U Books

Es un libro interesantísimo que nos da un recorrido por las diferentes rutas que han llevado a latinoamerica a la decadencia de hoy en dia.
Le recomiendo este libro a todo aquel interesado en saber mas allá de lo obvio sobre el origen del subdesarrollo y la miseria en nuestros paises.

I know a lot of intelligent people whose ideas never change and think that determinate regimen is the solution to sweep away poverty. But they never attend the facts in their effort to maintain their beliefs. If you think you are a smart person you must agreed William Blake's quotation "The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind". No matter what kind of ideas you profess about underdevelopment, this book surely is going to confront a lot of them and will provide you with a wider view. Give it a change to understand why Latin America is so poor.

This book shows everything that has gone wrong n latinamerica and it not only shows one side. It talks about the bad things that corporations, unions, dictators, politicians etc. have done and why thanks to all of them and also the peole latin america is as bad as it is today.

Brilliant! An excellent book for those really concerned about the social and economical future of Latin America...For those who want to make a change.

excelent book, I really enjoy it because tell the true history of Latin America

I love all the Hank books, and this is a great one for the Christmas season. These books are hilarious and more important to the young reader, fun to read. I'd also check the rest of the series.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

As usual Hank continues to impress with his down to earth humor & "wisdom".
Great for the whole family.

this is a great book and is my second favorite book, and number one is another hank book. i own it and it is very very good.

Hank the Cowdog is a good book that my classmates and I read. It is about faded love. Hank and Drover are in love with Beulah, the collie. Hank was telling Drover that Beulah is his girlfriend and not Drover's, but Beulah likes Hank only as a friend. She said, "Because the way I feel, Hank, is that we should just be special friends. I like Plato."

But Plato was looking out for birds because he a bird watcher. Later, Hank saw Miss Scamper and said, "How do you do you, lovely lady?" Hank was going from one girl to another. Then Hank wrote a song to Beulah and it went something like this, "I have the strangest dream, Beulah, my dear, I'm standing close to you and holding you near. I feel electric shock, just being close by, touching your flaxen hair and seeing you're my love. I can't stop thinking about you, Beulah." Hank rolled around on a dead skunk and went to test it out on Beulah to see if the perfume worked. The "love" perfume smelled bad because he smelled like a dead skunk and Beulah did not like the perfume. But Miss Scamper liked the perfume that Hank was wearing.

(...)

I think that Faded Love is a good book. It is funny and also it has lots of adventures like the other books of Hank. I read this book with my classmates. Each of my classmates had a part in the book, like a kid was Drover and the other was Hank. Hank and Drover make this oath that they would never return to the ranch, and they would quit their jobs as cowdogs.

Drover told Hank that there was a snake on the ranch. It really wasn't a snake; it was just a cat's tale, which was Pete. Pete became mad at Hank because he thought he was a snake, so Hank left with Drover. On his way he met all kinds of old friends. He also meets new friends like Miss Scamper. She is this dog that Hank meets by a lake. Miss Scamper's owner stops by the lake and puts water in his radiator. Drover and Hank fall in love with Ms. Scamper. He also meets his old friends Rip and Snort; they are coyotes.

We found out that Drover is not that dumb. Hank sings this song to Beulah (she is hank's old girl friends, which was kind of funny. Hank and Drover decided to go back to the ranch. Drover reminds Hank about the oath, but he said that there are different kinds of oaths; one is forever and others are temporary. So they went back to the ranch and they saw the real snake. It was going toward little Alfred. Hank attacked the snake and the snake beat him. Everybody now thinks Hank is a hero.

Must rate this volume as the standard reference on the topic. This current edition supplants Ripley's "Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War." I actually own copies of the original and revised editions. There are a few notable updates, making the second purchase worth the expenditure. While I have found some minor omissions in the listings (particularly discussing some of the poorly documented Confederate gun makers), the authors seem to leave few stones unturned.

