History Books


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History Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

History
Mara, Daughter of the Nile
Published in School & Library Binding by Topeka Bindery (1999-10)
Author: Eloise Jarvis McGraw
List price: $16.45
Used price: $99.95

Average review score:

Very Well Written!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-12-01
My sister has owned this book for 5 years, but I just got around to reading it. It is SUCH a good book! It was fascinating to be able to peek into the ancient Egyptian culture. The drama and the plot are SO GOOD! I was disappointed when I finished the book...I could've started it over again right then and there! If you are looking for a good book to read...this is it!!!

Exciting read!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-17
I was actually taken back to the time of ancient Egypt! I shivered, got the chills, and laughed out loud at certain parts of the book. It is a REALLY good book. When I borrowed it from the library, I must of renewed it twice to keep it for 2 months! Excellent.

Good read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-08
Mara, a young slave girl in Pharaoh Hatshepsut's Egypt, is this center of this cute, fast-paced and worthwhile novel. Although this novel was meant for YA, it's very enjoyable for adults as well. Egypt comes alive as Mara navigates the intrigues of the royal palace, acting as interpreter due to her skill with languages. I won't give anymore away, but if you want a quick read, this will do nicely.

Who doesn't love this novel.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-05
Wow, I must've read this book a hundred times as a teenager. I still pull it off my shelf from time to time and read it again.

A childhood favorite
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-30
This was one book that I remember reading when I was in fourth grade. I bought this copy for my daughter, who is a total bookworm. If you are interested in Ancient Egypt, this book is wonderful.

History
Here Be Dragons
Published in Paperback by Ballantine Books (1993-05-11)
Author: Sharon Kay Penman
List price: $15.95
New price: $19.95
Used price: $0.50

Average review score:

Welsh storytelling at its most beautiful
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-15
Here be Dragons is a fautless interweaving of Welsh and English history at it's very best done by none other then Sharon Penman.

thirteenth century Wales is unbalanced to say the least and Kinh John is as power hungry as ever. Llewelyn is prince of wales in all but name trying to unite the people and hold King John at bay. Marrying Joanna creates a truce between Wales and England for Llewelyn. In the back ground King John is always constant causing rifts in their relationship. Thier story is beautiful and humbling as they go through life, betrayal, and forgivness together.

It's amazing how Penman is able to put into words the emotions of people from so long ago and yet as a reader you feel as if they are a part of you. Everytime I put the book down I felt like a peice of myself was put aside with it.

what can i say?
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-02
this book is one of my favorite. there is a sadness and untrustworthiness that keeps bringing itself out in this book, as soon as you think things are going to start to get better someone does something to mess it up. as far as the relevance to history, it keeps up pretty good. i had to look it up and double check because i almost didnt believe everything that happened. this book got me interested in welsh history.

WOW! What a Book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-30
Having just discovered Sharon Kay Penman, I decided to start with Here Be Dragons. On a cold and rainy autumn day in front of a cozy fire, I was transported back in time to 13th Century England and Wales and I never wanted to leave! I literally could not put this book down and I finished it in one 16-hour sitting. I have not been able to stop thinking about it since and find myself picking it up again and again to re-read my favorite scenes. I went right back to the library and picked up the other two books in the trilogy and I can't wait to start reading them.

At the heart of this book is the most compelling love story I have ever read. A young woman torn between her love for her husband and her love for her father. A warrior prince torn between his love for his wife and his love for his country. Joanna and Llewelyn are so vivid, their triumphs and defeats are so touching and SKP does a terrific job in conveying all of their emotions and placing the reader inside the intimacies of their relationship. Every scene between them, whether it be sex, love, arguments, reconcilliation, childbirth, child-rearing, politics or betrayal, teems with the undercurrent of a passion between two lovers facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles, who by all odds should not be together, but who cannot stay apart. And to top it all off, it takes place amidst the rugged beauty and fascinating history of two countries struggling to assert their place and power in the world.

