Switzerland Books

The book was good but the binding gave out almost right away. I have a nice collection but this book looks bad because the pages are all falling out.

The author of this book, Wolf Zoepf, was an officer (battalion adjutant actually) in the 6th SS Mountain Division. He has written what can only be characterized as a classic in military history about the role of the SS Nord division in Operation Nordwind. Nordwind was the last major German offensive in the West during WWII, starting a week or more after the much more celebrated Ardennes offensive. The goal of Nordwind was to punch through the Allied lines in the Alsace region and recover this mountainous terrain to anchor the German defense of the Fatherland. It was also hoped that a direct route through the Vosges mountains could be opened to permit German armored reserves to break out into the plains in France.

There are so many things to love about this book. First, it really is a tribute to the fine soldiers of the 6th SS Mountain Division and to the brave Americans (primarily from the 45th and 70th IDs) who opposed them. Zoepf pays a great tribute to the skill, courage, and determination of all the combatants. Second, this book contains one of the best, most detailed discussions (analyses really) of the tactical situation at virtually every stage of the fighting. I've read so many military histories in which attacks failed because of bad weather, poor logistics, etc., but the details are never explained. With great detail, Zoepf describes how (and why) tank support didn't show up, the effect of losing radios, lack of ammo, the complications of coordinating attacks. As you read this book you will, I believe, get a sense of how it must have been for individual company commanders and why some things succeeded and others failed. Third, this is an extremely well written book. It is detailed and compelling, but easy and enjoyable to read. You may well read the whole thing in one sitting.

The perspective of the book is divided pretty much 50/50 from the German/American perspective. The first 20-30% of the book is a history of SS Nord from its disastrous attack on Salla in 1942 until Nordwind. The 6th SS Mountain Division spent most of the war in Finland and the Soviet Union above the Arctic Circle battling the terrain and climate as much as the Red Army. When it arrived on the Western front in late 1944, it was probably one of the best units in the German Army. After the discussion of the history of SS Nord, the rest of the book is divided into one chapter per day (i.e. seven days!). This isn't so much a complete history of Operation Nordwind, but is primarily the story of the role of two battalions in this operation. Enough large scale description of the entire operation is given to put the role of the 1st and 3rd battalions of the 12th SS regiment's advance on Wingen-sur-Moder into perspective, but you'll have to look elsewhere for a complete story on Nordwind. Without giving too much away, two mountain battalions advance via a night march through the mountain in winter to an important cross roads (Wingen-sur-Moder) with orders to hold the town until relief arrives and German armored reserves can pass through the town on their way to the plain. Can they hold out until relief arrives, or will then be surrounded and destroyed by the Americans?

This is destined to be a classic in military history I believe. All of the other Amazon reviews are enthusiastically positive as well. This book would be a good companion to Johann Voss's memoir Black Edelweiss (I think you can buy them together). My only negative complaint about the book is that the ending is rather abrupt. A few more pages could have been added to tie everything together. According to the dust jacket, the author passed away only three weeks after the book was completed. Perhaps he intended to add a bit more? In any case, this is really a must have for anyone who reads/collects books about the ETO. Highly recommended.

This was an interesting book, but it is not much of a first hand account. The author obviously went through a lot, but he was at a very high command level and his participation in the battles were very limited and in all honesty not very entertaining. If you want an exciting book to read about Nord and what it was like to be a soldier, I highly recommend "Black Edelweiss." This book is a very detailed account that often goes over the logistics of the battle and the planning on both sides. A great resource for somebody doing research for something larger concerning the western front late in the war, but not a page turning thriller likely to keep you up all night.

This book is remarquable.
The author is an excellent writer. The book is well written and of great historical value for people interested in the battle of the low Vosges.
The book describes the battle of Wingen sur Moder from the point of view of a very young German officer leading a whole battalion.
In January 1945, Wingen was 2 miles behind a stabilized front line. It was the hardest Winter of the century in Alsace. The aim of the Germans was to seize a valley in order to send 2 tank divisions to take Strasbourg. The 6th SS mountain division which has been fighting the Russians for 4 years were sent to take Wingen. They slipped through the main front line and took half of Wingen.

The memoirs available on line of the veterans of the 70th infantry division describe the battle seen from the US side. Wolf Zoepf gives us a stunning description from the German side, from a battalion commander view.

Leaving a few miles from Wingen, I was truelly impressed by the precision of the description of the battlefield.

