Europe Books

I purchased this book for a history class. Great price and a good read. Good source of first-hand experiences at concentration camps. Differs a bit from the usual horrid details in other books, but explains some of the lighter sides, if I may, concerning the relationships between captives and captors.

"The Dentist of Auschwitz" is a spellbinding novel about a man that lived through the holocaust of World War II. The trials and tribulations of Benjamin Jacobs as he survives through labor and concentration camps will move you. Had it not been for the author's dental instruments that he brought with him, he would most likely not be alive today. Be thankful that he is alive and can tell accounts of his intriguing survival because this book is a very interesting and trivial tale. It is a very well written novel that I could not put down. I would recommend this novel to anyone and everyone.

I couldn't put this book down. Benjamin's story needs to be made into a movie: are you listening S. Spielberg? This is a remarkable book of unbelievable odds of survival. Ben escaped death so many times, but, the ending of this book is the most tragic episode of his story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a perspective and gratitude adjustment; when you read about the suffering of Jews and the fortitude of the survivors, you come to realize how petty and spoiled people can be in their own minds. Each time I read about a survivor, I feel a renewed sense of the gratitude I have for my life. My mother is also a survivor of Auschwitz, but each survivor's story is unique. Read and realize gratitude.

I found out about this book after reading another book that the author co-wrote. It is called The 100-Year Secret and it deals with a portion of the material that is contained in The Dentist of Auschwitz. The author spent almost five years in various camps, riding in closed railroad cars in summer, open railroad cars in winter, on death marches in the dead of winter, and on "hell ships," that were mistakingly attacked by the RAF and he, along with his brother still outlived the Nazi monsters that created this world for them. How Jacobs managed to survive his voyage through "man's inhumanity to man" is at the heart of this amazing story of survival. I promise you will not be able to put this book down.

I started reading this book and could not hardly put it down. I think I read it in 3 days. Benjamin Jacobs was sent to a concentration camp along with the rest of his family. Benjamin and his father ended up at Auschwitz. Had it not been for Benjamin's dental training and given a little bit of preference over the other inmates, the pure hell he was put through would have surely ended in death. The love story between him and Zosia is touching. Unbelievable how anyone could survive just a nightmare. This is truly the part of history most of us would like to rewrite. Great book.

I have been a mafia buff for almost 30 years, ever since I read The Godfather in January 1979. Back then I was 14 and living with my parents, and due to lack of space elsewhere in our house, I believe, they had left several of their books on a shelf in my bedroom, and one them was The Godfather. One fine morning while I was actually quite bored (it was summertime here), I picked it up and the inevitable happened...I couldn't put the book down until I finished it, the following day.

Over these past 30 years, I have watched many movies, and have read a ton of books on the mafia as well, including some which I consider true classics, such as The Valachi Papers and The Testament of Lucky Luciano. I believe Excellent Cadavers easily ranks among the top 3 or top 5 books I have read on the subject.

In spite of being a book on the history of the antimafia prosecution in Italy over a certain timeframe, and thus being obviously filled with names, dates, etc., it really reads like a novel. In fact, for this very reason (being a "history" book) I bought it with some reluctance, anticipating that it could be a slow and "interrupted" read, so to speak. Quite the opposite; I did not finish it in two days like Puzo's TG, but I read it in less than 8 days, quite an accomplishment for me since English is not my native tongue.

In summary, I believe this book deserves each and every one of the 5 stars that the other 12 reviewers, and myself, have so far given this book.

The story of the fight against the Cosa Nostra in Siciliy. The story gravitates around two investigating magistrates, Falcone and Borsellino, who were at the forefront of this seemingly never-ending fight. It' a useful narrative device, given that most people aren't familiar with the many names involved in the story (mafiosi and politicians alike). The story gives a brief history of the mafia, but it focuses on the 1980s and early 1990s; it tells of the greatest campaigns against the Mafia, and the way in which the Mafia, with the help of its political allies (Socialists, Christian Democrats, etc.) fought back.
I had a difficult time remembering all the names but the author made sure a spectacular memory was not necessary in order to follow and get involved in the story. For anyone who wishes to read something about Italy that sort of complements it, I recommend The Dark Heart of Italy.
In the end, this book left a sense of foreboding in me. It seems that Italy, a country that I like, a beautiful place, is so corrupt, so enmeshed in organized crime, that it looks un-redeemable. That is a sad feeling, given those who, like Falcone and Borsellino, have paid the highest price.

"...is simply to apply the law and punish the guilty." Giovanni Falcone

Sicily's anti-Mafia campaign is described in such masterful detail by Alexander Stille, it's no surprise ALL of Excellent Cadavers' reviews are an unmitigated five-stars. The research (reflected in the interviews, bibliography and end-notes) is simply awe-inspiring, and Stille uses the facts to weave a story that is both sweeping and nearly unbelievable.

Where should I start? Maybe with the Mafia-affiliated priest who administered the last rites to the very people he murdered. Perhaps I should mention Palermo's official city department of "Edilizia Pericolante" (collapsing housing). By condemning buildings, it institutionalized the corruption which insured that the Mafia could feast on contracts for both demolition and construction.

