Civilization Books

I first read this book when I was eleven years old, and have loved it ever since. I cannot even count the number of times I have re-read it. It is excellently written with a deep plot, well-made characters, and an amazingly believable feel of the world of Ancient Egypt. Even if you are not a fan of ancient Egyptian books, you will soon become interested in the characters and before you know it, caught up in a whirl-wind of spies, secret plots, Pharaohs, and above all, the love story of two young Egyptians.

I have loved this book since i first read it so many years ago. Mara, its lead character, is a joy to get to know

This is a wonderful little book. It is mainly geared to female readers, boys will not enjoy the romance (IMHO). Mara is resourceful, spunky and at times self serving. Above all she is a survivor. Nice romance with a girl power theme.Interesting Egyptian setting which is different from the usual Celtic/British background for so many of these novels.If you enjoyed this, older teens and adults will enjoy Judith Tarr's Lord of the Two Lands.

This novel is excellent for a number of reasons. I recieved it as a gift, and I read it in one day.
Pros:

Mara (the heroine) is a character with a distinct personality. She jumps out at you on the page rather than just sitting there as a bunch of words jumbled together.

The descriptions are vivid and exact, and the writing style flows effortlessly.

The story is gripping and intriguing and takes a few unexpected twists.

It seems very historical, though I am no expert on ancient Egypt.

The cover is very beautiful for those who like "pretty" books.

Cons:

None that I can think of.

I highly reccommend this book to avid readers, young or old!

This was one book that I remember reading when I was in fourth grade. I bought this copy for my daughter, who is a total bookworm. If you are interested in Ancient Egypt, this book is wonderful.

This is a wake up call to all those who believe processed food trash is okay for ones body.

I never received my order - just the receipt for payment. What crap. Can't see any other easy way to complain, so here is your feedback. Chumps.

Modern nutrition research is a mess. As a scientist who's interested in health research, I find the field to be amazingly full of bias and unscientific thinking. It's driven more by popular consensus than logic.

"Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" slices through modern nutrition BS with devastatingly simple logic: Price found the healthiest cultures in the world, and recorded what they were doing. It's as simple as that.

For those who are concerned with the credibility of the book, I'll mention that it's very consistent with what anthropologists and field physicians were saying at the time. Price also published some of his findings in respected peer-reviewed journals like JAMA and JADA during his lifetime. His genius was in consolidating information from many different cultures and examining what they had in common. Modern Western food habits have left a trail of destruction throughout the world, and it was painfully obvious to anyone observing a transition from traditional foods to industrially processed Western foods.

Price and other groups of researchers have shown that modern degenerative disease is caused by a modern diet, yet mainstream nutrition research continues to fumble around in the dark. These days, researchers conduct studies that compare the sick to the sicker and confuse correlation with causation. This information then gets conveyed to us by a media that is completely unscientific and more concerned with creating a big story than conveying sound information. Leave them all in the dust and learn how to be truly healthy by reading the most important and most overlooked piece of health research ever published.

Would it be crass say this book is the answer to new couples wanting to conceive and raise children who will grow up to have straight teeth, model beautiful cheekbones and manly square jaws? ;)

I fear that is the only way we can get past our current culture obsessed with lowfat oversugared fake food.

This book changed my life and the life of my son. In a time where vegetables-lowfat-tofu eating dietary principles are held up as the answer to health we are eating beef liver and cod liver oil, pastured meat and eggs, wild seafoods and raw grassfed milk, butter and cream, bone broths, soaked grains and nuts and fermented vegetables to try to achieve the 10x the RDA of fat soluble vitamins and 5x the RDA of minerals and water soluble vitamins that protected people around the globe from disease and enabled them to achieve their full genetic potential (ie. the wide palates, model cheekbones and manly square jaws!)

I already know the 3 years following the principles in this book and the WAP Foundation has helped my son as his palate his widened and tooth spacing increased from age 2 to age 5. I'm excited to see if his secondary teeth will come in straight and avoid braces like I had!

Price was a DDS who was the head of research for the ADA of his day... someone very learned with the scientific method. His ten years of travelling the globe has given us most vital information on a natural human diet and how this relates to health and the growth of a child most especially.