This book is beautifully written and has earned a permanent place on my list of all-time favorites.

Sharron does it again
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-05
First in a trilogy Here be dragons is amazing. Slow sometimes but rather fast at others it gives King John, Richard and even Henry real character. Joanna is amazingly well portrayed for the young woman she is.

Great Reading, history comes to life
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-29
This is the first book of the wonderful trilogy of the Welsh Princes and England. The author, Sharon Kay Penman has the very gifted ability of placing the reader into the story as an unseen observer of events. If only our history lessons could come in the guise Ms. Penman gives us, she brings the stories to life once again as we discover that although our surroundings do change thru time still, royalty/leaders, politicians and the church/clergy have remained much the same thru the ages being that, what qualifies as deception and treason remains the same.

History
The Sunne in Splendour
Published in Hardcover by Henry Holt & Co (1982-10)
Author: Sharon Kay Penman
List price: $19.95
Used price: $0.69
Collectible price: $34.99

Average review score:

Very much worth your time...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-28
I've collected most of Penman's books over the years, though this is the first I've read. And, while, I'm not immediately going to tear into another, Sunne in Splendour is nearly as good as historical fiction gets. It's the story of Richard III, the princes in the tower, and the coming of Tudor rule. Richard III faced many tragedies during his short and turbulent reign and the author employs these to create an inner turmoil, a self-doubt, a crisis of conscience that adds remarkable depth to this Yorkist sovereign.

Penman's characters are well-formed, her narrative skills excellent, and her research clearly outstanding, (though her conclusions are no less controversial). I enjoyed Sunne in Splendour and always looked forward to returning to it after I'd set it down. There are, however, a few issues that keep me from rating the book higher. Penman's attempt at period English begins to grate with her liberal substitution of the verb "be", as in: "Be you annoyed if I continue to write such sentences?". In addition, she could have implied half the heavy petting and been ahead of the game. That kings, too, have intimate relations I think we all understand.

In the end, though, these complaints merely deflate a 5-star rating to one of 4+. Regardless of my literary predilections, I believe the book well worth the reader's time.

Murderer or Hero?
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-26
Everyone knows the stories about the monster, Richard III, who killed his nephews, the poor little princes in the tower. But what if the stories were wrong? What if they were lies perpetrated to discredit Richard in order to justify Henry VII stealing the throne of England? They say that the winner gets to write the history books and since the Tudors won, they made sure that their version of events leading up to Bosworth Field painted them in the best light and condemned Richard as a vile murderer who deserved to die.
Historians have long since come to believe that Richard was not the man portrayed in Shakespeare's "Richard III" but a generous and honorable man who tried to do the right thing for his country. The play is based on stories that were written by supporters of the Tudor family. Also keep in mind that the Bard was writing during the reign of Elizabeth I, the granddaughter of the man who defeated Richard in battle and seized the crown of England. With only a tenuous claim to the throne, Henry Tudor had to make it seem as if he was the country's savior -- not the leader of a coup.
This is a fascinating book about political intrigue and the struggle between these two powerful factions who both felt they had the right to rule England. Richard's story is only the last act in the War of the Roses which had been going on for year and years. Sharon Kay Penman is a wonderful writer who breathes life into her characters and makes them seem real. I felt as if I was transported back in time to another century to live among characters I came to really care about. In fact, I admit I fell in love with Richard and even though I knew the final outcome of the book, I still grieved when he died so unfairly.

The Sunne in Spendour
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-23
Sharon Kay Penman is one of the best authors for those who love historical fiction. I would heartily recommend all of her books.

Excellent
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-22
I love to read historical fiction, but don't love the droning of history books. This was a fun, entertaining, easy to read novel of 15th century England.

Great story of Edward IV and Richard III
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-03
Penman's books are all fairly lengthy, but by the time you get to the end, you don't want it to be over. This one is no exception. I actually preferred the character of Edward to Richard in this book. Probably because he seemed more believable. Penman let his flaws show brightly and therefore seem more relatable (I think that's probably why Anne was probably my least favorite character). The almost saintly portrayal of Richard is pretty much my only complaint though. I was thoroughly entertained by this book. The relationship between Edward and Richard was touching and the shift in Edward's character throughout the book was very well done.

