History Books

I did not want this book to end! It is a fascinating, fair, well-written book about all of the Kennedy women, their men, and the lives they led. I gained new insight, especially, into Kathleen Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy, and matriarhc, Rose.

"For the most part Rose grandchildren observed and respected and obeyed her, tiptoeing around her life as if she were an exquisite piece of porcelain. She had led such a decorous life, blocking out the untoward, the ugly, and the unacceptable, that her eyes no longer saw the darker colours of the spectrum. "Pat drank a bottle of wine in the morning," Rose was told. "That's impossible" Rose replied, Pat doesn't drink"

I was glad that I read this book because it has helped me to understand so much more about this so much talked about family. In Mr. Leaner's book we get to know about the Kennedy women's personal thoughts and the correct stories of the daughters and daughters-in-law. Mr.Leamer has given us indept portraits of these women and my favourite is Rose Kennedy the Matriarch of the family. For Rose was a woman so strong and who suffered great disloyalty by her husband which she took all gracefully all for the sake of her family and what she supposed the public expected of them. She was a stern Catholic and gain her strength through her prayer and trust in God.
Also portrayed are Joan Kennedy; Ted wife who had a problem with alcohol. Jackie Kennedy Onnassis; the President's wife who remarried after the President's death to a Greek tycoon. Pat Lawford; married to a Hollywood star and spent most of her time in Los Angeles. Eunice Shriver, who was always working for the handicapped and underprivileged and was one of the Kennedys with great patience and common sense. Ethel Kennedy, Robert Kennedy's widow and Jean Smith.
The Kennedys pushed their tragedies to the inner recesses of their minds.They refused to let others see the negative side of their lives, and carried their problems and burdens inwardly taking pains not to show their broken hearts. To some this might seem pretentious, but they honestly had their reasons. After all they were special in the eyes of America.
Whenever tragedy struck it was not unusual for them to suddenly get physical by taking walks, riding, swimming and any form of exercise. Rosemary the eldest daughter who was mentally retarded was isolated from the public eye and sent to Wisconsin where she was looked after by those of the Sacred Order. This book has helped me to understand so much more about the choices they made and the reason they made them, though tragedy seem to follow them everywhere.

Mr. Leamer has pulled out all the stops in the brilliantly written book, and I would not hesitate to read anything by him in the future. Bravo! Bravo! Heather Marshall 04/04/04

This book arrived in good condition and in a timely manner just like the seller promised! A++

I found this book about the Kennedy family women a very interesting read. The only problem with it is that it is so long. At over 900 pages Mr. Leamer could have written three books and had them in instalments about one pericular Kennedy family women instead of tying to write so much about so many interesting people.

This book relates details of the lives of the many Kennedy women, from Bridget Murphy Kennedy, born in Ireland, through Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy's daughter. Leamer describes the rise of the Kennedy family from the hard luck tales of newly-arrived Irish immigrants through the dynasty years in Hyannisport. While the book presents many of the historical events of the lives of political Kennedys, the viewpoint is always that of the women, and how these events affected their lives. We hear about the Kennedy women's efforts in John's political campaigns, or how the stress of campaigning contributed to Jacqueline's miscarriages. Leamer includes both women born as Kennedys and women who became Kennedys by marriage. Much of the book, however, focuses on two women who married into the Kennedy family, Rose Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The book is also about the family structure of the Kennedy's and portrays some of the sinister aspects of Joseph Kennedy as well as the positive traits.

Many times I've heard the Kennedy family referred to as a "dynasty". However, it has never been clear to me why an American family would be called a dynasty. In this book, Leamer describes why this group of people is more than simply a family. He describes the relations between Joseph Kennedy's children, and how Joseph and Rose's parenting style contributed both to their children's closeness and competitiveness, and how their own aspirations were realized in the accomplishments of their children. He also relates the difficulties that Jacqueline had as an outsider in establishing a position in the family. The book provides a unique viewpoint on the political events of the 1950s and 1960s whose legacy continues to permeate our society.

