Europe Books

Let's clear the air first.

It is a shame that Amazon has decided to highlight Susie Lindfield's rather unfortunate review of "Michelangelo in Ravensbruck" from the Washington Post's Book World. While Ms Lindfield's credentials would appear suitable to the task, her product (the review) certainly leaves one wondering by what tortured lens she viewed Karolina Lanckoronska's book.

If you have read the Lindfield review, consider then this passage from the second paragraph of the book's prologue: "My memoir is meant to be a report -- and only a report -- of what I witnessed during the Second World War. I know that others have lived through a great deal more than myself. I was never in Auschwitz or Kazakhstan. Nevertheless, I also know that every first-hand account contributes fresh detail to the picture of those years."

If only Lindfield demonstrated an understanding of those few words.

Those are the words of an historian -- because that is what Lanckoronska was. This book clearly demonstrates the historian's perspective, and the understanding that individual narrative has great value to researchers, those passionate about history and learning, and perhaps even the merely curious.

The puzzling thing about the Lindfield review is that it seems she would be more satisfied if this was a work of fiction that she could complain about for not fitting into her concept of history. The problem is that the events in this "story" happened -- and to the storyteller, not Ms Lindfield. To that extent, Ms Lindfield shows herself to be in a mild state of denial. Additionally, her review shows me no understanding of the importance of teasing out individualized threads of experienced history, and then placing them in context within that complex fabric of history -- not macerated into a homogenized "pour" of history.

I strongly recommend that you read John Carey's review from the Sunday Times (of London), published 12 FEB 06, or on the web at:

[...]

(If that link doesn't work, go to the Timesonline site and search for "Lanckoronska".) Carey's review has the advantage of actually telling you more about the book than about the reviewer.

The book itself? You certainly won't find flowery passages and gripping drama. But not so fast. Lanckoronska is a historian -- an art historian by education who later turned her talents to Polish art and culture. So perhaps her prose is a little dry. You can almost imagine a woman, speaking aloud from notes, going through this part of her life for you step by step. But as you become accustomed to her style, events emerge that surprise. Something as innocuous as a car breakdown is delivered in the same tone as a later scene were she realizes that she is witnessing fellow Poles being herded into lorries and heading for the execution grounds in the woods. More than once I had to stop reading just to let those scenes sink in.

This book is valuable because it snatches our attention away from the homogenized pour of World War Two and Nazi history that we have been spoon fed all these years. It understands the enormity and incomprehensibility of the Holocaust, while taking you into the places that Western European and North American histories are only just beginning to touch -- over 60 years after the fall of Hitler's Berlin.

At the back of the book are endnotes for each chapter (which, in future editions, I wish they would convert to footnotes) by the author or the editors. Fascinating too are the appendices which include the names of the Lwow professors that were murdered, and short biographies of major characters in this book. Just within those short biographies is a chilling reminder of the overt criminality of the Nazi regime, and all those that chose to follow it.

For students of recent Polish history, this is a must-have volume. And for anyone who would like another perspective on what happened in Poland, the Ukraine, and Germany between 1939 and 1945 -- especially to provide richer context for understanding the depths to which humanity seemed to plunge during that period -- I highly recommend "Michelangelo in Ravensbruck".

And let's make this very clear: A better understanding of this period of time from Karolina Lanckoronska's perspective in no way (at least for a moderately intelligent reader) diminishes the totality of those horrible years.

This is a missing link in WW2 history taught in the US.WW2 wasn't just about Jews. They suffered a lot and everybody knows it but nobody have any idea that during that war 25% of Polish nation was killed by Germans, Russians and Ukrainians.

In 1939 the author was a wealthy landowner and professor of art history, and also witness to the Soviet army's march into Poland as the Nazis staged their invasion from the west. She joined the resistance and was captured and sent to the Ravensbruck concentration camp - there to teach art history to other women who believed they would soon die. Her account discusses the mass murder of Poles and the ability to survive the most inhumane conditions, and should serve as an inspiring, outstanding addition to Holocaust literature for any collection seeking expanded views from eyewitness survivors.

This well written book is a cliff-hanger, a tear jerker and the most frightening lesson in the behaviour of supposedly civilized races.
It should be mandatory reading for all schools and universities in the free world. The bestial atrocities detailed in its pages need to be shown in the light of day so that public conscience ensures that they never be repeated.
The author's incredible faith and determination shine through, as does the spirit of the Polish people.
This might be the most comprehensive and detailed report ever written by a survivor.