I think the reason why I'm such a huge fan of SKP is her ability to really make you sympathize with the characters. She always makes their motives really clear and you almost can't dislike any of them, because you really feel like you understand them. The best example of this was Richard's decision in the final battle.

The best part, for me, is that the history is amazingly well researched, as always. There's only one fictional "main" character, and she's not a very important. The story just sucks you in even if you don't have much background knowledge. This one is definitely a keeper!

History
House to House
Published in Hardcover by Free Press (2007-09-04)
Author: David Bellavia
List price: $26.00
New price: $10.57
Used price: $10.49
Collectible price: $26.00

Average review score:

Great Seller
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-19
Item was shipped in a timely fashion and was as originally described. Great seller!

House to House,,
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-03
This book was suggested to me by the mother of a Marine. I was going to say ex-Marine but there is no such thing. She said it was as close to the real thing as you could get. Her son was in Iraq three times but I don't think he told her the real thing. This book is good and it has it's moments. Enough so that I wouldn't want to trade places with any of these American hero's. I haven't finished the book yet but it tracks with my worst imaginings of what Iraq must be like. God bless our armed forces!
John

Dancing Iraqis, the dance of death
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-21
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I read it on the Kindle. Life took a backseat while I read it.

Fallujah now I know better than I ever thought I'd know it.

I laughed, too. The description of the Iraqi soldiers dancing together a la Shakira is hilarious. The description of war is immediate and pressing it truly is as if the reader participates in the hell of combat, where human will often decides who wins and loses.

There's a scene reminiscent of the brutal "Saving Private Ryan" scene where the fighting literally become tooth, claw, and knife.

War truly is hell, and this book shows that soldiers die for each other out of love. Not for the big, noble causes, but to be there for his comrade.

This book is similar to Black Hawk Down and almost as good.

The only bone of contention I have is, as an English teacher, the spelling of "all right" not acceptable as "alright." It makes my skin crawl.

I hope Americans realize he tremendous sacrifices that soldiers and Marines have made in the Iraqi and Afghani campaigns. This book is so effective for being so evocative and as a labor of love. David Bellavia is so effective for writing from the heart, laying it all bare.

Great job, Sarge. Thanks for your service. Hoo-yah!

No cliches
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-18
This is worth every minute of reading time. I read it through without stopping, it was so compelling and real. Thanks for the snapshot of that world, and for your service, Sargeant.

Every "American" must read this!!!!!!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-26
After trying to understand for years even a small fraction of what is actually going on in Iraq and what happened in Fallujah, this book is a blessing. Not only is a it a great account to the things we all must know before we turn on CNN for the guide to our lives, it's also a great story in general.. It will steal you heart, if you have one. It's very easy to read and holds your attention throughout the whole book without any long boring gaps. So for those of you with limited attention span (like me), reading it should not take long or pose any problems.

This book may also help you question and find out things about your own self. I hope it can do for many what it did for me. I felt more emotion that I have felt from any movie or book for many many years.

I would like to thank SSG David Bellavia for doing the incredible things that you did and writing to tell us about it without holding back what most people would never share. You are and all of the men and women you served with are now more than ever my heroes! God bless you!

History
Chasing Ghosts: A Soldier's Fight for America from Baghdad to Washington
Published in Hardcover by NAL Hardcover (2006-05-02)
Author: Paul Rieckhoff
List price: $24.95
New price: $4.99
Used price: $2.78

Average review score:

Honest and Insightful
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-10
Great book! I found it honest, to the point and there was no fooling around about the emotions and the reality of this war. I, for one, appreciate that.

An important read.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-04
Chasing Ghosts is an honest and powerful account of Reickhoff's experience in Iraq. While it's tough reading at points, I think it is good for us to recognize the reality of what we're asking the men and women of our armed forces to do for this country every day.

