PAX Books

"The Stars are Ours" by Andre Norton is the first science fiction novel I ever read. I was a precocious second grader. That was a loooong time ago.

Andre Norton was a very prolific SFWA Grandmaster that introduced two generations to the wonders of science fiction. This is my personal favorite of all her works and I consider on par with Heinlein's Charles Scribner series also written in the 1950s.

One of her peculiarities was Norton never used the word `Earth' . She habitually used the term `Terra'. But I digress.

In this future `Terra', scientists and engineers are hunted, murdered and enslaved. Terrorists had taken over satellite stations and bombarded the major cities. A charismatic politician arises wanting to take humanity back to a simpler time not so dependent on technology. When he is assassinated, the world's scientists are blamed. The Great Purge results in the hated guild being ruthlessly slaughtered with the survivors driven into exile.

Pax runs the world using the remaining technology to push humanity to a more agrarian model. Think of an entire world run like Cambodia under Pol Pot and you understand what this world is like.

Dalgard Nordis is a member of a scientist family gone into hiding. He escaped as a young boy with his older brother Lars and his family. He and his young, motherless niece Dessie are experts in forest. Dessie is gifted with animals. Dard is gifted with a photographic memory and the chief provider for his family.

Unknown to the others, Lars has been in communication with his former associates. Life on Terra is increasingly difficult for them. They have hidden an experimental spacecraft in a secret base. However they need the critical assistance of Lars Nordis is necessary for the expeditions success.

Unfortunately Pax has become aware of the survivors existence and the clock is ticking. Of course they're successful and they find their home on a distant world. The details are what the story are about and an excellent one it is. It would make an excellent sci-fi thriller movie.

I can't guess how many Andre Norton books I've read during the past half-century. Most were good reads, while a good many ho-hums along the way made following her work unpredictable, at best.

The Stars are Ours and Star Born were among the first science fiction books I ever read. Just as a number of other, later reviewers began their SF voyage with these two, so did I. I've read them a number of times since and still enjoy them.

I really wouldn't call this 'juveniles', though young adults will enjoy them too. These books were early in the SF genre and were intended for a general readership. The typify what was going on in SF during the 1950s. In my view it hasn't particulary improved.

The Stars Are Ours (1954) is the first novel in the Astra duology. Mankind had reached the Moon, Mars and Venus, but found little to justify terraforming, so interplanetary flight was used only for scientific research. However, the three space stations provided a number of services, including astronomical and meteorological observations and refueling interplanetary flights. One of these stations was invaded by unidentified armed men who turned certain installations into weapons which they unleashed against the planet. A major portion of the planet was completely devastated and the loss of life was incalculable.

Among the survivors was Arturo Renzi, who had lost his entire family. He began to preach the evils of science and was welcomed as a great leader throughout the world. However, his message was too liberal for some of his followers and he was assassinated, apparently by a Free Scientist. For three days after the assassination, Renzi's followers engaged in a furious purge against scientists and techneers, hunting them down and killing them. Then Saxon Bort, one of Renzi's chief lieutenants, assumed command of the leader's forces and established the tight dictatorship of the Company of Pax.

In this novel, a decade or so later, Dard Nordis is the son of a Scientific family, living with his older brother, Lars, and his niece, Dessie. Lars and Dard, together with Lars' pregnant wife, Kathia, had fled the purge, but the escape had left Lars a twisted cripple and his wife an amnesiac. After Dessie was born, Kathia retreated into her own dream world until her death. Now Dard, Lars, and Dessie live on a farm far from any population center and the only nearby farm is Hew Folley's place. Dard doesn't trust Folley, for he wants their farm. Then one night, a Pax 'copter lands in the snow just before the house and armed Peacemen surround the building. Dard has the others gather food and supplies and sends them down into the cellar, then torches the house. Moving aside some rotting bins, he uncovers a tunnel, sends Dessie ahead, and helps Lars struggle down the passage.

