History Books

To put it in short- the best Trekkie encyclopedia there is.

I just love those biographies on important characters.

Before I lost this, I was constantly using this as a point of reference for the time line of things and to make sure I wasn't mispelling certain things.. getting other things right, what was where, what all kinds of Star ship classes there wear, etc... this was all for a fan fiction novel that I was, am.. writing. Good thing I put some of those things I was always looking at.. on paper.. so I didn't have to lug the book around everywhere I went.

Granted it's lacking the last few seasons of Voyager and the whole of Enterprise, but I thank Okura for even making "an" edition of these, though it would be nice for a new one.

This is a great book, with one rather glaring error. Under the SETI entry, there is a picture of Pioneer's plaque. On the plaque, the Pioneer appears to be launched from the second planet from the sun. As we all know, the probe was launched from the third planet, Earth.

If you consider yourself a Trekkie or just someone who is truely intersted in Star Trek this Encyclopedia is a must buy period.It has insight to every facet of the Series.From the Original to Voyager you'll know details to everything.You'll won't be able to just glance through it once.I consider myself a huge Trekkie and like to think I know alot about the Shows,but I'll find myself amazed when I discover details about a certain charecter of Episodes I've forgotten or never knew exsisted.Especially interesting is the Timeline parts of the book,The breakdowns of Ship commisions and Designs,information about Actors,Cuisine,backstories of Charecters.You name it and they have everything about it...well almost everything.

You have to realize this fact before buying this Encyclopedia is that it was made in 1999.It's been 9 Years.Alot of History has happened in Star Trek since then and if you don't realize this now,you'll be disapointed to discover that to information about Deep Space Nine's last Season,the last 2 Seasons of Voyager,The whole of Enterprise and Star Trek Nemesis.All of this information is non-exsistant.And just imagine the frustration of people who actually owned this book through the years and reread it wishing it had all this wealth of new information.I honestly can't comprehend why Pocket Books would not release the Book with all of this missing information availible.Or make a CD-Rom of it.

This might sound like I'm ragging on the Book,but that would be impossible to do.Wiether or not this info is in this paticular Book doesn't really matter,because it extensively covers in scrutinizing detail of all the Series up to Deep Space Nine Last Season,Voyager's last 2 Seasons,the whole of Enterprise and Star Trek Nemesis.And believe me you'll be more than satisfied with that alone.

So,most definately buy this now and enjoy it and you will.But just realize it's outdated and once you do that then you can truely enjoy this Encyclopedia the way the Publisher intended you enjoy it:with wonderment and fun.

I bought this book in 2003, and it covered most of the bases then, but only the movies through 1998 ("Insurrection" IIRC; "Nemesis" is not covered.), and the 5th season of Voyager. It just covered the last season of DS9. And of course it has none of the "Enterprise" series.

There have also been events such as the Paramount auction of all the series and movie paraphernalia since then, and that could be a chapter all by itself.

I came on Amazon today expecting to see a new and updated version for sale, and was disappointed that the old edition is still all that's available.

Michael and Denise Okuda know everything there is to know about ST, and are the perfect people to update this. If I were shopping today for the first time I would say wait for the new edition, but buy a used paperback 1999 just to see what it's all about.

Keeping my fingers crossed that someone sees the demand for an updated version!

Bastiat is one of the greatest. This book is so short, so simple, and so devastatingly effective that it is truly an all-time classic. If you are not a socialist, you should master the simple arguments in this essay and keep them handy for discussions with your socialist friends. If you are a socialist, you should in all intellectual honesty read this book (it can be done in an hour or so) and see if you can answer Bastiat's objection to socialism: that anytime the law is used to organize anything other than justice, such as equality or prosperity, it necessarily and inescapably works against justice. His logic is ironclad and uncomplicated. It's a real shame this is no longer part of our cultural consciousness, since it means we are now embarked on a journey of massive, organized, government-supervised injustice. Read this book, give it to your family, give it to your friends, spread the message. You can also download it for free from the von Mises website.

'The Law' is the basis of all justice and the free market. While this is a presumptous statement, I will stand by it because Bastiat actually dissects all fallacies about Big-Government intervention in the lives and business of private citizens, all in the name of 'helping society'. He goes on to predict the evils that would later convulse worthy nations. His prognosis is as relevant today as it was in his day.
This book is also the first place where economics and politics are clearly put in their correct sequence; therefore it should be required reading for all politicians. More importantly, if a sufficient number of individuals in a country were to read this book, they'd throw out 90% of all laws and legislators.
It is a dangerous book.