There are sections of this book that should be required reading for anyone who has seen any Scorcese film, The Godfather, or the surprisingly related Sopranos. Here is crime lord Tommaso Buscetta giving the police a definition of terms: "The word 'mafia' is a literary creation, while the real 'mafiosi' call themselves simply 'men of honor'... and the organization as a whole is called the Cosa Nostra... every man of honor belongs to a family.... at the head of each family is a 'capo' elected directly by the men of honor. He, in turn, selects a 'sotto-capo' (underboss) and one or two 'consiglieri' (counselors)..." And so on.

There are many heartbreaking moments here. For example, this is an excerpt from the testimony of Nicola Atria, one of the "mafia women":
"My life can be told in just a few words: at 14 I was engaged, at 18, a wife, at 21, a mother, at 23, a widow. I was born [early], I have been premature at everything from birth let's hope I won't be in dying."

See also its documentary DVD Excellent Cadavers and the very personal look at Naples crime scene, Gomorrah.

This is a hard book ot read if you're of Sicilian or South Italian descent as I am. Unlike in America where organized crime is something of a sideshow in Sicily, Calabria, and Naples it continues to dominate and distort the society as a whole. It is quite at home at home in modern society and of course it's not exclusively Italian. Russian, and Latin American versions are if anything even more dangerous. But if you wishe to see what happens when a cancer metastasizes throughout a society take a look at Toto Riina a minature Stalin who took is upon himself to dominate an entire region through assassination and extortion and see what happens to dedicated and heroic individuals like Falcone and Borsalino who finally bring him down at the cost of their own lives. A sobering and extremely well written acount

"Excellent Cadavers" is probably the best mob story you've never heard.

Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, two heroic Italian prosecutors, mounted an extraordinary legal campaign against the Sicilian mafia during the 1980s. They ultimately paid for their efforts with their lives. But their untimely murders shook Italy so hard they toppled its government. Theirs is a compelling story, full of unforgettable characters, and all of it is tragic and true. And chances are high that you don't know much about it.

Why? Probably because it is about prosecutors. Prosecutors are not sexy. Prosecutors are, almost by definition, uncool. And popular culture is all about cool. Pop culture loves Henry Hill in "Goodfellas," Michael Corleone in "The Godfather" and Tony Montana in "Scarface." Popular culture loves bad guys.

Bad guys may be bad, but they are also cool. They get drunk and do mountains of coke and pull guns on one another and get into situations that are crazy and compelling; they're not likable, but they're always watchable. Good guys, by contrast, seem boring--they're the ones busting up the party the bad guys invited us to. We sometimes admire the good guys from a distance, but it is easier to feel dingy in the light of their halos. Still, we don't necessarily want to be them--they work hard and go home to their wives and live boring lives.

Except for Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino.

These men were hard workers, yes, but they worked in a truly topsy-turvy world where good was bad and bad was good, where government was riddled with corruption and graft, where outlaws clung to strange codes of behavior whereby killing someone was fine but swearing in front of a woman was unacceptable. In southern Italy in the 1980s, an estimated 10,000 people died in mob-related violence, but fathers sometimes didn't report the murders of their sons to the local police, for fear of retribution.

Amidst such lawlessness, Falcone and Borsellino put together the Palermo maxi-trial, a titanic anti-mafia case that required the construction of an elaborate concrete bunker courtroom and ultimately led to an incredible 344 convictions. Stille recounts the events leading up to this trial with an eye for detail but also the ability to step back and encapsulate the detail; he never fails to see the forest for the trees. Writing about the eve of the maxi-trial, he describes how the prosecutors and their families were confined for their own safety on an island known as "the Alcatraz of Italy." It was, Stille writes, "a telling indication of the upside-down nature of life in Sicily on the eve of the maxi-trial: mafia fugitives moved freely about Palermo while government prosecutors had to live in prison for their own protection."

Fighting the good fight put both men in a bad spot with both the lawbreakers and the lawmakers. Falcone was maneuvered out of his position in Palermo and ultimately assassinated; Borsellino was killed six months later. But their death lead to their greatest triumphs, for their murders awakened a nation to the corruption of the ruling Christian Democrats and caused the downfall of Italy's First Republic.

Ultimately, Stille's book is great not because he tells this story, but because he makes us care. Falcone and Borsellino come off as principled but pragmatic, saintly but shrewd; Stille makes their goodness real and compelling. If you're anything like me, you'll read this and hope someone makes it into a miniseries; you will find yourself rooting for the good guys, and realizing that good guys still exist; you will weep at their deaths, and their ultimate victory.

Of all the material I have read concerning U.S. Naval Aviation in WWII, this book is tops.
Read about the minutemen who were on the front line when WWII erupted.
The heroic exploits are at times so dramatic as to be almost unbelievable.
These are the men who held things together when the war started, and also the equipment with which they did their job.
This ex NAS aircrew (1943 - 1946) flew in TBF'S/TBD's, and SB2C's. I can tell you the smell of truth permeates these pages.
A great read for anyone who is interested in how it began.....

This is an amazing book for a number of reasons, including the fact that all of the reviews previously posted (as I write this) are four or five star (mostly five). The text of some of the four-star reviews even sound like they should have rated a five. Few books on Amazon get near-perfect appraisals--the fact that this one does is a telling mark of its quality.