After the Peacemen leave, Lars sends Dard out to leave a packet for his Scientific underground contact, but Dard hears a shot shortly after he drops the packet and runs back to find Folley clutching a squirming Dessie. Dard throws his knife and fatally injures Folley, then discovers that Lars is dead. With no other recourse remaining, Dard and Dessie return to the contact point to wait. Lotta Folley finds them there and gives them food and a scarf for Dessie; Lotta knows that her father is dead, but she recognizes that he was a man full of hate and who liked to hurt people. Besides, Lotta likes Dessie and liked her mother even more; they were the only people that ever treated her as a real person instead of an object. Lotta takes the rifle back to the barn to fool the Peacemen.

When Lars' contact arrives, Dard convinces him to take Dessie and himself back to safety. They spend the night in a cave, but a Pax 'copter is circling the area when they awake. The contact, Sach, leads the Peacemen away so Dard and Dessie can proceed to the next point in their journey. They move away from the cave along a bare ledge as far as they can and then jump into a snow drift on the edge of the woods. Their journey is fairly easy until they reach the river; the ice is too thin to support even Dessie's weight. After looking up and down river, Dard finds only one place that may support them, an arch of ice covered with snow. Dard carries Dessie across, slowly and carefully, then rests for a count of hundred on the other side. Again heading to the peak that marks their goal, Dard hears the 'copter return and throws Dessie and himself into a tangle of bushes. The men in the 'copter rake the bushes with fire. He and Dessie scoot out the other side, but find it to be a wide sweep of open ground.

This novel is another of the author's post-apocalyptic stories, but the emphasis herein is on spaceflight. Mankind had achieved interplanetary flight and was working on interstellar flight when some irrational terrorists destroyed civilization. Other fanatics then ripped up civilization into even smaller pieces and tried to ensure that ignorance would reign forever. The Scientific community, however, was working on a stardrive and that work was continued in hiding.

This story contains several of the characteristic signatures of the author's space adventures, including special talents and aliens, but does not include mutations nor symbiotic animals. This novel shows the beginning of galactic-wide human civilization and Star Rangers shows the ending of that civilization. Of course, some of the other stories may be set in a successor society. This story is definitely a little dated, but it is still a pleasure to read, as is the sequel, Star Born.

Highly recommended for Norton fans and anyone else who enjoys tales of desperate spaceflights to planets around other suns.

-Arthur W. Jordin

This is one of two books that hooked me on SF (the other was Red Planet by Heinlein) when I was thirteen. I was captivated. If you want to get your kids away from the video games and into reading SF, get them this book.

The Stars are Ours! Was the very first book I purchased with my Babysitting money waaaaay back in the sixth grade. If you read only one Andre Norton Book this is the one..but if you are like me you'll get hooked on anything that Ms. Norton has or will write! I lost my original copy,but found a copy in a used book store...it was as exciting reading it again at 50 something as it was at 12!

Este libro me ayudó a mí personalmente cuando trabajaba en un lugar remoto de Colombia. Es de fácil lectura para los campesinos que no tienen acceso a servicio médico. También es útil para preparar ayudantes de enfermería y clases en los colegios y escuelas.

This is a fantastic reference for people interested in working as a medical interpreter. The information presented is practical, well-organized, and addresses the impact of culture on health care. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a valuable self-training manual.

excelente contenido,muy práctico,favoreciendo una filosofia de la medicina como curación de salud,estés donde estés,sea donde sea,al precio que sea,a quien sea.Bueno para transportar y bueno para no perderse entre miles de páginas y complejas explicaciones. Muy útil para solucionar algunas de las causas de muerte del 90por cien de la población,los no-occidentales,especialmente latinoamérica.

We just returned from a Hurricane Mitch Medical Relief Team in Honduras. This book was invaluable to the entire team. Comprehensive enough to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of ailments not often encountered in the US, and basic enough to share the info with the patients to aid with education. A must for anyone practicing medicine in Spanish speaking developing countries. We live near the Mexico border and I've ordered one to help me out here!

I loved reading this book from a friend that I was compelled to special order it on the same day I read it! I never buy books but this book changed my life. I spread the news about it and now all of my friends have bought the book too. I'll be going to Mexico and will be taking extra copies of Donde No Hay Doctor with me. I plan to distribute them to rural and literate families. I hope this book will be announced more especially within the Hispanic Communties. I can only wish this book is read at least once and that people will see how invaluable it is.

