California Books

I have been sailing on an C2 (Antilian Baron) and T2 tanker.(William T Steele) (The Cabins) On board I have heard about the stories around these ships. With this book I get an complete vieuw about the tremendes job done during ww2.Realy an excelent book

John Vermeulen Netherlands

My father sailed as Chief Radio Officer on Liberty ships in several convoys, including to Murmansk in 1942. He reports that this title is "the best book [he's] ever seen" about the Liberty ships and their missions, with research that "must have taken years" to assemble and virtually no factual errors.

This is far the most interesting and complete book about the mercant marine in the wwII era. It realy describe the hole story about the libery project.
Tommy Andersson Sweden

If you are interested in Liberty ships and the critical role they played in WWII then you owe it to yourself to purchase a copy of this book. The author has accumulated a massive amount of information describing the design, construction, role, problems, and victories of the Liberty ship as a class of vessel as well as descriptions of epic adventures and misfortunes of many individual ships. This is certainly a "must own" book for anyone who has an interest in WWII merchant shipping.

The very concept of a mass produced ship was unknown before World War II. But with the German subs sinking more ships than could be produced. With these ships being built faster than the Germans could sink them the supplies, men, and weapons got through to England and around the world.

This is really two books in one.

The first half or so of the book is on the plans of the ship and the design and construction of the plants to build the ships. One critical point was that these ships were welded rather than riveted as had been done before. This caused a good bit of conversation. 2710 Liberties were built and they worked literally around the world.

The second part of the book is a collection of stories of some of the ships. About two hundred were sunk due to enemy action. A few hundred more ran aground, collided, caught on fire or whatever. Several of the ships simply broke in two, for no known reason. One ship, sinking just outside of London is still loaded with 3,000 tons of explosives.

Only two Liberties remain afloat. They were not the collectors items that got preserved, just a reliable workhorse. But by post war status they were to small, to slow. and one by one they were scrapped.

This is an excellent, very readable book about a non-glamorous but very important aspect of World War II.

James Morgan is known far and wide as THE expert on the Battle at Ball's Bluff. There have been other works and articles published on the battle, but Jim's far outranks them all and is now the standard for the fight and battlefield. He also dispels disproven myths about the battle and for the first time presents an extremely well documented telling. The special bonus is that, as with all volumes of Ironclad's "Discovering Civil War America" series, there is an expertly-crafted guided tour in the back of the book.

For anyone interested in a little-known early clash of the Civil War, or even if you think you know what happened there, you must get this book. Read it through, and then take it to the battlefield with you for the tour, especially the little National Cemetery there. If you're lucky, Morgan himself will be available to tour with you. - he's a battlefield guide there.

Fantastic writing, impressive bibliography and sources.

This is the second book in "The Civil War America Series" which "features soft-cover works that focus on less publicized Civil War battles and sites." This is the series strength and also its' weakness. Little known can make a difficult read as you lack reference points and faces for names. The reward is learning something new not covered in multiple books. This is both a rewarding and difficult book. I did have problems keeping the names on the right side of the field but I came away with a much better understanding of this important little battle. This well told story shows James Morgan's knowledge of the battle and the aftermath. He can quickly give us a personal experience or detail and return to the battle with out missing a step. His very detailed narration gives us the full story from both sides of the line while keeping the "Fog of War" for the commanders.

A big plus is the full battlefield tour included at the end of the book. Action is often tied to the current battlefield giving us a reference and a guidebook if we ever get a chance to visit the park. A good selection of photos and maps keep the reader in the picture. This is a battle book. The focus is on General Stone and the men on the field not back at Army HQ. A logical interpretation of HQ's messages helps us understand the assumptions made that day.

Another plus is the price of the book. Ironclad lists this book at $18.95 but packs more and better information, maps and photos into this small package than many books selling for $29.95.