Although the emphasis that this book gives to the "technical" aspects of the operation "Nordwind" and the fine accuracy of the terminology may cause some readers to avoid it, it is a very interesting and thought provoking analysis of the battles that the famous 6th SS Mountain Division fought in Alsace. The first 56 pages are devoted to that division's operations in Finland where, in late 1944, it was forced to retreat under attrocious conditions. Transferred to the Western Front, it participated in the operation "Nordwind" fighting excellently against the US 70th and 45h Infantry Division and causing many days of alarm and consternation to its opponents. Unfortunately for the 6th SS Mountain Division, the success it achieved outflanking the US positions and capturing Wingin-sur-Moder, proved to be just another "lost victory" since the other German divisions didn't advance in the same depth. The author was a junior officer in the Division "Nord" and he wrote this book with the help of many German and US first hand accounts, presenting a complete picture of the battle, from both sides of the hill. The book contains dozens of excellent three dimension maps, some two dimension maps and a few black and white photos. There is also an appendix with the German and US equivalent ranks. The book is higly recommended to the serious students of military history, since it is not only a battle story but a very critical and professional analysis of the operational and tactical factors that led the battle to its outcome.

It's only love.
Did Lennon got the tittle of his song from the novel?... guess will never know.
I must admit the author toys a bit with the reader in this book... after a promising beginning (deja vu if you want...), the plot is very thin and quite incredible... and as you start thinking Fleming is off form... all the pieces come together perfectly.
Not perhaps my favorite in the series... but has many novelties (for once no Caribbean, not a lot of England... and a lot of imagination for a so quiet Swiss surroundings...
No spoilers up to know I think. But quite romantic novel...

Of course better to read them in order as I am doing... only two books remaining... a good summer reading decision if ever I got one.

ADB

This is my first ever James Bond novel, I can't remember if I saw the movie. This is a thinking person's spy story with few gimmicks but great finesse and ingenuity. Fleming fascinated millions with his suave 007 personality and his missions against villains who were larger than life and twice as nasty.
The pace is slow, a good armchair read with a briar pipe in hand. An entire new generation will find the foreshadowing deep and miss the absence of the now classic action adventure. But Fleming's astute writing style will continue to attack new fans who enjoy a good story well told.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

James Bond is still hunting for Blofeld. After a year Bond thinks he is useless, and wants to quit. In Italy he saves a girl who was trying to kill herself. This leads to a relationship, and Bond learns that she is the daughter of a high ranking Italian gangster.

He has info on Blofeld. He is in Switzerland running a finishing school type or organisation, after having undergone plastic surgery. It is really a brainwashing organisation to get women to basically be terrorist weapon carriers.

Bond infiltrates Blofeld's organisation, gets out of there, and here Tracy helps him out.

He asks her to marry him, and she agrees.

Bond, with some of Tracy's dads' men, assaults Blofeld's organisation, but the supervillain gets away again, and has a nasty surprise waiting at Bond's wedding.

This is definitely one of the better Bonds since, like CASINO ROYALE and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, the more formulaic elements are so well integrated in the story.

What I loved about FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE was that the obligatory romance was the actual scheme of SMERSH to ensnare and kill 007. The characters were well-drawn and Bond doesn't come off as such an indestructible superman. His heart is broken in CASINO ROYALE, confused in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE and then shattered in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. (It's also very cool that we learn that Bond annually visits the grave of Vesper Lynd as well as still checks into Casino Royale as well).

We meet Ernst Stavro Blofeld again, not because of some grandiose world-conquering plot, but because he wants the respect and nobility of a title. The College of Arms angle of the story should be the dullest part of the story but Fleming actually makes it interesting by revealing the desire of everyone--except James Bond--to be "somebody."

The biological warfare passages may seem dated but I like revisiting the 007 books while keeping them in context: they must have been fantastic reads in the 1950s and 1960s. These books really anticipated the very modern threat of what Fleming referred to as "the man with the suitcase"...which contains an atomic device. Blofeld's plot in this book to attack England through its livestock with a virus is certainly something to think about in this day of Mad Cow and Bird Flu epidemics.

Although I'm only quibbling, I wished there had been more development between Bond and Tracy, the only woman to ever become Mrs. James Bond. After reading the novel, I felt as if I saw more of her in the movie! (The movie version of OHMSS is also one of the best).

Among the titles of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, I'd have to say that On Her Majesty's Secret Service is my least favorite, with neither the brevity of a Dr. No or Goldfinger nor the plot descriptive nature of The Man with the Golden Gun or From Russia with Love. Even if I dislike the title, however, this is one of Fleming's best Bond books.

