Commodore Books

This is a fascinating story and the author presents substantive research. There is some good prose in parts, such as the character development of Commodore Perry and descriptions of Okinawa, but on the whole it is not a smooth read. The 4 stars I'm giving it are for its importance as a contribution to our understanding of this period, the author's discussion on the impact of the attitude with which Perry's mission was accomplished, and the research that has been brought together.

Had there not been such good material and insight, the text was so choppy that I would have not finished the book. The dangling ideas, that is, concepts introduced but not previously explained or later followed up on, were frustrating. Then there are a lot of tortured sentences and then some grammar that had to be ignored to get the meaning.

One example of a dangling idea was the paragraph that ended by saying that Abe Mashihiro had won an important victory in the appointment of his recommended defense advisor followed by a paragraph saying that the appointee was "his (Abe's) the most vocal critic." What did I miss? By this time in the book, I no longer flipped back. The concept of a victory for Abe getting a critic an influential position isn't ever clear. It could be that the author meant it in the wider context that through this appointment there was no war, but that isn't clear either.

An example of the tortured prose, on p. 190 regarding Perry's son in law and grandson:

"New York's high society made him "King of Fifth Avenue". (New York Belmont Race Track and the Belmont Stakes are named after him, while in Newport, Rhode Island one of the sumptuous "cottages" was built by Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont, the son of "King" and Perry's daughter, together with Alva Vanderbilt previously married to William K. Vanderbilt)".

A grammar example (while you know it's Abe, there are two antecedents for him, not one) is on p. 243 "More than ever, Abe and the roju made the important decisions; with the senior counselors increasinly deferring to him about those concerning Perry..."

While the text was a real drawback (for me), there is a lot of food for thought in the analysis of what it Perry's actions meant for US-Japanese relations for the next 100 years, the unequal treaties, the symbolism of the USS Missouri receiving the Japanese surrender in Uraga Bay and the comparison of China's attitude and policies toward western trade and intervention.

For general readers interested in the seclusion period I recommend Samurai William: The Englishman Who Opened Japan and Native American in the Land of the Shogun: Ranald Macdonald and the Opening of Japan.

This marvelous book is a model study of the unintended consequences of American self-righteousness and imperial arrogance -- with eerie echoes today in the Bush/Cheney invasion of Iraq. It is a work of superb scholarship, and in spots it requires keen concentration, but the total effect is most rewarding, and the concluding sections -- with their lessons for the present and,one hopes,for the future -- are brilliant.

Amidst the present disasters of our militarized foreign policy, Mr Feifer's observation (in Chapter 17) that American "fervor and ignorance, especially of other cultures, sometimes caused grave damage" rings with bitter irony today in Iraq. "The Japan that [Commodore Perry] left was boiling in despairing confusion ... bloody plots and counterplots ... full of episodes that seem not to belong to waking life, but have ... the unearthly logic of events in a dream."

And yet, even in his harsh conclusions, Mr Feifer is scholarly, moderate, nuanced, and scrupulous, never overstating his case as the ironies for today abound. This is an incisive and most admirable book.

This challenging and deeply researched book on Perry's "opening up" of Japan
has the most painful relevance possible to our current government's colossal
misadventure in allegedly trying to bring "Freedom and Democracy" to a land
of darker-skinned people about whose history we are -- not willfully mis-
informed, which would be bad enough, but wildly, tragically ignorant. And
what kind of reverberations can we expect, decades and even a century down
the road of history? What Pearl Harbors, what Okinawas, what Hiroshimas are
there to come?

If you think you knew and understood American history this brilliant book will make you think again.The author sets out to show that America arrogantly decided to force Japan to open its doors to foreigners and trade, a decision that turned out to be the first step along the path that was to lead to Pearl Harbor. He succeeds admirably. This is readable, controversial history with a lesson for what is going on in Iraq today. A must book for serious thinkers.

On one level this remarkable book will provide invaluable background for anyone interested in understanding why Japan's love-hate relationship with the United States continues to this day. It should also serve to underline the dangers of imposing one nation's views on another.
But the book will also appeal to readers simply interested in a rich historical tour of Japan at the dawn of its modern era. The skillful weaving of the descriptions of the personalities, prejudices and political backgrounds of Commodore Perry and his Japanese counterpart Lord Abe brings to life and keeps in focus a story that might otherwise have drifted into an academic dissertation.
Breaking Open Japan will now be added to my list of must-reads for friends and acquaintances interested in peeling away the layers of a society that remains the most complex and conflicted of the modern era.

