Biographies Books

OK. Here's the deal. Author B.H.Liddell Hart was writing in 1925, just after the carnage of the first world war. His comparisons, in themselves, are very interesting as he is familiar with Wellington, Marlbourogh, and yes Napolean as he compares their skills to Scipio Africanus. This is a great history and a great read. For those of us middlebrow armchair Roman history buffs this telling of the Spanish and African campaign really hits the spot. Author Hart is not afraid to give his opinion and he has an extremely high opinion of Scipio. I never found the book to drag, from the opening chapters where the 20 year old Scipio heads to Spain to avenge the death of his uncle and his father to the final push at Zuma. There is even the bonus of the polictical shunning by the Roman senate and then the last campaign in the far reaches of 'Asia' (Syria).... Scipio Africanus is probably the true father of Rome as an empire and this book is a home run winner in style, content, and enjoyment, even if it is nearly 100 years old

First off, this book has a bias.

Hart is making a case that Scipio Africanus is, perhaps, the greatest general in history. He states this up front and makes no apologies for it. His reason for this is that (modern) history up until now has been considerably biased towards Hannibal (and that there was no current book about Scipio at all). Where Hart deviates from standard history or tries to explain the motivation for his point of view he gives a reason for his difference and explains the consensus point of view.

If you read Dodge (biography about Hannibal) or many of the other sources (such as Wikipedia pages on Hannibal, Scipio or the battle of Zama), you would wonder how Scipio was able to get out of his own way to win the battle. Basically, they are biased and pose as neutral.

For instance, you hear often how the forces were nearly equal (in strength) in the battle of Zama or how Scipio had the advantage as he had better cavalry. Scipio was considerably outnumbered in infantry in all the history books (Livy and Polybius) AND you never heard the cavalry excuse used in every other battle where Hannibal had the vast advantage in that. They discount the value of the war elephants completely stating they are only North African elephants and not very big. Well, until that time they had been spectacularly effective. They were specifically forbidden in the treaty after Zama so if they had no value they would not have been expressly put in the treaty. Also, you hear Scipio's Spanish victories are worthless as all the other Carthaginian generals (Mago, Hasdrubal, etc.) opposing him were incompetent. Or read the description of when Scipio asks Hannibal about the 3 greatest generals here (or in Livy) and then read it in Hannibal's wikipedia (from a bio of Hannibal). The story seems totally different. Finally, you hear a lot of complaints about his action (sneak attack) that took Syphax out of the battle as unethical. But when Hannibal uses an ambush himself, it is brilliant strategy.

The point being, yes, this book is biased towards Scipio. But, if you read the book, Hart does explain his reasoning and the opposing point(s) of view and unlike the other books does not pretend neutrality. Until I read this book (which led to reading other books on the Punic wars) I had not been cognizant of the bias. Where it (the bias) is from I'm not sure. Because Carthage is an underdog vs. Rome? Because of the romantic factor with taking the elepants over the Alps?

Hannibal was certainly on the most gifted generals ever to live and Hart does give him his due. For whatever reason, others tend to denigrate Scipio's accomplishments to burnish Hannibal's reputation. This just makes me curious what the movie of Hannibal (starring Vin Diesel) is going to show about Scipio.

Whatever anyone says, in the end, Scipio won every battle where he was the commander. Really, that is all anyone could have done.

First, the authors initial premise that the victor does not always get the credit is sadly true. Which dispells many myths revisionists have been spewing for decades. Aspiring leaders could learn much from this and the authors other books. Here he has created a great story outlining the exploits of one of the worlds most underated generals. Dare I say hardly known? Chapters 10 and 11 is where the true nature of the subject comes to life. In three dynamic years he crushed Carthaginian Spain, then launched his daring attack on Carthage. He details how Scipio's depth of thinking was far beyond most one-dimensional doctrines of his day. Without him Rome and the European Civilization that we so often take for granted, may have ended as part of a huge North African Empire. We owe the subject and the author a debt of gratitude.

The author starts off with an interesting premise - that the victor doesn't always get the credit due his achievements. He mentions Hannibal's fame over his superior on the battlefield - Scipio. Other examples are Wellington over Napoleon and Grant over Lee.
A very interesting biography overall with a concentration on his wartime accomplishments, this book is a good read for those interested in military history and the politic intrigue that plague successful military leaders. Recommended reading!

