Europe Books

If you're into swords, this is a must have book. It's more than a catolog of styles of medieval swords but also explains the developement of the weapons and how swords and armour influenced each other. It also explains the difficulty in dating a weapon by the style of blade and hilt.

Ewart Oakeshott in this pictorial guide takes you by the hand
in a enjoyable trip along the classification created by him
on the european medieval sword: The Oakeshott Typology. You'll be delighted by the pictures of dozens of vintage pieces and you'll be inspired to forge your own swords based on the different pieces depicted in this book. A useful reference for the advanced sword enthusiast and an excellent introduction to the novice.

This book contains a life-time's work and research of the sword. All the way from the early Scandinavian sword to the swords of the Renaissance and gives full in-depth summary and description on each piece. The author, Ewart Oakeshott is the leading expert of medieval swords and has taught me plenty (if not more) from his previous works. I am satisfied with the latest one here. "Records of the Medieval Sword" is well suited for a sword expert as well as for beginners and is for all to enjoy. The only thing I have to complain is that the binding of the book isnt done very well, but then again it could just be mine only. But then again, it should stop you from purchasing one.

Ewart Oakeshott was unsurpassed in his understanding of medieval swords. Unlike the majority of weapons curators who focus exclusively on the hilt and try their hardest to pretend that the sword was never a practical tool, he appreciated the whole sword. Oakeshott's typology is based on blade shape, i.e. on how the sword handles and what it can be used for. Because of this Ewart was loved by re-enactors and historical swordsmen who view swords as a beautifully designed tool that comes to life in their hands.

I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to work with Ewart just before his death (editing a paper he submitted to the anthology Spada). Just as he reminded museum curators that the sword was a practical tool, not an art object, he reminded swordsmen that the sword was an important symbol of just might, not just a tool.

Records of the Medieval Sword is the best available book describing medieval swords (though his earlier book The Sword in the Age of Chivalry is also well worth picking up). It has clear photographs of the whole sword, and lists blade lengths. If only it had a few more measurements (weight, blade width at various points, point of balance, centre of percussion etc.) it would be a perfect resource for people who make and use swords but who rarely have the opportunity to hold genuine originals and feel their handling characteristics. Even with this minor omission, this book deserves pride of place in the library of anyone interested in the medieval sword.

Stephen Hand
Author, English Swordsmanship, Medieval Sword and Shield
Editor Spada, Spada II

Records of the Medieval Sword is a remarkable volume, representing a body of work in the subject area with no equal.

Although the information is provided in an extremely authoritative manner, it is written in a very personable way, leaving this reader with a desire to know (have known?) the author.

If I were to attempt to be overly critical of this book, I would mention that there are a few minor, but still rather annoying, typographical errors and mis-numbered illustrations that detract somewhat from the otherwise masterly scholorship presented in the volume.

Also, in my opinion, a reference such as this should be provided in a hard cover edition, with full color plates wherever possible.

I will treasure this addition to my library.

I have a shelf full of guides to Rome but when I bought this last year I threw away the rest of the shelf. It is simply fantastic. I have been a book reviewer for thirty years and never thought I would 'go overboard' about a book but this is everything I wanted. Personal, informed, entertaining, reliable, surprising, instructive, accessible, logical, practical.......I run out of words. It's great to read before during and after you visit Rome - only drawback is it's too bulky to carry around with you but take notes! Use it as your bible. Rome (Pallas Guides)

Terrific Book. Detailed descriptions of this glorious city. Every traveler to Rome should use it as reference.

Did you ever run across a guidebook that, at the same time, 1) gives you a brilliantly clever and comprehensive choice of information about the sites and 2) allows you to get to each site in the easiest, quickest way?

I didn't, until I found "Rome" by Mauro Lucentini. That double record is especially remarkable in a city like Rome, where the various sights may have lifespans of up to 2,800 years requiring equally monumental explanations, and/or be concealed into corners of a labyrinthine ancient habitat, where you can easily lose your way. With 700-plus pages, Lucentini's book may be a bit heavy to carry, but it is an incredible pleasure to read, and you will be thankful for each page, so fascinating is every bit of the information provided - no other Roman guide comes even close to the amount of historic or artistic background supplied - and for the fact that it will lead you in front of every item by the hand.

Also, the book is structured in such a way that, if you care doing it, you are able to read a good half of it and digest quite a lot of information even before you leave for your destination, This is a quality no other guidebook I know possesses, at least not to such an extent.

Brilliant! I've been to Rome five times with this book... although it was concise enough to give me an excellent overview even by the first time.