What an absolutely awesome book! Mr. Kohler did a wonderful job. I love this book and recommend it to everyone interested in retro gaming. It is packed full of useful and insiteful information. To top it all off, the book is in a fun, easy-to-read and enjoyable format. I can't recommend it enough.

I hope Mr. Kohler does a revised and updated edition of this book. The information in it is too good to be allowed to just fade away. I'll definately buy an updated copy.

Just one comment to the author Chris Kohler should he read this review: How about a hack about the Scot Adam's text adventure series for the section of your book on Text Adventure games? Scot Adam's was big in the early 80s.

Thanks!

A great reference for those who like to tinker with the hardware side of retro games. I found this book to be a very good reference, well thought out and very applicable to the hobby of retro gaming and will appeal to the enthusiast at all levels.

Chris Kohler's RETRO GAMING HACKS: TIPS & TOOLS FOR PLAYING THE CLASSICS tells how to emulate classic games on cell phones to computers, how to locate vintage game hardware, how to convert gaming tools, and how to write your own retro-style games in various programs. From playing old games on original hardware or making conversions, RETRO GAMING HACKS is for avid gamers who want to tweak the experience.

Some of these 'hacks' I knew about, many i did not. But every 'hack' in here offered some level of detail that made my retro gaming experience just that much better.

The bulk of the hacks are focused on emulators - how to get them, how to use them, etc. Which means that you will be Retro-gaming on your PC. Before I nabbed this book, I thought that would be a slightly less than awesome experience. Mainly because the controls leave a lot to be desired (who wants to use a keyboard to play Satan's Hollow.) But thanks to one of the hacks, I now know where to go to get retro game controllers that fit right into your PC.

While retro-gaming on the PC is the the focus of the book, it by no means describes all the content. There is tunds of cruncy goodness in here on obtaining old platforms and cartridges, to hacking your old cartidges / games into your modern platform.

All in all a joy to read, and even more fun to implement. Pick it up! Its a good 'un.

Are you an avid game player, programmer or video game journalist? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Chris Kohler, has done an outstanding job of writing a book that shows you everything you need to know to get your retro game on.

Kohler, begins by showing you how to play the real thing, setting up classic game systems, fixing broken hardware, and getting good deals on buying games. Then, the author covers new hardware and software that plays old games, whether on an all-in-one joystick or on the PalyStation 2. He continues by covering MAME from all the angles, learning how to play classic arcade games on the PC and other platforms. Next, the author shows you how to play classic console games. Then, the author brings back those classic computers, showing you how to set them up or emulate them. He also shows you how to play with text adventures. Then, he shows you how to get DOS games to work properly under modern operating systems, or even get DOS up and running again. The author continues by showing you how to play at game design. Finally, the author shows you how to hack around inside games, exploring glitches and bugs to your advantage.

The author of this most excellent book shows you how to emulate classic games on everything from cell phones to computers. More importantly, after reading this book, you will have everything you need to have to rediscover classic games in style.

How good is this book! This is essential to anyone who want to learn about the real people who were involved with shaping the PC industry, that we all take for granted now. This isn't a 'possibly happened like this'. This is actually written by a man who was involved, who saw it first hand, who wrote this exceptional book, so that we could all have an insight.

Yes, I was a Commodorian. I found this book gave me an insiders view of all my hero's from my childhood. How it all happened, the good decisions, the weird decisions (with the benefit of hindsight) and how they, at first (liek everyone I guess), really didn't appreciate what influence they would have on the future.

Do yourself a big favour. Get a copy of this book and make sure the real history of the 'Home Computer Wars' is known. History is written by the winners, but sometmes the eventual losers are the ones to learn about. That's were the real innovation occured.

This book was hard to find, but it was well worth it. I consider it a "must have" if you are interested in Commodore and in the history of the home computer industry. Michael Tomczyk combines a very unique personal perspective and touch with profound knowledge of the facts and events he describes. This book is also extremely well written. Highly recommended.

I recently located a copy of this book, paid a fortune for it - but it was well worth it. The content is amazing, revealing the organisational culture of Commodore through the most important time in personal computing history. It also talks about Jack Tramiel and how he came to leave Commodore and move to Atari. I highly recommend seeking out this book - you won't regret it.

If you are 1., a computer industry history enthusiast, and 2., ever owned a Commodore computer such as the PET, VIC-20, or Commodore 64, then you should try to find a copy of The Home Computer Wars by Michael S. Tomczyk. Most computer history books I have read seem to only mention Commodore as a footnote, never seeming to give it its proper dues or recognizing how it impacted the industry. As far as I know, this book is the most detailed available when it comes to Commodore's role in the history of computing.