Today (in 2006) John Lundstrom enjoys a much-deserved reputation as a preeminent author and historian in the field of U.S. naval aviation, particularly when the subject is his core specialty, the early years of World War II. That said, it is interesting to go back and read this 1984-vintage volume and compare it to his later award-winning works. Does it exhibit the growing pains of a budding expert still learning his craft, or does it rate as world class not only today but among its peers when it was first published? The short answer is: five stars, then and now.

This reviewer's specialty is the Battle of Midway, which only comprises the final third of the book. But even though his primary focus is on the fighter squadrons, Lundstrom's short history of that battle is among the very best references available anywhere. It is meticulously accurate, thanks to the author's deep research into archives and veteran testimony not available or not explored by other Midway chroniclers, including Lord and Prange. That it came out many years before other modern references on the battle that similarly improve upon earlier works is a tribute to the author's diligence. As a Battle of Midway resource, I rate it in the top three or four along with Cressman's "A Glorious Page in Our History" and "Shattered Sword" by Parshall & Tully.

The First Team - Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway
and
The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign
John B. Lundstrom
Naval Institute Press


I have been studying naval aviation combat since the early 1960s, and I have never come across a book half so comprehensive, from a historical basis - nor half so useful, from a modeling perspective - as this two-volume set recently reprinted by the Naval Institute Press. The title - "The First Team" - refers to US Naval Aviator fighter pilots who were in service at the start of World War II; a convenient way of focusing on naval fighter combat from December 7, 1941 to the end of the Guadalcanal campaign in early February, 1943. This was a time when the F4F Wildcat bore the brunt of the aerial warfare - a few F2A Buffalo fighters served in the Navy during this time-frame, but the only Buffalos that saw combat were serving with the Marines (who are outside the scope of this two-volume study).

This book covers literally every incident of aerial combat that included US Navy fighter aircraft from December 7 through the end of Guadalcanal. I mean EVERY incident, every American shoot-down (and every American shot down) and every American carrier attack on a Japanese island target fought during the first 14 months of the war in the Pacific: the Wake relief force, the Gilbert, Marshall and Marcus Island raids, the assault on Rabaul, and the attacks on Tulagi, Lae and Salamaua - and of course, Guadalcanal. The books also cover every carrier vs. carrier battle that was fought in the Pacific before 1944: Coral Sea, Midway, Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz. In short, The First Team two-volume book is incredibly comprehensive. Maps and charts illustrate each battle, each significant combat incident, each movement of carriers and air groups - the detail is remarkable. Author John Lundstrom makes these battles come alive in ways that no other history I've read have been able to accomplish. But for all their value as pure history, these books go way beyond that.

For instance, The First Team covers combat tactics - the prime reason why the vastly-inferior F4F-4 Wildcat was able to best the incredible Japanese Zero in almost every encounter (including decisive victories at Midway and Guadalcanal). Pre-war, the US Naval air service - alone among the world's air forces - trained its pilots to successfully use deflection shooting, permitting pilots to attack from beam positions, instead of just from directly astern. To perform a deflection-shooting attack successfully, the pilot couldn't aim at the target; instead, he had to aim for where the plane would be when the bullets arrived.

Deflection shooting is a kind of lead-the-target targeting performed by duck hunters and skeet shooters; a process vastly complicated in aerial combat because both the attacker and the target are moving at several hundred miles per hour, generally in different planes. However, when successfully executed, deflection attacks are almost unbeatable. This kind of deflection shooting permitted American Naval fighter pilots to attack the enemy with limited risk of counter-battery fighter from defending aircraft. Deflection attacks were decisive in attacks on bomber aircraft, but this approach also gave U.S. Naval aviators a significant advantage over the more maneuverable and - at most altitudes - faster Japanese fighters.

Other tactical elements explored in great detail were the comparative tactical formations - American transition from four-aircraft divisions to two-aircraft divisions while the Japanese held onto the far more awkward and inflexible three-plane formations - as well as the evolution of the "Thatch Weave," a mutually-supportive defensive formation the Japanese were never able to effectively counter.

The First Team also looks - in depth - at the training of Japanese and US Naval aviators. In 1941, Japanese naval aviators were, man-for-may, the best-trained pilots in the world, yet thanks to different tactical approaches, they were consistently outfought, first by well-trained US Naval Aviators and later even by grass-green Ensigns not long out of advanced training programs. Training and organization were critical - Japanese were taught to move in units of three aircraft, and to take advantage of their aircraft's incredible maneuverability.

American Naval Aviators were trained in deflection gunnery, in pilot-wingman cooperation and in emphasizing mutually-supporting defensive tactics culminating in the unbeatable Thatch Weave - which remarkably was under development before the outbreak of the war, though "conventional wisdom" has held that Commander John "Jimmy" Thatch developed the mutual-support tactics in response to initial combat with the Japanese.

Another factor that The First Team explored which worked against the Japanese was the very different organizational structure of the two countries' carrier air groups. In the US Navy, carrier air groups were fungible organizations - new squadrons and new pilots could be shuffled through the air groups, and these groups could be shuffled from carrier to carrier as needed. By contrast, Japanese carrier air groups trained as a unit, and were permanently assigned to a specific aircraft carrier.