Truely changed my life. This book is a must for everyone with an anxiety problem. Thanks Daniel Rutley...you changed my life

I have thousands of books on psychology/self-help/mental health and this is one of the books that I always keep handy to refer to, as others have mentioned as well. This book had a profound, positive impact on my life and my thinking. It affirmed alot of what I already knew but never saw in print, and there are alot of things that I never knew or read in any other book. If you are only going to buy one book today, make it this one. I highly recommend it and you won't regret it.

If your tangled thinking and your befuddled emotions have your life in lock-up, Daniel Rutley's experienced counsel in "Entrapment" will help banish self-doubt, rejuvenate your energy level, unshackle your enthusiasm and guide you to achievable, long lasting results and a joy that is unconfined.

"He" wrote the greatest self-help book of all time and Daniel Rutley has written the second. This book is your back-up bible! It is captivating...it is humorous...it is a melody for your mind and emotional development as a sweet song is to your heart...it is an attainable truth that is buried within our cluttered, busy psyche... and "Emotional Entrapments" provides the tools in clear step-by-step "now what do I do" scenarios, to arrive at clear, emotionally healthy solutions.

For me, what separates this "Escape.." from the rest, is it's direct and human approach. The learned Daniel Rutley has succeeded in combining humor AND valuable teachings in a most `non-clinical' delivery that is hard not to embrace. You will want to re-visit many portions of this book over and over and you will find it to be your constant emotional reference guide to self- development and improvement.

Read it, embrace it, absorb it and learn from it...You won't be disappointed.

Thank you Mr. Rutley for a most enjoyable, honest and refreshing read.

K

Dear readers, ESCAPING EMOTIONAL ENTRAPMENT by Daniel Rutley is a book that readily lends itself to both men and women from all walks of life. I actually consider it to be a basic tool. One that is fundamental to building a strong foundation towards the teaching of a positive sense of self which is crucial for a wholesome relationship with the individual in question, hence, a path towards cultivating strong and sound relationships with others.

Written in an easy step by step comprehensive manner, it delivers useful and practical lessons regarding everyday situations in a language that is strait forward and devoid of any complicated vocabulary or jargon that may be found in other self-help books. It is refreshing in its approach because it is written in such a way that the reader will without a doubt stumble across a situation that is, or has been familiar to him or her at any given time of their lives.

Mr. Rutley uses several case scenarios that are credible and which demonstrate examples of how people react to situations emotionally. He teaches the reader to be in control of his/her feelings in a manner that offers him/her the power to deal with a problem that will become a solution instead. Furthermore, Mr. Rutley includes humor to his teachings so his 'page turner book' is a relaxed and pleasant read.

I strongly recommend Mr. Rutley's ESCAPING EMOTIONAL ENTRAPMENT book to everyone because we are all inclined to behave in an 'action/re-action'mode. This book will help you to 'RECOGNIZE'your emotional patterns, 'REALIZE'where you have made mistakes, 'REASSESS' the way you deal with things in life and finally, it will give you the chance and the ability to 'RE-CREATE' yourself so that you can be the person you always knew you truly were. As Mr. Rutley points out,"enjoy the escape". It's well worth it! Here's looking at you and your new beginning.

Thank you for letting me share my ideas with you. Sincerely, Bo.

Mr Greer captured my interest from the start of his novel. Filled with visualization and characterization to make you forget that the characters are not human. Hope and tragedy parallel each other throughout, leaving you to wonder who will survive. Hollywoood's film industry should take note of this and begin the screenplay as soon as possible, but only if they can capture the internal struggles of each "person." How refreshing to read such quality work. Mr. Greer, I look forward to your next novel with anxious anticipation.

Sometimes when I get requests from authors to read their books (especially first-time novelists), I end up rethinking if I ever want to do that again. Having a good story concept and executing it well can be if-fy. But then you occasionally run into a real gem that makes it worth it. Pax Athenica by Geoffrey Greer is an excellent sci-fi story that lends itself to plenty of analysis and parallels in today's world. And if Mr. "I don't do subtle" can figure it out (and actually find more than just one), then it *has* to be done well...



