Kansas Books

As an amateur military historian I found this book very enlightening and informative. It has provided me with a more balanced view of the Luftwaffe than I had previously. In a couple of instances I felt that he glossed over the downside to some of the Luftwaffe's interwar decision making, but otherwise found the book balanced and interesting. I plan on reading more of Corum's books.

James S. Corum has written a scholarly study of German air power ideas and operational doctrine in a well-researched history of the German air power from 1918-1940. In addition, the text provides an understanding of the human dimension in the development of the Luftwaffe beyond the usual stories of Herman Goring and the Nazis.

The author notes, "In the years immediately following World War I, it looked to the world as if Germany had been completely disarmed as an air power. On the surface, this was so. Yet, in the long-term view, the Allied powers failed miserably in their effort to disarm Germany." While their air power was disarmed, the Germans could not be stopped from thinking and studying. The text narrates how "General Hans von Seeckt and his small group of airmen succeeded in keeping air power as a central aspect of warfare." After WWI, a select group of German officers made a detailed analyzed of WWI army and air power experience. Foreign air power developments and doctrine were also studied with foreign articles and manuscripts on air power translated into German.

Corum notes "Although Germany was denied an air force, it was not denied civil aviation or aviation technology by the Versailles Treaty. This gave the Germans an inherent advantage in the air, for Germany in the interwar period was a world leader in aircraft design and technology."

By 1925 German air power operational doctrine was well advanced so that aircrew training and aircraft developed was needed. Most interesting was the text's description of the formation of the "Shadow Luftwaffe." In 1925, under a 1922 treaty with Russia, a German air base was built at Lipetsk, Russia. From 1929-1933, several hundred officers, NCOs, and civilian employees were there as students, instructors, ground staff and test pilots. Airmen at Lipetsk would test tactics and doctrine by dropping live bombs on simulated targets. Fifty modern fighter aircraft were smuggled in from the Fokker factory in Holland. The text notes that an advantage of the Shadow Luftwaffe was the close and effective cooperation between those who developed doctrine for the aerial war, those who developed and built weapons and prototypes and finally the actual producers of the weaponry.

When the Nazi party came to power on 30 January 1933 and rearmament openly began, the text notes, "a new group of air leaders came to the fore" and inheriting "a sound foundation and built on it." The author states, "the years 1933-1936 were of foundation-building. Several major personalities dominated the Luftwaffe organization and played vital roles in creating new concepts of air power..."

The text narrates the discussions of air power philosophy and doctrine. By 1934 an effective operational doctrine for a small to medium-sized German air force was developed. Contrary to Post-WWII Allied historians, the Luftwaffe was not limited to being "merely a tactical air force geared to army support operations." On page-139, the author states "Regaining control of the air by defeating the enemy air forces was the primary objective" and Lieutenant-General Wever, Luftwaffe chief of staff, stated "Only the nation with strong bomber forces at its disposal can expect decisive action by its air force."

Lack of a German air force in the 1920s pushed "German military personnel and civilians to seriously consider how one might conduct a passive defense that would minimize the effect of a strategic bombing campaign..." As WWII Allied bomber crews would sadly learn, flak would "become the core of German homeland defense". Effective flak artillery was developed with flak battalions placed under Luftwaffe command. Civil defense was also a part of air defense doctrine with civil defense drills being conducted as early as 1936. However, the core of the Luftwaffe's air defense doctrine remained an offensive air campaign in order that home defenses would not be put to the test.

The book's account of the Luftwaffe's 1936-1939 involvement in the Spanish Civil War is fascinating noting "For a relatively modest investment, the German high command reaped some substantial strategic gains from its involvement in Spain." For example, they learned that even in circumstances of general air superiority bombers must be escorted by fighters; a lesson that the Eight Air Force learned at great cost in 1942-1943. Also in Spain, "Air power strategy, tactics and doctrine were tested and corrected so that when WWII began, the Luftwaffe was better prepared for war than any other major air force. Interestingly, while widely covered and reported in the press, France, Britain and America paid little attention to the lessons Germany was learning in Spain.

The book states in the early years, "Goring let the seasoned professionals do their job, while he provided an inexhaustible supply of fund." However, in the late 1930s politics became prevalent resulting in some poor appointments such as Jeschonnek, 1939-1943 air chief of staff, who overemphasized the dive-bomber at the expense of developing the heavy bomber and strategic air warfare. Equally disastrous was the appointment of Ernest Udet chief of the Luftwaffe Technical Office and who was totally unqualified for his position.

Author Corum notes "Rather than being a weakness, the Luftwaffe's doctrine of war developed painstakingly during the interwar period was one of the strengths of the Wehrmacht." The text closes stating "Despite the failure to develop a naval air doctrine and the poor guidance of Hans Jeschonnek, the Germans were able to gain the aerial advantage over the Allied powers in the first years of the World War II not because they had overwhelming numbers of aircraft, but because their conception of a future air war and the training and equipment required for such a war was far more accurate than their opponents' air power vision."

Students of military history will enjoy the text. However, today's military planners should consider the basis lessons from how the Luftwaffe was developed 1918-1940.

Another outstanding contribution to 20th Century military history by the Univ. of Kansas Press. God bless them, they publish some great monographs. Proessors Corum and Muller of the School of Advanced Airpower Studies at Mawell A.F.B. know more about the Luftwaffe than any people in the world, except maybe Horst Boog in Germany. And since all you can get by Boog is the incredibly expensive volume he worked on in the WWII history they are writing in Germany, I am very happy with Profs. Corum & Muller. I wonder if they are happy at Maxwell A.F.B. or would rather be at some Big 10 school writing their stuff? Anyway, Corum's book is an excellent look at how the German operational air war was created. Quite readable, it has flat out some of the best general discussion on the Spanish Civil War I have ever read, going beyond just air operations. Corum understands that air operations necessarily include strategic, tactical, and naval operations, and goes into German naval air operations even while the Kriegsmarine itself put so little effort into a fleet air arm. Good discussions of all of the key characters, and this is another book that makes it clear that someone has to get around to writing a book on Manfred von Richtofen. This book is not for the casual WWII reader, and coming to it with some knowledge of German air types is helpful. All in all I enjoyed the book, and would recommend it to students of the Luftwaffe or WWII air operations in general.