When a Japanese group suffered significant combat casualties, not only were the individual squadrons no longer combat-capable, but the carrier itself was out of the battle. As a result, after the bloody draw at Coral Sea, surviving Naval aviators from the sunken Lexington were able to go back into combat onboard the Yorktown at Midway - less than a month later - effectively replacing losses the Yorktowners suffered at Coral Sea with combat-tested pilots. Even though the Yorktown had been badly damaged, it was patched together and able to field a combat-ready air group that proved decisive at Midway less than a month later.

However, as explained in The First Team's assessment of Japan's carrier air group organization, the Zuikaku - which, unlike the surviving Yorktown, was undamaged but which also suffered heavy pilot losses - was unable to serve at Midway because the Zuikaku's carrier air group had been decimated, and a carrier without an air group is little more than a target. Although sufficient combat-experienced pilots from the heavily-damaged Shokaku had survived and were at least technically available, because of a long-standing organizational policy, the Japanese were unable to restore the Zuikaku's group.

Instead, both air groups had to be restored to full combat capability only after receiving infusions of trainees, which required a long work-up period. The Yorktown's presence at Midway was decisive; the absence of Zuikaku was at least potentially just as decisive. Had two Japanese carriers - Zuikaku and Hiryu - survived the first devastating US Naval attack, their return strike may have done more than just knock out the Yorktown.

The books even get into fascinating controversies, such as the odd decision to put six .50 caliber machine guns into the Navy's new folding-wing F4Fs, even though they'd add a further weight penalty that would - along with the weight of the wing-fold mechanism -cripple the Wildcat's climb, range and overall combat capabilities. The early-war fixed-wing F4F-3 carried four .50 caliber machine guns - which US Navy fighter leaders felt was sufficient to knock down unarmored Japanese bombers and fighters. However, the fixed wing took up deck and hanger space and sharply limited the number of fighters a carrier could handle. With fighter squadrons growing from 18 to 27 to 36 aircraft, the need for folding wings was essential, even though the weight penalty imposed by the folding mechanism would inevitably degrade performance.

The initial decision to go with six .50 caliber guns in a folding-wing Wildcat was made by the British Fleet Air Arm, which did not routinely face fighter-to-fighter combat - minimizing the need for high-end performance - yet rightly felt it needed the heavier firepower inherent in six .50 calibers to swiftly knock down armored and well-armed German and Italian bombers. Oddly, instead of listening to their own fighter leaders, the US Navy's "Brass Hats" listened to the Brits, and decided - in the name of production efficiency - to standardize on the British design.

The result was the F4F-4 - a sluggish, slow-climbing short-range fighter which had six .50 caliber machine guns but fewer total rounds of ammo (and, therefore, a much shorter firing time) than the older F4F-3. This plane had a harder time climbing to a decisive altitude. It had difficulty conducting CAPs of more than a couple of hours or escorting bombers farther than 175 miles; and when it did find targets, this new Wildcat all-too-quickly ran out of ammunition. When front-line Naval Aviators complained about being asked to fight what was arguably the best carrier planes in the world with an increasingly second-string fighter plane, the Navy Brass in Washington told these front-line troops to fly their Wildcats with a 2/3rds fuel load and two unloaded guns - absurd advice to pilots who knew they needed every bullet and every gallon of gas every time they went head-to-head in combat with the best-trained naval aviators in the world, the Japanese.

These limiting factors for the new F4F clearly had an impact in the loss of the Yorktown at Midway, as well as the loss of so many torpedo planes at that same battle - and these F4F deficiencies may have also contributed to the loss of the Hornet at the Battle of Santa Cruz four months later. Nobody from the greenest Naval Aviation Ensign all the way up to Admiral Chester Nimitz had a good thing to say about the F4F-4 - but it was only after the end of the Guadalcanal campaign that the General Motors-built FM-1 reverted to a four-gun armament - too late to face down the Japanese.

Yet remarkably, the US Navy seldom fought the Japanese head-to-head without coming out on the winning end. Ultimately, the Wildcat scored a three-to-one winning margin over the Japanese - not because the Wildcat was a better fighter aircraft, though it did have some advantages, but because American Naval Aviators had better tactics, from the two-plane division to the Thatch Weave.

As noted, while it had dramatically shorter range, at least a marginally lower speed at most altitudes - and it was far less maneuverable than the Zero - the Wildcat that fought the Japanese from December 7, 1941 to February, 1943 did have some significant advantages over its adversary. The Grumman was solidly built - earning for its manufacturer the affectionate nickname "Grumman Iron Works." The Grumman fighter was also well-armored (at least where it counted), and - early in the war - it began to receive functional self-sealing fuel tanks that would absorb a 7.7 millimeter (.30 caliber) Japanese machine-gun bullet.

While it was slow to climb, the Wildcat could dive like a bat out of hell - given enough altitude, American Naval Aviators could always break off combat with Japanese Zeros - and given an initial altitude advantage (hard to come by, but not impossible to achieve), the Wildcat could initiate combat - attack Zeros and other Japanese aircraft - with no recourse by the Japanese. They couldn't escape a diving Wildcat; they could turn and fight, but couldn't run away.

Further, in a head-to-head attack, the Wildcat's rugged structure and .50 caliber armament (either four-gun or six-gun) easily outmatched their Japanese adversaries. The Japanese Zero's 20 mm cannons were low-velocity weapons useful only at short range; the longer-ranged Japanese 7.7 mm (.30 caliber) machine guns had too little hitting power to ensure a quick victory over the Wildcat. On the other hand, the standard American .50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns were fast-firing, long-ranged and hard-hitting enough to knock down any Japanese fighter - or bomber - they could hit.