Although I have read and enjoyed Byron Farwell's book on the disastrous Balls Bluff battle that caused such a psychological shock on the Union, Morgan's book provides deeper analysis into what occurred virtually blow by blow that will appeal greatly to the serious Civil War student. The book may be a bit challenging for those less familiar with Civil War history due to depth of the descriptions that breakdown movements virtually by company; however, the several maps included provide a great assistance. The numerous bios and command distinctions does slow the action some times and causes periodic distraction. Morgan describes the battlefield with references to its modern state making it a particularly handy read and companion when visiting the battle site that has suffered some modern encroachment. What I found most interesting about this book is the study of both the union command structure, which was fragmented between commanders of similar rank compounded by the late arrival of the commanding officer Colonel Baker. The force that was initially suppose to be a reconnaissance in force across the Potomac coordinated with a lower movement at Edward's Ferry and a move by McClellan further east but its purpose seemed to lend itself to full committed due to a misperception of grautious success. The author also provides a profile of the odd confederate command with the infamous Major Evans commanding in spite of Colonel Hunton's superior rank. Morgan does a great job capturing the detailed movements of all the forces involved resolving some of the mystery of confederate forces that were largely unseen by the union forces. The command structure of the Union is handicapped by faulty information supplied by an earlier scouting expedition that misinterprets landmarks for a confederate encampment. This confusion contributes to the poor disposition of troops that concentrate on the south and west while the majority of the officers recognize that the east wooded area that also encompasses a ravine, is the most vulnerable area. This recognition of the east vulnerability is discovered late, not long after the commander, Colonel Baker, arrives on the scene. Morgan takes away a lot of the mystery of what happens next by detailing the confederate attacks and late union shifting of units that ultimately leads to a collapse of the union position. With the high bluffs on their back with a relatively deep river behind, the collapse of the union left leads to an abrupt fragmentation of order. Morgan goes further in his book describing the overall campaign that is obviously hindered by the newness of the war's command structure and communications. Neither Stone, overall commander at Balls Bluff and Edwards Ferry, nor McClellan has a real feel for what is occurring until the collapse. Morgan also captures the fighting around Edwards Ferry that coincided with Balls Bluff and McClellan's ineffective movements that contributed to the isolation of Baker's forces. In addition, Morgan tells how General Stone is severely punished, including incarceration, by vengeful politicians and is neglected by General McClellan. Baker was a popular politician and friend of Lincoln's that contributes immensely to the severe reaction to this union defeat. In this book, Morgan also provides a walking tour of the battlefield that identifies significant landmarks even obscured by modern housing units. This is the ultimate book that will give you the in-depth story of this small battle that had far reaching effects on the north while also assisting you in your visit to the battlefield. Farwell's book is also a good read and captures more detail on Stone's fall.

Clearly the best treatment of the Battle at Ball's Bluff available. An excellent telling of the little known fight drawn from good research and a thorough bibliography. The included tour guide alone is worth the price of the book.

There is little to add that already hasn't been said in the other reviews. I just wish it was available in hardback! If the future titles in this series are as good as this then Ironclad is assured of repeated patronage. I only have one very very minor criticism. Though the maps are generally quite good, I wish elevation lines were included as the topography of the Union left flank had a critical effect on the fight and the text covering it was a little confusing at times. None of this detracts much from this wonderful work, which is easily the best battle history of 2004.

This is such a treasure! It shows life inside Termite Terrace and preserves the history like a textbook. The author shares stories that aren't covered in other books and talks about the people who weren't in the spotlight of the Golden Era. I was amazed to find someone who had lived through it and been there had written this. Any students of Looney Tunes, animation, or cartoon history should read this book.

If you've read any other animation history books, you've gotten a basic idea of how things were during "Golden Age" of the 30's and 40's. But not only is Living Life Inside The Lines one of the few books written someone who actually worked in animation during that period, it's the only book I've seen written by an ink & paint artist, which gives it a point of view of the animation world that other books never mention.

Sigall also tells stories of people like Irv Spence and Phil Monroe who were a big part of animation history, but have never gotten much mention in books. And having worked at numerous studios and ink & paint houses, she has very broad perspective on how the animation industry has changed from the 30's thorough to the 80's. Plus her pleasant demeanor makes for a nice, easy-going read.

