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 Gary Allan
Whatever Became Of Melanie?
Published in Paperback by Tentmaker Ministries and Publications (2009-02-09)
Author: Allan E Chevrier
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A great introduction to the pre-Dark-Ages paradigm!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2009-06-24
There are many joyfully-sung hymns and choruses that proclaim that "Every knee will bow (in heaven and on earth and under the earth), and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father"(Phil 2:10,11). When faced with the awesomeness of the Creator we may 'fall down (involuntarily) as dead' (e.g. Rev 1:17), but 'bowing the knee' and 'confessing' are essentially voluntary actions even when done under duress. Would our gracious Redeemer put unbelievers under duress to bow to and acclaim Him? The Lover of our souls, Who has so gently respected our choices here and now - will He not also respect our choices in the hereafter? If you are curious about how God will have every knee (willingly) bow and every tongue (ecstatically) declaring Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God - the Father of us all - read this book!

Having held the conviction for the last 20 years that the Bible teaches the reconciliation of all things (especially all people) in Christ (Col1:20), I am very aware of the need for a book with popular appeal, that can engage with the average Christian reader's heart and mind long enough for them to start to really come to grips with the many facets of this truth. There is a lot of great material available (e.g. at www.Tentmaker.org) but unless a person is extremely troubled by the doctrine of eternal torment and has already started to reject it, they can be easily overwhelmed by the radically different paradigm of Biblical Universalism. A seeker needs to be able to quickly get an overview of all the facets and implications of the radical understanding (of the Early Church) - as opposed to the currently `orthodox' position - before they are drawn back from following the Spirit of liberation, by the fear and machinations of their cult family. By 'cult family' I mean their church - and I say this only partly tongue-in-cheek!

Any cult depends on it's adherents not only believing the cult's particular doctrines, and on misunderstanding that which might otherwise liberate them, but also on them being controlled by a grave fear that if they even so much as listen to those outside the cult, they risk being damned by God and/or rejected by the group. The 'orthodox' cult of Eternal Torment, which has captured a large majority of the western church over the last 1500 years is no different. Take for example, my fellow church member, an earnest Bible College student, and the book he was reading about Christian Universalism a year ago. Surprise, surprise, it was an unfavourable critique! But it was not the Universalism I know from the Bible -it was a caricature of Biblical Universalism that I too reject! But the book, written by a cult member, served the cult's purpose - to keep that adherent from knowing the truth, and keeping him still too scared to read Biblical Universalism from those who can expound it from their hearts and from the Bible.

So I was very interested to see what potential 'Whatever Happened To Melanie?' might have for quickly and strongly engaging with the heart and mind of someone contemplating life-after-the-cult. My opinion is that Mr Chevrier has done very well, indeed. True, one still has to be very interested in the topic to read a book that so deeply challenges current orthodoxy...but then again, the trials of life still provoke such interest.

Via the vehicle of a 'theological novel' (also wonderfully used by George MacDonald in the nineteenth century), Mr Chevrier engages the heart, through one's sympathy and identification with the main character. Alice is an over-stressed single parent whose 13-year-old child dies 'in a state of rebellion against church and God.' Her long-held belief in eternal torment is suddenly an overwhelmingly awful prison. Her grief, anger and sense of confusion and hopelessness are transformed into faith, hope and love at her daughter's funeral, as the love of God and the God of love touch her through Bible passages and hymns, previously well-known but little comprehended. The rest of the book consists of extended conversations (punctuated with little bits of story) between Alice and her a Biblical Universalist mentor, in which very many of the usual questions and concerns arise and are answered from Scripture.

It's not a story that is gripping in it's own right (as are MacDonald's 'The Curate of Glaston' trilogyCurate of Glaston, The) but the wonderful expounding of Scripture more than made up for it for me. Mr Chevrier deftly weaves and cross-weaves Scripture with Scripture with Scripture into the seamless whole of the good news of our Heavenly Father's love and majesty.