It took a lot of courage for Reickhoff to write this book and my hat goes off to him for doing it; and for the important work he's doing for veterans every day now.

Just the truth
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-11
Rieckhoff is a well-spoken and thoughtful individual who, in this memoir of his service as part of the occupying force in Iraq, takes the reader on his journey from intelligent inductee to Generation Kill to intelligent advocate for peace. It's a good terse read with very little fluff or filler, and is required text for anyone wanting a soldier's perspective on the invasion and occupation.

Thought-Provoking and Intelligent
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-10
As someone who has read a large amount of literature concerning the current state of international affairs, specifically in the "War on Terror" and as a hopeful future officer in the United States Army, I found Paul Rieckhoff's account of his time as a platoon leader in Iraq to be not only well-written, but helpful and insightful. From the accounts of under-equipped Guard units, to the sometimes seemingly trivial nature of the Rules Of Engagement, the book paints a quite vivid, and scarily what I imagine to be accurate, picture of the face of America's first gander at twenty-first century warfare.
Though I found parts of the read to be erie in nature, and though the book provokes questions and doubts about our great nation's leadership and decision-makers, it in no way influenced me to give up joining the military. Rieckhoff has made it clear that the country's leadership is quite questionable, and in part of his writing acknowledges the fact that a new generation of veterans will soon be stepping into the political realm.

Chasing Ghosts deserves to be read.

Short and Simple
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-11
This was a great book and an easy read as it kept you engaged and intrigued. Enjoy!

History
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
Published in Paperback by Arrow Books Ltd (1995-04-20)
Author: Alison Weir
List price:
Used price: $24.68

Average review score:

Fantastic Work..
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-06
Very illustrative and insightful. I am looking forward to reading Weir's Life of Elizabeth I that I just ordered today.

Well worth reading!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-16
Excellent account of the times. Makes you appreciate the often precarious positions these vulnerable and ambitious women were in!

Very hard to read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-01
If you are a fan of Philippa Gregory, like myself, and you relish in the scandals and dramatics of King Henry VIII's Court, this may not be the book for you. This reads a lot more like a history textbook. Not exactly salacious or trashy. Just provides a lot of background and facts about this period of time. I just couldn't stay engrossed. I guess I need the fictionalized version, no matter how accurate it may be. Not exactly a short casual read by any means.

Wouldn't Want to Be Them!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-11
I found this book enlightening, easy-to-read, and quick to finish. It starts off with Henry as quite the affable young man, and even handsome. He is a catch for any lady, especially Princess Catherine, his first wife, but all of that changes as the years progress and he becomes more and more paranoid. In fact, as the book went on I found myself wondering why no one ever tried to assassinate him. He was a threat to powerful nobles, to his wives, to former friends... I felt terribly sorry for all of his wives, but especially Catherine.

Fill in the holes, if you have read other books about this period.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-22
A must read if you have been enticed by the interesting tale of the period... Perhaps you have read some of the fluffier books with more romance and fictional license. This is book fills in many of the holes. This book is a nice enjoyable read with great details that touch on the people in a Titan's wake.

The women come to life.
The politics and decisions that baffle us, centuries later, come into focus as you understand the rival nations and religious reform of the era. GREAT NOVEL.

This author did research and portrayed the characters factually and clearly.

Her Eleanor of Aquitaine novel is excellent as well.

History
The Civil War: A Narrative
Published in Hardcover by Random House (1958)
Author: Shelby Foote
List price:
Used price: $124.99

Average review score:

Yes, Its from a Southern POV.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-12-01
I have a love/hate relationship with Shelby Foote's work. Its magnificent, and a not-to-be-missed tour-de-force on the Civil War. I'm really, really glad however, that this isn't the only account of it I've read. (My ideas of what happened and why they happened would have been seriously skewed.) At the same time, its compelling narrative.

