Charles Williams Books

Lucid, comprehensive and inexorable in its logic, "Philosophers Speak of God" remains one of the best summations of the philosophy of Charles Hartshorne and Alfred North Whitehead. I first read it in Dr. Hartshorne's last official university class, more than two decades ago, and it is still the one I turn to for a clear and concise explanation of Hartshorne's take on the classical philosophers. Hartshorne and Reese cover most of the major Western and a good number of the major Eastern philosophers in this wide-ranging analysis of the primary tenets of theology. I recommend this for anyone who is first reading about process philosophy, and wishes to understand the differences between classical thought and the panentheist approach.

Charles Hartshorne is one of the modern founders of process theology. A protege of Alfred North Whitehead, who plays a pivotal role in the foundation of process thought with his book Process and Reality. The particular subject here, Philosophers Speak of God, developed in partnership with William Reese, professor of philosophy at SUNY-Albany, is an anthology of philosophical writings from Western and Eastern sources. They span the almost the full span of human intellectual history. Hartshorne and Reese analyse and categorise the various writings, looking at underlying principles and commonalities, and overall patterns or systems. From the preface, the authors state: `this work aims to present -- by selections from some fifty writers ranging in time and space from Lao-tse, Plato, and Sankara to Whitehead, Berdyaev, and Radhakrishnan -- the chief philosophical conceptions of deity. It also aims to aid readers in estimating the validity of these conceptions. The work is thus two things: (1) a book of readings in philosophical theology -- the first of its kind -- and (2) a systematic analysis and evaluation of theistic (and atheistic) idea.'

One of the real values of this book comes in the introduction, in the classification system Hartshorne and Reese set up for identifying the philosophical attributes of the worlds religious and theological systems of thought. This classification system shows both historical and systematic significance in the frameworks investigated. The system rests on five key elements:

E is for Eternal
Is God seen as eternal in some or all aspects of God's own reality, unchanging?

T is for Temporal
Does God change in some or all aspects? Is God capable of change?

C is for Consciousness
Is God conscious and self-aware?

K is for Knowing
Is God aware of the world? Does God know all there is?

W is for World-inclusive
Do all things have their being in God? Are all things God?

These are not all-for-once questions in the framework of this book. Rather, each will participate in different ways in looking at the theological texts provided. There are certain rules -- for instance, every combination will begin with E or T or ET, where the eternal and the temporal apply toward different aspects of God.

Panentheism, where Hartshorne places Whitehead (and hence, himself) involves all five elements. Placing different theologies becomes an interesting exercise: Aquinas belongs in a framework of ECK, for instance -- Aquinas doesn't allow for change or inclusion of the world in God, which is heavily influenced by Aristotle, whose classification is as EC. For those interested in philosophy of religion, this classification system alone would make the book worthwhile.

However, the substance of the book rests in the anthology section. Divided into three sections -- Classical views, Modern Views, and Skeptical or Atheistic Views -- the book covers theologians and theological families using the classification system set up.

One of the positive elements of this book is that each item is introduced by a sympathetic description and analysis from which criticism is largely absent. Critical commentary follows the selections. Another positive element is that items are grouped together for easy cross-reference -- for the religion scholar, to know such a wide range of similar viewpoints and the commonalities between them can be an invaluable aid; likewise, to know the dissimilarities between different schools of thought can be enlightening and useful for study, research, writing and reflection.

Certainly Whitehead's maxim -- 'Seek simplicity, and mistrust it' -- is not the operative feature here in the formation of the text. However, it is useful in the practical use of the text -- whenever there are simple connections, beware. Whenever there are simple solutions, beware.

Hartshorne and Reese's bias pokes through, nonetheless. When writing on Whitehead (who, while not having the longest section in the book, certainly has a generous number of pages), they make their bias clear: `It is impossible to avoid a feeling of impertinence in attempting to comment on thinking so great as this.'

The preference of Hartshorne and Reese for panentheistic ways of thinking are present from the essays at the beginning and the end of the texts. In the introduction, the law of polarity is introduced as a standpoint of panentheism; the epilogue to the text is on the logic of panentheism. Taking a cue from mathematics, striving for precision in definition and method, Hartshorne and Reese argue for a modern panentheism in a process reality. Setting up yet another framework for consideration, the authors conclude the most likely case for God being in a process system.