Earth is dead, as in "no life". Humans did something that wiped out all of civilization, animals, plants, you name it. The only thing that survived were AI robots who have become sentient. Maximilian, the leader of the Athenians, has successfully subdued all the other AI civilizations and brought "peace" to the land. But a warrior with no more wars to fight is a dangerous thing. Justin, a university professor, is secretly studying something that is unthinkable to the Athenians... that Earth may be attempting to regenerate life in the form of water, plants, and small lifeforms. Isaac is his confidante, and is torn between Justin's thinking and the official stance that biological diversity is unnecessary and is a threat to their way of life. When he tries to convince Maximilian that life is valuable, he starts down a path that involves espionage, rebellion, and finally a major choice between what is right and wrong.

Greer does an excellent job of "humanizing" the robots and capturing the philosophy of superiority that the Athenians have. As Isaac gets drawn deeper into the diversity argument, you see how society and the leadership changes to "protect" their way of life. Benevolence gives way to reluctant discipline, which leads to curtailment of freedoms, which finally leads to a society where totalitarian authority is the norm. Those who have differing opinions are tolerated, then frowned upon, then punished, leading to either death or "reform". There were three or four different messages you could take from the story, and those who are more contemplative could probably find even more. But I loved how the story wasn't a thin covering for the author's soapbox. You could read the book for the story alone and it would have been just as good...

I really hope this isn't Greer's first, last, and only foray into the science fiction novel world. I would pick up his next book without a moment's hesitation...

I thought that Pax Athenica was a great piece of Science Fiction that definitely has a message to convey with its great characters and compelling story. As a fan of Asimov I found myself very comfortable in the world created by Greer. Even if you're not familiar with Asimov's work, I think this book also stands alone and you should have no trouble coming to enjoy this book. While a newly published author, Greer has a definite style and I look forward to more books by him.

Although my appreciation for science fiction, or for any genre for that matter, centers around the medium of film, this novel held my attention from its inception. I agree with the previous review that this need not occur in a sci-fi setting, however, having it take place amidst a robotic society takes those timeworn morals and questions and allows the reader to view them from a fresh perspective. Mr. Greer has brought these venerable conflicts and new viewpoint together in a well-crafted tale.

Speaking as someone who learned his science fiction through the television dictionaries of Rod Serling's "Twilight Zone" and the foreboding tone of the control voice of "The Outer Limits" (both of which owe much to Asimov), I find it refreshing to read something that clearly stems from that kind of storytelling.

-Phil Brickner

Geoffrey Greer shows a lot of potential in this debut sci-fi novel. The great source of uniqueness here is that the story features no humans, and the robot characters act out a social and political drama that is highly suggestive of the state of the real human world. After a conflict in which humans have wiped out themselves and all other life forms, advanced robots inherit a wasted Earth. The robots display emotions and morality, and although they can't decipher their origins they create their own culture and religion, with a quite fascinating animosity toward the slow reemergence of organic life forms. This premise is sturdy but it is also a bit problematic. First, how these super-advanced robots, with no knowledge of their human creators, evolved into a society that strongly resembles ancient Greece and Rome is unexplained and too fanciful. Second, Greer has obviously been influenced by Asimov's Robot series (the main character is even named Isaac), and while this novel is a worthy successor to the classics, that sense of tribute may have held back some of the storyline's creative potential. But beyond these quibbles, the main plotline is expertly written, with strong ruminations on dictatorship, morality, and conformity that expertly advance the sci-fi backdrop while provoking thought on the current state of humanity, particularly in the political realm. The climax to the story is also very exciting (if a bit talky) and some real surprises ensue. For readers looking for good solid sci-fi that shows the strengths of the classics, it will be interesting to see what Greer does next. [~doomsdayer520~]

It's good to get in touch with Crowley's sense of humor. This nice red little book contains 4 very different symbolically charged stories. It doesn't take itself too seriously and pokes fun at a lot of things in a wry, cynical way that is not disillusioned. It's a quick read and I'll read it again.