Book was not what I expected it to be. I anticipated a thorough study of specific artillery types with color plates and detailed drawings, and with specific histories, usage, success, etc. This is not what I received. It was a hugh disappointment, considering the high price I paid for this book.

A very concise and thorough (almost an encyclopedia) book of the weapons of the civil war.

"Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War" is the definitive reference work for civil war cannon used in the field. Nothing else approaches its structured grouping and organization of the diverse and confused world of American Civil War field guns. However, this is not a book for everyone since it is quite focused on the specifications, manufacturing origins and methods of the tubes themselves, not on the tactical employment, range charts, the batteries, or the projectiles they fired. (Understandably, many readers will be shocked if they don't realize this before purchase--including me!)

It is hard to over emphasize what a fine job the authors have done in bringing order out of chaos. Their encyclopedic inclusion and explanation of all known types solves many riddles. The complexity and nuances will still require considerable study by the reader to reach a full understanding, but at last it is logically and rigorously catalogued.

The chapter list is as follows: 1. Fundamentals. 2. Federal 6-pounder Guns and 3.67" Rifles. 3. Confederate 6-pounder Guns and 3-inch Rifles. 4. Federal 12-pounder Field Howitzers. 5. Confederate 12-pounder Field Howitzers. 6. Federal Napoleon Guns. 7. Confederate Napoleon Guns. 8. Parrott Rifles. 9. 3-inch Ordnance Rifles. 10. False Napoleons and Gettysburg Replicas. 11. The Small Ones. 12. Boat Howitzers. 13. James Smoothbores and Rifles. 14. The Rare Ones. 15. Too Big for the Field. 16. British Rifled Cannon. 17. Carriages. 18. Conclusions.

The chapters are well illustrated with photographs and schematics of the gun tubes. There are also detailed dimensional specification tables, and some estimated production counts of various types. Following the main text is an extensive set of appendices that serve as a catalog of known foundries, inspectors, designations, foundry numbers, weights, and locations of known survivors,

I highly recommend this work to anyone who wants to be able to identify nearly any Civil War field gun he/she comes across. However, I don't recommend it as a detailed work on the employment of Civil War field artillery--that is not the objective or nature of the book.

Note: The companion work for the heavy artillery is "The Big Guns. Civil War Siege, Seacoast, and Naval Cannon" by Edwin Olmstead, Wayne E. Stark, and Spencer C. Tucker. It follows the same format and style, but its availability is limited.

A comprehensive source of information on the field guns used by both sides of the american civil war. Provides each weapon's history and statistics. Extremely informative.

No civil war library should be without it.

An excellent companion to other book The Big Guns by Omstead and Wayne E. Stark and Spencer C. Tucker which covers the big guns of the conflict.

Ed Ruggero has written an absolutely fantastic history of some of the most significant airborne operations surrounding the Normandy invasion. To nit-pick the selection of the book title or a minute detail of 82nd Medal of Honor history from World War I doesn't do justice to the otherwise meticulous research and master story-telling of this inspiring author. This well-written prose is fast-paced and as readable as any historical fiction. Ruggero is superb in his description of small unit airborne operations in World War II. In my opinion, much better than the previous standard set by MacDonald's World War II memoir COMPANY COMMANDER. And just as good as Vietnam small unit memoirs - McDonough's PLATOON LEADER and Moore and Galloway's WE WERE SOLDIERS.

I have a friend who was in the 82nd Airborne's A Company and was a Pathfinder. He was 19 years old. I bought it for him and read it first. I have seen all the movies and heard all stories about Normandy but to read this book made me realize just how really terrible the battle for the bridge was. I had no idea just what they faced. I had visited the site and still had no real understanding of the battle until I read this book. I have even more respect for Max than I did before. What a tale. Bob Morriss

This is an excellent and easy reading book; however, I would recommend that the reader be apprised of D-Day history before reading it. It gives a wonderful insight to one more important advance into Normandy!

