History Books

Patterson's style is the style of a journalist (which he is): very bon ton. Besides, the information in this book is of high value, as it is one of the very few sources for information of a period of Gurdjieff's work in Paris.

On his birthday in January 1936, G. I. Gurdjieff, a Greek-Armenian teacher living in Paris and a man of the most traditional views about men and women, consented to teach a group of fiercely independent western women to prepare them for a difficult spiritual path. Although he had previously stopped all teaching and had for the past few years been devoting himself to his writing, he saw something unusual and very special in these women. He told them that they must form themselves into a group where they could work together for mutual support, "roped" together for safety, as if they were climbing a dangerous mountain, "each one thinking of the others, all helping one another."

They had heard of him from people who had been to the Prieure where, during the twenties, Gurdjieff's Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man had attracted some of the brightest lights in the literary world. They were writers, editors, musicians, and women in the business world: highly cultivated, avant-garde personalities, intelligent and sensitive, living in Paris and rejecting the traditional paths for woman. Psychologically, they were fragile, yet tough; some had formed lesbian attachments - all were determined to learn and develop themselves through his teaching. They came from a group taught by one of his earlier students, Jane Heap, but now she was leaving Paris and these women were determined to study with Gurdjieff himself.

By 1935, the Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man was a failed experiment and Gurdjieff was putting all his energy into finishing his series of writings called, All and Everything. Given his traditional view of what he called the "third sex", why did he consent and what was it he saw that made him want to adjust his course?

From the papers of four of these women, now archived in various university libraries, William Patrick Patterson has written an absorbing history of this unusual women-only group of spiritual seekers and their teacher. We see another side of Gurdjieff, close up, he seems softer and more compassionate, yet in his demands on his students, perhaps, even more rigorous. The group includes Kathryn Hulme, author of The Nun's Story, and Undiscovered Country; Margaret Anderson and Jane Heap co-editors of the Little Review, early publishers of James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, and T. S. Eliot; and Georgette LeBlanc, diva and actress.

For those interested in women's spirituality, it properly credits and documents the pioneering efforts of these accomplished women. And for the seeker following Gurdjieff's ideas, it is an invaluable text addressing, for the first time, this most enigmatic chapter Gurdjieff's life. Once again William Patrick Patterson has brought forth an excellent volume that adds to our understanding of Gurdjieff and the Fourth Way.

The ladies of The Rope were in no way average people. They lived large lives. They were intelligent and talented. Patterson begins by describing their lives and you can't help but be impressed and caught up in the glamour and excitement. But when they meet Gurdjieff things are moved to a whole different level. They (and the reader) begin to see things from a different perspective. As Gurdjieff says of one of the women, "In life she perhaps have something good. But not for our work...She has only automatic mind...she quite not have real mind mentation."

Patterson take us all the way from the time the women met and began working with Gurdjieff, through Gurdjieff's passing and finally to the their old age and death. The letters written when they are old and physically feeble are very moving. You see the real experience and emotion of old age. The book lets us see the women's struggles and how they worked. As one of the women said, "Our 'rich' personalities had been an obstacle to understanding...We who had been born outside the dull, the routine... --what had we been all our lives? Almost nothing at all."

I found these women's stories very disturbing. I have many questions as to what transformations were actually realized by them. For some of them it seems that it may have just been on a psychological level. Why did Margaret Anderson, at the end of her life, say "I know it [the story of my life] at first hand, but so incompletely that it has little meaning."?

There is much to think about here. As Patterson says in the Epilogue, "What we may make of this is for each one of us to ponder and work with."

In Ladies of the Rope, William Patrick Patterson brings together the story of Gurdjieff and the women's only group of students he formed in Paris. The telling of this story sheds light on the formation of some of the seeds of influence that Gurdjieff had planted in the West. The group contained some brilliant and influential people mostly involved in the literary world.

Once again, William Patrick Patterson brings together a story which helps the reader understand the teaching that Gurdjieff brought to us.