If you're interested in animation, this book is a perfect supplement to your library.

I know the son of the writer and was eager to read her book. I have done computer animation and presently am in involved in video production. I found this personal history of the early days of animation to be fun, informative, and came away feeling I had a better knowledge of the people involved in this wonderful form of visual art!

If you love animation, history of early animation days...this book is a wonderful read!

When Chuck Jones received his special Academy Award in the mid-1990s, he wondered aloud from the stage where all the "laughing faces of Termite Terrace" had gone. They're right here in Martha Goldman Sigall's wonderful book. Martha was a central participant in the Golden Age of the animated short: she inked and painted on timeless, classic films directed by Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng, Bob McKimson, Frank Tashlin, Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera, and others, and almost certainly contributed to more animated films than all of them combined, probably without receiving a single screen credit in that era. But she sketches the men and women who sketched Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry masterfully in this extremely well-written book, which, like Martha herself, is very warm, funny, and people-oriented. Her personal portraits of artists like Treg Brown, Virgil Ross, Ben Washam, and many others are a crucial contribution to animation history as well as a fun and funny reading experience.

This is the best book on the Schlesinger studio (birthplace of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and many others), and provides perhaps a thousand important details about that historic cartoon studio and MGM's that aren't found elsewhere. Martha sketches the 1941 strike, the Red Scare, wartime Hollywood, and other events from the animation community's perspective, and also sheds light on the historic industry locations such as 861 Seward, where six different studios sought shelter through the years; the neat and clean (but long gone) MGM building in Culver City, and the shabby Van Ness home of Leon Schlesinger and his "kids".

In what may be the last major eyewitness account of the classic era of animation, Martha raises the spirit of those long-gone laughing faces, and humanizes the creation of the great cartoons and timeless characters that will last forever. The joy she obviously felt in her career infuses the book and the reader.

Martha and her husband Sol, who, happily, is also heard from here, have always been like beloved grandparents to animators in Southern California (one of which this author was for a few years), but in 1996 they kindly donated themselves to the Warner Brothers Museum and are now officially public treasures. If you're not in the area, you can claim your share of them right here in this wonderful book. They should designate a rating higher than five stars for it.

I love reading stories from animations golden age and this book is especially charming.
Most people don't know it, but the ink and paint departments in all the major and minor studios were the real unsung heroes of the cartoon business-many ladies being accomplished artists in their own right and having the ability to take well drawn line drawings and just adding the right touch to each cel that the scenes would really shine. Water effects being one of the areas of animation that without great inkers and painters could tend to look "hokey".
I give this book 5 stars, but I wish it had more pictures!!

Una relato lindísimo sobre la historia de Mexico, el amor y la vida en general. No dejen de leerlo...Me ha costado conseguir un libro que lo supere.

Este es uno de los mejores libros que Carlos Fuentes ha escrito. Digo que es uno de los mejores pero no el mejor que a esrito. Si te gusta la historia entonces te va guster mucho. Si tienes interes en la historia de Mexico te va gustar mas porque es una novela inolvidable que puedes ver por los ojos de Laura Diaz, una mujer fuerte y sensilla que tiene que luchar para los derechos que hoy en dia apenas las mujeres estan disfrutando. Es una bonita novela que se trata de los cambios que han occurido en Mexico durante el siglo XX. Es muy emocional la historia, especialmente si conoces familia que a vivido los cambios durante los ultimos cien anos. Yo pase el tiempo leyendo este libro y pensando en mi abuelita que hace unos anos fallecio a los 99 anos. Como Laura Diaz estuvo presente para ver los cambios entre el gobierno y los atitudes de la cultura sobre los derechos de los humanos sin pensar si es mujer o hombre. Laura Diaz vive una vida completa con gran amores, familia y todo el tiempo al lado de los famosos y un testigo de la historia de Mexico. Te recomendo este libro para entender la historia de Mexico y como la mujer es parte de esa historia.

