History Books

I bought this book at the American Book Center in The Hague, Netherlands, a few years ago. As I knew many of the places mentioned in the book, it took on an even deeper meaning for me. I love this book, and I list Diet Eman and Hein Sietsma as heroes. Definitely 5+ stars!

Excellent book. The book is fast paced, exciting and touching.

The risks and sacrifices that the author and her fiance went through for their beliefs and for unkwown people amazed and inspired me. Highly recommended.

The account of the author and her experiences fighting the German occupation of Holland during WWII is harrowing. It is hard to imagine that any human being can display so mush courage at such a young age.

The true story of true Christians, and Dutch patriots, Diet Eman and Hein Sietsma, and their courageous risk of everything to resist Nazi tyranny and hide thousands of Dutch Jews.
True Christians always love the Jewish people and Israel, and true nationalists are opposed to both Communism and Nazism, both the antithesis of national self-determination.
Diet recounts her own life, and experiences and what she saw and heard, as well as her deep faith in G-D, that guided her in all she did and thought.
Diet recounts her experiences in Scheveningen prison, where she describes how Jewish families, who were caught in hiding, were hauled into the prison, mothers, fathers and children: 'On the nights the guards brought Jews in, we always heard the children crying all through that place. It was bad enough for us to have to suffer through a place, like Scheveningen, but it was terrible to hear those poor innocent children crying.'
It is up to true Christians and righteous gentiles to stand by the State of Israel today, in the struggle for her survival and that of her children, against the monstrous Islamic-extreme leftist hate machine.

I have read more than 75 books of this genre depicting this period of history. "What would I have done under the same circumstances?" That is the question I am always asking of myself whilst reading these stories. This is the story of a group of people with the courage of their convictions...Diet's story is inspiring and touching. It illustrates perfectly that the power of prayer is undeniable and when 'all one can do is pray' one has done everything.

The primary duty - and hopefully, the primary desire - of every Christian is "to know Christ Jesus." The Gospels are the principal, and only divinely inspired, means in which one can encounter Christ in written form. Yet, for all their beauty and simplicity, the Gospels can be distant from our own time and culture, both in the style in which they were written, and the setting in which they are based. Famed Catholic apologist Frank Sheed's classic "To Know Christ Jesus" bridges this gap masterfully, allowing the reader to transport himself back to the time of Christ and understand more fully the life of the Lord.

Sheed does something that has fallen out of favor in modern times: bring the four Gospels together into one carefully woven narrative. It is true that when doing a scholarly study of the Gospels, one must address the differences found in the four Gospels. Issues such as the Mark-Q hypothesis or the differences between the synoptic Gospels and John's Gospel are ignored in this book, as they should be: Sheed's purpose is not scholarly, but primarily devotional. He desires for his reader to encounter Christ directly and come to know him better. Sheed writes in modern novel form the life of Christ based on the best sources available and he does this with great success, as the end result is readable, informative, and faithful to the Gospel accounts.

Buy "To Know Christ Jesus" for any friend or family member who would like to get to know Christ better - be assured that if they read this book, that will happen!

This book is my favorite all-time meditation starter. I like the idea of focusing on Christ's life for my meditations, for the obvious reason that we become like what we think about all the time. Well, this book brings all four gospels into play in a chronological discussion of Christ's life, adding touches of culture and history that the average person would not be aware of. This approach adds loads of meaning to what happens in the gospel accounts, since 21st-Century Americans really do have a hard time understanding some of the events and wording in the gospels. Frank Sheed's efficient use of the English language makes this not exactly an easy read, but a meaningful one, even for the average layperson.

This book provides the best gospel commentary/reflection known to man.

For every gospel story, this book has a thorough look at the passage along with comments on related passages. This book is well-written and easy to read. You can skip from chapter to chapter, or just read from start to finish.

Though it is easy to read, the material is dense. I've re-read this book 3 times and I'm still getting new stuff from it.

There are few books that I will *specifically* require my children to read. This is one of them. (Though I guess I'll have to wait 'til the kids are about 15-16.)

I checked the web site at www.ignatius.com for this item using the ISBN 13: 9780898704198, and the description there is of a paperback book.

The description below is from the Ignatius site
[ ISBN: 9780898704198
Author: Frank Sheed

Length: 399 pages
Edition: Paperback
]

I think that back in 1992 the book was published in hardcover under ISBN 10: 0898704197, but that edition appears not to be available any more.

I am providing this review solely about the edition that is available here rather than about the content of the book. I haven't read the copy I received yet, it was a paperback even though i was expecting a hardcover.