The fundamental question of this book is, "Why did Gurdjieff create the Rope?" Because the Rope was made up of mostly lesbian women I wondered how or if it fit within spiritual tradition. After the first reading I did not have an idea why Gurdjieff did it. But later, in re-reading, the idea came, that maybe Gurdjieff was conducting an experiment to see if the third sex had the possibility to transform themselves or to get to the point where transformation was possible. So perhaps, this was a test of the Teaching, so to speak.
"Ladies of the Rope" also explores areas of the Teaching that are rarely mentioned elsewhere--the inner animal and the toasts to the Idiots, to name a few. This book also evokes the feminine, the idea and experience of relationship, and has a depth of understanding revealing subtleties that widen the reader's perspective. As most books of the Work are more masculine, this book is a jewel for those interested in this intimate perspective.

I'm so glad I found this book, it's very much like how my poppy (grandfather) used to tell stories.

I'm a criminal defense attorney who represents many Native Americans all around the country. I've purchased this book for years. It is a must read for any new employee in this firm. I have also given it to many of my clients while they are in jail awaiting trial. It's a magnificient book. Mary M. McMahon, criminal defense attorney and author of Once a Warrior.

This book is extremely accessible as if ingrained in human nature. I have no background in indigenous culture and spirituality. I wanted to capture this book and live there. I had to wonder if anything about me was uniquely tuned in to this book and I don't think there was. I had to wonder what kind of effect this book would have as a large scale required reading in families, schools, churches, prisons, cities, the White House, etc. The Lakota way creates a desire to become honor, dignity and peace by being unselfish.

Stories. Lakota stories that tell about morality and virtues---persistence, honor, love, respect, and so forth. We can all benefit from reading these stories. Interesting and enlightening. What more can you ask for? Recommended! boland7214@aol.

I bought this book at a store in Oklahoma City and it was wrapped in packaging. I had already read three of Marshall's books but when I unwrapped it after buying it, my first reaction was it was a mistake to buy it. It was not what I was expecting. Much to my pleasant surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed Marshall's story telling.

I highly recommend anything he writes. I am currently reading his book on Crazy Horse and it is excellent. His book, "Walking with Grandfather" is outstanding.

Marshall is certainly one of the Elders of his tradition and is an accomplished writer and historian. His works are a must read.

...in preparation for my long overdue personal visit to Ireland a number of books including `Last of the Donkey Pilgrims' by Kevin O'Hara (www.kevin-ohara.com) were purchased online through Amazon.com for shipment to the parched distant locale of Doha...another Qatar `Transient', he being a native of Ireland, last 31 August had kindly written an Itinerary of Travel setting off westward from Dublin to Galway, proposing then a sweep about the coastal extremes of Eire on a circuitous route in return to Dublin a fortnight later...

New Zealand born with Great Grandfather Irish ancestry (Co. Tyrone), some years since I had the privilege of living on a long established property in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, created by it's owner `in the manner of England', and on which co-resided an elderly Donkey of much spirited antic, mannerism and personality - an endearing memory remains of that acquaintance in those bygone days, and influenced the choice that the Donkey odyssey would be my final read...my reward was to discover an absorbing chronicle of Kevin's 1979 1800 mile trek around the peripheral coast of Ireland, walking alongside his donkey Missie `Long-Ears' Mickdermott yoked to her cart, and written in 2004, 25 years after the doing...

...an inspired achievement to be applauded, and for me a delight to share the journey by way of an intimately personable published recall of such a grand meander through a land and people of a then traditional lifestyle which soon would substantially fade away into history...Ireland 2008 surpassed my any and every expectation - time and change may have advanced apace since the Nation in attaining EU membership emerged from being a `third world' Country, bringing financial advantage in some quarters and also significantly transforming the landscape and makeup of the populace, but the welcome and essence of the Irish people as acutely portrayed by the innumerable encounters and acquaintances along Kevin O'Hara's wandering way, we found to be very much the same...

...the book and infectious spirit of Missie accompanied us throughout as by car we drove, blessed I must add with only fine weather, our brief excursion along some of the highways and byways that shared partial commonality with the much earlier passage the Donkeyman and his travelling companion together had traipsed many years prior...there were particular moments which brought upon me a quiet smile with vivid memory of what I had read; hearing the call of the Cuckoo at Inishmore and Doolin - boarding the Killimer to Tarbert ferry, then later that same day driving through Abhainn an Ghleanna (running at but a shallow flow) on the road to Slea Head, Missie's obstinant reluctance to go on in chancing upon those two same `obstacles' came to mind...we sought out and had the pleasure of meeting Robert Shannon, mentioned in the book who happily recounted the long ago arrival of Missie in lovely Doolin - affection for Kevin and his roving partner lingers...