All of these factors were covered in fascinating detail in The First Team, making them a feast of information, insight and factual data for the historian - and the history buff.

Beyond that, the two "First Team" volumes also offer a great deal to modelers. Each book is heavily illustrated with contemporary photos which show evolving markings on US Navy fighters. Not a few of these photos will also offer modelers display and deck-handling diorama ideas.

In addition, Appendix 3 of The First Team and Appendix 4 of The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign each features side-view profiles of F4F fighters in use during the time periods covered by the books. Together, these let modelers authoritatively paint-and-mark virtually any F4F that fought off one of the USN fleet carriers during the first year of the war - including carrier-based planes that temporarily served on Guadalcanal. With the recent spate of new F4F Wildcat releases in 1/32nd scale (including the soon-to-be-here Trumpeter Wildcat), this kind of reference will prove invaluable to modelers.

Bottom line: These two books are remarkable. For those interested in carrier-based fighter combat during the dark early days of World War II in the Pacific, these are "must-reads." The books have been released in Trade Paperback format by the US Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland - it's also available from Amazon.com.

The author does a fantastic job of providing the day-to-day operations of carrier fighter aircraft from just before the beginning of the war. He includes such topics as production quantities, training and individual aircraft models performance stats. I was unaware that the Lexington still operated Brewster Buffaloes well into January 1942 until I read this book. Also surprising that was the Hornet's air group comprised many biplane aircraft when she was comissioned.
The author was very thorough in his research of both sides of the campaigns (American and Japanese). What I like about this book is he did not just focus on the individual battles. He provide the operational details building up to the battles in a day-to-day, diary-type format.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII aircraft combat and carrier operations.

'The First Team' was the group of Navy fighter pilots serving with the Pacific carriers at the beginning of the war. In addition, this book might be called something like 'The First Team.' It is the definitive work on the subject.

This was the time when the US had few carriers in the Pacific. It was the time of the Wildcat fighter up against Zeros. It was the time when fliers like Thatch and Butch O'Hare were first learnign their trade. It was the time when the Japanese were expanding at an unbelievable rate. The Japanese also had a 'First Team' of experienced pilots with a lot of hours. And it was the time when Midway broke the back of the Japanese advance.

This book is as close to the complete story as it is possible to get. It covers what happened, the strategy that was being followed, the tactics that were changing as they learned more. This is the book that the others use as a reference when they are writing about this area. It is accurate, it is well written, it is a pleasure to read.

The reviews in this book were perfectly on point. We found ourselves trying to schedule in more time to eat so we could continue to try the recommended restaurants. This book is a keeper for our next trip.

A very helpful, organized tour of Florence for foodies. As many times as I've visited Florence, the abundance of great places to eat is overwhelming. This book lays out great places to eat in the various neighborhoods and their nearby tourist attractions. It also helps define where the locals like to eat. Very helpful.

I found this wonderful guide while preparing for my return to Florence this past Fall for more research on the sequel to my novel, The Giuliana Legacy The author's helpful and concise reviews were amazingly accurate in every case. Moreover, she helped us to find wonderful restaurants, cafe bars and wine bars that will be much-loved favorites for years to come. There are fabulous tips on restaurants in every price range, but we especially enjoyed the small inexpensive local spots we might never have found on our own, like the charming and delicious Casalinga in the Santo Spirito. We returned there again and again, and once home, wished we'd gone there every single day of our all too short stay in Florence.

Ms. Wise Miller, the words "Thank You" cannot begin to convey our gratitude for your splendid little book. I have already bought several as gifts and will continue to buy them for all Florence-bound friends and family. Brava!

This book was the only book we needed in Florence. Emily's reviews were spot on and we never had a bad meal. We were often the only "tourists" in the eating establishment and garnered some looks from locals as in "how did you find this place!" We walked 2 miles outside the city to have the best pizza we've ever tasted and then 4 miles to spend Sunday lunch with Italian families eating "Spaghetti della Casa." I am extremely picky about food (being Italian and a chef for 15 years) so I cannot rave about this book enough...it made our trip!

You cannot go to Florence without this book! I was in Florence for five days and I wore this book out; I ate exclusively at places from this book and have never had a better culinary experience in Florence! Emily Wise-Miller takes you to the hidden gems and out-of-the-way places that tourists dream about! Writing this review is making my mouth water and my heart beg to go back, just so I can eat more delicious Florentine steak, pasta, gelato and drink the wine!

If you are planning a trip to Florence/Tuscany or simply want to learn about the culture and history of of Tuscany's culinary roots, BUY THIS BOOK! You will not be disappointed!!

The photos take me back to the French countryside where I enjoyed painting landscapes in the late afternoon light.

Beau Morgan

Exactly what I was looking for...an engagement calendar that keeps us on schedule from week to week, and has the added advantage of lovely photos from France that remind us of our trip last year. Only thing I would like to see added is a monthly calendar view at the beginning of each month.

Book arrived in excellent shape. We have purchased this calendar in previous years so the content was not in question. Excellent purchase.