To the extent that this preference influences the critical commentary and analysis of each of the texts presented here, some may find this a difficult text. However, every theological or philosophical analysis for critical commentary must begin somewhere. Objectivity at this level is a fiction -- the very act of choosing to do critical scholarship implies much. The framework selected here works well, admittedly better for those process theologians and philosophers than for those who aren't.

But regardless of this, the questions raised are valuable questions to be asked, no matter the underlying system of thought. For example, under the entry on Augustine, the authors identify the problem of how can an unchanging God, particularly one who is non-temporal, have been responsible for creation, which is a mutable and temporal reality.

Questions such as this one abound in each section, and with each text selection, key questions for consideration and critical reflection are raised, and an answer is attempted.

In all, Hartshorne and Reese have produced an invaluable volume and classification system for the consideration of religions, philosophies and theological frameworks. A must for any serious scholar of religion, philosophy or theology, it will also be appreciated by educated laypersons.

This popular book, which was published by the University of Chicago Press in 1953, is reissued by Humanity Books. This reissue is timely because Hartshorne passed on in 2000. The reissue is also timely because Americans still do not understand dialectical thinking, the early dialecticians such as Plato and Nicholas of Cusa, the modern thinking in Germany today, modern panentheism, and modern dialecticians such as Charles Hartshorne. The Marxists also became dialecticians. But, they end up with a one-sided world because they turned away from God. Far East thinkers also became dialecticians. But, they turned to a mechanistic whole for the world and miss the spiritual activity of God through Christ.

However, Americans will not gain this understanding until they limit the use of Aristotle's logic to subjects of Nature and stop using logic to describe God. This limit and stoppage is a complex language transformation and could take a few generations because Aristotle and British empiricism dominated the English language for many centuries. However, the material in this book will accelerate this transformation, especially if the reader reads the book several times and changes the color of underlines, marks, etc. with each readings. Multiple readings are important for any new material. Obviously, readings of Plato and Nicholas of Cusa will also help one understand the messages in this book by Hartshorne and Reese.

Panentheism and this book can expect to increase our knowledge of the God who appears in our world.

This is the most useful herbal I have come across. I am a primary care doctor and many of my patients have questions regarding "alternative medicines". This book lists hundreds of herbs! Each listing includes common trade names and forms, source, chemical components, actions, reported uses, dosage, adverse reactions, interactions, contraindications and precautions, special considerations, and points of interest. Any scientific studies are also presented and analyzed, and there are references at the end of each listing. There are useful tables at the back of the book summarizing drug interactions, herbal agents to avoid in pregnancy, potentially unsafe plants, therapeutic monitoring guidelines, and herbal agents listed as unsafe by the FDA. I would recommend this book to my fellow physicians, pharmacists, and alternative medicine practitioners who have a special interest in herbal medicines.

This is a one of a kind! The well-researched and in-depth science used makes it extremely handy when posed with questions about the most obscure alternative medicines. Dosing, drug interactions, side effects, and sources are all listed. Very handy.

In day to day practice I probably refer to this book as much as many others combined: in our oncology centre about 40-60% of patients are using some form of alternative medicine.
This book is better than the others I own (Mills phytotherapy, the german commission E monographs, Yang Chinese herbal medicines).
This book is not intended as a prescription guide, but it is superb for evaluating a given preparation. It provides a quick summary of over 300 compounds: an introduction covering forms, components, actions and reported uses as well as standard dosing. This is followed by adverse reactions, interactions and precautions together with a commentary. This is where this little book stands out.
My only disappointment with the book has been when the compound of interest does not appear within its covers: a lot is crammed into 800 odd pages though. However each edition has increased its coverage (so should you upgrade your edition: yes!!).

I was shocked to read this author's hypothesis that perhaps William Franklin was not Benjamin's biological son after all, but actually the result of the union of his bride-to-be, Deborah, and another man. This is a controversial opinion that I have never heard before, but is definitely worth considering based on the author's speculations. Regardless of who William's biological parents actually were, it seems that he was destined to be tortured over where to place his loyalties. One wonders if the love/hate relationship that finally developed between these two men might have been inevitable, based on the clouds that surrounded the one thing over which poor William had no control, his own birth. How ironic that his own son, Temple, was born in the same shrouded manner.

I loved this whole book and even though it is presented as fiction, it rings as true as if it were written by William himself.