The story opens around a year after the events of Thunderball (the intervening book, The Spy Who Loved Me, is not even mentioned). The villain in that book, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the mastermind behind SPECTRE, has been in hiding and James Bond is trying to seek him out. It is a more-or-less futile assignment and Bond is disillusioned enough to consider quitting. Before submitting his resignation letter, however, he takes a break at a casino. During this mini-vacation, he performs a chivalrous act to save a beautiful countess from embarrassment; she in turns, rewards him in her own special way.

This countess, familiarly named Tracy, is also the daughter of a genial but ruthless mob boss who Bond winds up (pardon the pun) bonding with. The boss, Marc-Ange, realizes that his daughter is troubled (in fact, suicidal), but that Bond may be able to help her by marrying her. Bond is not willing to do that, but is willing to see her again after she gets treatment. In the meanwhile, Marc-Ange gives Bond a lead on Blofeld.

Blofeld has holed himself up in the Swiss Alps, where extradition is nearly impossible. Bond goes undercover, hoping to lure Blofeld into Germany where he can be arrested. While there, he stumbles upon a strange plot that seems to involve young women seeking treatment for allergies. What Blofeld's scheme is goes beyond Bond's expertise, but the superspy will have more immediate problems as his cover is threatened.

Eventually, Tracy gets back into the mix, which adds another level to the story. Bond versus Blofeld is good, but at long last, Bond meets a woman who he can truly love. Since the first Bond book, Casino Royale, when Bond found himself betrayed by a lover, he has never been willing to truly risk emotional attachment. This time he does, and this adds an extra depth to this particular novel.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the middle part of what I think of as the Blofeld Trilogy, which started with Thunderball and concludes with You Only Live Twice, so it may not be the best Bond book to start with. For Bond fans, however, this book is a treat and one of the very best that Fleming wrote.

Once again, the Ivy League establishment has got it all wrong. They continue to perpetrate error in the historical record just as they do in the scientific record with that preposterous theory of evolution.

First of all, Euler should not be credited with topology. Descartes had formulated, before Euler was born, the key topological equation F + V - E = 2.

The Greeks attached mystical significance to the five platonic solids. So much so, Euclid included the five regular solids in book 13 of his Elements as if it were the culimination of his work, as if the three-dimensionality were a culimination of the two-dimensionality of the earlier books.

These "regular" solids are three-dimensional objects: namely, the Tetrahedron, the cube, the octahedron, the dodecahedron and the icosahedron. They are "regular" because, on each, the faces are congruent. Furthermore, the face angles are equal. For example, a cube's faces are all the same size.

If we count the faces on the tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron and icosahedron respectively, we get 4, 6, 8, 12, 20 respectively.

If we count the vertices of each respectively, we get 4, 8, 6, 20, 12.

If we count the edges respectivley, we get 6, 12, 12, 30, 30.

Now, create an array of the faces, vertices and edges:

F:4 6 8 12 20
V:4 8 6 20 12
E:6 12 12 30 30

Descartes noticed that F + V - E = 2. For example, 4 + 4 - 6 = 2. Or take the second column: 6 + 8 - 12 = 2. Descartes conjectured (as we all would) that this formula represents an invariant amongst all polyhedra.

Descartes died in 1650 A.D. when he was poisoned by some jealous Swede. Euler was born in 1707 A.D., some time after Descartes's death. Liebnitz had translated this work of Descartes which shows F + V - E = 2. And Euler is known to have read all of these Liebnitz manuscripts at the Hanover archives.

Why scholars persist in giving Euler credit for this equation boggles my imaginatino unless their reading is limited. If it is limited, then appellation of scholar for such men is unwarranted.

Pictures of the five platonic regular solids can be seen in Daud Sutton's little book "Platonic and Archimedian Solids."

With the publication of this, his third book, Dunham has once more shown himself to be a master himself of mathematical explanation. Unlike his previous two books, The Mathematical Universe and Journey Through Genius, which covered results by a variety of mathematicians, this book focuses on selected results that sprang from the remarkable mind of Leonard Euler, one of the most prolific and important mathematicians of all time. What sets Euler apart is not only the vast quantity of his output (the publication of his collected works, the Opera Omnia, spans six dozen volumes, or over 25,000 pages in all!), but also the breadth and originality of his work. Not only did Euler contribute to a wide array of mathematical fields -- from number theory to complex analysis to geometry -- but in many cases, he was the founder of those fields. For example, Euler invented the field of analytical number theory, and he was the first mathematician to recognize the importance of and to discover the important properties of complex numbers.