I tend to hop between books I read, having 10 or more in progress at the same time. Therefore, when I hop back to "The Law" for my second reading, I still forget occasionally that this book was written 150 years ago. I will get it confused with books written in 2007 or 2008 (other than the slightly odd grammar), as it deals with the exact same issues which are plaguing our government today.

You will recognize very similar topics to today's government. Read about bailouts for large businesses which are in trouble, when the government should mind its own business. Read how politicians protect their power by calling people "isolationists" (though it is called "individualists" in the book) when they ask for less government interference in foreign affairs.

The thing I enjoyed the most was the crisp line which was drawn for where the government belongs. He says that people have the right to protect their liberty and property. The people also have the right to organize together as a group (IE: government) to more effectively protect their liberty and property. Therefore, "The Law" should be used only as a means to protect liberty and property. The forced liberation of any group's wealth (property) for the benefit of another group is completely against the true purpose of government/law.

Bastiat's Law is one of the most important documents you could ever read. It is the basis for the philosophy of liberty, and without adherence to these ideals liberty cannot last. This should be required reading in school, but once you read what this french philosopher had to say you may start to understand why those who tax us cannot afford to have too many people read this book.

While I agree with Bastiat entirely, the way that he has presented "the classic blueprint for a just society," is exactly why people who lean more towards socialist ideas scoff at those who are for capitalism, economic stability, and most importantly honoring the fundamentals of the need for law: to protect life, liberty, and property.

The first chapter started out wonderfully, articulately and simple. It was accessible and easy to understand and apply. I was excited as I hoped to share this with my husband to allow him to open up to my ideas on politics which are different from his (he's a democrat/socialist).

However, the rest of the book just seemed to be a rant that got more and more impassioned as it went along, which to me seemed to take away from the reader's ability to take what he was saying seriously. I was disappointed because even though I agreed with everything he said and thought his applications of his ideas were great, I felt sort of embarrassed about his inability to keep calm in expressing his ideas.

The book is sound, based on sound ideas and should appeal to any libertarian. I nodded a lot as I was reading it. "Yes!" I kept telling myself, "this is definitely true." Unfortunately the truth was told, in this case, in a way that I don't think would be very accessible to the people that Bastiat was intent on reaching. I think a democrat/socialist might mislabel it "too radical" when they really mean, "too impassioned."

It is for that reason, I'm sorry to say, I was unable to rate this any higher.

Excellent :) I would like to know who wrote each prayer, but this is an amazing collection of prayers, written by awesome men of God.

The Puritans were know for their deep devotion to God. This little leather bound book is a wonderful insight into that devotion. Over 360 pages of excerpts from their written prayers.

I love this book of Puritan praises and prayers. If you appreciate poetry, you will love Valley of Vision. It is so deeply written and humble and very refreshing to find what you feel put exactly into words.

The prayers of the Puritans are incredibly inspiring and beautiful. The combination of a close relationship with God and their command of the English language make these prayers powerful and enlightening. They show a depth of spirituality rarely experienced today and are an example and learning experience to all Christians. They touched my heart and life.

These prayers and devotions are wonderfully written. Passionate and thought provoking. Many phrases will remind you of scripture. I read them over and over and discover new morsels to digest. I have given copies to my friends. I carry it right next to my Bible.

This book is amazing. This is one of a handful of books that have, and will continue to change my life.

What does American history feel like, look like to someone who lived through the twentieth century without a formal education? Mr Dawson wrote: "My turn had come. My first day of school was January 4, 1996. I was 98 years old..." What a heart-felt, inspirational, insightful story on the life of a remarkable man who never felt remarkable. This book has a special place on my shelves. A must read for every high school student taking an American History course. His common sense view of life, his humor, humility, appreciation for what we take for granted are even more valuable now than the day the book was published. It's timeless.

This book will change your outlook on life and help you to appreciate your life more. Also helps you to feel more kindness to mankind. It is the kind of book that should be in schools. It's a must read for everyone - a feel good book.

Life Is So Good
This is an excellent extraordinary autobiography of a wonderful person. Every student in the US should have the opportunity to read this book. It's breath taking.... dcw

Life Is So Good An absolutely fascinating autobiography as told by Mr. Dawson. His experiances of growing up in the South and his travels across America and Mexico make for interesting reading. His personal experiances of growing up black in a 'white world' provide insight into how different parts of the country and Mexico viewed blacks. His personal moral and ethical insights about life cut across all racial barriers. He is truly and an example of 'you are never too old to learn'.