...having partaken of the ready welcome, spirit, beauty and abundant joys of Ireland, a return is inevitable - likely to be sooner rather than later I would venture...similarly I am driven to pick up and once more read `Last of the Donkey Pilgrims' - my immense pleasure and appreciation of the Tale at first take will assuredly be all the greater at a second reading, enhanced further by familiarity and insight gained from our recent visit...

Lindsay McLean
Doha, State of Qatar
16 June, 2008

I bought this book on my way out the door on a trip to Ireland, as a friend had recommended it. I read it on the airplane and during quiet moments, and finished it on the way home.
Not only is this book entertaining and well-written, I was amazed by how much I learned about Irish culture and history as I was reading.
It is especially recommended to those traveling to Ireland, but has wide appeal for its insight into human nature, and warm humor.

I enjoy reading about Ireland, and thought this book would be like Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. The donkey book was much more serious. I liked reading about the different people he encountered, but at times, felt that it was a glossary of names of potential buyers. I did enjoy his time with the travelers. He exemplified the attitudes of the 70's, and I think the book would have been more effective if he had written it 25 years ago. Still, it was a good story.

This is a fun story of a Yank's trip around Ireland with a donkey cart. His trip fulfills his longing to know the land of his forebears, and he wonderfully captures the language and attitudes of the people just before modernity finally arrived full force. Highly recommended!

Kevin's writing draws you into his journey - a remarkable romp around Ireland with a donkey that seems human. I loved it. You could nearly smell the air and see the characters. A magical look at an island that has changed so much in the 25 years since his journey took place. I wanted to be there by his side as he runs into character after character. His book is the next best thing to being there.

I didn't want his journey to end. Alas, time moves on and progress can't be stopped. If only there could be a sequel.

Anyway, it is written in very short, easy to read chapters. Perfect nighttime reading. If you like adventures, humor, self reflection, and interesting characters - read this book. If you have ever been to Ireland and fallen in love with it, this book is a must read. If you live in Ireland now and want a look back at the country as it existed 25 years ago, this book is required reading.

John Muir Law's Guide to hiking in the Sierra Nevada is lush with his artistic renditions of all you might see, and want to identify, as you hike this area. Small enough to carry in your back pack, but chock full of helpful information.

I have at least 10 books specifically on Sierra wildflowers and several field guides. This is the best all-in-one book. It's not too heavy for me to carry on a day hike.

Janice
in the Sierra

This book is stunning!..Beautiful artwork by the author as well as meaningful interpretations of wild life. The author is a gift to natural books as well as his art!

This book is amazing. With all the different species of life.
I'm going to keep it in my car. Some times when we're driving; my husband will say "what kind of bird was that" or "what kind of flower".
It's very imformative and very handy.
Thank you

This field guide is perfect for the hiker and camper or general nature lover who lives near the Sierra Mountain range in central California or who intends to vist that region. The authur has drawn almost all of the animal, flowers,insect and bird life to be found in the Western and eastern Sierra mountain range in beautful color by hand. To identify the various life forms you simply look under the various topies and you no doubt will ID that strange bug or plant. You can trust the author and his work is among the best selling of the genre. This is one of the most readable guides to life in the Sierra's and the artwork is first rate. This little guide is perfect for the rucksack crowd in terms of size and weight. This guide has limited written commitary as the artwork is the key to this field guide. This is a well-designed book, making for effortless page-turning and the writer/artist really get into the detail of the creatures shown. You will enjoy your quick hike much more and will have a dramatic change of atmosphere as you reference the life surrounding you in these mountains of great beauty. I recommend this guide highly.

Ireland has a strange relationship with England. For generations we were part of the British Empire and we still have the echoes of this in the designation "British Isles". Many of our countrymen answered the call to arms in World War I and fought on the side of the British Army, something that is often glossed over in history books. Another thing glossed over is the treatment of the Irish soldier after the 1916 rising.

