History Books

This was an interesting, well-written book; it's obvious that Mr. Crivellone and his family love Bavaria/Oberammergau, and it was fun to read about their adventures there. The book is also a helpful guide for anyone planning a trip to this region of Germany.

A great book that has prompted me to make Oberammergau a must stop on my next visit to Europe.

I loved reading this book so much that I didn't want to put it down! It was very exciting to learn about this family's experiences in this quaint German village. I really felt as though I was in Oberammergau with them because the experiences and descriptions of this charming town are so real and so honest. Oberammergau is definitely on my list of places to visit the next time I travel to Europe!

We were about to take our first foreign trip to Germany with our young children. We knew we wanted and needed a "home base" but had no idea where! Then we read this --- we ended up booking two weeks in an Apartment in Oberammergau from someone Don mentioned in the book. We found that reading this before we went gave us a different perspective on living, even temporarily, in a foreign country --- from the "Barvarian Pudding" produced by the town's cows to the friendly people of Oberammergau, this book helped make our vacation into an unforgettable adventure. It really helped to make us feel like Oberammergau was our home. We can't wait to return. Thank you for helping us discover this special place!

A wonderful sharing of life in the Village of Oberammergau!

This is very much like a walk through a family's "secret garden", where their experiences and relationships have been grown and nurtured ...

By the last page, I feel that I had grown too!

As though I, also, had traveled the distance of time and places with the Crivellone family ... learning more about the many that have succeeded in keeping their rich history & culture vibrant and alive for all that live in or visit the Village of Oberammergau.

Thank You! ... for sharing a bit of your lives! In doing so, I have learned much, especially about those that shared their lives with you and your family!

This book by Gene I Basel is one of the most riveting stories I have read since Thud Ridge. G.I. tells it like it is in true first person experience. I will read it again and again.

One need look no further than the back cover of this book, and at the picture of the man that wrote it, to be able to comprehend what this memoir meant to him. Thirty some odd years later, the steely glare seems to say "I still have unfinished business. 78 1/2 missions wasn't what I was sent ther for..." A short one, but filled with "I was there" stories that anyone can relate to, and appreciate. An excellent account of flying and fighting in an unpopular war. We are lucky to have such warriors in our midst.

I've pretty much gone through the literature on the F-105 in Vietnam at this point. This machine fascinates me; it was beautiful, like a supersonic aluminum aardvark. It was insane; a flying deathtrap, at least with the way it was used over Vietnam. The men who flew it grew enormous moustaches to protect them from evil and bad luck. All the men who wrote about their adventures in these fantastic machines have unique voices. Basel is the poet of the lot of them. It's the shortest of the books on the subject, and also the sweetest. Others tell the basic facts, or tell an allegory which relates to what happened to them. Basel sings it. He's a modern Homer.

"Sing to me o goddess of the might of the Thunderchief, son of the Super Sabre, that brought countless ills upon the bretheren of Korat. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures..."

The book was on par with most Sierra Hotel pilot accounts of the Vietnam air war. . . .the indestrucible feeling, etc. The accounts of the authors trips "over the fence" are good, but the book, overall, lacks a cohesive feeling. It feels very scattered about, and ends with a fizzle wrather than a bang. A good book for die hard aviation and vietnam buffs.

As others have pointed out, Pak Six is a short book compared to most combat memoirs, and has an unusual layout, but it nonetheless is one of the most intense and powerful air combat memoirs I've read in a long time; the raw emotional impact the book conveys was stunning.

Basel definitely has a way with words; even his descriptions of more mundane events are told in a way that captivates the reader. His accounts of air combat in the F-105 flying against the most devastating air defences ever assembled, fighting his way through SAMs, AAA and MiGs are some of the best I've read, and truly do make the reader feel they are right there in the cockpit.

Well worth the read.

In 1991, I had the privilege of being a student at the School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth under the direction of then Col James McDonough. A man of deep reflection, he was also passionate about soldiers and ensured that everything we did as students in teh study of warfare and campaign design kept them in mind.