Jim Webb is at his finest describing his "fictional" account of Vietnam. This book grabs you and drags you in.

James Webb (now US Senator Webb) has written one of the best works of fiction about the Vietnam War. He deftly characterizes the people and the place. The US Marines suffered horribly in Vietnam. This book captures the horror, heroism, and comaraderie of combat better than any book in recent memory.

I read this book as a young Machine-gunner assigned to "C" Company 1st Bn 5th Marines while on deplyment to Okinawa, Japan in the spring of 1983! Since then I have re-read this book 3 times and pick up something new and/or see Webb in a different light each time. A great novel, both military and non-military alike will get a understanding of Vietnam from the author Webb who served there.

I was deeply impressed.
I am nearly sixty by now and NOT so easy to be astonished nowadays.
Of course I have read it all before about other wars, in that field it is not particularly original, but it IS the book to read about the VIETNAM USA involvement (was it a WAR after all?... of course it was for the grunts... but part of the American society quite stupidly turned their backs on their soldiers... it would have been bad for professionals... BUT FOR DRAFTEES?...
I was a teenager during the period been born in early 52, so reading this book with perspective (I couldn't have read it when it was published because my English wasn't here nor there - excepting some Beatle songs -) was a great experience, I have seen a lot of films about VIETNAM, but this book hits the mark dead center.
Shades of Remarque, Hassel, that Russian chap and I will say it must have influenced Pressfield and Shaara a lot.
Snake is a great character but not the only one, the whole bunch is a masterful creation (only P.C.Wren's descriptions of FFL soldiers are up to it) and the chapters so much to the point it is almost as you've remembering been there. Goodrich is a fantastic counterpoint.

But I am not for spoilers. I have read a lot of History books and Historical fiction and this one is in my personal top ten.

Highly Recommended.

ADB

PS: Not for everyone I must admit.

I received this book in great shape. I've yet to read it but I've heard so much about it, that it is next on my list!

This book was given to me to read when I took my first fire fighter class. My instructor loaned me her copy and I ended up buying my own copy. The tragic events detailed in this book led me into teaching fire prevention and making sure that a tragedy such as this never happens again.

I have recommended this book to several people both in and outside of the fire service. Everyone that I know who have read it have been touched by this story. I have also given this book as a gift to several students taking their first steps into the fire service so that they never forget the impact a tragic fire can have.

I love to read and I feel that this is one of the best books I have ever read. I am also a firefighter and decided to read this book because it had to do with a historic fire, little did I know that I would love this book for much more than historic and educational reasons. This book was very well written and showed all aspects of this event from the firefighters to the victims themselves. I would recomden this book to anyone who wants a good read, as well as to anyone who is interested in fire history.

This was a fascinating book. I bought it to read on a trip, because of the excellent ratings. We were stuck in a plane on a runway in Dallas for 6 hours. The wait seemed much shorter, because I was thoroughly involved in reading this book.

I highly recommend it.

There are some hard parts to get through describing the fire, but you'll appreciate the Chicago history, the history around the event, what it did to the surrounding neighborhood and how it changed fire codes in the U.S. and likely the world. Your children are safer today because of what happened to these kids.

The book also made me replace all of my smoke detectors!

This is one Chicago tragedy that resonates with me strongly. My former attorney, recently deceased, was a survivor of the deadly fire at Our Lady of Angels Catholic School.

Despite our shared interest in history, he never spoke of the fire during the twenty years in which I knew him. Last year, I found a web site maintained by survivors of the fire and questioned him about the inclusion of his name and that of his sister on the list. His sole response was that the entries were correct. Both had attended school on December 1, 1958, the date of the fire. Our brief conversation proceeded no further. My friend was visibly uncomfortable and I did not make press him with additional inquiries.

Having read this well written account of the fire and the arson investigation, I can understand why my friend preferred to change the subject. This book is compelling, but it is not for the faint of heart. The descriptions contained in "To Sleep With Angels" will haunt and disturb you. You may not be able to read the book without pausing to weep.
I could not read the book in a single sitting.