This book is a wonderful foray into the many aspects and history of Rome, and can be enjoyed sitting in New York, as well as walking in Rome. I've taken many of the walks, and the book is a chatty, fun, and erudite companion, pointing out all of the (almost) hidden traces of centuries past. A must for travelers in Italy (or just in your armchair)!

This book has a lot of valuable information for anyone interested in the Templars. It has historical information in the preface and appendix and its content has every single rule the Knights of the Temple followed. It has every single battle rule and the everyday life activities of templars. The sins and the penitence, how to be admitted and the admittance ritual. How to get a counsil toghether, everything they were supposed to do. I suggest that if you are interested either in Templars or in the Dark Ages, you ought to buy this book.

This English translation of the French "Rule" of the Templars is an essential reference for all students of the Templars, and of the history of "related" organizations such as Freemasonry. The "Reception" ritual will be of special interest to Freemason's, as parts of it are hauntingly familiar.

Excellent. No doubt already on the shelves of those interested in this Medieval Catholic military lay religious order.
For the uninitiated reader, first read the Introduction, Primitive Rule, and Appendix. Then, the rest. To a reader for whom the Templars are "knights who fought in the crusades,"
the Rule will seem most unexpectedly profuse in dwelling upon internal monastic disciplines, religious guidelines, and personal observances. Regulations addressing military issues and a Knight's behavior in the field are present.
An appendix, coordinated with references to the Rule, treats some of the military aspect, especially in regards to the use of armed mounted force and the order's rankings.
If unfamiliar with the Military Orders, it will be an eye-opener as to what the Catholic Church proposed for its monks.
If doing extended reading elsewhere, a reader will be startled at the surprise ending of that now supressed Order. I would alert those who do followup, not to confuse "Templar," as properly used for this group, with some current appropriators of that name, used for purposes of having mystique of lore & legend.

J.M. Upton-Ward has earned my eternal respect for the work presented here. The Rule, so vital to understanding the Order is clearly layed out and explained. Additional information is also included making this the one "must own" book for Templar scholars.

The Rule of the Templars: The French Text of the Rule of the Order of the Knights Templar, Judi Upton-Ward (Woodbridge, UK: The Boydell Press, 1992)

The myths surrounding the Knights Templar range from tales of great treasure to legends concerning a wealth of wisdom kept secret for a thousand years. Many have tried to discover what this great esoteric wisdom was, but, so far, no one has been able to 'decipher' any of the so-called 'clues' allegedly left behind by the Templars. These references to secret wisdom perhaps arose from the accusations of secrecy brought against the order during their trial. What many failed to recognize, or perhaps ignored, was that as a military order, the Templars had many reasons to keep their Rule, which governed their lives and their behavior in battle, a secret. Fortunately for us living nearly a thousand years later, we now have access to this 'secret knowledge' through Judi Upton-Ward's translation of the French version of the Rule, found in her book, The Rule of the Templars. In this work, Upton-Ward translates not only the Templars' Rule but also the statutes and includes an article by Matthew Bennett that discusses the military side of the Rule. In translating the Templar Rule from the vernacular, Upton-Ward points out that this work is just how the Templars themselves would have read it, straight from their native language, rather than being written in Latin by scholars who may not have know the military implications of what they were writing about. The importance of the French text lies here. This was a work written by and for the military men of the order for the purpose of governing their lives and ordering their behavior. Like any well-oiled military machine, it was necessary for the Rule to contain information on how to act on and off the field, information the Templars would not have wanted to fall into enemy hands.

What Upton-Ward accomplishes with her translation of the Templar Rule is an accessible look at the 'secret knowledge' of the Templars and a detailed look at the lives the Templars led, which, it turns out, actually closely paralleled the lives of other religious orders, which a few changes needed to accommodate the military nature of the Templars. The work is easy to read and geared to both scholars and pleasure readers alike.


Jennifer Regan and Dr. Carl Edwin Lindgren

the forward starts off "(she) could have left russia--remember that as you read these journals." what comes across initially as anna's relentless account of putin's rise to autocratic dominance is more of an alarming and disheartening account of russia's systematic devolution where democracy, freedom of press and the semblance of a worthy society were fleetingly promised as they were taken away. incredible heart-wrenching accounts of the moscow theater and beslan school massacres as well as the two chechen wars.

A must read for anyone who wants to understand the "new" Russia. One hopes others will have the courage to take up Ms. Politkovskaya's crusade in exposing the corruption so rampant in Putin's (and now Medvedev's)Russia.

This is a riveting account of a life constantly in peril. The translation is equally outstanding, conveying both the "conversationalism" of a "diary" and the formality of the more essential elements.