In a severely overcrowded field of books on WW2, this book is a shining jewel. Revolutionary, concise, and clear, this book explodes the commonly accepted myths about the Luftwaffe, while revealing the truly innovative minds at work in the Reich Luftministerium and the General staff in the interwar years. Thought provoking and generally excellent scholarship abounds in this single volume about the critically important doctrinal development of air-power theory, not only in Germany, but in all major combatant nations before world war two. One way to understand this books's value is that by reading this one book anyone can clearly understand the basics of air-power doctrine and the way it evolved in the Luftwaffe. I eagerly anticipate reading the necessary follow-up volume from J. Corum which will complete the groundbreaking work begun in this book.

The focus of this book is on the interwar development of German air operational doctrine. Corum demonstrates that the Luftwaffe was not just a ground support air force but capable of strategic operations, including air transport (Franco's troops in 1936) and airborne assaults. In fact, he points out that Anglo-American obsession with strategic bombardment hindered their operational doctrines until 1942-3. Corum points out the biggest German deficiencies as lack of a true naval air arm that could have been decisive in fighting Britain, Udet's obsession with dive-bombers that delayed the deployment of the He-177 and the Ju-88 and strategic misdirection from Goering/Hitler. There are two interesting chapters on lessons from the First World War and the Spanish Civil War. Also interesting is discussion of how the Germans were able to develop not only doctrine, but new fighter and bomber designs under the noses of the Allied occupation forces. The one area in which the Allies succeeded in inhibiting the Luftwaffe was in limiting the German civil aviation industry's engine development programs; when the Luftwaffe went public there were very few engines to choose from and these were less-advanced than Allied models. Weak engines plagued a number of German aircraft designs. There are no maps.

As a mother of a toddler and a brandnew baby, you know it's important when I've squeezed out a few minutes to review this book. This is my new favorite gift for baby showers. Not only did Barbara help me regain my sanity, she has also affirmed my motherhood, inspired me to be the best mother I can be, and given me a set of tools and a direction to go in. I also highly suggest the other books of hers I've read...Mommy Manual and Lord, Please Meet Me in the Laundry Room. I've been telling all my friends about these books. They are written by a very wise woman!

Lately, I've read a lot of mommy-type manuals, but this is by far my favorite.

I'd call this a "girlfriend's guide" to being a mommy, except that other "girlfriend guides" tend to be catty and bitchy...and Curtis' guide definitely is not. But if you've ever wanted friendly advice from a mom who's been there and done that, then The Mommy Survival Guide is for you.

I giggled, cried, and dog-eared my way through this book. (In fact, so many pages are dog-eared, I've made the book twice as thick as it was originally!) I found truly practical tips for raising happy children, and lots and lots of advice for hanging in there when the going gets tough.

I disagree that The Mommy Survival Guide is just for Christians. Yes, Curtis is a Christian and she speaks freely about Christianity. But she's also lived on the other end of the spectrum, as an addict and as a New Age seeker. This is just one more area where readers can benefit from Curtis' experience. So unless you feel true hatred toward Christians, I think you'll enjoy this book.

I highly recommend The Mommy Survival Guide; it has become my new favorite to give away at baby showers!

"This book by self-proclaimed megamommy of 12 children is a breath of fresh air for those used to reading parenting books based on guilt. So many times, I read the most well-meaning "how-to" book on parenting and feels so overwhelmed, I never get around to implementing any of it.

The chapters are short, and easily read. Interspersed with the chapters dealing with the practical, humorous and philosophical sides of raising children are witty or profound quotes and suggestions to other books and resources.

This book reads like a collection of magazine editorials or blog entries. It isn't so much a system of parenting as it is an inspiration to parents, particularly moms. While the tone of the book is encouraging and inspirational, it is spared the treacly sweetness of say a Chicken Soup book by the author's reality, humor, and guidance.

The book manages to explore topics not often found in Christian parenting books: post partum depression; not controlling, but guiding your children; and letting go of the need to be perfect, or your children to be perfect. And then it hits on a few topics you don't see discussed in too many secular parenting books either: the clear and easily seen differences between boys and girls; the need for a healthy competition; and ways to point your child to Christ .

The last part of the book alone is probably worth the purchase price if you struggle with being a parent. There are several chapters on what to do after you realize your inadequacy as a parent; how not to beat yourself up; how to acquire new skills (the author used to watch other mothers at a playground, and try to emulate them); and the permission to start over, every day if you have to.

This is a nice book to read as part of a devotional; while waiting in the school pick-up lane; or anywhere else you want to read a few brisk and helpful words about your job as a mother."

This book is a delight to read and would make an excellent gift for mothers in all stages, from mothers of babies to mothers of slightly older kids, and it is one that mothers will want to keep and reread as their kids grow older and the mothering quandaries change, since Barbara talks about struggles and experiences with her adult children, too.

Barbara includes tips for handling toddlers and helping them reach their full potential, tips for mothers who feel lost or like they aren't living up to their own potential as mothers, and Barbara shares her philosophies and personal stories about gender roles, prodigal children, instilling moral values, and above all, she encourages mothers to place themselves and their children in God's hands.

This is very definitely a Christian book, and while I think non-Christians would enjoy a lot of the essays ands information in this book - it isn't the first book of Barbara's I'd recommend for a non-Christian. Try The Mommy Manual instead of you are not a Christian. Chapters such as "What They Really Need Is Jesus" will probably not be helpful to non-Christians.

Overall, this is a great introduction to Barbara's philosophies and her personable writing style - when I read her books I really feel as though I am sitting down for a nice cup of tea with her, and I think mothers will really enjoy her warmth and her frank style of writing.

My only complaint about this book is that because I have read her other published books, and enjoy reading her blog regularly [], I have already seen nearly all of this material in some form or another. So as a regular reader, this was like a compilation book in which I got to enjoy some of Barbara's best essays, revamped a bit. For that reason, I'd say this would be the best of all of her books to give as a gift, but for fans of her writing that have been reading for a while, I might instead wait for Mommy, Teach Me!, out later in 2007, which promises a wealth of practical information about raising little ones.