Now I am a university professor offering courses in US military history. Part of what I do is to expose my students to leadership and battle at the small unit level. There is no better book for that purpose concerning Vietnam than McDonough.

Every student takes something different away from this book because, unlike many assigned books, they read it. The book captures you right from the beginning. You really can't put it down. And, it contains more lessons about life and leadership than I can express here.

Knowing the author personally in 1991-1992 is special, for I saw in him then the character that had developed from his time in Vietnam. He tells it like it is, he means what he says, and he stands by his word. His book is more than just a memoir, it is therapy for a man who must live with the past, both for better and for worse.

Platoon Leader was an excellent read, and one I would recommend for all those enjoy military reading. I would especially suggest it to all junior military leaders. Entertaining and well written, the author discusses at length his role as a leader, and what he views as good and bad leaders. The aspect of the book I enjoyed the most was it allowed the reader to see leadership, on a small-unit level, working in real-world combat conditions. Unlike many books leaders read for professional development, it shows how leadership works when employed and doesn't just philosophize about leadership principles.

James McDonough provides an in-depth look at infantry platoon operations in Vietnam. This is a must read for anyone who intends to pursue a military career. The book is very graphic, but also very succint and to the point. McDonough doesn't waste time with superfluous details, every word is well chosen and critical to the telling of the story. Once you begin reading, you will not want to stop. It is a quick read, and well worth the time it takes.

"Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat," by James R. McDonough, chronicles the author's experiences as an officer in the Vietnam War from 1970-71. His platoon is charged with manning an outpost next to the village of Truong Lam.

This is a fascinating, well-written account. McDonough fills his narrative with vivid details that really made his story come alive in my mind. He doesn't flinch at describing the goriest and most horrific images of war. There are also moments of irony and bitter humor. Also noteworthy is the informative material about tactics used in Vietnam. And the author humanizes the story by touching on such "down-and-dirty" issues as the latrine his platoon used.

McDonough's story is populated with a compelling cast of characters. Particularly intriguing is his exploration of relationships among the various groups he encountered in the war zone--U.S. enlisted men, his fellow Army officers, Vietnamese military allies, enemy forces, and the many civilians caught up in the conflict.

While rich in scenes of combat, "Platoon Leader" goes beyond being just an action-packed war yarn. The book explores the ethics and morals of war. McDonough deals directly with the danger a soldier faces in becoming dehumanized by the brutality of war. He vividly portrays the struggle of a leader to remain wise and humane, yet also tough and resolute, under the most trying of circumstances. This book is both a profound meditation on wartime leadership and a powerful work of American literature.

As a junior officer I have an entire list of professional reading that I am trudging my way through, but so far McDonough has been by far the most enjoyable and has made the biggest impact on my own leadership style. Both Platoon Leader and Defense of Hill 781 are great books, but Platoon Leader is so far the best military memoir I have read. It has been over a year since I read this book, but the three things that have stuck with me are:
1. Do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.
2. Death in a combat zone is more about just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sooner or later your luck runs out, but you have the duty to your fellow soldiers to do everything in your power to protect them.
3. The stealing of a bottle of soda from a grandmother leads slowly but inevitable to the rape of her granddaughter. If you let your soldiers steal at all you are setting the stage for what atrocities they will commit later. You must always be vigilant in your discipline.

While I do not have combat experience, I am currently serving in Iraq and know second handedly that these concepts still hold true.

Other than the leadership aspect of the book, Mcdonough is just a great story teller and is able to make the book engaging and addicting.

This is by far the best book that I have read on any life transforming physical exercise including other books on this subject, as well as books on yoga and tai chi. The author writes simply and masterfully. He promises an easy to learn, easy to do "exercise", and delivers. This book has none of the New Age psycho-babble that mucks up so many other books on the subject.

This is a superbly written book. This is one of the best "how-to's" I've ever read, and I write those kinds of books myself.

When Qi Gong developed in China for more than 20 years, Chinese people finally find Falun Gong is the most effective. So there are more than 100 million Chinese people practice Falun Gong before the government's persecution.

