Belgium Books

This is one of the most poignant books written about figure skating history. I knew the story of the 1961 tragedy, but this book focuses on each skater in ways I've never seen done before. MUCH more here than just a focus on the famous Owen family. Good reading, well worth the price. ORDER IT!

If you are a fan of figure skating, this book is a definate must read. It opened my eyes to things about skating and competition that I did not know as a former figure skater. It is a wonderful tribute to the skaters of the 1961 U.S. Team.

In 1961, the greatest tragedy in U.S. figure skating history - and possibly world figure skating history - took place when a Sabena-Belgian Airlines Boeing 707 developed problems trying to land at Brussels airport. The plane nosedived into a farmer's field, killing everyone aboard. Among those on board were 18 members of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating team, who were heading to the World Championships in Prague. This is the story of those skaters.
This book focuses largely on Laurence & Maribel Vinson Owen, as well as Stephanie Westerfield, who were the most well-known members, but also mentions skaters such as Laurie Jean Hickox and Doug Ramsay. It talks in-depth about the training & competitions they went through to become U.S. Figure Skating team members, as well as the terrible accident itself & how it affected U.S. Figure Skating at large - especially the rush to produce new skaters to replace those so tragically lost.
Journalist (and adult competitive figure skater) Nikki Nichols has done an excellent job in telling the very real stories of these people who were the Americans' best hopes for 1964, and never got to perform. Most of today's figure skaters have never heard the sad story of the 1961 US team, and this book is an excellent telling of their story. Highly recommended.

.......the Vinson-Owen legacy in its fifth generation.......?

This is the story of the 1961 American figure skating team whose plane crashed, outside Brussels, en route to the world championships in Prague, killing all aboard and changing the face of American figure skating forever. Previous reviewers criticize the author for relying so heavily on speculation, but for an event that happened nearly five decades ago and many of the people who could tell the story are deceased as well, I think she did an excellent job.

To me, the biggest scandal in the book was not the Laurence Owen/Stephanie Westerfeld rivalry, but rather the dissolution of Stephanie's family shortly before the crash. Her parents have both been dead for over 20 years and therefore cannot tell their stories, but to have a child who was a champion figure skater AND a budding concert pianist.....are there enough hours in the day?

Maribel Vinson-Owen didn't seem to be the most likable person (a vast understatement) but she blazed trails without realizing it. A Radcliffe graduate, the first woman sportswriter at the New York Times, AND she nearly destroyed her coaching career by allowing a black skater to practice at her rink? That took some guts. This skater, Mabel Ferguson, continues to promote skating to the black community.

This book is a quick read, and I ordered it at the library the day before seeing "We Are Marshall", about a plane crash that also killed 75 people. The Sabena crash officially had 73 casualties, but one of the passengers was pregnant and a farmer was killed on the ground by falling debris. It doesn't look like things have changed much regarding the treatment of crash survivors' families, but that's another book altogether.

Most of the 1961 performances can be viewed on You Tube.

I truly enjoyed this book. One of my best childhood friends died in the 1961 plane crash, her name was Laurence Owen. This book brought back many memories of a wonderful young girl taken far to soon. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Figure Skating. It gives insight to many of the wonderful people who died on that February day.

I love this cookbook! The recipes are wonderful as well as the cultural tidbits. I was an exchange student in Belgium and whenever I feel "homesick" for my home away from home, the recipes in this book are the cure!

I use this cookbook lots. The recipes are not complicated and very easy to follow instructions. The dishes we've made so far are all great. My grandfather was Belgian so it inspired me to try the cooking, so glad I did!

I purchased this book for a Belgian-themed party I was hosting, and was not disappointed. Although it was a bit sparse on quick, easy to put together party foods, it had enough recipes that I still had a tough time choosing which to make. Everything was delicious, and well-described in the book. My guests were impressed. Nothing I chose to make was any more difficult than Ms. Van Waerebeek led me to believe.
My advice is to buy this book for adventurous, Belgian-themed dinners, or if you enjoy reading about a real person who had ethnic cooking techniques passed down through her family. It is just right its descriptions, the author gives great, brief backgrounds to help you decide if you're interested in making each recipe. It's clear she is very familiar with the cuisine.
If you have an interest in this type of cooking, you can't go wrong with this book!

I am a Belgian living in the US and I bought this book in 1996. I vouched for it being authentic and still representative of how people cook today. Even busy families know that sitting together at the table at the end of the day is a great way to unwind and to strengthen the body and mind. They value the time to listen to each other while eating slowly (no tv or other distractions). My friends and family in Belgium may sometimes bring ready made food (excellent quality is available there) but all know how to cook, do it often, and enjoy the process as a way to relax and nurture the family.

People can keep up because they know that every meal does not need to have many courses. For example, I went to a restaurant-brasserie recently in Brussels where one of the day's specials was a plate of asparagus: 6 big, flavorful white asparagus with a mousseline, chopped hardboiled eggs & parsley sauce, with bread and a glass of good wine it was a satisfying and delicious meal.

So, some of the recipes in the book are for special occasions or for the weekend, the smaller dish can be used as weekday meals when time is scarce.

I use this book often and all recipes work as described, are easy to follow, and include all the information that is needed for a successful outcome - unlike too many cookbooks with attractive pictures but missing information.

I have two friends over for lunch tomorrow and I am going to serve the waterzooi of scallops with garlic bread - quick and easy to prepare ahead of time, always delicious.

As an American living in Flanders for many years I can vouch for the authenticity of the recipes and the quality of the results. There's a lot of good stuff in here, and it's well worth the purchase. I would only urge you not to read this book as a travel guide! The author must have been away from the country for quite a long time and her cultural information is pretty dated, or she is looking back with rose-colored glasses. For example, for all the romanticizing about Belgian home cooking I don't know anyone under retirement age who actually cooks much - the women are all working just like everywhere else in the world nowadays and most of this stuff gets bought in stores, not made at home. It's telling that she describes learning to cook at the shoulder of her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, but that she herself is a professional cook - about the only job where people have time to prepare time-consuming dishes anymore, including in Belgium.