Anna Politkovskaya's "Russian Diary" is a gold mine of information and provides unparalleled insights into Putin's Neo-Soviet Russia.

Many believe that Politkovskaya was murdered for her indepth investigative reporting into all aspects of Putin's regime. In this book she makes it clear that Russia is rapidly sliding into a dark and deep abyss.

Politkovskaya reveals the rampant corruption prevalent in the Russian government and its total disregard for the Russian population, human rights, and basic democratic principles.

"Russian Diary" is a first-hand account of the growing power of Russia's criminal community and its alliance with Vladimir Putin, the rampant greed and lawlessness of the new Russian business elite, the unbridled brutality of the Russian security services, and the gross incompetence of the Russian military.

Politkovskaya believed that Russia was headed for another major war in the Caucasus against the mountain peoples it has been terrorizing and murdering for the last decade.

This is a sad and depressing story that is all too familiar to those with firsthand knowledge of the Soviet Union and Russia.

For those who care about Russia, it is hard to put this book down. It is a compelling read. However, one cannot help read "A Russian Diary" without an overwhelming sense of sadness. We know how the story ends. The last entry in the diary was made in August 2006, and soon thereafter Anna Politkovskaya life ends, murdered by unknown assailants in Moscow.

The profound nature of this loss comes across on every page of this book, as Ms. Politkovskaya carefully and without flinching describes contemporary Russian society, warts and all, as perhaps no other journalist left living can. This book brings the reader a first-hand look into the tragedies of Dubrovka Theater and the school siege at Beslan. And also chronicles the seemingly endless war in Chechnya. She asks hard questions of the Russian government and its apparent failure to manage these matters.

As great of a loss as the death of Anna Politkovskaya is, her dairy is a reminder of perhaps the greatest tragedy and missed opportunity in the last quarter of a century. With the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia had the opportunity once and forever to move into the family of democratic states. This book documents that although there are elections, this has not really happened, not even close. What we have now is a tightly controlled state governed by an intelligence oligarchy with a fondness for the Soviet past, which has restricted rather than expanded civil liberties and workers' rights. These restrictions have been justified in the name of protecting national security and the promotion of state controlled capitalism. "A Russian Diary" documents how the Russian people are languishing with a government seemingly disinclined to tackle the serious social welfare problems that are besetting the country.

This book is commentary on the Russian government, but it also asks tough questions of Americans and Western Europeans. What could they have done differently to nudge Russia toward a democratic direction? Is it too late? Are we destined to regress into a more perverse version of the Cold War, with a Russian government mistrusting the West once again, but now empowered by oil and gas revenues?

I hope that is not the case both for Russia and the West. However, without Anna Politkoyskaya alive to point out the deficiencies in the Russian government and the shortcomings of the West, the unthinkable becomes possible.

the forward starts off "(she) could have left russia--remember that as you read these journals." what comes across initially as anna's relentless account of putin's rise to autocratic dominance is more of an alarming and disheartening account of russia's systematic devolution where democracy, freedom of press and the semblance of a worthy society were fleetingly promised as they were taken away. incredible heart-wrenching accounts of the moscow theater and beslan school massacres as well as the two chechen wars.

A must read for anyone who wants to understand the "new" Russia. One hopes others will have the courage to take up Ms. Politkovskaya's crusade in exposing the corruption so rampant in Putin's (and now Medvedev's)Russia.

This is a riveting account of a life constantly in peril. The translation is equally outstanding, conveying both the "conversationalism" of a "diary" and the formality of the more essential elements.

Anna Politkovskaya's "Russian Diary" is a gold mine of information and provides unparalleled insights into Putin's Neo-Soviet Russia.

Many believe that Politkovskaya was murdered for her indepth investigative reporting into all aspects of Putin's regime. In this book she makes it clear that Russia is rapidly sliding into a dark and deep abyss.

Politkovskaya reveals the rampant corruption prevalent in the Russian government and its total disregard for the Russian population, human rights, and basic democratic principles.

"Russian Diary" is a first-hand account of the growing power of Russia's criminal community and its alliance with Vladimir Putin, the rampant greed and lawlessness of the new Russian business elite, the unbridled brutality of the Russian security services, and the gross incompetence of the Russian military.

Politkovskaya believed that Russia was headed for another major war in the Caucasus against the mountain peoples it has been terrorizing and murdering for the last decade.

This is a sad and depressing story that is all too familiar to those with firsthand knowledge of the Soviet Union and Russia.

For those who care about Russia, it is hard to put this book down. It is a compelling read. However, one cannot help read "A Russian Diary" without an overwhelming sense of sadness. We know how the story ends. The last entry in the diary was made in August 2006, and soon thereafter Anna Politkovskaya life ends, murdered by unknown assailants in Moscow.