Having read numerous accounts of the Holocaust, primarily from the Jewish point of view, I felt this book was a valuable addition to World War Two & even Holocaust literature, even though it is from a Gentile's point of view. It details the wartime [World War Two] experiences of a Polish aristocrat, Karolina Lanckoronska who was actively involved in resistance activities against the Nazis. Quite a bit of the book is devoted to detailing her resistance activities. These eventually get her labelled an undesirable and she gets sent off to Ravensbruck concentration camp. Her indefatigable spirit is evident in her lively outlook despite the horrors and bleakness around her. Her account of life in Ravensbruck is immensely valuable to enhancing our understanding of Nazi atrocities...female prisoners being subjected to horrific medical experiments, the infamous selections that make day to day living unberable for no one knew when death would come knocking, the rampant diseases that besieged the camp, all these horrors are vividly described in Countess Lanckoronska's account. Despite the worst living conditions imaginable, she was able to bring some measure of hope and light by teaching art etc. Her courage in standing up to the Nazis is inspiring and her account is a valuable addition to anyone interested in World War Two history & Nazi atrocities.

Art historian and art history student must hav. The book contains fabulous images and amazing insight into the period in which the images were created.

THIS BOOK ARRIVED WITH PERFECT TIMING AND CONDITION!
I WAS VERY PLEASED!

I've loved the art of this period for years, but had little academic grounding in it. This book lets me return to old favorites with new eyes.

This, in common with other volumes in the "Perspectives" series, offers high quality (though small) reproductions of important works, up-to-date analysis and discussion of the art and the contexts in which it was created. Harbison's tone is informative, if ocasionally a little too sententious. But it's a very small price to pay, given the overall excellence of his work in this volume. It's obvious that Harbison loves this period, and he transmits his excitement for these works to the reader in concise language that is accessible to a lay audience.

Of particular interest is the discussion of how the Northern Rennaisance related to and differed from what was going on in Italy at the time. The only major weakness: not enough of a focus on Durer. But it's hard to get sufficient focus on any artist in a book this condensed.

An excellent book for those familiar with the period, or those wanting to get acquainted with a school of art often unjustly overshadowed by its southern contemporary.

Informative, smart and well-written, Craig Harbison's "The Mirror of the Artist" provides an excellent, brief introduction to the sensibility, historical context, and practice of art in the North. From the attitude toward realism, to patronage among the growing class of government bureaucrats, to the market for art or the influence of the Reformation, the book offers an enhanced understanding of artistic interest and social situations in which the paintings were made -- without ever forgetting their aesthetic dimension. The best tribute I can offer is that I immediately went back to Amazon to order Harbison's "Jan Van Eyck: The Play of Realism", a $35 large format paperback. Minor quibble: Although well-illustrated for a paperback this size, with the book just about 6.25" x 9.5", more details should have been illustrated when details were discussed in larger works. (I'm still looking for the barely visible figure of the devil above the cow in the "Portinari Altarpiece".) But this is a rare problem.

Overall, this is a good introduction to Northern Renaissance art and the cultural mindset that produced it.

Like many works of revisionist history, this book is a bit heavy-handed at times in its effort to prove that Northern art is as worthy of study as Italian Renaissance art. But overall, the contrast between the two different artistic traditions is effective.

This is one of those rock-em, sock-em books that seems to have a startling insight on every page. Bauman's thesis is that the Holocaust is not an aberration, peculiar to a particular time and place, but a general symptom of modernity. In other words, events akin to the Holocaust are capable of happening again and again in the modern world. The book is thus frightening and sobering. Bauman argues that modern institutions are characterized by dispassionate bureaucratic efficiency assisted by technology. Large government and corporate bureaucracies function in such a way that individual responsibility for the actions of the bureaucracy are dispersed. In other words, the buck is passed through the system, without a Harry Truman to say, "The buck stops here." The danger, according to Bauman, is that if a Hitler rises to the top of such a bureaucracy, he can set the system rolling toward an inhumane goal (the destruction of the Jews in Europe), and it is possible that nobody within the system or outside it will be able (or interested enough) to do much to stop it. The book highlights (for me) the crucial importance of checks and balances within systems, and strong investigative journalism as an important component to a functioning democracy. It also suggests to me the importance of keeping authoritarians out of high public office. They can set large systems rolling in disastrous directions.

Peruse any mega-bookstore for works on the Holocaust and you will likely find yourself in a section called "Jewish Studies" or "Holocaust Studies." This is indicative of a general attitude that the Holocaust was merely a gross aberration in the advancement of western civilization, that it is exclusively a Jewish problem or, at best, an anomalous eruption of the irrational latent in the German psyche.