I read this hoping to learn about the history of the paratroopers on D-Day and got more than I expected. It gives the history of D-Day, but it tells it in such an exciting, storytelling fashion that it gives you a first person feeling for how terrible those days were. The sacrifices our troops made in WWII were incredible. Let's never forget them.

"I don't know a better place than this to die." When Lt. John "Red dog" Dolan scratched out this single line to a hard pressed squad leader at the La Fiere bridge, he simultaneously scribed his name into the short roll call of those Americans who have placed the love of their country and the freedom of its people ahead of their very own next breath.

I have read the account of Lt. Dolan at the little bridge over the Merderet in three other books of paratrooper history and none of them carry the weight and measure of Ed Ruggero's version in The First Men In. It is nearly impossible to read through chapter 12 and not find yourself gazing off into the ether, overcome by the willingness of these young men of the Greatest Generation to sacrifice themselves for less-great generations yet unborn.

While The First Men In is not a small unit combat history such as Band of Brothers, it follows several men - G.I. and officers - from their enlistment through their training, their midnight jump into the Cotentin and through the first days of the Battle of Normandy, delivering the intimate kinship with the characters that the reader so desires as well as the great sweep and desperate fear of near hopeless combat.

The First Men In is a book you will read more than once. In the way you might take a second look at a sunset, the heroism of the men in the pages compels you to turn and look over your shoulder again and again until the very last light fades, leaving you asking yourself at the last glint of purple if such a marvelous thing was really possible in the first place.

If you want to know why General Bradley would not land troops on Utah beach without these men, if you want to know why these men are correctly titled America's Guard of Honor, if you want to know why the local French have re-named the bridge at Chef du Pont the Pont du Capitaine Roy Creek, if you want to once again be warmed and comforted by the greatness of your country, read The First Men In.

I bought this book recently in honor of Erma's birthday. The stories bring me back to my childhood. I remember reading the columns when I was younger, and now that I have my own children I can really relate!

I loved this book. Erma wrote about every day happenings that you will recognize instantly. While reading the book I got the feeling that Erma must have spied on me! You are left with a lovely feeling that someone understands you. Many were the times I actually laughed out loud. I truly recommend this book to anyone with a sense of humor!

I loved Erma Bombeck from the beginning. Her ability to make you laugh without being mean or crude, to see the humor in any situation, to be dignified and tolerant without being forceful about it. These make her a unique person.

This is a collection of some of her best columns. She knew the world could be mean, cruel, bitter, and unfair, yet she never was any of these things. She was a great writer and a great person.

I love the tribute section of this book, though the story from her husband made me cry. It was April 22, 1996 and the ride was over.

Why we loved Erma and miss her is right here. She made you feel good about your mistakes. Suddenly being a fallen human made you feel superior to those who were too perfect to admit it!

When it comes to humour, there is no one who could pack a more powerful punch than Erma Bombeck. In this collection of essays, Erma tackles children, motherhood, fatherhood, neighbours, family gatherings and then finds the humour in life's most ordinary events. Five days before her passing, Erma wrote her final message and still, she faced life with amazing courage and wit.

As the years pass by, we still miss Erma deeply. She became a part of our own family and mothers could read her words of wisdom and come to the conclusion, "It puts my mind as ease to know that I am not the only one who fells this way about...."

Erma was a lady ahead of her time and a primary lesson we learn from her is "don't fret the small stuff; look at each day as a new experience and enjoy it to the fullest. Soon, our children will leave the nest; we will grow older and develop wrinkles but become more tolerant and accepting of ourselves. Even in her last days, she managed to find the beauty and humour in life...what better legacy could she leave us? The book, like Erma, is deserving of a thousand twinkling stars. No wonder the Heavens shine so brightly.