Motherhood is full of difficulties. We mommies have good days and not-so-good days. On the good days, I praise God and give myself a little pat on the back. However, it is on those not-so-good days that I need a friend to come along side to encourage me, help me find a solution, and/or offer some much-needed perspective on a situation. Barbara Curtis does just that in her latest "mommy" book, The Mommy Survival Guide: Making the Most of the Mommy Years (MSG).

Curtis writes as only a real mommy can. I connected with her from the opening page:
"Once upon a time I was a pretty normal mom. But that was before I ended up with 12 kids. When did I begin to change? Was it with Number 3? Number 4? Maybe Number 5? I don't know. For a while, with babies arriving every 15 to 20 months, it all became a blur. And yet at the same time it all became clear, as though I could finally see what was the important part of being a mommy. So many things I thought really mattered turned out not to matter at all. And so many things I hadn't thought of turned out to be the most important things of all."

MSG is divided into six sections:
* The sooner you surrender, the better.
* Kids will be kids--let them.
* A little bit of Mommy goes a long way.
* Less is more--really.
* When the going gets tough, just keep going.
* Anything can happen, but God will be there too.

One of my favorite aspects of Curtis' writing is her honesty regarding motherhood. Curtis understands its demands. She has struggled through relinquishing her rights in order to be a better mother. This makes MSG stand apart from other popular mommy books. Curtis never advocates taking a "mommy vacation." Rather, she is honest about the sacrifice and selflessness it takes to become a great mother with great kids. She shares a bit of her own journey in surrendering to motherhood. For example, she writes of how her frustrations diminished after she changed her attitudes regarding sleep. She explains, "So, yes, motherhood will change you--if you let it. And believe me, you do want to let it change you, because when you've refined the art of not thinking of yourself, you will very much like the person you become."

MSG is also incredibly practical. Curtis writes about those topics that weigh heavily on most mommies' minds: sibling rivalry, teaching self-control, television use, simplifying life, and much more. Each chapter has some nugget of wisdom or advice or a simple tip that a mommy can use. In addition to sharing her family's stories and experiences, the end of each chapter includes a list of ideas, fun stuff, things you need to know, or a helpful resource to check out. Not only is she a mother to 12, Curtis also homeschooled her children and is a trained Montessori instructor. She has years of experience from which she shares her thoughts on child training and teaching. She offers advice for saving time, having fun with the whole family, and helping kids through tough times, to name a few.

Ms. Curtis is also a born-again Christian who is not ashamed of the gospel. About midway through the book, Curtis shares her testimony and how she came to know Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior. She shares how she gently guides her children to know Jesus. Scripture is sprinkled throughout the book. It is the last portion of the book, however, that Curtis shares how a Christian mommy can use the gospel every day. Curtis does not gloss over sin, but she offers hope to the mother who sins against her children. She encourages moms to apologize, ask God for forgiveness, and receive a fresh start. She writes, "Parenthood is really a matter between you and God anyway, because it's part of our stewardship. Our children are not our children but God's children given to us for a brief span to prepare them for the rest of their lives." On those days that we feel like failures or "bad" mommies, it is good to be reminded of the truths we already know and encouraged to go to Jesus.

I enjoyed reading this book. The chapters are relatively short--good for mommies who do not have tons of time for reading. MSG is interesting, encouraging, and helpful. I am happy to recommend this book to my mommy friends.
Learn more about Barbara Curtis (.....)

This book is written in an unusual style that can take a little getting used to. At first I found myself irritated by the David-Mamet-Style dialogue and continual vague references to the past with little idea of what was being referred to (I checked to make sure this really was the first in the series). Sentences like "Beloit. Atchinson." can be quite annoying, but I wouldn't let that stop you from reading this excellent mystery.

Set in Kansas City as World War II is beginning in Europe (Germany has just bombed Poland, setting off the war), the lead is a female private investigator. Dorrie Lennox is tough (carries a switchblade and swears like a sailor), but also vulnerable and likeable. She has been asked to trail a woman that she is told is the client's girlfriend, but while she's doing this, late at night, she sees the woman jump off a bridge into the Missouri River (to her death). She is asked to continue her investigation, to find out more about this woman. Something is definitely off, and Dorrie finds herself with a lot of unknown enemies that may be taking interest in her work for different reasons -- in other words, it's more than one person/group who is trying to influence her behavior. Gangsters play a role, as does a fast-talking journalist and a law firm. Her employer, an Englishman whose lungs were severely damaged by poison gas during WWI, is not able to provide the usual guidance because of health problems.

The more I read this book and adjusted to the style, the more I enjoyed it. I must say that although it was well-plotted, some of the things that were supposed to surprise the reader did not surprise me. On the other hand, after all the mysteries I've read, I think I'm not the average reader, so most would probably be surprised.

I can hardly wait to read the second in the series to find out what Dorrie is up to and how her fragile romance is going.

I have lived in Kansas City nearly all my life, so I loved the fact that Lise McClendon's gritty private eye Dorie Lennox has taken up her profession in a rough and tumble 1939 K.C. that I had only heard whispered about. In 1939, The Mob was learning about how to fleece the citizens in other ways after prohibition; the average citizen was scrambling to live on slim wages and a glimmer of hope after the big depression; gambling and race tracks were legal, leaving the cops to find other ways to hassle the citizens, both crooked and law-abiding.

While tailing a beautiful blonde, Lennox witnesses the girl's suicide by jumping from a bridge into the Missouri River. The death of this woman, the girlfriend of a client who doesn't seem all that broken up when he hears of her death, puts Lennox onto a mystery that includes missing money, corrupt lawyers, murdered witnesses, infidelity and double crosses.

Lennox has to mix it up with some mighty shady characters, some of whom definitely do not treat her like a lady, but slowly she digs up the secrets in a desperate attempt to save the life of her mentor and partner, who has been fitted for a frame by some very cleaver, devious crooks.

There is a definite film noir feel about this book, and I really enjoyed it. I'd like to see other books about Dorie Lennox. She is a really cool character.

I am a huge fan of the Alix Thorssen series, but I have never been one for historical stuff. Imagine my surprise when I took a chance on McClendon's latest. I love Dorie Lennox even more than Alix, and I did not think that was possible. I can't wait to read the next one!