The profound nature of this loss comes across on every page of this book, as Ms. Politkovskaya carefully and without flinching describes contemporary Russian society, warts and all, as perhaps no other journalist left living can. This book brings the reader a first-hand look into the tragedies of Dubrovka Theater and the school siege at Beslan. And also chronicles the seemingly endless war in Chechnya. She asks hard questions of the Russian government and its apparent failure to manage these matters.

As great of a loss as the death of Anna Politkovskaya is, her dairy is a reminder of perhaps the greatest tragedy and missed opportunity in the last quarter of a century. With the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia had the opportunity once and forever to move into the family of democratic states. This book documents that although there are elections, this has not really happened, not even close. What we have now is a tightly controlled state governed by an intelligence oligarchy with a fondness for the Soviet past, which has restricted rather than expanded civil liberties and workers' rights. These restrictions have been justified in the name of protecting national security and the promotion of state controlled capitalism. "A Russian Diary" documents how the Russian people are languishing with a government seemingly disinclined to tackle the serious social welfare problems that are besetting the country.

This book is commentary on the Russian government, but it also asks tough questions of Americans and Western Europeans. What could they have done differently to nudge Russia toward a democratic direction? Is it too late? Are we destined to regress into a more perverse version of the Cold War, with a Russian government mistrusting the West once again, but now empowered by oil and gas revenues?

I hope that is not the case both for Russia and the West. However, without Anna Politkoyskaya alive to point out the deficiencies in the Russian government and the shortcomings of the West, the unthinkable becomes possible.

Robert Burns said of his bottle "...heals the wounds o' care an' dool." With that simply profound (and true) statement, I believe that he would have approved of Michael Jackson's beautiful portrait of his beloved Scotland and the honoring of the "water of life" that courses through the rite Scottish soul and his precious bottle. It's not just only "wee dram" - it's a taste of the culture, the people, the history, and the landscape, which this book captures. Enjoy your single malt, I know I do...
Slainte

This is a quality production. The photos and the descriptions are fantastic. I found myself pouring a glass of scotch from whichever region I was reading that night, ie. Islay, Speyside, etc, and enjoying the dram more than usual.

This book was purchased along with MJ's 5th Edition Whisky guide. I found it an excellent read while enjoying a nice glass of single malt. The pictures are beautiful and MJ's commentary make me want to visit Scotland and tour the distilleries myself.

An excellent book about my favourite all time drink! That's how I would describe this well written, beautifully photographed and intricate journey through Scotland, describing its whiskies.

Working together, Jackson and Wright have put together a combined piece of verbal and photographic artwork. The information provided is very educational, but enjoyable, with historic and technical information entwined with Jackson's fireside conversational style making this a pleasure to read. I can't reproduce the photography but I can give you a sample of the style of writing from page 63:

"After I had breathed the air of early Christianity and Celtic myth, the journey back was slow. It was not just the two hours' drive from Fionnphort to Tobermory, the main town of Mull, but also the otherworldliness of the landscape."

This book has been broken up with the chapters as follows: Overture; The Islands; The East; Coda; Directory of distilleries; Glossary, Index and Acknowledgements. I liked the maps each section had that showed where distilleries were either operating, operating with visitor centre, mothballed or operating intermittently; or closed. This information would come in handy if you are planning on visiting the areas yourself.

`Scotland and its Whiskies' is the perfect gift for that special person who has everything (including you!). It is an informative and enjoyable read; while pleasing the eye at the same time.

I got hooked on single malt scotches a few years ago--not hooked in an AA "higher power" sense--but hooked on sipping and savoring Balvenie, Oban, Cragganmore, and others.

As an adoptee who recently learned of his Scottish heritage, this handsome book with its lovely pictures of the highland countryside makes me proud. The Scottish have given the world the telephone (Graham Bell), the bicycle (Dunlop), the game of golf (St. Andrew's), cloning (Wilmut), penicillin (Fleming), and capitalism (Adam Smith)...not to mention some fabulous hooch

Our author is a foremost specialist on the subject of single malts discussing the subtle differences based on barrel-wood and mineral earth that make each scotch unique to its region. Besides, with someone like Michael Jackson says a 12 year old is tastier than a 16 year old, you better believe him.