La historia de Laura Diaz puede llegar a ser tomada como idealista, pero encierra los deseos de todo ser humano y muy intereantemente nos lleva de la mano de la historia de Mèxico del siglo XX.
Yo soy de Guatemala, pero ambos paises tiene una cultura paralela en el tiempo y con muchos puntos en comun, por algo fueron conquistados al mismo tiempo y por casi las mismas personas.
Tanto en lo social como en lo polìtico este libro pudiera llegara a ser tambien la historia de ambos paises, ambos con revoluciones, represiòn y corrupciònm que hacen que uno se sienta identificado con el tema.
En resumen una lectura fascinante.

Los años con Laura Díaz es como la novela gemela de La región más transparente, porque con ambas obras se puede aprender, analizar y entender la historia de México, sobre todo la del siglo XX; Fuentes demuestra en esta novela su calidad como narrador, su conocimiento del español que fluye en la creación de los personajes y su ambiente. El viaje entre Veracruz y la Ciudad de México que emprende Laura Díaz es un tejido que señala los entresijos de la historia del México contemporáneo. En fin, el lector queda enamorado de Laura, una especie de Beatriz que nos guía por los espacios cósmicos de México.

The 5 stars I give this work is not because I am in love with Fuente's overall work, but because this historical fiction provokes thought and analysis in a poetic way of the life as seen through the eyes and feelings of a woman.
If the reader wishes to to learn the history of a country while becoming enveloped in how a woman, a wife, a daughter, a lover and friend is impacted by the choices made, this is a book to read.

Now Los Gatos in Spanish means The Cats. I just would like to say Waaaaasssssssssssuuuuuuppppppp to all my homedoggs. EEEYA I have learned a lot from the grate scool district. It is absolootey the best in the wurld. YA! I go to highschool and I is gettin the beest education that this here town can offer. bi guyz

I live in Los Gatos and this is the most fun I have had looking at a book in a long time. I wish there was such a book for everywhere that I have lived. The research that went into it is incredible. The detail and the photos are great. People interested in writing a book about someplace should use this as a model. I learned a lot about many places that I have wondered about for a long time. Great fun!

I moved to Los Gatos in 1996. Before I read this book I had virtually no idea of the town I lived in. Now I understand it very well. It's actually interesting! By the way, this book was obviously created as a labor of love by someone with a genuine interest in their community.

This book displays a wonderfully compiled history of Los Gatos. The photography is beautiful, and just about every fact is historically accurate. A good section of the book is where the buildings are shown today downtown, and then their original use is displayed below the photo. Anywone who lives in Los Gatos or anywone who loves Santa Clara County history will love this book!

I also live in Los Gatos,and was surprised and pleased to see my house pictured, and written about in the book! I have always wondered about many of the homes shown in the book, and especially about where I actually live. This book has sparked my curiosity even more, and I am looking forward to having more detailed conversations with the owner of the house, to get additional information! A must have book for anyone who lives in Los Gatos, or has visited and enjoyed the town. Also a great book for California history buffs! My only suggestion would be to possibly print some in hard back!

I really enjoyed reading this book. The plot kept one guessing through the entire book. It is intensely emotional at times and there is a bit of humor on occasion. It would make a great movie! The paranormal theme throughout the book is very believable. I will definitely recommend it to my friends.

I LOVED, LOVED it!!
I am used to a novel starting out like a good, friendly read,and this book does just that. Once I got past the second tape (chapter) and found out that this story was much like a text book with footnotes. the reading just flew and flew. It was almost as if I couldn't read it fast enough!

The character development is marvelous. Sophie and Dr. Levy
became a part of my household and I felt as if I was part of them as well. The young physician, Shoshana, fills in the blanks with explanations and feelings. And Harry -- he is everpresent and gets into your soul!

The ending!! again, wow...wow...wow.....................WOW!!!!

The writer has done all of his/her homework regarding the historical background and has created a heartwarming, fascinating read.

THANK YOU D. JAVANOVIC!!