We've all heard of Hannibal and of the man who finally defeated the invader of Rome (on his own turf). But who does history remember? It certainly isn't the victorious general who *NEVER* lost a battle. While Hannibal might not have lost a battle until Zama, he simply wasn't able to finish the Romans off. This was simply due to the fact he wasn't equal to Scipio when it came to siege warfare. The author finally gives Scipio a book worthy to his name. What struck me the most about Scipio was the way he was treated by politicians back in Rome. One would think that the Senate would have done everything possible to ensure that Scipio was victorious and save Rome. However petty rivalries and jealousy were yet other obstacles to be overcome. History repeating itself. The man himself was not only a brilliant general but a very humble man who always put the republic needs above his own. Even though in the end he died in exile, on charges of bribery bought about by his enemies. Rome later cleared his name but the man who saved them from Hannibal, brought Spain, Carthage, Numidia, Sicily and Greece into the empire was treated no better than a common thief. History does indeed repeat itself.

I had moderate expectations for this book, but was really blown away with how good it ended up being.

It's exactly the right length and goes into just the right amount of detail.

I look forward to sharing this book with family and friends.

This is written by pretty much and unknown guy with an unknown publisher; yet it is head and shoulders better than more commercialized material.

This is a book that can help you in some way whether you're broke and jobless or a millionaire CEO. Hal's outlook on life, his courage, attitude, and strength were a huge inspiration to me. This book had me in tears in some parts, and ready to conquer the world in other parts. And the effectiveness of the tips on being successful are incredible.

Along with many people in the Vector/Cutco community, I was familiar with Hal and his story before I read his book. I got the chance to hear him speak last summer and about a month ago I got the chance to meet him at a conference. I can honestly say that I've never met anyone with the same positive attitude that Hal possesses. At Vector, representatives are taught that while there are certain things in life that are out of our control, it is how we respond that shapes our character. Hal takes it a step further by outlining 8 principles to leading an extraordinary life. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to succeed beyond their wildest dreams!!!

I asked a friend if she knew of any speaking engagements for me, as I am a speaker. She pointed me to Hal, the Sacramento Coaches program coordinator. I had never heard of Hal, nor his story, even though we live in the same metro area. Hal was very responsive to my questions about the speaking event and then the day came for me to speak. After speaking, Hal provided me with a copy of his book. "What a nice surprise," I thought and placed the book in my large 'to read someday' pile.

About a week later I picked up his book and proceeded to read it from cover to cover. I can tell you that I typically read several books at a time and it takes me forever to get through them all. So, this was a real treat for me. I laughed, I cried and cheered him on while reading his story.

The part that clicked for me the most was how he seemed to keep smiling no matter what seemed to happen to him. I am much the same way, although, I must admit, I have pity party days now and again. When they're over, I get back in the game and keep moving forward.

I also noted when Hal was selfish as a teen toward his parents and loved ones, yet was so giving with others. That's when I decided to give the book to my 14 year-old daughter to read. : ) Maybe she'll learn from Hal's journey into becoming an outstanding and giving human being.

WOW!! Hal Elrod is an amazing example of what it takes to be successful in any area of your life! The book was educational AND inspirational! It's a must read for anyone in the sales industry and a should read for anyone that wants to improve as a human being!

What an unrelentingly gripping series of stories -- life, death, animals, boys, girls, men, women, horses, snakes, water, wind, earth, blood, fire and sky. Mark Spragg's style is a bit like David Hockney doing his photograph collages. He doesn't show you everything, just bits and pieces to make the whole. He lets you put some of the pieces in place. What a style. It's shot through with his own strong character and some compelling scenes of raw Wyoming life. The stories follow an amazing arc that you don't see coming until the last chapter and then you just kind of want to start all over again, and meet the boy that became the man. Beautiful stuff. Look, I'm not really out here trying to sell my book at every corner but the people who told me about Mark Spragg are readers of my book, "Antler Dust." I had three recommendations from "Antler Dust" readers to check out Mark Spragg, mostly because, I believe, of the detailed outdoors action and the fact that my book takes place in a neighboring state, Colorado. I am going to read more Mark Spragg but for others who like him, please also consider Antler Dust.

Mark Spragg writes beautifully, even poetically, of teenage life in a Wyoming family struggling to make ends meet by catering to "dudes" come West for the seasonal fishing and hunting. His collection of stories is varied, but all are tied to the splendor of unshod love for the land and for the horses he rides through a journey that will steal your heart.

These are two feelings I got from reading this memoir. Life in NW Wyoming is not easy. Days are spent with horses and one's life is taken by horses. In fact, if you love horses this is a great book.

One thing that kept creeping into this book is the distance the author had toward his parents, especially his father. Little but dialogue is written about the father, but he comes across as callous and more worried of turning the boy into a real man. The boy, in turn, writes about his concerns about the man he will become. At times that dragged on too much.