This book is great because you're getting two biographies in one here. By telling the story in the first person, from the son William, you get a unique perspective on Ben Franklin that no one else could give. There are so many personal stories of their relationship, their work together on many scientific experiments, their work together in the publishing business and even fighting together against the frontier Indians. These are the kind of in depth stories of pre-Revolution America that bring the period to life.

This is a compelling account that begins with the last meeting between William and his father, Ben Franklin, and continues to explore the complexities of their relationship from beginning to end. The author conveys, with so many fascinating details of their personal relationship and American history, the frustration of a son seeking love and approval from his father while trying to adhere to his own strong convictions. The fact that these two, who had been so close and held such deep affection for each other, could never fully resolve their differences is one of the least known tragedies of the American Revolution and a real example of truly personal sacrifices made by the Founders.

I highly recommend this unique book to anyone who loves history and/or biography. Lots of juicy little tidbits of insight into life in the Colonies and Europe leading up to the war and so much personal info about the Franklins that I had not read anywhere else. I loved the question and answer format that kept the story moving. Who wouldn't love to ask their own Father these sorts of questions? Terrific. A must-read for all Franklinophiles.

This is a very good cookbook. The directions are awesome and it has high quality pictures of everything so you know what it should look like when you are done cooking. Lots of good recipies. A+

THis book has many delightful recipes to help you enjoy summer grilling season. Additionally, it has helpful hints such as how long to cook various thicknesses of meat, and the most amazing side dishes! Also has plenty of vegetarian recipes for both on and off the grill. My favorites are the stuffed mushrooms and squash (on the grill) and the pasta salad (side dish).

This cook book offered a wide variety of grilled items and practical sauces, rubs and accompanying dishes. It will definitely be used all summer long at our house.

Usually I buy an anthology just for one or two stories by my favourite authors. I picked this one up for the Nalo Hopkinson story, 'Shift,' which turned out to be about Ariel & Caliban from The Tempest, but I was pleasantly surprised to find several other stories I liked. Neil Gaiman's story is good, of course, and is a tribute to Ray Bradbury, about a gathering of the seasons. Michael Swanwick has two stories in this Year's Best, and both turn out to be really short; 'Five British Dinosaurs' and 'Cecil Rhodes in Hell' are both funny, but in different ways. 'The Pagodas of Ciboure' I had read in some other anthology a long time ago, and liked. What city dweller knew slugs could be so fearsome? I was a little disappointed in the Ellen Klages story, since I was hoping for a lot from it, but Naomi Kritzer's 'Comrade Grandmother' made up for it. It's a terrific story about Baba Yaga's participation in World War II. And of course there's an Ursula K Le Guin story too. All in all, a great anthology.

Once again, it's time for the annual Year's Best Fantasy volume, edited by David G. Hartwell. This year's version, volume 3, has even more goodness than last year's version did. Twenty-nine stories in all, ranging from short 3-page stories to 40 page ones, by some of the biggest names in the field. This is the perfect sampler to see what's going on in the Fantasy world, to see who the up-and-comers are, and get a taste of what they're offering. On the strength of some of the stories in this volume, I'm definitely going to check out a couple that I've never tried before.

I'd say that this volume is better than last year's edition, just because there weren't any stories that I didn't like. There were some that were weaker than others, of course, but no real clunkers in the bunch. It has fantasy for every taste, from urban fantasy to other worlds, if you've got a taste for the stuff, this book will satiate it. I will, of course, include a list of the stories at the end of the review so you can check them out and see if there are any authors that you particularly like.

I love the short fiction format, especially when it's done well. There are some standout entries in this year's edition, capped off with a short little piece by Michael Swanwick called "Five British Dinosaurs." This one is extremely short, but a lot is carried in a small package. It's about the discovery of dinosaur bones in Great Britain in the 19th century, along with the discovery that there are some living specimens hanging around in the British aristocracy. This story is hilarious and I found myself laughing throughout it's brief span. The thought of a walking dinosaur speaking in proper British English, disputing the reconstruction of the bones of his ancestors, is priceless. Swanwick gives the dinosaurs a lot of personality, along with a lot of arrogance. "Things were definitely better run in the Mesozoic?But mammals knew their place then." Swanwick has the honour of being the only person with two stories included, but they are both very short and so I figure Hartwell decided that he could afford the space.