This book is brilliant, able to be humorous and entertaining even as it takes you into some of the darkest moments of our time. The juxtaposition of the AIDS crisis in America and the War in Lebanon is an effective choice, it creates a new perspective to two very emotionally difficult and recent parts of our history that we are still collectively coming to terms with. as a gay lebanese-american i found the voices of Alameddine's characters to be particularly haunting. Mr. Alameddine is an exciting and daring writer and I anxiously anticipate his new works while re-reading his currently published books.

Chronicling the effect of AIDS and war on the denizens of Beirut, Alameddine's dazzling novel has been cursed by a bland bookjacket. Blending humor and emotional depth, the story achieves an interpretation of the everyday chaos of life. If you're searching for something uplifting and stimulating to read, this is the book.

I guess there is not much I can add, but being an Arab gay the book really touched me. A friend recommended me the book, so I recommended it to everyone of my friends.

The author is daring, you won't see that every day. Hope to see more books like this one. Every person should read this book.

I received this book as a birthday gift. As a Lebanese person, I found this book extremely enlightening and charming. It was everything I always felt, since I shared with the author a similar experience of growing up during the war times in Beirut. This book brought back old memories that are both painful and joyful.

Mr Alameddine's style is impeccable. You fly from character to character, from reality to dreams, to fiction, and then back to reality. His depiction of the Lebanese culture in the "play" he wrote about the two lebanese women in Paris is hilarious and unfortunately very true.

I think every Lebanese person should read this book. It connects very well with any person who grew up in two different cultures. It is time for our culture to face reality and deal with the issues of homosexuality and AIDS. I ordered Alameddine's next book "The Perv" and I can't wait to receive it.

Coming from a Lebanese-American family and living in Washington, I was interested in what Alemeddine was putting together in this book. Although it took me some time to touch each narrative to its central character -- there're quite a few central characters here -- I found the treatment of their separate but eerily similar situations sensitive and sensual. This is definitely worth reading, and I would hope that more English-speaking Lebanese and Lebanese-American writers come forth with valuable works.

Christopher Moore has cornered the market on light religious satire with his "Lamb" and after having given this gift twice and losing a losing a third, loaned copy, it feels safe to say that if you're looking for a gift for someone with a sense of humor, shop no further. The book stands well on its own but the faux-bible cover and gilt page edges could easily make this one of the most prized elements of any home library. You WILL NOT be disappointed.

Christopher Moore is an excellent fictional writer, i loved his book "Dirty Job" and when i read the synopsis on Lamb i had to have it, i was happy to find the leather bound "bible" eddition here on amazon and the book came in perfect condition, great read for Moore fans.

Given to me to read by a friend, I could not put it down. Very few books outside the Catcher & The Rye have ever pulled off the first person narrative so well. I am giving this out to all of my brothers & sisters (7 of them) for Christmas.

I've purchased this book 4 times. The first time I bought it, I was browsing in a bookstore. I'd never heard of Christopher Moore before. Initially, the cover caught my attention. Then, I read the title and knew I had to buy it. (I have a sorta twisted sense of humor.)

By page 10, I had gone out to buy the book a second time for my Dad (He's twisted too - I got it honestly). This book is LAUGH-OUT-LOUD funny. Imagine someone on the bus reading what looks like the bible - laughing involuntarily as they read. I'm sure many dirty looks and prayers were sent my way on those days.

I finished Lamb, and gifted my previously read copy to my uncle - which gave me an excuse to buy a fresh new copy to read again. Then, I bought a fourth to have in reserve just in case I come across someone else to give it to - or keep for myself in mint condition (don't you just LOVE gilded pages?).

I won't write about the plot, characters or details of the book - I hate spoilers. All I will say is that this was the best book I have read in a long time. The subject matter, storyline, and Moore's writing style all culminate in a great reading experience. I have made it a point to read all of his other novels.

A first timer of Moore, I got this when I read the first few chapters while at a friend's house. I tell you, the opening paragraph is all you need to become hooked.

Moore's work is painstaikingly true-to-earth, making Jesus [Joshua] a more human-esque, loveable and a believable saviour then anything I've ever read. Biff, his childhood friend, is the classic sidekick, but with more originality then a beta fish. [Try and make sense of that one] Overall, Moore's work is a stunning, beautiful, well-crafted piece of literature that everyone should get.

Especially when it's a book that looks as nice as this one!