I constantly look around me everyday and see the result of modern processed food: the weak chins, narrow palates, crowded teeth, narrow nostrils, "deviated septums" and underdeveloped faces. This is NOT a results of genetics, is is a result of your diet!! That is mind blowing!! As a relatively new mother, that is life changing to know that I can effect how my child will look by what I feed him.

I especially see the results of physical degeneration in the faces and teeth of my son's generation. Interestingly enough, I rarely see it in my parent's generation! (Both my parents were raised on cod liver oil btw.) This alone has been fascinating to consider and it spurred me on to learn more about how proper nutrition effects our bone structure and our health.

With respect to myself, this book inspired me to get tested for vitamin D deficiency, and supplement with cod liver oil. Learning how much vit. D can effect your immune system and breast cancer risk is only secondary to how good I feel... much less fatigued, happier and more resilient on this diet. I used to be a healthy vegetarian eater, but a traditional diet based on WAPF principles is hands down much better for me.

Viva Healthy Animal Fat!
(grass fed or wild)

I purchased this book as a gift for my friend.
It was shipped promptly, and I was able to give it to her as I intended.
The book provides a signficant amount of useful information regarding the impact of eating habits, the impact of food processing relevant to what is eaten, and the impact upon the human body that is incurred as a result of eating various processed and unprocessed foods. Although the author is a dentist and much of the perspective of the book provides information regarding how components of the mouth are affected, there is a great deal of information provided regarding foods, nutrition, and patterns.

This is a very nice book, thanks to J.Carroll. I liked it too much and I ill refer it to my friends and professors..
I learned more about Mr.Gulen.

I have read almost all of his books. What amazes me is how come that many so-called 'educated men' here(who obviously purchase books from Amazon at least)can rank him along with Sartre or Kant or whatsoever...Gulen is not a philosopher nor academician. Well, yes, I accept that one does not have to have an academic degree or offical recognition to be a great writer or thinker but Gulen has no original thoughts that can be considered as philosophy. Since When dogmatic sayings and pre and unconditionally accepted metaphysical beliefs have become called philosophy? I already hear you saying 'But he is trying to establish a dialogue...!' Well, all this kind of religous leaders cut up the world and put people into so many reliongs and sects, create the worlds of 'THE OTHERS ' 'THE ONES NOT LIKE US' and after that they play the peace-makers, dialogue starters.

Again, I am not against what he writes or says but against to present Gulen and his books as work of philosophy. We all know that is not true.
One reviewer said that most people reviewing his books here are his followers which is absolutely correct and that also alone proves Gulen is not a philosopher but a leader of a sect.

This book provides a wide angle for the problems of today and offers solution methods for those. Once again we understand how much we need the dialogue today more than ever, and how Mr. Gulen achieves to maintain the bridge between the East and West.

As a computer guy, I should confess that I do not read a lot, unfortunately.
However, Writer Carroll's writing style has helped me a lot read this book. In order to understand the meaning of the phrase "dialogue among civilizations", we need to understand if human value, moral dignity, freedom, human ideal, education, and responsibility mean similar importance and have similar definitions for different civilizations and for the thinkers who influence formation of those civilizations. Thank you Jill Carrol for putting all these themes and references together in one book and comparing them in an organized and simple way for people, like me, who do not read 14 books in one month but barely read one book .

It is good to know Islam has scholars like Fethullah Gulen. This study is unique in the sense that Jill Carrol compares him with thinkers that have completely different backgrounds. She shows that they have important common points and using these common points a dialogue can be built enriching love and tolerance. I enjoyed a lot reading the book.

I ordered 7 of this pop-up books. One for my six year old and the others all served as great presents for his friends. I like to see the boys' expression when they opened the book and gave off a big "wow".
This book comes up with brilliant ideas, and is well crafted. It is both interesting and instructive. Thanks Amazon for this perfect product in a good price.

I bought this book for two of our grandsons who are 6 and 3 years old. The 3 year old loved the big colorful pop-up pages while the 6 year old loved learning about the story. I, myself, learned a great deal about the medieval days as well. The book is the right size, made well, and very educational. Makes a great gift!