Caution! Open this book and you may have to pull an "all nighter," as you can't put it down. Free yourself from the doldrums of popular fiction. Here is great plot, great thematic structure, and most of all, great dialogue, as psychiatrist and patient joust over whether Aristotelian metaphysics will triumph over the paranormal, and whether the psychiatrist's ever-increasing empathy with his patient's history will resolve his own personal conflict, as the dual theme of the effects of WW II on both reaches a crescendo in the last chapter, bringing into question the existentialists' credo that "everything has a purpose." Get this book, read it, and then look for a producer and lock up the film rights. Take the dare. You will read it straight through.

I was held in suspense until the last pages of the last chapter. A book I did not want to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed the intrigue and recommend this book to anyone who can say,in regard to the paranormal, "Why not?"

Although I have little tolerance for subjects that do not adhere to the laws of
empirical science, Jovanovic's novel "Love and Remembrance"
purported to be a tale of pure fiction, seems to report actual occurrences.
The dialogue between the troubled patient and her sympathetic Doctor, proceeds at a "can't put it down" pace, holding your attention until the final revelation, where the Psychiatrist is led to recall, and finally apprehend, his most troubled past.

I found this book to be both delightful and challenging. I am in agreement with several other reviewers that Thinley Norbu has a compassionate teacher's command of English. He knows as a dharma teacher just how difficult the concepts that he speaks of are to grasp, even when taught in his native Tibetan, a language specifically tailored to the explanation of Buddhist philosophical concepts.

The difficulty of explaining these concepts in English, a language that does not have words to distinguish between many subtle mental phenomena are always a challenge for Buddhist teachers. The main topic of this book, the Buddhist view on the five elements, earth, water, air, fire and space are illustrative of the difficulties in translation. Calling these things elements, in English means they are like carbon or hydrogen. The might also be called qualities like solid or liquid, or principles like animate or inanimate, pathways like multiple or unitary, etc. The Buddhist term for them, "Wisdom Dakinis" contains all of these meanings and many more.

You will find if you give this text your full attention, reading and re-reading it with the receptive mind that it requires; that the Rinpoche has opened various cracks in your preconceptions of the nature of reality. If you contemplate the concepts that he has exposed, resting your mental weight on them, you will find that you gain new insight of the energy essences that "appear" the ordinary world. This process is called penetration though more often it feel like free fall, as the solid floor of ordinary conception breaks under you.

A simple review like this can do little to capture this experience. I would encourage anyone interested Buddhist natural philosophy to take a sip from this cup and then enjoy the fall!

This is an excellent text on the Tibetan Buddhist teachings on the five elements. It is well-written and thorough, not to mention poetic. There are many powerful metaphors used to explain difficult concepts. This is a book you can read over and over again and never run out of things to learn. It covers a lot of ground in a very short space. Lucid and profound.

The first thing i noticed after i started reading this book was how poetic it was...it kind of reminded me of Chogyam Trungpa. With each chapter he presents a topic then proceeds to comment from every concievable angle. While the student familiar with Vajrayana's more secret practices will understand his allusions, he certainly presents his topics in such a way that they apply to everyone. An exhilerating read.

I want to be Thinley Norbu Rinpoche when I grow up. His books reveal a profound and immediate understanding, a playful spontaneity, an intense precision of expression, and a gentle command of the reader's attention. Rinpoche manifests beautifully, and he has something very real to say.

(Of interest to Shambhala people: Thinley Norbu Rinpoche practices the Primordial Stroke on the page with as much skill and impact, or perhaps greater, than Trungpa Rinpoche... and I'm a devoted admirer of Trungpa Rinpoche's vision and presentation.)

Listen: Thinley Norbu Rinpoche knew what he was doing, as a writer and a yogin. He was a spiritual and literary genius. So yes, of course, take this one home with you and take it to heart.

Homage to the dakinis!

This is one of my favorite Dharma books, one I find myself re-reading and sitting with, again & again. It's kind of like eating a meal. Each time I taste this book, I discover flavors I hadn't experienced before. This book is a mystery I continue to explore.