But western society seems still enjoy the low level Qi Gongs.

Why not directly start from high level Falun Gong? It is not difficult. When you try, you will know.

There is an old Chinese saying: "Learn from the best".

Many of us want very much to do spiritual and physical exercises but never seem to find the time. This practice can be learned quickly from this most excellent book and takes only six minutes. I've been using the book for three months and have felt an increase in energy level, both physical and spiritual, already.

The author has written a clear & practical book, with compact and understandable information about Qi Gong in general plus some nice information about what it has done for him personally.
It has good instructions and a lot of black and white photos which are easy to follow.
I found the excercise sequence very simple to do. It is relaxing and indeed takes less then 10 minutes to perform.
I think this book is a great start for beginners. Anyone can do these excercises.
If you're interested in other, longer and more intensive Qi Gong forms, I'd like to recommend the book 'The Swimming Dragon: A Chinese Way to Fitness, Beautiful Skin, Weightloss and High Energy' by T.K. Shih.

Buy this book. If you have only one book on your quilt bookshelf, it should be this one. I have a library of quilt books, but I couldn't believe how useful this one is, and you can also sit and read it like a novel. It's extremely well-researched and contains a wealth of resources that I've never seen under one cover. Where to go on quilt retreats, websites, teacher profiles, equipment, fabric and even some patterns. I love this book, and you will too.

This book is nearly impossible to put down. Truly, it is just incredible how much wonderful information is packed into this book. Well worth every penny!

I've been quilting about four years and subscribe and buy about every quilt magazine on the newstand. I have bought many books in addition to this one. Of all the books/magazines this is absolutely the best quilting information that I have ever seen. Not only does it have all kinds of instructions, tips, etc., but has numerous resources that you can go to. I recommend this book to all quilters...first timers, as well as, experienced quilters.You will wonder why you haven't bought this book before now.This is absolutely a "MUST BUY" !!!!!!!!!

I purchased the book as a gift for a friend and one for myself. The book is full of very good information for quilters. Where to find speciality items and fabric. Excellent website data and just an all around good book for any quilter beginner or experienced. When it is called a comprehensive resource guide they are spot on.

This book is a must-have resource for anyone interested in quilting! It is arguably eight books in one, very well-written by a former Wall Street journalist who has developed a passion for quilting. I bought it after hearing the author at my local quilt guild, thinking it would be a good reference....but I am now reading it cover-to-cover, which is not my usual response to a reference book! Lots of interesting tid-bits about the history of quilting, the leading authors/teachers/designers of today and yesteryear, and interviews with the "quilter on the street" and their views of specific topics. I loved the quilting world before I started reading it, and this book has only added to that feeling!

I purchased this book back when it first was published, and have recommended it to many people who used to consider themselves to be rightwing conservatives. This book helped convince them that the right was wrong, and supported stealing with both hands, whether it is Corporate Welfare that ADM has taken for buying influence, or altering trade barriers to block out legitimate competitors, or simple illegal price fixing on a global scale, the ADM Corp led the way. Now that ethanol has offerred up a new way to steal from the public trough, ADM is again leading the way with the biggest 'snout' in the Government Trough.