This book in many ways resembles Dunham's Journey Through Genius. As in that book, Dunham has selected 15 or so theorems to present in detail, and he makes an effort to keep the proofs similar in spirit to the original proofs. Although the proofs are complete and the book is full of equations, they are accessible to anyone with a high school level of mathematics education. But in addition to the proofs, Dunham also provides historical context, as well as commentary on how later mathematicians used and improved upon Euler's work. For example, we learn that Euler began to loose the sight in his right eye at the age of 32, and that despite his virtual blindness by the age of 65, he continued his prolific rate of output until his death at age 84.

The book's title is taken from a quote by Laplace, who said, ``Read Euler, read Euler. He is the master of us all.'' Indeed, if you have any interest in mathematics, you will almost certainly find yourself in complete agreement with Laplace's sentiments by the time you finish reading this wonderful book. ...

I really enjoyed reading this book that describes some background on Euler and his work. It is written in an informal style, so for people with a math background it reads like a novel.

The book is not suitable for people who want to learn more about the person Euler, but do not have a math background, because 75% of the book is about real math (equations). So if you don't enjoy reading equations, do not buy the book.

Summary: as enjoyable as the other Dunham books, although a bit more expensive (but still worth the money).

Don't be fooled by the brevity or put off by the high price of this book - it's worth its weight in gold. If you have a university level math degree and you want to do proofs again, this book is for you. I have been able to understand everything in the book as a result of Prof. Dunham's amazing ability to explain things. I did have to resort to the Internet on occasion to brush up on some trigonometry and calculus. I have been reading it slowly for 2 years now and I'm only half way through - sometimes I pull it out when I need some brain exercise. If you like math, you will like this book.

" Analysis incarnate " , no other more suitable words probably can describe the incomparable power of Euler, as his contemparies called him. Concerning the usual style of Dunham to write this stimulating book, other readers have made many comments and I think there is no need to repeat that. What I want is that Dunham to write another book, perhaps volume 2,3 etc and also write a thorough biography of Euler, one the greatest mathematicians in the history. ( To me, for mathematical ability, his should be at the same rank with Newton, Archaemedes, and Gauss, even Einstein concerning the mathematical and theroetical aspect, is below par compared with Euler )

Set in the beautiful scenery of Switzerland, that the author describes so vividly, a secret race is spinning between Mandie with the help of her friends, and some mysterious, secluded strangers.

Who is going to find the owner of that enchanting voice that sings in the late night? Who is going to discover the hidden tower's secret? And what about that tiny locked-up cottage, that no one seems to know about?
With so many questions, and nobody with answers, curiosity kills the cat... and Mandie is the cat facing it's fatal adventure.

While reading this book, my mind kept trying to solve all the mysteries that were behind the strange incidents, but I never could have imagined such a surprise that came out of the ending....

I think this is one of the best Mandie books that I have read, as of yet!

This book is my second favorite!It's great!!!I love Mandie books because they have Bible verses in them,they take place in my favorite time period(early nineteen hundreds)and most of all they are very interesting!My favorite part in this book is when Mandie and Johnathan are crossing a roof four floors high and Mandie falls!I don't want to tell you any more because I want you to be suprised when you read it.Thank you SO much Mrs.(Miss)Leppard for writing such wonderfull books!They are better than American Girl mysteries!


*Baylee*

I thought that this book is the best Mandie book!!!! I really enjoyed learning about Switzerland. I think that Mrs. Leppard did a good job of describing the landscape it sounded really pretty. She also did a good job of developeing the mystery I couldn't put it down!!!!!!!!!!!!You should defenitly read this book!!!!!!!

THE LOVELY COVER TELLS THE LOVELY STORY. THERE ARE NO BOOKS LIKE MANDIE BOOKS. THEY ARE COOL

Mandie's in Switzerland, visiting with her friends an old friend of Mandie's Grandmother. Mandie's expecting a mystery any moment, and she 's not disappointed. They hear singing! The words are all jumbled together, but it's singing just the same. Mandie simply has to find out what's making the singing, even if it means taking it to extreme measures, which she does.

This is one neat book. I could not figure out what was causing the singing until the end of the book, which is rare because I am usually able to spot out the abnormalities quicker than the characters can. That made this book a real page-turner for me. Read it. I guarantee that you'll be surprised at the ending-that is, if you haven't read it already.

"The bible" of touring Western Europe, by motorcycle, pedal bike or auto. Mr. Hermann has produced " a must own" publication if one is planning a trip through Western Europe and wishes to be part of the history and scenic beauty that captures the essence and beauty that this region has to offer.

This is an outstanding guide to the best riding roads in the world. I recently took an organized motorcycle tour of the Alps. Good thing I took this book with me, as it quickly became my guide. Others on the tour were wondering how I found all the great roads!! If you are going to tour the Alps, buy this book now! Rates all the passes, with a short recap on each one.