I've probably read 50-60 books on the Civil War, and this was probably one of the works that made me the saddest, since its so well written and so approachable and so biased.

If you want a better, equally approachable work, read Bruce Catton's three volumn work on the War:

The Coming Fury
Terrible Swift Sword
Never Call Retreat


He's every bit the Storyteller Foote is, and a far better Historian.

He also wrote a deliberately Union-centered book on the Civil War
called "This Hallowed Ground - The Story of the Union Side of the Civil War".

The American "Iliad"
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-20
Foote is a novelist first, and the skill of his narration bears this out. Although the reader knows (or should know) what is about to take place (after all, this is the most written about war in literature), the author presents the events as a first rate novelist presents his plot twists and turns - with such subtlety that the reader is somewhat surprised when he comes face to face with such events as the assassination of Lincoln. And one has to remind oneself that the presidents, politicians, generals, officers and men of both sides are not literary creations but real men; they come alive to the reader as the best constructed fictional character comes alive to the novel reader. Being born and raised in Louisiana, I came to the book with some built-in biases, particularly against some of the Union generals like Sherman and Sheridan while harboring almost deistic sentiments toward Lee, Longstreet and Stonewall Jackson. Foote shatters these biases. By using primary evidence such as personal letters, public speeches and contemporary observations these men shed their auras and become merely flesh and blood doing what they had to do given the exigencies of the war. I gained a begrudging respect for Sherman who always knew what war was about and knew best how to go about winning one. I was shown another side of Stonewall as a cruel, lemon sucking, self-appointed messenger of God who could sincerely give prayerful thanks for allowing him to slaughter the enemy. Sheridan I still do not like. Also gratifying was the attention that Foote gave to the Red River campaign and the exploits of General Richard Taylor, a part of the war that is often given scant attention or ignored all together by other historians.

That it took Foote "five times longer to write the war than the participants took to fight it" only matures his work, as age matures a first rate single malt Scotch whisky. During the time of Foote's labor, several historical events occurred that reflected the actions of the period of which he was writing, some one hundred years earlier: the assassination of a president; the beginning and end of another war; a continuation of the civil rights struggle so intimately associated with the Civil War and the assassination of its leader; and a period of uncertainty as manifested by Watergate. These re-occurrences surely had its impact on Foote (he makes parenthetical references to these contemporary events throughout the book) and tempered his efforts to write the definitive book on a definitive period of American history.

There has been much comment regarding Foote's seeming disregard for the principles of academic writing; i.e., the lack of footnotes or other forms of citation, and the lack of a comprehensive bibliography. He is compared unfavorably to other Civil War historians who lavish much time on such niceties with the result that Foote's extensive labor has been somewhat castigated. Come now! Are narrative histories by Herodotus, Livy, Thucydides and even Homer any less valuable because the emphasis is on narration rather than on a slavish adherence to the rules of academia? Foote, in his bibliographical notes, remarks in summation, "Farwel my book and my devocion', my rock and my companion through two decades," and it was with the same mixed feelings of reluctance and relief that I turned the last of almost three thousand pages of these three volumes, my own companion for countless mornings and evenings.

Wonderful Narrative
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-04
Without a doubt, the greatest narrative ever written on The War Between the States. Anything else is just fluff. 'The Longest Night' and 'Battle Cry of Freedom' don't even come close.

A wonderful odyssey through a terrible time.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-01
I was initially intimiated about the prospect of launching into just one volume of Foote's narrative and so I made the mistake of buying only the first book -- I should have bought all three volumes at the start! It takes about 50 - 100 pages to get into Foote's style of writing, and at times he turns a quirky phrase from the '60's (1860's), but this is enjoyable reading, bar none. If there was ever a way to learn the history of the American Civil War, this would be the way to do it.

