Biography Books

This book is a real labor of love. Dr. Dusleag tells the story of his grandfather and the persecution he endured. Dr. Stroia overcame his horrible experiences and left a legacy behind in the journal that he kept, at great risk to his physical well being and that of his family. His grandson followed in his footsteps by visiting the sites mentioned in the journal, taking pictures and documenting his research. He used the journal as well as his memories of his grandfather to inspire his own life. This is a very good book indeed and I highly recommend it to anyone, but particularly to those with an interest in history.

Stanciu Stroia's memoirs are very important to all of us, because they help us understand what went on in Romania and throughout Eastern Europe before 1945, and what followed the fall of Communism in 1989. The book's web site [...] in itself is a valuable document.

I've read several books by political prisoners of the Romanian regime. This one does not discuss as much the details of the physical horrors of the prisons. The concept of a person being visited by the securitate late at night, put into prison for years, and familial contacts severed, is horrible enough. This story is told by a doctor, who by very nature is compassionate and sworn by oath to heal others. Dr. Stroia lived by that oath. In the book he mentions a prison doctor who "prescribed" that his patient throw himself onto the barbed wire as a cure for depression. The patient followed his doctor's orders and was shot. Dr. Stroia's humanity not only remained intact, but it grew. His "second university" tore a giant chasm in his life, but his inner strength carried him through.

This story is extremely important today, helping us to understand more about what happened in Eastern Europe and why there is still much of a struggle there since 1989. I think in the US we have tended to think "Oh good! Communism has toppled and everything will be just fine." The scars of a monstrous regime run deep and don't go away easily. We also must look at ourselves to make sure that we don't create a system that is not accountable to the people it governs. This exceptional story shows us that pride, integrity, and compassion are necessary to carry us through evil times and leave us intact on the other side. I highly recommend this very readable addition to the literature on Romania's modern history.

The book was exceptional in its treatment of how life in a Romanian communist prison must have felt on a personal level. It seemed as if Dr. Stroia was speaking directly to me (and all readers) personally through his grandson, telling me something about what that life was like for these prisoners. I cannot even imagine, however, what life must have been like for him as each of the things he did mention must have been repeated so many more times than he recalled, over and over again, day in and day out, for seven long years!

Without dwelling on the cruelty of the prison guards, he managed to give me enough of an idea to read between the lines of the events he chose to include in his journal (and in the book). I am not ashamed to admit that I cried at times while reading his story ... especially whenever he got his hopes up, only to be shattered by his oppressors ... or to hear how little they cared about his health. Imagine a doctor, knowing what was happening internally, and being unable to do anything to stop his slow deterioration through continued scurvy and hypertension.

His was a gentle, quiet condemnation of what some human beings are willing to force another human to endure ... and also a loud voice proclaiming the human spirit of this man to endure and overcome an adversity that was forced upon him without justification! He and others like him are the true heroes ... in every sense of the word! I can only wish I had known Dr. Stroia in real life ... he'd have so many things to teach me, I'm sure, about living.

A wonderful book and one that I'd recommend to anyone!

I have read My Second University, which told the story of a man with strength of character that all of us should strive to achieve. As a doctor he was taught "to do no harm". Whether he was born with that humane instinct or acquired it after medical training is not important. What is important is how noble a man can remain after a period of harsh confinement. His life is a testament to our best possible behavior that few of us live up to. Not only did he defeat his enemies in his life time, he also left a legacy for his grandson to emulate. What more could a grandfather do for his grandson? From a man whose life has been enriched by reading about a human being of regal character,
Joe Garcia, Lakewood, Ohio.

This is the most Catholic and scholarly biography of Padre Pio to date. Yes, the author on one or two occasions gives some personal reflections of his own from a Protestant perspective. But the other 99% of the book is a thorough and unbiased account of Padre Pio's life, using only verifiable facts, with references and footnotes. The strength of this biography is that it is not sensational like other biographies of Padre Pio. His life is dramatic enough; it does not need to be stylized and watered down to a human level. The facts of his life stand on their own.

I've read several books about Padre Pio and was somewhat skeptical about this one because the author is a Lutheran minister. Perhaps that's why C. Bernard Ruffin took such pains to provide a well-documented and balanced approach to the tale of this great saint. Other books, written by Catholics, failed to tell the whole story of the Church's persecution of Pio. Ruffin lays it all out and it is astonishing! Pio's detractors were priests who were jealous of him and an archbishop who had a history of rewarding priests convicted of child molestation, selling church artifacts for personal profit, and questionable sex practices. When the truth was finally revealed, punishment was light. The archbishop was allowed to retire early with all benefits and a few wrists were slapped. But if Padre Pio had had his way they would have been forgiven totally.
No matter how badly he suffered through this time, he never said anything to harm his "Mother Church" and he remained in complete obedience to Church authority. In fact he would be sad that I am pointing out the character of his detractors. Sorry, Padre.
All in all this is a book I couldn't put down. Several pages of photos, including one of his parents, makes the book a good read.