For those unfamiliar with Biblical Universalism, it involves a major reappraisal of such things as: the imaginative(!) interpretations of modern 'prophecy' teaching, the (mis)translations of the Hebrew and Greek terms for 'hell' and 'eternal', the audience relevance of Jesus' warnings of judgement (fulfilled cataclysmically through the Roman-Judeo war, 67-73 AD), the ending of the age of the Old Covenant and the beginning of the age of the New Covenant (which I personally found particularly helpful), and the historical rise (especially through Constantine and Augustine) of (the cult of) Eternal Torment leading to the Dark Ages.

Mr Chevrier has also, in my opinion, managed to present very succinctly and elegantly the major rational arguments for and against the eventual salvation of all in Christ, in a very readable form.

Whilst hellfire preaching is discredited, the fear of hell amongst Christian is alive and well. It is implicit in all those evangelistic calls that say 'Accept Jesus.. while you can...before it's too late..!' But a belief that God would allow anyone (let alone millions) to suffer agony in hell for eternity is perhaps the single greatest doctrinal hindrance to God being able to woo His children to Himself!

I think therefore that this book will be a great evangelistic tool, both for those outside the church who are already relatively free from the Cult of Eternal Torment, as well as for Christians like Alice who grieve with far too little hope after a death of an unbelieving loved one. (Every minister and every funeral director should have it available!) I also recommend it for all who think of Christianity as synonymous with a belief in hell, or who have trouble identifying an Omnipotent and All-loving Being with the God of the Bible.

Hell is no more.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2009-03-20
This book will change many lives forever! The fear of Hell has tormented millions of people around the world. Fortunately, dozens of books have been written in recent years proving the original languages of the Bible never taught eternal punishment, they taught universal salvation through Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection.

The fear of death is the mother of all phobias (Greek for fear) according to Dr. Irvin D. Yalom, professor of psychiatry Emeritus at Stanford University. He believes all other phobias have their origins in the fear of death. Perhaps the greatest manifestation of that root fear is the fear a mother has for the eternal fate of her children. What happens to them in the after-life, especially if her children have not lived a "good" life according to the moral standards she has been taught society and religion.

Whatever Became of Melanie? Is a story of Alice, a middle-aged, single mother, who loses her oldest child, Melanie, to a tragic death. Alice is a conservative Christian; Melanie, a trouble, rebellious teenager who chose to turn away from the church and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The thought of her beloved daughter being consigned to the flames of everlasting hell has devastated Alice, driving her to the verge of a nervous breakdown. Brenda, a long-lost childhood friend, comes to the funeral and invites Alice to return home with her. She too is a conservative Christian, but with one major difference. Brenda and her husband have discovered Biblical truths and principles that have led them to challenge and eventually reject the doctrine of hell.

Mr. Chevrier presents a thought-provoking and exciting discussion on this pressing and timely issue, and he does so through the unique literary style of a theological novel. The extensive dialogue between the two friends is not the dry disquisitions of professional theologians, but rather, delightfully founded upon the warm, intelligent, and honest experiences of everyday life. In this bold, new genre he appeals to both the serious student and inquisitive novice, challenging both the intellect and emotions with sound, compelling, arguments that are firmly founded upon the Holy Scriptures, reason and the moral intuition of an advancing, empathetic society. Though a novel, the book is not a shallow treatment. Chevrier has been a conservative Christian and avid student for over thirty years of his adult life. As he confessed: "My sole purpose in writing this book is to bless. If it can be used of God to remove the dark veil from the mind of just one of His precious children, then my labor will not have been in vain."

Allan E. Chevrier lives with his family in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada where he has worked as a technical writer and served extensively as a lay minister.

Off with the veil!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-03
To make a long story short, I've typed out the back cover. If you're an evangelical/orthodox minded Christian, and don't want your hell-fire paradigm turned upside-down, then don't read this book.

"Whatever Became of Melanie? is the story of Alice, a middle aged, single mother, who loses her oldest child, Melanie, to a tragic death. Alice is a conservative Christian; Melanie, a troubled, rebellious teenager who chose to turn away from the church and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The thought of her beloved daughter being consigned to the flames of everlasting hell has devastated Alice, driving her to the verge of a nervous breakdown. Brenda, a long lost childhood friend, comes to the funeral and invites Alice to return home with her. She too is a conservative Christian, but with one major difference. Brenda and her husband have discovered Biblical truths and principles that have lead them to challenge and eventually reject the doctrine of hell.