PS: after writing this review I requested that amazon.come make a change to the description of the books binding from "hard cover" to "paperback" and amazon.come agreed to the change. Now any purchaser will know exactly what they are getting when they order the book. I am impressed with amazon.come's willingness to make the change suggested.

F. J. Sheed was a brilliant writer. His To Know Christ Jesus, like Fulton Sheen's Life of Christ, is a great help to reading all four Gospels at the same time coherently, for as the author states, they were not written with chronology in mind, therefore the sequence of Gospel events could be confusing at times. Sheed not only guides the reader step by step through Christ's life, but as a friend of Christ (clearly the author was a man of deep prayer) he also makes the reader stop at certain places along the way to help him meditate and bring depth to the reality of Christ and the significance of His actions on Earth. This is truly a masterful spiritual work. I recommend reading it with the Bible open. It will deepen anyone's understanding and knowledge of Christ and give one a keener sense for detail, and one cannot love what one does not know well, hence the importance of this book.

This is a great book. The author does not write with the touch of a professional but it is because of this that the book is such of gold mine! It is penned with a down-to-earth style. Books like this give one great insight into the everyday happenings during war time which are seldom captured by professional historians, whose goal is to capture the greater scheme of events. To learn about a great event or crisis, you must read the works of historians. However, to fully understand such things, you must compliment these works with books that present common, everyday humanity in such circumstances.

Tullio Bertini performed a great service by showing us slices of real life that few in this life are privy to experience. The author shows that children in times of war desire what they want during times of peace; they want to make friends, play games, learn things and so on, irrespective of the culture. The author shows the hardship, camaraderie and bravery exhibited in times of great crisis. A good example is where the area priest was able to save 300 people from deportation by leading them to a safe haven. Another example is the story of a priest who hid Jews from the Germans and Fascists. This chronicle demonstrates a common human bond among people, a bond which leadership tries to destroy for its own warped reasons but in the final analysis never can.

Molte Grazie Signore Bertini per il vostro capolavoro!

Tullio Bertini has written an earnest, but amateur book about his childhood experiences in Italy. His memories of his life there are interesting, but don't come to life because he's not very skilled at narrative, but only at writing "just the facts". He includes plenty of detail about what was going on in WW II at the time -- a little too much, it seemed to me. He also tells a lot about how things were done in his village, such as harvesting and roasting chestnuts, making charcoal, etc. The book is nearly half over before the Germans show up in town. Then he does relate some telling incidents, such as the first time Allied warplanes strafed some Germans who were mining a bridge, and what he saw and how he reacted. Contrary to the title, he was not liberated by the Buffalo Soldiers, but by Brazilians! The Buffalo Soldiers arrived several days later. This is an excellent personal history for his family to keep, but does not qualify as a professional memoir.

A retired lawyer and former intelligence officer. This personal memoir describes the six years that an American teenage boy spent with his Italian American parents caught by the outbreak of World War II in their native town in Tuscany. It is an indispensible contribution to the grass-roots, social history of wartime Fascist Italy. It's filled with the amazing details and realities of daily life, reflecting an intimate insight into the social life and customs of a small Tuscan town north of Florence. The story starts prosaically with an explanation of why the family has returned to Italy. It becomes an absorbing story building to a dramatic climax. The German Army attempts to "relocate" the villagers acting in preparation of the German defensive Gothic Line north of the Arno. The villagers escape by walking all night on trails through mountainous terrain to reach an Apennine valley probed by advancing American forces. Those forces are the all-black American "Buffalo Soldiers" of the famous 92nd Division. These dramatic events are told in a straightforward narrative style reminiscent of Hemmingway. The account is informed by the seemingly photographic memory of the man the boy grew to be. The maps and background presentation reflect the training of author Bertini's adult interlude in American Army Intelligence. It is a must read for those who want to know what is was like to be caught in the harsh realities of a war zone, and for Italian-Americans and others would enjoy a first-hand social history of survival in the Italy of World War II. I think Sophia Loren, remembering her childhood wartime experiences, would empathize and recommend this book. It is well organized with an index, a bibliographic reference and 26 pertinent photo illustrations. /s/ J. A. Giordano, Stanford AB, JD, '56.

Mr. Bertini's story is a very insightful account of the Nazi occupation, of the eroding Fascist Party of Mussolini, of the heroic effort of the Resistance, and of the liberation of his family's village by the Allies. It's also a narrative of Tuscan village life and Italian family traditions. His descriptions of various crafts of the villagers, methods of farming by the contadini, and the processing and preparation of the typical products of the region are incomparable. I have read Trapped in Tuscany three times and have visited Diecimo after each reading, to relive the events of the war and Tullio's extraordinary boyhood adventure.