In this stunning, bold, and original work, Professor Bauman challenges this conventional wisdom. The Holocaust is not the story of European civilization gone awry; rather it embodies the most salient principles of modernity itself. It was "horrifyingly normal."

The logic of self-interest, rational management, modern bureaucratic order, technological efficiency, the relegation of values to the realm of subjectivity, science as intrinsically instrumental and value-free: such are the values comprising the shared vision of western civilization set in motion during the Enlightenment. And Bauman identifies the sum of these values as the necessary (but not sufficient) cause of the Holocaust. The SS exploited the logic of rational self-interest by making the cooperation of prisoners a condition for self-preservation. Death camps utilized the applied technology of mass production and transportation. The Third Reich was the picture of modern bureaucratic efficiency. All of this was done by highly trained engineers, technicians and doctors within an ethical framework consistent with modernity's moral relativism. And each of these conditions is still present today. This is a sobering, thought-provoking study of the Holocaust and its haunting resonance with the values of modern thought.

Zygmunt Bauman argues that the modern society we accept as normal and the highest form as civilization, contains the seed, soil and water of the Holocaust. He argues that the Holocaust is not an anomaly but a warning and sign of what we, as human beings, have become. The Holocaust would not have happened save for modern civilization. Technological know how is important, but not the only important factor.

Mass atrocity requires three things: that violence be authorized by a legitimate authority, that the violent actions be routinized, and that the victims be dehumanized. Bauman recounts the experiments of Stanley Milgram in support of his argument. I add that, after weeks of chanting "Kill, kill, kill" over and over, and of hearing the "enemy" described as "dinks", "slopes", "gooks", "japs", "women", "niggers" and "injuns", I was able to sit through a lecture on the "law of war" in which my medic class was instructed that one of our jobs would be to execute wounded prisoners. Yes, that's illegal, immoral, and something terrorists do. Military training works. (If you respond that "war is hell" and that such things are normal, think of the fuss we put up about how our prisoners are treated.)

Military training works because normal socialization prepares us for it. Society, Bauman writes, silences morality. Rather than supporting our innate morality, society replaces it, teaching us what is good and what is bad, who is good and who is bad. It divides the world into the "moral universe", relatively small, and the universe in which we are encouraged to to act with amoral abandon. Take, for instance, the example of "family values". The moral universe cannot shrink much further. Yes, we should obey the law, if practicable, but only until we change it to allow us to do what we want. We certainly aren't responsible for anyone outside the family. Family values? Christ pointed out that even the heathen support that.

The answer to the social design and engineering which created the Holocaust is, Bauman suggests, unconditional responsibility. We, each of us as a moral agent, are responsible for and to everyone regardless of whether we believe them to be good or evil. We and they are human. It's a tough sell, but Bauman's argument that the alternative led to the Holocaust and will lead to more similar atrocities is convincing.

Bauman makes his arguments without jargon, with style and passion. This is a most important and compelling book. If you're going to read only one book this year, make it this one.

This book explains "sameness" and "otherness", two powerful dimensions in contempt and values, so clear a five year old can get it. Zygmund also talks about doubt. An unpleasant state of mind seeking comfort and where this human machinery (doubt/comfort) is pushing most of us.

This book provides a conceptual bridge between Hannah Arendt's famous "banality of evil" thesis and the more recent thesis presented by Giorgio Agamben that the concentration camp is the paradigm of political modernity. It has affinites with the post-holocaust ethics of Primo Levi and Judith Shklar as well. In the context of recent attempts to give torture and indefinite detention the imprimatur of law, Bauman's book serves as a reminder that formalizing or bureaucratizing these activities is not likely to humanize these practices-- for example, scientifically "humane" methods of execution or legally proscribed torture warrants-- but rather to erode moral resistance and sensibilities.

Eva Ibbotson has done it again! Just when I think I may be disappointed in her, because you never know when an author will exhaust their repertoire, I'm pleasantly surprised. Yet another story of pure devotion, history, twists and turns, and another reason to burn the midnight oil. I love her ability to describe a place so that I can say I've been to Vienna and England. My only disappointment is that I can't meet her and beg her to write more, plus I have so many questions. I highly recommend this book!

I thought this was a great, lovable book. I didn't want it to end. Quin and Ruth were great characters. And the secondary characters were endearing. The only problem I had was how every character automatically fell in love with Ruth.