Mr. Chevrier presents a thought provoking and exciting discussion on this pressing and timely issue, and he does so through the unique literary style of a theological novel. The extensive dialogue between the two friends is not the dry disquisitions of professional theologians, but rather, delightfully founded upon the warm, intelligent, and honest experiences of everyday life. In this bold, new genre he appeals to both the serious student and inquisitive novice, challenging both the intellect and emotions with sound, compelling arguments that are firmly founded upon the Holy Scriptures, reason and the moral intuition of an advancing, empathetic society. Though a novel, the book is not a shallow treatment. Mr. Chevrier has been a conservative Christian and avid student for over thirty years of his adult life. As he has confessed: 'What I write, I have lived!' This next quote so profoundly reveals his heart: 'My sole purpose in writing this book is to bless. If it can be used of God to remove the dark veil from the mind of just one of His precious children, then my labor will not have been in vain.'"

very uplifting and spiritually gratifying.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-05
a very thought provoking and exciting theological novel. A very good read!!

 Gary Allan
The American People: Creating a Nation and a Society, Combined Volume, VangoBooks
Published in Paperback by Longman (2008-08-28)
Authors: Gary B. Nash, Julie Roy Jeffrey, John R. Howe, Peter J. Frederick, Allen F. Davis, Allan M. Winkler, Charlene Mires, and Carla Gardina Pestana
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I am very satisfied with my book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2009-03-16
I am very satisfied with my purchase, it was well packed, the product was in a good condition, and arrived safely at my house.

The American People: Creating a Nation and a Society, Combined Volume, VangoBooks
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2009-02-21
It's a great book at a reasonable price. It's not only a history book but a cultural critic also. In case overstating American undoubtable performance, this book tries to figure out what caused the US look today and also gave some critics of racism, dscrimniation on domestic problems. It's a wonderful book to help us understand to American history and people and is abundant of readable pics and supplements. I think it's valuable for every one to have it.

Good Quality for a good price
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-28
Only a few pages with marks; rare and barely noticeable creases.. Over all a amazing buy- should be able to resell for close to same price.

helpful
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-21
If you wish to learn America's history this is the best option available in the market.

An important alternative approach to teaching U.S. history
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-27
I have been teaching U.S. history at a few colleges and universities in Chicago and its suburbs for the past five years. This is the textbook that I have invariably assigned in the time; in fact, as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the late nineties, it was the text that my mentor used in the U.S. survey class in which I apprenticed for her. I have found that my students are generally enthusiastic about this textbook's focus on "ordinary" Americans, like themselves, who, as the book reminds them, make the history of our nation, as the elites have always done, usually by going about their daily lives. Thus, Nash/Jeffrey, et al, examine the effects of some critical historical developments (such as the American Revolution; the emergence of the Market Economy during the Early Republic; the long-running intersectional coflicts over the continued existence of and the often-advocated extension of American black slavery; and, the significant role played by the self-made, visionary President Abraham Lincoln in managing the Union's ultimate victory in the U.S. Civil War) on the average Americans who participated in them. Moreover, the authors attempt to show that non-elite Americans have often actively shaped their own destinies, and not just passively allowed the powers-that-be to manipulate them (think: the Regulator Movement of North Carolina's Backcountry in 1766; the Whiskey Rebellion and Shay's Rebellion after the Revolution, both waged by average Americans out to safeguard their independence from what they perceived as governmentally-perpetrated tyranny; the manner in which many Americans, as a result of the First Great Awakening, just threw out their tradition of submission and deference to their alleged "betters"; and, the way that ordinary white laborers and farmers voted with their feet, and set out over the Appalachians in the 1780s and on to both find land and to get away from their landlords, creditors and employers in the eastern states). This particular text's unique perspective reinforces my own claim, always made to the students at our very first class-meeting each semster, that the history of the U.S. is not simply a record of the so-called illustrious achievements of elite Americans (people to whom many students have trouble relating, let alone caring much about) that must be memorized, rather, that it is also, truthfully, the collective story of all of our families.