I FOUND THAT THE BOOK GAVE A LOT OF VERY INTERESTING FACTS ON HISTORY THAT HAS PROMPTED ME TO LOOK INTO EVEN FURTHER ! GREAT BOOK

I really enjoyed this book because I did not know a whole lot about the Ellis island situation and was fascinated at the detail that this book gave about the construction of the hospitals and how patients got placed in them. I also had no idea that the immigrants had so many skin diseases but after reading about the sanitation conditions I was not surprised. It is truly amazing what our ancestors had to go through to live here.

Lorie Conway takes readers into one the of most historic landmarks in US history, Ellis Island. FORGOTTEN ELLIS ISLAND: THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF AMERICA'S IMMIGRANT HOSPITAL peruses history, and revisits an important relic from America's immigrant past, which is also the epitome and constant reminder of the history of the United States and its people. The book examines the building that housed, nursed, and recorded/documented the many immigrants who passed through its halls.

With its impressive narrative and an array of photographs dating back to the early twentieth century during the height of immigration, Conway writes about one of the most defining moments in the American Dream story. But there also entailed the dark moments of immigration that involved the "other" or non-American born peoples, and how they had to endure painstaking and excruciating steps after walking off the ships in which they came from afar, which involved medical examinations and quarantines. Furthermore, immigrants were scrutinized, and many believed that they hindered the social make-up of American society; their reactions came in the form of discrimination and partisanship that was sociological, medical, and political in nature. For example, jingoist political cartoons show the depictions, such as one cartoon of Uncle Sam "rocking the boat" or shaking his fist in defiance towards newly arrived immigrants.

FORGOTTEN ELLIS ISLAND is an important part of American history. This story is an eye-opening narrative filled with retrospection. For those who may have visited the main building of Ellis Island, which is now a museum, this book may enhance their understanding of the immigration history and experience. But most importantly, it also delves into the issue of American identity, and how the United States was shaped and built by immigrants.

This was a great book to read. It never dawned on me that immigrants were medically screened before coming into the US. The pictures were great and the documentary was very informative.

The staff at the hospital were caring and willing to help when no one else was.

I plan to read more on this.

This was an interesting part of the Ellis Island story I had never before heard. The book was fascinating and enjoyable. However I dropped the last star because of a two things - most photos were not labeled and I felt that the stories of those who worked there, with the exception of the doctors, were ignored. I was left with the desire for more information, but I recognize that resources are apparently difficult to get find and access.

A true story of Frank McCourt and his family. Even though here is a good side to the alcoholic father, he has too much pride to do what it takes to provide for his family, the mother is in a continual state of depression, and the children are starved, abused and neglected, but the book held my interest. The ending of the story was disappointing! What happened after Frank went to America? Did he bring his family over? It appears like Frank McCourt got fed up with writing the book and left the ending for speculation. In my opinion didn't deserve Pulitzer Prize, however I would recommend the book.

angela's ashes was a depressing book which was well written and spellbinding- a true gem. You constantly are flipping back to the dedication page to see if the children survived. The movie doesn't do it justice. Tis was a disappointment to me because i couldn't get an emotional attachment to frank's story until the final chapter.

The moment I finished this book I felt a bit lost. I really didn't want it to end. Wonderful book. I got 'Tis right after. Now i'm reading it.. too fast, again. I would like to thank Frank McCourt for sharing his life and this wonderful work. And to ask him to please keep writting.

McCourt's 'Angela's Ashes' leads the reader through the author's impoverished childhood in Ireland. It introduces his parents, brothers and baby sister and the dire circumstances they managed to survive. The story captivated me with the first paragraph. ''Tis' continues McCourt's adventures as he arrives in the United States as a young man. His stint in the Army, his quest for an education and his long search for love are all braided into a moving and unforgetable story. I recommend that you experience both books via audio tape. The author's charming Irish brogue only adds richness to an already overwhelming story.

Purchased Angela's Ashes in the late spring after hearing so much about the book and movie in the past 2 years and was completely blown away with Frank McCourt's life/work. Left hanging by the lack of ending in Angela's Ashes, it was quickly on to 'Tis and immediately thereafter, A Monk Swimming by Frank's brother Malachy McCourt.