I just finished reading this book. Most of it was very well done, but the author who is non-Catholic had a bad habit of inserting irrelevant material relating to Martin Luther and other Protestant luminaries in order somehow to bridge the chasm between the holiness of St. Padre Pio and the religious experience of these other individuals. It all has the smell of an ecumenistic work, a suspicion given added weight by the liberal nature of the publishing company. St. Padre Pio was a great saint for modern times. Like all saints he loved all humanity, but his personal love for souls did not, in any way, include acceptance of the errors they espouse. It is inexplicable that this author, who apparently believes what he has written about the saint, did not at the end adjure the errors of Lutheranism and enter the Catholic fold.

This is possibly the best book currently on the life of St. Padre Pio. It is very well researched and well written that you honestly get a true glimpse of the man in my opinion.

The book was written by a non-Catholic which can dispel some people's fears that the book is a fanatical work to boost the Padre Pio simply because of his faith.

After reading this book there is little way anyone can doubt the amazing activities which took place around this man. Jesus was surely using St. Padre Pio.

I highly recommend this book for religious and causal readers alike.

I thoroughly enjoyed this very delightful and inspiratonal book. It was really very well written and I would recommend it to any reader interested in knowing about the saintly soul Padre Pio. I was not able to put the book down once I started reading it.I highly recommend it to any reader interested in knowing about a Christ-like man of the 20th century.

This book really opened my eyes to reincarnation. I would recommended it to anyone that is unsure and needs proof into the field!

My husband and I were fortunate enough to experience a slice of serendipity when visiting friends in Connecticut. We had ventured out to visit a quaint little cigar shop and that's where we met Mr. Keene. I had never heard of him or his work, and after learning that we were from Upson County, Georgia, he was more than happy to share with us his experiences and convictions regarding his connections to John B. Gordon. The author is quite an interesting fellow--very personable and entertaining. The opportunity to meet and talk to the author has made this book much more meaningful and authentic for me. I highly recommend it to both believers and skeptics alike. It is quite the read!

Mr. Jeff Keene had provided his own past life in a way understandable and as historically accurate as possible to his earlier life as a CSA General John B. Gordon. There were some very touching places in his story which literally brought tears to my eyes like the following -
(1) The place where he explains about the spontaneous feeling of sadness he felt when he stood next to his daughter's grave from his previous life and who had passed off when quite young even before ever being named.
(2) The place where he very humbly stays behind thinking of himself as quite junior when compared to other army commanders on the lines before being called by General Hancock during Grant's funeral to lead the funeral procession alongside him in the front lines.
(3) The place where he vividly reminisces his past life incident when he saved the life of the Federal Division Commander Francis Barlow.
On the whole the author comes through as a very great gentleman and one worthy of emulation in both of his forms as Gen Gordon as well as the current Fire Chief Jeff Keene.
May God provide him all prosperity in the present and the yonder!

What more can I say. I have read many books on this subject, and there are many of them out there, but this I must say is the best ever. It takes you from the very start of his search to present day. If you are looking for your own past lives, this book can help you. It gives you ideas of how and where you can start looking for yourself. It lets you know how a journey of this type can affect your present life, good and bad. It also lets you know how past lives influances the thoughts, actions and memories you have today, even your dreams. I could not put this book down from the moment I started reading it, till I was finished with it. It takes alot for someone to come forward like this and share what they went through, and I must say thank you to Jeffrey for doing so. Martin Huffman

From the time I received this book I couldn't put it down. It is a must read for history buffs as well as for those who are interested in reencarnation.

A previous reviewer compares the author's work to Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. Considering a usually successful use of self-deprecating and anecdotal humor, I can understand the comparison between the author's style and Bill Bryson's style. The author is undeniably funny. Relying entirely on the author's passion for adventure, the narrative describes a theatrical series of events fit for a screenplay.

However, that is all this book offers and why the comparison to Bill Bryson falls well short of accurate. The strength of Mr. Bryson's writing is the purpose underlying the humor, especially self-recognition through experience. The reader can internalize Mr. Bryson's experiences, see the world from Bryson's vantage and ultimately identify with Mr. Bryson's motivation for writing the book.