Attorney Lieber deserves high praise for his objective, informative presentation of the antitrust criminal case vs. Archer Daniels Midland, the agribusiness giant, that ADM, its powerful lawyers and Clinton's Justice Department did not want published. To his credit, he continued to pursue this case after most reporters backed off and swallowed the dizzying spin and disinformation that ADM's CEO Dwayne Andreas and his aggressive lawyers gave the media, crying crocodile tears as the "victim" of an allegedly deranged ADM executive, Mark Whitacre, who became the FBI's mole, and made hundreds of tapes incriminating ADM executives fixing prices in world markets with their competitors. Lieber correctly smelled the stench of a cover-up and adroitly guides readers to make their own
conclusions after compiling evidence, omissions from court records, and other factors that allow readers to infer that the judicial process was compromised by ADM's widespread political
influence before the trial even began. Although Dwayne Andreas,
the infamous political fixer and king of corporate welfare, got immunity in a highly secretive plea bargain to Justice in 1996,
after ADM agreed to pay a record fine of $100 million, his son
Michael was convicted and imprisoned with Terry Wilson for a
mere 3 years, and Dwayne (thanks to outraged and courageous ADM
shareholders) finally resigned. Tragically, Whitacre was
convicted, fined and sentenced to a harsh term of 9 years
because of ADM's swift retaliation against him as whistleblower, for exposing to the FBI the ... corporate culture of
ADM...(anything goes-but don't get caught-and here's your big
bonus (not reported on books)to keep silent, the unspoken words
being that an employee would be fired and crucified if they
blew the whistle.
Lieber's chilling comment (p. 322)should concern every citizen
or future whistleblower who believes in due process and our rule of law: "It was expected that ADM's attorneys would savage the
snitch. What was highly bizarre in the world of criminal law was the way the Justice Department joined in the frenzy to destroy Whitacre. This was an aberration...the perpetrator was a
politically wired corporation whose law firm- the president's law firm- had unbridled entree and influence at Justice. The
mole's lawyer had none."
Lieber makes a strong case that this American corporate history- "one of the most important antitrust cases of the century"- should be closely examined. Rightly so. Why was the court record sealed, why were key witnesses (e.g., Wayne Brasser) not deposed, who could have validated Whitacre's claims that the hidden bonuses were a quid pro quo for engaging in illegal price-fixing? The author's appendices are very helpful. ADM and Dwayne Andreas not only have lobbied for years to emasculate our antitrust laws (the "Magna Carta" of free enterprise) but know that the massive soft money donations to key politicians can grease not only the wheels of justice, but also ensure that ADM continues to get huge subsidies for ethanol and other favors from Agriculture Dept. (high fructose corn syrup,peanuts) that have cost taxpayers billions of dollars.
Rats in the Grain is highly recommended, and was a difficult book to write because of the case's complexity. James Lieber should be considered for a Pulitzer Prize.

I have not read this book, but it seems that the publisher's statement here at Amazon should include some mention of what this book can tell us that Kurt Eichenwald's exhaustive, prizewinning book, _The Informant_, does not. Eichenwald's book covers exactly the same material, and Eichenwald (the _New York Times_ reporter who covered the case) had the same access to Whitacre and other sources that Lieber had.

For obvious reasons, I would prefer not to give a "number-of-stars" rating to a book I haven't read. But Amazon demands it, so I've chosen a neutral "three."

Jim Liebert gets to the truth. Dwayne Andreas and others at ADM are not kind folks. Their ties with murderer/dictator Fidel Castro are real. Their contemptuous involvement with the illegal extraction of Elian Gonzalez from freedom and his subsequent delivery to slavery in Castro's communist prison is also very real. All in the name of appeasment to Castro. These people are stench and deserve to be imprisoned, if not worse. Thank you Mr. Liebert for telling the truth.

Lieber possesses a unique blend of talents to investigate the price fixing trial of the century.

The book chronicles ADM kingmaker Dwayne Andreas's rise to business and political power, charts the evolution of US antitrust law, and dissect's the testimony of key witnesses in the trial.

The chapters on the trial delve into ADM's chief defense: its executives were white-hatted American heroes intent on destroying an "Asian" cartel. You will find the race baiting and "we-are-heroes" defense surreal, especially since audio and video tape caught the conspirators red-handed and potty-mouthed.

Lieber presents shocking evidence to build a solid case that the US Justice Department often subjugated itself to ADM's political power and well-connected attorneys in the prosecution of informant Mark Whitacre for fraud and tax evasion. For example, Whitacre still maintains the nearly $10 million of ADM money he stashed in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands was "off-the-books" bonuses given to him by Michael Andreas with the approval of ADM president James Randall. Lieber provides multi-layered facts that endorse Whitacre's story.