 Gary Allan
Driven to Kill (Westley Allen Dodd)
Published in Paperback by Pinnacle (1993-04-01)
Author: Gary C. King
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a must read for all parents
Helpful Votes: 15 out of 19 total.
Review Date: 2000-09-26
As a true crime reader and a parent, I found this book very disturbing but interesting. It made me speak again to my children and what can happen to them in a blink of an eye. Westley was a TRUE MONSTER. It is a shame that he never got all the help he needed. The story is very graphic but it gets the point across. It almost makes me never want to let my children out of my sight again. Read it you will not be sorry!!!!!!!!!!

A shocking true crime book- one every parent should read.
Helpful Votes: 17 out of 21 total.
Review Date: 1999-02-01
Driven to Kill is indeed a shocking true account of the most disgusting of all crimes, child murder. Gary C. King has included in this book accounts from the law enforcement agencies involved in the case of Westley Allan Dodd, as well as segments from Dodd's 'diary of death'. The details of Dodd's crimes have not been left out by King which only emphasizes the true horror of his crimes. Every parent should read this book as it opens your eyes to what kind of people are really out there and emphasizes the need to watch your children at all times. Photographs of his victims, the law enforcement officers and signifcant places involved in the case are included in this book. Segments of the trial testimony have been added including statements from the victims' families and Dodd himself. Police interviews have also been included. I was engrossed while reading King's account of this twisted serial pedophile, although at times I felt sick thinking about what had happened to these boys. It truly opened my eyes to the vulnerability of the most precious thing on earth - our children.

Not For The Queasy
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2002-04-13
A heartbreaking as well as frightening look into the mind of one truly sick, twisted individual. Should make every parent aware of the predators that sometimes lurk behind the faces of seemingly harmless strangers. I'm glad I don't have children, otherwise after reading this book I doubt I'd ever let them out of the house again. I pray readers with children will take away lessons to teach to their kids concerning strangers. God save them from monsters like Dodd.

 Gary Allan
The Cask of Amontillado (Creative Short Stories)
Published in Library Binding by Creative Education (2008-01-31)
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
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...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-07
Poe was a master of his craft and way ahead of his time. Arthur Conan Doyle owes everything to the man. So does Dostoyevsky. And I have yet to find a group of students that aren't mesmerized by his talent and exploration of the human psyche. "The Cask of Amontillado" is a deceptively simple tale, one told by a murderer who buries his friend in his family's underground catacombs and leaves him for dead, but it's also the story of a man coming to terms with the "perfect crime" that has imprisoned his soul for the past half-century. Like the great ones, Poe's use of symbolism is both user-friendly and deeply complex (allusions to Dante's Inferno - both in setting and allegory - rear their head in horrific manner), but Poe's reputation as a trailblazer of modern gothic literature is felt throughout this story. They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but you had better check the name on the place-setting just to make sure who's getting the meal.

Fine High School Reading
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-03
This is my favorite short story of all time. Yes, it's a little twisted, but that's Poe for you. Poe makes excellent use of irony, foreshadowing, and sensory devices in "Cask of Amontillado," making it excellent fodder for a literary analysis essay. The vocabulary is a little dated, and you may need a dictionary if you don't remember what "immolation" means, but let's face it, kids, this is eighth or ninth grade reading here. You and ask.oxford.com can handle this little story.

A Classic
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2001-11-27
The begining may be a little confusing to those who are literally challenged however it is not an extremely confussing story. Poe was a great writter.

Amazingly Entertaining
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-15
I read this story in college (English 2) and i must say this was probably the best horror story i've ever read.

First, i like to forget about the words he uses for a minute to explain that, although magnificently written, i take the story for how it was meant to be interpreted. And it was meant to leave you with a chill, and a feeling of despair that was so violently left in my stomach that i had to read it again and again.

I can't wait to be sitting around the camp fire to tell this story.

As far as the literary value, i am not shy in saying i didn't understand many of the words, but that's what a dictionary is for, and with the use of both books i came away thrilled with knowing and understanding what is probably one of the best horror stories ever written.

The story is a macabre tail of two men, both upper classmen mindful of their positions in society. One of them; seemingly distraught over past wrongs done, strives to avenge his house by comitting one brutal act. His prey however, does not know his fate until it has met him alone, and face to face...

Big Cheers to Poe for an amazingly entertaining story.