One O'clock Jump by Lise McClendon shoved me into the past and had me seeing the world as a black and white movie. I was shocked when I looked up from the prose to find myself in 2001. The book is a solid mystery filled with interesting characters and great writing, but what grabbed me the most was the sense of place and time created by the author. I'm not a fan of historical mysteries....... well, except this one. I sincerely hope this is the beginning of new series, because I want to enter this world again. Terrific book!

Travel back in time to a simpler life when escape from poverty was part of the American dream. That road to success sometimes took a drastic fall, in the case of Iris Jackson, it is off the Hannibal bridge.

For P.I. Dorie Lennox, the investigation becomes personal when she is threatened and told to quit the case. As she continues digging for answers, more people enter her investigation, each creating questions that need answers. Answers that always seem to come with pain. Quite often to Lennox's body.

Lise McClendon has captured the flavour of prewar Kansas City and blended it with exciting intrigue that carries us along to its emotion-filled conclusion.

This book becomes a splendid page turner as the mystery deepens. It is really quite a decent read.

I'm an artist and I needed to see exactly where certain muscles would be in different positions and this book is great for that. You can't always tell where a superficial muscle lies on the human form because there are other muscles underneath them causing more bumps/wrinkes/etc than you'd expect. So this book was a big help and I recommend it to any artist out there wanting to learn muscles!

...exactly the surface anatomy reference ive been searching for. as a 3d artist it is essential that i reproduce human figure in an accurate and believable way for this you need effective reference. this book has it in spades.

This is easily one of the greatest anatomy for artists books I've found. It covers various landmarks and on the opposite page uses a unique way to visualize the underlying muscle structure of the same pose. A must have book for any Artist!

This book is extremely useful for anyone trying to master the interplay of muscle as it affects surface form

This book is useful for artists such as painters and sculptors trying to accurately represent a muscular male body in different poses (like greek sculptures - Atlas, The Thinker, etc). Every page shows the model in a different position comparing the same pose in the "buff" with and without the painted muscles.

I am in Kansas and new to bird watching. I set up a Martin Hotel in my back yard, then a bird feeder... All kinds of birds I'd never seen before (Being from Arizona) started showing up. After watching some of their personalities emerge to me, I became more and more curious as to who these beautiful and fascinating creatures were. I ordered this book and got my answers! I love the way it is so easy to use, how it is listed by colors, which makes it exceptionally easy to find the bird you are looking for. If your an an advanced bird watcher, this probably isn't the book for you. But, if your new to this, as I am, this is the perfect starter book.
I love the little notes at the bottom of each page with some of the author's observations of that particular bird. Like the cow bird, now there is a bird who has parenthood down to a science. Lay the eggs in another birds nest (different species) and let them raise it! ;-). Get the book, for the price you can't go wrong and the photos are beautifully done.

Easily divided into colored sections so you have a basic starting place to determine the bird you're trying to identify. Great, clear photos.

This is a terrific little book with the best photographs of birds I have seen in a field guide. Organized by color of bird, so a novice can figure out where to start to ID what he is looking at. Has basic info on each of the 115 most common Kansas birds. If male and female are different colors, then they are listed seperatly, each with a small inset photograph and page number of the mate.

This is a tiny book that has less information and fewer birds than I expected. Just looking out at my bird feeder, about half the birds I see can't be identified by looking at this book. I also don't like the classification system...if a bird is half black and half brown, should I look in the 'black' or 'brown' section of the book? I think this is intended to be a 'for dummies' level of book, which is fine because I am a complete novice bird watcher, but I still don't find that it gives me the information I'm looking for. I would like to see more variation within a bird type, rather than only see one photo and try to find a bird in real life that matches it.

My husband and I have enjoyed using this book as "amature birdwatchers" - the orginization by color and size are great. The author also offers comparisons when you might be stumped. We've since purchased other books by Stan Tekiela such as Trees of Missouri (since there isn't yet a Trees of Kansas available) as well as bird guides, as gifts, for people in other states. It may not be as comprehensive as more experienced birdwatchers would like; however, it is a great resource for those of us peaking out the window at the feeder.

I can recommend all mr Citino's books. It is on the operational level that a battle/war is won and mr Citino's ability to explain and analyse operational warfare is unequalled.

In this follow-on to the author's "Quest for Decisive Victory", Citino analyzes how armies from World War 2 on achieved or failed to achieve decisive victories, including many cases rarely mentioned in other military histories. Although not quite meeting the extremely high standard set by the earlier book, it is still an outstanding book. Its footnotes will tell you what books to read to learn more about a particular campaign, and giving the strengths and weaknesses of each, which I think is extremely helpful. If you have any interest in an operational analysis of modern campaigns, but this book.

Robert Citino has written an excellent military history that has descibed the development of combined arms warfare. The first section of the book, Citino compares the military doctrines of the United States, Germany, Britain, and Russia during the Second World War. Citino believes that German military doctrine was severely flawed since it was mainly adaptable to wars in Western and Central Europe and did not make logicistical provisions for the campaigns in North Africa and Russia. Citino also praises Russian military doctrine for being able to plan for the mass encirclements of the German army in 1943-1945, but criticizes the Russians for lacking personal intiative in combat. Citino also criticizes the British for only attacking with tanks and showing no personal intiative on the battlefield. However Citino praises the American for being flexible and massing their forces on a single point during Operation Cobra.
The second part of the book, Citino praises the personal freedom allowed officers to conduct battle in the Israeli and Indian armies and writes about the lackluster performance of the Iraqi and Iranian armies that lacked competent officers. In the closing chapters of the book, Citino believes that the victory in Operation Desert Storm was due to superior firepower as well as tactics while Operation Iraqi Freedom was dangerously based on the assumption of internal rebellion and was eventually won by the use of armor. I would reccomend this book for anyone who believes that technology can replace officership and armor.

Despite all of the new technology, the rules of warfare always remain the same. In Blitzkrieg to Desert Storm, Citino analyzes every major military campaign from WWII to the present. The details are amazing. Most history books just tell you what happened, Citino tells you how. Every major battle is broken down into divisions and corps with a complete description of their objectives, capabilities, and commanders. His narrative tone makes book the enjoyable and entertaining while at the same time, informative and stimulating. This book is a must read for anyone interested in topics such as 20th century history, military history, or modern war studies.