Ruth Berger lives in Austria during the onset of Nazi-takeover. Because she is Jewish, thought not orthodox, she and her family decide to flee to England. Ruth goes ahead of her family, but is unable to leave Austria, unbeknownst to her family who have successfully arrived in England.

Alone and bewildered, separated from family and fiance, Ruth meets her father's friend and colleague, Quin Sommerville, a British paleontologist. He feels sorry for Ruth, and suggests a civil wedding as the solution to their problems. By marrying Quin, Ruth will become an English citizen, and so be able to leave Austria. They agree that the marriage will be annulled as soon as they reach England. There are no feelings between them: just pity on Quin's part and dependency on Ruth's part. Of course. The annulment is not as easily gained as Quin had planned, and there is an added difficulty in the appearance of Ruth's fiance and Quin's would-be-soul-mate.

Ruth is a sweet character, but a little too consciously naive. I was able to overlook it because her faults reminded me that she is human, like everyone else. The front cover is a bit incongruous, because Ruth's musical talent (if it can be called such) is not a big part of the story.

Ms. Ibbotson's writing is excellent. She writes with humor and a great deal of intelligence. She is capable of writing of music, literature, history, paleontology and whatever else comes up. Not only does she speak of such things, she proves that she actually knows what she is talking about! There are musical and literature references throughout, but any ignorance the reader might have on those subjects will not affect the comprehension of the story. This is a lovely romance, and I highly recommend it.

I was not very impressed with the publishers. As with the other recent re-prints of Eva Ibbotson's books by Speak (A Song for Summer, The Countess Below Stairs, A Company of Swans), there are numerous typos that I hardly think were Ms. Ibbotson's. Not to mention erroneous summaries on the back covers (especially in the case of A Song for Summer).
However, this did not detract from my enjoyment of The Morning Gift, or any of the other aforementioned books.

Lastly, amazon states that the age group is 9-12. Not so. This is intended for adult readers, though perfectly acceptable for young adult as well. There is enough sexual content (though very little and mostly implied or behind closed doors) to make it unsuitable for ages 9-12.

After reading Eva Ibbotson's 4 adult books, I want to say that I love her writing. It's like having a bit of a chill and her books are like the blanket fresh from the dryer you cuddle in. Descriptive, endearing and comforting. Thank you for these stories, they are truly beautiful

I loved this book!! So cute and romantic. If you are looking for one of those feel good romances, this is it.

Everything I have read by Jones so far has been 5-star. He is lucid, literate, articulate, has much to tell and tells it unpretentiously and clinically, but without sacrificing anything in passion or wit. He is in no way a braggart or poseur, but does not let inappropriate modesty inhibit his telling of what is to be told. His warmth and humour leaven the narrative and add to the perspective without ever cheapening the subject matter. At the same time a proper British reserve (no cliche and no sarcasm, this is precisely what I mean) plus his respect for confidences, not to be betrayed even by untoward hints, move me to wonder how much more he could tell if only it were tellable.

The books are written with a naturalness which belies their density of information. Only an expert in the subject matter (which in this case means a qualified scientist and a good deal besides) could have written them. They are part of the tradition of the finest 20th century British non-fiction. There has been a great deal of rubbish in that genre of the period, both in content and in style, but it has included the likes of Peter Medawar, John Maynard Smith, George Orwell, John Masters, Churchill, and of course, R.V. Jones. On the one hand Jones' books are refreshing reading in an age of faction and pabulum; on the other they are precious historical material which gives the lie to much questionable stuff which otherwise would go unquestioned.

Dr. Jones was an Oxford physicist from a military family who found himself in charge of English scientific intelligence during the Second World War. In this capacity, he led the effort to identify new German technologies and tactics, and then devise countermeasures.

Among his accomplishments were sending a raiding party across the Channel to dismantle and bring back a complete German radar station, anticipating and foiling the navigation systems the Germans devised for their bombers, anticipating and devising limited countermeasures to the V1s and V2s, exfiltrating Niels Bohr from Copenhagen and analyzing German effort to develop atomic bombs.

Dr. Jones certainly lived in interesting times, but unlike the much quoted Chinese curse, which continues that one may have powerful enemies, the powerful men in his life, most notably Churchill, had complete faith in him, and with good reason.

This is an incredible book, which I heartily recommend to anyone with an interest in military history or science.

Dr. Jones is wonderful storyteller and surprised me with how humble he is, given his amazing achievements during the war. Not once did he fail to credit all those that helped him and constantly reminds the reader that the "true heroes" were those who risked and lost their lives, both on the front and acting as support for his efforts (e.g. photographic reconnaissance).