Angela's Ashes is riveting for the sheer horror of escalating human tragedy. Just rented the movie and listened to my 11-year-old son repeat over and over, "just when you think it can't get any worse...it does". The book is far more graphic and not at all for the faint of heart. Malachy Sr., who loves his children desperately, is incredible in his alcoholism but even more incredible in his confused indifference to the suffering of his family. Angela is simultaneously pathetic and heroic possessing all the destructive sarcasm of her pretentiously proud mother and sister with an ability to do what is necessary to ensure her survival, along with 4 of her 7 children. Denial kills 3 children and a marriage, while the want of the most basic human contact turns a mother to incest. Miraculously, Frank survives and even thrives, driven by the things that his father did not possess...common sense, the gratification of a hard days work, sobriety, and I would argue literary genius.

`Tis is the ending that Angela's Ashes required and the reader learns that some of Frank's parent's demons have come home to roost. Despite his ability to succeed in America, Frank finds himself trapped in dysfunctional relationships and making several alcohol-induced blunders. Frank's observations/experiences about America/Education in the 50's, 60's, and into the 70's seem very fresh through his Irish eyes (2 holes in the snow they may be). With this, `Tis takes on a more historical/documentary feel rather than a personal memoir. My wife felt that Frank whined a bit in `Tis and I'd agree that some of the later chapters about his teaching experiences contain some unnecessary tangents. You are left with Frank McCourt's bittersweet feelings on the death of Angela in New York and finally Malachy Sr. in Belfast.

Both works are absolute page-turners with the shame, and alcohol, and Irishness fanning the flames of your humanity with horror, sadness, and delight. Hoping for a third book to bring us through Frank's eventual divorce and life in the 90's.

I found this book to be helpful in getting my daughter to realize that everyone is afraid of something and that fear is a natural emotion. This books helps to show how the characters deal with their fears. If your child is very fearful of the dark, I would recommend you read the book before sharing with your child. I had no problems with an increase in fears after reading this book but neither of my children are very fearful of the dark.

This Franklin book is one of my favorites! All the Franklin books are great! This book teaches kids not to be afraid of the dark! Lots of reading for smaller children, but great pictures!

I GIVE THIS BOOK A FIVE STAR BECAUSE IT TEACHES YOUNGER KIDS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 1-6 ABOUT THE DARK AND HOW IT IS NOT SCARY.

This is the best of all of the Franklin stories, and the first one published. It's a wonderful read aloud story, a great story for children to act out, and an easy way to begin a discussion of "things that scare us". Children are amazed to learn that grownups can be frightened of things too. This book should be in every child's home collection and in every elementary teacher's too!

This was our first Franklin book and my son really, really likes Franklin now. I had never heard of him before this book, which was a "gift" from the pediatrician for my son's pre-preschool check-up.

The Franklin books are great.

This one, however, I wish we had skipped.

The thing is, my son was never afraid of the dark. I don't think it ever occurred to him that you *should* be afraid of the dark. But after reading this book, he started to have nightmares. We can't get him to tell us what they are about exactly but they have something to do with Franklin and his small, dark shell.

This might be a good book to help a child who is afraid of the dark get over it. But unless our child is some sort of anomoly, it could also have the potential of giving bad ideas to a child who is not afraid of the dark.

Consider your child when you purchase this book.

I purchased this book for my brother's 60th birthday- having grown up in Detroit- thought it would be a great walk down memory lane. He called me when he received the gift and absolutely gushed- loved every entry. Now, i may have to buy a copy for ME. thanks

My mom wanted this book for Christmas. I read some parts of it and found it very intersting. So many people that I recall from my childhood. Good book.

Wow - What a great book! I bought it as a gift but will have to get a copy for my personal library. It was wonderful to read about the television personalities from my youth along with the other Detroit notables that this book covers. It even had the words to some of the commercial jingles that we used to sing along with. Having moved away from Detroit several years ago, I had often wondered what happened to a lot of the people I grew up watching on TV and this book answered those questions. If you were a Detroit kid in the 50's or 60's, I highly recommend that you get a copy of this book and take a stroll back to your childhood.