Another standout is Steve Popkes and his story, " A Fable of Saviour & Reptile." This is a re-telling of the Jesus story, from the point of view of a talking turtle that befriends Jesus when he's young. The turtle is suitably haughty, given his long life span and his infinite patience (given the fact that it takes him a long time to get anywhere). It's an interesting take on the whole Messiah story, but if you can get past the irreligious tone of the story, it is very heartwarming. Hartwell warns in his prologue to it "Do note the word 'fable' in the title." While it gives an alternate view of Jesus and his life (including filling in the missing thirty or so years that the Bible doesn't include), it is very respectful the idea behind the story. The turtle is characterized wonderfully, and Jesus is too if you can get past the fact that he does drink when he's younger (getting a little drunk with the turtle) and he has a wife and son. It's a story about the power of myth and how humans can attach meaning to anything if it will help them get through life and possibly throw off the yoke of oppression. There are some very touching moments and conversations between the two of them, especially when the turtle comforts Jesus in his cell right before he's crucified. This is probably the best story in the book, and I am definitely going to track down some more by this guy.

Other particularly good stories are Kage Baker's "Her Father's Eyes" (a tale of a young girl and the boy she meets and befriends on a plane), Neil Gaiman's "October in the Chair" (a typical Gaiman tale about stories and the people who tell them, this time a group of god-like beings), and "A Prayer for Captain LaHire" by Patrice E. Sarath (a story of three knights who followed Joan of Arc until she burned, and the horror that they discover a fourth disciple has unleashed). Finally, there is P.D. Cacek's "A Book, by its Cover." This is a wonderful little tale about a Jewish boy in the aftermath of Kristallnacht in Berlin, and the bookshop owner who he believes is doing evil things afterward. It's has a wonderful message about books and the effects that they can have on a person.

If there are any weaknesses in the book, they are purely my personal feeling. I'm not a big fan of Tanith Lee, though I know that she is very popular. Thus, her story "Persian Eyes" didn't do a whole lot for me. In it, a Roman noble family is destroyed by the work of a slave girl and her magic eyes. It was more interesting to me than her entry in last year's book, but not by much. Also, "The Pagodas of Ciboure" just dragged on a little too long for my tastes. In it, a sick boy is healed by some French fairy creatures called "pagodas," though he has to save them from an onslaught of slugs first. It's cute, and it's well-told, but it's just too long.

That being said, I did enjoy even those stories. This is just a top-notch collection of short fantasy. Hartwell has done it again, pulling together a varied group of stories that can't help but satisfy. If you're a fantasy fan and like the short fiction genre, this is definitely the book for you. Hartwell has another winner, and I can't wait for next year's edition.

David Roy

Most of the anthologies I've read in the genre of Fantasy/Scifi and horror are mixed bags of personal likes and dislikes of the editors...some of which are a bit too gory, too 'realistic' or just have what I'd like to call 'fantasy around the edges'. This series is really 'the best'...not the usual commercially bland mixes (see, Bob Silverberg's Legends), but a good mix of quirky, new authors as well as some well known names (Gene Wolfe, Tanith Lee) with a nice blend of both light hearted and serious fantastic tales. Standouts would be: Gene Wolfe's From the Cradle, Naomi Kritzer's Comrade Grandmother, and Michael Swanwick's Five British Dinosaurs.

This book conveys the words of a young Union soldier who was captured and taken to the Southern prison they called Andersonville. This detailed account taken from the diary of Charles Hopkins tells a story of survival and horror. It makes you imagine trying to survive in a disease riddened prison with barely any food or fresh water. Read this book because it will be one you will never forget

This first person account provides a wealth of insight into the day-to-day rituals of "life" in one of the most forbidding Civil War prison camps. Throughout his trials, however, Charles Hopkins never loses his faith in humanity and even manages to endure with a sense of humor. His uplifting story bears testimony to the strength of the human spirit under fire. Hopkins' style of writing is descriptive and conversational, and works well with the enlightening information and photos supplied by editors Mr. Styple and Mr. Fitzpatrick. I highly recommend this book to all who are interested in the Civil War and in becoming acquainted with one of its many unsung heroes.

Expensive, but worth every penny of it.

For more than 30 years, I've had to treasure my one increasingly worn copy of William's Arthurian poetry like the Grail itself. These poems have been far too long out of print, and this edition, edited by David Llewellyn Dodds, has ended the drought at last.