It is difficult to forget any of the tragic events described in "To Sleep With the Angels." In no particular order, the random images include a father, who rushed to the school with a ladder to rescue trapped children, watching his own son perish in a cloud of toxic smoke as the ladder was too short to reach a high window; a sick ten year old girl had a premonitory dream, but within a few hours the same child felt much better and asked her mother to let her attend school after recess; from an upper floor window, frightened children recognized an adult neighbor, the owner of the local candy store, and began shouting at the woman and begging her to help save them. The terrible list goes on and on as the authors relate the individual memories and recollections of many of the survivors, the families of the victims, the witnesses and the investigators.

More than ninety persons perished that on that cold December afternoon. In addition to ninety-two students, three nuns were also killed in the burning building. A majority of the victims succumbed on account of smoke inhalation. In the aftermath of the fire, a national campaign was launched to improved fire safety at schools throughout the USA.

Almost as painful as the fire itself was the ultimate fate of many of the survivors. Following the tragedy, many local residents began to move away from their formerly beloved parish. Some people would describe the exodus of the families from the blue collar West Side neighborhood as white flight, but others believed that it was simply too painful for many parents and children to continue living in close proximity to the school where their loved ones had died. They needed to find new surroundings in which to live rather than be reminded of the tragedy on a daily basis. There were far too many unanswerable questions: How many additional lives might have been saved if a set of doors had been closed? How many children would have been spared if the fire had occurred fifteen minutes later after the three o'clock dismissal bell? Why wasn't the fire alarm bell sounded at the school more quickly? Firefighters felt that they could have saved many more lives if they had been given the correct building address and had arrived on the scene four minutes sooner.

No one was ever prosecuted for the crime of arson in connection with the suspicious fire. A juvenile offender set the fire, but he could not be tried under Illinois law since the crime occurred before his thirteenth birthday. This same minor was subsequently tried and convicted for a series of arsons committed in suburban Cicero, where his family moved after the fire at Our Lady of the Angels. The authors posit that church and civil authorities sought to shield the identity of the boy on account of his minority. This explanation is wholly credible.

After my friend's funeral, his two sisters related that their brother regularly attended memorial masses held to honor those who died in the fire at Our Lady of the Angels. The elder sister, who had also attended the school on the day of the fire, exited the building safely. Her brother was also escaped without serious injury. Their father heard a radio broadcast concerning the fire while driving his car and he was permitted to enter the police cordon to look for his children. He was unaware that they had arrived home safely during the confusion. There was a great deal of crying when the children and parents were reunited at their home that afternoon. These personal stories are not repeated in the book.
************************************************************************
In a bizarre and equally disturbing development, one of the authors of this book was convicted of arson after setting a fire to a storage building opposite St. Benedict's Catholic Church on the North side of Chicago in June of 2005. Thankfully, only property damage resulted from the fire. David Cowan was said to be despondent after losing his janitorial job. The defendant, who was also a former suburban firefighter, was sentenced to serve a three year prison term in December of that same year. He has been paroled. Ironically, he was also the author a book entitled, "Great Chicago Fires" and had reported on fires for various newspapers.

Revolutions of religious faith excepted, no set of events ever resulted in greater changes to human civilization than did those of the Second World War. Within the context of the war, the Battle of the Atlantic was among the most important of those events. Had the allies lost that campaign, the very outcome of the war might have been different.

That battle was waged primarily by the German U-boat (submarine) fleet against Allied freighters, carrying men and materiel to Britain, and their protective escort ships and planes.

Mr. Werner, a mid-level German field officer for most of the events described in the book, offers an historical perspective of that conflict that no academic could hope to match or even approximate. The most remarkable part of the book to me was not the numerous descriptions of sea battles, (although these certainly were riveting) but of the social dynamics between Werner and those around him as he does what he can to prevail in the War. Some of his activities described strike a 21st century person such as myself as mildly ignoble and inappropriate. Later in the story, however, insights are discovered as to how the impossible pressures of combat danger make these proclivities understandable, even admirable. I was initially critical of Mr. Werner because I had no conception of the life he faced during the years chronicled here. Coming to even a limited understanding of this man via his book was a remarkable epiphany, and I was well rebuked in hindsight.

Most of the WWII veterans have passed on now. My own father, who fought in the Pacific theater, is now 87. We often see surveys that show younger Americans cannot identify the USA's allies and enemies during the conflict, nor when it was fought. For any parents concerned about this trend, put this book in your children's hands. Once they start, they'll want to finish, and maybe a generation's grasp of a vital history will endure at least a little longer.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

And there are alot out there. This is superb, I could not put it down. I will read it again someday. Sledge's "With the Old Breed" is slightly better, but that is splitting hairs. If you have to buy 2 books on WW2, get these 2.