Still, it's wonderful prose written in a manly tone. For rugged cowboys and ranchers it's a perfect read.

I'd worry about peope who don't hurt themselves laughing while reading Wapiti School. My goodness, these stories are terrific, sometimes tough and bitter, sometimes perfect poetry. Just wonderful.

The author writes excellent prose with innumerable well turned phrases and descriptions. The subject matter is primarily his adolescence on a Wyoming dude ranch and hunting guide service that his family, Pennsylvania expatriates, operated in the 1960s, some vignettes from his adult life and descriptions of friends and conditions in windswept Wyoming. The chapters are actually a series of essays rather than a progressive narrative with the ones about life and work on and around his father's ranch, where he essentially lived as a hired hand in the bunkhouse with hardened wranglers from about the age of fourteen, being the most interesting.

I enjoyed the book principally due to the excellent writing and colorful recounting of the author's experiences as a real "cowboy" in an era when most of us male baby boomers only experienced the same thing through ubiquitous western TV shows and movies of the 50s and 60s. It was a life in another era when so many of us grew up in boring suburbia. I recommend it for these reasons.

But maybe I missed something because I never came across any explanation for the author's seeming sense of hurt, isolation, melancholy and general unhappiness that begins, for unstated reasons, during his college years.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! This book is a "must read" for anyone searching for deeper meaning in their walk with God. It opens the christian's mind and eyes to a lifestyle and not a belief... something that the 21st century church needs desperately.

A MUST IF U ARE GOING TO GROW AND HAVE A INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP
WITH GOD.

After spending years in church disillusioned and discouraged and after leaving the church altogether, I've read many excellent books written by people who have walked the same road. This was one of those books and it was incredibly encouraging and inspiring. This is practical faith being walked out in small, meaningful ways by people who, like the author states, are "nobodies". I admire people who do naturally resemble Jesus and don't even realize it. That is the result of relationship with the Father-a life that resembles Jesus for no personal gain whatsoever.

I read this book at a very critical point in my life. I was fed up with what we commonly call "Christianity". I was fed up of the formulas that were supposed to make my Christian life work, formulas that were making me miserable because they weren't working; I was fed up of all the guilt I felt from not being able to fully "obey the Bible" and live a fruitful Christian life; but most of all I was tired of all the pretene that came with Christianity in contemporay circles, not being able to be fully authentic about the true nature of my problems because we are always too busy trying to promote the "abundant life".

This book was a Godsend in this regard, it helped me to dispel all the popular misconceptions about what it means to be a child of God. Jim Palmer looks at Christianity through a rare prism of honesty and humor and makes even the worst of strugglers or sinners like myself feel a degree of comfort and security in Jesus. I especially loved the chapter on Hip-Hop and the one about the gentleman who struggled with his sexuality.

I highly recommend this book. It is on my short list of must reads for people who are curious about the Christian faith or have become dissilusioned by contemporary Christianity

I have been reading this book for about five days. I usually burn through a book rather quickly so this one is a slower read for me as it is not a long book.

I believe the primary purpose of a book is to open our minds for learning- expansion. Some do it through being a truly enjoyable read- I do not find that to be the case with this one. Don't get me wrong, I like the concept of sharing the insights of one flawed human with another. Misery loves company and seeing that I am not alone in my ineptness provides some relief.

What I struggle with is Mr. Palmer's use of humor. For me, it is way to predictable and pulls from the overall work. As an example, Robert Fulghgum says, "Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you." That is slightly ironic and humorous-it adds to his work. Mr. Palmer's are not up to the same level.

It probably sounds like I am panning this book- not the case. I am glad I am reading it. Dealing with life's everyday grind- more importantly sharing the experiences with others is invaluable. This book does that very well.

Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Deibler Rose is a beautiful story of a missionary wife who gave her life to God and through her trust witnessed His work in her life and the lives of those around her. She sacrificed her comfort to reach out to others and glorify God, and was blessed for it innumerably. Darlene's courage is challenging, encouraging, and inspiring.

Evidence Not Seen is one of those books that make you just go wow! This is a must read for any Christian especially with so much made for TV christianity going around. This book is about the real thing. Darlene shares with us her experiences as she and other missionaries try to survive in a Japanese prison camp. She shares her close personal relationship with God and how He is there in her times of trouble and need. When you finish this book you will know that she serves and Awesome God and so can you!

What amazing faith in God this young
woman had. I could only hope to be that brave and strong.