The story itself gives one an insider's view of how desperate the British situation was in 1940 and how a nation pulled together, despite petty rivalry and bureaucratic obstacles, to fight The Blitz and turn the tide in the air war.

Being an electrical engineer, I was also intrigued by the history of RADAR (RDF to the British) and remote targeting, and how it was employed differently by the British and Germans. However, I cannot say how a non-technical reader will like this.

I originally purchased this book in 1979, a year after it was first published. I have had to buy it again because my original paperback simply fell apart. Thoughtful, thorough, witty and absolutely fascinating, R.V. Jones is one of the people I would most have liked to meet during my lifetime (he passed away in 1997). I can't recommend this book highly enough.

This book is also known as the Wizard War.
The author as a relatively young man was the technical intelligence director for the British Royal Air Force in WW II. As such he was involved in the development of active, passive, and counter measures to thwart the German Luftwaffe.
Developments included radars, anti ship missiles,jet engines, defense against buzz bombs, and the jamming of radio navigation systems used by the Germans.
After the war the author returned to Scotland to become a university professor. He returned to service during the Korean War period. His other book Reflections on Intelligence reveals him to be a man of erudition and covers and fills in some of the gaps in the story told herein which could not be revealed at the time this book was written.
Another one for the complete shelf of intelligence classics.

I interviewed Jacqueline Duheme when she was promoting this exquisite book, and one thing remains in my mind that she said about "The Grand Dame, Jacqueline" - that she could have been a painting woman!!!

As an ardent admirer of Mrs. Kennedy for the past 40 years, I have read every book on her that I could get my hands on. "Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad" is a refreshing change from the repetitive narratives and recycled photos that are the mainstay of so many other books about her life. Ms. Duheme's illustrations are elegant and sumptuous but also embrace a childlike purity and simplicity which capture the essence of Mrs. Kennedy's persona and mystique. The commentary has the simple charm of a beautifully written children's book. It is obvious why Mrs. Kennedy chose Ms. Duheme to accompany her on her more memorable trips abroad as First Lady. A truly enchanting book.

Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad is an adorable little book filled with colorful Fauvist-like illustrations. Anyone who likes Laura Stoddart's simple-chic illustrations for Kate Spade will probably enjoy it. Fans of the recent exhibition at the Met that highlighted Jackie's White House clothes may appreciate it too. The commentary is kept to a minimum and black and white photos from Mrs. Kennedy's travels are included, but the focus is on French artist Duheme's amusing miniature paintings that capture Jackie in all those great pink sleeveless dresses and crisp suits in Paris, India, London and Italy.

As a side note: Duheme and Jacqueline Kennedy became friends who shared similar painting styles, and Duheme was invited to Cape Cod to give the First Lady an art lesson.

This book has wonderful pictures that captures the "facts" from actual photographs and transforms them into scenes of "fantasy". I really enjoyed the background information that accompanies each picture. A real treat of Jackie fans.

"Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad" is a beautiful book. The illustrations are lovely to look at, and the book is fun to read. A good choice for anyone to add to their library; especially recommended for those interested in the Kennedys and Jackie in particular. Evokes the fun mood of Jackie's scrapbook written with her sister Lee, "One Special Summer".

I was assigned this book for a Jewish History class at my university, and so far I'm really enjoying it. We read one of the autobiographies each week, and I feel that Cohen has done an excellent job of bringing together stories from different backgrounds and different experiences, and even has a married couple each tell their stories in their own autobiographies.

I'll be honest; I was expecting it to be boring - but am very pleasantly surprised to find that it's not!

"My Future Is In America" contains excellent primary source material for the student of Jewish immigration to this country and immigration history in general. The individual essays are captivating and very readable, providing a wealth of information about the immigrant experience, not only after arrival in America, but also about life in Europe pre-immigration. This book should be considered as reading in American Studies curricula.

I just finished reading this book. This is not only for Jewish people but other religions as well. It's a part of our history and I found it very enjoyable and informative. A must read.

The older brother of Minnie Goldstein, who wrote the first of the autobiographies that appear in the book, is my great-grandfather and what seems to have been passed down through the generations is a somewhat sanitised version of the truth ... I really had no idea about their dreadful poverty, or the fact that a contributing factor to Hershl Malinberg's emigration from Warsaw to the U.S. was being cheated in business by his own mother-in-law. Of course, the story has particular resonance for her own kith and kin, but it contains so much vivid detail, and is told so well, that I would recommend it to anyone.