The Cask of Amontillado
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-14
It seems, like another reviewer stated, that many people miss the point, or possibly even the face value of this work. I read it as a sophomore in high school, that would be two years ago, and can't describe how much I enjoyed it. The vocabulary really isn't very tough, if I recall correctly I was able to extrapolate the meaning of most of the words from the context of their use. If you want to read something that will give you a feeling of uneasy fear in the pit of your stomach, The Cask of Amontillado does just that.

 Gary Allan
Tales of Mystery and Imagination
Published in Hardcover by Creative Editions (1996-10)
Authors: Edgar Allen Poe and Edgar Allan Poe
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Great illustrations but poor reading typography
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-22
It's an expensive book with only THREE stories from the whole of Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination. From the title and reviews I thought I'm getting the whole book, with illustrations only for three of the stories. That aside, the illustrations are great! Unfortunately, the reading text is also set in the ornate typography used for the title. While it works very well used as display typography - for titles, chapter headings, etc., this typeface is very unsuitable for reading as text. The book jacket is also slightly yellow around the edges, with a bit of the lamination peeling off. (Guess it's a very old stock. I've got a replacement from Amazon and both books are the same.)

E. A. Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-15
Having never read Edgar Allen Poe I was quite pleased with his writing. One of my favorite stories out of the plethera of choices was the Gold Bug. At first I was relucant to continue with the book. It was going slow and was hard to interpret. Then in the middle of the story it picked up pace and had some mystery and magic in it. I became fixed with reading it and figuring out how they found the treasure and how it was all possible. The process of the way the treasure was found was fantastic. This book has many of Poe's greatest writings. And that is what made it great. You didn't ahve to get a lot of books to read many of his stories, you could simply just get one and read many. This book contained many great short stories. It is a must read.

One of the greatest books ever written!!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1998-04-16
I read this book about a year ago and loved it. I'm the type of person who reads before they go to sleep and I had to put this book down because it was so frightening. I loved the way Poe drew me into the story and kept me begging for more. I was always curious to know what happened next, even if I was terrified. My favorite of all the stories was the "Cask of Amontillado". It was so creative how you became almost like a part of the story.

Here is where greatness lies!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-26
I had read some of Mr. Poe's tales at different times during the course of my life, but I had never before sat down to read all of his most important ones before I picked up this book. I found this an incredible thing to do, because I was faced with the genius that was Poe. Most of us know that he was the father of the short story genre, and that many famous authors (not the least of which were Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie) tried to follow in his footsteps. This is an almost impossible task because the genius of Poe was his poet's nature which allowed him to write very beautiful prose too. He also had the gift of mixing his impalpable shadows of mystery which run through all his tales with an almost obsessive attention to detail. This brought his stories to life when he wrote them, and this power still brings them to life today. It is difficult to pick a favourite tale out of so many gems, but I'd have to go with "The Black Cat", I think. In this tale Poe's protagonist allows a very intimate glimpse of the darkest recesses of his souls, and we descend into madness with him. This is an eerily beautiful world here and not for the faint of heart.

Truly a masterpiece! Full of horror and graphic imagination.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1998-04-16
I felt chilled reading this collection of Poe's all time best stories. I especially loved the eerieness of The Cask of Amontialldo and the insanity of the narrator in the The Balck Cat, all so frightly believable. The illustrations top it off by adding a magical touch of frightful imagery to the collection.

 Gary Allan
The American People: Creating a Nation and Society, Volume II, Primary Source Edition (Book Alone) (7th Edition)
Published in Paperback by Longman (2006-10-02)
Authors: Gary B. Nash, Julie Roy Jeffrey, John R. Howe, Peter J. Frederick, Allen F. Davis, Allan M. Winkler, Charlene Mires, and Carla Gardina Pestana
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prompt shipment great condition
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2009-03-02
the book came faster than the third party purchase thru Amazon. It was fast enough for my son to complete his homework on schedule. Thanks

A good textbook
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-14
I enjoyed using this text for some courses I took, as it was very informative and well set up. It covers American history from 1865 up to 2005, and each time period is covered through a similar structure (political events, social events, impacts on special groups, cultural trends). The book has a very consistent feel throughout. The fact that it covers events up until the very recent past (2005) makes it feel very current and up-to-date.Another notable feature is the nicely illustrated study card that accompanies the book, which serves as a handy reference.

