Buccaneer Books

I somehow tragically managed to make my way to adulthood with never reading anything but the kiddie version of this book. When I found this book for super-cheap in the teachers' lounge book sale and I figured "hey, why not?" And thus I picked it up and immediately fell in love with the sheer Old-South charm that only Twain can deliver. Really, people, it is no wonder that this book is such a classic! It may not have the soulful human reflections of "Huckleberry Finn", but in the solemn concern for the pleasures of boyhood it certainly makes its own mark.

Mark Twain tells the story purely from a storyteller's view. No deep analysis of character that takes you right inside of Tom Sawyer's psyche, nothing blatantly philosophical. It is as if Mr. Twain lives to simply tells us into what trouble Tom is getting. He does not go out of his way to give lengthy, dull descriptions or even fully flesh out the details of just what Tom and his friends are doing. It gives it a charming, folksy style that allows for plenty of plot and action. Even, so the writing is unparalleled.

And it truly is a great story. It's fun! I don't know how many poor students have been tricked into believing it is not. It has all the great elements of a good boy story, what with the murders and buried treasure and faked deaths and hoodoo--not to mention the delight taken away by discovery of bacteria.

I'm also a huge fan of this Whole Story edition. It's beautiful, easy to carry around, and I guess I'm a sucker for the documentary feature.

Fantastic, fun story. Everyone should read it.

These audio books help children that are having trouble with the written word. I also use them in the car, so each trip we hear more of the story. The kids love them and I think it makes them interested in reading.

To understand America in the nineteenth century, you must understand Tom Sawyer. His life, so full of adventure set amidst the bustle of a changing nation, is in many ways the dream of nearly all male children. To spend your time swimming in the creek, gathering "treasures" and eating goodies is truly the good life. Tom's romance with Becky is also the way it is with most boys. Girls are universally considered to have some kind of contagious disease, when I was young, they had cooties, until you see that one perfect girl that you will share everything with.
The wonder and mischief of Tom and Huck are captured in this book, superbly illustrated by Michael Ploog. Tom is wide-eyed, freckled and has bulbous cheeks. Huck has a pointed nose, bright eyes and a suitably scruffy demeanor. With the exception of Sundays, the boy's clothes consist of a series of patches sewn over rags. This book is an excellent introduction to what is the tale of American youth of the nineteenth century, very appropriate for classes in English. Of course, after covering this book, the students should be required to read the original.

This book is a great example of what makes Twain one of America's most belvoed writers. Twain's unique sense of humor and his keen insights into human nature shine through in this book. Twain's style is wonderful, the characters are dynamic and the plot never hits a snag. Twain has created a novel here that is light enough on the surface to entertain young readers yet contatins enough substance to speak volumes to an adult audience. You are sure to love this one is you have read any of Twain's other works. If you haven't read Twain, delay no further--this book is the perfect starting point.

Ever since my dad first read this timeless classic to my sister & me as kids, while camping in our trailer during the summer, it has left its indelible impression upon my imagination. How I too wanted to shove off from shore on my "skiff" and have my own adventures down the Mississippi! I know of no other book that so wonderfully captures the essence and joy of carefree boyhood.

When I say "carefree", however, I am not forgetting the grim and serious elements of the novel. But these work just as well as the sunnier and funnier parts. In fact, just when the narrative needs it, a murder comes along which boosts the plot most effectively, giving it a shot in the arm. And speaking of the darker aspects, does not Injun Joe have to rank highly on the list of greatest villains in the history of literature? I can assure you that as a boy listening to the cave chapters, his menace was palpable and unforgettable.

Unfortunately, literary snobs have often found it fashionable to belittle Tom Sawyer as inconsequential and a 'lightweight' seen against the towering greatness of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". I couldn't disagree more. (I love Huckleberry Finn dearly and plan to review it soon as well). I read a quote in a foreword that I thought was very insightful: "Huckleberry Finn is a greater book, but not a better one." I think this is exactly so. Extol the greatness of HF by all means, but don't make the mistake of downgrading Twain's other masterpiece, just because its theme is not so weighty and grave. In fact, the episodic nature of the telling of Tom Sawyer fit Twain's particular brand of genius perfectly (whereas there were some sub par stretches in Huck Finn).