That's really what this book is about. Willie Dunne is the son of a British Police officer, living in Dublin Castle, born in Ireland to Irish parents but for all intents and purposes a Briton. Too short to become a police man he answers the call to fight for England. This story follows him through the trenches, to return to Ireland and experience some of the 1916 rising and back to the trenches. The 1916 Rising is only a short part of the book but with a big impact to Willie's life when the leaders of the British Army start asking questions about the loyalties of their soldiers.

It's an interesting read, I am glad I picked it up because of Dublin City's One City One Book project.

This is a superbly written and moving novel about the thousands of Irish men who fought in the British Army's Irish Divisions in the Great War and were later largely written out of the histories of both countries. It tells with wonderful pose the story of their sacrifice, immense bravery, and eventual disillusionment through the eyes of a young Dublin Fusilier Willie Dunne. It is a novel that says a lot about Ireland in those years and the Great War in general from the view point of some of those caught up in the tragic events. Its central themes have echoes that can be seen in many of the later the conflicts of the 20th century and those of today.

A truly outstanding novel of the Great War that tells the poignant story of the thousands of ordinary Irish soldiers that fought in that conflict and the over 35,000 that died.

This is an incredible touching book. Millions should read this. It is a cry against the violence of war. President Bush should take notice of this message!

He writes like a poet (which he is) and moves his reader as very few other writers ever have. War is brutal and senseless, and it destroys the hearts of the young men (and women now) who go to strange places to fight it. No one can bring home the sense of the innocent soldier who is loosing his soul more than Sebastian Barry, except perhaps Hemingway. Barry writes about Ireland's heart and the hearts of its young as no other.

Sebastian Barry's Booker shortlisted "A Long Long Way (LLW)" isn't just about the First World War. If it were, there wouldn't have been much of a point to it, since landmark works by Robert Graves, Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Own, etc already define the canon of war literature. The accolades that have greeted the publication of LLW have much to do with the fact that Barry offers a fresh perspective of the war experience and the poetic sensibilities he brings to the telling of it.

LLW is about the heartrending confusion and torn loyalities one Willie Dunne of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers fighting for king and country against the Germans experienced when the 1916 Easter uprising erupted that would destroy trust among compatriots, strain family relationships to breaking point and precipitate personal identity crises. It is Willie's ordinariness that generalizes his simple hopes and dreams, making them the symbol of Irish consciousness.

Ironically, despite the many battle scenes of war, terror and destruction common to war stories, restraint and understatement typify Barry's richly poetic prose which spawn fully drawn and utterly memorable characters like the sergeant Christy Moran, Father Buckley, little sister Dolly, and the tragic Jesse Kirwan. Scenes that show little Dolly's unconditional love for her big brother, Willie's father's rejection of his son for siding with the nationalists and committing - in his mind - treason are poignant, though more often heartbreaking. The brutality of Jesse Kirwan's execution and the discovery of a buddy's betrayal that would lead to Willie losing his sweetheart Gretta only heighten the pain that's felt when the knife is driven deeper into the wound.

"A Long Long Way" is a wonderful piece of work, an exceptional book. The subject may seem a little well worn, but Barry doesn't just give it a special spin, he offers a perspective rarely encountered in war literature. Highly recommended.

The way Malachy Murry brings the reader closer to New York and the great history behind the big city is both exceptional and breathtaking. If you have the slightest interest to know anything about New York - this book comes highly recommanded.
In mid-August this year my wife and I had the pleasure of taking the full tour with Circle Line around Manhatten and our tour guide, Mr Murray, made that the most interesting, informative and enjoyable tours we've ever attended.
Thank you,
Janne & Trond, Norway

Visited NY the last of August for the first time. Malachy was the tour guide on the Circle Line boat tour my son and I took around Manhattan. For everyone who thinks history is boring, you will thoroughly enjoy how he gives you a recap of the how's,when's, where's, and why's of NY. This book models the tour talk he gives while you look around at all of the history and famous sights.
It's light reading that leaves you with an education! He published this by himself so enjoy a handmade product full of his humor and unique twist on the Big Apple. Want to know where that phrase came from? This is where to look!