I adore this book and honestly who knew pop up books could be so informative? This book was so much for me to read and great for my little cousin too. She's three years old and she likes to sit on my lap as we look through the pages. Theres even a little catapult inside where you can throw little pieces of paper across the room! (I'll admit I had a bit more fun at that) This book is really a piece of art that I plan to save for her so when she gets older I can give it to her :) that is after I get one for my own collection. Again a great book and an even more fabulous read.

I have looked at Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart's books on their website as well as Amazon.com. I finally bought this book and I love it!

The craftsmanship and artistry is beautiful. Children of any age, including adults like me, will love this book!

Not only is it well-crafted but it's educational and loads of fun. After this book, I ordered another!

This was a huge hit with my nephew who brought it with him
everywhere the first week. He loves playing Runescape, so it was a natural for him. He still loves it, but at least he puts it down while eating! The details are beautiful and it's a high quality pop-up book, well executed, substantial and with great background material.
I'm a pop-up fan myself and could have gladly kept it!

If you have any intrest in knowing what life is like in Israel this book will satify your intrest. I found it very well written easy to read and the author gave intelligent insight and positions of all groups written about. Upon finishing this book I had a useful and fulfilling knowledge of Israelis and Israel. Of course this is only a glimpse but the book shows one there is such rich history and fascinating people in this diverse land. It gave some insight to both views mentioned in the editorial review. However I took from the book Israel is making attempts at assisting ALL Israelis no matter their ethnic origins. You will not regret adding this book to your Library.

I found this book (the first edition, 2003) in an apartment I'm renting in Jerusalem. It's quite interesting and well-written.

However, the author seems to have been rather sloppy in her research. I noticed at least two gross factual inaccuracies in details about the Orthodox communities in chapter 9, and this in turn calls into question whether the other information in the book is supported by the facts.

On page 176 (2003 edition), Rosenthal describes how "[s]oon after independence, Prime Minister Ben-Gurion agreed to Rabbi [E.M.] Schach's and other rabbis' requests to free haredi scholars of military obligation." Ben-Gurion's primary interlocutor on this issue was actually Rabbi A.Y. Karelitz (known as the Hazon Ish), the leading Lithuanian haredi rabbi of his day in Israel; the story of their meeting is quite well known in haredi circles, even to school-age children.

Again on page 188 (2003 edition), she writes: "For Lubavitch/Habad Hasidim, however, [Israel] Independence Day is a religious holiday becase they believe the birth of Israel in 1948 marked the beginning of the messianic redemption." This is completely incorrect: there are indeed religious Zionist Jews who believe this, and their communities are treated in the following chapter of the book; but Habad's position has never been that the establishment of the State has anything to do with the coming of the Messiah. Habad does support Jewish settlement on all territory under Israeli control, and opposes giveaways of land, for religious reasons having to do with saving Jewish lives; sometimes this puts them side-by-side with various Religious Zionist groups, as in opposition to the Gaza disengagement of 2005. Most likely our author saw or heard of such events and jumped to conclusions that the Habad and Religious Zionist ideologies are the same. But again, how hard would it have been to find out the real facts?

Rosenthal, Donna. "The Israelis: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land", New Press, revised and updated, 2008.

My People

Amos Lassen

Americans have no idea who the Israelis are. The stories we get in the American media by and large depends on the source of the report. We see them here as soldiers fighting for their freedom and we see them as aggressive colonizers who determined to stay in control over Palestinians who resent them. We know that there is truth to both depictions and at the same time they depictions are distortions of who the Israeli really is. Donna Rosenthal looks at the Israeli across the broad spectrum and she gives very interesting insight as to the nature of the modern Israeli in two aspects--an individual and as a group.
Many Americans are simply not aware of the vibrancy and diversity of Israel and as the nation is such so are the citizens. There are the very Orthodox who constantly study and await the Messianic age. They are against those that dress immodestly and violate the Sabbath. There are the modern Israelis who excel in business and industry and do not bother with their religious heritage. There are the Bedouin Arabs who still live primitively carrying everything they own with them to wherever they go. There are prostitutes and mailmen and waiters and there are farmers and fishermen and gays, lesbians and those that are transgender.
Rosenthal entered Israeli society and interviewed many people and she gives us their backgrounds and their viewpoints. She discusses the decline of the kibbutz movement which was once vital to the country and shows how the ethic of collectively is no longer relevant. She shows how the Orthodox remain a community unto itself and stays isolated from mainstream Israeli culture and society. She shows the vice and corruption with Israel and the presence of the drug trade and she gives us a history of Zionism as we hear the reminiscences of the way it was. We hear from the man on the street, from the leaders, from Arabs and from Druze, from the Russian mafia and from the subcultures of sex and gambling.
Rosenthal has a wonderfully readable style and she manages to weave interviews, anecdotes and vignettes to give us a picture of a people that most of us know little about. But let me tell you that you must be prepared to have your preconceptions become misconceptions. In giving us the information on whom the Israeli is, Rosenthal sheds light on the shadows. It is absolutely amazing when we realize that Israel is a nation that has "ingathered the exiles"--Jews from all over the world who have not much in common except a history of persecution and the desire to live free in their own land.