I have been reading up on the war in Italy, and this story was a refreshing change from the narratives of battles big and small. I recently visited Diecimo on my way past Lucca, saw the house of Tullio, and spoke with a local who was also a boy during the war. This story helped me understand from another perspective the incredible damage done to the Italian people by the Nazi forces and to the infrastructure by both Germans and Allies.

Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb. Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth.

Two of the greatest names ever to play Major League Baseball and a pair of the most fiercest rivals on the diamond. Ruth was the new-school slugger whose gargantuan homers matched his pursuits off the field. Cobb was the oldest of old-school, a master of "small-ball," who saw the game of titan shots with "juiced" baseballs as an utter abomination.

"Cobb disliked much about Ruth. But one of the things that pricked him most was Ruth's lifestyle. The Babe lived with wild abandon, ignoring curfews, staying out all hours, drinking, partying, overeating, and snaking through towns in search of sex," writes Stanton. "Cobb was nearly fanatical about taking care of himself, about being prepared for games, and about the need to sacrifice for the long term. He felt confident that Ruth's nocturnal adventures would eventually undermine him."

But in retirement, the pair were kept at arm's length by the top executives in the game - Ruth never got a shot at managing a club and Cobb was tarnished by a 1926 gambling scandal "cover-up" - though each eventually found the time to frequently chase a golf ball around 18 holes. Ruth was a five handicap and Cobb a nine.

Author Tom Stanton tees up an interesting dual biography of the legends that is built around a 1941 charity golf match which pitted Ruth against Cobb. Along with coverage of every baseball game the paired played against each other, Stanton drives into the professional hatred which erupted into near brawls and vicious taunts, but eventually evolved into a cordial friendship.

Even the biggest fan of baseball history will find some new gems, especially about Cobb, which is a salute to the solid short game of Stanton; meticulously lofting up to the green buried facts from the sand traps of historical fiction.

An excellent resource for the Baseball fan, who is always looking for good books about the Legends of baseball.

This book was very interesting and informative and obviously well researched since the author is a baseball historian. It makes you feel as if you know the players and are living in their time period but it isn't the most enjoyable book I've ever read. You rarely smile or laugh, there's very little that's amusing even though these are two very colorfull and bigger than life characters so I felt the book could have been a little lighter. Also check out two of my favorites - The Teammates by David Halberstam and When Life Was Baseball Teams and Egg Creams by Craig Howard, the last one being much lighter and more about life in the time period than baseball itself. Good nostalgia though.

I have now read all of Tom Stanton's books, and I have enjoyed them all. I am one of many that had certain perceptions of Ty Cobb's character based on stereoptypical opinion of Cobb in recent years. But Stanton sets the record straight in allowing us to get to know a different Ty Cobb; one who is a great competitor, but no where near the "evil" man that he has been portrayed as. The Babe is as fun loving as ever in this book and it is a fun read. I would recommend it to baseball fans, and golf fans too!

This is a strange little book. For one thing, it presents a far more positive picture of Ty Cobb than one often encounters. Second, golf becomes a key part of the relationship between two bitter antagonists--Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb.

Ty Cobb was an exemplar of the old fashioned "scientific" approach to baseball, bunts, stolen bases, sacrifices, etc. Babe Ruth was a harbinger of a new era--focusing on the home run.

Cobb versus Ruth, while they were in the major leagues together, had a pretty negative relationship. Cobb had little respect for Ruth; Ruth despised Cobb.

The book tells of their slowly evolving relationship, to the point where they expressed respect toward one another by the end of Cobb's career.

Their rivalry took a turn after their respective retirements. Both became avid golfers. They took part in a series of golf matches, where there was much greater camaraderie than when they played baseball.

The book chronicles that strange evolution in their relationship.

There is a nice appendix, which chronicles those games in which they opposed one another. Interesting. . . .

An offbeat little book that ends up humanizing Cobb.

Well written history is a rare treat, and rarer still is a history by one who lived through it. Grant writes engagingly and humorously and with great humility for a man who achieved so much. That he wrote this in the throes of cancer, finishing it on death's door and yet has no sence of savig himself or self pity is remarkable. It's a pity there is no one like this in the elections.