I ordered Malachy Murray's book after meeting him aboard the Circle Line Tour Boat on August 30th on the 4:30 pm tour. He is one of the most interesting people I have ever met. The book itself is truly unique in that it covers information and facts that a person would never know about unless they delved deeper into archives or lived the experience. Worth every penny and much, much more. My trip to NYC began on the Circle Line and will continue for months while reading and rereading "Unique New York"
John P. Hayden

If you ever get to NYC, take the Circle Line Tour and request his tour. He's great! He's funny, informative, serious, inspirational and takes great pride in his city.

We were lucky enough to get on a boat of the NY Circle Line where Malachy Murray held a microphone in his hand - and the attention of his audience as well. He made history come alive, and through his colourful comments on NYC the two hours on that boat went by without a boring minute.
This book is a fabulous way to remember this great tour of Manhattan, providing anecdotes and facts, and all of it in Malachy Murray's unique style.
Well done, Malachy :-)

A well written and represented book! This book gives the reader a totally " Gungy " feeling! Real to life excerts from day to day life with " Mother Green & her Machine" Col. Fox is a Marines Marine, his method of leadership and Esprit de Corps was like no other, I know , I served under his command and unknowingly absorbed many of his talents, wisdom and leadership trait's through following his training and command. Well worth it!!!!!!!!!!! Col. Fox is a Marine to model ones self after, a Great American!!!! ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK. Semper Fidelis

Recommended reading for all Marines and Wannabees which includes just about everybody.

Col. Fox's memoir is as educational as it is entertaining. This is a must-read book on leadership, which drives home two essential principles: the leader must set the example and the leader must look out for the welfare of subordinates (which includes correcting them or even steering them into better paths, if they don't fit the Marine mold). And he does it in an entertaining style. It's rare to find someone with his experience who is also such a fine writer.

Though he holds the Medal of Honor, Col. Fox isn't at all full of himself. He's not afraid to say when he made mistakes, or when the system made mistakes. I found myself both wishing I'd served under Fox, and grateful I didn't, because I'm not sure I could have measured up to his very high standards. We should all be eternally thankful for Americans of this caliber.

Give this book to the young man or woman thinking of joining the Corps.

Robert A. Hall
Former SSgt, USMCR
Author of "The Good Bits"

I gave "Marine Rifleman" to my 17-year-old son last week, not to have him again revisit my Marine Corps "era" through this terrific book, but to have him exposed to these thoughts:

-- "Normal" people can have a successful military career. And Marines are not cold-blooded killers to begin with, nor trained as such.
-- Military careers can co-exist with a family lifestyle. The Fox family is a wonderful example.
-- We owe a considerable debt of gratitude to those who have served, especially in combat situations. Our comfortable life is largely due to the sacrifices of thousands of military personnel since 1900. Many of these sacrifices are short of serious wounds or death, but are not experienced by or even known to the public-at-large.
-- You can lead AND command without losing respect for your subordinates (very important today!!!), or having them lose respect for you.

Does "Marine Rifleman" bring out these lessons? You bet it does. Get the book, read it, pass it on to others. The reader does not have to be Marine-familiar. It will be one of their better reads from the bewildering choices in the bookstores. Especially for young people. Let them experience the personal growth of this man Fox as he maintains his spirit and integrity through a demanding career.

Every Marine that has served can easily tell you about the types of people in the Corps. There are the people who do their job and are just waiting to get out, the less than desirable bottom "10%" and then guys like Wesly Fox: the super-hardcore, gungy types who eat and sleep Marine Corps and epitomize the professionalism and dedication of the modern warrior. Col. Fox spent 43 year in, making it to 1st Sergeant before being commissioned and ultimately obtaining his bird. Many field grade officers today remember him as the CO of OCS, and his reputation carries his name throughout the Corps, even today, a decade since his retirement. Gungy Marines only come along maybe once a year in a unit, and Marines like Foxonly come along once in a great while.

The book is written by the author, and goes from chapter to chapter through each rank and his experiences in Korea, Vietnam, and all of his assignments (e.g. drill instructor, recruiter, MSG, etc.); He did it all. The prose is not extremely well written or memorable so much as the content of his story is remarkable. He seems to be a very warm and realistic man. There are almost no political views in the book, or rants about government or red tape, just his perspectives on the COrps and how it changed over 3 years. A great read, I feel it should be added to the Commandant's reading list.