This book was written in 1959 by a young French Jewish man who fought with the French resistance, was himself imprisoned, and somehow survived the holocaust. Mythical and artistic and touched with a bit of magic realism, it is the story of the persecution of the Jews in Europe in the context of history dating back to the eleventh century. The basic premise is a fictional Jewish myth of 36 just men, one from each generation, who absorb the burden of humanity's suffering so that mankind can survive.

The first third of the book relates one gruesome story after another, all the in the context of Jewish persecution as it moves through different historical periods, with some of the stories even including a bit of humor. It gave me the feeling of the inevitability of Jewish suffering and how long it has been going on. Once this concept is firmly established we are soon in the beginning of the twentieth century and are introduced to a family in the Polish ghetto. Each one becomes an individual and I was drawn into the personalities, especially the courtship and marriage of a young couple who later figure prominently in the story. We watch them move from Poland to Germany and then to France, each time hoping for a better life. We meet their grandchild, Ernie Levy, as a child in Germany, suffering the mental and physical violence of his schoolmates. Later, we see him as a young man in France, as the Nazi war machine moves in. Always, we are aware of the realities of history and the horrors that still await him as he gradually realizes his fate as the "last of the just men". Eventually he and the woman he loves await death in a concentration camp surrounded by Jewish children who have all lost their parents. I shuddered throughout at the awfulness of it all. But I just couldn't stop reading.

This book is a small masterpiece and a literary gem. Yes, it is sad. It is very sad. And yet, there is beauty in it too, and love and courage. I will never forget the impact it had on me. I give it my highest recommendation. It is a true work of art.

An immensely illuminating and personal history of the Jewish people. It educates and elicits emotional response. Brilliantly written. Essential for anyone interested in Jewish history.

The Last of the Just
THis novel ,in my opinionis the greatest,most moving and most unllifting book about the holocaust ever written; about a jewish boy ,a just man ,in the midst of NAzi Germany and finally the concentration camps.The belief that there a a finite number of Just men ,who keep the balance of goodness in the world, in any given generation and the holocaust ,by killing them tipped a cosmic balance is a powerful . I first read it over 20years ago and I have never forgotten it .It is one of the world's great books .
I have just replaced my copy { my old one stolen by book lover]because it bears a re read often to remind us all of us may be "just men/womenTHe world can then will be a better place . Read this book to remind yourself of your humanity and that of others who suffer .

My father got me this book and it took me a few years to get around to reading it. After I did, I found "The Last of the Just" to be quite a memorable story, to say the least. Once you get a couple of chapters into the story, it becomes emotionally gripping as you begin to get to know the characters. The story weaves together fiction and legend against a historical backdrop. The writing is poetic, haunting and beautiful. To me, the spiritual and emotional depth of this novel is unmatched. I plan to read this again some time, after taking some time to digest the entirety of this story. This book is definately a first-class work of art in my opinion.

This book is a deeply personal account of a Jewish family in the 19th and 20th centuries. Part of it's power comes from following the lives of the family well before the holocaust began... thus showing that anti-semitism was not only a Nazi trait and making the continually worsening conditions even harder to bear in contrast to their lives before. Ernie Levy, our main anti-hero, is so real. Every moment of his roller coaster of life is so charged with real emotions and desires that you cannot help but be 100% invested in what happens to him. The paragraph on the final page is possibly one of the most powerful in all of literature. I finished this book two days ago, and am already ready to read it again. It is a cleansing, miraculous experience.

Jim Clary's "The Last True Story of the Titanic" is the real deal. With the same meticulous eye for detail that he puts into his maritime paintings, Clary gives the reader the best picture yet of what actually happened on that fateful night in 1912. Leaving little to conjecture, he builds the components of his story from both common and little known facts, as well as eyewitness testimony from survivors. His writing style is highly readable yet technically accurate, a fact which will satisfy both casual readers and the most critical Titanic junkies. The accompanying illustrations and paintings by the author are simply the icing (no pun intended) on the cake.

This is an excellent and true account of the events as we can determine. An excellent read. It presents the facts of that fateful night and sheds light on the myths.

Enjoyed the view of a maritime artist who delved into a lot of detail that many others ignored or considered unimportant. The sweat that went into the building of the Titantic is fascinating. I found the uncaring attitude of the passengers and crew while the ship was going down amazing.