Though I enjoyed this book, I found the matter awfully obscure--so I would warn the hapless reader that the subject matter is thickly wrapped in symbol. A valuable book for any serious student.

This is Crowley at his cryptic best! A collection of Qabalistic fairy tales, poems and stories. An essential work for the serious student of Thelema, Qabala and Magick!

Possibly one of Crowley's most influential works, this short book of four short stories is clearly a master in prose, poetry, language and the elusive. 'Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law' is not the subject here, but rather a symbolic IT is also a tell-tale of the fobidden knowledge for those that know and those that dont know. As was written in parenthesis; "Explanatory notes in Latin and Hebrew for the Wise and Prudent."

Even if we decide to ignore the fact that this is one of Crowley's most entertaining books, Konx Om Pax (Light in Extention) truly helps the "Children of Light" to understand the difficulty of the magickal path - while clearly illustrating its immeasurable worth. I recommend this book to anyone who has even the slightest interest in Magick or Crowley.

This was amazing. She breaks the complex down to its simplest form. I've NEVER understood guys. Just thought they were from another planet. Now I understand what's going on!

Alison Armstrong delivers powerful, life-changing information with humor, wisdom and compassion! In Sync with the Opposit Sex offers both men and women unique insight regarding the various different ways each gender thinks and feels. While everything she says won't apply to everyone, by and large, her assertions are true -- and if you don't believe it at first, all you have to do is TRY one of her suggestions and watch the magic happen. Better yet, attend one of the "Celebrating Men, Satisfying Women" weekend seminars for a complete life-transforming experience.

I can guarantee two things from listening to this CD: you will laugh (out loud!) and your heart will be filled with compassion for the opposite sex!

I attended one of the "Understanding Men" workshops and they were selling this CD set for over $100. I was so glad to see it here for much less. After listening to all 4 cds, I have to say that I wish I had something like this years ago. The speaker is so engaging and it is very well done. I was never bored listening to the various topics. The content is for both men and women, but I think this probably appeals to mostly women. Alison explains in great detail what all the "mysteries" are about both sexes. She spends a lot of time on men, so I was happy about that. My #1 lesson I learned was that we should be eternally happy when someone breaks up with us because that means you don't have to waste your time anymore and can move on to the next person. Duh! Her advice is so simple and straightforward and makes perfect sense. My friend also listened to the cds and she also learned a lot from them. I highly recommend In Sync With The Opposite Sex to anyone unhappy with their love life.

I've been a single (divorced) guy for a long time, have read some good books and attended some very good workshops on relationships -- and I have accreted some rather successful insights and skills and some wonderful relationships over the years. Now, Alison Armstrong has developed and refined a very useful vocabulary, a terrific flow of practical concepts and specific suggestions for getting much better results in our effort to identify and attract a great partner.

There is real wisdom here, and real-life tools, for today's world of dating and relationships. With 4.5 hours edited from a live seminar, Armstrong makes it fun and exciting to learn more about the "opposite" sex -- and about ourselves.

My wonderful daughter gifted these CDs to me, and I am very grateful -- I am already seeing impressive results in how I think and who I am attracting.

Bud Paxson is responsible for shaping the way America buys things through television and from the looks of this book he'll change the type of programming we see too. His can do spirit is inspirationally portrayed in this book which is easily read, informative and fun to read. A must read for anyone interested in learning how the TV game is played.

Your Book is Living Proof that Character and Morality is Everything!

"Threading the needle" is a swift reading book,whose title refers to the Biblical passage (Luke 18:25)in which a wealthy young man questions Jesus on how to have eternal life. Jesus answers, "sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me", When the man heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." As a founder of Home Shopping Network, Bud Paxson has enjoyed amazing financial success, but despite his riches, his life was devoid of the love and mercy that only can come from a relationship with Jesus Christ. Paxson's determination to have a strong relationship with God and business success, is a model for every business person, born-again, or not. As a Jewish believer in Christ, I intend to use "Threading the needle" as a guide to growing my own business success and will recommend it to all whom I do business with.