Loved it as a boy, love it no less as a man. Thank you, dad, for imparting such an enduring gift.

A stunning story of a man who survived the horrors of concentration camps. He is a psychiatrist and developed his own theories and method of therapy called logotherapy. The book covers his experience in a concentration camp and the second half of the book explains his philosophy of logotherapy. Frankl says that the meaning of life is found in every moment of living; life never ceases to have meaning, even in suffering and death. He encourages his patients and readers to live a full life by looking to the future rather than reliving the past.

Quotation: "Self-transcendence of human existence: Being human always points, and is directed, to something, or someone, other than oneself - be it a meaning to fulfil or another human being to encounter. The more one forgets himself - by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love - the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself..."

Excellent read. Highly Recommended.

Just in case, if one wants to ascertain the level of endurance human beings possess, he needs to go no further than read through the experiences at concentration camps as recalled by a survivor - Viktor Frankl - in this book.

And considering that a will to survive does not manifest only in situations where life is at stake, physically, but at various stages in life, where even smallest of problems can seem mammoth and wreck havoc in making life miserable at psychological level, the lessons contained in this book have vast practical applications, when it comes to understanding our survival instinct.

The basic principle which differentiates a survivor from a loser is well highlighted by the following quote, which is often cited by the author in the book - 'The one who has a why to live can bear almost any how.'

I would highly recommend this book and would suggest re-reading it a few times because it would better enable on to grasp and internalize the importance of the subject addressed in this book and appreciate the viewpoint of the author.

I first read this book in college many years ago as I was working on my degree in psychology. An excerpt from it is in John McCain's autobiographical book, Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir. I was glad to be reminded of this book which I had not read in years. I found my old copy on the shelf but I am also glad to learn it is still available.

The comparison between Frankl and McCain as prisoners is striking. Both of them emphasize the basic human need for meaning and purpose. Both share incredible horrors of prison camp as well as the human ability to look beyond present circumstances, to keep the horrid memories from continuing as sources of torture years after the actual experiences.
We can apply this ability to many of the unfortunate experiences in our lives. It is not only an attitude of forgive and forget, it is the need to keep the horrors or smaller angers from continuing to torment us.

It is more than a little frightening that there are people who deny that the Holocaust even happened. I hope you read Frankl's book. Fully grasp the reality of his day and apply it to today's needs and problems.

This is a wonderful book to read merely because of it's main message. Read it and find out the meaning of the title.