The book's final chapters contain even more revelations: alleged document shredding by ADM chairman Andreas after the June 1995 FBI raid; ADM's hiring prostitutes to help steal competitors' technology; the never investigated role of ADM president James Randall--or Chairman Andreas--in price fixing conspiracies; the Justice Department's refusal to release public documents, and other sordid facts of sex, lies and videotape.

As you will discover in reading this book, justice was plea bargined away and the wishes of the Andreas crime family boss Dwayne were granted, one of which was sending Whitacre to jail for 10 years.

Lieber is to be commended for this historical document which will explain to generations to come how corporate crime destoyed our country.

Rebels and Redcoats is not the first book to read about the American Revolution.

I know this book has glowing reviews by others. But those readers already know the basic story. If you think you fit in that category, go for it. Fascinating as the first person accounts may be, the context of the war is sometimes lost.

The men who fought the War are not the most literate. Spelling and grammatical conventions of the late 18th century may be confusing to the modern reader.

A teacher or another reader to help with the story line would be good. Or read 1776: America and Britain at War, by David G. McCullough first. You'll get much more out of your reading.

The editor/authors do a good job weaving the tales told by various participants. The reader may find the differing styles confusing. An interesting alternative would be Joseph Plumb Martin's classic account as a teenage recruit during the Revolution.

What else can be said that has not already been posted? Scheer and Rankin nail this book! A must for anyone interested in our amazing revolution and the men / women involved in it. With actual written accounts from people who were there you could not get a more fact based account of what it must have been like. It is very rare that this book gets "dull" as some fear history must be. Written how all history should be - so that it touches you and makes you think of what it must have been like to live through such time, If you want to learn and enjoy history (esp. such an important part of history) get this book and "Angel in the Whirlwind" by Benson Bobrick = both are fantastic! A plus!

"Rebels and Redcoats" is a tremendously good read recommended for anyone interested in a history of the American Revolutionary War written by those that fought and lived it.

Authors George Scheer and Hugh F. Rankin have compiled, organized and edited a comprehensive collection of letters and papers that provide unparalleled insights into the war as it unfolds. Some of the participants, such as Paul Revere, are well known. Most, however, are not, including rank and file American and British soldiers.

The result is an extremely well written and compelling chronological history of the American war for independence through the eyes of those that won - and lost - it.

Lasting eight years, the Revolutionary War was both America's first long war and civil war. By it ends, four times more American had died (percentage wise) than in World War II. The war showed how hard it is for any nation, no matter how powerful and technologically advanced its military and economy, to defeat a people numerous, armed and far away, possessing strong allies, and fighting for their independence on ground of their own choosing.

Anyone interested in a first-hand account of a war that gave birth to the United States of America and changed the world should read this book.

Reads like a good novel. The first hand accounts woven into the narrative are well selected and perfectly integrated. A variety of perspectives was chosen and this is quite even-handed. There is enough detail to make it lively and interesting but not so much that it overpowers. Anyone wishing to pursue further personal study has broad cross section of topics, biographies and events to choose from. This is an excellent book and should be required reading for all high school and college students instead of the the race-gender-class dribble that is probably used today. 1000% better than Langguth's "Patriots".

This is a very good, readable history of the American Revolution. The book does a very good job of giving you the British side of the Revolution. I enjoyed the book, and so did my 13 year old son.

The only thing the book doesn't have is much material about the war at sea, but this is a minor shortcoming.

The experience one derives from wine is not like any other beverage; it is an adventure of exploring the land and the people from which it comes. It is an expression of the Providential weather, climate and soil as well as the blood sweat and tears of those who pour out their lives into the craft of wine making.

There are many books on wine that provide historical facts about production, viticulture regions, step by step instructions on how to make wine and a lot of "how to" tips on enjoying it. But they tell you little about the soul of the writer and nothing of the adventure of traveling the wine country, meeting the people or what it is like to have first hand experience in the wine making process.