In the United States most of the time when one reads World War II history it tends to focus on the Normandy Landings and lightning dash to Berlin the Pacific theater is generally ignored and so is the Italian campaign. The Soviets also had to do a large amount of the fighting they were both defenders of their homeland and agents of a tyrannical regime.

Then there were those people who were caught in the middle of it all like one Jewish Latvian survivor who was only 5 years old. Plucked from a firing line by a sympathetic sergeant and warned never to be seen naked this little boy resolves to survive in any way he can. He survived the war and had a family but he was racked by guilt at the manner in which he was saved for many years.

While there are some funny accounts over the course of the novel it is by no means meant to be humorous the two stories that stick with me the most is the account of the time Alex Kurzem (the mascot) went to the train station and was assigned to pass out chocolates to an unruly crowd to claim them; later he reasoned that all or most of those people were killed in an extermination camp. Then there was the time that the soliders he was traveling with used him as bait to attract village women with unpleasant results for the little mascot and the women.

One also admire the author Mark Kurzem who tracked down all of these loose ends partially out of a sense of curiosity and to give his family a sense of closure about the whole issue. It is a truly remarkable effort especially when you consider the unlikelihood that there would be enough people alive to put the sometimes spotty recollections of the father into any context.

Overall-A truly remarkable account and evidence of tremendous courage on the part of the father both as a child to survive all of that and to level with his family years later about what he had gone through.

Every story of survival from the Holocaust is incredibly unique and Mark Kurzem's The Mascot is no exception. I must say that once the author's father, Alex Kurzem, begins to unlock the memories--after over 60 years of silence--of escape from near certain death, his nurturing by would-be executioners, and ultimate search for his true identity, the book is nearly impossible to put down. The basic reservation I had about the book--which is presented in narrative form--is that whenever the story drifts away from its riveting father/son dialogue, the telling become a bit wordy and almost extraneously repetitive. I found myself doing a lot of skimming so as to get back to the meat of the story--the father's cathartic-like revelations. But, that said, the book is very worthwhile reading.

Our author, Mr. Kurzem, Australian-born, of Latvian Jewish descent, finds out in his late adolescent that his father has been hiding his true childhood story for over 50 years. The son had been raised to consider himself a Latvian, as were others who emigrated to Australia via the German DP camps at the end of WWII. His father had been a reluctant Latvian, who married an Irish Catholic woman, but still, our author did consider himself to be Latvian until he got a call from his father. He was doing research at Oxford, so he was no slouch academically.

AS this very absorbing book progresses, we learn through the son that the father is himself unsure of who he really was, as he stumbled through the Latvian forest until adopted as a "mascot" (age 6) with a Latvian troop. He quickly learned Latvian, and later GErman, as these troops were working with the Nazis in expunging Soviet Communists, i.e. Partisans, from their country, after Germany came to liberate them from the Soviets. The remarkable story unfolds slowly, but with a wonderfully satisfying ending, as the son and his father go back to Latvia in post-Soviet 1990's, to see if the few clues can lead to his village.

Sure enough, through hard pushing and some sheer amazing lucky coincidences, they finally determine that the father is a shtetl Jew, who was spared death in a mass shooting by escaping in the night into a forest behind the village. The photographs in the book are very interesting, showing the details of clothing, houses, people's faces in those terrible times.

The final chapter condemns the Latvians for cooperating with the Germans, which is a slap in the face to anyone who knows the Latvians' miserable history. When they lost their independence to the Soviets, had their farms collectivized, their property stolen, their families shipped to Siberia and so on, most Latvians knew who controlled the Kremlin: the Jews, a fact none can deny. They appointed their own brethren in Riga to bring Communism with an iron fist, forming councils to destroy everyday Latvians' lives. When German soldiers arrived to destroy Communist control, there was no Latvian hesitation in wreaking revenge on the perpetrators, including the women and children. Jews became Partisans, running through the forest to escape arrest, often fleeing to Communist Russia. Many were innocent of any political involvement, as is true in any country.