I've spent nearly a year making my way through the three volumes, sometimes on airplanes, some of it as 5 - 6 pages before going to sleep. My biggest regret is there is no Vol. 4. I will miss Mr. Foote. The richness of detail and the descriptive character achieved by Foote makes you feel as though he lived in the period and knew many of the characters personally. You will come away with vivid and lasting impressions of Lincoln, Grant, Davis, Lee, Johnson, Jackson, McClelland, Custer, Semmes, Porter, Sherman, Sheridan, and countless others who defined these years. The series is not a dry recitation of facts and figures, but a storytelling of the war with enough statistics to provide a sense of scale.

Imagine the year is 1899 and you are a young man or lady of 12 or 13, sitting with your aging uncle who had lived and fought through the major battles of a war on the verge of being forgotten. He shares with you his remembrances and vast knowledge of what happened on the major battlefields and political stage (and behind it) during the war. He is a master story teller. You are enthralled and look forward to each evening's session. That's what Foote offers to the reader.

The books have some flaws -- a lack of maps, no program of players, ambiguous chapterization, shifting time lines and locations. While there are large scale maps inside the covers to convey the flow of the entire war, there are not enough maps for the individual battles. You must dog ear those map pages for reference. I'm not a history buff, so I constantly had to keep asking myself "who was that general?" as Foote leaves one theater of the war and then returns to it several chapters later. A suggestion -- get an index card and each time you meet a major player, write the name, side, title and use the card as a book mark. The problem with shifting time lines and locations is unavoidable in such a vast work. Foote generally does a good job to tying overlapping periods to each other, but you need to keep alert on our own.

There are few books I would ever consider reading again, but these will stay on my bookshelf for just that possibility.

Biased view of the civil war
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 18 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-04
I wanted an objective account of the civil war and an objective description of the battles, but Foote's three volume books is anything but objective. He is an engaging writer and, as another reviewer points out, brings the characters back to life, but Foote makes confederate thugs like Stonewall Jackson look like lovable, eccentric and courageous heroes. He portrays the confederate soldiers as poor, under-equipped soldiers full of valour, but then paints the union soldiers as over-equipped soldiers, lacking in courage and drive, who are there only for the experience and who pillage civilian homes when they go into southern towns (see the battle at Federicksburg for an example).

I note another reviewer commenting that Foote's view is not apparent in the books, but to me it is very clear he is rooting for the confederates. For example, on page 19 of the second volume, he writes "Texas was decontaminated" and the only bluecoats were Magruder's prisoner (this was about Magruder winning the battle at Galveston for the confederates). Only those in support of the confederate would say that Texas was decontaminated when Magruder won. If the writer was objective, that phrase "Texas was decontaminated" would not have been inserted. It's not even necessary!!

There is also a little too much detail. I can do without how many men are in each division and how many men were killed, wounded or captured.

I do not intend to read all three volumes because of his pro-confederate tone. It was a struggle to finish the first volume without wanting to throw the book at something (I am not pro-union, just anti-confederate). I am reading the second volume only so I can read about Stonewall Jackson's death. I am not sure how Foote has portrayed his death, but I'm sure with his pro-confederate feeling, it will be a glorious death!!! To me, Stonewall is a hypocritical thug and murderer and I will delight in reading about his death, however, glorious it might be to Foote.

History
A Voice in the Wind (Mark of the Lion #1)
Published in Paperback by Tyndale House Publishers (1998-03-01)
Author: Francine Rivers
List price: $14.99
New price: $7.45
Used price: $2.93
Collectible price: $14.00

Average review score:

Excellent Book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-12
I give this book 5 stars for a few reasons. One, it has a couple of subplots that make up the bigger plot, but they are not disjointed and then hastily tied together in the end. The subplots build carefully with interesting character development that make it interesting from the beginning even if you are not sure how they will tie together.

Two, the characters are very believable. I enjoy Christian fiction immensely if it is quality and the characters are believable, someone you could picture in real life. I have a hard time finding Christian fiction I enjoy because the characters seem canned and to be perfectly honest, corny. Francine Rivers however is able to develop interesting characters with characteristics and interaction you can find believable and that you can relate to. Hadassah can at times seem a little too "good", but you get to see the human side of her when her struggles and thoughts are described. And to be perfectly honest even if it is difficult to relate to her at times you see the impact she has on people and see something to aspire to.