It is quite impossible to do an adequate job of reviewing this book.
Knowing that these young German students really lived, daring to risk their young lives and, indeed, losing them, for their distribution of their printed words challenging German people to act against Hitler, is unbelievably humbling and cause for great hope for mankind. Passive resistence worked. Life triumphed over death. Good was stronger than evil.
The authors, Annette Dumbach and Jud Newborn, became accomplished talents with the publication of this book alone.
Their ability to combine the biographies of Sophie, her brother and their compatriots in the making and distrubtion of the White Rose and the requisite history and analysis of the political climate in Germany during The Holcaust is masterful.
The book reads like a suspense thriller one could read in a few hours. However, their thoughtful, detailed insights into the minds and hearts of the protagonists, compel the reader to read and then reread many passages before being emotionally able to read on. This is a must read for young and old students of the human condition, a truly unforgettable book.

SOPHIE SCHOLL & THE WHITE ROSE is, essentially, about the finest aspects of human nature. The White Rose members' integrity and their compassion for their fellow Germans and, more surprisingly, for the Jewish population who had endured years of prejudice and oppression followed by vicious persecution is very impressive.

To mount a secret campaign against the Third Reich, a totalitarian regime of insidious oppression and unbelievable brutality against both the German people and its conquered populations, takes amazing courage.

But to face up to that regime on an intensely personal level, without hesitation or - apparently - regret, fully aware of the consequences, is simply awesome. And it awes me that most of the White Rose members were students like myself! This is a very memorable book with a powerful message.

I bought this for research and it is terrific. It really gets into the mindset and political background of the story of the White Rose and helps the reader to understand the 'why' of the story. Not as personal as other accounts, it nevertheless is a wonderful background that will help you see Nazi Germany in a whole new light while telling the moving and touching story of Sophie Scholl.

This book was definitely a must-read, not only for those that are interested in this time period of study, but for anyone who wants to have a better understanding of world history. It's amazing, simply put. It reads so quickly. You are definitely drawn in from the very first page to the last.

If you have a restless conscience then you will better understand the members of the White Rose. Like most kids in Germany in the 30's Hans and Sophie Scholl joined the Nazi youth movement and bought into National Socialism. However through their father who opposed National Socialism and a God instilled restless conscience they soon saw National Socialism for the evil it was and is. The author does a good job of making you feel the tension and stress as the story unfolds. Their dileama was how do you mount a meaningful opposition to a totalitarian state from within. Who can you trust? Gestapo everywhere and all opposition to the State outlawed.By 1940 most of the 500 or so pastors who would not bow down to Hitler were in jail or executed. By the time the White Rose decided to take action in 1942 most Germans were scarred to death of the police state they had allowed to enslave them. But there was sporadic uprising against Hitler. One interesting story in the book was when the gov't banned all the crucifixes from the public schools in Bavaria in 1941. The parents signed protest letters and petitions and even threw the mandatory picture of Hitler out of classroom windows. The protest was so strong that Hitler backed down. Its scary to think that our gov't has taken Christianity out of the classroom but Hitler couldn't. As you read the book you feel that they felt they were going to get caught but their restless conscience would not let them turn from the course of action that would lead to their deaths. As we see our own freedoms of privacy (Patriot Act), speech (Hate Crime Bills) and other constitutional rights being taken from us by an ever growing central gov't we can learn a lot from this book. At her trial Sophie Scholl said "Somebody had to make a start". They certainly did and their pamphlets and death had a lasting effect on the German people. Hans Scholl's last words were "Long live Freedom". The essence of freedom is the limitation of gov't and requires eternal vigilance. The German people allowed Hitler to much power and he enslaved them. We still have the time and ability to limit the power of our gov't but it will take a lot of work and most importantly a restless conscience. 5 stars for this book.

This is by far the BEST S.A.S.S. book yet!
Instead of the old- Go to foreign country, make friends, have a blast, fail a test, find love, ace test- this book had more depth. It told the tale of Sienna, a girl who's half German, but feels completely American. She wants to discover more about her German culture and perhaps complete her father's Carpe Diem list while she's at it. She discovers the trauma of WWII first hand and learns the rich and bold history of those who risked their lives to save others during hard times. And, she even meets a cute guy along the way.

I really loved this, and all S.A.S.S. and non-S.A.S.S. readers should pick up a copy today! :)

I enjoyed this book so much. It was my treat for the day for as long as I could stretch it out. It is the perfect read after a long, tiresome day. Nothing like a good book and a hot bath (preferably together!)to make you feel good. Suzanne Nelson is a very talented writer with a wonderful gift for humour and insight.

I thought this was the best SASS book so far. I like these books, but almost all the storylines are too similar-- that is, you go to this foreign country shallow and naive, and then you come back totally changed and totally better, plus, you get a hot guy and a bright future.
There is more depth to this book. Siena is half-German, and wants to find that someone who had helped smuggle her dad across the Berlin Wall. This gives it an interesting twist, as you learn a part of Germany's past through Siena's eyes, seeing it more personally.
Don't worry, she DID get a hot German guy, in case you're worrying.