I bought this book because I was searching for yet another book on workplace bullying and another book came up in my search based on Frankl's book. I read the customer reviews on that book and one reviewer said something to the effect of, "If you want to read a book based on Viktor Frankl's opinion of how to get along at a bad work environment (like a Nazi death camp), why don't you just read Frankl's book?" So, that's where I started. I read it. Twice. Then I got out my computer and typed in passages that had meaning to me so I could re-read them during difficult times. I compressed the entire book down to about 10 pages, single spaced. I must admit that I consider myself a negative, often depressed sort of person, mostly because my work situation is so demoralizing. I was amazed by Frankl's coping mechanisms on how to get along in a difficult situation; every day meant multiple incidents of having to choose the correct path to avoid death or worse, making the choice to give up on your own life (suicide). He went through 5 years of that and lived to tell about it. It is a must read for everyone, particularly when you are having the hardest time of your life. I could tell that if I had read it as a college student, it wouldn't have the same meaning as now, when I am 50 and have had many ups and downs. I see everything at such a deeper level and appreciated this book so much more than I would have if I were younger. Briefly, the lessons in the book written 50 years ago still apply today. Here they are: Let luck be your guide. It's not what you know, it's who you know. Network with the equivalent of a one-step-up lateral (not your own) middle manager and they will help you when they can. Schmooze. Be kind to others. Don't complain, it doesn't help. You can't fix, deal with or appeal to a sadist, so don't try. Avoid sadists at all costs. Keep your mouth shut unless asked for your opinion and then be short and to the point. Praise, even when praise isn't deserved. Keep criticisms to yourself. Be inconspicuous. Work hard for the sake of doing a good job. Fantasize for escape. Everything can be taken away from you except for your past, so relish in it. When something good happens to you, write it down (keep a gratitude journal). Don't do anything that compromises your own values so you won't have regrets. Be careful who you abuse today because tomorrow they may be your master. You are not your job, your title or your position. You are a unique person loved by others. The only thing in life that really matters is the people you love and the people who love and need you. Love shared is eternal. Treat everyone with respect. The meaning of life is not what life can do for you, but what life expects of you; how you make the world a better place with your presence. The purpose of life is not happiness. The purpose of life is discovering what you can contribute to it. Save a slice of bread (or whatever is the only material thing that matters to you when there is nothing left) for later when you are really depressed and it's the only thing left that can get you through that difficult moment. (For me it's chocolate and a dark beer at the same time.) Apathy is the signaling of the beginning of the end of one's life. Everyone that you respect and look up to has human failings. Even tough guys cry. Suffering without purpose is meaningless. The larger the suffering, the bigger the lesson. There's lots more in the book for you to discover and it's an easy read.

Old fashion Sci-Fi by one of the titans of the genre, Childhood's End keeps you guessing. It's not the typical story about aliens coming to earth and dominating man you might be expecting. It delves into the deeper issues of mankind's future and place in the universe with an interesting array of characters and situations.

Most books aren't much of a surprise; you pretty much know what's going to happen ahead of time, not true here. I loved the story, and couldn't put the book down. Clarke hasn't been considered a master of Sci-Fi for nothing, and here he's at his best.

An imaginative story that's very well written, it's a short book at 212 pages, and a quick read, making it a must for any Sci-Fi fan.

Childhood's End is 1 of the earliest novels in the oeuvre of Arthur C. Clarke, & 1 of his best. 1 of the interesting things about reviewing very successful works long after their debut is how their very success can sometimes make the work seem less than it originally was. This is because the success of its themes, images, or narrative become so copied that they become clichéd. Such is the case with CE's opening. Giant spaceships arrive at earth, hover over the major cities of the world & issue ultimata. Is it the film Independence Day? Is it the tv miniseries V? No, but now you know where they got their openings....On a higher level there is the notion that what ACC propunds in this book is sharply contradicted by his own later stated beliefs- such as the tragedy he sees as being the hijacking of morality by organized religion. ACC seems to embrace psi phenomena, as well his repudiation of irrational religion. The original editions of this book featured a disclaimer from ACC stating he did not necessarily endorse the book's views- i.e.- that the irrational is a seductive force that will ultimately save (or doom?) mankind. Despite the seeming happy ending the destruction of homo sapiens, the fact that it was not allowed its natural evolution, simply to appease some super-powerful entity, is not what all would see as a positive. In a sense, the book can be seen as a Cold War fable (1st published in 1953)- a screed against Communism, which offered paradise on earth. The Overmind ends up destroying the planet, yet the reader never really gets a glimpse of what awaits. It could all be a hoax- the Overmind just a psychic predator feasting on the willingly gullible human spirit. Karellan states, `The stars are not for Man.' & by book's end we take it to mean that he meant mankind's disembodied descendants would reach the stars, not man. Yet, there is still the nagging feeling that humanity was flushed down a cosmic storm drain, & the more obvious meaning of Karellan's charge is the most apt.

Yet, ACC suggests that such skepticism is the result of our linear, physical minds- & that is the point of his tale. A final point is that the novel works as both a historical marker, & a still relevant treatise on human nature- whether you buy its premises & conclusions is another matter.