This is an extraordinary book. The author begins telling the reader that even in today's Japanese studies circle there is still bias against those who research such things as this book. With that in mind, I delved into this fascinating book. Before going into the book's contents I want to say that Dr. Leupp writes in a style that is very easy to read while conveying a great deal of information. Before I started reading this book I was worried that he was going to write in such an academic way that it would leave the subject matter quite sterile. That definately is not the case. The author begins the book at first with an explanation of the long hitorical trends of homosexuality that can be found in the histories of China and Korea and he places these histories of homosexul cultures beside those of Greece and other European countries. He then delves into the homosexual tradition of early Japan mainly focusing on the Imperial Court, Buddhist and Shinto monks and priests, and finally Samurai. After setting this precedent, he goes into detail of Tokugawa homosexuality, mainly focusing on Kabuki actors and Prostitutes. He uses examples from both historical records and literature. This is a great book that should be read by those who are interested in not only homosexual history, but those who are looking for a fuller understanding of Japanese hitory.

The history of Japanese homosexuality is full of references to males dressing up as girls and serving powerful men in submissive relationships. Evidently bisexuality was the prevalent norm for Japanese MEN as almost every shogan has several 'beautiful boys' in addition to the women they kept. Many were exclusively devoted to beautiful young men---almost always dressed and acting like girls. This theme practically defines homosexuality in ancient Japan...the Japanese word for homosexuality was NANSHOKU which is loosely translates to english as "Male Colors". Nanshuko was so consistent in it's expression for so many years that it almost qualifies as a artistic expression or preference.

"Bishounen means not only cute, harmonic, lovely boy features but refers to the open feminity of a boy, and the way he can be associated to feminine beauty and delicacy. It involves the heavenly face whose beauty is deeply androgynous though boyish enough to remind us of his male gender, the curvy hips, legs and butt the standard bishounen soprts and make him attractive to both sexes, the evident delicacy of manners and personality and, most important of all, the homosexual tendencies the boy shows by liking other, more masculine males."

It is amazing that this expression of homosexual desire would exist so long in Japanese history even into a modern Japanese anime genre called "Yaoi"

Not many scholarly works read well, but this one does. Even if you are not a student of Japanese history and culture, "Male Colors" is a pleasure. Yes, there are sections with a lot of Japanese names (particularly when the author cites a string of sources), but by and large, this work is very accessable to us mere mortals who are interested in the history of same-sex love.

Initially, as the author describes, same-sex love in Japan was something practiced by elite groups: first the Zen Buddhist monks who are believed to have imported the practice from China (a curious notion because this also carries the connotation that homosexuality came from "some place else") and then the samuri elite. While factors such as the lack of eligible women may have contributed to the general acceptance of bisexuality, many, if not most, of the practicers of nanshoku had deep emotional ties to their partners. But as urban life began to grow, nanshoku was popularized through a combination of the kabuki theater and the commercial sex enterprises that cropped up.

Also interesting were all the examples of art depicting nanshoku, some of it quite ribald and most of it graphic. But that just lends more weight to the notion that there was no stigma attached to boy love during this period in Japan, at least not a universal stigma; it was quite nearly universally tolerated and any effort to control nanshoku usually was to control violent fights over popular boy prostitutes rather than a governmental decree against homosexual sex.

The book is heavy on male sexuality with little mention of lesbianism, but that's hardly a surprise considering most cultures tend to be strongly patriarchal and it is the men who record history. And as usual, it appears that it was through contact with the West, particularly with Christian missionaries, that the practice of nanshoku was eventually shunned into the crepuscular corners of Japanese culture. More evidence that if there is harm caused by same-sex activity, the harm is caused by a prudish societal mentality orignating in a rigid Judeo-Christian ethic that thrives on domination and guilt.

Gary Leupp's research was clearly thorough, and his end-result benefitted greatly from it. Although I already knew of both the monastic and samurai traditions of same-sex pairings, to see the extent to which this permeated Tokugawa society was fascinating. It also gave strong argument to the constructivist theory of homosexuality, which, when considered alongside biological factors, makes for a coherent picture of sexuality in society. It's clear from the work that more research can and should be done: same-sex pairings among women, and the shift from the Tokugawa to the Modern era in Japan and the resulting changes in sexuality would make for excellent books as well. One curious thing is the appendix of glossed terms in Japanese, Chinese and Korean. I for one would have appreciated more than a vocabulary list; if the notes in the text had contained the original language versions of his text, I'd have been happier.