References to political memoirs often suggest that Grant's memoirs are some of the best ever published. Have worked my way slowly through almost 800 pages of his memoirs, the accolades are deserved. Autobiographies by their nature are bound to be someway self-serving (he makes no reference to his well documented drink problems) and I am sure many historians could pick flaws with some of Grant's recollections, but the book is exceptionally well written and interesting. To my surprise, the author comes across as being compassionate and showing a high degree of empathy for many he fought against during the civil war.

He is very honest in his commentaries and is not afraid to be critical of US policy. The Mexican-American war (1846-1848) was unnecessarily provoked and in his opinion "the war which resulted, as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger nation against a weaker nation. ... We were sent to provoke a fight, but it was essential that the Mexicans should commence it."

Grant is not shy in admitting that especially in his early military career, he was often frightened and would rather have been somewhere else when the bullets were flying. He is also self-effacing and sometimes humorous about his impact in early combat situations. "My exploit was equal to that of the soldier who boasted that he had cut of the leg of one of the enemy. When asked why he had not cut off his head, he replied: `Someone had done that before.' "

Grant is a very good storyteller and has an excellent eye for detail and description. His contrasting profiles of Generals Taylor and Scott whom he fought under during the Mexican war are models of clarity and painting pictures with words.

His account of the civil war contains numerous interesting anecdotes including one instance when inspecting a picket line which was close to a Confederate picket line. After his picket line called "Turn out the guard for the commanding General," he heard a similar command from the Confederate picket and a reference to General Grant. The Confederate line saluted "which I returned." - Amazing!

Obviously, the bulk of his memoirs relate to the civil war. He suggests that he was of the same mind set as Secretary of State Seward, "that the war would be over in ninety days." Grant is very respectful of many of his former colleagues who fought against him during this war. He has little respect for the "Demagogues who were to old to enter the army ... others who entertained so high an opinion of their own ability that they did not believe they could be spared from the direction of the state of affairs," but who constantly poured oil on the secessionist fire.

He lauds many of his comrades including Generals Sherman and Sheridan. While respecting Secretary of War Stanton, he does not appear to have been a great fan of his style of management. He also writes approvingly of Confederate Generals Longstreet, Lee, Bragg, Joseph Johnston and others, and takes great delight in ridiculing the military genius of Confederate President Jefferson Davis who he obviously despised. Grant writes sensitively of General Lee and the surrender at Appomattox.

The author believes the death of Lincoln was a disaster not just for the North, but for the vanquished South. "He would have proven the best friend the South could have had." Interestingly, Grant makes no reference to the Gettysburg Address and to the best of my recollection only references the Battle of Gettysburg but once. He was otherwise involved in the Battle of Vicksburg at the same time.

I glossed over some of the detailed military and battle descriptions in this book, but overall it is a great read. It is also interesting to note that the book saved Grant's penurious family from a life of poverty. Published by his friend Samuel Clemens, these memoirs became a bestseller after Grant died from throat cancer.

U.S. Grant is often said to have been a failure at everything in his life except his marriage, war, and his memoirs. The latter, written as he was dying of throat cancer in 1884-1885, provide a straightforward account of his years in uniform during the Civil War.

Grant passes quickly over his Ohio boyhood and time at the United States Military Academy. His service in the Mexican War and his financial misfortunes out of uniform between the wars get only slightly more coverage. His story really begins with his return to uniform in 1861 as a commander of Illinois volunteers. The narrative follows Grant's campaigns in Missouri, Tennessee, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, his elevation to supreme command of the Union Armies, and the final grinding agony of the war in Virgina. The account ends with the cessation of hostilies in 1865.

Grant's memoirs are remarkable reading for a number of reasons. First, they provide insight into the first-rate military mind of a consistantly successful general. Grant's ability to determine the essentials of a situation and remain focused on them are evident. Second, the memoirs are a classic example of clear, simple, English narrative. Third, they display the considerable modesty of a naturally reserved man, a departure from the egotism often found in the personal memoirs of famous men. Grant himself continues to be something of a mystery to historians; these memoirs do not really lift the veil of his sense of privacy.

The Union Army of the Civil War had more than its fair share of politicians in uniform and politically-minded generals. Grant was not immune to spinning history his way; careful-eyed scholars have found more than a few instances where Grant remembered only part of the story or settled a few scores with old opponents. Nevertheless, Grant's memoirs are a valuable resource for understanding the conduct of the Civil War, not least because Grant became such a key figure in the winning of it.

Grant's memoirs are highly recommended to students of the Civil War, and to scholars seeking to understand the art of war in the midst of rebellion.

General Grant's use of the English language is very interesting and informative. Absolutely a pleasure to read.