I use to go on travel with my motorcycle just one or two times a year. I'm really busy and I haven't too much time to plan these travels so I bought this book thinking it could help me to plan a travel by the Alps. But it was a surprise!!! All the travel was perfectly planned in this book! Hotels, Restaurants, special places, roads, etc. Just a little deception: the pictures are black and white!

I took a packaged tour of the Alps in 2002. Thank goodness I took this book with me. This book had so much more quality information than the touring company, it was unbelievable! Each night, we would return from some awsome ride (not on the base or recommended route). It became a nightly ritual to review where we went. People, including the tour guide, wanted to know how I knew of these roads, I showed them the book.

Next time, I will just take this book and go, no tour company! I am a heavy rider, 30K miles per year, close to 400K miles ridden.

I took John's first edition of this book and a map and rode the Alps and the Dolemites for ten days. We reviewed the routes and stops each morning and evening. This is a great resource if you are traveling in the area. I brought three other books on this topic and left them behind at hotels as the trip progressed, as I realized I did not need any other resources. Use this and an internet translator site (like Babelfish)and you can make your reservations in some of the same hotels that Edelweiss and other formal tour groups use.This new edition expands on the first by adding Corsica and updating the Alps/Dolemite section. It is a great read. John is the recognized authority on this area for those of us that don't speak other languages well, and don't live there.He is also correct in stating that the riding in this region is addictive.

Loved the book!! it is easy to use especially for first time visitors who are not familiar with all of the different rail systems in the SBO. I stayed in Wengen for 4 days and used the book often to decide which trip to conduct and also how to easily find and navigate the cable cars, gondolas and hiking paths. The book was especially helpful since the weather was a bit overcast in the higher altitudes and we chose to go down into Interlakin for a day trip, which the book covers as well. Bravo to the authors and thank you for making my Swiss Bernese Oberland visit one of the best vacations I have had in a long time.

This book is not what I expected, but that could be my fault.
It is quite thin, and has trip suggestions in trains, boats etc.

I didn't want to rate it, because I didn't read all of it, only took a glance to verify that I will have no use in it, since I was hiking in swiss.
So the 3 stars are from walker point of view.

Very detailed information with lots of pictures, but in a compact form. If you are spending any time in the Bernese Oberland area of Switzerland, this book will greatly simplify your experience and help you decide what to do when you get there. Written by authors who have been visiting the area for 30 years! Highly recommended.

I've been to Switzerland on 4 trips for a total of about 6
weeks, mainly in the Bernese Oberland. I have not yet found
a better book for the first time visitor to this area. Even
though I've been there several times I still find it
worthwhile. There are no specifics on hotels or restaurants,
just on sights. They choose 10 trips and 4 excursions, and I
can think of other choices but not better choices; most are my favorites. The trips are from a half day to one day, depending
on what variations you choose; the excursions require a full
day. There are also some other suggestions and information on
Swiss tourist offices and websites, which I would also recommend
that you email and/or visit when you are in the area. Basic information includes food & drink, transportation, etc.

We were in Switzerland this summer and I highly recommend this guide for anyone who will be in the Bernese Oberland area in Switzerland. It is very well written and the maps are very helpful. Wengen, a small swiss village 45 minutes from Interlaken is very beautiful and we could have easily missed that had it not been for this book.

Great overview of all African masks, with intelligent background and supportive material. Not just a picture book or rehash of oft-repeated images. Really a book to be used and absorbed.. It will be a great help.

First-rate, high quality throughout, this volume does what a book of this type should do: packs in plenty of color plates of the masks, and shows them being worn (in black-and-white in situ photos) on the accompanying left-hand pages of the spreads. The collection is far-ranging and, though it cannot include every type of mask, it does manage to convey the incredible variety, richness and paradoxical sophistication of this art form. Highly recommended.

This is the best book I have found on the psychology and understanding of African masks. Just fantastic, worth the money. 80% color plates, brief outline of basic African mask types and their interpretation, grouped by region and by style.

This is the best book I have found on the psychology and understanding of African masks. Just fantastic, worth the money. 80% color plates, brief outline of basic African mask types and their interpretation, grouped by region and by style.

I bought the hardcover version of this & it is well worth the additional expense because the photos are excellent in quality & number. The printing of the photos is of a very high quality. The book is well organized by region & tribes; since many tribes do not adhere to modern borders. I also bought THE TRIBAL ARTS OF AFRICA it is very good but the organization is poor (by region & country) and the descriptions for the smaller photos are not in the same order as the photos, so one has to really search to find out what one is looking at. Whereas the variety and great quality of the photos in AFRICAN MASKS enabled me to definitively identify a mask I acquired 30 years ago. If you collect or love viewing West African carvings I recommend investing in the hardcover version.