The difference between Natalie MacLean's book "Red, White and Drunk All Over" and so many others is that while many authors can provide a lot of professional wine making technical information for Natalie, "...my real wine education has largely been through the people I've met and the places I've been." Like most wine enthusiasts I have met, Natalie has a story to tell of her discovery of the grandness of wine that sounds almost like a religious conversion experience. It is a moment when the light comes on and the mystery of wine grabs hold of you "that evaporates with the cold touch of analysis." You develop an insatiable appetite to learn more about wine and why it is the perfect catalyst for enjoying food and fellowship with friends. Natalie shares her personal story with her readers and as you travel with her you will find greater inspiration for exploring vineyards and the desire to expand and mature in your appreciation for the culture of wine.

I have also read countless books, journals and magazines about wine but the telling of her personal traveling experiences is where Natalie MacClean sets herself apart as a writer. As a wine-writer and fellow explorer I feel a great kinship with Natalie for I too have a "conversion story" and until recently my own education about wine has come from my interaction with wine growers. In her book Red, White and Drunk All Over she shares her experiences as she takes you along with her on her wine travels to Old World and New World wine regions. She will also invite you into the inner sanctum of fine wine shops as well as into the battlefields of wine critics.

Sound intimidating?

Well, have no fear for along the way you will learn with Natalie all that you need to know about wine. You will gain a knowledge of various wine varietals, soils as well as the enigmatic and allusive concept of "terroir." Along with Natalie you will experience the process of nurturing the nectar of the grapes from vine to wine while gaining an appreciation of the heritage of Old World wineries as well as come to love the visionary souls of those who are pushing the envelope in New World territories. Yet this is no dry textbook for it reads as a Meritage of adventure story, romance novel and an introductory class on enology and viticulture.

If you are looking for a fun, leisurely and yet insightful way to learn about wine then I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of "Red, White and Drunk All Over." Then pour yourself a glass, snuggle up to a cozy fire and read along with Natalie. Or, better yet, buy several copies and get together with your family and friends, open a bottle get ready for a fun time of adventuring the world of wine exploration.


For more wine country and travel related articles, see my "Adventures in Wine Tasting" web site at: http://erikwait.blogspot.com/

Reading the book while I'm in the right environment (France - lovely wheather - Lac Léman - tasting and buying wine - et cetera) gives me lots of pleasure. It's not only informative but also 'funny' (excusez le mot) and - while I'm half way the book - puts me in a situation where I have to choose: read the rest of the book or drive to the next planned stop in Marin (Savoie) for wine to taste again... Just decided to follow my nose... and read on in the book when I return.
Conclusion when I finished the book: can't wait to read the next one!

I have only skimmed through this book but from what I have seen I believe that it will prove informational. Also, from this book I have subscribed to a newsletter from the author and find this very informative also. I would highly recommend this to a beginner or an old hat in appreciating wine.

Reading this book was like listening to a girlfriend talk about a subject near and dear to both of our hearts. While reading this book, I felt like I was experiencing her journeys and education with her- and with quite a bit of a sense of humor. All to often, it seems wine educators take themselves (and wine) too seriously. This book will teach you more about wine production, selection, and food pairing without being snobby and pretentious. It was fun, easy to read, and informative. I hope Natalie will be writing more books!

This is the first book that I've read that actually makes it fun to
learn about wine. It's relaxed and realistic for the wine novice.
Natalie teaches about wine to those who want to enjoy it, not just look
impressive ordering or drinking it.
I retained more real world knowledge about wine reading this than I have reading the wine magazines and tomes.

His abiding love of trees is evident in this deeply personal account of trees he's found and ...respected enough to photograph, research and write about. I bought this because we already had "Meetings with Remarkable Trees" and we were in no way disappointed. The photos are excellent, the trees selected really are remarkable, and the narrative is engaging. Not much else to say, both my husband and I love the book, and it's on the coffee table right now. We have had guests pick it up and also fall in love... attesting to the wide appeal of this photographer-naturalist.

A very nice book, with remarkable trees, however, from the cover I suppose I wrongly assumed they would be beautiful trees. Quite a lot of the book is spent on African trees of a very strange nature, and to my husband's suprise, very little was done on the banyan tree. I was looking forward to large, ancient trees myself. All in all, it is still a wonderful book, it just wasn't what we were expecting.