Also, much to my astonishment she describes Belgium's beautiful coastal villages - a month ago coastal development was voted by readers of 'De Morgen' newspaper as the worst blight of many blights on the Belgian landscape perpetrated by builders and a lack of city planning - a long wall of concrete apartment blocks overlooking the sea that is so ugly it has to be seen to be believed. The beaches are nice, but only with your back to the towns. Similarly she goes on about Belgians' love of vegetables...being from California I can only laugh at this one. Hardly anything interesting is grown in this climate - if you like green beans, cauliflower, endive and leeks you're in major luck, but once you've had them a million times you realize why people drink so much beer here - it puts you out of your misery.

The reality of today's home cooking is that it's meat and potatoes, with some boiled winter vegetables. Belgian cooking has moved to traiteurs and restaurants, and with all those people working and not cooking, incomes have improved, and they eat out for both the classics and for upscale cuisine. Restaurants are amazing - the quality is incredible for the price. So this book may describe a bygone era, but still characterizes the culinary heritage very well. It's comfort food for all those dark, rainy days.

I bought this book several months before our trip to Amsterdam, and it got me so excited about our trip. The photos are beautiful, and the design is engaging. Although we did use several other guides (as well as internet research), this was a very useful tool that made our visit a great one.

This DK book has an incredible foldout architectural walk of Amsterdam. Only DK could have conceived of such an innovative way of presenting this walk.

I found this to be one of the best books on the market. If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to get around the city this book is a must. I do quite a lot of traveling in Europe and always pick up a "Eyewitness Travel Guide" since they have more in depth history, plenty of pictures, and take you on guided walks throughout the city. You are provided with lists to the museums, restaurants to suit all tastes, and hotels ranging for tight budgets to high class. I would recommend this book to everyone. Have a great trip!

After reading some reviews, I bought two guides (just in case), since DK Eyewitness Guide was labled as "expensive". But I wound up using only DK Guide. It has everything you need. The information is easily accessible. The maps are great. Just perfect for a quick reference. You'll find yourself refering to it again and again while walking the streets of Amsterdam (I just couldn't deal with reading long pages of information (probably very useful) in Frommer's Guide).

The selection of restaurans was great. Every restaurant rated in this book that we went to was a hit.

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Summary:
Every Dorling Kindersley Guide has been a great and interesting book... and delightful to have and use, even if you are not traveling to that location, but are only interested in learning more!

The Guides are well organized in a logical and easy to follow manner. They are beautifully illustrated, well developed with accurate information (it is unusual for hotel and restaurant information to be that accurate), have enough history to help the reader understand the people and cultural background, and have a lot of useful travel information and useable maps in the appendixes.

The really great attraction to this book is several fold; it is:
............Very complete
............Easy to read
............Beautifully and artistically completed
............Good shopping, safety and other tips
............Gorgeous photographs too numerous to list.

Specifics:

The guides are organized as follows:

How to use this guide
Introduction to Historical and Geographical information
............Introducing Amsterdam
........................Amsterdam on the Map
........................History of Amsterdam
........................Amsterdam at a Glance
........................Through the Year (events, holidays)
............Amsterdam Area by Area, each section includes:
........................Introduction to street by street area
........................Detailed pictorials of area buildings
........................Architectural drawings, pictures, cut-aways of buildings
........................Specific stops, historical monuments, churches, buildings, etc.

Travelers Needs - includes full list with rankings and notes
............Hotels
............Restaurants, bars, cafes
............Shops / Markets
............Entertainment

Survival Information
............Practical
........................Tourist info., Etiquete, Personal Security and Health
........................Currencies, Telephones, misc info.

............Travel Information
........................Planes, trains and automobiles, signs
............Street Maps
............General Index
............Phrase Book

Discussion:
The book begins with "Introducing Amsterdam", including a complete map, a review, the city's history, and Amsterdam through the Year - including events, etc.

For the specific areas it provides an "At a glance" overview, then has subsections of specific blocks, or sections, then specific locations, churches, historical monuments, bridges, galleries, etc.

Architectural reviews include various views, and cutaways; given greater understanding and better perspective. They are all attractive, if not works of art - honestly.

The travelers' Info. offers good and valid info. on prices, currencies, customs, important words, etc. I used the reviews on hotel's restaurants and nightclubs, etc. and found they were useful and accurate, and helpful with my touring and site decisions

The books are so well thought-out that it has multiple maps, with various lookup tables, and the book's flaps are designed to be used as bookmarks for map pages.

Conclusion:
Each book in this series is a great help, and beautiful collectible resource. As the President, CEO of an International Meeting Planning Corporation we have many resources and techniques to learn about places we have meetings / groups at as well as the cities and sights. But, as a traveler, this book really is top notch and I would recommend it to anyone going on a personal trip, or wanting to learn about a city, or location. We have used some of these books to augment our research to investigate cities for our groups.

Having just returned from Belgium to study the Battle of the Bulge, I wish I had read this before going as I passed through this area by way of the Skyline Drive without realizing the fighting which took place there by the 28th Division. A great volume to add to my W.W.II collection.

Wonderfully written. Up close and personal, written from the individual soldier's perspective and covers a part of the Bulge that tends to be glossed over.

This is a clear history of the shock and awe confronting the Germans on D-Day. The losses and triumphs of the GIs and their perserverence was heroic and well documented in this account. Keen research and clear writing.

My father was a rifleman in G Co, 109th in the 28th during the Huertgen Forest and The Bulge. For years he had told me how thin the lines were, how they kept reporting the German movements, the confusion on the morning of the 16th and how our patrols had passed Germans patrols with neither side firing at each other in the weeks before. For years his story was not the one written in the history books. "To Save Bastogne" was the closest book I had read. Until now. While it doesn't discuss the 109th as much as I would like, it is far better than anything I've found. Before reading this book, you should be familiar with the broad outlines of the war in Europe, the situation in the fall of 1944 and the geography of the Ardennes region. You will not be disappointed.

I have been reading World War 2 books for well over 3 decades and I can sincerely say this book did the best job of describing the horrors faced by the American soldier at the beginning states of "The Bulge". Excellent account of the battle before the Bastogne siege. Well done!