The third reason I enjoyed it is because of the Christian principles and characteristics involved. Like I mentioned, Hadassah does seem a little too "good" at times, but you get to see her struggles and how she handles them. Struggles I find very believable and easily related to. Many other characters are able to be related to as well. The selfishness of Julia, the unwavering pursuit of money and pleasure by Marcus, the frustration and sadness of Phoebe and Decimus, and the judgment from the servants all make it able to be related to. I know that even as a Christian who is pursuing God, I still struggle with many of the same things that people who don't know God struggle with and this book shows clearly the logical conclusions that these characteristics take you to. Hands down one of the best Christian fiction books I have ever read.


Very Inspiring
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-28
This Book is not only an inspirational book but also a thought provoking book and a love story. You won't be able to read this one and not order the next two books that come with it.

Another Amazing Read from Francine Rivers!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-08
From Jerusalem to Rome to Ephesus, travel with Hadassah, a young slave girl, as she clings to her faith in the face of the decadence of Rome in "A Voice on the Wind". As usual, Francine Rivers crafts a beautiful work of fiction full of poignant and thoughtful moments that touch the heart. There is also plenty of action as the author brilliantly draws the reader into the breathtaking locations of her tale. She brings Biblical characters to life beside her fictional creations in this wonderful novel. I highly recommend this novel and am proud to have it in my collection.

This book also contains a very helpful glossary of terms and an invaluable discussion guide for use with any reading group.

Glad I Found This One
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-29
This book was recommended to me by multiple people and I found out why once I read it. It is my new favorite book, and Francine Rivers is definitely a new favorite author. Francine Rivers knows how to create an exciting story plot and bring you into it with vivid descriptions and believable characters.

Wonderful on so many levels ...
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-29
Well written ... check.
Historical ... check.
Spiritual ... check.
Adventure ... check.
Romance ... check.
Characters you love ... check.
Characters you don't ... check.
Pondering when you set it down ... check.
Today's reality revealed ... check.
Lessons for life ... check.
Growth in your heart ... check.
Inexplicable deep meaning ... check.
Wish you read it earlier ... check.
A hunger for more ... check.

Bon Appetit!

History
Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire
Published in Hardcover by Zondervan (1997-04-18)
Authors: Jim Cymbala and Dean Merrill
List price: $18.99
New price: $3.96
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $18.99

Average review score:

This book will change your life!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-16
Fresh Wind Fresh Fire reminds you of all that is really important. It will take you back to why you loved God in the first place and reignite your relationship with him.

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire: What Happens When God's Spirit Invades the Hearts of His People

Spiritual Thought Provoker
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-17
This is the story of a church and a man who fulfill the purpose of showing God to a weary world. The emphasis on prayer is what is needed in a day when so many worship the minister or the program. If we prayed more, we would worship God more and would know how to present him to a needy world.

OUTSTANDING
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-23
I was given this book to read by a friend at my church, and I reluctantly took it because I am not a huge reader. After the first chapter, I was hooked and couldn't put it down! There is a lot of good instruction, and the part I like most is Jim Cymbala backs up the instruction with real-life experiences and results. Granted, not all results will be similar to his, but he shows the foundation on which to build your life. I highly recommend this book (I bought one for my father, brother, and father-in-law).

Where the real thing is.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-02
You can't not believe this man. It is not the most impressive thing that he built up a huge Church starting with about 10 people in a dangerous area of New York.
It is not the most impressive thing that his wife, who has no training in music, helped to write, guide and direct, songs for one of the world's most loved groups, i.e. The Brooklyn Tablernacle Choir. What is a most impressive to me is that they have stayed right where they started about 25 years ago, continuing to be instrumental in thousands of changed lives of former drug addicts and pushers, prostitutes and pimps, gangs and gangsters, gays and lesbians in what is - except by the grace of the Holy Spirit - still in a dangerous area and with quite a few potentially very dangerous parishioners. People feel embraced by YHWH's welcoming Love in Cymbala's Church. And I believe it is His Love that protects them and moves them all.