As a first generation American, I always wanted to know how and why my parents came to America... they passed away before imparting this information.... this book fills in all the gaps, in a humorous and interesting way. I could not put this book down, and reread it... Totally enjoyable!!!! 5 stars

I read another books about the 1809 campaign but this exceeds in the analisis of the all around campaign fronts , including a detailled italian campaign point of view Eugene versus John both " minor " generals in the official history , and the austrian corp army evolution . A brief but essential study . If you likes Napoleonic strategy , you must have it !!!

Epstein believes it was greater combat effectiveness of Napoleon's adversaries and not the decline of the French army that led to the fall of Napoleon. In his book, Epstein writes about how the Austrians copied the French corps system that allowed greater personal intiative on the battlefield. This also permitted the Austrian army to retreat in detail rather than being surrounded in whole. As a result, unlike Austerlitz, Napoleon was unable to destroy the Austrain army at Wargam in 1809. I would reccomend this book to anyone who wants a new perspective of the closing phases of the Napoleonic Wars.

If you are interested in the development of war, this is an excellent read, otherwise turn away. The author shows how Napoleon's decline began as his enemies fought like he did, in a modern fashion. He makes the case that war as we understand it today began in 1809. The maps are wonderful, although the level of operational detail was a bit much.

Epstein's thesis is thought-provoking and admirably supported. He convincingly argues that the start of modern warfare occurred in 1809 during the Franco-Austrian War when, for the first time in history, two armies met in battle, each utilizing the new doctrine of independent army corps at the new operational level of war. His research sheds new light on the military history of the nineteenth century by challenging the popular wisdom that Napoleon won battles through tactical genius and force of personality alone. Rather, the author demonstrates that Napoleon's genius was primarily manifested in his creation of a new system of warfare based on interdependent action of individual army corps at the operational level of war to achieve strategic objectives. This was a major shift from the tactical-strategic paradigm of eighteenth century warfare (i.e. the ancien regime). Although Napoleon's ideas were based on those of prior theorists, he was the first commander to fully implement this new style of warfare. The result was a doctrinal asymmetry between Napoleon's army and those of his enemies that enabled him to achieve his astounding victories at Ulm, Austerlizt, and Jena-Auerstadt in 1805-1806.

After 1806, however, the other European powers began to organize their own armies according to this corps system. Although they generally lacked Napoleon's mastery of command and control at the operational level, this development ended Napoleon's doctrinal monopoly and restored operational balance to the battlefields of Europe. It was this restoration of doctrinal symmetry at the operational levels of war that account for Napoleon's inability to achieve another Austerlizt in 1809 or thereafter. He strongly suggests that Napoleon himself was unaware of the dynamics of this doctrinal paradigm. Epstein's thesis argues against the possibility of a Lee or Jackson, or for that matter Napoleon himself, capitalizing on this imbalance again. He also argues against the idea that Napoleon had lost his personal edge and was in decline starting in 1809. Rather, the decline of Napoleon's battlefield fortunes resulted from his enemies learning the lessons he himself had taught them in 1805-1806.

While the book is essentially about the developement of the corps system and the emergence of the operational level of war, it is also an excellent operational history of the Franco-Austrian War of 1809. His descriptions of the significant battles, especially Wagram, are thorough, detailed, and readable. The uninitiated reader in the field of military history may suffer from information overload when reading his descriptions and maps, but the detail is greatly appreciated by serious students of the subject. Nonetheless, the general reader will still greatly benefit from learning how warfare fundamentally and irreversably changed in the year 1809. Students of the U.S. Civil War will also benefit from his thesis in that it greatly effects how one weighs the roles of doctrine, technology, and personality during that war as it relates to Napoleon's development of the corps system and the operational level of war.

This book offers a refreshing and revolutionary new view of the history of warfare and emergence of modern war, one based on the history of military organization and structure rather than the traditional technology based analysis. The thesis is well made and well argued and will certainly be a guiding force in the future of military studies, especially now that are beginning to give greater value to decentralization of military operations in the 21st century. Not only is this work revolutionary and foundational in the field of military studies, it is also an excellent analysis of the 1809 War of the Fifth Coalition with many valuable insights into the relationship between Napoleon, his Marshals, and Prince Eugene.

The only reason I gave this book a 4, rather than a 5, is because of the maps. There are many large detailed maps included in the books, unfortunately the generally span two pages with the centre being unreadable between the pages, the difficulity with this is compounded because the deployments and action is generally towards the centre of the map and, therefore, unreadable. I am rather surprised that problem was not caught before publication. Because of this I often found myself having to resort to other sources for maps while reading the book. However, in spite of the maps, the book is more than worth the time and cost for the revolutionary new look at Napoleonic warfare.