Wouldn't you love to brew an Orval clone? Did you know there is actually more than one Orval beer brewed at the monastery (despite constant articles to the contrary)? There is actually enough information in this book - assuming you know what you are doing in the all-grain world - to pull it off. But you're going to have to introduce Brettanomyces into your brewery to do it ... and there's the awful temptation! As it is with virtually all Belgian beers, never mind the host of wild yeasts and bacteria that go along with them!

Add the wonderful, detailed brewing information to the history and stories and you get quite an unusual brewing book. It may be read for brewing purposes, as a casual read, for historical purposes, for cultural perspective, even for its religious content. Orval, of course, is just one of the Trappist breweries presented in the book.

Highly recommended. And I agree with another reviewer that this is the best book in this particular series.

This is another excellent book from Brewers' Publications. Non-brewers will find herein an engagingly written history of Belgian brewing both within and outside the monastary walls. You'll become acquaintaed with the brewers of Orval, Westveletren, Duvel, and others, their history, their personalities, and most importantly, their beers.
For those who are brewers, the book offers even more. Ingredients and specifications (gravity, IBU) are given for commercially available beers whenever possible (and the author has done a *lot* of homework to get his hands on this information). Additionally, full recipes are provided for various Belgian style and Belgian-inspired beers. Even better, the authors of these recipes explain *why* they formulated their recipes as they did, and the author supplements this advice with his own, with advice from professional brewers, and from BJCP judges. This enables the brewer to not just mimic the recipes he finds in the book (though believe me, they are definitely worth mimicing!), but to thoughtfully exercise his own creativity within the rich history and style of the Belgian tradition.
Beginning brewers will find a lot of technical information regarding krausening, PH adjustment, etc. that goes over their heads. But this shouldn't scare anyone off. The technical information is easy to skip over and there's enough in this book for readers of all levels.
This book represents the state of the art in knowledge regarding Belgian brewers and brewing. No matter how long you've been brewing, you will come away from this book entertained, sometimes surprised, and better informed.

Inspiring view into the brewing techniques of the Belgium beer. Outstanding historical look along with what is going on today. A must read if you are into the Belgians.

I highly recommend to this anyone who wants to learn more about Trappist and Trappist inspired ales. Very accessible and thorough.

Imagine that you-an experienced homebrewer-got to gather around a fire with some folks who had years of experience brewing versions of your favorite beer style. It would be hard to have a bad time, harder still not to come away a better brewer for it.
This friendly, if somewhat disorderly book is just that conversation. I love the complexity and depth of belgian strong beers. Occasionally, by dumb luck, I've brewed one. Other times, my efforts have been dull, or over-concentrated or just odd.
In these conversations, we get some clarity about yeast, malt, fermenters, temperature control and bottling.
I think the odds in my favor just went up. This is a book to mine for insights.

Lynn Hoffman, author of The New Short Course in Wine

Excellent writing, the content is very interesting. If you have been to the Huertgen, you can understand what a challenge it would be to recover these soldiers. Great work, Bill Warnock, and even greater that you mentioned Will Cavanagh. Terrific tour guide and writer!

I collect information and write about local servicemen who died in World War II. That's how I came across this book, just typed in the name of our town and the book came up as a reference. Just the title was intriguing. Little did I know I was going to discover what may be the best book concerning WW II that I've read, and we're talking hundreds! Bill Warnock is an excellent writer. I found myself feeling, smelling and hearing the sounds of the Belgium forests as the group went about their searches. He was able to introduce us to these men who had been lost, put a face on them if you will, the way I've tried to do with our local boys over the years so that the youngsters of today will see them as real people. His passion and devotion to "the cause" as well as the other men involved in this endeavor is overwhelming. I also was fascinated by the forensic information and about how the Henri-Chappelle cemetery was built and maintained . . . I had no idea how they kept the crosses so straight! I've ordered two more of the books for others, one for a friend and another for my son who's a history teacher. I wish every high school student in the U.S. was required to read this book, to see these fallen soldiers as like themselves but also understand that sometimes our government does do something right. I was pleased at the expense and respect that was expended even 60 years after the fact.

Bill:
Great book and a great testament to the members of the greatest generation who gave all during the battle of the bulge. A easy read and very informative. Known Bill since we were both kids but it has been a long time since I seen him. Your tireless pursuit of closure to the families of the MIAs from the Bulge is commendable. Your portrayel of the compassion that many locals still feel for for the American GI in Europe is very neat. Keep it up and write another book.

"The Dead Of Winter" by Bill Warnock, Subtitled: "How Battlefield Investigators, WWII Veterans, And Forensic Scientists Solved The Mystery Of The Bulge's Lost Soldiers". Chamberlain Bros. Penguin books, New York, 2005.

The subtitle sums up the entire book. Bill Warnock, however, has written a book that combines History with story-telling, with the science of forensics, with the lives of Americans and Belgians, and with the honor of being World War II veterans who had fought and bled in the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944. The book is excellent.

While serving with the United States Air Force, the author opts for an assignment in a small corner of Europe, near some of the more important battlefields of the Second World War. His life has not been the same since. His initial curiosity becomes what appears to be a life-long obsession, as Warnock and his Belgian friends search for the remains of those soldiers long since dead on the battlefield. But, it is not enough just to find the remains, Mr. Warnock follows through with modern techniques of identification of the deceased, and documents the entire process in an interesting and understandable fashion. While working on each individual solider, Warnock develops a story-book tale of how that individual lived prior to the war, how he entered the U.S. Army, and the probable cause of his death. It is surprising to me how many of the subjects of this book were members of ASTP, Army specialized Training Program. Further, I was surprised to see that my alma mater, Manhattan College (see page 238) had ASTP training. (Manhattan College is in the Bronx.)

Warnock's book is enjoyable and well documented. For example, Appendix B, entitled, "U.S. Army Dog Tags In world War II", had me pulling out my Navy dog tag (now fifty years old) for comparison. The dog tag had "...corners rounded and edges smooth" (page 286), with blood type and religion and service number, as in the appendix, but, in the left corner, mine had the term, "USN".