With that background I knew I wanted to hear what this man has to say.
I wasn't disappointed. The message is simple as he would say himself:
Prayer, and lots of it, first. Everything else later.

Someone said, "Prayer is not preparation for the work. Prayer IS the work." Cymbala agrees.

Inspiring
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-27
One of the more inspiring books I've ever read. It makes you want to meet with Christ and see the power of what He can do. Read if you want to be humbled and empowered.

History
Time Enough for Drums
Published in School & Library Binding by Holiday House (1986-03)
Author: Ann Rinaldi
List price: $15.95
Used price: $0.33
Collectible price: $60.20

Average review score:

Time Enough For Drums
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-06
I got this book for Christmas and i finished it that day. It's a book you just can't put down. It's about Jemima(Jem)Emmerson, who's 15 when the story starts. The war becomes reality when her brother joins the millitia and her mother starts writing letters under a psudonym to a local newspaper asking for supplies for the army. These letters end up making something very bad happen to the family. When her father employs a tutor for her that is a tory she hates him nd treats her very badly. Then Jemima finds a coded message that tells her that John Reid(her tutor)is a spy for Washington then she gets to know him and falls in love with him. Then her younger brother goes away to the army too, and she and her mother are left home and worrying. This is a really good book. I don't really like that Jemima sort of looses the spirit she has at the begining; sassy, fun, and willed. But it's still really good.

Another of my Favorites!!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-05
Jem is probably my favorite character out of all the Ann Rinaldi books!! She's stubborn and high spirited , I reread this book every chance I get and never tire of it. I don't know which Ann Rinaldi books are my favorite the Revoultionary or the Civil War? But I do know that I Love them all!!!

Time Enough For A Good Read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-01
Romance, tragedy, and life lessons are all wonderfully displayed in this novel, set during the period of the Revolutionary War. TIME ENOUGH FOR DRUMS, by Ann Rinaldi, is the story of Jem, a rebellious Patriot teenage girl, whose family is torn apart by the war. Her father is persecuted for not selling tea, her mother has a war "secret" of her own, the war beckons both of her brothers, and on top of all that, she clashes with her Tory tutor. Through the ups and downs of her life, Jem learns some important life lessons the hard way but comes out on top, and learns that people are not always what they seem. The reader learns that there is always, "time enough for drums." This novel keeps you wanting to know more and more about Jem and what is going to happen next in her life. It is also an additional bonus, how Ann Rinaldi uses accurate historical events, to base her book upon. If you love to be entertained while you read, than this book is definitely for you!

Time Enough For A Good Read
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-01
Romance, tragedy, and life lessons are all wonderfully displayed in this novel, set during the period of the Revolutionary War. TIME ENOUGH FOR DRUMS, by Ann Rinaldi, is the story of Jem, a rebellious Patriot teenage girl, whose family is torn apart by the war. Her father is persecuted for not selling tea, her mother has a war "secret" of her own, the war beckons both of her brothers, and on top of all that, she clashes with her Tory tutor. Through the ups and downs of her life, Jem learns some important life lessons the hard way but comes out on top, and learns that people are not always what they seem. The reader learns that there is always, "time enough for drums." This novel keeps you wanting to know more and more about Jem and what is going to happen next in her life. It is also an additional bonus, how Ann Rinaldi uses accurate historical events, to base her book upon. If you love to be entertained while you read, than this book is definitely for you!

Great Book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-31
This is the best of all Ann Rinaldis books (I have read all of them). This book has the most interesting characters and a great plot. Everyone will enjoy Jem and her tutor and what happens between them. I have read this book probably 15 times and never get tired of it. The hints of romance and interest to this book. It teaches you about history without making you ever feel like you were in history class.


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