This book will take you on a wonderful journey from the innocence of a young german sailor to the plagued life of a U-Boat captain. Every encounter will draw you deeper into the stress and emotions of the men inside the "Iron Coffin." Before, the germans may have been viewed as the enemy but from this book your paradigm will shift and the similarities of the Allied and Axis forces will become closer that ever could have been imagined.

If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would - it is absolutely excellent. Herbert Werner was born in 1920, and served active duty aboard German submarines from 1941 until the very end of the war in May 1945. He survived the war, which is no small accomplishment. Of 40,000 World War 2 German submariners, 30,000 never returned home alive. But on a personal level, he suffered tremendous losses. More than 90% of his comrades did not survive, and even worse - his parents and only sister were killed in an Allied fire-bombing raid over the German city of Darmstadt. His lovely Blonde girlfriend and her parents were killed in an earlier Allied air raid over the German capital city of Berlin. It is hard to think of real stories more tragic or more sad than this. As a naval officer, this young man (age 25 at the end of the war) was incredibly well-experienced, proficient, and even somewhat lucky. But I would give far more weight to experience and proficiency than to luck. If more young German submarine commanders had Herbert Werner's on-the-job training and experience, many more would have survived. Their senior commanders and above all their senior national leadership (under Hitler) were reckless men who ruined them, their country (Germany) and many other unfortunate people of their tragic time.

This book is great. After viewing the movie DAS BOOT I had to learn more about the glory and tragedy of the U-boats of WWII. This book is an edge of the seat thriller. I've bought several more books on the U-boats and if they're half as good as this one I'll consider it money well spent.

I read this book subsequent to seeing the excellent Charles Guggenheim Academy Award winning 1/2 hour film that was expanded to One Hour and shown on TV as part of the excellent 'American Experience' series of documentary films.
This is the first book ever written by David Mc Cullough.
The Johnstown Flood is the single best, most enlightening, and accurate account of the scandalous, and trajic American Disaster that occured back on the last day in May 1889, and its aftermath, which speaks volumes about the generous nature, and wonder that are the American people. After the dismal disgrace of New Orleans after Katrina, this book is an account of how far we have declined as a nation in responding to our fellow Americans when they are desperate. I became a david mc Cullough fan after reading this, and any student of history will almost certainly feel the same after absorbing this book. I have recommended it to many freinds, and every single one thanked me profusely for having done so.

This book was very much enjoyed by the recipient. He really enjoyed reading about the area where members of his family grew up - tho a few years after the flood.

The Johnstown Flood

The book dramatically describes how unusually heavy rains collapsed a poorly maintained earthen dam, releasing a massive flow of debris-filled water which literally destroyed everything in its path, including most of the city, and kllled over 2,000 of its people. McCullough starkly recounts the personal trials of many survivors, and the unprecedented outpouring of spontaneous relief efforts from across a horror-stricken mid-19th century America. A masterfully told tale, hard to put down before finishing.

There is a saying, not original to me, that events are of record, but reality is a construct. McCullough does the research necessary to state the essential facts of this historical event. This is no mean task, given all the disinformation and misinformation in the historical record. But what is even more impressive is McCullough's ability to show why there is so much inaccuracy in the writing about this event.

The power of the new media, the insatiable appetite of Americans for a story, and the raw class tensions and social issues of the time combine to create all sorts of varied efforts to construct a reality to explain the Johnstown events. Those constructs often tell us more about ourselves than they do about what really happened in Johnstown.

The early constructions magnified the death toll tenfold and seized upon all sorts of fantastic survivor stories that were patently untrue. Some shades of 9/11 here. Then the focus turned to the responsiblity of the owners of the resort on top of the dam that had rebuilt the dam. This was the class card -- rich guys who had nothing better than to do than pursue leisure (a novel concept at the time) and isolate themselves from other Americans (tapping into ancient American attitudes against elites) running a poorly built dam doomed to fail and to kill the groundlings below. This story resonated with Americans.

McCullough is exceptionally balanced and thoughtful of his treatment of the issue, and picks apart the crudest and most inaccurate attacks against the dam owners. In the end, however, there is some core truth to the theme that the rich owners' neglect contributed to the tragedy. The dam had been originally built by the State, but the reconstruction job by the resort owners was poorly engineered. The biggest flaw was the lack of any way to control the level of the dam with outlets at the bottom of the dam to let out some water. Screens at the top to keep the fish in that led to a blockage and contributed to the problems, while the most strikingly callous measure (they cared more about fish than human life), probably was a minor matter in the whole tragedy.