I have been buying these diary/calendars for years and love them. Their layout is excellent, the photographs are charming, and they are easy to work with. Merci mille fois.

I have been getting this calendar for at least 4 years now, and the beautiful photos of life in France always put me in a dreamy mood. There is one for every week. They come up with all new photos every year, too. I am always amazed. The cover pattern reminds me of the fabric of Provence and is alway colorful and looks lovely on my desk. It comes in a similarly patterned cardbord sleeve, which I cut up and use as bookmarks, as I can't bear to throw it away.
The paper quality is also good and it even feels special when you write on it. My pen just glides. I don't know how I could start a new year without it!

Fans of this series of books will know that most are very good, a few are duds, and a fair number are amazingly good. Professor Doyle's review of one of the major events in European history is firmly in that last category.

It is both an account of the events themselves and an overview of how they have been interpreted. The subject is complex and has aroused strong opinions across the ideological spectrum. Doyle gives all sides a fair hearing, but with the occasional wry comment that hints at where his own sympathies lie. The emphasis throughout is on the broader historic context rather than being an attempt to cram details into a short introduction. Both readers new to the subject and those looking for a review of where studies in the area now stand will be well served by this book.
[PeterReeve]

This book is very helpful for a quick review of the facts. I used it to brush up on dates and figures before a midterm and a final on this topic. Its well organized for a quick read.

I found this Very Short Introduction to be accurate, informative, and written in an interesting and readable style....This book fulfills admirably the series goal of providing solid, lucid introductions to topics without being simplistic...I think readers already familiar with the history and events of the French Revolution will enjoy the author's style and modern day perspective on this historic event...

I highly recommend this volume to anyone who wants to know about the French revolution but doesn't have a lot of time to spend on it. I read it while waiting between flights. Doyle is an excellent writer and the volume is very engrossing (good enough that I have subsequently checked out his full treatment of the revolution). He does a good job of covering all of the basics of the French revolution and warning readers where the shortfalls are in the book because it is a brief treatment. But what I really liked about the volume is his discussion where he looks at the French revolution as it is treated today and the 200th anniversary that occured just under a decade ago.
I highly recommend it.

Lets face it: many people point to the French Revolution as the source of innumerable subsequent political ideological movements, but when pressed, nevertheless have difficulty describing the essential elements and personages involved in the actual event. One likely cause for this phenomena is the habit of "aping" the attributions of others without really knowing the subject matter itself -- the subject has long since passed into a popular and iconographic status -- but another reason is surely the bewildering array of people involved in the event, the need for a precursory understanding of the "Ancient Régime," and the sheer number of divergent events leading to the culminating outcome. In this sense, Doyle's book well serves the introductory reader well by helping the reader develop a foundational understanding of the French Revolution through its clear verbiage, introduction to personages, and its narrative timeline approach. The book, too, sets the stage for additional derivative studies (perhaps by using the popular works by Furet, Schama, and others) while still being able to stand on its own as a primer to the subject. Of particular interest is Doyle's presentation on how the event has been divergently interpreted by historians over the past two centuries. In summary, not only is the text a bargain, but it provides a great "very short introduction" to a critical historic event in an exceptionally interesting and accessible structure. I have to say that I immensely enjoyed it.

I just read the following about this book in the Journal of Ecumenical Studies: "Well-written and highly accessible to average readers, it is a book for sharing and giving that would make an excellent choice for book clubs, as well as synagogues and churches interested in interreligious dialogue." As someone who is waiting for it to come out in paperback for use in my book club, I heartily agree.

As those who celebrated the construction of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. worked hard to make clear, we are reaching an important point in the history of the world - there will soon be no survivors of the World War II period left alive. The commentary on the presidential elections in France mentioned that this is the first set of candidates for the high office with no experience of the war. This same situation is true for those who experienced the Holocaust, in its various dimensions - there will soon be no one left alive to tell the story directly. In a world where Holocaust denial ebbs and flows, this becomes a problem. Projects such as Mark Klempner's `The Heart Has Reasons' are truly important, in helping to keep alive the memory of those who had direct experience.

Most people in the Western world are familiar with the Diary of Anne Frank, but fewer are aware that there were many stories of heroism among the Dutch during the war. However, the overall survival rate of Jews in Holland was among the lowest in occupied Western Europe. There were people who helped hide and shelter Jewish people, at tremendous risk to their own lives. `Those who decided to help Jews in Holland had to be willing to disobey the Nazi measures and resist the Nazi machinations to relegate Jews to subhuman status. They had to cross the line from being law-abiding citizens to enemies of the state. They had to act from the heart, come what may.' This book is about ten different people who took it upon themselves to come between the Nazi efforts and those who would be victims.

Mark Klempner is listed in the credits as a folklorist and oral historian. Given that narrative theology is a particular interest of mine, his background and method of development fits with my own ideas of how to develop history into a memorable and lasting element of culture. It was also an important development for Klempner. The final paragraph of his introductory piece speaks to this: `Spending time with the rescuers was, for me, a transforming experience. They welcomed me into their homes as though I were someone special - a characteristic inversion - and showered me with hospitality and kindness. I soon was looking at them not only as people who had made history, but also as people who could teach me a different way to live. I've come to think of them as radiant specks around the black hole of the Holocaust, and they've become a radiant presence in my own life as well.'