I bought this book last year when I was doing a study on the construction of modern Japan, and I saw this book and thought it looked interesting. I didn't end up reading it until a few months ago, but once I started it I didn't put it down. This is a really interesting and accesible book. Although it is filled with lots of information, it is well written so that it flows along like a novel. It is easy and interesting to read, without being clogged down with lots of scientific and research terms. Although the topic of Japanese homosexuality isn't one that I have studied too intensly, I found this novel to be very interesting and I think it gives an excellent over-view to the subject.

You need to have been an apprentice historian in the mid-sixties to appreciate the impact this book had on Europeanists. I was thirty-one years old in 1967. I had taught history in high school for eight years and picked up a master's in history at NYU, and I was starting my Ph. D. program in history at Yale, concentrating on early modern European history, and within that specialty, on medieval and early modern political theory. (Later, when I taught college, my specialty course was on Machiavelli, More, Erasmus and Guicciardini.)

Braudel had just published the second edition of his masterpiece. The book had been significantly rewritten and was about a third longer than the original edition. But it was available only in French, which I read well but exceedingly slowly. The first edition --but not the second-- had been translated into Spanish, my preferred second language, so I swotted the Spanish first edition for orals. Reading it in a foreign language, it was too much in a limited amount of time to absorb and integrate with what I already knew about the times. I more or less flubbed the Braudel question in my orals. (In contrast, I did a killer job responding to a question about Ernst Kantorowicz's The King's Two Bodies: A Study in Medieval Political Liturgy.)

Later, teaching a winter term course in college, I assigned the by-then-published English translation of Braudel's second edition to my students, giving myself --at long last-- an opportunity to read it in my native tongue. I was floored! The masterful use of maps and graphs to show hitherto unnoticed trends in history, the wealth of illustrative detail, the scope of his view! Of all the masterworks of the first two generations of Annales historians --Bloch and Febvre, Braudel's other works, Le Roy Ladurie, Aries, Duby, etc.-- Mediterranean is still the undisputed masterpiece on early modern European economic and social history.

I have been keenly interested in world history for nearly 20 years. I read, on average, 30 non-fiction historical accounts per annum. With rare exception, I have always felt up to the task of both completion and comprehension. Braudel is an entirely different animal. What Braudel has presented in the form of 16th-century Mediterranean history is formidable, innovative, and exhausting.

Braudel's narrative weaves itself through overlays of historical strata that demand as much from the reader as any contemporary written history available. His is not a mere linear schedule of cause and effect, but a finely crafted history of regional parallels which render the methodology as thought provoking as the content.

Fully one-fourth of the book is devoted to economics in such painstaking detail that, while the specialist may revel, the layman may grow foggy, uninterested, and, unfortunately, bored. But, this does not detract from the overall value of Braudel's effort. The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World is a singular achievement in written history which offers the reader a vantage point that I have yet to find elsewhere. 5 stars.

This book is a very detailed starting point for fans of both the Renaisance & Capitalism. It was originally published in French in 1949. The book has eleven illustrations & fifty four lists of figures & is 643 pages long.It is divided into two huge parts with several chapters & sub chapters in each.

Exs: Part 1, "The Role Of The Environment."
Chapter1-The Peninsulas: Mountains, Plateaux, & Plains.
Chapter2-The Heart Of The Mediterranean: Seas & Coasts.
Chapter3-Boundaries: The Greater Mediterranean.
Chapter4-The Mediterranean As A Physical Unit: Climate & History.
Chapter5-The Mediterranean As A Human Unit: Communications & Cities.
Part2, "Collective Destinies & General Trends."
Chapter1-Economies: The Measures Of The Century.
Chapter2-Economies: Precious Metals, Money, & Prices.
Chapter3-Economies: Trade & Transport.
Chapter4-Trade & Transport: The Sailing Ships Of The Atlantic.