One little issue: page 118 had "... Camp Myles Standish near Taunton, Massachusetts." Myles Standish is about 30 miles, or so, from Taunton. The camp, now Myles Standish State Forest, IS located in the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, best known, I would think, for being the place where the Pilgrims came ashore in 1620.

This brilliantly written story follows the efforts of a group of people who dedicated themselves to locating the lost remains of the men who served with the 99th Infantry Division at the Battle of the bulge. THE DEAD OF WINTER begins with an introduction of two Belgian artifact hunters, Jean-Louis Seel and Jean-Philippe Speder who, in 1988, stumbled upon the remains and dog tags of an American soldier.

Readers will gain a true respect for the difficulty involved in researching, reconstructing and execution of actual artifact hunting undertaken by the dedicate group to find and identify the remains of American soldiers lost for half a century. For each of the soldiers that the team finds, Warnock gives the reader a detailed synopsis of his life (including excellent pictures of the soldiers and their surviving family members). Next he recreates how the soldier died on the battlefield and how he paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country. It is certainly a fitting tribute to these men and their accomplishments.

The author also gives an excellent overview of the contributions of the 99th Infantry to the Battle of the Bulge. The overview is supported by numerous first hand accounts. This covers the Bulge from the tactical, logistical and personal levels. Thanks to Warnock and his teams efforts, many lost members of the 99th Infantry have found their rightful place and final tribute.

The book is exceptionally well written and will be greatly appreciated by history lovers.

Dear Reader:
Although, Mr. Pallud's coverage of the German Offensive in Alsace is limited, he should realize that the U.S 14th Armored Division has the most Burials of any Armored Division on the Western Front in the 6 U.S ABMC white cross cemeteries. A total of 151 Burials and "Walls of the Missing" are commemerated in Western Europe. The second highest is the U.S 12th Armored Division with 150.
With the 8 Armored Divisions that fought in the Ardennes, the U.S 3rd Armored division has 149 and the U.S 9th Armored Division with 141 have the most burials and those commemerated on the "Walls of the Missing".
So, when you talk to a veteran of the U.S 14th and U.S 12th Armored Divisions about the "Battle of Hatten and Ritterhoffen and Herrlisheim", your talking to Veterens of 2 of the heaviest battles ever fought on the Western Front. When I met Colonel Hans Von Luck of the German 21st Panzer Division, author of "Panzer Commander", they nicknamed the U.S 14th Armored Division the "Blut Dirstig" Division or "Blood Thirsty" Division after the nightmarish and Terrifying 12-day battle of Hatten and Rittershoffen. Remember that the U.S 7th Army took heavy casualties from December 16-31, 1944 in the Siegfried Line which count for the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign. Sincerely, Dan Kneeland, Grafton, Ma.

If you are interested in Battle of the Bulge - buy this book and you're done.

The After the Battle magazine tells history by verifying the actual locations and circumstances of past incidents. The publishers have also issued a series of Then and Now volumes covering major battles of WWII. Of these, Battle of the Bulge Then and Now is generally considered the best, and nothing short of a monumental work on the Ardennes Offensive. Readers will be amazed with the amount of on-the-spot research done, as well as the general enthusiasm shown by the author. The book not only recounts historical events, but also takes the reader to the place of happening and identifies what really took place at the time. Anyone interested in military histroy must grab this one.

The After the Battle magazine tells history by verifying the actual locations and circumstances of past incidents. The publishers have also issued a series of Then and Now volumes covering major battles of WWII. Of these, Battle of the Bulge Then and Now is generally considered the best, and nothing short of a monumental work on the Ardennes Offensive. Readers will be amazed with the amount of on-the-spot research done, as well as the general enthusiasm shown by the author. The book not only recounts historical events, but also takes the reader to the place of happening and identifies what really took place at the time. Anyone interested in military histroy must grab this one.

As the title states, the objective of the Then and Now series is to bring history alive for the reader and traveler. In addition to the historical text, scenes depicted in actual combat movie film or still footage from both American and German forces are studied. The place where the film was taken is identified and another photo showing what the scene looks like today is juxtaposed along side the original. If one considers the effort behind such a task, one becomes immediately appreciative of the task undertaken by Jean-Paul Pallud in this nicely produced book. As the author states on several occasions, the notes and captions accompanying the film are often in error and the actual scene could be several kilometers away from what is noted. Indeed, Mr. Pallud must know the Ardennes like the back of his hand. The patience and effort that Pallud put into this publication is immense, and in that effort we can "relive" history through these photographs. Imagine being able to stand in the same spot that a tank was destroyed or where German troops stripped dead American soldiers of their clothing and possessions! I believe the high point of this book centers around Pallud's reconstruction of the destruction of the American armored column (a unit of the ill fated 14th Cavalry Group) on the Recht-Poteau road. Pallud proves that the Germans staged various scenes for the newsreels. He lays out the placement of the various vehicles on the road, based upon only the photographic evidence. Truly a fine piece of work. This book is a must for any serious student of the "Bulge".

I am so impressed with the John Adams DVD set and wonder what Tom Hanks and his crew could do with this beautiful Trilogy written by George Blackburn. Anyone know him well enough to send him the series?

In this, the concluding chapter of Canadian war veteran George G. Blackburn's superb three-volume eyewitness history of our northern neighbor's involvement in the war in Europe, we find a truly stunning successor to the previous two volumes. As with "The Guns Of Normandy" volume, we discover a masterful narrative punctuating the combination of dramatic life and death struggles contrasted with moments of drumming ennui or utter despair. For the Canadian soldier on the ground, the several months following the heroic and costly landing on D-Day were seemingly a coda, a time that seemed unreal because while they had the enemy on the run, the remaining elements of the Wehrmacht fought savagely and well in the ensuing period of time. So, although many of the allies felt it was all over but the shouting, especially after the re-taking of Paris and much of France, as Blackburn shows us from the ground grunt's view, it was anything but over and done with.