The Home Computer Wars is subtitled "An Insider's Account of Commodore and Jack Tramiel." And that it is. This book is short on technical detail but heavy on the inside information on what went on in Commodore from 1980 to 1984. From the perspective of a fanatical Commodore user from the 80s (like yours truly), the most interesting aspect of this book is Tomczyk's chronicle of the creation and marketing of the VIC-20. The VIC-20 was the predecessor to the C64, and it could be argued (as Tomczyk does) that the VIC-20 was the first real home computer "for the masses."

This book is as much about Jack Tramiel as it is about computers. Tramiel was Commodore, and his method of management and goals for the company were called "the Commodore Religion," and the insiders of Commodore who believed in his vision were called "Commodorians" by Tomczyk. Tramiel was a holocaust survivor that rebuilt a small calculator company into the first computer company to have over a billion dollars of revenue in a year.

It's quite educational to read a home computer "history" book that was written long before the world decided on the "PC clones" that most of us use now. 1984 was still an era where the computer industry was barely beginning to emerge from a technological dark age of competing and incompatible platforms. In keeping with the theme of the title, Tomczyk writes as if he were a soldier in the trenches of a protracted land war. It's a great read if you have the interest in the subject matter. Get a copy if you can.

Very good. If you own(ed) any C= computer or Amiga, you'll find this book extremely interesting. The time period dealt with, is from the beginning of Commodore as a computer company(it does not cover their humble beginnings as a typewriter or furniture manufacturer to any great extent), to their ousting of Jack Tramiel and finally acquisition of the Amiga.

As i said, it's a very interesting look at the most creative (and sometimes bizzarre) computer company that will probably ever grace the U.S., though it would've been nice if it had been updated...after all a lot has happened in 1985-1994!

This book is a must read for anyone who loves the old liners especially the Cunarders. Captain Harry Grattidge tells of his amazing career with wonderful stories of his experiences. I especially loved reading about his time as Captain of Mary and his love for her. This is a treasured book in my collection.

Autobiography of Captain Harry Grattidge, former Commodore of the Cunard Line as told to Richard Collier, with photos;, personal observations of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Queen Elizabeth-the Queen Mother, and other famous people. Dust jacket reads: This richly entertaining story of a 50-year career on the high seas-a career which began in the sunset days of sailing ships, saw the development of great ocean liners, was shadowed by tragedy and danger in both World Wars, and culminated in the proudest post in the British Merchant Marine. There is hardly a Cunard liner that Captain Grattidge has not served on-from Laconia, the old Mauretania, and the Berengaria to the two great Queens. And there is hardly an eminent world traveler about whom he does not have fascinating stories-the Duchess of Windsor, Field Marshal Montgomery, Ezio Pinza, Bernard Baruch, Bing Crosby, Gertrude Lawrence, H.G. Wells, Lord Mountbatten, Lawrence of Arab, the Emir Feisal, Bob Hope and scores of others. Renowned figures move familiarly through these pages, often in unfamiliar poses. There was the affair of the Russian cigars and Churchill's largeminded disregard of British customs regulations. There was the episode of Lana Turner's hairdo which the Captain impishly asked her to change in the middle of an evening as a joke on passengers who were slavishly imitating her. There was the astonishing moment when Captain Grattidge heard the strains of a band playing on a supposedly empty ship and discovered that the leader was the then Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII. Here, too, are moments of high drama-as in the terrible disaster of the sinking of the Lancastria off St. Nazaire with nearly 6,000 aboard and more than 2,500 soldiers lost. Or the time during world War I when Captain Grattidge's torpedoed ship titled so monstrously that he could see the moon through a hole in her side. Or the tense meeting between Eden and Molotov on board the Franconia, temporary headquarters for the British delegation during the Yalta conference. A captain of the great Cunarders must be more than an expert seaman, he must also take all passengers, high and low, under his care for the duration of a voyage. Because people have the duration of a voyage. Because people have the habit of shedding restraints on an ocean trip, Grattidge has had to cope with every king of human problem from straightening out the affairs of a lovesick teenager to assisting the plans of a Captain of Industry. Grattidge's sympathetic and acute knowledge of both sides of his job gives his personal story its fascination and unique human quality.

Captain Grattidge was master of the Queen Mary, and later of the Queen Elizabeth. His reminiscences make for easy and entertaining reading.