At its heart this is a socio-economic history of the second half of
the sixteenth century Mediterranean world that we owe so much too.
The authors depth & breadth of knowledge can be overwhelming at times, but never dull. The clever inclusion of the often ignored topics like climate and geographic conditions presuasively explained why prosperous Capitalism grew in some regions while others remained stagnant.
Chapter 5-"The Human Unit" was the most informative. Most facets of history are here for the reader to absorb. This is the type of book we all wished we had in school.

Braudel's text on the Mediterranean is considered one of the contemporary classics of historical writing, and I can see why. It sets out to convey a total history of the Mediterranean world in the latter half of the 16th century, but ranges over so much more territory in order to achieve this objective. Just as Jared Diamond builds a foundation on geography, climate, and local flora and fauna in _Guns, Germs , and Steel_, so does Braudel begin his history. However, he does not stop there, and moves on to cover social and economic history, and, in the second volume, deals with the more standard "history of events" typical of most historical literature. Do not skip the second volume, as the tapestry Braudel weaves is not complete without it. The text is very detailed, too detailed at points, but I believe this gives the reader confidence in the authority of the writer. Clearly Braudel has done exhaustive research. You, too, will be exhausted by the time you finish this magnum opus.

I have written a review of the first volume of Braudel's history of the Mediterranean, and here will only say that it is necessary to read this second volume in order to appreciate what Braudel began in the first volume. The second volume is the more typical "history of events", but as Braudel concludes -- and correctly so in my opinion -- the history of events is founded on geography, demographics, and social and economic history. Braudel builds this foundation in the first volume, and the two volumes must be read jointly in order to fully appreciate Braudel's astounding accomplishment.

Awesome
Any pianist aspiring to improve must read this book. It has lots of information and theory in a condensed way. Also it includes 2 sections on harmonization. ¡Awesome! Your ideas will flow right away. You will be soaring high very fast. I also recommend The Jazz Theory book by Mark Levine. The Levine book is a complete course on Jazz that can be applied to any instrument. A Jazz player can't be considered a Jazz player without reading these 2 books.

"Jazz Piano Chords" is a well-thought-out and equally well-layed-out book for the beginning as well as the more experienced jazz pianist. There are many chord dictionaries on the market, but this one is specifically designed for jazz pianists, and it goes into detail about how chords are structured and when to use and not use specific types of chords. Preceding the chord charts are about twenty-five pages of text with explanations of the basics of what intervals and chords are and how they function in different musical settings (solo piano, as an accompanist, in a combo, etc.). The text then moves into voicings and a thorough exploration of the various kinds of chords with many charts to illustrate how these chords are built and used. Next follow the chord charts for all keys, charts of chords used for harmonizing in all keys, and charts of quartal harmonies in all keys. The final chart is spelling suggestions for the various chords. An award-winning jazz pianist as well as a composer of many different styles of music, Misha Stefanuk shares a wealth of knowledge in a concise and very readable fashion. An easy-to-use reference book as well as an excellent textbook, it is recommended for any pianist who wants to learn how to play jazz and to understand the fundamental structure of jazz piano.

Much material in the book to be learned...this stuff will definitely keep you off the streets at night!

If you master the material in this book, you just may have the skills to earn a part-time (or maybe full-time) living playing jazz.

Hey! That would put you back in the streets performing gigs - all night! Hmmmmm....that could be fun!! Five stars!!

This book is a good resource for jazz players. I thought it would have the fingerings for the chords (for beginners). But if you can read treble and bass clefs its great!!!! It has just about every possibility you can imagine!!!!

This book is a great, valuable resource. As an aspiring musician, I would often find it frustrating to find the right chord to harmonize the melody note I picked. This book has an entire section on chords that will harmonize each melody note, so it is as simple is picking out the chord from whatever progression you want to use! Eperienced musicians will find this helpful and valuable . . . beginning musicans NEED it! Great investment, you won't regret purchasing it.