An inspiring story of a young missionary woman and her complete surrender to the Lord under unbelievable adversity. God's tenderness and mercies are real in her life and it encourages every believer to move into such intimacy with the Lord. One biography you will not want to put down!

This is one of the BEST books I have ever read. The evidence of God's work in the lives of the people in the book is amazing and inspiring!!

This book "flows" easily and it does a great job covering the meteoric rise of both Bill Gates and Microsoft. The narrative is never dull and both, the man and his company, are given a fair treatment. This book was published in 1993 and a lot of interesting stuff remains to be told. Wish the authors would team up for a sequel. This is a well written and authoritative account of Microsoft and its founder.

Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire

This book is a must-read for people who consider themselves ambitious and driven. It taught me the importance of single-minded drive and determination, coupled with a passion for the line of work one is in. IT is a tough line of work to be in - jobs could be outsourced anytime, skills become redundant quickly and there isn't the glamor or get-fabulously-rich possibility of finance or investment banking... but this book demonstrates that as long as you are passionate about what you do, there is always room at the top. Take heart from it!

This is the definitive Book about Bill Gates (and the history of Windows). It covers all the management aspects of how he drove Microsoft and how the work became his life. The man doesn't do business... He LIVES it. And this book describes it in very much detail.

The details includes how Bill "turned over" IBM... Promissing them the OS/2 under the "NT Technology" flag and how he realeased Windows 95 and killed IBM forever from the Desktop business. It also shows Gates apreciation for Older woman (and many that took him to bed). As part of this "private" package, it also explains the problems that He had with Steve Ballmer. How Ballmer was showing poor management and leadership under Gates perspective and how Ballmer got over it and made his loyalty to Gates forever.

I was more interested on the part that explains how Microsoft Windows 1.0 was developed. How disastrous the first Office was compared to the competition and how they managed to "work around" and fix it, by "coping" the competition and improving it "the Microsoft way".

Buy this if you want to know how business can be done... or be "copied".

Delightful book. Its one flaw is its addictiveness, I couldn't put it down which did cost me sleep (I'm an IT professional with an entrepreneur spirit- your results may vary).

The Microsoft/Gates biography is impeccable in its wealth of interesting details and engaging story-telling.

Bill Gates is a fantastic decision maker. He would be as successful selling water or space suits, he just happened to be at the right time in the right booming industry and pushed with his business-business mentality to the limit. Right decision after right decision, the Microsoft journey is a story that any entrepreneur should nitpick and absorb as much as possible.

Of course, his terrible capitalistic drive is a perfect subject for a discussion on morals, social responsibility and related matters, but without a doubt when it comes to maximizing outcome while playing by our economic rules, Hard Drive tells a tale of epic proportions featuring a superhero / villain that rivals the best of science fiction.

This is really a story of how Gates led Microsoft to its apex, ending in about 1992. It is well written and a good balance bewteen criticism, an explanation of the business model, and historical detail. The story is, to put it mildly, remarkable no matter what you think of MS and Gates.

While a student at Harvard in December, 1974, Bill Gates III and Paul Allen informed Ed Roberts by telephone that they had invented a BASIC computer language for the MITS Altair 8080, which was the first "personal computer" kit for hobbyists. Could they license it along with each Altair kit, Gates asked, to customers for a royalty fee? It was an audacious proposal, because not only had Gates and Allen invented no such thing, but they neither owned an Altair kit nor did they even know the technical specifications for the Intel 8080 chip. Skeptical of their claim, Roberts replied that whoever demonstrated a working BASIC would win the account: Gates and Allen were in competition, he told them, with 50 other "geeks" who already had made the same claim. Gates and Allen then hunkered down for 8 weeks to write the first BASIC for a microcomputer. The resulting "software", which immediately won over Roberts, was the first application of what would become Microsoft BASIC. Gates was 19.

As the company founders, Gates and Allen shared a vision that virtually every home and every office desk would eventually have a PC on them, all operating with their software. To run Microsoft full time, Gates dropped out of Harvard in January, 1977. Their business quickly expanded beyond the Altair as competing brands of personal computers emerged, including the Tandy from Radio Shack and the Apple II computer; they were also called upon to program BASIC into a number of other electronic devices. All along, Gates' goal was to gain market share, in effect setting the software standard for most, if not all, PC users. As a true believer who intimately knew the product, Gates was the principal salesman, while Allen concentrated on technical development.