This book is a must-read for any Civil War or American history buff. Grant's writing is consistently clear, elegant, beautiful. He gives an engaging account of his wartime experiences that are accurate to the best of his ability, and he writes with introspection and humility. The personal letters at the end of the volume reveal much about this fascinating man, and are a welcome addition. Please read this one! Another wonderful book in this series is the volume containing Frederick Douglass's autobiographical works.

I understand better the definition of an elitist after reading these essays. The writing is delightful, and fortunately, easily understood by anyone with at least an eighth grade education.

I was very satisfied with the service I received and the excellent condition of the book.

This book is so vast and so full of wisdom, prescience (read Vidal's 1970s attack on religion and compare its conciseness and brilliance with the just released polemics of Hitchins and Dawkins, and his 1950s biting comments on the culture of celebrity are so far ahead of their time that they're breathtaking), wit and humour that you can pick it up at any time and find what seems to be a new gem within. After 5 years of owning this book, I'm still finding pieces I either haven't read or now read with a different outlook, owing to Vidal's amazing ability to be so pertinent to all ages.
Highly recommended.

These particular selections of essays by the prolific and most caustic critics of the American Republic, has sat on my bookshelf since the early months of 1999. Included in this overwhelming collection are 114 essays, in some cases, randomly categorized into three chapters - State of Art, State of the Union and State of Being. Vidal is an intensely knowledgeable fellow, and therefore has an opinion on just about everything having to do with art, history, politics, the state of literature and his beloved Republic To attempt to read this entire tome (1271 pages) from start to finish over a few weeks (my original intention) proved to be impossible. Although informative and extremely entertaining, there was just too much to digest, too important to scan through, thus I would mark the essays read with a tick on the contents page, place the book back on the shelf, only to return when the time felt right to take them up again.

Vidal is not only a great historian, he is also one of America's great literary radicals. He was experimenting with the literary form, attempting to apply critical theory to the Novel very early in the piece with such works as Duluth, Mira Breckinridge and the post modern religious satire, Live from Golgotha. These were indeed "radical" departures from the standard fare of American novels coming out at the time. In mainstream circles, however, these novels were not well received, but were critically acclaimed, calling them subversive, iconoclastic, original and extremely funny.

As an essayist, Vidal really has no match in American letters. These essays reveal a master at the top of their form. What is interesting as well as admirable, Vidal was criticising literary theory which had infiltrated academia in the late 60's and early 70's, al la, post structuralism and deconstructionism, but unlike the so-called "experts" in the university's across the western world, (he calls them "Hacks of Academia") Vidal attempted to put these theories to the test in the form of a popular novel, (Duluth) and succeeded. In his essay, "French Letters -Theories of the Modern Novel", Vidal attacks these modern theorists, who state that language and literature as an art form is dead, in elegant prose and biting gusto, revealing their empty (headed) arguments,

"In any case, rather like priests who have forgotten the meaning of the prayer they chant, we shall go on for quite as long time talking of books and writing books, pretending all the while not to notice that the church is empty and the parishioners have gone elsewhere to attend other gods, perhaps with silence or with new words." (1967, p.110)

In "The State of the Union" essays, Vidal expounds upon American politics and his views on the National Security Council, the CIA and America's on-going imperialistic intentions, which interestingly, have not dated in the least. Most of these essays are as relevant as ever despite the passing of over thirty years.

There is no doubt in my mind that reading Vidal is an education, showing us a way through the miasma of received wisdom, relentlessly thrown in our direction. In many respects Vidal is a beacon of light during dark times, a writer that has never pulled any punches when it came to the things he believed in, namely writing, politics and his beloved Republic. This book should be standard issue for anyone interested in literature, politics, art, and American history.

First, for those readers solely interested in the quality of this essay collection, my advice is simple. If you enjoy the essay form, buy this collection! There is no better essayist alive. In the USA, Vidal stands beside Emerson, White and Trilling in exemplifying the power of the essay; and like them, his greatest quality is the intense, lasting relevancy of his argument, even when he deals with people or events long past. His vilification of Truman, for example, concentrates on the latter's founding the American security state, certainly a germane issue.

As for all this talk of Vidal's political affiliation, anyone who claims he is a conservative or a liberal in any normal sense of these words is simply wrong, and is unfortunately missing the purpose of Vidal's writing. Vidal firmly believes in the people and the ideals by which our nation was founded; but he is alone, as far as I know, in keeping himself free of worship. Jefferson, Adams, etc. were not perfect; and neither is democracy or republicanism. In our intensely polarized time, in which unthinking loyalty is a virtue, Vidal is exactly that type which he has often cheered throughout history, the brave heretic. Gore Vidal is our Orwell; his opinions may only occasionally be right, but anyone who ignores him is jeopardizing our relationship with the truth.