This collection contains nothing less than what is arguably the greatest English language poetry written in the last century (with the possible exception of T.S. Eliot's "Four Quartets"). Endlessly rewarding, each new reading uncovers new depths of meaning, new beauties of language, ever greater profundities, and a richer appreciation of the power of myth to aid in our understanding of our own and others' lives.

No doubt about it, Williams demands our full attention. This is not beach reading! The poems require a thorough grounding in Mallory, Virgil, Dante, and the Bible, a solid background in Medieval history, and at least some familiarity with Welsh mythology, the Kabbalah, Milton and Wordsworth - and that's just for starters. But the effort is worth it. His lines positively glow (I'm amazed I need a light to read them by at night).

Williams' reputation as being "too difficult" is simply not true. He is nowhere as deliberately obscure as Eliot's "The Wasteland", or syntactically tortured as much of James Joyce. Williams does not use an obscure word or difficult phrase without good reason, and never just to be clever. But he can't be read quickly, or just once. He has to be pondered, in the true meaning of that word. Sometimes a single stanza, or even a line, is enough for a day's reading. Trust me, the rewards are there.

What makes this edition especially important is its inclusion of Williams' unpublished Arthurian poetry alongside the full texts of his two published volumes, "Taliessin through Logres" and "The Region of the Summer Stars". The new material, although occasionally uneven in quality, and sometimes more resembling rough drafts rather than completed works, adds immeasurably to one's understanding and appreciation of the more familiar, previously published poems.

This edition does have two annoying (and inexcusable) flaws. First, due to a scribal error in the text approximately half way down on page 79, the planet Mercury is rendered "Mercy", which is not only the wrong word (it is correctly printed in my 30+ year old Eerdman's edition), but makes no sense. Williams is hard enough to understand as it is without a misprint driving attentive readers crazy trying to decipher an unintelligible line. The second shortcoming is the omission of the endpapers, displaying Williams' map of the Empire, as described in the poems. What makes this omission even more mysterious is that the map is specifically mentioned in the text, on page 161 ("the map ... reproduced as the endpapers of this volume").

Recommended to everyone who loves good poetry or the Arthurian legend.

This is an excellent collection of poems by one of the often overlooked members of the the Inklings. Mr. Dodds' useful introduction and organization of these vibrant poems is very helpful, and it's too bad that this book will be read primarily by academics.

This is fascinating to see the regional dialects mapped for the United States. My husband studied linguistics, so we take an interest still even though he is retired. I've lived in Baltimore, after growing up in the midwest. I was amazed at the differences in speech. Baltimore residents say am-BU-lance, for example. Even after being away from the mid-atlantic for 15 years now, I still recognize a Virginia accent by the way they say "house." It's actually very similar to one area of Canada.

In the 1960s, William Labov went to New England to discover what had happened to English there since it had been surveyed in the 1930s. What he found opened his eyes to the speed at which linguistic change takes place, and the trip set him on a course that culminates in this Atlas, a survey of English in cities across the U. S. and Canada.

Beautifully produced in a boxed set (the other "volume" contains a CD-Rom), this is an expensive book but filled with beautiful color maps and displays, also in color, of the shifting vowels of English. The clearly-written narrative explains the mechanisms of sound change in progress and the regions of distinctive varieties.

Everyone interested in the pronunciation of English in America must consult this masterpiece.

Richard W. Bailey
Fred Newton Scott Professor of English
The University of Michigan

I was so thrilled to find the book written by my cousin, Edwin Dyess. WE had an old copy of the Chicago Sun's article written by him back right after he returned home from Bataan. After visiting Edwin's hometown of Albany and his gravesite recently, I took a chance and went on line to see if there was anything in bookform and BiNGO. Leave it to Amazon to have most anything I am looking for. Thanks Amazon. Read the book. It is totally amazing how one man could endure such terrors.

"Bataan Death March: A Survivor's Account" by William E. Dyess is a very descriptive book about the Bataan Death March, a torturous march from Bataan to various prison camps. The march started on April 10, 1042, and it involved American and Filipino soldiers being stripped of their belongings and forced to walk about 100 miles in the hot sun. The soldiers were cruelly treated by the Japanese soldiers, usually beaten until unable to walk and sometimes killed right on the spot. Most of the time they were not given food or water, and when they were given food, the portions would be just a small bite.
The book gives readers a look at the Bataan Death March from an actual U.S. soldier's experience. Lt. Col. Dyess survived this horrendous act and he decided to write a book to tell the American people what he went through. The book was very well written, and it had many details of the march, details that no history text book could even start to explain.
I really liked "Bataan Death March: A Survivor's Account" because it gave me a sense of what the soldiers had to go through. Dyess' experiences helped me understand the awfulness of the Bataan Death March because he explained them so vividly, and even through his words I could hear the passion in his voice. With the author being a survivor, having a first-hand account of what actually happened on the Bataan Death March really helps readers understand the enormity of the situation.
All in all, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about what happened on the Bataan Death March. It is a very poweful book that takes the reader back in time to World War II.