Book was delayed and took about 3 weeks to receive. Condition of book was much worse than described - the binding was broken and pages were falling out - it was described as good condition - but was really in very worn condition. Disatisfied!

What seemed like an ordinary tale of aliens descending upon Earth to take over, turned into a profound work of humanities struggle, not physically, but mentally, with their interactions with their "overlords." Rather than looking at a stereotypical perspective of Aliens raging war with humans, Clarke creates the story of different individuals and their attempts with facing a world of monotony and routine, without individualism. Clarke exceeds the realm of sci-fi by looking at what it means to be a human. Great read.

I have read many of the latter works by Clarke, and I find them imaginative, intelligent and thought-provoking. So when I turned my attention to some of his early works, Childhood's End came very highly recommended, and I'm glad to say it lives up to almost all its high praise.

Though presented as a novel, this could easily be three short stories, dealing with three different subjects: contact, utopia and apocalypse. In fact, the book is divided into three parts, which are bound together by a century of life on Earth following humanity's first contact with an alien race called the Overlords. The first two parts are vintage Clarke: a chilling and suspenseful depiction of first encounter laced with clues that will keep any reader guessing at just what might come next and who are these "benevolent" Overlords. The second part describes a utopia that for all intents and purposes has humanity feeling content with itself. As with all utopias in science fiction, we know what to expect next... and do we ever get it.

[Spoilers]
However it is here that the story takes a strange and anti-climatic twist. In short, all that was obtained by the grace of the Overlords, all of mankind's population, and even the Earth itself is entirely eradicated simply to fuel the next evolutionary step for humanity. On one end Clarke, stresses the fact that humans are quite insignificant and not "meant of the stars" and yet just a few pages later mankind's offspring can gobble up their home planet while undergoing their ascendance to the next plane of existence. Not only has this evolutionary step no biological basis, but it is heavily steeped with religious and paranormal implication, the first of which were summarily denied in the first part of the book by the Overlords. Despite all the hints and clues that Clarke purposefully scatters throughout the book about the Overlords, their appearance, and their true intentions, in the end it is humans themselves who inevitably destroy everything; not because of misguided intentions or horrendous mistakes, but simply to fulfill their destiny. The author heavily emphasizes that this is a good way to go, but I find many logical pitfalls in this conclusion. Besides the ones listed above, another glaring one is the destruction of the Earth and all its life, which could have produced other species that eventually become capable of reaching this much-desired enlightenment that humans attained. Clarke gets most of these problems sorted out by his later works, but Childhood's End, while being very imaginative is very raw and heavily influenced by the general outlook and political mind-set of its decade.

A classic worthy of reading? Certainly.

But a masterpiece?...not quite.

I am loving this book because it gives me something to keep my mind active during my down time!!

The nineteenth century was the era of the great novel. The twentieth may have seen far more, but 20th-Century novels are basically dispo-lit: throw-aways not expected to endure: published in paperback, and rightly. "Atlas Shrugged" (1951) was the last "great" novel.

The worst shortcoming of 19th-Century novelists was their tendency to get the train of story stalled on irrelevant sidetracks while they explored history and geography: Dickens & Dumas wandered afield, but divertingly, & Hugo strayed so far that many readers never got back. (You have to read the first quarter of "Notre Dame de Paris" before the plot begins.)

In W&P, Tolstoy carried it to the ultimate: the history is so intimately connected with the story of five aristocratic Russian families of the early 1800s that you cannot separate the background from the story. His masterly descriptions of the Austrian retreat from Vienna, and the battlefields of Austerlitz, Shevardino, and Borodino, are so intimately connected with the fortunes of the families that a reader cannot disentangle them.