 Gary Allan
American People
Published in Hardcover by Longman Higher Education (1990-12-31)
Authors: Gary B. Nash, Julie R. Jeffrey, and Allan M. Winkler
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Left leaning book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-21
This book is very one sided and very liberal. I have no problem with political philosophies different than my own. The problem I do have is being forced to spend $80.00 on a book that blames the "white man" for every ill of modern history. This view of history needs to be told. I just wish other viewpoints were told as well. Having said that, it is written well and gives the reader a different view of history.

Very helpful
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-21
I was looking for a book that would help me to understand the American Society, and this was an excelent option to acomplish it.

Yes, it really is politically correct garbage with some history thrown in
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-16
Let me start off by saying that I am liberal. But I have absolutely no patience for intellectual dishonesty, especially not from those teaching history to others. They have a duty to give a fair account of history, as what they teach becomes truth in the minds of those taught history. The perspective of the authors is anything but fair. The authors of this book should be ashamed. Before reading this book for a history course, I read the reviews here. I was hoping that the reviewers claiming this to be liberal propaganda were simply misguided conservatives who take offense at anything conflicting with their world view. Turns out they were right. I realize that many wrongs have been committed by the white majority of society in American history, but this is not all of what history is about.

The authors of this book are staunch supporters of conflict theory. They spend an unfairly large portion of each chapter on the plight of the underprivileged, and especially on minorities and women. The authors seem to view all of society's problems as the fault of the social/governmental/economic system. The concept of personal responsibility apparently is a lost cause. The authors seem to not only subscribe to the social belief of equal opportunity, but also equality of outcome.

Almost every chapter has a large amount of text devoted to the plight of minorities and women. Minorities are always blameless in this book, and the big bad white men can never seem to do anything with moral integrity.

The first chapter of this book, "The Union Reconstructed", is intended to tell the history of the Reconstruction Era, or post Civil-War era. It ends up talking more about the plight of blacks than it does on actual Reconstruction. Every single photograph/painting in this chapter, save for one, has to do with the plight of blacks, usually in the form of being exploited by whites. Ridiculous.

While most other chapters are not this bad, it still sets a tone that will last throughout the book. Near the end of the book, the authors even have the audacity to claim that opposition to affirmative action is rooted in racism (page 1087). If that's not an unfair account of history, then I don't know what is. The authors let their bias cloud the truth, and it is a travesty.

I would also like to note that this last chapter (which tells of the history from 1992-2002) spends not even a full three pages talking about the economy, and then goes on for almost five pages talking about the plight of minorities. Actually, let me break down, page by page, what this chapter discusses, just so you can see how people can get the impression that this isn't a history book, but liberal propaganda. 1074-1077 talks about immigration into the US. 1077-1079 talks about the Census of 2000, where it spends much time talking about... you guessed it, women and minorities. 1079-1081 talk about the economy. 1081-1082 talks about the plight of the lower classes. 1082, 1083, and 1086 talks about "Aging and Illness", which deals with the increase in the elderly population, the health concerns and social pressures that come with that, and the AIDS epidemic. (pages 1084 and 1085 are one of the "Recovering The Past" features which serve to break up the pace of the text a little bit) 1086 to 1092 talks about, what else, minorities and women! A paltry two pages is then spent on the revival of the Democrat party with Bill Clinton. 1093-1095 deal with some general political history. 1095-98 deal with the rise of George W. Bush. 1098-1102 deal with foreign policy. And then a paltry two pages are spent on September 11th, the War of Terrorism, the Afghanistan War, and the impending conflict in Iraq. And, that's the end of the chapter. It's almost as if little happened in the 1990s except blacks getting persecuted! Sounds like a fair telling of history, doesn't it?

Other examples of flagrant unfair history telling is in Chapter 17. The Native Americans are portrayed as this collection of nice little idyllic, Utopian societies that was suddenly torn to pieces by the evil white men. The whites slaughtered the Native Americans while the Native Americans were not guilty of any atrocities. Sorry, this isn't how it happened. There were atrocities on BOTH sides, and yet not once does this text mention any atrocities committed by any Native American tribes. I will concede, however, that the white settlers were probably more at fault than the Native Americans, but the Native American tribes were by no means blameless like this book would like you to think.