I work for Mr. Paxson's PAX NET organization. Knowing him in person is truly an honor for me. Business success aside, Mr. Paxson is a true family man and a real down to earth person. PAX NET, now is PAX TV, receives overwhelming support from viewers all over America... PAX TV, a vision of Bud Paxson, as wonderfully told in "Threading The Needle".

It's been my pleasure to have known Pax Beale for 35 years. I knew him "pre-body for the ages", when he simply had what we used to refer to as a "good build". He & I were running buddies, and his coaching & companionship helped me to achieve many of my running goals. He has certainly had an incredible life of "experience". I can attest to the many zany challenges that he took on, which were held as crazy endeavors by his friends (& with which he now agrees). His book is a great deal to digest, but it certainly can motivate anyone who reads it to do SOMETHING to improve their life, both mentally & physically. So Pax, my friend, when will you be conducting your 1st Body for The Ages Seminar?

This is a very readable and enjoyable book. Not only does it tell the tale of an amazing life but really gives great advice of what to do and how to do it. I appreciated the pictures of how perform certain excercise routines but some of the pictures could have been better.... I enjoyed it and derived a great of information on how to change my workout routines. And it clearly show that that there can be a great life after a heart attack. I would be curious to see if there is a follow up book.

This book altered my perceptions on heart disease and the way I approach my life in general. The author, Pax Beale reversed his heart disease; I previously thought this was impossible. You internalize Mr. Beale's teachings because he speaks from the heart figuratively and literally using eccentric quips and his own earned life truths. I would recommend this book for anyone struggling with health, heart disease, and for anyone wanting to excel in life. He lights a fire under your ass, plain and simple.

I no longer choose to be a spectator.

This is a great read and I strongly recommend it.

My favorite book!A good familiarity with late 19th & early 20th century occult personalities, (especially the Golden Dawn) is very helpful. "The rites of modern occult magic" by Francis King, (also published under other titles) is a good primer. A scream from front to back. Crowley's biting satire is in top form here. This also contains my favorite selections of his poetry, esp "The disappointed artist" & "The suspicious earl".Guarenteed to offend almost everyone! This is a must for Crowleyites.

A very well-designed presentation of this material, which includes The Wakeworld, a lovely qabalistic fairy tale. This edition is becoming harder to find.

A very well-designed edition of this lovely qabalistic fairy tale, now becoming harder to find.

I'm in the midst of reading the trilogy, and I must say that, as a history major and history buff, I've never come across a history so well-told and of such consistent quality. And by "quality" I mean not only the quality of the prose itself but the editing. Those of us who read for pleasure and edification are aware of the sorry state of today's editing, or shall I say absence of editing. We've grown so accustomed to typos and repetition and horrible grammar, so tired of shouting to ourselves, "Where the hell is the editing?" that we find the meticulously edited Pax Britannica like a drink of cool, clear water in the desert.

The above comment can be applied to all volumes of the trilogy. Climax of an Empire may give one the impression that Morris as an Imperialist himself. And why not? At its height the British Empire was indeed a splendid edifice which, on balance, was a noble cause.

Yet, reading the final volume of the trilogy, Farewell The Trumpets: An Imperial Retreat, one can see that Morris has no illusions. Being a Welsh nationalist himself (now, herself), author James (now Jan) Morris certainly can't be accused of being a tory historian. Even in Climax of Empire, describing Pax Britannica at its most exhuberant, Morris is able to step back:

"In Africa they would try...to weld the ancient orders into the structure of Empire, exactly fitting each measure of responsibility into an imperial pattern, so that the pettiest pagan wizard could play his part in the grand design. But by these visionary means nobody was satisfied. The Empire lost part of its point, and the Africans found themselves stuck in a bog of tradition, from which before long all the more intelligent ones did their best to escape."

So, those of us with today's politically correct scorn of the benighted past need not censure ourselves for the irresistible delight we get from reading passages like:

"Throughout the length and breadth of the Empire a well-spoken, reasonably well-connected young man, with a few introductions in the right places, and a sufficiently entertaining line in small talk, could travel by himself without feeling the need for a hotel."