This is an interesting and provocative book, well worth reading; see the other reviews for that. Unfortunately, it makes very clumsy reading. I think this was not Citino's fault. This seems, in fact, to be the worst edited book I've ever read. The main problem is not typos but repitition: Citino will often say virtually the same thing in virtually the same way within paragraphs. (See for example the comments on the US M3 tank on pp. 58-59.) This is the kind of understandable mistake a writer makes in the course of writing a book, and it is why publishers hire editors and pay them (albeit not very well). This book was published by University Press of Kansas. They need to have a stern talk with whoever edited Citino's book; they have done him an injustice.

Michael Bishop is a Nebula and World Fantasy Awards winning author. Blue Kansas Sky showcases four of his best novellas under one cover. These superbly written stories include Apartheid, Superstrings, and Mordecai Thuban; Cri De Coeur; Death and Designation Among the Asadi; and the title piece, Blue Kansas Sky. This outstanding anthology is enhanced for the readers with an informative introduction to Michael Bishop and his writing by James Morrow. Blue Kansas Sky is "must reading" for Bishop's legion of science fiction and fantasy fans.

Blue Kansas Sky takes us from the rural heartlands of the early 1960s to the furthest reaches of 21st century space and beyond. From ordinary people to extraordinary people, from human alien to the enigmatic alien. Michael Bishop's writing is engaging, thought-provoking, lyrically poetic; sweeping us along with the gentle lullaby of magic, memory, and estrangement that is, and will always be, the human spirit. Gary S. Potter Author/Poet.

Michael Bishop, Nebula Award-winning author of No Enemy but Time, has just released Blue Kansas Sky, which collects four of his short works - one never before been seen in print - in a single volume. These stories showcase his mastery of different genres, and provide the reader with an sampling from various phases in Bishop's writing career.

"Blue Kansas Sky" is a moving story of a young boy in 1950s small-town America, who struggles between his love for an uncle just released from prison and loyalty to his mother (who blames the man for her husband's death). Bishop incorporated many details from his own childhood to make this tale come alive. There's no science fiction here at all - just an engaging tale, extremely well written. Michael Bishop is adept at incorporating fresh words and unexpected turns of phrase without making the reader scramble for a thesaurus.

In "Apartheid, Superstrings, and Mordecai Thurbana," a well-to-do Afrikaner "ghosts" in and out of reality after a freak auto accident and is forced to watch as the security police interrogate two black laborers - one who plays around with cosmic string theory as a hobby; another who receives pirate radio broadcasts courtesy of a metal plate in his skull. This story is very difficult to get through - not because it is poorly written (indeed, just the opposite); but because it captures in chilling detail the horrors of the old Apartheid system.

"Cri de Coeur" (Cry from the Heart) tells the story of a man who must cope with the responsibilities, and revel in the joys, of raising a son with Down's Syndrome aboard a generational starship seeking to colonize another star system.

"Death and Designation among the Asadi" deals with a human anthropologist living in the wilds of an alien planet, struggling to understand the enigmatic rituals of its lion-maned hominids - without losing his sanity. [After reading this story I asked the author what I should do if I didn't fully understand it - read it again, or embrace the mystery? His answer: "Death and Designation" is my Solaris (a novel by Stanislaw Lem). Real aliens, Lem implies, defy comprehension because they ARE alien. On the other hand, you could read my novel Transfigurations, which incorporates the novella, and which more than one critic badmouthed for explaining rather than embracing the original mystery. They may have done so with some justice.]

Blue Kansas Sky is a wonderful collection of stories that I heartily recommend. It's published by Golden Gryphon Press (a small firm specializing in anthologies).

In his eloquent introduction, James Morrow, another writer of "moral fiction", deftly analyzes the major imperatives of the four works included in Blue Kansas Sky, focusing on two major themes, the inclusion and redemption of the "other." Although his insights add to one's enjoyment of the collection, they only touch briefly on another important facet of Bishop's work, the clash between his essential optimism, his generally hopeful attitude towards the world, and his seemingly reluctant acknowledgement that optimism alone does not suffice in the face of the hardships the world has to offer.

Optimism positively suffuses the title story, a Bildungsroman featuring one Sonny Peacock, a young man who comes to understand his place in the world through the almost shadowy presence in his life of his ex-con uncle, Rory Peacock. Although warned off by his mother, who blames Rory for her husband's death, Sonny is drawn to his uncle, who enters the story looking like an accident waiting to happen. That no "accident" occurs is testament to the human capacity for change; that Sonny learns so much about life from his neer do well uncle is both ironic and touching. Taut and intellectually satisfying, "Blue Kansas Sky" contains several uplifting messages about redemption and human nature. Yet, Sonny's essential optimism is in constant danger of being eroded, and the story's ending is a heartbreaker.

The story most like it in the collection is former Hugo finalist, "Cri de Cour," which examines the nature of bigotry and the power of the powerless. It is the tale of star traveler Abel Gwiazada, and his son Dean, who was born with Down's syndrome. For Abel and most of the crew, Dean is easily lovable, a veritable repository for the positive emotions for those one board. Yet, to crewman Kazimierz Mikol, he is a freak. Mikol's presence provokes much tension, and much exposition about the nature of parental choice in an age where gene technology may make conditions like Dean's obsolete. Even though Mikol grows to love and accept Dean as the others already do, the novella ends on mixed note, as the travelers are forced to deal with a disaster that nearly renders their long journey meaningless.

The remaining stories (both Nebula Award finalists) are far darker, dealing with the nature of prejudice and the power of obsession, describing two personal journeys into the very heart of darkness. "Apartheid, Superstrings, and Mordecai Thubana" is essentially a science fictional play on books like BLACK LIKE ME and Ralph Ellison's INVISIBLE MAN. The latter is especially pertinent, in that the main character, a white man, is rendered invisible, and thus given a special insight into the plight of the black man in South Africa. Even though it is obvious that the character has seen the light, his personal epiphany is essentially meaningless against a backdrop of institutionalized racism. "Death and Designation Among the Asadi" is also about a journey of understanding, but one which proves impossible to complete. Here, Bishop plays with the theory of the observed being acted on by the observer, but deftly turns the tables, as the observer is slowly driven mad by his inability to understand the alien race he studies. Seemingly about institutionalized alienation, it really is more about the arrogance of human beings in assuming their mindsets are universal.