Naughty Paris is exactly what I expected: wonderful! I have spent a lot of time in Paris, and I thought I knew the city well, but Heather has introduced to me to all sorts of new places. She has even given me a new perspective on some old favourites. I am off to Paris again on Friday with an already well-worn copy of this book, knowing I will not be disappointed by any of Heather's suggestions and hints!!

After reading my recent copy of "Naughty Paris", I immediately purchased 5 copies for gifts !! The photography is beautiful and the text has you ready to jump on the next flight to Paris.

It is rare to have such an insider's view. The author tells us being sexy is about our attitude and then gives us a book full of special places to nurture our sexy spirit.

We learn how French women look good from the inside out with special boutiques for skin care and body treatments...a hair salon where they "take care of you like an old friend". Shops to find those wardrobe must-haves coupled with wonderful tips on how to wear clothes and hair to have that classic Parisienne style. The "after dark" choices range from stylish bars, intimate restaurants, sexy cabarets and some special addresses if you are ready to rev up your naughty.

And if you would like a sexy boost of confidence, there is a collection of special experts to help you "get in touch with your inner femme fatale".

I loved her friendly style of writing. It was like having a well traveled friend tell you all her secrets before your first trip. I now know a Paris few tourist get to see. Had to immediately order several of the suggested French movies and books.

I return to Paris in October and this book will definitely be in my suitcase!

Classy, sassy and extremely well written, this true insider's guide to the sexy side of Paris will allow the reader to feel safe yet bold. I know it did for me. How fabulous is that!

This is an interesting little book...filled with helpful information for those ladies who are perhaps curious, yet a bit shy, about the "other" Paris--the Paris outside the usual tourist attractions. And for the lady who wants to pamper herself while in Paris, this is definitely for you. Stimmler-Hall has done her homework and will lead you through the places to buy (or look at?) sex toys, oggle the strip-teasing hunks, have a fine meal, a relaxing spa treatment and much, much more, sometimes even on a budget. She also gives valuable information and tips on how to stay safe and how to remain a lady throughout your "sexy" visit (Hint: Don't drink too much, as an obviously tipsy woman is thought to be very unattractive in Paris). This is definitely a book for the somewhat shy woman who wants to venture into a bit of the naughty, but wishes to have a safety-net along, as well. The author advises that some of the venues might be better enjoyed with a friend or even a group of friends, but she also provides advice and direction for the solo woman visitor in Paris. All of this with just the right amount of tongue-in-cheek to encourage you to read on and perhaps find your own special bit of spice while visiting Paris. This might not be the book you would give your Grandma for Christmas, but it could be the ideal gift for your girlfriends!

My husband and I were in Paris this weekend celebrating our first year anniversary. We were having a good time in Paris, but after we discovered "Naughty Paris" our experience was richly enhanced. The book is engaging and very relevant to today's modern woman and even today's modern couple. The restaurant recommendations are romantic and cozy, and the cabaret recommendations deliver. Very tastefully done...Fantastic!

As a child, I would visit my grandmother every summer in Berlin, Germany. Back in 1983 Nestaekchen the miniseries aired on German television and lucky for me, it coincided with my visit. It was my favorite show and to this day I think about it. I especially loved it because it took place in Berlin, where I was and often showed old historic buildings that still exist today, including the Charlottenburg Palace. I have been searching for an American dvd of this series but am so excited to find that there is now an English book available to hold me over until then. I highly recommend this to any young girls looking for a great read but it would appeal to anyone of any age!