Great Book will enough the wonder hopefully they have it in the school systems or county systems

Trees are grouped by various, sensible categories that other books on trees might neglect: Giants: Gods, Goddesses, Grizzlies; Dwarfs: For Fear of Little Men, In Bondage; Methuselahs: The Living and the Dead, Shrines; Dreams: Prisoners, Aliens, Lovers and Dancers, Snakes and Ladders, Ghosts; and Trees in Peril: Do the Loggers always Win? and Ten Green Bottles. Pakenham's text is great fun to read, as can be viewed from those sectional titles, and individual tree titles such as "Tie up my feet, Darling, and I'll live forever" for the Bonsai tree that is the In Bondage section.

I suppose coffee table books really shouldn't be considered exceptional items to read - view, yes; read, not so much. This is an exception. Tolkien's Ents are invoked for a handful of trees, and rightly so; geography students who get a core borer stuck and (somehow) get permission to cut down what had possibly been the oldest tree in the world just to retrieve it are warned against; and, of course, it is mentioned that any fool can climb a gum tree. I've read this about six times this year, high time I count it officially.

In fall 2006, Lansing's forestry department planted a tiny gingko biloba tree between the sidewalk and the street in front of my house.
It had four and a half branches, all oriented in one plane like the candlesticks in a menorah. You could barely roast a wiener with it.
I scrambled into the house for a book I had bought, by sheer coincidence, the previous day -- Thomas Pakenham's "Remarkable Trees of the World."
Yes! There, sprawling across pages 110 and 111, was a gingko nearly 1,000 years old, still living in Tokyo, measuring 30 feet in girth and 66 feet high.
Pakenham, a British historian with Irish wanderlust and a gentle sense of drama, has traveled the world to photograph and research the history and lore of 60 of the world's most remarkable trees.
This oversize book, just now out in paperback, is so relaxed and un-sensational you picture Pakenham walking from tree to tree, a Haydn string quartet playing in the background, not minding the continents and oceans in between. It's a follow-up to another book that's just as good: "Meetings With Remarkable Trees," in which Packenham confined his wanderings to the British Isles. The response to "Meetings" was so warm that Pakenham packed his bags and expanded his search to global proportions.
Pakenham's style is that of a curious, intelligent pilgrim. He pairs generous full-page or double-page images of his subjects with un-fussy, lightly conversational background information. He clearly respects local lore and legend, but doesn't go overboard with it, nor does he bog the text down in scientific details. The result is almost a set of personality profiles.
The images are spectacular -- given the subject matter, most of them can't help it -- but sensitively chosen and framed, with an eye toward the unique setting, mood and attributes of each tree.
It's a low-key approach, but if this book doesn't awaken your sense of awe, nothing can. That little stick of a gingko in my front yard, for example, belongs to a hyper-ancient species/order/family that predates dinosaurs. Its peculiar lineage (it's related to ferns) is betrayed by unique, fan-shaped leaves that have no central fold.
Of course, trees have their own agenda, and don't care whether they get into a coffee-table book or not (it's tempting to think they'd rather not, insofar as books are made of paper). But it was hard not to think of Pakenham's gargantuan gingko as a thundering encouragement for my little tree's stressed-out, brown-fringed leaves and spindly trunk.
For one thing, Japanese Buddhists believe the gingko, not the Bo tree of India, was the tree under which Buddha found enlightenment.
If lore doesn't thrill, Pakenham serves up history and science. For example, a gingko 800 yards from the epicenter of Hiroshima threw up new sprouts even after the atomic bomb hit.
But enough about gingkos. In this book, the reader will meet a panoply of the world's most amazing creatures: General Sherman, a mega-giant sequoia in California that weights 1,500 tons and is probably the largest living thing on Earth; ancient teapot-shaped African baobabs out of a Dr. Suess illustration; the leaning Italian cypress said to have been planted by St. Francis; wind-lashed cypresses clinging to the rocky California coast; great oaks with hollows where 20 people can sit down to a banquet; bristlecone pines now into their fifth millennium of existence.
Some of these magnificent trees are near roadsides or chained off in parks, all but ignored by passersby. The wonder of this book is that it tunes the mind to the low-frequency, centuries-long chords only these creatures can hear. Looking at trees that have lived the better part of a millennium make you wonder whether there will be a California -- the home of a disproportionate number of these giants -- or a Lansing in 1,000 years.
My bet's on Lansing, which is far less likely to slip into the ocean before my gingko grows up.