Seventeen-year-old California girl, Siena Bernstein, was just an infant when her father died. However, not having known the man has not stopped her from loving him. In fact, being in possession of his Carpe Diem List has only made the bond with her and her deceased father even stronger. Which is why, as she embarks on a trip to Munich, Germany as part of the S.A.S.S. (Students Across the Seven Seas) Program, she is boarding the flight with a mission...to find the man who helped her father and grandparents escape war and concentration camps, and make their way to America. It was back in 1963 when Peter Schwalm helped her father and his grandparents escape the fighting, so that they could create a new life for themselves in a safe place - America. However, Siena's father never had the opportunity to thank Peter for putting his life on the line to save theirs. Therefore, Siena is determined to do just that. However, upon arriving in Munich, she realizes that the task is near impossible. After all, there are over three-hundred Peter Schwalm's residing in Germany, and only three months to muddle through them all. But Siena, a free-spirit, yoga-loving girl is determined to make her way through the list and find him, no matter how long it takes. Luckily, she has two new great friends - Chen and Meg - to help her on her quest. Together, the three girls spend time searching for Peter Schwalm, but never forget to take a little time out to have some fun. From visiting biergartens, to dancing the night away at some local hot spots, and even Alpine skiing. But when Siena realizes that her course-load seems to be dragging her down, she knows that it's time to buckle down to her studies, and get serious about her semester abroad. Now, with the help of uber-genius, Chen, Siena must learn the language of her family, put some emotion into her video for Film class, and remember the various dates that History requires. But the only dates Siena truly wants to remember are the ones she's dying to share with super-hottie, and the RA of her dorm, Stefan. Siena can feel the sparks flying between her and Stefan - or, at least that's what she thinks they are - but can't seem to get him past the "no fraternizing with students" rule. Siena would give anything for a foreign fling with the German god, but she doesn't want to be responsible for the cutie losing his job over something as trivial and tiny as a short-term romance. So, to take her mind off of the irresistible Stefan, she throws herself headfirst into her classes, and her quest for Peter. However, when things begin to look down, Siena can't help but feel that it's time to throw in the towel, and head back to her home in the wonderful U.S. of A, where she can go back to her job as baker and barista at Sweet Sara's, and her daily gab fests with her best friend, Lizzie. But for Siena to truly embrace her roots, she's going to have to suck up her insecurities, and make it through one of the toughest (yet most enjoyable) experiences of her life.

While I have read almost every installment in the S.A.S.S. series, I can honestly say that Suzanne Nelson's THE SOUND OF MUNICH is one of my absolute favorites. From page one, Siena's mindlessness, and ability to lose everything she touches is humorous, and a quirk that readers with a penchant for misplacing items will easily relate to. However, it is her free-spirit, and belief that everything happens for a reason, and that we should all live life to the fullest, that truly make her likable. Unlike many other characters in teen fiction, Siena doesn't fit the typical mold of a girl who is perfect, without flaws of any kind. In fact, Siena is almost the complete opposite. She embraces her quirks and traits - no matter how embarrassing they are - from her ability to constantly trip over her own feet, to her inability to conceal her laughter at just about every inappropriate moment. Siena embalms what a true teenage girl is - from her many mistakes and mishaps, to her constant flakiness. It is these things that make Siena...Siena. Nelson has done a marvelous job of creating a character with true personality, whose mission is one of substance, as opposed to a quest to find the perfect shade of lip gloss. Her interactions with the people around her, and her kindness to everyone - even those who drive her insane - is catching; while her beliefs to seize the day leave readers in the same frame of mind. With craziness and flare to spare, Siena is sure to become your new 'om girl!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

This book is the best of the S.A.S.S. series. In this book, readers will enjoy Siena's eccentric personality, along with her love of astrology and "flakiness." She is a great protagonist and this book depicts Germany very well. If you take German, be sure to read this book - you'll really enjoy it!

Have a great read!

This book is the definitive history of the riding families -- the Border Reviers. It is a long scholarly look into the nature of these complex and determined families that does not pass judgment or apply modern values in the assessment of their history and deeds. This is not for the casusal reader. It uses a fair amount of old English spellings and can be an effort to decifer at times. However Fraser MacDonald combines this along with his natural story telling ability to make you feel as if you are on a foray across the border and it keeps you coming back for more. If you are a student of Border history or are lucky enough to have one of the riding names, make the effort to read this book. It has no equal in its treatment of the subject.