Which would be wonderful if the family dramas were worth recording. But they are not. Sitcom-producers generally expect to produce 37 episodes per season, and if the show becomes popular enough to last 10 years, they find themselves scraping the bottom of the drama-barrel for the 369th episode. That is what W&P is: a sort of two-century-old Russian "Upstairs-Downstairs", that can never finish. It starts with the emotional involvements of the youngsters of five families: love (with betrayals, divorces, mesalliances, etc) and death (in childbirth, or by murder, suicide, duel, war, disease, or cruel neglect); and at the end, a new generation going in for the same silly mess all over again. Meaningless, pointless, and endless.

With most 19th-Century novelists we have historical description contaminating a brilliant plot; with Tolstoy we have the plot contaminating brilliant historical description. Tolstoy would be great if he had stuck to historical romance.

If you really like soaps, by all means plow your way through the war to find the peace; but if you love history, don't bother. You will never find the beautiful war in all those suds.

Andrew Charig 9/25/08

For me at first the novel started pretty good, and was quite one of the best I ever read, but from the half part of the book on after the french invasion of Russia, I was shocked to see so much historicals inaccuracies, and descriptions that seemed more and more propagandistic. For example his description of Napoleon, as a tiny egocentric man, that believes his own lies, and this is the secret from his victory, obviuosly seem more of Russian propaganda than anything else. And besides the Battle of Borodino, WAS A FRENCH VICTORY, and a Russian one, like Tolstoy try to makes us think....... Perhaps this is because of the time were he lived..... In summary buy it if you want to hear a great story about human nature. But take it as a fiction, as hardly anything Tolstoy says may be actually considered truth in a historical sense.

I'm suprised not to see anyone mention Rosemary Edmonds' translation of this masterful work. Her translation, published by Penguin Classics, is really quite good, and reads smoothly, and it seems accurate to what Tolstoy would have considered his message. I highly recommend this translation of War and Peace.

Leo Tolstoy combines philosophy and history for one of the best fictional stories about a historical event that I have read. The plot is captivating from the beginning. A glimpse at the high society of Russia in the early 1800's followed by the story of the lives of the families at that gathering. The story of the Rostov's captures all the human emotions. The excitement of Nikolay at his first battle, only to be overcome by cowardice. The maturing of Nikolay into a courageous soldier. To see the same cycle beginning in his brother Petya. The life and death experiences of Prince Andrey and Pierre that shed light into the character of men. But throughout this story, Tolstoy inserts his cynical view of historians and government. Tolstoy does not love Napolean or think of him as a great commander, nor does Tolstoy give him credit for leading the French army to victories. Additionally, he criticizes the actions of government officials and military leaders for their brutality to their citizens and soldiers. I can only begin to describe the plot and the multiple story lines in War and Peace, but I assure you this novel will captivate you. The brilliance of Tolstoy is demonstrated in this novel and I highly recommend it.

Always heard about the man and the book but it was difficult trying to follow and understand. Gave up three quarters of the way through. Did learn a little something though.

Forget about Covey and the habits of highly effective people and any other book you have ever glanced at to try to pick yourself up and guide yourself out of the rat race and have a look at the greatest specimen ever conceived of the self-help genre. The Prince is a mysterious, multi-layered magnum opus with shocking and provocative insights into politics, psychology, religion, and life. Not for the lazy or shallow reader.

I ordered this book for a college class. It arrived on time and in great condition.

Machiavelli's "The Prince" is a guide of morality-void techniques for acquiring and maintaining political power and ultimately, political fortune. Written nearly 500 years ago, this blueprint for tyranny is just as relevant today. As his compass, Machiavelli uses history, both ancient and contemporary. In 500 years, no one has proven him wrong. Here's a flavor for you innocents out there: "For, in truth, there is no sure way of holding other than by destroying, and whoever becomes master of a City accustomed to live in freedom and does not destroy it, may reckon on being destoyed by it". War is Machiavelli's wet dream: "A Prince, therefore, should have no care or thought but for war, and for the regulations and training it requires, and should apply himself exclusively to this as his peculiar province; for war is the sole art looked for in one who rules". Espousing the virtues of the noble lie, Machiavelli follows up with, "men are so simple, and governed so absolutely by their present needs, that he who wishes to deceive will never fail in finding willing dupes". And with this quote, I now challenge anyone to dispute the Machiavellian nature of the American Corporate State as written about in Don't Weep for Me, America: How Democracy in America Became the Prince (While We Slept). All the parallels are brought to light, always through the eyes of George Orwell. Get informed. Your city (country) is being destroyed...