I ordered this book because it was recommended by the tour company that is arranging our trip to Israel. I was looking for something that would give me additional insight into the country and its people. This book does an excellent job of exposing me to the various ethnic and cultural groups in Israel. The author is very good about interviewing typical people within each ethnic group with examples of their feelings toward Israel and their way of life. Highly recommended.

This new 2008 edition is a wonderful gift for readers of different religions, political backgrounds and ages.

I was born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq. As soon as I started reading The Israelis, I simply could not put it down. I learned about many varied faces of Israelis. The clear and easy prose and style of writing, the historical and political facts, the colorful anecdotes are enthralling and captivating. The book made me think and rethink about different issues that are an integral part of daily life in Israel -- and by extension throughout the Arab world.
It's packed full of information about different types of Arabic speaking Israelis -- Israeli Muslims, Christians and Druze. I learned a lot about their relationships within their communities and with other Israelis and Arabs outside Israel. Ms. Rosenthal does an excellent job elucidating issues that can change Arab thinking about Israel.
I highly recommend this 2008 edition of The Israelis for anyone interested in Israel, and also for anyone interested in grasping a better understanding of Arab society and its relationship to Israelis.

Layla Murad

It was recomended by a teacher friend. It's quirky, funny & full of imagination. I have read books by Elisabeth Peters on archeology & discovering Egyption tombs so I enjoyed this because it challenges the imagination on what future scientists might discover about our civilization.

When this book first was published, the Hotel Technology department head inadvertently had the college library purchase this book for the department. When it arrived we laughed hysterically about it, and many times, I have laughed about it ever since.

Two years ago, I ordered a copy for the library where I am currently a Children's Librarian. It did not even make it to the "stacks", someone
liked it so much they "permanently borrowed" it.

If you need a good laugh...!

I've carried my copy of this book over many moves. It grows on me each time I read it. Originally it seemed just a humourous retelling of the Carter discovery of Tutankhamun and the Egyptian hysteria that accompanies it. Later on, after getting much more involved in arguments over interpretations of Roman historical artifacts, I realized how to the point the book is about the way we see the past and argue over the meaning of what we see. Still really funny though.

The 41st Century is full of mysteries. Like what happened to Ancient Yankees who lived in North America? Why did they die out and how did they live. One day a tomb, untouched, is found and it gives us a glimpse of what these Ancient Yankees were like in the 20th Century. Sacred items, musical instruments, and the sacred point will make you laugh and wonder how much of OUR knowledge is based on such conclusions?

Motel of the mysteries is a fun, easy read.
Everyday items are seen in the light of future archeologists, with interesting, funny and sometimes insightful interpretations. Good book to share with others.

On someone else's recommendation, I bought and first read Jacob Brownoski's The Ascent of Man when it came out, 30 years ago, although unfortunately I was never able to see the BBC series on which the book was based. Then, when we had printed words on paper and images on film, and now, when we have electronic book reviews on Amazon, the book speaks meaningfully to the reader about all of life although, obviously, there's a litle bit more to the story since it was published.

Brownowski was a mathematitian and scientist. The book is simultaneously a history of science/technology and a history of the cultural evolution of mankind. An absolutely remarkable blending of knowledge from disparate disciplines combined into a seamless, infinitely interesting, very readable story. Unlike any "history" you've ever read, more like a non-fiction novel, highly recommended to all ...