James Clary's book like the word "titanic" itself, is of enormous magnitude. To chronicle the events of this great disaster, and to do so in such a detailed, thoughtful way is truly an outstanding feat. I learned so much from the book, and was especially impressed with the painstaking research, and the crisp rhetoric.

This book delivered exactly what I was looking for regarding what really happened to the Titanic. Although Mr. Clary goes into significant detail, the book is never bogged down by facts and figures. It is with a unique blend of fact finding and a keen writing skill which made me feel as if the author were there himself as the story unfolded. Break out a bottle of champagne. This book will defiantly be christened as the final word on what actually happened to the grandest ocean liner ever known!

The part that most struck me was when he wrote "Before the war would end, little Austria would supply nearly half of the staff of all Nazi concentration camps and death camps." and the story he tells of being a boy in Vienna in March 1938 "when Hitler entered the city and found a quarter of a million people rapturously cheering him". He says his cousin Sonja still lives in Vienna "where the citizens now call themselves victims....hoping to keep their secret from the rest of the world". Hitler was an Austrian and so was the head of the Gestapo Kaltenbrunner and many many other Nazi's.

I've read several books about the holocaust,whether their authors were survivors of the death camps, survivors on the run, or even non-Jews who helped others survive by hiding them. This book was an incredible story. His escapes were brave and amazing. I'm always looking for more stories such as this, it is amazing to me, there are so many stories, I want to know them all. If you have any other recommendations, e-mail me at Stacy1212@aol.com. Great book, must read.

I just finished this book, I coulnt beleive the outcome of it.It was so shocking to hear all of this. I couldn't put it down. Im very interested in the Holocaust, even though im not a surviver, but it is so interesting on how people were back in WWII, it amazes me that people had to go through all of this..I would diffently reccommend this. Thanks to Leo and Michael, to share such a tragic story and a big and unhumian peice of your life, a peice of history..Best Wishes

an incredible story about the human spirit and the will to live against all odds.

Well, the writer is my Grandpa. I am 10 years old so I read it early. My mom helped me out a lot. But thats not exactly a bad thing! Everytime I came to a word I didn't know she would tell me. My mom really could help because my mom was even the one who read it and edited it so she was one of the first, and that really helped because she knew the whole story. I first thought it wasn't such a bad tradgedy of what he did, but after I accually read it, I really changed my mind! If you have not read it, you really got to. Even if you are ten like me, try and you will really like it! Expeccially read it if you like biographies and autobiographies, cause this is an autobiography! Even if you don't like non-fiction, read it anyway! This is so cool that it sounds impossible, and im it sounds impossible it's as fiction as any other book!

The copy of the book which I got was really tattered and scribbled all over.
I am not really with it.

This is by far the best Abe book out there...actually makes "learning" fun!...be careful about loaning this one out!

This is the best book on Lincoln I have ever read. A true joy to read.

Knowing little other than the obvious facts about Lincoln, I was amazed, entertained, and simply captivated by this Carnegie masterpiece. Lincoln's poverty-stricken childhood, his lackluster days as a lawyer, his love of poetry, his political career - it's all covered in great detail and conveyed in a very appealing and straightforward style. Carnegie's research and dedication towards this book are deservedly well-applauded. The story of how this very mortal man became so admired, so loved, and such an American icon is simply priceless. This monumental work is a must-have for anyone's collection.

THIS BOOK WAS GIVEN TO ME . THE COPY I HAVE IS THE 1932 PRINTING . I KNOW NOW HOW LUCKY I AM TO OWN IT AFTER FINISHING . IT WAS VERY HARD TO PUT DOWN . OTHER BOOKS I HAVE READ ABOUT HIM DIDN'T TOUCH ON HIS GENTLENESS AND HOW IT AFFECTED NOT ONLY HIS MARRIAGE BUT, THE WAR. SOMETIMES I THINK NOW, HE WORRIED TOO MUCH ABOUT OTHERS FEELINGS . SUCH AS INEPT GENERALS AND THAT LUNATIC WIFE , MARY TODD WHO'S TEMPER TANTRUMS WERE INFAMOUS. LIKE HE HAD ENOUGH " ROCKS IN HIS SACK " WITHOUT STRIFE AT HOME. I SO PITY HIM , EVEN NOW THAT HE IS BEYOND ALL CARES AND WOE . GOD BLESS YOU SIR AND GIVE YOU THE PEACE THAT SO ELUDED YOU HERE ON EARTH .