This was an interesting read especially for us that have spent some time at sea ourselves. There are however weaknesses, in my opinion, which downgrades my rating. The author has taken some artistic license with his narrative. I would have thought he could have been more specific in regards to actual weather conditions. These must be available from records available to the company, the Navy or the routing service. The descriptions of the weather are too general. Another thing I found curios was a near total lack of a description of the contact and communications held between the ship's Master and the company - States Marine. There must have been volumes!

Still, all in all an interesting enough description of the events during those dramatic days. Not a pleasant way to spend a Christmas at sea.

This book is spell binding, excellently written and so full of history that it makes you want to reach out for more info.

A true story for our time and one that needs to be shared. If you want to know more about the Coast Guard and what it's like to be at sea, this is the book to read. I'm having trouble putting it down.

"Sailing into the Abyss" by William R. Benedetto is to the Merchant fleet what the "Perfect Storm" was to the sword-fishing fleet.

The book gives "arm-chair" sailors like me, uncontrollable shakes and chattering teeth even...with a hot cup of coffee in hand! Benedetto's writing abilities plunges the reader directly into the cold sea next to the unfortunate struggling seaman who has just abandoned his sinking ship.

This is the riveting story of the Merchant vessel "S.S. Badger State" that was taking its deadly cargo of bombs and munitions to Da Nang to help support our troops and the war effort in Vietnam. Shortly before Christmas of 1969, the "S. S. Badger State" runs into two gargantuan storms that seem to converge directly into the men and cargo of the "S.S. Badger State." The bombs break loose in their cargo holds, and then...
you must read the book!

The author is really a superb writer and nautical historian. However, he sometimes gives too many historical examples of similar events to intensify the fate of this particular ship and incident. His examples are extremely interesting but...often too long. These constant historical vignettes only serve to take the readers focus away from the main events at hand. Much of that ancillary information could easily be put into another book on historical ship wrecks.

William Benedetto deserves the highest praises for sharing his expertise and love for those who suffer peril upon the seas.

A truly good book and one that all sailors, past and present should read.

Aye--Aye Captain!

This book is superbly written. The amazing story of the SS Badger State is magnetic, and even more fascinating because it's true! I will recommend this book every chance I get, and I will keep my copy as a prized possession.

Very few people are likely to have heard of the loss of the American merchant ship Badger State at Christmas of 1969. She was carrying a load of bombs to resupply the Air Force in Vietnam, and a chain of unfortunate events--poor stowage of the explosives, carrying an insufficient amount of cargo so that the ship rode high, bad weather--combined to lead almost inevitably to tragedy.

Benedetto, in very simple and unadorned prose that is not bogged down by a great deal of nautical jargon, provides a workmanlike rendition of the last days of the ship and crew. He draws heavily upon the documented testimony of survivors before a Board of Inquiry and received very significant input from Charles Wilson, the captain of the late vessel.

He also throws in a great deal of material (which at times verges on simple padding) about the tragic experiences of many other ships of the U.S. Merchant Marine over the last two hundred years, particularly about their destruction by, or, in some cases, escape from, Axis forces in WWII.

A small number of black and white photos are included. The diagrams of the ship and of the bomb pallets would have been better placed at the beginning of the book for easier reference.

This is not a lyrical and haunting masterpiece of man's struggle against the hostility of nature, but it's a serviceable enough rendering of an otherwise forgotten disaster and a nice primer about the sacrifices of the merchant marine.