This volume picks up the narrative thread where the previous volume left it, with the much-vaunted Canadian 4th Field Regiment ordered in to relentlessly pursue the Germans as they retreated through the treacherous topography of the flooded French area known as the `Low Country'. As the pursuit ensued, the soldiers began to reach the limits of their physical and emotional endurance. And the battle as it unfolded before them promised no respite from the hellish demands posed by an enemy with no real thought of surrendering or fleeing. Yet, as they knock the Wehrmacht from its hastily devised defense perimeters within the Scheldt estuary again and again, they gradually succeeded in creating the conditions for re-opening of Antwerp, and thus helped to unleash the productive power and formidable logistics trail previously left hanging for want of such a large and capable deep-water port.

In the midst of all this, the Canadians, along with the rest of the Allied forces, had to suffer through the worst winter in decades in the European theater in the open and on the ground, and many died from such harsh exposure to the elements. Yet the Germans, fighting under these horrific conditions, still were able to mount savage resistance as they fought even more ferociously even as they began to understand how desperate their situation was. And as they beat the foe back yard by yard, mile by mile, back across the Rhine, the Canadians are enlisted in the increased fight once more in the Battle of the Rhineland, the final push toward the German heartland. And, as victory finally comes, Blackburn assures us it was indeed a bittersweet experience, felt equally with measures of pride and relief, knowing the unbelievable ordeal of the last several years was finally over.

As with his other books, here Blackburn relates his personal experience with a wonderfully literate and engagingly approachable writing style, and he surely uses his journalist's experience and his obvious facility with words to great advantage here, adding immeasurably to our understanding of what the experience on the ground was in as the first fatal hours and days turned into weeks and months of savage fighting, as the Allies bludgeoned their ways through the brutal resistance of a frenzied Nazi war machine. This is a story we should hear again and again, as we rediscover once more how truly amazing the feat of both the Canadians in particular, but all the Allies in general, stood tall in the very face of tyranny and smashed it into smithereens, saving the world from what has to be considered the face of absolute evil. Mr. Blackburn writes with surprising intensity and emotion, and his sense of recall of particular events and existential circumstances for himself and his fellows is both impressive and quite moving at points in his narrative. This is first person history at its best, one that employs both a more objective coda to the book, which also serves to lend a more authoritative aura to the proceedings than would otherwise have been possible. I recommend not only this book, but the other two volumes as well. Enjoy!

"The dream of going home will now actually come true. The thought is intoxicating. But try as you will, it is impossible to suppress the feeling that this is only a temporary pause before another push, or at least another training scheme - there has always been another." ~ George G. Blackburn ~

Mr. Blackburn, who earned his Military Cross (M.C.) for his effort in helping to save the Twente Canal Bridgehead in Holland, is truly a brilliant writer. "The Guns of Victory" is one of the most absorbing books I've ever read. His use of "You" instead of "I" is his way of transporting the reader into the war zone and gets the feeling that you are actually there experiencing the horrors of war.

This is the third and last volume of George Blackburn's engrossing trilogy of military books about World War II, which faithfully chronicles the last eight months of the war on the Western Front. This book is divided into four parts: Part One - September 6 thru November 8. It covers the Clearing of the Channel Ports and the Battle for the Scheldt; Part Two - November 9 through February 15, which traces the troops settling in the Nijmegen salient near Groesbeek. Part Three - February 8 through March 10 is all about the Thirty-Day Battle for the Rhineland. And the last part covers March 11 through May 15 about Crossing the Rhine to Sever Holland from Germany. It also contains sixteen pages of twenty-nine black and white glossy photos from National Archives of Canada including a nice photo of Groesbeek Windmill taken by the author himself. Groesbeek Windmill was used by Mr. Blackburn, a Forward Observation Officer of the 4th Field Regiment with the Canadian Army, as an observation tower during winter of 1944 and 1945.

Last year in May, Mr. Blackburn took a 'sentimental journey' and attended the 60th anniversary of the VE-Day and participated in the unveiling of a commemorative plaque in Groesbeek Windmill, and memorial services at the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery in Holland. He spoke with CTV News recalling his World War II experiences in the Netherlands saying: "We wished to God the Russians at that time would get to Berlin in time to defeat the Germans, so we wouldn't have to go back in it. But we knew that the end was going to be settled right there."

It was such a relief to read the last chapters of this World War II classic. It means the end of a nightmare and the achievement of victory, hence, "the resting of the guns." This is my very favorite from the trilogy for that simple reason alone. The last chapter of this book is entitled "The Resting of the Guns," wherein the Corps Commander, Divisional Commander, commanding officers, brigade commanders and all the infantry battalions participated in a solemn rite and saluted the guns before handing them over to the Dutch Government. The author described it as a "striking day of truth" and he was deeply touched with the simplicity and solemnity of this noble ceremony.

"As the first gun rolls slowly by, chuckling and clinking on its limber hook, there's a glowing awareness of just how deeply these cold, steel machines have endeared themselves to you. It's as though you're saying goodbye to old friends you shall never see again. . . then you hear a voice, as though from a great distance, saying: 'Well now . . . let's go and find something to drink.' And you realize the ceremony is over."

I salute Mr. Blackburn for writing his trilogy of books that are so moving and affecting, and to all his comrades, alive or deceased, for their heroic acts of courage, endurance, perseverance and bravery. They went to war to protect freedom and gain peace. They are truly the world's greatest heroes.

Mr. Blackburn is not just a good writer; he's an exceptionally great writer. He's also an award-winning composer having written a hauntingly beautiful and nostalgic "soldier's song" entitled "Are You Really There?" which he wrote for his wife, Grace Blackburn while he was in England during the war waiting for the invasion of France and overwhelmed by feelings of homesickness. The song conveys the sentiments of servicemen longing to be with their loved ones in the midst of war. The music video won three major awards: Silver Award at the 1999 Worldfest - New York, Silver Award at the 1999 Worldfest - Arizona, and Bronze Award at the 2000 CINDY Competition - California.

This book is a classic, a valuable piece of history and must be read by every generation. It merits my highest recommendation.

Not sure who all these Yankees are reviewing the quintessential Canadian war memoir, but they have good taste.