Very down to earth, practical book about living the Christian Faith. Archbishop Chaput is a very holy man who knows how to get his point across to everyone. I highly recommend it

This was a gift and replacement order. This is a fabulously interesting, inspirational, and readable book! I had loaned my original out so often that it needed to be replaced, plus I bought several for gifts. I will read this book many more times! Living the Catholic Faith: Rediscovering the Basics

Addressing both those Catholics who adhere to Church teaching and just need a refresher, and those Catholics are happy to be "cafeteria Catholics" accepting those tenets of the faith that comfortably fit their lifestyles while rejecting those they find challenging (or as one reviewer put it "out of touch") Archbishop Chaput presents a concise teaching of Catholic belief which is essential to these times. He explains what we believe, why we believe it and the negative repercussions of deviating from these parameters. He builds up belief from the theological to the practical. From what we believe about God to its significance in our daily dealings with our neighbor.

Contrary to his critics, Archbishop Chaput is not the least out of touch, in fact the book is peppered with annecdotes from popular culture as well as annecdotes from classical works. He very ably discusses current affairs, and he insightfully points out just where the world is going off-course.

Archbishop Chaput is one of the stars among the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. He speaks clearly, concisely and without fear of offending people with the truth.

This book is well worth your time.

I am a doctoral student in Theology, so I have read much deeper explanations of many truths of the faith and explorations of how to live it. I don't want to read heavy theology all of the time, though; sometimes I just want something light and entirely oriented towards my practice of the faith. This book hit the spot. My wife and I read it concomitantly and it has really energized us and given us a lot to talk about. We are both cradle Catholics and very informed, but everyone needs continual spiritual nourishment. While the book might not have taught us anything "new" per se, it provides a great vision of the faith overall and very helpful vignettes and action points to indicate how to live as a Catholic in the modern world. As the book unfolds, it enters into some of the typical stumbling blocks that Catholics have (e.g. why priest don't marry, why contraception and NFP are different). Again, not much new or different from the academic explanations I've heard, but the approach is much more engaging than most. Chaput simply unfolds the beauty of the Catholic faith in a convincing way.

I think the book is at its best in its emphasis upon mission/evangelization in the modern world. We often think that families are not capable of this--this is for crazies willing to take vows and give up everything. Taking the cue from Vatican II and recent Church teaching, Chaput insists that the family is the domestic Church capable of cultivating heroic holiness, and the laity are the primary interface between the Church and the world. We Catholics aren't as good as our separated Protestant brethren at inviting others to consider our faith, but I was challenged to do this in the ways recommended by the book.

Given my studies and goals, I am likely to find myself teaching introductory courses on Christianity or the Catholic Church. I will most likely try to use at least portions of this book to cover the basics of Christianity in a compact, informative, but attractive way. I would also recommend this as reading for engaged couples. Due to the family-oriented nature of the book, it might not be as useful for teenaged audiences, which might not care for this perspective as much.

I highly recommend this book--it will enrich you and challenge you to live Christ and be Christ to the world!

Anyone who follows any type of sports knows that the best teams or players, year in and year out are those that have most clearly mastered the fundamental basics of the sport. For years in American College football, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Alabama dominated the sport. These teams accomplished their goals, not by doing anything fancy or unusual but by simply lining up and running over their opponents. Put another way, they won by relying on the basics. Many Catholics, including myself could learn a valuable lesson from these football teams as we try to live our Catholic faith.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has written a playbook to allow us as Catholics to get back to the basics of our faith and to more fully appreciate the scriptural authority behind these core teachings of the Church. He does this in a very appealing and straightforward way that is easy to understand and very easy to read. There is no heavy theological jargon nor are there any unexplained Latin terms in this book and even someone who is totally unfamiliar with the Catholic Church will have no trouble grasping the Archbishop's points.