During this formative period, Microsoft's corporate culture was established. Perhaps as a result of hiring many of his programmers straight out of university, Microsoft's offices (and later the campus in Redmond, Washington) took on the look and feel of a college campus, that is, an informal and a freewheeling intellectual atmosphere with "late hours, loud music, walls full of junk, anything goes dress, Coke, adrenaline, unbuttoned behavior." Employees tended to be very young with a programmer or engineering mentality; they designed their products for tech-savvy customers - male in their early 20s - like themselves, a kind of fellowship for computer adepts. Like Gates, they loved to play with and program electronic gadgets.

Microsoft hired the brightest programmers with demonstrated practical abilities. Employees were also expected to work extremely long hours as a team toward a common goal, not as strident individualists. Gates encouraged them to develop their entrepreneurial passions, forcefully advancing their own ideas of useful products for new markets. Overseeing it all was Gates, who gained the reputation of a harsh and challenging critic with a relentless drive for excellence, whether to beat the competition or out of fear of falling behind in such a fast-changing industry. As the sole remaining founder after Allen's departure in 1983, Gates remained deeply involved in both technical and business details as well as the general direction of company strategy. Nonetheless, as the principal revenue generators, Microsoft's product groups increasingly became the seats of decision-making power, in spite of Gates' active engagement.

At the end of 1979, Microsoft had $US 4 million in sales. Most of these revenues came from BASIC, which enabled programmers to create applications, such as word processing and accounting spread sheets. The level below BASIC and the other languages under development at Microsoft was the computer operating system, which performed the most elementary tasks required to run computers. With the prospect of providing software to IBM for the basic PC it was planning to market for a reasonable price, Gates and Allen began to acquire the rights to, and then develop, software for a computer operating system. Known later as DOS, it again set an industry standard that would enable Microsoft to efficiently develop languages and software applications in a single engineering environment rather than painstakingly customize them for a variety of incompatible operating systems. This would immensely simplify Microsoft's programming process as well as enhance its efficiency.

As Gates foresaw, this was a near-ideal position to occupy at the moment that the PC market was poised to grow explosively with the introduction of the inexpensive IBM PC, which was made of off-the-shelf components and hence easy to copy, or "clone". With the dual ownership of DOS and several major programming languages, Microsoft became one of the fastest growing companies in the world. By 1985, just prior to its IPO, on revenues of $US 140 million, Microsoft had a pre-tax profit margin of approximately 34%, no long-term debt, and cash reserves of $US 38 million. By 1987, the company surpassed Lotus to become the world's largest software vendor for PCs. Gates was on his way to become the richest man in the world, at least for a time.

However, the ownership of DOS and the programming languages would also, critics later claimed, confer an "unfair advantage" on the company. First, the Microsoft applications groups were accused to obtaining "inside information" from the operating systems group, which enabled them to design their products to function more quickly and smoothly than competitors could. Second, because each change in DOS required competitors to supply their latest products to Microsoft programmers to ensure compatibility, critics charged that this amounted to an inside peek into their strategy at the cutting edge of their capabilities. It was a symbiotic relationship that made many outside vendors - independent companies developing applications to run on Microsoft operating systems -uneasy and resentful. Third, DOS programmers were accused by rivals of inserting "hidden bugs" into the operating system in order to hinder the function of competing products, such as the Lotus spread sheet, damaging their competitive position and brand. The resulting negative publicity did a great deal of damage to the Microsoft brand, which began to be seen as the industry bully.

While Gates insisted that he had erected a "Chinese Wall" between Microsoft's applications division and its Operating System's Group, it was not enough to deter the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from opening a probe into the company for anti-competitive practices that purportedly hurt consumers. By 1991, when the FTC probe became widely known, Microsoft controlled one-quarter of the applications market and dominated the operating systems market with Windows. There was speculation about the imminent breakup of Microsoft into separate companies for these markets, similar to the dismantlement of AT&T. For their part, defenders of Microsoft argued that it was winning because it was better and smarter, presenting its customers with superior products at bargain prices.

This a pretty much where the book stops, which badly dates it. Not only is the story of the anti-trust law suits left untold, but subsequent business developments - notably the internet - are not even mentioned. Thus, this is an excellent early history, but the reader must look elsewhere for more detail. Of the shelf of books on MS, in my opinion this is one of the best, and it was most useful to me for a research project. Recommended.

Author and breast cancer survivor Barbara Glacel presents Hitting The Wall: Memoir of a Cancer Journey, a personal memoir that offers hew own experiences and coping strategies for dealing with the many aspects of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Reassuring the reader that she is not alone, Hitting the Wall covers the gamut of emotional experiences, the need for hope and support, the daily difficulties in adjusting to hospital stays and treatment side effects, and more. Recommended reading for its insight and message of empowerment.