Richard Wiley's novel takes you to a time of great change in Japan, the opening to the west. You will see history through the eyes of memorable vivid characters - and you will feel attached to these people - their strengths and foibles - their love affairs, rip-roaring bloody battles and roll on the floor laughing scenes as well.
It's got something for everyone and just beautifully written.

I've read all of Richard Wiley's books, and like anyone else, I have my favorites. Soldiers in Hiding is, of course, a fine book. Fool's Gold is a beauty, and Festival for 3,000 Maidens is a great little Peace Corps Novel. I have to ask myself whether Commodore Perry's Minstrel Show is now my favorite because I've just finished it, but it's a strange and wonderful delight.

Who else would write about such an unusual subject? And what makes the book such a pleasure? It has to do with the beauty of the characters and the language, both light as a feather and yet capable of great and sudden strength. I've rarely seen a book with such a texture, bright and dark, comic and serious, distant and close, ridiculous and urgent.

At times I found myself wondering why I became so involved with this odd bunch of characters from the mid 1800's Japan, but generally I was too involved to ask the question. Of course, it's no wonder, since Richard Wiley has lived in, visited, and obviously loved Japan over the years. But what surprised me the most was the book's ability to make me gasp now and again. And to curse the writer for having received, worked for, and developed such a gift.

The novelist Richard Bausch once remarked that a reader is always guaranteed to learn something new in any novel written by Richard Wiley. Wiley shepherds us into a foreign landscape and introduces us to a culture that is strikingly remote from our own yet is so intimately and recognizably human that we close the book with the realization that not only are we more savvy about the workings of the world at large, but we have a rich new insight into ourselves as well. These two feats can be achieved only by a literary master capable of topnotch entertainment who also has his thumb firmly on the pulse of humanity. In Commodore Perry's Minstrel Show, Richard Wiley outdoes himself. The novel abounds in characters who will live in the reader's mind long after finishing that last page; a plot that is riveting in terms of tragedy, comedy, and samurai action; if that's not enough, this novel is one of the most poetically rendered achievements I've read in the past year. Each sentence is carefully crafted and is in full service to a compelling story about the cultural clashes, tribal rivalries, and familial conflicts that occur when Commodore Perry and his unlikely crew sail into Japan's Edo Bay in 1854 to open trade with the United States. Along the way we are treated to sex, romance, swordplay, deapitation, high and low comedy, and a sense of history whose heartbeat resounds through the ages to make it all feel insistently modern. I recommend this book without reservation to anyone who cares about excellent storytelling.

A great book with lots of info about the paintings and comments from the artist about the way he develloped the pictures

This is an excellent example of military artwork at its best. Gives the reader an excellent background on the thought process behind each of Trudgian's masterpieces. I own 11 separate prints of his and this book is a welcome addition to my Trudgian collection. Highly recommend this book to any WW2 historian or fan.

We lived in Japan and I homeschooled when I first read this book. Much more interesting way to learn about the opening of Japan than through a text. Another excellent book that is a great companion to this one is "Born in the Year of Courage."

Its a very good book!!!It has alot of detail on the Japanes life in the very old days of the world.Its the best you can get!!!!

I taught myself assembly on the C=64 with this book. Easy to follow, great examples and just a great wealth of information.

A classic book. It's fun even to just thumb through it now. :)

A difinitive work from the difinitive Commodore guy. Extremely easy to read and comprehend. If you can find a copy, and are wanting to learn assembly/machine language on a Commodore computer, I'd highly recommend it. Book includes excellent instructions, example programs, a type-in monitor (written in BASIC) and excellent reference appendixes.

Don't pass this one up.

This is one of the best resources for those interested in programming the Commodore 64. It is an absolute MUST-HAVE for Commodore owners' libraries. Take advantage of the power of the Commodore 64 - this reference guide is a great asset and will help the programmer realize the '64s potential.

Happy programming!

:)

First you read the users guide.

Then you read the Programmer's reference guide.

Finally you read 'Mapping the Commodore 64' and everything becomes clear.

This is *the* book to own if you are programming in assembly on the commodore 64. Every memory location is explained in detail, including any location used by the basic interpreter, the SID, the VIC and both CIAs. A truly legendary book, grab it before they all disappear....

i think this book signifies the impact of new technology on air warfare , it is a case study of 1973 Arab Israeli war and the Gulf war of 1991, in which air power played a predominant role in victory. The book also discusses the security environment in South Asia and the impact of air power on various wars in the sub-continent.It is a must read for all those interested in modern warfare and the future stratergies of winning a conventional war.