However, our author, an educated man, omits this critical part of Latvian history, wipes them all with one "brown" brush, yet the Latvians did exactly that: call all Jews "reds", regardless of their true allegiances. Many were true Latvian nationalists and complete capitalists, who would never tamper with the rights to property against anyone. Too bad for these, it seemed; the devastation was too great.

I highly recommend this book for serving up a very exciting page-turner, as one wishes to see exactly how this young boy survived such a strange experience. You can understand how he waited until very late in life to reveal his story to anyone, including his children, because he could be persecuted by both Latvians and Jews, and above all, those millions who suffered at the hands of Communists. Their descendants are still angry!

Poor man! What a terrible time and place he was born into! But he was lucky to get down to Dresden, survived its bombing, get into a DP camp, and achieve an emigration visa to Australia. Imagine if he, like so many of the troop he'd joined, had been stuck back in the Communist land! His son would never have been born, for he would have been shot by Commies.

The son shows bitterness, but the father knows himself to be VERY LUCKY!!!

I could not put the book down. It's amazing what a 5-6 y. old can remember after hiding it away and not talking to anyone about his past for 50 years. Written very well, thought provoking, and makes you wonder how one should define a "Holocaust Survivor."

After reading a highly favorable review in the New York Times, I rushed down to the bookstore where a friend works to see if they had this book, and was shocked to find that they did not have it and that no one had been asking about it.

It's such an amazing story--a young boy escapes death in just the first of an unusual set of circumstances and developments, twists and turns, leading to events that cripple him later as a husband and father until he feels compelled to reveal his story to his son, the author of this book.

I have read a number of "survival" books about the Holocaust. Surely this is the most unusual. It reminded me in some ways of Martin Gilbert's THE BOYS, but this is a completely different story. This is a Jewish boy who was adopted by Latvian troops collaborating with the Nazis, and as an adult, he has clearly suffered from guilt and confusion such that the reader experiences the journey as well. As I read on, I found myself wondering if the truth would turn out to be different from what the boy's memories were, just as the author clearly did as he listened to his father's story, a tale slowly revealed over the course of a few years in the late '90s, almost fifty years after the original events in Russia and Latvia in 1941-45.

And there are several levels on which this story works. In the WWII period, you get a feeling for village, or shtetl, life in Russia through the initial memories of the boy as well as later when he and his son do further investigations. You get what seems to be a likely accurate picture of the soldiers, higher officials, and collaborating civilians the boy came to know. There are vivid depictions of the later war years.

Later on, after the author begins to find out the fuller story, father and son confront mixed reactions from scholars and Jewish organizations as well as the Latvian community in Australia, where the author grew up not knowing he was Jewish until his father felt compelled to find out who he really was and where he came from.

I really liked the way the book was organized, mostly short chapters, and here, the author or his editors really did well in observing that sometimes "less is more". Thus, there is not an extensive discussion of some minor characters, colleagues, friends, and others whom the author consults and confronts as the story of his father unfolds, yet we understand pretty well where these characters are coming from.

Finally, I commend the book for its helpful index, maps, and of course the fascinating photos that are reproduced showing the young "Alex" in his SS uniform. It's a little puzzling that the modern photos are rendered in the same grainy way as the old ones, but that is a minor complaint.

this is the book for those people who have seen and like the Cremaster Cycle. a super companion that gives very interesting background, and criticism of the cycle.

Whether you like Barney or not, this book made for the Guggenheim solo exhibition in 2002 have lot of meat. 500 pages covering his Cremaster series (1,2,3), with numerous photograph stills of his films, reference photos, and his works. Approximately, 340 works are shown. The book quality is very good (did not quite match the creativity of Damien Hirst's I want to spend the rest...book), but nevertherless, this book will serve as Barney's important documentation.

I finally bought a copy of this book after putting it off since the show in 2003. I'm glad I got it before it goes out of print, and recommend the hardcover over the softcover as it is a beatiful object/catalog.

Sadly, as I have looked more closely into the book since I got it home, I noticed that the book doesn't come close to covering the majority of the actual works that resulted from the Cremaster films. Perhaps this wasn't the reason for the catalog, but I was under the impression that such a huge book would be pretty comprehensive in its documentation of the works it's about. Not so with this volume. Barney is a master of the capitalist side of the fine art world...and no doubt knew that if he reproduced the works he has sold in tandem with the release of each film, his auction prices would suffer. Therefore his immediate sale prices (from the studio/gallery) would stagnate as well(prices rarely drop from that artist directly).