Written in the second person, this book is unique, but it doesn't end there. Blackburn has a rare ability to recall small details and the entire story rings with authenticity. His stories run the gamut, as all good war memoirs do, from the sad to the hysterically funny.

Second Canadian Division seems to have produced few authors (unlike the First Division, with Mowat taking the lead) but those few that have put pen to paper have been incredibly good. Whitaker and Williams were best when recounting the history of others, and this memoir stands out above any war memoir written by a Canadian in any single war. All three books in the trilogy are a terrific source of information about the Canadian Army in the Second World War.

And a stirring tale it is!

In a magnificent trilogy by a former junior officer in the Canadian Royal Artillery, George Blackburn records his experiences as a Forward Observation Officer (FOO), and those of the Canadian 2nd Infantry Division in general, in World War II's western European campaign. The first book, WHERE THE HELL ARE THE GUNS?, covers the training in Canada and England of Blackburn's unit, the 4th Field Artillery Regiment, from its formation in 1939 to June 1944. The second book, THE GUNS OF NORMANDY, describes the 4th Field's actions in support of the 2nd Division in northern France from early July 1944 to its arrival at the Seine River in late August. This final installment, THE GUNS OF VICTORY, chronicles the advance from the Seine into the Third Reich via the Benelux countries to VE-Day, May 8, 1945.

Should you read this series, you will, like me, come away with a heightened and supreme regard for the valor of the Canadian Army from D-Day to the end of the war and the value of massed artillery to the combat efficiency and survival of infantry units. Blackburn's personal account is perhaps the best description of men in modern war that I've ever read. The author's narrative is not a detached one. He brings you along into the mud, cold, rain, fatigue, terror, devastation, and apocalyptic arty barrages of the conflict's leading edge.

There are too many excellent passages to enumerate, but I shall give two examples.

At one point, Blackburn's observation post is in a Dutch windmill on the very border of Germany. As the Army brass plans the advance into the Reich, the author's vantage point becomes widely heralded as having the best view of the ground to be fought over, and to it, as if on pilgrimage, come the high and low, including Lt.-Gen. Guy Simonds, Commander of 2nd Canadian Corps, and Lt.-Gen. Brian Horrocks, Commander of British XXX Corps. But the interesting perception by Blackburn is the way the various officer ranks used battlefield maps.

"Corps commanders ... planning the best use of 450,000 men, swept open hands across map boards ... Division commanders and brigade commanders, reviewing the role of their brigades and battalions, stroke their maps with two fingers held together. Then come battalion commanders using a single finger for similar purposes in meetings with company commanders. But when company commanders returned with platoon commanders, maps were marked with razor-sharp pencils."

Much later, at a company command post, the author comes upon a Major Stothers and the Company Sgt.-Major opening parcels from home mailed to men already killed, the contents distributed to the survivors, and enclosed letters put into a pile.

"(Stothers) hands one across the table to you without comment. It is a hand-written note of only a few lines: 'Dear Son, the papers tell us that it is very wet where the Canadians are fighting now. So please, Dear, always be sure to wear your rubbers and keep your feet dry.' When you look up at Stothers, he tells you that her boy is the one lying dead outside the back door, face-up in the rain."

As the war's end approached, Blackburn had the reputation of being the longest surviving FOO in the Canadian Army, and 4th Field gunners, not without affection, had a pool going, the money to be won by the man who correctly predicted when the Baker Troop FOO (Blackburn) "got it". Lucky for us, George survived to pen his memoirs. By the end of the third book, I can even forgive him for writing in the second person, a quirk that, in WHERE THE HELL ARE THE GUNS?, almost put me off. But, in no one of the volumes, in the photo section of each, did the author include a wartime picture of himself. That's the only deficiency in an otherwise superb literary accomplishment.

To George, who recently celebrated his 88th birthday on February 3rd, and his comrades-in-arms, living and dead, highest honor is due.

Note: George Blackburn, through his son Mark, personally sent me all three of his books. Thank you, Sir.

Divided into sections including "City and People," "Canals," "Red-Light District," "Gay Amsterdam" and "Jewish Amsterdam," Manfred Wolf's wonderful new volume, "Amsterdam," is both travel guide to this quirky, classy, multi-cultural city, and an introduction to the writings of a number of Dutch literary greats. Through these samplings one is exposed to Dutch traditions of tolerance, freedom of expression, hatred of fanaticism, love of compromise and at the same time the occasional and peculiar manifestations of Dutch small-mindedness. It is the perfect book to accompany a visit to Amsterdam as well as the perfect volume for gaining insights into this imminently civilized city, if one lacks the opportunity to travel there. Don't miss it.

Anyone who has ever visited Amsterdam knows the curious magic of that city, its canal-lined streets, polyglot population, and unconventional mores. But few are aware of Amsterdam's rich literary life. Manfred Wolf brilliantly redresses that cultural gap in Amsterdam, A Traveler's Literary Companion.
In what may be the best in an excellent series, Wolf, Professor of English at San Francisco State University and leading expert on Dutch literature, introduces the reader to an Amsterdam of gaiety and sadness, beauty and squalor, hope and despair. The selections are arranged thematically and geographically and include "City and People," "Canals," "Red-Light District," "Gay Amsterdam," and "Jewish Amsterdam." Among the provocative essays and stories are Remco Campert's "Soft Landings," Hermine Landvreugd's "Staring out the Window," and Margo Minco's "The Return."
To read this fine collection is to come a step closer to overcoming what Cees Nottebom observes in the opening selection, "Amsterdam": "This is my city, a token for the uninitiated. She will never reveal herself to the outsider who does not know her language and history, because it is precisely language and names that are the keepers of secret moods, secret places, secret memories."

When I first learned of this collection of Dutch fiction, I was enthusiastic about the concept (a literary anthology for the traveler to Amsterdam) but at the same time a bit apprehensive about whether selections could be found which would give a taste of this historic and many-sided city without compromising either readability or literary merit. I needn't have worried. For the most part the translations are first-rate, and the short stories and excerpts from longer works are well chosen, both for quality and the information they convey about various aspects of the city. It is refreshing to see the work of eminent, but little-known (in the English-speaking world, at least) Dutch writers like Gerard Reve and Maarten `t Hart in English. The beauty of a book like this is that it can mentally prepare you for a visit to Amsterdam (or possibly even inspire you to plan one) in a much more subtle and ultimately more enjoyable way than any standard guidebook can do.