In addition to this collection, I also highly recommend *the last empire*, Vidal's collection of essays from 1992 to 2000. It is much shorted, and is actually a better introduction to the author.

I bought this book as a bargain and in the description it said the condition would be knew and the only difference would be that it may be marked as a bargain. However, the condition of the book was really bad and it was so damaged that many pages were lose and the binding was completely broken. I will never buy a bargain book from amazon again, even though the book itself (if it was in good condition) is awesome.

First saw these photos on a trip to Stockholm. Huge photo posters were on display in a park and this book along with the photographer's other books, posters and postcards were for sale. We've all seen photos of animals before but these are quite "up close and personal." There is a "Wow" factor with what he has captured -- whether it be an action shot of wildebeest and zebra hurriedly crossing a river or a panda up in the tree to get a better look. This is not a book you'll look at once but time and time again.

Steve Bloom is by far one of the best animal photographers! The pictures he captures are incredible. Untamed is a great/huge collection of awesome pictures. The pictures and pages in the book are all high quality. Well worth the money.

This is an absolutely gorgeous book, oversized and chock full of awesome photographs of all sorts of creatures. Bloom works in the wild, from a distance and close up enough to devote a full page to an elephant's eyelid. He works in Antartica, in the Amazon, in Africa, Asia, all across the world, with herds of animals and with singles, young, old, and in between. Some of the photos are panoramas, with 2 pages opening towards the middle to full effect.

I first saw the book displayed on a table in an interiors store, and fell in love with it, came home and ordered from Amazon to save $$$. Now it's on the table in *my* living room. Eventually I will give it to my son to go through and share with my now-4-year-old grandson.

Steve Bloom has taken pictoral essays to new heights. In September 2007, a stroke of Irish luck led me to his exhibition in Dublin, Ireland. I spent a mesmerizing hour wandering St. Stephen's Green Park admiring his outstanding mini-billboard sized photographs and felt cheated when I ran out of time. So I bought the book, it sits on my coffee table, and I enjoy it day after day. Untamed is not a collection of animal photos. Instead, Steve gives us a greater understanding of the beast through a series of incredible exposures. Anyone who enjoys wildlife and excellent photography must own this book. It would make an excellent gift for those who share a passion for the wildlife that is vanishing before our eyes.

THE BOOK GIVES NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF WHY THE NEW TESTAMENT IS NOT ENTIRELY VALID. YOU CAN SUM UP HER BOOK BY SAYING SIMPLY THAT THE NEW TESTAMENT WAS WRITTEN BY PEOPLE WHO DID NOT WITNESS WHAT THEY CLAIM, BUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND OTHER CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS WANT YOU TO BELIEVE THAT WHAT IS SAID IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS TRUE REGARDLESS OF THE LACK OF ACCURACY OR MISTRANSLATION. I WILL SAY THAT IT ANSWERED ONE OF MY QUESTIONS, BUT THE BOOK DOES EXPLAIN WHY THE NEW TESTAMENTS' VALIDITY IS QUESTIONABLE. ITS A GOOD BOOK TO READ IF YOU'RE SEARCHING FOR EXAMPLES OF WHY THERE ARE QUESTIONABLE AREAS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, CHRONOLOGICAL ERRORS, MISTRANSLATIONS OF THOSE WHO WROTE THE CHAPTERS, MISREPRESENTATIONS OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND WHERE THEY HAPPENED AS WELL AS WHY. IT MAKES ONE WONDER WHAT REALLY HAPPENED 2000 + YEARS AGO IF NO ONE LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO WRITE ABOUT IT. WHAT WAS STATED HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN SIMILAR TO STORIES, ONE MORE GRANDIOSE THAN THE ONE BEFORE IT.

Who was Jesus? is an exceptionally well written and researched investigation into the Jesus story and the New Testament. The author, D.M. Murdock, brings logic, reason, and intelligence to a subject that has held human kind captive for centuries and dares to go where so very few ever dare go. This book rates among the top of a very small group of other equally as compelling books such as "The Age of Reason" written by Thomas Paine in 1794, "The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors" written by Kersey Graves in 1824, and more recent publications "Caesar's Messiah" by Joseph Atwill and "An Infidel Manifesto" by Gary Lenaire.