Until England and Scotland were united under a single king in March 1603, the border between them was, unsurprisingly, a natural place for strife and disorder. The two countries had been at war intermittently for centuries, and many armies had passed back and forth across the border counties. Fraser's history covers the last hundred years of the border, from 1503 to 1603, a period during which the decayed (and astonishingly corrupt) administration could never cope with the local gangs -- known as "reivers" -- who terrorized the district with cattle theft, murder, and arson.

The book is very well-organized. Fraser starts with a few pages on the long historical background, then takes about half the book to cover the reivers by topic: chapters on arms and armour; on reiving technique; on the key families and their alliances; on cross-border relations; on the administrative structure. Fraser gives a lot of details, and plenty of quotes from the original sources (with the original spellings!).

This painstaking coverage sets up the second half of the book perfectly: one hundred and forty pages that cover the history of the border chronologically through the sixteenth century. With the details in hand, the second half is easy to follow and put in context; the writing is also clear and entertaining.

The last section of the book details the uncompromising way in which King James I destroyed the reivers in a few short years after 1603. It is a startlingly bloodthirsty story: Fraser includes quotes from blanket pardons that King James issued to some of his enforcers, which essentially say "whatever murders you did, I'm sure it was in a good cause, and you're absolved".

There are separate chapters on some of the most famous events, notably the raid on Carlisle Castle that freed Kinmont Willie. Fraser is at some pains to dispel the romantic ideas that cling to stories of the borderers -- as he points out, they were essentially a Mafia, with little of Robin Hood about them. It's clear, though, that he finds their adventurousness and style endearing and fascinating; and he writes about them so well that you are likely to feel the same way.

MacDonald Fraser brings to the history of the Anglo-Scots border reivers all the exuberance and attention to detail that made his name in the Flashman novels. Readers looking for more gloriously politically-incorrect adventures from the Victorian age won't find them here, but this book does repay the extra effort needed from the reader. The Steel Bonnets is the most entertaining yet informative serious works of history I have read.
The story of the Anglo-Scots border is a complex and a bloody one. MacDonald Fraser manages to understand, without condoning, the hard men who fought and died, rode and raided across the border between the kingdoms of England and Scotland. He untangles the knotted threads of their family ties and feuds and reveals their part in the wider relations between England and Scotland prior to the union of the Crowns in 1603. He dives into the dusty depths of the written records and brings them back to us red in tooth and claw.
At a time when the border between England and Scotland looks as though it may become an international, rather than a domestic border once more, this book should be of relevence to all with an interest in and love of these two nations.

I was born in Carlisle, England. The second big town of the border area other than Berwick. My father is from Longtown, Cumbria which is right next to the debateable land and I have the last name of Crozier. This book was like reading about my own history and explained a whole lot of things about my home town and the people I grew up with. Just in my neighborhood, there were Armstrongs, Taylors, Littles, Nixons, Grahams and many other Reiver names.
This is a very scholarly book and exceptionally well written. The author must have done an incredible amount of research to put this together. I read it twice, the second time noting how many references to Croziers(Crosers) there were. My father's family name is in there 26 times. Along with the Armstrongs, Nixons and Eliots, we were considered the worst of the worst of the reivers. Maybe not something to be proud of, but interesting. According to my mother(God rest her soul)her paternal grandfather was the illegitmate son of the Duke of Buccleugh(you'll hear a lot about the Scotts of Buccleugh, many of whom had the same name of Walter, including the famous one), so I have Reiver blood from there too. Fascinating book especially if you have a surname that might go back to that part of the world and those times.
What I have written here is just a taste of the whole book. A little heavy going at times, but so good that I have read it twice already and now use it as a research tool.

As a newcomer to Scottish Border history I found the many forces and families influencing events very confusing. George MacDonald Fraser has written a remarkable book in which he creates order and logic from a very complicated period and at the same time has written a book which is etremely readble.

It essential reading for anybody interested in border history and will no doubt be quoted extensively by writers who follow.

I haven't read the other books in this series, but was recommended this volume by a friend who is a WWII Navel battle fan. I wanted a good overview of the battle, why it was important and just what the heck went on here. So to start I'm aghast at my poor knowledge of this battle. It was nearly as critical to the history of the USA as Gettysburg. Two giant navies met here, neither really wanting this island but both unwilling to let the other side have it. Yet again it shows what crap the USA had for torpedoes. I can't tell you the number of fish fired vs how many actually found their target and did any damage. It was pitiful. The Japanese navy had superior tactics, better torpedoes but didn't fully grasp the significance of the island to the USA and so let the Marines dig in and own the place. Granted holding it was incredibly tough but it was possible and the imperial army was stretched to it's limits to keep it supplied thanks to the US navy. But it came at a huge cost in ships and sailors.