Or here, where he likens Queen Victoria to the Empire itself:

"...proud and often overbearing, but with an unexpected sweetness at the heart; suburban and sometimes vulgar, sentimental, in old age less beautiful than imposing; girlishly beguiled by the mysteries of the Orient, maternally considerate towards the Natives, stubbornly determined to hang on to her possessions...."

The entire trilogy reads this way. And the footnotes are just as delightful, often gossipy, often trenchant:

"When there were no positive or acceptable rules to follow, they were told, they must consult two simple principles: 'Equity or Good Conscience'.

[Footnote] "'Whichever,' cynics used to add, 'is the less.'"

The fact is, that despite the real depredations by the Portuguese and Belgian imperialists, which gave imperialism a bad name, British imperialism, in and of itself, was benign, establishing peace, justice, integrity and stability, where before had reigned unbridled murder, tyranny, corruption and chaos. That this was only a veneer which would crumble as soon as the British left, says more about the resilience of barbarism than the merits of Pax Britannica. To be sure, only one "gift" of modernity seems to have been a welcomed and permanent addition to local cultures: guns and machetes. Here were far more efficient means for settling scores than spears and stones. And as we see today, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, and excepting India, the Anglo-Saxon dominions and a few others, civilization -- call it imperialism or colonialism -- seems to have made no impression at all.

After the fall of the Roman Empire it took Europe centuries before Rome's former colonies rose on their own to the level of civilization imposed by Pax Romana. So it's no coincidence that the title of this grand trilogy, this masterpiece of historical narrative, is Pax Britannica.

This book is an exemplar of historical writing, about the British Empire at its peak, that should serve to tell Americans of today some of the advantages and hazards of an accumulating hegemony. The central event, around which the book is organized, is the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, celebrated throughout the Empire in 1897. Full of pomp and circumstance of a proud nation, showing the world its power and glory, the celebration marks the pinnacle of its reach, though few sensed it at the time.

The Empire then included something like one quarter of the landmass of the earth, with a navy and merchant marine that dominated all of the oceans, and was without peer. Its control of communication through its vast network of telegraph lines and underwater cables was unchallenged. Britain was the main source of the industrial revolution of the 18th century, and its technology was an essential element to its domination of the less developed world.

In that Empire, 50 million British whites dominated 372 million people of all nationalities spread over an area some 90 times as great as the British Isles. Morris concentrates his attention on the atmospherics of the time, and happily does not get bogged down in a pedantic recital of meaningless names and forgotten events. This was quite a different sort of empire from the present day American effort and was probably more moral to boot.

The Brits had no notion of spreading democracy as our present satraps pretend, but rather were more interested in opening up markets for the factories at home, encouraging emigration of the less fortunate citizens, and spreading the gospel among the heathens provided an important moral impetus. The American neo-cons, on the other hand, have no interest in spreading Christianity, and are more interested in attacking the "fundamentalists" of other faiths. And they are content to see our factories shuttered and the jobs shipped overseas, and favor open borders at home.

Morris does an excellent job in his lively writing style describing the times. The book is rather lavishly illustrated, and it is certainly thought-provoking for anyone contemplating the imbecilities of the current scene.

I picked this up on a whim in a used bookstore, but I'm certainly glad I did. Although I finished reading it months ago, it still stands out in my mind as an excellent book. This is not your standard history book -- there are no names or dates to memorize, and the focus is more on the common man than on prime ministers and generals (though you get some of those too). Rather, it is a portrait of an era. I have never read a book that did such a good job of conveying the *feeling* of a particular time and place -- even though that "place" covered something like a quarter of the earth's surface, and included hundreds of diverse cultures. It really gets you inside a British colonial of the era: their attitudes, their social status, what they read, how they felt about their place in the world.

On top of all this, Morris is simply an excellent writer. I understand from researching her other books that some people are thrown by her writing style, but in a book as impressionistic as this, it is entirely appropriate.

A slight warning: those looking for it might be disappointed that Morris does not spend more time on the more unsavory aspects of the British Empire. She doesn't whitewash anything, but be aware that this is generally a very positive view of the empire. If you're willing to accept it on those terms, you'll love this book.

Highly recommended.