This review was submitted on the web page presenting Mansfield's translation.

I have been using Wootton's translation of The Prince in a university program where the texts are set by the faculty. This year we changed to the Mansfield translation and I've requested that we return to Wootton's.

In his attempt to provide an "accurate" translation of the Italian, Mansfield made the mistake of many translators in overlooking the clarity of his English prose.

For example, where Wootton writes, "he increased the strength of one of the most powerful Italian states," Mansfield writes, "he . . . increased the power of a power in Italy." (15) There are other odd uses of diction in Mansfield, for example, where Wootton speaks of a "founder," Mansfield uses the word "introducer." (23) And though concise in places, Mansfield has a tendency to write long sentences, perhaps in imitation of the Italian, where Wootton is more to the point.

If you're still not convinced, compare the following passages:

Wootton: "So, too, with those who, having been private citizens, were made emperors of Rome because they had corrupted the soldiers. Such rulers are entirely dependent on the goodwill and good fortune of whoever has given them power. Good will and good fortune are totally unreliable and capricious."

Mansfield: ". . . as also those emperors were made who from private individual [sic] attained the empire through corrupting soldiers. These persons rest simply on the will and fortune of whoever has given a state to them, which are two very inconstant and unstable things."

The Art of War is overrated in relation to more recent works, notably The Prince, On War, and The Book of Five Rings, and many Roman and Greek texts could be mentioned, for differing reasons.

The Prince was written during the tumult of the cultural and linguistic formation of early Italy (as opposed to the distinctive Roman society before it). This makes it, in my humble view, more valuable than Art of War and comparable Roman texts because the personality of the time period is closer to ours, and there isn't such a problem with translating concepts.

Indeed, there is significant evidence that there was no Sun Tzu and that The Art of War is an amalgamation of the knowledge of more recent (within the past 2-3,000 years) Chinese militar officers and/or philosophers. This possible fact breaks down the continuity of the book, if one can sense much continuity to begin with.

In short, (1)if you're looking to feel naughty by reading demonized and selfish and militaristic writings to enhance executive stature, look at The Prince.

(2)If you want to read up on more contemporary attempts at codifying war relations, particularly in the state system, try On War by Clausewitz. An inexpensive book with many of the highlights of On War is printed by Sweet Water Press (2006). That would be a natural place to start if you want to work with the original text.

(3) The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi, written 400+ years ago, provides a very good account of inner and outer struggle in the samurai tradition. More substance in this than in Art of War. My mind goes to some of the things in Five Rings while dealing with personal relationships.

Great book, I want to buy the full version. Has good principals to follow. I think our military should read it too. They might get something done.

Overall 5 starts +++

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RSFXZFBSJSJVM This is a magnificent book that tells as much about psychology as it does military strategy.

I bought this on a whim but quickly came to understand that if the President had read this text, we would not be involved in the type of war we are fighting.

This is a book of strategy for psychological warfare--it helps you tackle the battles you face every day. One of the biggest themes is how to win a fight *before* it actually starts. If only our current government and military leaders had followed the wisdom of "The Art of War"...

CENTENNIAL EDITION LITTLE WOMEN OR MEG, JO, BETH, AND AMY A wonderful book I remember from my childhood and plan to read again. The illustrations by Jessie Smith are outstanding. Also, the story is set in a period of our history which is so fascinating.

I have loved this book ever since I was in grade school! I bought this copy because I wanted a nice, hardbound version and I liked the illustrations.