So, we have optimism, but optimism tempered by reality. We see closed minds opening, but also minds that shut down when reality intrudes. True, Bishop is an optimist, but this doesn't prevent him from being simultaneously tough minded, intelligent, skeptical, and morally aware. The magic is in the careful balance he strikes in his writing, tempered by his fiction's two essential ingredients: his clear, strong, trustworthy voice, and the obvious compassion he feels for his creations.

Blue Kansas Sky is a collection of 4 novellas spanning 3 decades and the full spectrum of Bishop's talent. The title story is a sweet, poignant coming-of-age story set in Bishop's semi-fictional Van Luna, KS: it's all about life and growing up and the random difficulties of doing so. The last line is guaranteed to send you reeling. "Cri di Coeur" and "Death and Designation among the Asadi" are stunning morality tales in the guise of science fiction; as usual, Bishop's characters, no matter where or when they are, portray humanity at its most believable, wanderers who find hope in the most fragile of circumstances. The ringer for me, though, is "Apartheid, Superstrings, and Mordecai Thubana," a magical-realistic look at the horror of racism, the sin of inaction, all neatly and convincingly tied up with the Theory of Everything. Quite simply: amazing.

This is a collection for fantasists, for realists, for anyone who enjoys one of our best unsung writers at his very best.

I am rating this book highly because I think that people should have a responsibility to learn the facts, before they form opinions that judge others. There are some great essays that help the reader understand some of the technical aspects, a great essay by Deborah Lipstadt about people seeing it as symbolic of apathy, a great "against" essay by Richard Levy plus a great "for" essay by Sir Martin Gilbert. However, some of the articles in the debate are actually conterfactual, sensationlist and have only served to misinform some people as evidenced by some of the reviews on very site. For example(quoted from one of the reviews):

"Especially compelling are the aerial reconnaisance photographs and contemporary documents included in the book. One photograph alone--showing Auschwitz from high above, with the crematoria bracketed by bombs dropped to destroy the adjacent IG Farben slave labor factory--is especially haunting, since it shows very vividly that not only could the Allies have bombed the killing facilities at Auschwitz/Birkenau, they did bomb a facility literally only a few miles away. (Former Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu is quoted to the effect that the Allies knew enough and had the capacity to bomb Auschwitz; the problem, he asserts, was that the Jews did not have enough political clout at the time to command attention and military resources.)"

The problem is that no one ever actually developed the negatives into print until 1979. As Yeduha Bauer is fond of saying "There is a difference between knoledge and information". We had the information, ie the film but the proof is that we did not have the knowledge.

Another quote from the same review:

"Among the documents included in the volume is a detailed report from two Slovakian Jews who escaped from Auschwitz, documenting very clearly that early in 1944 detailed information was available to Allied leaders about the massive murders being carried out there. It also included a remarkably accurate map of the area, drawn from memory by the escapees."

This is a reference to the Rudolph Vbra report also know as "The protocols of Auschwitz" which was recieved in summary (Not DETAIL) in July of 1944 not "early 1944". In detail it was recieved in November of 1944, after the camp had stopped the killings. There is a great deal of controvesy of the timing of the report and how is was diseminated. It also exagerrated the death toll by a factor of four.

Should it have been bombed, in my humble opinion it is hard to say.

Would it have saved lives ? In the book Lipstadt remaarks that she is always amazed that when she gives a talk, how many people believe it would have saved "millions" Yet while she does not actually answer the question the point she is making is that "millions" is clearly incorrect.
In his excellent book on Auschwitz, Laurence Reese suggest no. He points out the timing and the fact that had it been bombed, when it could have been bombed, that the Hungarian Jews had already been killed. That two crematoria (Little White and Little Red) were actually not on the Vbra report, were converted farm buildings and not likely to have be targeted and either was singularly capable of handling the killing of the victims that died from July to November. He also makes no bones about feeling the Allies were apathetic, just does not see the bombing as saving lives. This of course is a view which is in sharp contrast to the Stuart Erdheim article in the book.

All in all with it's strentghs and weakness I would highly recommend this book, it will make you think. But it should also be approached with an open mind.

I saw the bombers fly over the camps and we waived to them.

At another camp they flew low over us, bombed the factory (BRABAG at Zeitz) just by our fence and sent no bombs to liberate us inside the fence. Even our guards have fled. I ducked when the shrapnels started flying but oh how welcome the attack was.

Lets face it no one in power REALLY gave a... If we were all British or American troups being exterminated THE CAMPS AND RAILROADS WOULD HAVE BEEN BOMBED TO SMITHERENES./

It is a sad chapter, not even the FDR Museum at Hyde Park has
a good explanation except to refer to this book. It was FDR' decision not to bomb, as evidence now emerges in a recent article in NEWSWEEK magazine by Beshloss.

The point is made which I agree with is that the responsibility for the murders should be with the murders.

I found it this the best and quite a readable account of this issue. Its a series of articles which allow the reader to reach a conclusion. It discusses the US and Britain. It makes it quite clear Stalin did not care and did nothing.

There are basically two issue involved.

The first is could it be done. After reading the discussion in the book but its left to you the reader to decide. I think it could have been. There seems to be no reason, why not? The technical, military and intelligence problems seem quite solvable.

The second is if it could have been done, could it have made any difference. This question is more difficult to answer. If the operation had been done its quite possible that the people would have been killed by other methods eg forced marches or bullets. However this was harder and slower then the gas chambers. It goes on to discuss an air raid on Hungary scared the government there into stopping the transportation of Jews. This was purely an accidental effect of timing. The air raid occurred just when the transportation of Jews started. The Hungarian government thought it was because of the transportation and stopped them. It then discusses the effect of this air raid. Leaving the reader with the impression that maybe political action may have helped to stop some of these murders.

The question that I would like to ask the writers "Is if they had been Americans or English being sent to those gas chambers - would they have been bombed?". I think they would have.