Hitting the Wall by Barbara Pate Glacel was the first of the many breast cancer books that I have read as a caregiver that made me both laugh out loud and cry. Sharing notes and letters to and from friends and family during her struggle with breast cancer treatment, Barbara Glacel exposes her ordeal with honesty and compassion. But beyond being able to indentify with the emotional aspects of her struggle, I came away from reading this book with many good tips, ideas and resources to share with my own mother during her fight against breast cancer.

I found the book to be very detailed about little things that some books might not think important. As a breast cancer patient, I found helpful advice to give me advance warning about many things that might have been troubling. It was written with humor and a personable style that made it enjoyable.

Barbara skillfully captures the essence of a breast cancer survivor's journey. Even though each of our stories is unique, she takes us through the various phases of her illness in a way that we can identify with, while at the same time marvel at her courage and strength. Her ability to navigate the health care system of a foreign country, with all it's complexities, while at the same time build her own international network of support is remarkable. Barbara's nobel efforts to become an advoate for other military families struggling with cancer are worthy of our admiration. Her honest self revelations are balanced with grateful praise for her family, friends and medical team. She gives readers an inside view of living with a disease that all women dread, in such a way that we gain hope from her persistent pursuit of wellness and normalcy. I finished Barbara's book on my own 5th year anniversary of "hitting the wall" - an appropriate way to celebrate! I highly recommend this resource to other survivors, friends and family of women faced with breast cancer, as well as medical professionals caring for them.

Dr. Barbara Pate Glacel has provided with her personal book a wonderful tool for the reader to use in their understanding of cancer. Her writings are so clear and emotional that one finds him or herself caught up in her intense struggle to first come to terms with her disease, and then, also her treatment. How I wish I had this book years ago when my father was dying of cancer. It would have enabled me to have helped him in his own fight, providing comfort and knowlege and yes, humor too. I totally recommend this book to anyone who has cancer or who has a loved one who is "Hitting the Wall".

Manchester is one of those writers who appears unable to disappoint. This is a book to be read and savored. For years, it sat on my shelf - I saw as a large undertaking that I wanted to do right.

The book has a very interesting structure. First, it begins with a kind of interpretive introduction to the man, vividly characterizing him while also evaluating his strengths as a man of history and his glaring weaknesses. You see him, worts and all, and it is both funny and enlightening. The psychological depth is virtually unprecedented in any other bio I have read. Second, you get a view both into his milieu - as an aristocrat of talent and privilege in Victorian Britain - and a biography of both of his parents. This is crucially important, as we come to see Churchill as an anachronism, but also as a boy neglected by narcissistic parents. (Interestingly, the absence of one or both parents is a common trait in extraordinary achievers.) Third, you get his life story, more from the events he was involved in than as an intimate portrait, though much of his personal life is covered. Indeed, he used action as the most effective tonic against depression.

The man that emerges is flawed and complex, but evidently a political genius. In my view, the key to his character is that he remained a Victorian gentleman, who viewed martial valor as the greatest source of meaning and glory in life. This suited him to titanic struggles, such as the one he faced with Hitler that places him in the ranks of the greatest historical figures. As an egotist, he always wanted to place himself at the center of events and yet did so with courage and tenacity in spite of his physical weaknesses. When out of power, he exercised other gifts, such as writing, with equal talent and energy.

Nonetheless, Manchester proves that Churchill was not a politician deeply in touch with his constituency: he never developed a typical base of power and often his views did not synch with the mainstream. Without Hitler, his hour might never have arrived: this duality is a theme that runs through the entire book.

If there is any flaw here, it is that Manchester includes a plethora of detail, not only about world events but in Churchill's political maneuverings. Normally, I delight in these details, if I know there is a purpose to all of it, which I did not always sense in this book. (Here a comparison with Robert Caro is instructive: you always know where he is going and why.) Others may see it differently, of course. Also, many of the historical details I already knew, so did not need Manchester's wordy introductions, but they were useful in the many cases of which I was ignorant.

All in all, this is one of the most engrossing and fascinating bios I have ever read. Warmly recommended.

A frightening story with a redoubtable yet all too human hero who prevails. There are even evil and bumbling villains along the way during this shameful period. The Last Lion should be required reading for politicans and world history students. William Manchester does a masterful, well researched [and entertaining] job of describing the inspirational leader of the Free World.