Theologian David Bosch stated that, "The mission of the church needs constantly to be renewed and reconceived." And so Christianity and its myriad churches have adapted to the changing climate of secular cultural beliefs and methods which gain wide popular acclamation. By the time Voltaire wrote in "Candide" of his devoted disciple to ultra-rationalist Alfred Leibnitz, Prof. Pangloss, the "take it on faith" appeal of the churches toward less acculturated masses seemed glumly passe in the craze of the western cogniscenti toward the new rationalism that stressed study of evidence in rigorous empiricism and epistemology. By the 19th century, the gospels, scriptures, older apologies and other early Christian texts were beginning to be scrutinized by the criteria of rational method formulated in the immediate prior decades. Dissatisfied with the veneer of vague metaphysics in the literal content, the early Christian rationalists employed methods of literary criticism and developed "higher criticism" as a means of analogous and metaphorical interpretation.

Especially in the U.S., starting in the mid-20th century a reactive more fundamental and evangelical school of clerical scholarship is determined to take their "new" rationalism public. In the day and age of rocket science and electronic engineering, both in sermon and classroom, the scholars would spread the word that faith alone is no longer required to embrace Christ's one "true" revelation -- hence, books written for popular appeal such as "Evidence That Demands a Verdict" by Josh McDowell. (Apparently that was not enough : "The New Evidence that Demands A Verdict".) Alleged ex-Atheist journalists like Lee Strobel become super-stars on Christian television with books like "The Case for Christ", ad nauseum.

D.M. Murdock is not the first detective among skeptics to casually but surgically burst the bubble and pollute the punch of modern Christian claims of evidence. But in less than 200 pages she does so with an alacrity and thoroughness that is nothing less than stunning for the quantity of information imparted but brevity in outlining a counter-case. I am reminded of an especially skilled courtroom attorney orating a final summary of arguments to a jury.

She has the ability to make her case quite ably from a minimally clinical perspective, to be sure. But the reader is treated to so much more. We recognize in the writing style here, the sumptuous ability to engage her reader and immerse one in the vagaries of comparative mythology and religion that is the trademark of Acharya S. A passionate archeologist, classicist, and historian, she has that knack of being able to guide the reader into sharing with her the adventure of exploring intellectual realms not commonly known or appreciated. She uses such talent here in spades. From a respectful summarizing of Gospel Matthew, we are alerted to the problem of harmonizing the gospels, the problems of evidences outside the Christian paradigm, the problem of dating the gospels and other Christian documents by standards of best tangible evidence, the earlier Jewish scriptural and pagan influences on the NT, other issues aside, each more enthralling than the preceding, until finally debunking the weak claims of evidence, some clothed no better than the proverbial emperor, insisted upon by the growing range of evangelical Christian scholarship. The pages turn, the momentum builds, and even the most disinterested reader is introduced to fascinating aspects of literary development and mythologizing in the earlier ancient realm of our western tradition.

This book is as intellectually honest as it is timely. The Evangelical movement and neo-conservatives have sought to exploit the uncertainty and fear caused by the attacks of 9/11 and this book is a shining example of the rationality, courage, and intellect that surfaces when society needs a drastic course adjustment. The ugly hegemonic aspect of organized religion has created "godly" millionaires and "humble" political powerhouses bent on the fulfillment of violent prophecies. Without the dissemination of the wisdom contained in this book, and others like it, it is a historically proven certainty that America will become a tyrannical fascist police state with Christianity at its "moral" foundation. If this is to be our fate, the very least that every person of good conscience owes to themselves, friends, and family is to set aside blind faith for a moment and challenge the beliefs that are brining it about. My only criticism of the book is that the author relies heavily on a scientific voice. I have found that logical argumentation conjures, in a split second, the cognitive consonance of blind faith which leads to paranoia, then anger. But, in the end, it is up to the "true believer" to work past this bias. I implore every person with the courage to take personal responsibility for their spirituality to get this book in front of as many Christians as you can, quickly!

As a Religious Studies student at Indiana University I am extremely fascinated by the historical origins of Christianity. Ms. Murdock has provided a much needed objective evaluation of the supposed "evidence" which is usually marshalled in defense of traditional and conservative approaches to the topic. With an even handed use of logic, she forensically examines primary sources. While often citing mainstream and conservative scholars, she doesn't limit herself to their timid conclusions. In fact, her analysis leads to conclusions that are as reasonable as they are shocking. This work is both consice and thorough. It deserves strong attention from aspiring academics as well as those of the conservative literalist fold. Rather than dogmatize out of some hidden agenda, she, more rationally, lets the evidence speak for itself. I highly recommend this eloquent and persuasive volume!