When Nelson Mandela commenced his long walk to freedom, just over a decade ago, he wanted to know whether Sir Donald Bradman, Australia's only cricketing knight, was still alive. A few days ago 'The Don'celebrated his 92nd birthday (born 27/8/08)and despite finishing his Test cricket career in 1948 is still regarded as the greatest Australian. Bradman's name is synonymous with fair play, modesty and excellence. His Test average of 99.94 per innings is double that of most other top-line batsmen (Graeme Pollock of South Africa is second, with an average of 60.97, and I deem myself as very fortunate in seeing his best score of 274 at Durban in 1970). British Labour peer, Lord Charles Williams, has written a superb book which places Bradman's outstanding feats in the context of Australia growing-up in the world. As Williams notes,the heroes of most other nations are symbolised by the warlike spirit of nationalism. However, Australia has never had a civil war or national revolution, nor has it ever been at war with near- neighbours. Thus, for Australians sport has become an integral part of politics and Aussie sporting champions achieved a status several notches higher than elsewhere.Accordingly, Bradman's deeds against an English 'army' clad in white was not to be compared to Babe Ruth's baseball feats (and the pair did meet in 1932)but rather to George Washington's victories against the British redcoats!( yes, I am exaggerating and The Don would have cringed at such suggestions but it simply helps to explain why opinion polls of today invariably rate him as the greatest Australian-not just the best cricketer or sportsman).Williams taps into the Australia psyche brilliantly and records just how important Don Bradman was to a fledgling Depression-era nation at the end of the world. Bradman and champion racehorse Phar Lap gave Australians something to cheer about as both proved themselves against the great nations of the world ( Phar Lap won brilliantly at his only start in the USA before dying in his paddock). For anyone remotely interested in Australia or cricket this book is required reading. UPDATE (27/8/01) Sir Donald Bradman would have been 93 today-but unfortunately he died on 25 February 2001, an event that almost brought the nation to a standstill, causing much introspection about the man, his deeds, and his influence on the nation.

.When Nelson Mandela commenced his long walk to freedom, just over a decade ago,he wanted to know whether Sir Donald Bradman, Australia's only cricketing knight, was still alive.As I write this review "The Don" is only one day off his 92nd birthday(born 27/8/08). Any lover of cricket, the world over, knows the name of Bradman-his name is synonymous with fair play, modesty and excellence.His test batting average of 99.94 runs per average is almost double other quality test batsmen.(I consider myself fortunate in seeing the second best, South Africa's Graeme Pollock,average 60.97, make his best score of 274 in Durban in 1970). In fact Bradman only needed to make 4 runs in his last test innings to average a 100-instead he was out for 0-one of the few 'ducks'of his career. British Labour peer, Lord Charles Williams,has written a superb book which is as much about Australia as it is on our nation's greatest sportsman.Williams places Bradman's great feats in the context of Australia growing up in the world. As Williams notes, the heroes in almost every other country symbolised the spirit of warlike nationalism. However Australia has never had a civil war or revolution, nor been at war with her near-neighbours.For Australians sport became an integral part of politics and sporting champions achieved a status several ranks higher than elsewhere. Thus, Bradman's deeds against an English 'army'clad in white,were akin not to Babe Ruth's baseball feats (and the pair did meet) but rather, as significant as George Washington's victories against the British redcoats!! Even today, many years retired, Bradman is always rated as the greatest Australian in opinion polls ( not just the best sportsman).Williams taps the Australian psyche brilliantly, particularly the Depression era where a fledgling nation, at the end of the earth, needed heroes. The two 'stars' who provided the boost to national confidence in those dark days are still remembered as Australian icons-'Big Red' (the champion racehorse Phar Lap, who died in the USA after brilliantly winning at his only American start)and Don Bradman. For anyone remotely interested in Australia and cricket this is a must-read.