The words are so crowded. So I won't suggest this one.

I bought this book as a gift to impress the receiver. To my shock, the receiver told me the book was very nice indeed but it contained only the first half of the book. I did not see anywhere where we are told about this being only half of the book unless you include the Library Journal description.

This is a classic we wanted our grand daughter to read. The illustrations are professional and wonderful

When I saw Alas, Babylon in the bookstore, I recognized it as a classic title but knew next to nothing about it. So, I picked up a copy to read on vacation. My verdict? Very good book -- not a very good vacation read!

This is one of the first post-nuclear apocalypse tales, published in the thick of the Cold War in 1959. Although world events have made the political backdrop of this novel obsolete, Frank tells a tale that still resonates.

Frank's writing feels surprisingly contemporary, even if the society it depicts is an American South that no longer really exists. (The treatment of people of color in this book is absolutely painful sometimes, but Frank is clearly not happy about it.)

The broad strokes of this story may feel familiar to us now, because we've been exposed to other post-apocalyptic tales in which people are suddenly stripped of technology, medicine and the comforts of modern civilization. In fact, if you watched the television series Jericho, you'll see a huge amount of similarity in Alas, Babylon, minus the soap opera elements found on the TV show.

I recommend this book simply because it's well-written and thoughtful. I just don't recommend it as vacation reading... it somehow didn't mesh with tropical surroundings, froofy drinks and sunny beaches!

I don't know how I missed this one in school... a little dated now (2008), the spirit of perserverance in the face of disaster is what I believe has made the USA unique. To appreciate Alas, Babylon you should probably have a Pollyana-ish streak - at least lean to the optimistic view of the future; but that does not distract from a good 'end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it" sceanario. Sure wish my Jr. High/High School teachers had pushed this on me way back when!

I remember reading this in High School and I have been looking to pick it up for a re-read.

I read this book in the early 70's, in Junior High School, in Florida. It was so real to me. These people were just like my neighbors. Their fears were the same. Their sense of community, the same. When reading this book, I kept looking to the horizon thinking, "Could this truly happen." A must read for anyone studying the times.

The best thing about this book is the setting. The descriptions of a post apocalyptic United States is excellent. It really made me think about what civilization means: law and order, running water, food supplies, transportation, etc.

The biggest flaw with the book is its characters. The character development is non-existent. Randy, the protagonist, is extremely bland. He has no flaws (well, he's a liberal) and a perfect leader.

The story is also extremely optimistic. Personally, I like a bit more cynicism.

Despite these two gripes, this is a great post apocalyptic book and a short read to boot. I'll never forget the descriptions of nuclear armegeddon as Randy and friends watch from their house.

read this book when it was first published. After all these years it is even more meaningful and incisive.

For those who think preventive war is always bad, you should read this book. If there was any argument for preventive war against Hitler, especially before Munich, this is it. Appeasement was useless with Hitler. It only made him stronger and bolder.

When you come to think of it, William L. Shirer was a CBS correspondent who was at the right place at the right time. He kept a diary of the happenings in Germany during the time of the formation of the Nazi government. He saw the political maneuvers of the Nazi Party in gaining power in German Politics. The audacity of the Party gaining control of a Democratic Government without a majority. The effect of a weak centralized government under President von Hindenburg leads to Nazism.
Shirer witnessed the formation of a totalitarian government. He saw the tightening of all cultural activities and the progressive pogroms against the Jews.
Shirer details all the scheming of the taking over of the Rhineland, Sudetenland and Austria. His plan to enter into war with Poland under false pretenses finally has England and France entering into the great conflict. Shirer was there recording all that had happened.
This book was first published 14 years after the end of the Second World War. This exhaustive study was based on Shirer's observations, which in itself are classic. He was there. He saw it first hand!! Richard Evans study seems to be a definitive study in the English language of this German time period. But remember, Evans has over 50 years of added data to analyze and report on.
This is a long read, but read it if you want to know about the great tragedy of the 20th Century.