There are two volumn of "The Last Lion" and both are them are an excellent history of not only one of Great Britain's finest statesman of the 20th century, but one of the World greatest statesman, historian, and many have said "the man of the 20th Century" And after reading these two volumns one might have to agreee with the historians.
Congtributed by Hurdrey Angus Jordan

This book was given to me by my father, who is a huge fan of Winston. I was absolutely shocked and amazed by the information that this book brought to light. I was taught, so little about WWII! I was amazed. I savored this book. I would recommend and have recommended this book to anyone, who would listen. Prepare to be amazed by the man and confronted with the real realities of Britain before and during the first declarations of war.

For some inexplicable reason, the second (and unfortunately final) volume of William Manchester's biography sat on my shelf unread for some time. I think because the book spans the years 1932 to 1940 -- and does not cover most of World War II -- I skipped the book over, figuring that Winston's best and most important years were his war years. After reading "Alone", I realized immediately how wrong I was: if anything, Manchester's incredible book demonstrates that Churchill's so-called "wilderness years" out of power were his finest hour. Unquestionably, Churchill provided resolute leadership to Great Britain -- as well as the rest of the Allied world -- during the War. But he perhaps demonstrated even greater leadership while out of power, when he was quite literally the only European statesman who was repeatedly warning the world of the dangers of Nazi Germany and calling for rearmament to stand up to Hitler. Thus, "Alone" is not just about Churchill and his greatness, but also a powerful historical record of the dangers of appeasement in the face of tyrants.

This book goes beyond being a simple historical biography. Manchester's writing is delightful and seamless, literally depositing you into Churchill's time and Churchill's life. It maintains and builds a tenseness throughout the book as the world moves closer and closer to war despite Churchill's warnings, which if heeded, could have averted the conflict many times over. The work is meticulously researched and crafted, and flows perfectly. Perhaps most of all, reflective of the title, Manchester captures how completely and totally alone Churchill was during the 1930s. Aside from a very small coterie of loyal friends, Churchill alone rose in opposition to appeasement in the House of Commons and elsewhere hundreds of times as Hitler consolidated his power, practically begging his nation's leadership to stand up to the Fuhrer.

I suppose that one sign of a great work is that it moves you in some way, and evokes great emotion as you read it. The most striking asset of this book is how angry, shocked, and prideful I was as I read it. I shook my head in disgust at least 100 times as I read Manchester's descriptions of the putrid, almost treasonous behavior by Prime Ministers John MacDonald, Stanley Baldwin, and of course Neville Chamberlain as they repeatedly ignored Churchill's warnings and countless pieces of evidence showing that Hitler would not be appeased. Manchester's sections on the Munich Crisis and Britain and France's literal sacrifice of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis is particularly noteworthy; the Chamberlain government literally served the nearly defenseless nation on a platter to the German war machine despite a pledge from the British to defend them if invaded. Much of the book in fact summarizes the folly of His Majesty's Government's appeasement policy, and Churchill's many warnings against the policy. Fascinatingly, appeasement was heartily endorsed by nearly the entire British media establishment, which repeatedly refused to air Churchill's views and other dissenting voices. Indeed, as Manchester well demonstrates, the government and media literally crafted its policies and made important appointments, with pleasing Hitler being the sole objective. While hindsight is of course 20-20, reading these sections was completely maddening to me, and made me want to scream many times over.

I hesitated writing a review of this book because I know it is impossible to do full justice to Manchester and this fantastic book. I just wanted to express how much I enjoyed the book; it completely lives up to its reputation as perhaps the finest Churchill biography and easily the most accessible. I, like millions of other readers, am greatly saddened that illness and other tragedies kept Manchester from completing the final volume of his intended trilogy. Treat yourself to this book: it will give you greater appreciation of Winston Churchill's greatness, courage, and foresight, and probably an even greater hatred of appeasement and diplomatic cowardice.

Five big stars.

This book is one of Nader's finest published works. It chronicles his life, and how he was raised. He takes the lessons learned as a kid growing up and puts them into seventeen specific traditions that are very easy to read.

The rare and valuable part of this book is that it's one of the only times you can find Ralph Nader willing to talk about his life rather than about politics. There isn't much, if any, political discussion in this book other than a few instances of how his family used politics to bring home values.

I highly recommend this book to all of my friends and family. He touches you with stories of how his parents immigrated from Lebanon and the lessons passed on to him and his siblings. The book will give you an appreciation for spending time with family, and does so in a way that is easy to read and enjoy.

I've long admired Ralph Nader and have enjoyed some of his
other books . . . so when a friend recommended that I read his
latest, THE SEVENTEEN TRADITIONS, I made it a point to get a copy.

My only problem came afterwards; I couldn't put it down . . . so
some other projects had to be aside as I read about Nader's
boyhood in a small town in Connecticut, and how that existence
and the role of his parents affected the rest of his life.