If you don't know anything about Guadalcanal this book is a great place to start.

This is the 5th book of a 15 book series and is the best one so far. Any serious student of WWII should read this series as a primer to prepare him or her for further readings from newer sources as it becomes notable on how light in detail these books are but then again consider that they were first written in 1948 and many of the sources were still classified or unknown then. One case in point is the chapter on the Battle of the Eastern Solomon's where Mr. Morris describes the attack on the American carriers and states that Shokaku sent some torpedo bombers along with a foot note saying that the numbers sent was not yet available yet I obtained the number along with the name of the lead pilot from John Lundstrom' s "The First Team and the Guadalcanal campaign"book which made for some fun research. Now that I have read this book I will take a break from the series in order to learn more details of the Guadalcanal campaign and read "Guadalcanal: The definitive account of the landmark battle." by Richard B. Frank.

Morison' works are priceless.

The maps are Very good. This is a wonderfull lead in to Frank's work, "Guadalcanal".

Morison's books are perfect for entrees into more specific books regarding the landings and land action of the island campaigns.

Highly recommended.

The Guadalcanal campaign was the most dramatic and at times the most desparate naval campaign of the war. In addition, Morison spent considerable time on board ships in the area, participating in some of the actions he describes. The result, in this volume, is the most personal, the most vivid, and the best of Morison's 15 volume history.

The naval battles in the waters surrounding Guadalcanal were some of the bloodiest and hardest fought actions in World War II. Both sides entered the campaign with strengths and deficits, which were ultimately exploited by the other. The Japanese entered the campaign with superiority in surface craft, torpedoes, and night fighting technique. The Americans had more carriers, better submarines, and air superiority derived from control of Henderson field. During the campaign, American and Japanese naval forces suffered nearly equivalent and horrific losses, which by virtue of its superior resources, the United States was better able overcome and proceed to victory.

The waters around Guadalcanal saw many of the most significant -- and decisive -- surface actions of the war, which resulted in many ships of both combatants giving meaning to the name of "Iron Bottom Sound" which attended the approaching waters to Guadalcanal. The volume begins with the battle of Savo Island, and the resulting disintegration of Allied plans, and proceeds through each of the hard-fought battles which followed. With such epic material, as gifted a historian and writer as Morison absolutely cannot fail, nor does he disappoint.

Among Morison's history, this volume contains the most vivid descriptions of the island terrain, the tropical seascape, and the violent actions to which they were witness. Charts and pictures compliment Morison's descriptions of salvo chasing, and shells slamming into wildly manuevering warships. No other history of the battles surrounding these waters has both the perspective and immediacy which render Morison's history so compelling.

Each of the volumes of Morison's history is well worth reading; this particular volume is worth reading over and over.

The volumes in this entire series are all highly readable and present a picture of our nation starting from a dismal reality in the Pacific to ultimate victory by virtue of the courage and sacrifice of men of the US Navy, as well as of the British and Dutch. The Naval battles of Coral Sea and Midway and the subsequent invasion of Guadalcanal and establishment of the "Cactus Air Force" made up of whatever American planes that were available to fly on any given day turned the tide in the Pacific, though with 3 more years of fighting to come. The loss of the Astoria, Quincy, and Vincennes on the night following the invasion hastened departure of much of the supply train and of the carrier covering group which left 2 days earlier than planned due to the loss of Cruiser protection, those 3 of the Northern Group as well as the Australian Navy Canberra of the Southern group. Our 2 radar pickett destroyers, Talbot and Blue, were positioned in their cross channel watch so as to miss seeing the Japanese Cruiser fleet enter the harbor and surprise was complete. The IJN suffered no losses during the action, but I believe they subsequently lost the Furutaka on their return to Rabaul. This bears historical checking for accuracy.

The remaining 6 month struggle for Guadalcanal is inspiring and very tragic for the conditions and imminent threat of death endured by those brave men. I was deeply moved by the courage and sacrifices of the US Navy and US Marines. 59 years after the fact I also feel (grudging) admiration for the men and weapons of the IJN.

The "Arsenal of Democracy" had agreed with the European allies that European victory was the priority issue, and that men and materiels for the Pacific war were scant for the first year or so and in many instances outmoded.

The entire series is excellent reading for those interested in history and their American heritage. I have had the entire series for about 50 years. The current pricing scheme at Amazon is a true bargain, and I recommend the series without reservation. The sadness is that such an event ever occured to generate this excellent historical writing.