Klempner presents, after his personal introduction, a chapter on the background of the history, which includes both general history of the development of the Holocaust as well as specifically Dutch history - the NSB (Dutch Fascists), the piece-by-piece encroachment on Dutch rights and Jewish rights during the occupation, and overall development of a resistance to the oppression. The heart of the book, however, is in the ten stories of those who put security, family and life on the line to help those in need.

The names are important, for the Holocaust gets lost in the abstraction of numbers. But all stories are personal. Heiltje Kooistra found inspiration for her actions in her own religious faith - `If you love Jesus, how can you not love the people and tradition out of which Jesus came forth?' Rut Matthijsen was a behind-the-scenes operator in the resistance, who looked past the discrimination: `Years later, when I went to Israel to receive the Yad Vashem award, I was asked, "Why did you help the Jewish people?" The emphasis being on the word Jewish. But that was Adolf Hitler's emphasis. I helped them because they were people.' Hetty Voute spent years in prison for her efforts, as did her friend Gisela Sohnlein. Clara Dijkstra ended up being the second mother to a girl she rescued, a relationship that continues to this day. Some, like Kees Veenstra, are very private about their actions, preferring to consider himself an ordinary person. Janet Kalff tapped into her Quaker background for strength, whereas Mieke Vermeer drew from a Calvinist background. Pieter Meerburg's actions came out of a humanism not borne of religious conviction, but out of respect for life. Theo Leender's relationship with God can sometimes be stormy, but his faith in doing what is right did not falter.

These are not people who looked for personal reward - in fact, just the opposite is the case for several of them. Many remained generous beyond their wartime efforts; Klempner mentions one man who had a stack of fund-raising letters from charities, who always found time to help even the smaller causes with a little bit, saying, `Even a small donation can give a lot of encouragement to people doing good work.'

This book was a gift to me, both spiritually and literally. I was offered the chance to read it months ago, and it took a long time. The stories could not be rushed through as if it were one more text to read; I found myself with tears of anger, frustration, and occasional joy throughout many of the stories (and it is hard to read through tears). Klempner has given rare insight into a side of the Holocaust little known but very important, and very powerful witnesses who give hope to the future.

The dark cloud of disaster can't hide the brilliant light of joy and altruism in the human spirit. Somedays I don't turn on the news; it's too depressing to bear. But in this book, author Mark Klempner gazes unflinchingly at one of the blackest episodes in human history . . . and finds there hope and lessons for living.

Klempner interviewed ten of the "Righteous Gentiles": people who risked all to save Jewish children from the Nazis. A folklorist and oral historian, Klempner lets his subjects take center stage and tell their stories in their own words. This is precious documentation of the experiences of a generation that is passing on.

As counterpoint, Klempner relates the autobiographical saga of his own search for an ethical compass. This journey led him from the amoral canyons of the Los Angeles music scene to explore his Jewish immigrant roots in Europe. Klempner also includes historical and political essays that place the individual stories in the context of world events. The narratives are not homogenized into a smooth package. Think of these gems as displayed in their natural state, not cut and mounted so as to preserve the authenticity of the historical record.

To sum up, this book contains:

* Fascinating true stories, very accessible to the casual reader.

* Primary source historical material, lovingly preserved.

* Troubling questions about ethics, psychology and the meaning of life; pat answers not included.

* Inspiration, and proof that in the face of the most horrifying threats imaginable, some people will step forth and risk all to do the right thing.

Mark Klempner is a masterful storyteller. Although 'storyteller' may make you think of fiction, this story is not fiction. Mark has poignantly shared interviews with Dutch resisters and rescuers in a way that won't let you stop thinking about them. He asks big questions and gives important answers about learning from the righteous and from history.

Enhanced with an informative foreword by Christopher R. Browning, The Heart Has Reasons: Holocaust Rescuers And Their Stories Of Courage by folklorist and oral historian Mark Klempner is the account of how many valiant people worked at great personal peril through the Holocaust and Hitler's Reign to save Jewish children and others from being murdered in the Nazi death camps. Guiding readers through the epic and heroic tales of these Dutch rescuers, The Heart Has Reasons vividly recounts deeply terrifying efforts of ten gallantly individual experiences. Superbly presented and an important addition to the growing library of holocaust literature, The Heart Has Reasons is very highly recommended reading, especially for all historians and students of the Dutch involvement in World War II.

What impressed me the most of this book, is how Walter Lord presents personal details, whether it would be the people involved or the happenings around Hawaii or the western United States. Case in point, Mr. Lord describes how the power went out in parts of Oahu cause Pearl Harbor needed extra electricity as they repaired the USS YORKTOWN.

This book is a classic.

Wow! Although the outcome of this battle is a given, I cannot remember a more thrilling, edge-of-the-seat read than this one. Truth is indeed more exciting than fiction, or at least it can be when the right author relates the tale. Mr Lord has shown us just how contingent and unpredictable history can be -- although nearly everything we threw at the japanese was shrugged off by the emperor's men, when we finally succeeded, it was a magnificent triumph that no one would believe if it had happened in a story. Lord's book is well-documented and he tells us a few new things about this battle -- for instance, although we had supposedly cracked the japanese code, it was more like a few bits of information rather than the entire plan.
I'd recommend it highly, but only if you have a good heart and a tolerance for intensity.

