spring' is my favorite from the book.

it's a perfect gift for your child and the child in you.

This audiotape of Richard Kennedy's wonderful stories is magnificent. The storyteller reads them with flair, and is very true to the author's intentions. The tape is engaging, fun, and the storytelling quality of the author is at its best when listened to as stories. Kennedy is one of our best authors for children. Of course, I know of many adults who enjoy them even more! I like to compare Richard Kennedy with Hans Christian Andersen. Kennedy's stories have a fairy tale quality to them, and the personae's voices are strong, clear, and personable. This is excellent stuff! One should both read and listen to these stories!

I consider Richard Kennedy one of the best short story writers - bar none. Oliver Hyde's Dishrag concert is the consumate tale of the separation that can come from loss of contact with others. Come again in Spring a clever tale of outtalking death. Crazy in Love is about the joy in finding someone to share your life. Mouse God- well I love to imagine the cat dressed in his mouse fur coat. Best of all is The Porcelain Man- about finding love in people not in fantasy. When my brother was blind and ill- I would read him these stories and they never failed to touch him- make him laugh (from picturing Ben Grizzard flying through the air) and help him accept the inevitable. It seems to me that Kennedy is really in touch with the joys and pains of being human and it comes through in these perfect tales.

Written by one of the truest exponents of this martial philosophy, this book stands out amongst others in its clarity. Geoffroi De Charny was a veteran of the Hundred Years War, he died in battle at Poitier. Although a tragic end, De Charny most certainly perceived this the idealized conclusion to a life in arms. To his contemporaries, De Charny was the embodiment of the code of conduct upon which he expounded so thoroughly in these pages.
In this manual of Chivalry, De Charny begins by defining a "scale of valor", a standard for prowess in battle. We receive an insight into the Medieval perception of what combat experiences warranted the greatest honor, beginning with demonstation of one's skill at Tournament, in local wars, in wars abroad, and ultimately in search of the most honorable course of action.
Divided into a succession of brief articles on various subjects of morality, good and bad virtues, and responsible conduct, this text is not only an historical insight into Medieval ideals, but a worthy guideline for our own age.

A serious student of military history realizes that not all warriors adhered to the commonly held idealized higher standards of their profession, for their time and place. Real people are more complex than that. Some did indeed make such achievement. Some sincerely tried, ...but failed. Comparing the known record of deeds long ago, with more recent events, we will always find examples where our ancestors surpassed us, ...and where we have surpassed our ancestors. We need a revival of Chivalric conduct in our own time. A fighting-man without honor is often capable of any action, ...except the right action.

I am currently reading this book for a Graduate seminar in gender and sexuality in the middle ages. The topic bores me to death, yet, this source is entertaining in a variety of ways. First, its a primary source so it is not riddled with feminist/activist arguments. It is simply a handbook from a medieval knight on how a perfect knight or men-at-arms should act. Though several pieces have insight into gender issues in the middle ages, it certainly gives the modern audience of what medieval (at least 1) knights viewed as proper behavior. Charny also speaks on how a ruler (king, lord, etc) should work within society. If your interested in medieval thought this is certainly a good book to read. If your into medieval military history this source may be helpful, yet I will warn you that it is nothing like The Art of War by Machiavelli. Your not going to find pages of military thought and strategic theories. However, if you are interested in the subject I advise you to read it, if anything you will grasp a little understanding of the individual knight or warrior through De Charny's eyes.