You need to be a fan of Detroit television or TV history to enjoy the specialized From Soupy To Nuts! A History Of Detroit Television, but such an audience will relish this cruise through Detroit television shows and background. Black and white photos accompany spotlight biographies on some of the most famous show personalities of the past, from Robin Seymour, host of 'Swingin Time', to news show personalities such as American Black Journal. A recommended specialty pick for broadcasting and Detroit-specific collections.

This is a MUST READ for anyone who lived in Detroit in the 50's and 60's. Nostalgia reigns as the authors comprehensively share information on television favorites such as Bill Kennedy, Captain Jolly and Poopdeck Paul, Milky the Clown and more. Loved it.

Great overview of the valley history and key players who influenced the culture and its success. Ashley's recommendations on restaurants are eclectic and fun as well.

Highly recommended. I bought some for gifts as well.

Larry Laurich, CEO DRC Computer Corp

This book delivers as advertised. A great summary of Silicon Valley. If you've just arrived in the valley it is indispensable. Pick up this book and spend your time learning, visiting and eating through the locales mentioned. (They should hand this out to incoming students at Stanford, and at the immigration line at SFO.)

Minor quibble, the book suffers from "young journalist syndrome," where its history, anecdotes and insights are a synthesis of the bibliography in the back. However, kudos to the author for reading more valley history than 99% of other writers. He is headed for greatness when he finds his own voice.

I've been involved with the tech business for 15 years and know my way around the places and companies in the valley. I found this book hugely entertaining and informative. At first look, it seems more like a travel book or specialized city guide than anything else - which is fine and a worthy accomplishment. However, there's a whole lot more....Ashlee lays out the history of the valley and the reasons why it has developed into the technical center of the world. Along the way, he provides easy to understand explanations of the technology and how each invention and advance launched new ventures or opened new markets. Finally, he delves into the personalities of both the key individuals and companies, which, for me at least, ties everything together and makes it a much more interesting and enjoyable read. Highly recommended....

Like technology? Like history? Like good writing? OK. This is your book. A little bit travel guide, a little bit history and a lot of fun, Ashlee Vance brings his truly unique and refreshing writing style in a book that is required reading for anyone involved in the technology industry.

I suspect they will be using this as a text book for some course or another at Stanford, and then Ashlee will become a full professor and his head will get really big and, well, that will be that. But read it anyway.

This is a great little book. Part historical overview, part travel guide, it's written in the breezy, easy-going style of Vance's columns in The Register, the best of the online IT rags (except that the book has been carefully proofread, unlike a typical Register story). In less than 250 pages Vance has covered almost all of the important historic events and personalities behind Silicon Valley, and provided a great set of tips of places for visiting, dining and drinking. There's even a good list of books and web sites for further reading.

I've lived in the Valley for nearly 15 years, and yet learned a fair amount from this book, including several places to visit that were new to me. There were only a few curious omissions: e.g., Halted gets a mention, but Fry's does not; neither does Buck's in Woodside; and surely Frank Drake should be mentioned in the section on the SETI Institute? - but otherwise the text is remarkably accurate, despite having condensed many complex histories, each worthy of a book in its own right, into paragraphs or pages. Vance clearly did his homework. My only historical quibble is with his description of the demise of SGI. I thought it was mainly done in by cheap graphics chips from Nvidia and the like; Itanic was just the icing on the cake.

The book mentions his web site and claims additional information can be found there, but so far there isn't anything new. Hopefully that will change over time. Another concern is that quite a bit of the information in the book will date fast; I hope Vance and his publisher refreshes the text (or the website, or both) regularly.

If you live in the Valley, visit the Valley, or you just want to know what the heck the place is about, this book is for you. And if you're a geek too, it's a must-read.