I bought this book soon after the original television program was first broadcast and it's one I re-read often -- it remains one of my favorites. Although it is a very faithful (almost word-for-word and image-for-image) presentation of the material in the series, to have the information in a book to read at one's own pace (instead of being forced to absorb information at the pace of the television production), to carefully consider what Dr. Bronowski says, and to see what (if anything) it means to the reader makes the book an almost indispensable companion to the series.

As has been pointed out in earlier reviews, the high impact of this book (and of the television series) is the passion Dr. Bronowski brings to the material, how it's clear he truly believed that it is necessary for everyone to understand how the development of society is the product of generations of people pursuing knowledge ("science"), and that this understanding is critical to the future of civilization...the scientific imagination, standing always at the edge of the unknown and unsure, versus absolutism and dogma.

Now that the television series has been attractively remastered and is now available to the general public, the book has an even greater utility. The captions on the DVDs are very poorly done, to the extent that some of the errors make significant changes in Dr. Bronowski's statements and points. It's clear that whoever prepared the captions did not refer to the shooting script OR TO THIS BOOK! In other words, the book is important to correct errors in the captions. If one needs the captions this book is a valuable resource to ensure the viewer gets the correct words and, therefore, understands what Dr. Bronowski is presenting.

Previous reviews don't do Bronowski justice. He began as a mathematician; but after being sent to Hiroshima, as part of a team studying the aftereffects of the nuclear blast, he switched to biology. He was warm and articulate. A poet himself, he was one of the few people who truly understood the English poet William Blake, although (unlike most of his writing) his essays about Blake could use some explaining themselves. He was a highly moral man and did two original things you don't see many others even attempting: He saw the "doing" of science as an act every bit as creative as composing a symphony or writing a poem -- and he explained it in that way -- and he sought a structure for rationalizing morality and ethical behavior that did not rely upon religious precepts. The Ascent of Man is a very personal work, and it says so in its subtitle. It pretty much echos word for word what Jacob Bronowski spoke extemporaneously as he was sent around the world to the places he needed to be in order to explain the ideas he needed to express as he filmed his material for public television. Ironically, I said that very badly: I meant that HE could explain very complex notions with terrific elegance and simplicity. Period. By the way, the process of making the series for TV must have taken a toll, as JB died not long after completing the necessary travels. The Ascent of Man is all excellent but has many especially moving moments. Only one example occurred when JB walked fully clothed and shod into a pond at Auschwitz in acknowledgment of family and friends and fellow countrymen whose ashes were dumped there by fascists who laid claim to a handle on absolute certainty. Read this topnotch book, then find more by him. And if you're thirsty for more, try a little Loren Eisely as well. The accomplishments of humankind as explained by thoughtful scientists can prove wonderfully exhiliarating.

If you're looking for a book that will show you how man made it from day 1 to the present, while encomapssing ALL disciplines and not science alone, you've found the right book! It's is incredible how simply and interestengly Mr. Bronowski has accomplished such a feat. You won't be able to put it down!

This is one of the first, and one of the better, history of science sorts of series. If you enjoy history and science, then its worth watching. But the program, and to a lesser extent the book, in my mind suffer from a serious flaw: namely; that the author can not seem to divorce himself from his own religious views, which intrude at a number of times in the program. How can I take someone seriously who is speaking about archeological history, while at the same time speculating about the Biblical conquest of Jericho? There is a disconnect here that leaves you wondering. One can always quibble about what major scientific advances are noteworthy, and different authors have seized upon various individuals; but we have in this series nothing out of the ordinary. Looking at "Cosmos" or "The Day the Universe Changed" is much more fulfilling, from an intellectual standpoint, but its still worth purchasing and enjoying.

What to say about a thoroughly riveting author and subject?! I recently returned from a trip to Peru, having read most of the popular tomes about the Incas. However, I was unlucky enough to have missed this book before I left. Though I enjoy reading history a great deal, I was unprepared for the depth of detail about the "conquest of
the Incas" contained in this book. It could have been presented in a dry manner, but I found myself unable to stop until I had spent an entire day reading the book in its entirety. The author has a very engaging style --- this book read like the best of adventure fiction. If you are considering a trip to the Cuzco/Lima areas, read this book beforehand and take it along! Being able to read his analysis of the battles near Cuzco while actually on-site would be fascinating. I cannot recommend this book more highly.