This collection of essays about the feasibility of bombing the crematoria and gas chambers at the Nazi death camp Auschwitz and the railways leading to it in 1944 presents virtually every aspect of the issue--from the available intelligence about the camp to military logistical and operational considerations to the British and American politics behind the decision not to intervene to the likely casualties caused and lives saved by such an intervention if it had taken place. Don't come to this book expecting facile, clear, categorical answers to the issues. While most authors have their own viewpoints to argue, collectively, the essays present a reasonably balanced set of perspectives on the pros and cons of bombing Auschwitz and its environs. The editors largely leave it to the reader to decide what could and should have been done. They are to be commended for their overall objectivity.

Especially compelling are the aerial reconnaisance photographs and contemporary documents included in the book. One photograph alone--showing Auschwitz from high above, with the crematoria bracketed by bombs dropped to destroy the adjacent IG Farben slave labor factory--is especially haunting, since it shows very vividly that not only could the Allies have bombed the killing facilities at Auschwitz/Birkenau, they did bomb a facility literally only a few miles away. (Former Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu is quoted to the effect that the Allies knew enough and had the capacity to bomb Auschwitz; the problem, he asserts, was that the Jews did not have enough political clout at the time to command attention and military resources.)

Among the documents included in the volume is a detailed report from two Slovakian Jews who escaped from Auschwitz, documenting very clearly that early in 1944 detailed information was available to Allied leaders about the massive murders being carried out there. It also included a remarkably accurate map of the area, drawn from memory by the escapees.

Many of the essays caution the reader against the fallacy of "presentism"--reading the history of over half a century ago through the prism of the present along with its political and ethical standards. For example, at the time that it first became militarily feasible to bomb Auschwitz--late spring and early summer of 1944, when American bombers were operating out of southern Italy--the Allies were understandbly preoccupied with launching the D-Day invasion of Normandy, and most available British-American resources in the European theater were being devoted to that goal. Nor was victory over the Nazis a certainty at this time. Thus, the repeated response of U.S. War Department officials that military resources could not be diverted to bomb Auschwitz is a bit more understandable, albeit still morally obtuse in light of the boming of the nearby I.G. Farben works. (None of the essays seems to recognize that the allocation of military resources at the time was not 100-percent efficient--a point underscored repeatedly in Joseph Heller's "Catch-22.") Similarly, there was some political concern that openly proclaiming an Allied goal of halting the slaughter of the Jews might backfire, given the widely prevalent anti-Semitism in both the U.K. and U.S.A. at the time. None of the points like these seems to be presented to excuse Allied inaction so much as to explain it.

As might be expected, the essays vary a great deal in quality. A few seem excessively detailed and verbose, but most are quite thought-provoking, well-written, and informative. None is an easy read, however--this is not a book for the reader who does not feel like investing a good deal of time, concentration, and energy. Nonetheless, it is a book not to be missed by anyone seriously interested in the Holocaust and World War II in Europe. I learned more from this book about both those topics than I have from any single book in a long time. Pay attention to the endnotes, too--they are filled with additional insights.

I love a good debate and this book is probably the closest one could come to a well thought out debate and not actually participate in it. The authors / editors do a great job of selecting the historians to write the chapters, I do not think you could ask for a more well spoken, knowledgeable and balanced group. I thought the book would have a lot of emotion shading the arguments almost to the point of making the debate fall into a day time talk show format of pushing and shouting, but that never happened. The chapters provided very convincing and detail laden essays on each particular facet of the issue with a for and against article to balance the debate.

To be honest I did not have an opion one way or the other on this topic before picking up the book. What then happened was that I kept bouncing from one side to the next with each article until I sat back and viewed the book in its totality. My opinion really only maters to me so I will spare you, but this book will definitely help you in forming one. The editors also did a good job of making sure that the book had a nice flow, sometimes I find that with books of different articles by different people you can get a choppy book. It also provides a ton of interesting details about the air war in Europe something I was not expecting but came as a pleasant surprise. Overall this is a very well thought out, well written book that will provide you with a great deal of information.

This book has very good coverage of the major generals who had the dubious honor of working for Churchill but it has one major failing...NO maps! As vast as the territory that this book covers it is unbelievable to me that the author/publisher did not provide maps to allow the reader to follow along. There's not even a general Mediterrenean map despite the fact that a good portion of the book centers on the Desert War with all the battles and skirmishes tallied. If you are not an expert in WWII history or don't have a military atlas while you read this book you can get lost pretty quickly. A military history/battle book without maps shouldn't be printed.

This is an excellent book that describes many aspects of the alliance in World War II that are unfamiliar to most Americans. Fascinating read.

Raymond Callahan's 2007 "Churchill and His Generals" is a rare combination of superb historical analysis and readability. His subject is the often difficult relationship between Churchill, British Prime Minister 1940-1945, and his senior military leaders, as they struggled to transform the British Army while waging a global conflict with Germany, Italy, and Japan.

The British Army at the beginning of the Second World War was a relatively small Imperial Policing Force belatedly transforming itself into the mass army that would be needed to fight the war. Transformation was the more difficult for being done under fire and with inferior weapons and equipment. Callahan makes the excellent point, repeatedly, that British Army leadership was haunted by the horrific casualties of the First World War and by the awareness that Britian lacked the manpower to field the numbers of divisions of its opponents or its principal ally, the United States. Ironically, by 1943-1944, the British Army had completed its transformation but become a wasting asset due to Britain's inability to replace combat losses.

Much of the focus of the book is on Britain's efforts early in the war, as it strove to hold off the Germans and Italians in the Mediterranean, and the Japanese in the Far East and South Asia. The problem of inexperienced forces and leaders was acute and the result was an almost unbroken strings of defeats. The British were kicked out of Malaysia, Singapore, Burma, and Greece, and only barely held their own in the Middle East and North Africa. Callahan notes the division between Regular Army officers and British officers serving in the Indian Army as a source of professional jeolousy and misunderstandings.

Callahan does an excellent job illuminating the political context of Churchill's relationship with his senior officers. As leader of Britain and of a coalition that would include the United States and Russia, Churchill needed victories to stay in power and to retain leverage in alliance negotiations. The result was immense pressure for results, often well ahead of capability.