This is a great book, covering just about everything you could hope to know about the first six seasons of the show. I really enjoyed the writing by Colucci and the actor/producer/director/guest star anecdotes. I don't care for the format of the book, though - the episodes are usually covered two-to-a page, in column format (yecch). Some of the interlude pages are kind of cheezy (i.e., there's a page listing all of Will & Grace's various boyfriends) and some of the pages with behind-the-scenes info (i.e., the decor used for Grace's office and Will & Grace's apartment) have a corny-looking layout. Hopefully by now this book has been expanded to include the last two seasons and the historic Finale, and the aftermath of this groundbreaking sitcom. Incidentally, "Will & Grace" was remarkably consistent - the first five seasons were consistently great. Season six slipped a bit, probably due to the writers having to work around Debra Messing's pregnancy, but Season 7 came back stronger than ever. The last season of most sitcoms is, predictably, never the best, but the earlier seasons more than make up for it. This book does capture the magic of Seasons 1-6. Thanks, Jim Colucci.

Will & Grace is on of my favorite shows. And this book just proves my point. From the beautiful photographs to the hilarious interviews, it's a pretty awesome companion book.
My only complaint is that I wish it were updated to include all 8 seasons, as it only covers up through season six. But it's still great, and a must have for any Will & Grace fan!

"Will & Grace: Fabulously Uncensored" is a must-have item for every fan of the now-defunct but forever-classic television program, but it will also be of interest to the casual reader who may be curious about the "behind-the-scenes" makings of a modern sitcom. This book is dense with anecdotes, factoids, and gossip; it outlines the fascinating history of the inception and casting of the show, along with exhaustive information on how the episodes are put together, from initial writer's conferences and cast readings, through rehearsals and show tapings, including furious last-minute script rewrites, and, at least in one instance, the firing of a guest star during the performance. I would offer, however, a few words of warning: the book only covers to the end of Season Six (a "W&G" quiz featured in the book's appendix contains a couple of incorrect answers due to further developments in Seasons Seven and Eight); and the proofreader for this tome should be shot -- I stopped counting typos and misspellings after I reached a dozen, and I wasn't even a third of the way through the book. The wary should, of course, be more concerned with the former than the latter, and I offer it only as a cautionary note to avoid undue disappointment. Otherwise I highly recommend this book to all!

This book is great for people who are obsessed with the show. The colorful (and I mean COLORFUL) pages are filled with photos, episode summaries (seasons 1 -6), cast and character bios (on minor characters as well), witty quotes and a lot of behind the scenes articles and tidbits. It makes a great coffee table book to pick up and flip through and relive the laughter.

What more can I say that hasn't already been said in these other 5 star reviews?

If you loved those crazy characters...you'll love the book. You'll learn fun tidbits & laugh as you recall your favorite moments from the show.

The purpose of this book is to help children/teens learn the presidents in order. It has silly sayings and mnemonic devices to help one remember. Each president covers two pages. The left side of the page is historically accurate information whereas the right side is a silly saying to help you remember that president and the sayings are linked like a story. If you can remember the story, you should be able to remember the presidents.

Well, I know my Presidents now, that's for sure! I had great fun learning them, too, sitting on the couch with my husband one afternoon. The two of us went through the book, working through it and giggling at the references all the while. It was a lot of fun and we learned every president during the read. I planned to buy it, learn them, and then relist the item. But, I decided to instead hold onto it for when my nieces come over. I am always hunting for new ways to entertain them and this will keep them busy for sure! :) Lots of fun for all ages.
I highly recommend that you buy it and have as much fun as we did, and learn a little something, too! 5 stars!

This book was ordered for my son, who is a teacher, for Christmas and it came in plenty of time. Thanks so much.

This book is the best and most fun ways to learn about the American Presidents that I have ever seen. For each president from Washington through Clinton, there is a brief caption regarding his life and accomplishments. There is also a drawing taken from a photo or portrait, a cartoon style drawing and associated play on words to aid in remembering the name and whom they succeeded. For example, the cartoon for Dwight Eisenhower shows the Eiffel Tower with eyes on it being held by a tree with eyes. The caption is "The tree-man is crawling up the side of a huge tower that has eyes on it. It must be the eyes-on-tower!" The cartoon for Harry Truman, who preceded Eisenhower, shows the tree-man.
One of the best books for learning history and social studies, I strongly recommend this book. If my children were of a suitable age, I would buy it for them.

After one night, I knew all 43 presidents of the United States in order without looking. This book is AWESOME!!! :D