MacQuarrie delivers one of the best Historical Narratives you will read. The subject matter is very interesting: the Incan Empire 10 million strong being conquered by a Spanish force of less than 200 men - albeit men on horses with superior military technology. But, the thing that sets this book appart is the way the story is told. That's what I mean about this book being a great historical narrative. The author does a masterful job at just telling the story of the Spanish conquest over the Incan empire. MacQuarrie is a masterful story teller!

Kim MacQuarrie has created a vivid and fascinating portrayal of the well-known historical events that followed Francisco Pizarro's fateful arrival in Peru. The retelling is even-handed and well-researched, drawing upon a wide variety of sources from both Inca and Spaniard alike.

Impressively, MacQuarrie successfully makes the book accessible and entertaining, without sacrificing accuracy in scholarship. The details that greatly enrich the drama of the story are judiciously chosen, and it is clear that MacQuarrie goes to great lengths to strike an appropriate balance between historical fidelity and compelling storytelling.

I strongly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in the tumultuous history of Peru. However, I especially encourage once and future visitors of Cusco and the Sacred Valley to read it. The book provides a fascinating back story that greatly deepens one's appreciation for the magnificent and mysterious ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Ollantaytambo, and other Incan sites.

Although I had read several other accounts of the conquest of the Incas, this one is probably the best. It is hard to put down. Starting with Hiram Bingham and ending with him and the several other explorers of the Antisuyu, the author weaves his account of the downfall of the Incas with skill. I had not realized that so many historical records from that time period were available. Evidently much more is available on Pizarro and his conquest than on Cortez and his. Some of the 16th century documents were discovered only relatively recently and were not available to chroniclers such as William Prescott. If you have already read the story of the Incas, you will not be disappointed in reading about them again. One wonders what might have been if Pizarro's small band had been wiped out before capturing Atahualpa.

As a fan of John Hemming's The Conquest of Incas I was dubious that Kim MacQuarrie's work could begin to approach the level of Hemming's classic. Notwithstanding, I opened The Last Days of the Incas hoping I might glean an interesting insight or two. MacQuarrie's work quickly sent me shooting the rapids of Inca history. It is a breathtaking ride into the rich fabric of past events that make Peru such an enchanting venue today. Read this book and experience the sights, sounds and colors of Incas and Spaniards colliding on the stage that is Peru. Take the trip and you may be as pleasantly surprised as I was. I suspect that even John Hemming would enjoy the show.

A wonderful, wise book brimming with Toltec wisdom and practical examples. I have read it more than once and given it as a gift to friends (who always borrow my copy).

This was a pivotal book for me. Upon reading this clear, funny, beautifully written text, I went from being a casual "spiritual surfer" to jumping in with both feet! I literally could not put it down, and when I finally finished it, I decided to apprentice with Sheri, who is an amazing teacher. I have never looked back as my life has gotten better and better. I have immense gratitude for this book and highly recommend it to others with a wish that they might have the same experience.

Dr. Rosenthal explains the Toltec path quite eloquently and leaves little room for possible misinterpretation!

I am in the middle of this book, and despite my reservations about the title, it's really a great resource. I've loved Don Miguel Ruiz's writings for years, and Ms Rosenthal, the author, is one of his students. Highly recommended.

As a "left-brained" sort of person on a spiritual quest, I have found books by don Miguel Ruiz and others to be vastly inspiring, but also frustratingly short of definitions, history, and structured calls to action. Sheri Rosenthal's book addresses all these issues in a precise yet profound way - extending the work of earlier Toltec Masters while providing structured step-by-step guidance for the rest of us.

This massive coffeetable book does exactly what it sets out to do: photographically chronicle the 20th century, showcasing the famous and the not-so-famous. Along with familiar images such as the flag-raising at Iwo Jima, the Buddhist monk immolating himself, the sailor kissing the woman in Times Square on V-J Day, the kneeling girl screaming over the body of one of the Kent State dead, and the man facing down the tanks in Tiananmen Square, there are lesser-known images such as Soviet soldiers leaving Afghanistan in 1989, an alternate scene of a flag-raising at Iwo Jima, a very young Dick Clark sitting among the chart-topping records of 1957, old men lining up to get their social security benefits, and a Muslim groom and Christian bride picking their way through the rubble of Beirut on their way to crossing the Green Line so they could reach her church and get married.