To his great credit, the Most Reverend Chaput takes on the issues he discusses head on and never swerves to avoid hurting someone's feelings. Almost any Catholic who reads this book will find that at least some of the author's arguments hit mighty close to home. The author also takes on the hard issues like abortion, contraception and suicide, issues that may be controversial in some quarters but which are at the heart of the Church's teachings on the sanctity of human life. The learned author also takes the time to explain in very clear terms some of the most basic tenants of the Christian faith and I found his point by point discussion of the Ten Commandments to be very enlightening.

The Archbishop does all of this while relating it to the world that we live in today. I found his analogy of two twentieth century films to be particularly poignant and to be charged with unpopular truth. Sometimes the truth hurts but it does us a world of good in the long run.

This book is highly relevant to the world today and especially to Catholics facing the challenges of the twenty-first century. The good Archbishop has given us a wonderful blueprint to follow as we try to live our faith and spread the gospel to the whole world.

This is an excellent book. It really shows you how being a Christian makes sense.

Mr. Colson gives an excellent argument on his experience with the Watergate scandal. He illustrates how if Jesus Christ were just a scandal, then Christianity would have caved-in with the apostles and the first believers long ago.

Neat book.

It is a must for christian reader. Very moving and crystal clear message of what constitute Christian message.

Inspirational writer, Chuck Colson, delivers a heartfelt and moving book about loving God. He refers to R.C. Sprouls "Holiness of God" dvd series, which is a class I'm taking at my church right now. I couldn't put the book down & read it in two days.

This is a wonderful book whether you are Christian or not. It really depicts what Loving God really is. This book has helped me make my decision for Christ. There are many stories inside that really depicts the foundations for loving God. Chuck Colson has incorporated many wonderful testimonies that truly depicts how wonderful this God is.

I appreciate Colson's heart and where he has been in his life. This book is chock-full of stories of his life and ways we can learn to love God. There were a few chapters that seemed to bog down, but overall it's a good read and worth the time.

When Dan Shapiro was 21 he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer that automatically changed his life and left him with the typical battles of chemotherapy, surgery and all its side effects. Yet being the son of delightful, highly energetic and incredibly optimistic parents helped him battle the odds and exceed the life expectations the doctors set for him. The title of the book comes from his mother actually growing marijuana to help with the anorexia and nausea that his chemo sessions left him with. Though not a drug advocate, mom is an expert gardner and grows bushes of cannibus that would make any drug user happy for the rest of his life. His parents help is always to the extreme and its hilarious the measures they take to ensure that their son's cancer not take over his life.
The other wonderful part of this story is just the progression that he makes with each chapter- finding love, graduating medical school, buying a house, and of course beating the disease. Shapiro is warm, compassionate, yet downright hilarious. I couldn't help but read outloud some of the passages to my boyfriend such as when his parents decide he should donate his sperm, or when his mom tells his new girlfriend that they have pot drying in their attic. This book is just wonderful. You will have no problem enjoying it.

A must read if you've ever known anyone diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease.

Helped me understand what my own son was enduring.

My 19 year old son is going through cancer treatment, and by chance a friend loaned me this book. It is a wonderful reference for anyone who has a young relative going through cancer treatment.

I picked this book up in the biography section of my library.
I was about to have my knee operated on and wondered if I could find a good book to read during the days in bed not moving. Well, I was moved by this book.
It is one of the best books I have ever read.
You almost feel like you know Dan through his setbacks and triumphs.
You'll laugh. You'll cry. You will fall in love with this wonderful book.

You might think that the title of my review refers to this man's life changing experience, but in fact I'm speaking of the life changing experience that has been reading this book. Dan Shapiro truly is a brilliant man and he wrote a complex, insightful book. I think the title is misleading, but the story more than makes up for it. It's almost as if the book is interactive; it makes you think back about many things, and can be very humorous at times. When he said he knew his daughter wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for his mother's talking to a stranger, it took me a while to realize he was talking about the woman in that first waiting room telling his mother to save sperm. I like that, that way that Daniel Shapiro has about writing this book. It was one of my favorite books, if not my favorite book, that I have ever read, and I would absolutely love to see a sequel of some sort. (This is the kind of book that once you're finished reading you feel like you've known the author all your life and you wish to meet him.)