"But their bravery and skill could not permanentally withstand the power of the well-supplied, well-armed, and determined U.S. Army." (page 592) Their "bravery and skill"? Give me a break. Another quote: "The [buffalo slaughter], which had claimed 13 million animals by 1883, was disgraceful in retrospect. The Indians considered white men demented. " - page 592. A historian should always strive to have a neutral point of view, not call things "disgraceful".

This book is just completely unbalanced history telling. It conveniently neglects any facts which do not corroborate the authors' racist views. Not enough time is spent on what happened outside of the suffering of minorities and women. The history text that is here skips over all sorts of events, trends, people, and dates so it can fit in more diatribes about the persisting ills of society.

Great Overview!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-27
This book gives a great overview of the social aspects of U.S. History since 1865. It was rather refreshing to read a history book that was not so narrowly focused on the death and carnage of war in this nation. The wars are discussed, of course, in relative detail, but more weight is placed on how they affected our nation's citizens and society as a whole. The photographs and illustrations were fantastic in revealing how life truly was at a time we often have a hard time imagining, let alone comprehending these days. In addition, I found it really helpful in learning the information and doing well on my exams!

So You Thought You Knew Your History
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-24
This is one of the better college texts for American history. The information is straight forward compared to the full text version, and no information is missed between its big brother. The second half highlights from 1865 onward into the 21st century. I would highly reccomend this book for students taking a introductory course in college or AP American History in high school.

 Gary Allan
The American People: Creating a Nation and a Society, Brief Edition, Volume 2 (since 1865) (5th Edition) (Myhistorylab)
Published in Paperback by Longman (2005-02-26)
Authors: Gary B. Nash, Julie Roy Jeffrey, John R. Howe, Peter J. Frederick, Allen F. Davis, and Allan M. Winkler
List price: $74.40
New price: $6.00
Used price: $0.76

Average review score:

Not that bad
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-05
This book is rather nice in its presentation of rather mundane information. The details of specific events can be scarce, but for a small history book.

A College Students Opinion
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-15
This book was used in my American History 1865 to the Present class. Basically we followed the textbook and started post-civil war. Anyway, I found this book to differ from most High School text books. High school textbooks are usually overflowing with detail, dates, names, etc. I remember reading them and wondering "What in the world is my teacher thinking? I'm never going to remember all of this!." However, I find after reading this book that I prefer those 600 paged hardcover books rather than this. The American People Volume II should never be used as the prime textbook in a history class. It's descriptions of events are very scarce and I have often found myself seeking other sources to find out what I am reading about. For example, there were about 3 pages describing the Native American conflicts in the late 1800's (Which was also turned into a SIX EPISODE mini series called Into the West. This shows how little is told about these conflicts in the book.) and there was a mentioning of a Dawe's Act. However, the text went to say what caused this act and what resulted from it (2 sentences each), but it did not say what it actually was. This has been the case for many other Acts, Bills, and Laws that are mentioned. This is also not a note-taking book. The descriptions of events are so slim and undetailed that there is nothing to note about them, and I find myself moving on in the reading and not remembering much. Therefore, I would have to conclude that I prefer those large high school history textbooks in comparison to this brief history. At least with the detailed books you can get more of a rounded picture in your head of what is being described, rather than just basic facts such as "Wheat was farmed in the Great Plains." One last comment: the text is also a bit juvenile. Each chapter begins with a story of a family or individual and it is as though you are reading Little House on the Prairie. So before you buy this, make sure that it is absolutly required.

 Gary Allan
American Jewish Archives Journal 2000 (American Jewish Archives Journal, LII)
Published in Paperback by Jacon Rader Marcus Center (2000)
Authors: Deborah Weiner, Seth Farber, Moshe Feinstein, Allan M. Winkler, R. William Weisberger, Priscilla Roberts, and Kevin Proffitt
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New price: $24.42
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 Gary Allan
The American People
Published in Paperback by Addison-Wesley (2005-02-22)
Author: Gary B. (EDT)/ Jeffrey, Julie Roy (EDT)/ Howe, John R./ Frederick, Peter J./ Davis, Allen F./ Winkler, Allan M. Nash
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