As he notes:
* I am often asked what forces shaped me. Rather than trying
to give a full answer to that question-which would take
longer than a limited interview would allow-I often reply
simply, "I had a lucky choice of parents." My brother, two
sisters, and I had a remarkable father and mother, who
cared for us in both direct and subtle ways. The examples
of their lives set us on the solid paths we have explored
ever since.

As I was reading it, I kept thinking of how my parents were
similar in so many ways . . . in particular, this passage
could almost have been written about them as well:

* Mother and Father each lived to be just short of a century
old; we benefited from their seasoned perspectives and
wisdom for many, many years. They were forever young,
exemplifying my mother's strong belief in the importance
of remaining "interested and interesting." And they succeeded
in doing this throughout their lives, attracting ever-younger
friends to visit, whether we children were home or not. They
created the strong family base from which my siblings and
I sallied forth into the wider world, full of new experiences
and high expectations.

In sharing the lessons he learned from his parents, Nader
also gave this advice that should be heeded by anybody raising
children today:

* Perhaps it was my father who best captured their attitude. Once,
when I told him that I'd done my best at something, he leaned
over quietly and looked at me. "Son, never say you did your
best, because then you'll never try to do better."

As the holiday season approaches, methinks that THE SEVENTEEN
TRADITIONS would make a perfect gift for anybody wanting to
read about life back when his or her parents were younger . . . and
how much of what took place then could still be put into effect now.

This book offers greatly needed insight for a nation filled with antidotes, from fast-paced labeling of psychological disorders to quick fix prescription drugs and self-help book remedies. Ralph Nader takes the reader back to a slower paced society--a world enveloped by the wisdom of his parents. Chapter by chapter, Nader shares pithy, memorable maxims such as, "Jokes are to words as salt is to food" (81), along with other valuable scenarios which serve as life-enriching lessons. For a sampling of the earnest adult figure many of us may have missed while growing up, Nader's book is analogous in resource value (on a smaller scale) to The Discourses of Epictetus.

A short book that reflects on society, democracy, and the peace
of a good life.

For the money, it was not much of a book. For the talent accepted for the author, it was not much of a book. Simple platitudes which are mostly captured in the first chapter, and the rest of the book just re-hashes that theme: My parents were great, I am great, why don't you do likewise! Of course it is too late to change parents, but it does give some good foundation thinking for people just starting out to raise a family, and who are looking for some parenting skills.

Thank you, David Carey, for sharing your POW experiences. The description of how you and your fellow prisoners chose to spend your time and the attitude you had toward your situation are an excellent example of how we all make choices about how to deal with what comes up in our own lives.

This book is an interesting, easy and fun read. Carey is a great storyteller who makes you feel and understand what they lived through along with how they kept their sanity and dignity.

Great insights from a guy that's been there. Dave has an uncanny knack of applying his challenging POW experiences to our everyday lives. A solid read.

Dave was my roommate aboard USS ORISKANY prior to his capture in 1967. As a Naval Academy graduate and Naval Aviator he was assigned to an attack squadron flying the A-4 Skyhawk. I met Dave the day we departed NAS Alameda for deployment to Southeast Asia, and Vietnam. He had his fiance Karen aboard for a short time in the officer's wardroom for coffee and last minute good byes. The next time he saw Karen was 5.5 years later after his release from a North Vietnam prisoner of war camp. I saw him again at his wedding!

This is terrific read along with Zalin Grants "Over the Beach" about the war, it's history, and the toll it took on countless lives.

i thought i had lived through some tough times before reading Dave's story... if life has got you down, choose this book, you'll begin to feel you too can survive and excel even in the most demanding situations. Dave ties in his Vietnam experience to create powerful insights for daily living in part 2.
My advice... READ THIS BOOK!

"The Ways We Choose" is truly a lesson in life. While reading it I asked myself how I handle adversity. What do I do when life gets tough? As a prisoner of war for 5 1/2 years, Dave Carey feels that his experience can be used as an analogy for facing problems and changes in our own lives. Hopefully, none of us will have to endure the trauma of being a POW, however, Dave lists simple factors for his success in the harsh environment he was existing in. He believes that these guidelines can be directly translated into every life. He discusses the importance of communicating in every aspect of our daily life. The book has helped me to live "one day at a time." It also encouraged me to ask myself not only how I cope with the problems of life but more importantly, how do I CHOOSE to cope. Dave Carey's witness to his faith completes the message in this outstanding read. The author has a great gift of sharing himself with his readers. You won't want to miss this adventure in life.