This is a rich and intruiging collection of Duch literature that should be of interest to anyone visiting Holland and seeking insight into the true culture of the country, which is far too often clouded by many popular stereotypes. I lived in Holland for two years and enjoyed picking out not only the references to familiar places, but also the small details of Dutch character, customs, history, and lifestyle that transported me back to the "real" Holland that only the Dutch--and insightful travelers--come to know. The selections are varied and of high literary quality in their own right, and are worth reading even if were one not planning a trip to Holland. But after finishing this book one might very well consider doing so.

I don't have a whole lot to add to these great reviews other than stating that this book deserves its current five-star rating. The excerpts are well-chosen and they really help the reader see into the lives of the Dutch from multiple angles. The fact that the excerpts are bite-size makes this an especially desirable book to take with you to read on the plane or in your hotel/apartment each night.

I am leading a group to the Netherlands next year and this will likely be required reading.

As a Southern California mystery writer, I genuinely enjoyed Mr. Bogner's previous novel, TO DIE IN PROVENCE. I was not aware of this follow-up novel, THE DEADLIEST ART, until I read a glowing review of it in THE LA TIMES. Now that I've read this new work, I can attest that that wise TIMES critic was correct. THE DEADLIEST ART is a winner. In this novel, Michel Danton is back on the scene. He is preparing to marry Jennifer Bowen, the American professor who saved his life in Bogner's previous book. Events intervene. An acid-scarred body of an American junior golfer is found on a beach and other murders occur. The police begin their investigation, and Bogner presents flashbacks of the criminals in alternate chapters. The flashbacks begin in Venice Beach in California, near my home turf. The story works. Bogner captures his settings pefectly. His characters are vividly drawn. THE DEADLIEST ART is an excellent crime fiction work.

Norman Bogner's new novel, "The Deadliest Art", is fantastic! It is a sequel to "To Die In Provence", but it can easily be read on its own. If you read this book, you'll definitely want to read the first book anyway. The story follows French detective Michel Danton as he struggles to honor his promise to his new bride to give up his dangerous work, while being presented with a case of unimaginable horror. The book alternates between the actions of the criminals and their pursuers in a non-synchronous manner that works perfectly. "To Die In Provence" was a great mystery, plunging one into the customs and culture of the South of France. "The Deadliest Art" surpasses it, with an even deeper immersion into French psyche and attitude, coupled with an exploration of the Venice of Southern California. As you are simultaneously drawn into the madhouse of the killers and Michel Danton's increasing desperation, you won't be able to put this book down!

While agreeing with the other readers' comments, I was most fascinated by the storytelling device that Norman Bogner invented in this novel: Unsynchronized chronology of converging stories. This differs from standard thriller technique in which the point of view swings back and forth between the good guy and bad guy like the arm of a metronome or clock pendulum, with the story driven by advancing time.

The novel opens in Provence, France, where Bogner reintroduces us to Det. Michael Danton and art historian Jennifer Bowen, now in a state of prenuptial bliss. Next, a continent away in Venice, California, Bogner introduces murderous Garrett Lee Brant "and his beautiful Eve" who are just stepping out for a millennium New Year's party hosted mammary-enhanced Heather Malone, Garrett's benefactor and sometime lover. Garrett is a frustrated artist who is fascinated by Gauguin, with whom he "holds regular conversations." (His back story reveals the ability to speak in a number of voices.) Garrett has received no recognition for his work on canvas but is enjoying enormous commercial success doing tatoos on the Venice (CA) boardwalk. Eve is skilled in the art of makeup. Switch to Provence where Michael is called to investigate a girl's body washed up on the beach. Switch back to Heather Malone's party, an upscale S&M affair. Heather introduces to Mr. Jan Korteman, a Belgian photographer who specializes in high-grade pornography. Eve makes her own moves and a four-way psychological sex drama unfolds.

And thus two "parallel" stories evolve, with Michael investigating the girl's death and consoling the parents and with Jan taking Garrett and Eve to live as his house guests in Belgium where they engage in a sinister artistic collaboration. The stories evolve asynchronously: The protagonists working slowly to stop the crimes that the antagonists have yet to commit. This yarn is not driven by the beat of a metronome. It is driven by the fascination of the reader who realizes that by the end of the book the two stories must converge. As the book begins to run out of pages, the antagonists' story accelerates and catches up with the protagonists, with fascinating and deadly results. Bogner has invented a new technique in thriller fiction: Converging stories told in warped time.

And as if this was not clever enough, Bogner throws in one final twist which will make the reader pinch himself, turn back to the first page and read the story once more. "The Deadliest Art" is high art, every bit as clever as "The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari."