In surveying the field of generals who played important roles, Callahan's concise analysis is often critical but seemingly even-handed. Bernard Montgomery comes in for his fair share of accolades and criticism, but Callahan gives due credit to overlooked officers such as Harold Alexander in Italy, Claude Auchinleck in North Africa and India, and Bill Slim in Burma. Callahan expends no little effort to identify Slim as the most capable British general of the war.

Callahan's faults are few. This book is perhaps a little too concise, at just over two hundred pages, for a very rich subject still being explored half a century on. Callahan's advocacy for Slim, while justified, threatens to exceed the impartial approach taken to other generals. Readers are urged to skim the footnotes and read the bibliographic essay for additional fascinating information on Callahan's topic.

This book is very highly recommended to students of the British Army and of the Second World War, for whom it will provide fascinating insights into the challenge of command. American readers will recognize the recurring problems of rebuilding and/or transforming an army under fire.

This is a well written, and concise, perhaps too concise review of the course of the leadership of the British Army in the second world war. The author does a good job of describing the evolution of British generalship in the war, and the difficulties of both finding capable leaders, as well as those who could pass muster with Winston Churchill; not an easy task. Particular emphasis is placed upon the war in North Africa, which perhaps most illustrated how lackluster leaders resulted in defeat; despite having many advantages in men and material over the enemy, the redoubtable Afrika Korps.
I agree with an earlier reviewer, and the author, that Gen. William Slim was perhaps the finest British general since Wellington. Most have heard of Montgomery, and opinions on him are sharply divided, but unfortunately, many have little or no knowledge of Slim and his accomplishments in Burma.
One general that I believe should have been covered in a bit more detail in this book was the CIGS, Gen. Sir Alan Brooke. To my mind, his leadership was indispensable in the professional direction of the army, selection of commanders, and above all, dealing with Churchill, and deflecting some of his more outrageous schemes. They proved to be a great team, but I believe Brooke, despite great respect and admiration for Churchill, harbored a resentment towards him until his death.
When I earlier said that this book was perhaps too concise, I was referring to it's somewhat short length. I believe another 100-200 pages could easily have been writtten. My main complaint is the utter lack of maps; they are essential for a book of this nature.

The British Army of World War II began the war deficient in leadership, doctrine, equipment, and training, leading to a series of military debacles in Europe and the Pacific between 1940 and 1942 that overshadowed the army and its commanders for the remainder of the war. By 1945, however, it had evolved into an effective fighting force, despite manpower shortages that forced British generals to adopt caution in their operations and eventually led to the disbanding of some seven divisions.

In "Churchill and His Generals" author Raymond Callahan focuses on Great Britains key military leaders and formations: the Eighth Army, which fought in North Africa and Italy; the Second Army, which fought in Northwestern Europe from D-Day to the end of the war; and the Fourteenth Army, which fought in Burma.

It was the Fourteenth Army which emerged as the greatest fighting force of the war. It's commander, General William Slim, is described by Callahan as "the finest British general since Wellington" for it was he that built and transformed that army it into the best of Great Britiain's World War II formations. Unfortunately, for Slim and his veterans, the Fourteenth received little recognition from Winston Churchill for their tremendous contributions to the defeat of the Japanese in Burma.

Despite his reputation as one of the greatest British leaders of World War II, Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery emerges as a commander who had not advanced beyond 1918 tactically and the legitimate descendant of the generals of World War I. After the years of defeats, retreats and evacuations, the ascendency of the Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke - Field Marshal Mongomery team, meant a return to tactical and operational caution (reinforced by manpower concerns). Victory through firepower at an acceptable cost in lives became the aim - and the British Army delivered those victories.

Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander, consistently denigrated and undervalued by both Montgomery and Brooke, emerges as a capable soldier as well as the closest thing the British Army had to an Eisenhower-style coalition commander.

The major shortcoming of this work is that it is a synthesis of secondary sources and relies heavily on the postwar memoirs of most of the British commanders of the Second World War. Unfortunately, in those memoirs, Great Britiain's World War II military leaders spend a great deal of energy disparaging each other. The attentive reader is left wondering if Callahan has not presented Great Britian's World War II Army and its commanders too negatively.

What a joy to read an author who *knows* about women. Having found myself on the floor under the dining room table (with cereal in my hair) more than once in my 49+ years I applaud the author. She spins a tale that is real. How refreshing.

I stumbled across this book at the library and checked it out on a whim. I am so glad I did ... This is a book you want all your friends to read so you will have someone to discuss it with -- was Pete a bad guy or a good guy? Was his death justified? All things considered, did these people treat each other the way friends are supposed to, especially 'the girls'? Bottom line: An Excellent Book.

This book provides different points of view on the same man after his death. The reader is able to see that although a womanizer, this man had something to contribute to his relationships with the 4 women featured. A profile by his sister is also included in this tale of lust, friendship, and family ties. Kagan does a remarkable job of showing the same person as 4 different personalities as seen through the eyes of these friends who each mourn his death in his own way. After the reader finally decides that he has a clear picture of who this man was and why he his dead, Ms. Kagan suprises us further

I really tried to get into this book, but infortunately, it never reached the point of "flowing" for me.

I thought the plot was well conceived. In "The Girls," we get to know four women, who have been friends for decades, through the death of one man, Pete Chickery. One of "The Girls" was married to Pete, but all of them had a relationship of one type or another with him. After he is killed, the story of who Pete was, what he meant to each of them, and their relationships with one another come into focus. While this core group intrigued me, the peripheral characters - children, parents, housekeepers, etc., really gummed up the works for me. The story was simple, but the more characters that I was intoduced to, the more my interest waned.

I also didn't particularly care for the structure of the first three "chapters," when each character was speaking directly to another person to whom we had not been introduced. Yet, when we finally meet that person, she is simply a part of the story, and not the omniscient presence that I was prepared to meet. Perhaps the reason that the story failed to "flow" for me, was due to that fact that once I became accustomed to one voice, it changed dramatically into another, then another. It never had the rythym that it needed to keep me turning pages.

What can I say, this book was surely one of the best and most thrilling, I've ever read. During the first few pages I hadn't got a clou what the hell all this was about, but once I had the point, I couldn't stop readin. I wanted to know all about the girls, about the different characters, their lives, fears and their relation with Michael. You should go to the next bookshop and get it. Thrilling, funny and excellently written. If there were mor than 5 stars, I'd give more