The ten Nesthäkchen volumes of children's books followed the life of an "ordinary" girl growing up in the first decades of twentieth-century Germany. (Her actual name is Annemarie Braun.) Daughter of a medical doctor and the popular friend of her classroom peers, the blonde "quintessential German girl" (Jewish characters are absent from the stories) continually finds herself in situations where she must learn from her mistakes about judging people, correct social behavior, and responsibility to her family and country. This volume about World War I sold three hundred thousand copies, more than any other of the very popular Nesthäkchen series. If those statistics alone do not convince the instructor and student of the book's historical value, Lehrer's statement that 55 percent of German women have read Else Ury's books, with an even larger number of women having listened to them on the radio or watched them as television episodes (p. ix), should do so. Lehrer used the original illustrations by Robert Sedlacek for the first editions of the book, allowing the reader to see the "subtle erotic quality" that accompanied the text (p. 161). Finally, Ury's biography is worthy of discussion in a classroom on German history: her family belonged to Berlin's wealthy Jewish population, rather assimilated without ignoring their Jewish background. And, like the majority of European Jews in the Second World War, Ury's family suffered exclusion from German organizations after the National Socialists came to power. Many family members immigrated; her brother committed suicide; she died in the gas chambers of Auschwitz at the age of sixty-five and as one of Germany's most successful authors.
The book's audience is young adolescents, so that undergraduates (and their professors) will enjoy the prose without feeling like they are reading a "mere" children's book. Indeed, the foregrounding of the many scenes of sibling rivalry, exasperated teachers, and misbehaving pet dogs against the omnipresent background of wartime battles, worries of the fate of conscripted military friends and family members, and consistent references to all German citizens sacrificing for the nation make this novel one that permits the reader of any age the possibility of imagining the everyday lives of families amidst the everyday realities of war. In this particular volume, for instance, Nesthäkchen suffers the temporary absence of both her parents--her mother left for England to visit relatives and cannot return or send uncensored letters, while her father treats German soldiers in France. Left in the care of a maternal grandmother overwhelmed by caring for three children, a cynical family cook who sees the war in terms of what it will cost the people, and a doting nanny, Nesthäkchen gets caught up in many discussions about national duty, understanding the objectives of the war, and what her own role should be as a young woman. In what is, according to Lehrer, a theme about evolving gender roles for boys and girls in the series, Nesthäkchen gets caught up in her brothers' zealous patriotism for the war cause, even lamenting bitterly that her feminine role of knitting socks for soldiers is not nearly as exciting as her brothers' more soldier-like duties. This sort of scene is not any sort of feminist manifesto by the author; rather, it is a reflection of how tensions surrounding male and females' places in society played out in small, rather ordinary moments that are, in fact, quite extraordinary.
Concerning the background of the war itself, Ury assumed a level of knowledge about battles in World War I that not every undergraduate today will have. For this reason, the numerous footnotes with information about particular remarks made by the characters or the author are enormously helpful. One chapter about food shortages claimed that Germany made extensive plans to husband supplies in order for the country to "hold out for years if necessary" (p. 144). Lehrer corrects this statement in a paragraph-long, well-written footnote about the fact that Germany made no such plans and the resulting numbers of deaths due to starvation and malnutrition. The footnotes provide more than additional information, however; they allow for discussions in class about why the author made certain, incorrect assumptions. Did she believe the government's information at the time, or were such statements merely useful for her storyline? Make no mistake: Ury wrote a book with a female protagonist for a female audience. Male undergraduates may not be able to relate to the very girlish feel of the story. Even so, Lehrer's many instances of inserting "history" into the story make this book accessible to all readers...
Ury's work has been long overlooked in German history, and Lehrer's annotated translation of this work has made an important contribution to students and scholars of German history who would otherwise not have access to this important genre of literature. I hope that Lehrer's publishers will decide that the other Nesthäkchen books also merit translation.
Benita Blessing. "Review of Else Ury, Nesthäkchen and the World War: A Novel," H-German, H-Net Reviews, June, 2008. URL: http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=5421219074890.

Germans call a spoiled child or family pet a Nesthäkchen ?
A "nesthäkchen" is always the youngest child in a family. Nothing else.

received the book in a very timely fashion and it was as described.

We read this novel in preparation for going to Germany (it was the only one I could find for young children in English that wasn't about WWII, which we're not ready for). But I would read this book just for it's own value, going to Germany or not. It is set in WWI and is told from the perspective of a young German girl in Germany who starts out rather spoiled.

What was especially valuable to me was the way the main character is so light and unrealistic about war to begin with, but gradually grows and changes to understand that war is not a party. The author weaves a situation into the story that gives the story great depth. While the main character is maturing in many ways, she is very cruel to another character (involving prejudice). Over and over the reader is faced with loving a main character who is doing good things on the one hand and some cruel things on the other. Resolving this in the story is part of what makes this book so worthwhile.

Add to this the poignancy given the fate of this author who, while writing about an ethnically German child, is in fact herself Jewish- and does not survive WWII. This is explained in a foreward, but is not part of the story and could be skipped if reading the book aloud to younger children.

The book deals with the homelife of a war torn family and does not delve into the details of soldier life or experiences. This would be a good introduction to the idea that war is not fun and does involve death, without going into the actual horrors of war.

I read the book to an 8 yo boy and almost 10 yo girl. They both loved it.