What's also fascinating is that the rich were not brought to account. Tort and corporate law at the time allowed the rich owners to shield personal liability behind a shell owner of the facility and difficult issues of causality rendered all the lawsuits unwinnable. Today, there would be a different result, as McCullough points out. Those decrying the "flood" of litigation in modern days may do well to consider the real floods that fear of liablity (and the concomitant insurance, risk prevention, government regulation, and professional reviews such fears engender to prevent tragedy from occurring in the first place) has prevented. The failure of the press (who were owned by some of these rich guys) and the legal system to call the owners to account tells us a lot about the entrenched power the ruled the country at the time.

McCollough tells the tale of the flood vividly, corrects the record to tell events truthfully, and then deals with the larger social issues raised by the event. This is a extraordinarily good book

I have to admit, I'd never heard of the Johnstown Flood and found this book recommended by Amazon when I was reading the reviews for "John Adams", also by David McCullough. "The Johnstown Flood" is well researched, easy to read and a real page turner. I highly recommend this to all history buffs.

The Lightbearer is truly an amazing read. Once I began it, I couldn't pull myself away from the spell of Auriane, woman warrior, fighting for the survival of her embattled Germanic tribe against the all powerful Roman army. The characters are so richly drawn, I had an immediate sense of our shared humanity, despite the remoteness of their times. I was captivated by the vivid descriptions of these two worlds, sometimes hauntingly beautiful, sometimes disturbingly barbarous, always artfully rendered through Gillespie's exquisite prose. This is definitely a page turner filled with passion, struggle, heroism, and intriguing myth. With this carefully crafted tale Gillespie enters the arena of master storyteller.

This is a big book by any standards, 800 pages and is the result of years of research and study by the author into the culture, and history of Rome and the Germanic tribes. I found it fascinating, exciting and thought provoking. In fact everything that a good book should be.

The year is AD 83 and the Emperor Domitian has crossed the Rhine with four legions, approximately 24,000 men and they have not marched that far for the exercise. The German tribes have tried to maintain their independence for as long as they can, but against such might their resistance is futile. Thus begins this mammoth book that takes us from the heartlands of the Rhine back to the decadence and temptations of ancient Rome.

A young woman Auriane, daughter of a chieftain who was to become the most revered prophetess of the tribes is captured and taken to Rome as a slave. There her life is changed completely and everything that she stands for is brushed away like so much rubbish. But having known her destiny from being a child Auriane is not about to bow to the yoke of Rome without a fight . . .

Donna Gillespie's The Light Bearer is an entertaining, substantive work, made even more impressive by being the author's first novel. She cares for her characters, especially her two leads, Auriane and Marcus Julianus, who are likable, soulful, and passionate heroes. It is impossible not to root for them to overcome their enemies and come together as allies. Her research is evident in the amount of historical detail, particularly in her description of Chattian customs and rituals. Since many of the facts about the culture of Germanic tribes have been lost, she relies on educated speculation to authenticate her portrayal.

As a character, Auriane is appealing in that she straddles the limbo between Germanic tribalism and Roman civilization. While she firmly subscribes to her tribal customs, she is amazed and impressed by Roman advancements. Her tolerance of Rome and Romans distinguishes her from the Boudica, a British warrior maiden who is her closest real-life composite. I like how Auriane's quasi-Romanization provides conflict between her and her kinsmen.

The novel is more fiction than history. Auriane and Marcus Julianus are entirely fictional, although I am sure they inspired by true people and events. While it is possible that people like them existed, I do not believe it to be likely. Marcus Julianus's role in monumental events is too significant; anyone who would have effected such dramatic change would have been remembered. I think that the author could have learned from Gore Vidal (in Creation or the Narratives of Empire series) or Mary Renault (in The Praise Singer or The Mask of Apollo) who create memorable fictional characters who witness historical events but rarely incite them.

In my opinion, the novel's main weakness is the lack of complexity in the characters. On one hand, the heroes are unquestionably good and capable. They rarely make mistakes, and when they do, they turn out to be fortunate errors which lead to greater understanding of events or acceptance by others. On the other hand, the villains are monstrously evil, which is the novel's biggest failing. The author never attempts to humanize Domitian, Junilla, or Odberht, all of whom may have compelling causes for their villainy: Domitian and Junilla were persecuted under the Nero regime, and Odberht was disowned by his father. The author did not have to elicit sympathy for them, but she could have made an effort to make them more understanding. In particular, her depiction of Domitian is heavy-handed, lacking the realism or intricacy of Robert Graves's Claudius or Colleen McCullough's Caesar or Augustus. While history is sketchy about him, there is some consensus that he was an able administrator, which the author omits. I think that Gillespie could have done more with him by weighing his reign against Nero's and using the similarities and differences to pin down his character.