This wonderfully illustrated, spiritual biography of one of psychology's most original thinkers will be welcomed with enthusiasm by Jungian scholars and students. This penetrating examination of the man and his ideas which helped revolutionize psychology and our understanding of the mind is multidimensional and highly recommended.

This is the Jung book to have at hand, whether one is a 'Jungian', a seeker after individuation, or an artist. Ms. Dunn has brought us the humanity of Dr. Carl Jung, bringing us into his life and making his work accessible. It is richly illustrated. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

This is a beautiful book. I expected that, but there isn't an index, so it is difficult for me to see at a glance what else I might learn from this book. The notes are extremely brief, mainly to give page numbers in MEMORIES, DREAMS, REFLECTIONS by C. G. Jung much more than any of his other works, or to give page numbers in the two volumes of his letters, plus THE FREUD/JUNG LETTERS, and the compilation published by The Analytical Psychology Club of San Francisco, Inc. in 1982, C. G. JUNG, EMMA JUNG, TONI WOLFF. In the contents at the beginning, we find that in Part 1, Wounded, there are two pages for "Toni," and in Part 2, Healer, pages 101-05 for "Helpers: Emma, Toni," and in Part 3, Of the Soul, pages 141-47 for "Answer to Job" and pages 169-172 for "Toni," who died suddenly in her sleep at the age of 65. The caption of the picture on page 170 states, "Although Jung tried to get Toni Wolff's scientific writings published after her death in 1953, as yet they remain unpublished." But sometimes things change faster than photo captions, and Jung managed to write an introduction "When Toni's STUDIES IN JUNGIAN PSYCHOLOGY was published." (p. 171). Jung destroyed "Toni's letters to him and his to her."

Shortly before Walter Kaufmann died in September, 1980, he finished work on the third volume of DISCOVERING THE MIND, which he called FREUD VERSUS ADLER AND JUNG. As a philosophy professor, Kaufmann sought sound scholarship, innovative science, a well-organized writing style, and the sort of penetrating self-knowledge that he was used to from all the work he did on Nietzsche. The first page of section 70 of his book, page 397, explains how Jung achieved success without being particularly profound, by failing in ways that enhanced his popularity, a strategy that ultimately might be considered more professional than scientists can claim to be. He quotes Jung as someone who, "much more even than Adler, became a guru" to a group that expects professionalism above all: "About a third of my cases are not suffering from any clinically definable neurosis, but from the senselessness and aimlessness of their lives. . . . Over two thirds of my patients are in the second half of life."

As a mere philosophy professor, Kaufmann never benefited from having a consistent publisher for his own work, though coming out in paperback made it possible for his translations of Nietzsche to be fully successful. Most of his page 397 is about books. "Among Jung's patients were wealthy American women, eager to do something for the cause. Eventually, the publication of his collected works, in English and German, was subsidized, and the volumes were produced very beautifully and underpriced, and then also made available in extremely attractive paperbacks." Though CARL JUNG: WOUNDED HEALER OF THE SOUL/ AN ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY by Claire Dunne (who was born in Ireland, lived in Australia, and founded two Australian multicultural radio stations) is not entirely the work of women, it is as attractive as any that could describe itself as "--the book is itself a work of art, the kind of enduring tome which is picked up again and again for the pleasure of the eyes as well as that of the mind." (back cover, Olivier Bernier, "who directs the Van Waveren Foundation, was the first to acknowledge the manuscript with a publication development grant." Acknowledgments, p. 218).

The picture on page 104 which shows Freud and C. G. Jung standing, with Emma Jung and Toni Wolff seated in front of them at the Third International Psychoanalytic Congress, 1911, also shows an arm of Lou Andreas-Salome at the edge of the picture by Freud, as more of the same picture is displayed on page 136 in JUNG A BIOGRAPHY by Gerhard Wehr, translated from the German by David M. Weeks. The latter, hefty biography of Jung, for whom "the superindividual was paramount" (Wehr, p. 4) has an index of names on pages 539-549, with the number of listings for Toni Wolff taking 2 lines as only a few names, like Alfred Adler, Jesus Christ, and Friedrich Nietzsche do. Sigmund Freud and Aniela Jaffe each need 3 lines in the index of Wehr's book, which seems to devote much more to Jung's work than to his life. People who are more interested in what kept Jung motivated should see the picture of Toni Wolff on page 50 of Claire Dunne's book, dated December 1930. I'll bet she was about 44 years old then, when Jung was 55, and thought she was only 42. Some people aren't good with numbers, at that age, but people who are likely to buy this book don't have to be adept at math.