Some might have said that Norman Bogner was playing bad poker and attempting to draw to an inside straight when he wrote `To Die In Provence' in 1998. After all, he was a writer of mainstream fiction -- Seventh Avenue, The Madonna Complex, California Dreamers, among others - and the Provence book is a mystery. But after you read it you find it is much more than a mystery. The major characters, Michel Danton, chief investigator for the Special Circumstances Section of the French Judicial Police, and Jennifer Bowen, an American art history professor, remain with you and breathe on, as well as a host of minor characters. You find that you want to know more and that is a sign of a good book. The author filled his straight and won the hand.
What is meant by `more than a mystery'? I mean that the author has widened the scope, brought more to the table. Mysteries usually present the good man or good woman, usually a detective or cop, who then pursues the bad guy who has perpetrated a crime on usually good folks. The progression is linear from start to finish with few detours. Subplots are usually absent along with any serious reflections from the hero, minor characters appear and disappear after they help the hero, the bad guys are caught, resolution is complete, and a new book will appear next year. Along the way it is sometimes difficult to suspend disbelief because the hero carries a 25 shot 6-shooter. Examples are MacDonald's Travis, Parker's Spenser, Grafton's Kinsey, Child's Reacher, White's Doc Ford and a thousand others. A lot of these are good men and women detecting, pursuing and catching the bad folks in very good books. I've read them and like them. Norman Bogner, on the other hand, takes a lot of time defining and exploring his characters. With precise use of literary hydrofloric acid he etches very real people in glass. Because the people are real they have flaws and sometimes the glass fractures because of internal struggles within the characters, as well as cracking under the pressure of the externals not under their control. The crimes, along with the accompanying mystery/detective motif, the setting in southern France, and the pyscho-killer, presented in `To Die In Provence' act as a catalyst to bring the strengths and weaknesses of Michel and Jennifer, as well as others, to the surface and we see them struggle and reflect and we wince and fret over them and we want them to `grow out of it' and overcome. We want to know the answer to the question, `If it doesn't kill you, does it make you stronger'?
Bogner uses the same deft strokes to paint the canvas of his settings and the minor characters evolving in the background. Whether we want to or not we painlessly and relentlessly learn about the town of Aix-en-Provence, a good French restaurant, food, wine, and the friends, acquaintances, and parents of Michel, the French Judicial system, and, most surprising and different, how a killer operates and what makes him tick within the clock of the mystery. As one reads larger, more encompassing, questions surface. How is a man's behavior affected by his origin? How can a rich young girl-woman be captivated by a killer? The latter, of course, is the `Manson' question. If you want to know how the author answers these, read the book
After an intervening book, `Honor Thy Wife', a `mainstream' novel, Norman Bogner has returned with another compelling mystery, `The Deadliest Art.' The author, not content with leaving Michel and Jennifer in literary limbo, brings them back in an even more intricate plot. While it is nice to have read the previous book, it is not at all necessary for Bogner, with wide reach and skill, reintroduces you with great detail. And a whole new set of questions is asked while the `mystery' evolves. A young girl's body washes ashore near Aix-en-Provence. Her back is disfigured. Why? Thus, the mystery is triggered. Danton takes charge of the investigation and the backgrounds change, ranging from the back alleys of San Antonio, Texas, to Bruges in Belgium, the ever present Provence in France and, finally, to Venice, California. Again we relentlessly but painlessly learn about art, food, places and people, French and American cultures and, amazingly, tattoos. While the mystery unfolds and the murders pile up so do the larger questions. Bogner attacks the question of why, especially in America, are we so intent on being someone else, where is the benefit in illusion, what is art, and where are we going. Along with this the author has created a killer and his accomplices so diabolical and sociopathic and tied and knotted them to art in such a clever way that future villains may be defined as Bogner-esque in scope. When the book finally and fittingly ends, it ends with exploding revelation in Venice, California. Today, standing on the Venice Boardwalk in front of the Small World Bookstore, both of which front the frequently polluted Pacific Ocean, one can watch the unending parade of current American Culture before you in all its glory. One can only smile and nod one's head at the author's choice of a concluding locale. And one realizes that `The Deadliest Art' has presented us with a slice of American culture presented as a reflection of ourselves. Whether we want to or not. If one has read `From Dawn To Decadence' by Jacques Barzun, that giant tome, or Morris Berman's, `The Twilight Of American Culture', or watched 95% of recent American movies or television, one cannot help but see the undercurrents in `The Deadliest Art.' The author has succeeded again in giving us not only a compelling mystery but a compelling novel. More important, he has asked tough questions. If you read one book, you'll want to read the other.

This is my first Michel Danton mystery novel, and I will definitely be reading the first book in this series, "To Die In Provence" and be keeping an eye out for future Michel Danton mystery novels. Hard edged and gripping, this kind of mystery novel is not my usual fare, however I was quickly won over and found it quite difficult to put this book down. The identity of the murderer and his cohorts is known from the very beginning, so that this mystery novel is not so much about the authour engaging the reader to play armchair detective; rather "The Deadliest Art" is more of a psychological study about the workings of a deranged mind, and of the sway that this mind has over those that come into contact with it.

Michel Danton is busy preparing for his upcoming marriage to Jennifer Bowen, keeping his quarrelsome chef-parents in check, getting to know his about-to-be mother-in-law, and regretfully contemplating his resignation as commander of the Special Circumstances Section of the Police Judiciare (he had promised Jennifer that he's give up his very dangerous job for something a little more sedate), when a body of a young girl washes up on one of the beautiful Provence beaches. A check with missing persons reveals that the body is that of 13 year old Caroline Davis, an American who had been on holiday with her parents in Bruges, and who the Belgian police believe was kidnapped by unknown American woman. A preliminary autopsy reveals that the girl had been sexually assaulted, and that her body had been disfigured by some kind of acid wash. To Michel, it becomes obvious that the girl had been specially selected for whatever horror she had been put through. With little to go on, Michel and his team begin sifting through every little piece of information that they can get at, hoping for a breakthrough, when they receive news that there been two more kidnapping attempts. But the women involved in each kidnapping seems to be a different one. Is there a whole bevy of crazed women on the loose kidnapping young girls? Michel would like to be able to concentrate on his upcoming wedding, but finds his attention continuously being taken up by this strange murder-kidnapping case. Will he be able to catch the mind behind this criminal spree before another girl turns up dead?

"The Deadliest Art" has two plot-lines that work quite independently of each other until they intersect in the last few chapters, and Norman Bogner does a wonderful job of juxtaposing each plot line without missing beat. One plot line deals with the police investigation and Michel's upcoming marriage ceremony. The other plot line deals with the murderer's life, motivation, the murderer's losing grip of reality, and the spell that the murderer casts on all those around. Eventhough the murderer's identity is revealed within the first few chapters, I'll not go into too much depth about this particular plot line, because it was this plot line that was gripping and held my interest. I do wish however that Norman Bogner had spent a little more time on the police investigation of this kidnapping-murder than he had done. Uncovering the sad, bizarre and shocking history of the murderer lent a touch of horror to this mystery novel that was engrossing, but I would have enjoyed it a lot more if he had concentrated more on the police investigation that he did on Miche Danton's private life.

Nitpicking aside, "The Deadliest Art" is an engrossing read, and worth all it's rave reviews.