I also think that the novel would have been more digestible as two or three midsized novels than one colossal epic. The plot has numerous places where one storyline ends and another begins. These ending and beginnings might have better handled in separate works than in one book. The novel sprawls at times; as a series of novels, it might have been tauter and more focused. She could learn narrative control from Gillian Bradshaw, whose Roman novels are consistently engaging due to their economy of words and plots.

The fact that I am comparing Gillespie to accomplished, praised writers in the genre indicates her talent and potential. Mentioning a first-time novelist alongside Vidal, Renault, Graves, and McCullough is an accolade.

I'll never completely digest the fact that this is her first book!
Beautiful prose, characters that spring to life and roam in your mind, surprisingly insightful details of the ancient days, plots refreshingly free of cliche, battle & gladiatorial scenes that take your breath away and bring you to the spot, as if you are watching the whole event close-up, seeing, hearing and feeling each exciting, gory moves on the battlefields and arena yourself...

And then, of course, there's the breathtaking love story.
Though Marcus and Auriane meet face-to-face over half into the book,
this particular sub-plot of the story does not lag along the way, as they--at least in their subconscious--constantly reach for each other. Their initial meeting sparks passion, not necessarily of love but of renewed zeal for life; their bone-tired minds and bodies understand each other better than they consciously understand, therefore lending them incentives for their despaired souls.

Auriane's uncommon courage and strive for life and the ultimate happiness--both of hers and the others--combined with Marcus Julianus's wisdom and wit come in beautiful harmony in their endeavor to solace each other's lifelong pain; they are both fighters in their own ways.

Despite the length of the book, I believe it'd be a rather fast read for everyone, not because it's easy to read, but solely because you won't be able to put it down and not think about it all the while.
And I sincerely regret that the Light Bearer hadn't received a brighter spotlight as it so much deserves; the publisher should have promoted it on a grander scale.
It is truly an incomparable epic that, in some ways, reminds me of Pressfield's Gates of Fire.

There is much I could say about "The Light Bearer" which has already been said, but as I don't review all the books in McCullough's Masters of Rome series (of which I've ready each book), I don't feel I can properly do justice to the greatness of this sweeping epic, which unlike McCullough's work, spans not just from Rome, but from a not well known Germanic tribe called the Chattians.

Gillespie does an amazing job of keeping Rome and Germania separate in writing details, with an inevitable connection between the two. Much is equally known about both the Chattians and the Romans as if written by two authors with the same writing style.

Some high points I point out are the very subtle rise of Domitianus's deranged paranoia and Caligulan/Neronian style reign, though the foreshadowing was a bit too obvious for my tastes.

Other interesting bits are the use and apparent source of commonly known modern things among the Chattians, such as the Goddess of the underworld, Hel, and the Eastre celebration, involving children dressed as rabbits and the hiding of colored eggs.

Because the flaws are so few and insignificant in the face of the greater elements, I think it's easier to point them out:

The writing is very sumptuous, but often at times it can get too dense and bogged down in details. This occurs mostly the first time Auriane enters the Colisseum.

Also, the sex. I've become used to ancient historical novels writing sex scenes very metaphorically and obtusely, without using direct wording. Gillespie appears to take it to such an extreme, with the vividly flowery writing between Marcus and Auriane's lovemaking that it becomes like a dense poem jackknifing from the wonders of nature and life and the gods in an obtuse manner, you nearly forget that the two characters are having sex. So over the top is the writing, that the way Gillespie describes it, you'd think Auriane was having blinding orgasms at just Marcus's touch on her arm or chest.


With the state of Rome at this point, and the main character being a foreigner and enemy to Rome, it's inevitable that a bias against Rome would be drawn, but the male character of Marcus Arrius Julianus is so much the outcast that there is little distinction between how Auriane and Marcus view the Roman world despite their differences. Auriane views Rome as savage and barbaric, and a plague on Fria's realm, whereas Marcus views it in somewhat the same fashion, but figures it's all he has, so he may as well love it.