Instead of dividing the book up by decades, it goes by historical era--1900-13, 1914-19, 1920-29, 1930-39, 1940-45, 1946-63, 1964-75, 1976-92, and 1993-99. After all, more often than not things from the previous era are still influencing a new decade, such as how the Seventies were by and large a continuation of the Sixties instead of an entirely new era. Each chapter begins with a short essay by a prominent historian, and each features a "Turning Point" section, focusing on subjects such as space travel, discovering our prehistoric ancestors, closing the gender gap, outlaws, bandits, and mobsters, civil rights, and the conquest of the atom. Each chapter ends with a requiem, highlighting some of the prominent people who passed away during that era. In addition to the usual suspects such as James Dean, Thomas Edison, Amelia Earhart, Dr. Benjamin Spock, Charlie Chaplin, and Susan B. Anthony, there are also some lesser-known personalities, such as Albert Woolson (the last surviving Civil War vet), Martha the passenger pigeon (the last of her kind as well), Sen. Cornelius Cole (the last surviving person who voted in President Andrew Johnson's impeachment trial), Aimee Semple McPherson (the now-largely-forgotten evangelist who faked her own kidnapping in the Twenties), and James Naismith (the inventor of basketball).

This is a great book for all those who are interested in 20th century history, and many of the images are bound to bring back memories the readers, whether they were born in the early century, at mid-century, in the later decades of the century, or anywhere in between. (Although it should be noted that some of the pictures are a bit disturbing and graphic and might upset children or even some adults, such as the ones on page 8 and page 178.) One wishes the book were even longer and had been able to include even more images of the past century; there were a couple of events and images I was rather surprised to see excluded, such as the killing fields of Pol Pot's Cambodia, the Armenian Genocide, the fiery end to the stand-off in Waco, the disastrous U.S. excursion into Somalia, the Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics, and the war in Bosnia. Still, in a book this size, one can't expect absolutely everything to be included, and all of the images that are included are stupendous.

I first noticed this book in fourth grade, as my teacher liked collecting interesting books. I ended up reading it cover-to-cover about 6 times. I am a major fan of history, and always have been. I am in the seventh grade now, and when we talk about things in history class, some of the beautiful pictures still come back to me. I also really like how the written part of the chapters are written by authors like Avi. This falls in the class of my "most favorite books of all time," including the Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card, The Breadwinner, and any and all E.L. Koningsburg books. A great read!

I bought this book for my 85+ year old mother in law for Christmas 2005. She loved it so much, she later asked me to help her find one for a close family friend. A few weeks later, her sister Corrine came to visit, and they poured over the pictures in her copy of the book - "remembering when" they had seen this or that. They especially loved the pics of San Francisco in 1940's when they were young and going clubbing. I later ordered (yet) another copy for Aunt Corrine's 87th birthday - and she just loved it! It's so hard to buy gifts for someone over 80 - this is a sure fire hit!

Life has done a superb job of pulling the whole century together into one book.I wont't tell you what picture was the first picture the started the book off with.But I'll tell you this;they got it right! This in not only the most important and best picture of the 20th century, but also; the most significient picture to portray what man has done;ever.Check out the book and see if you don't agree.
It must have have been a difficult,but rewarding, task to decide what to include and what had to be sacrificed.Everyone must have their favorite pictures of the century and will find many of them in the book.A very good balance was made between text and pictures.
An excellent book to have or to give as a gift regardless of r age.

Life has done a superb job of pulling the whole century together into one book.I wont't tell you what picture was the first picture the started the book off with.But I'll tell you this;they got it right! This in not only the most important and best picture of the 20th century, but also; the most significient picture to portray what man has done;ever.Check out the book and see if you don't agree.
It must have have been a difficult,but rewarding, task to decide what to include and what had to be sacrificed.Everyone must have their favorite pictures of the century and will find many of them in the book.A very good balance was made between text and pictures.
An excellent book to have or to give as a gift regardless of age.
There are other similar books;but none better.What else would you expect from TIME!