Incredible Victory is a great telling of the events on the Battle of Midway. As events are occurring, you will 1st get the Japanese side and next you'll get the American side or vise versa. The book is written well. It is hard to put down; very interesting. Walter Lord has a good writing style. I was enjoying his book so much that before I was half way through it, I ordered his "Day of Infamy". I would buy this book again.

This book is a great example of how compelling history can be in the hands of a great writer, one who puts a human face on the history without sacrifing accuracy.

Granted, the battle of Midway was an inherently dramatic event, but other accounts of the battle don't rise to the level of Lord's writing.

This is another book I'd give a 6 if I could.

When I was in high school, one of my assignments as a junior was to write a term paper, no less than fifteen pages, for my english class. I chose to write about the battle of Midway, because I'd heard a little about the signal intelligence that helped the Navy to know where to concentrate the Pacific Fleet, and found this book as a spectacular example of a few days broken down into manageable pieces. Lord's stories describe the demise of the four Japanese carriers sent to destroy the US presence on the Midway atoll, as well as the courage of the American pilots, who lost 42 of 52 torpedo planes against the Japanese fleet before American dive bombers caught the Japanese off guard. Though long, despite all the damage I've done to my brain since high school, I still remember certain parts of this book, about the retirement of a portrait of the Emperor, or a group of airmen in the water, or the tension surrounding the doomed Lexington. Enjoy, history buffs.

A friend sent us the second edition,before travelling to Rome and Florence in 1999. My husband and I thought the book was far superior to the other travel books we used.It had a real personal touch, plus the suggestions were wonderful. The book was amazing. Every restaurant that Doug recommended was terrific. We are returning to Italy next year, and I just purchased the 5th Edition . Plus, I have emailed the author and he has responded to my questions in a timely manner.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is planning a trip to Italy.

We have been thinking about traveling to Europe. We read the Tuscany & Umbria Guide on Italy and our choice of country was decided.
Since Mr. Morris has lived in Italy, he has the knowledge of the country.
Thanks Mr. Morris for a fantastic book.

Donna & Mike Lareau, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Concise easy to read guide. Organized by the different regions of Italy. Included are itineraries, maps and most importantly the "sidebars" which are shaded areas of a page with hints and facts that other guide books don't offer. Also a included are blank pages for travel notes. Agreat value for the money.

This book is packed with info. I lived in Italy for four years and was looking for a good reference for a trip I plan to take as soon as I have both the time and the money...yadda yadda. Anyway, parusing this book brings back the memories and offers little "insider" vignettes not only about the different places you can explore, but also about the culture, food, tipping and even explains how to get your car towed... (Hey, you never know...) It's obvious that this writer has spent some time in Italy and has written a comprehensive book. This is not your generic guide book that covers just the basics. This one goes in depth. Note that the author does not have books on any other country... he seems to be a specialist.

As an experienced traveler who has lived all over the world, I am always grateful when I find a travel guide that helps me integrate myself into another country easily. Morris' volume helped me find the best sights, stay in the best hotels, and eat at the restaurants and cafes that the local frequent. Use this book and you will have a great time in Italy.

I first read this book when I was about 10. It is an incredibly well written and researched book. I am forturnate to own an original copy and also have managed to acquire the prequel Judith which completes the story nicely.

Truly one of the best and most memorable books from my childhood, I can still pick this one up (at 27 years of age) and be transported to Wessex in the reign of Alfred the Great. Based loosely on historical occurences and people, this wonderful book has everything you could ask for. . . intrigue, terror, romance, travel and adventure abound. The prequel, Judith of France by Leighton, is another masterpiece of young adult literature which features the parents and grandparents of the starts of this story. I truly cannot recommend this book enough.

A wonderful historical novel about a daughter of Alfred the Great, brought up to marry dynastically, but brave enough to demand love as well. Also recommended is Judith of France, which is about some of the same characters.

This is the story of a 14 year old princess in 9th century England whose father the king sends her on a long journey to Rome while he delays his decision on whether or not she can marry a barbarian Viking who loves her. The atmosphere of this book is magical. Margaret Leighton describes the surroundings so realistically that I could smell the air, feel the sunshine just as Elstrid did. "At the top of the first hill they stopped to rest their horses. Elstride drew a deep breath of the flower-scented air. Thrushes sang from every hazel bush and high in the flawless blue of the sky a skylark was scattering its music. The road wound down the hill before them...." I wanted to be Elstrid and take this journey SO BADLY!! I read this book as a 10 or 12 year old girl and it absolutely pulled me and entranced me! I checked it out at the library several times over the years. Years later, as an adult, I tried to find it again, but couldn't find it at a library or bookstore anywhere. With the advent of the internet, I finally found it again, but for [more money]! My husband found a beautiful copy for me for my 35th birthday. It was maybe the best birthday present I've ever had.

I first read this book four years ago and have taken it out of the library many times since. It is the wonderful coming-of-age tale of a real historical figure, Elstrid, daughter of Alfred the Great of England. Not only does the journey of the title refer to the pilgrimage that Elstrid takes to Rome, but her journey from child to young woman. It only makes it more interesting to know that the main characters, Alfred, Elstrid and her sisters and brothers, Baudouin and Judith were all real people who lived long ago. I also wish this book would be published again. I would love to have a copy of my own.