I just finished reading Claire Dunne's portrait of Carl Jung and wanted to share what a powerful and inspiring work this is. Ms. Dunne did a wonderful job of telling the story of Jung's evolving and awakening soul as he lived his life fully as a real individual with great gifts and real shortcomings. The book really reflects both the real earthiness of Jung "the peasant" and the highest and deepest explorations of Jung the genius and truthseeker. More than anything else, it seems to me, that you cannot be in the presence of Carl Jung (either in person or through the skillful help of this author) without feeling, as the poet Helena Henderson is quoted in the book, "Above all I remember someone who, by his every word and action, gave one the feeling that life is a good thing--something even more precious to me than anything he put on paper." (p. 109) The book has really blessed me, and it will be one I turn to again and again. I hope others enjoy it as much as I have.

With 150 color and B&W illustrations, including some never before seen paintings from Jung's "Red Book," this biography is extremely reader-friendly and gorgeous. It's written in succinct chapters, and the artwork is stuff I'd like to frame. It's available in hardcover and softcover. Jung LIVES in this book as a human being struggling to become who he is meant to be at the deepest level...just like us.

Every Swiss should read this novel. It takes you back to a time when Switzerland, Geneva, was a much quieter place. When the police would tell noisemakers to shush. When the tourists only came in the summer. And there's plenty of action that moves the plot along. A must read.

I really enjoyed reading the love story of those two kids. They loved each other so much and put so much faith into Dosie's mother. Boy, did she throw them a curve. What a letdown.

I am nuts about old bikes and this guy rides a Puch 125, made in Austria, for 6000 miles. This bike was more of a scooter than a motorycle and how he pushed that bike that far is hilarious. And the rest of the book is too.

Eine grosartige Tour von Europa nach dem grosen Krieg. Am interessantesten. Herr Frey schreibt eine gute Gerschichte. Gerd Schute

Un livre fascinat. Le contnent de l'Europe il y a 50 ans, avant que je sois meme ne. Je ne pourrais pas mettre le livre vers le bas.

A window on the most turbulent decades of the twentieth century, seen through the eyes of Wilhelm Röpke, outstanding economist and social thinker. A tale skillfully retold by a scholar of our times in this very readable account of Röpke's life and work. A pleasure for anyone interested in the economic history of the twentieth century. Röpke's insights into the Great Depression, the errors of National Socialism and, after World War II, attempts at reconstruction and reform have the ring of truth and are of relevance to our times.

Wilhelm Röpke is a brilliant German-born economic, social and political theorist, and perhaps my favorite amongst the "Austrian school." He stands apart from his colleagues in that he thinks on a more humane level rejecting crude utilitarian calculations in favor of sound empirical reasoning. The crux of Röpke's economic thought is that the individual counts. This brilliant German economist of the "Austrian school" stood up to the centralizing and dehumanizing policies of the Nazis. Collectivist ideologies lay waste to civil society-destroying the intermediary institutions between individual and state-supplanting them with institutions to empower and enhance the state. Röpke recognized that allocating resources by the fair play of supply and demand is the most humane system and he was champion of the market economy. He was influential over economist Ludwig Erhard, who architected FRG's postwar economic plan, which emphasized free enterprise.

Röpke possessed some peculiarities in his lexicon that set in him apart from his colleagues, but his motive for such peculiarities was principled. Röpke rejected characterizing socialism as a "planned economy" since in his view a market economy is just an economy "planned" by entrepreneurs as opposed to state planners. He preferred the delineation of "market economy" to "capitalism," since what often passed for capitalism in the early twentieth century was a large interventionist welfare state in a cozy lockstep relationship with big business monopolists. This was state corporatism not capitalism. Moreover, "capitalism" was, of course, coined by its chief critic Karl Marx and while the term captures the importance of capital to the market economy, it remains rather sterile. Capitalism frequently connotes a materialistic consumerist ideology or images of big business rather than a social framework based on the market economy. Röpke would attest that mammon is not the measure of all things. In Röpke's eyes, the intangibles-that is to say faith, family and tradition-are the things that animate life and give it meaning.