I read this important book, here in Brazil.This book was published about 50 years ago.And even so, this book remains important.There are failures in this book.One is that about the war itself, it is just regular.Many things revealed, after the publication of this book, such as the breaking of Enigma code machine, has no space in this book.The author saw the fall of France in 1940; he realized that France fell because of lack of will to fight, not weapons.Even so, he is weak about France's fall, because only more a decade later, the people could to know that France had more and better tanks, than Germany in 1940. About the massive amount of money from then Soviet Union and from famous germans, such as Paul Warburg to the nazi party also has no place on this book.The book itself is a little more than regular, but there's a good thing about the author:he lived the Third Reich and the war.He was there.William L. Shirer saw the facts.There's better options about the Third Reich, than this book?Yes, but this book remains important, after 50 years.

At well over a thousand pages, one might wonder how "readable" such a history could be, but Shirer's work is excellent. I won't repeat much of the acclaim already found here.

One stumbling block is that in a very few places the terminology is outdated, and most certainly not politically correct. For example, the homosexual leadership of the SA are described as "perverted" and "deviant", and its hard to say from the book whether they truly were or if this is just a 1950s label for gay. Similarly, the Japanese turned down negotiations with "Ah, so sorry, please". I doubt that's a direct quote.

Those two snags aside, the rest of the book holds up exceedingly well, and there are actually very few references that are lost on the modern reader, especially compared to the writings of, for example, Churchill, which are full of references to then-current names and events that have lost their relevance over time.

The thesis that the readiness to accept National Socialism was built into German culture and mythology of the day may not be a popular one, nor commonly accepted today, but Shirer provides enough supporting material that one can at least see his point.

Be prepared for a lot of detail: D-Day doesn't occur until well past page 1000, for example. One thing I loved however was that the book was not full of throwaway names that appear only once. That's usually an issue for me (names and dates that will be forgotten soon after reading) and this book is largely absent of them.

It's also relatively even, in that there are very few places where it drags. With few exceptions, the narrative progresses smoothly and its as much of a "page turner" as non-fiction can be.

This is a gift but it came very promptly. And it was exactly what I ordered.

The most realistic depiction of space travel I have ever seen or read (if you don't count the NASA documentaries). The incredible meets the mundane every day. It isn't better than the movie, but neither is it worse. Personally, I prefer it to the movie because Clarke can actually explain to you what is happening during Bowman's transformation, whereas in the film you are stuck with some crazy surrealism and a guess as to what has become of Bowman.

This is a long lost classic for the true scifi fan. For having been written 40 decades ago the book is surprisingly accurate in terms of technology. Other then Hal's brain taking up an entire room Arthur C was very close to current trends in technology. I loved it and right away read 2010. I have 2065 and 3001 on order.

I found 2001: Space Odyssey the Movie to be confusing, boring at times, and vastly overrated. The book, however, is fantastic. Plot details that I feel you couldn't possibly glean from the movie are clear in the book. The story actually makes sense. Questions like, "Why did HAL go crazy?", "What exactly happened at the end?", and "What was the significance of the ape-men at the beginning?" all become clear.

Besides the plot, the book was quite satisfying for me on a technical level. Clarke describes many technical aspects of spaceflight in prophetically accurate detail.

I don't know that I would classify Clark as a creator of great fiction; as mentioned in other reviews, the "human equation" in his works is largely missing. Clark excels and creating vivid descriptions of technology and alien grandeur, but his books are a bit lifeless at they have almost no character developement or interesting dialog.

I've read most of his books, and find he is a great alternative in those times I would find myself reaching for an atlas or a National Geographic. Honestly, I think AC Clarke is one of those sacred cow authors--praised by those who think it raises their intellectual profile, and read mainly when bored by those who can see that the emperor, while not entirely naked, could do with more than a loincloth.