So, what you get here is a fat volume with tons of sketches, production photos, and documentation of the sculpture. In addition you get a verbose essay by Nancy Spector as well as remembrances from participants in this massive undertaking. It is in the lists of works from the cycle that the volume's gaps become apparent. Barney sold several "artist framed" suites of photos from each film...which act as stand alone pieces of work to be consumed by collectors and institutions. It is these works that are not fully documented in this volume. Even if they had done a page of thumbnails for each of the five films, it would be better than to reproduce one photo from a suite of three or four as they have done here...and each film had 5-10 of these suites made in editions ranging from 2 to 50 copies. Look for another book somewhere down the line documenting these works (or the original volumes released for each of the films which cost an arm and a leg now) to get these in your library. Otherwise, the only place I've seen these works reproduced is in auction catalogs, exactly where Barney and his supporters are happy to see them show up.

I have a certain level of respect for what Barney has accomplished here. Both as an artist and as a viewer. Unfortunately, this amazing artifact if NOT the be all and end all of the Cremaster Cycle, and one must look elsewhere to get the whole picture(s).

Here's to hoping that a DVD release of the whole cycle fills in the gaps left over by this book, which is eye candy rather than a substantive look at this artist's work.

Why would anyone pay hundreds for the H/C version, if a shiny, new paperback is only $40? Please enlighten this fool? Thanks!

Nancy Spector, Matthew Barney: The Cremaster Cycle (Guggenheim, 2002)

Nancy Spector's tome may just have been meant as an accoutrement to the Guggenheim's massive Barney exhibition in 2002, but as an accoutrement, it stands out. Not only in its physical dimensions (Amazon's website says the shipping weight of this book is 8.6 pounds, but after lugging it around for six weeks, I'm willing to put money on the idea that it's closer to twenty-five; it's over a foot tall, and easily as thick as one of the larger volumes of the unabridged OED), but in the concept itself. Spector's essay on Barney takes up the first ninety-two pages, after which comes a glossary of Cremaster terms that reads better than any other glossary you've ever read (think of The Dictionary of the Khazars to get an idea, but using all terms that relate to the Cremaster cycle). Then, of course, the photographs. Mostly video and production stills from the films, but also photos of pieces of Barney's original sketches and storyboard, the sculptures made after the films, and other wonderful little oddities. Good stuff, and a must-have for any Barney fan. Those who have just heard the name, but not seen the films, will get an excellent overview of what you've managed to miss. Those who have no idea who Matthew Barney is, check it out to see what all the fuss is about.

In other words, you want this. ****

The artwork stands out and the book is worth the price for that alone. The story itself is also wonderful and gives a good starting place for talking about what happens to a person after s/he "dies." My daughter loves this book.

Although my 20 month old is too young to understand the story he definately relaxes from the calm that this book brings to me as we read it together. Beautiful illustrations too.

I checked this out of the library and read it when I was 4 and have loved it ever since. It's one of those "must-have" books. It's a children's book but adults can enjoy it as well. The idea of the book is very sophistocated but can be easily understood by kids due to the simple language and color artwork.

I asked friends who practices Buddhism about any books that they could recommend that I could gift to a young friend who lost a companion very unexpectedly. Although they said that the content does not strictly follow Buddhist principles they suggested it with rave reviews. I was intrigued by the delicate simple manner of the story and noticed an interesting element in the illustrations ( read it to discover for yourself!)The story seems to soften the sadness of losing a loved one, reminds the reader of how dying is a part of living and raises hope that there is life after. It also beautifully narrates how fulfilling and rich a simple life can be. The illustrations are soft and enchanting like the story and the ending is all embracing....

Gorgeous illustrations and a truly beautiful story make this book a rare treasure in Children's literature. A valuable addition to the book collection of Buddhist parented children. Explains the process of death and rebirth/reincarnation in a gentle and interesting way. Not weird at all and so suitable for children of non-Buddhist background as well as it provides an valuable insight as to how Buddhism/other belief systems explain death and the afterlife.