Röpke recognizes the limitations of the market economy. Röpke possesses a remarkable sense of prudence and conservative sobriety in his thinking as it relates to the political economy. He rejected the idea of making economists into social engineers whether in the interests of "efficiency" or "social justice." And amongst his "Austrian" colleagues like F.A. Hayek and Ludwig von Mises, he brought economics to a more humane level, rejecting crude utilitarian logic in favor of more humane empirical reasoning to defend the market economy. Furthermore, he refrains from the market idolatry that is so common to libertarian apologists for the free-market these days. Libertarians frequently espouse an ideology that can be summed up as "everything in the market, nothing outside the market." (This, of course, turns Mussolini's mantra on its nose.) Röpke recognizes something that libertarians miss with their penchant for crude utilitarian calculations and their moral neutrality that often makes being an avowed "libertarian" indistinguishable from being a "libertine." Many libertarians content themselves writing diatribes defending the "robber barrons" of the yesteryears while praising the colossal (e.g. Wal-Mart.) In their efforts to defend any and everything related to "the private sector," they forget that the apparently sporadic interventions of the state often come at the behest of big business. Many big business capitalists content themselves with cozy public-private partnerships that translate to steady, predictable profits and a regulated environment that drowns small business competition. Big business possess a comparative advantage in that they can absorb the regulatory costs easier than their smaller competitors and perhaps influence the regulations. Röpke, however, scorns the colossal not in demagogic rhetoric, but in the rhetoric of an economist. He likewise sees "big business" as a concomitant pillar of "big government" and its regulatory state.

Underlying Röpke's humane economy is the idea that a market economy needs a prudent civil framework, widespread distribution of property, a strong entrepreneurial middle class and emphasis on parochial traditionalism. Anyway, Röpke itinerates the need for sound monetary and fiscal policy on the part of the state. He holds that the gold standard is the only real safeguard against the vicious boom-and-bust cycles of modern capitalist society. Röpke recognized that a market economy flourishes when tradition and community guard against the centralizing depredations of the state and big business. Röpke further emphasized the principle of subsidiarity, which in Europe today seems to survive only in that beautiful alpine island of parochialism-Switzerland-which itself is straddled by the colossal and cosmopolitan EU super-state as if it is ready to be consumed.

In the Humane Economy, Röpke surmised that: "The market economy, and with social and political freedom, can thrive only as part and under the protection of a bourgeois system. This implies the existence of a society in which certain fundamentals are respected and color the whole network of social relationships: individual effort and responsibility, absolute norms and values, independence based on ownership, prudence and daring, calculating and saving, responsibility for planning one's own life, proper coherence with the community, family feeling, a sense of tradition and the succession of generations combined with an open-minded view of the present and the future, proper tension between individual and community, firm moral discipline, respect for the value of money, the courage to grapple on one's own with life and its uncertainties, a sense of the natural order of things, and a firm scale of values." To answer those who might sneer at this, Röpke nimbly replies, "Whoever turns his nose up at these things... suspects them of being 'reactionary'... may in all seriousness be asked what ideals he intends to defend against Communism without having to borrow from it."

John Zmirak does a wonderful job profiling the life and work of a very brilliant man. Bravo! Röpke's ideas are remarkably original, but even so are analogous to that of conservative sociologist Robert Nisbet, Anglo-Catholic distributists like Chesterton and Belloc, and the Southern agrarians like Agar and Tate. You might check out their works as well, if Röpke interests you.

Wilhelm Röpke was really a great personality and an important figure in the history of liberal thinking. It was certainly worthwhile to publish a book on him and Zmirak has done a great job. He shows, that Röpke was not only an economist, but also a profound social philosopher. This reconciliation of technocratic economies and human values would be even more needed nowadays than at the time of Röpke. Zmirak shows better than other books on Röpke, that the Swiss social and political system was very important for Röpke's thinking, that many ideas were new only to Germans or Americans, but draw on Swiss history and Swiss experience.
-, Neue Zürcher Zeitung

John Zmirak provides a fresh and fair look at Wilhelm Röpke. He unearths writings that are sometimes ignored, particularly those relating to international economics, to show that Röpke's "Third Way" compromises neither freedom nor the moral sense. What emerges is a brilliant and complex thinker: a cosmopolitan liberal in the classical tradition who believed firmly in the free economy, sound money, local rights, and the old
bourgeois virtues. This book should immediately become the standard treatment of this much-neglected and often-misrepresented figure in the history of ideas.

The author has done an excellent job in pinpointing to what extent Wilhelm Röpke, in his most mature work, was fired by his first-hand knowledge and experience of the small-scale, directly democratic, and partially corporatistic and communitarian institutions of his Swiss environment. Röpke's twin emphasis, on the one hand on private property rights, individual liberty and self-reliance, and on the other on a social setup characterized by face-to-face networks can be regarded as an antidote against the incipient facelessness of both an atomized capitalistic mass society and a bureaucratic welfare state. -Robert Nef,