Aside from Julianus and some of the senators friendly to him, you'd think Rome was a festering pot of corruption, barbarity, and bloodlust the epitome of the Roman view of the barbarians, while the Chattians are viewed as pure, natural, children of the earth that can do no wrong and are victimized by everyone from Rome to their neighboring tribes. Any opposition to Baldemar, Auriane's father and chieftain of the Chattians, is viewed as petty greed and personal problems on the part of the dissenter.

Some forgiveable offenses include loose ends, which may be tied up in the sequel "Lady of the Light", or the as of yet unnamed second sequel, including both Marcus and Auriane having amulets of earth from their childhood, duplicates of one another, and Auriane's seeming mystical foresight.


All these flaws are minimal, in my view, and not much to drag the otherwise epic tale down a full star in rating.

There is one issue with both Auriane and Marcus Julianus which may detract some readers, though is apparently done in such a way that broad interpretation can explain it away as easily as it couldn't: Gillespie may be guilty of "Mary-Sue"ing with Auriane and Marcus Julianus. Both seem to be greater than their surroundings, meant for greater things not yet known to either, and with little to no flaws beyond what their separate societies have naturally imbued in them (stubborn traditionalism in Auriane, cynic realism in Marcus), and beautiful physiques. From a certain point of view, many of their actions or words appear to be Mary Sue-ish reflections of the author's own point of view (determined by the narrative) or of a sense of moral or social well-being beyond that of someone from ancient times.

Or this could simply be the tired ramblings of a fussy reader.

Either way, the over 1000 page epic was a great read, and a highly insightful view into how the Germanic tribes of the early Roman Empire, and the early Roman Empire itself may have been.

The book, In the Company of Heroes by Michael J. Durant, describes the life of a prisoner of war in Somalia. The fact that the officer actually was the prisoner, makes the book an autobiography. Durant wrote this book in hopes of bringing his life and death situations as a prisoner of war, to the real world. He wanted to explain how difficult life truly was and the experiences he went through on a day-to-day basis. He wanted everyone to see eye-to-eye on ideas such as war. By writing this book, those hopes can be expressed. This shows that there are many hardships but you have to persevere no matter how painful it may be.
Michael J. Durant was born on July 23, 1961 in Berlin, New Hampshire. He then went on to enter the U.S army in August 1979. Michael was Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the United States Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. In the war, he was captured and held prisoner on October 3, 1993. He was very high up on the list of positions in the army. The importance of his job also came with many responsibilities. For example, he had to learn and teach how to fly helicopters. Up until the war in Somalia, he led a pretty normal life. He has a wife named Lisa, and a son named Joey. Devastated to leave his family, he got prepared to fight for his country, which is something he was meant to do. His adventurous character has led him to do great things.
Michael J. Durant did a fantastic job writing this book. He tells the story with great detail. This true story implants extreme images in your head. Coming from a first hand source, the story is even more meaningful. It makes you feel like you were actually there.
Many positives were found throughout the story. One example would be how it shows Durant's life before and after he encounters his captivity. It was interesting to learn about the daily struggles he had to go through in order to survive and how different his survival instincts were before the war. The book is very suspenseful and keeps its interest throughout every chapter. The only negative would be that the book is long and at certain points, difficult to read for younger people.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves suspense, intensity, and life or death situations.

I recently purchased this book, and I wish there were words enough to relay just how great it is. In the Company of Heros illistrates brilliantly the account of Night Stalker pilot Mike Durant, and his experience in somolian captivity. Mr. Durant may be a pilot by trade, however his story and how he tells it are amazing. This book is a great buy for anyone, but it is a MUST READ for any Army aviation pilots or aircrewmen.

A riveting true story, well written. If you didn't already respect the skill and bravery of the US armed forces, you will after reading this book.

Excellent,excellent book. I'd recommend reading Black Hawk Down first for an overview of the battle, but even if you don't, either way, this is a great book. Mr Durant just tries to tell it like it is, how it happened, and tell the stories of his fallen comrades, who are the "heroes" from the title.

I was in the 101st, in fact I was at Campbell when Durant was flying non SOG missions, and I went to Panama, so his career flashbacks were cool to read as I could relate. But even for someone who may not have been there, the flashbacks provide a backdrop for who he is, who the Night Stalkers were, and the mentality of these SOG operators.

Fantastic read, highly recommend.

Durant's story takes us from Black Hawk Down and gives us a persalized look into his ordeal in Somalia. But he also gives an itimate look into the lives and beliefs of his captors. This is must read book for anyone interested in the survival of the human spirit.