Mr. Davis' The Underdog falls short of Mr. Bryson's achievements. Instead of relating to narrative, the reader must watch from the sidelines. In this case the author's strength is also his weakness. How many readers can identify with first hand-experiences of bull-fighting or sumo wrestling? The effect is, essentially, a Hollywood blockbuster in a book. What you see is entertaining, but fails to stimulate any further thought.

Furthermore, and what was most disappointing to me, was the lack of conclusion. I kept waiting for the author's epiphany to explode off the pages and into my conscious, but instead of an explosion I got a series of undeveloped thoughts more analogous to a shotgun at 200 yards than a grand-finale. In the final passage, the author's last chance to tie the whole book together, he opts to wander off on a completely new tangent relating his experiences to the untapped potential of the internet (Did Wired ask you to plug The Long Tail, or was this your idea?). Instead of finishing the book with an appreciation for how this author's struggles to find his purpose in life might assist me in finding mine, I was left with questions:

Was this about the unquenchable American spirit? Or, was it about the changing definition of achievement and success? Alternately, it might have been about appreciating your own family, your talents, your opportunities, etc instead of admiring your neighbor's lawn. Honestly, I don't know.

In essence, The Underdog is a funny one time read, but certainly not deserving of such glowing reviews as it has received here on Amazon.

This author sent me an invitation to be his amazon friend. Hello! All of my reivews are bitter and sarcastic, why would I want to buy your book? Maybe I should you spam about "enlargement" products. How would you like that? The book might be a great story. Frankly, I don't care! I would rather read a book about the mating rituals of worms than me spammed by an author that wants me to buy his book.

From the moment I read the first three pages of the introduction I was hooked. This book speaks of and to the American spirit with humor and wit. Not only did I laugh out loud every time I opened it, but I cried a few times too. It's the kind of book that you read so fast because it is so good, but you don't want to so that it will last longer.

If you are looking for a book that inspires you through narrative and challenges you to go beyond your day-to-day life, or, if you want a hilarious window into the zany life of some "average" Americans, look no further. We are told to follow our dreams in a culture that is not set up to handle it when all of us do. This book is for us an answer to that problem. I look forward to many more insightful books from this talented author.

I think this book was funny and adventurous. My favorite part was the sumo wrestling. I recomend this book to parents and older kids.

A quick read; fun and emotionally transparent. Our little hero graces his way through eccentric adventure after eccentric adventure, all the while proving that even the least talented among us can be champions (or at least, very nearly so). There is a tenderness in this book. In its Quixotic madness, it transports us into worlds of danger, adventure, greatness, and saunas in Finland. A true story of sporadic unshakeable dedication and glorious redemption...and courage. The Underdog clearly underscores the ideal: it's not whether you win or lose, it's how many fat guys you can yank by the g-string. A great read.

Like the other books of his I've read (Black Book -- really great book), this book manages to be extremely factual yet at the same time emotionally gripping. Grossman's reporting narrative puts you in the time and the place and gives a strong sense of what it was like to be there - the senses, the feelings, the despair, the players, the impact to real people. If you are interested in the Soviet side of the war, or WW2 in general, this is a must read.

Grossman, most famous for his Tolstoyan work, 'Life and Fate' was, first and foremost, a journalist. He spent the majority of the Second World War on the front lines, witnessing some of the most violent confrontations of the war. He was in Stalingrad, widely acknowledged as the bloodiest battle in history. He was at Kursk, the major tank battle of the war and the military turning point-Stalingrad being the psychologic hinge-of-fate for Nazi Germany's imperialistic and ideological ambitions. He was at Treblinka during it's liberation and in Berlin during the final death-throes of the Nazi beast. In other words, he was an eye-witness to all the major events on the Eastern Front.

This book, cleverly and unobtrusively edited and translated by Vinogradova and Beevor excerpt relevant segments from Grossman's diaries. These wartime diaries were kept at great personal risk, since such activities were prohibited by the Stalin government. While many of the depictions of the attitudes and behaviors of Soviet soldiers seem redolant of 'socialist realist' propaganda, the descriptions of Treblinka and the author's sentient observations on Soviet military men are obviously the product of a gifted writer and psychologist.

The reader should recall that these diary entries were not intended for publication but rather were kept by Grossman to provide source material for future literary efforts. Unfortunately, Grossman fell afoul of Stalin, largely for his efforts to publicize the fate of Jews at the hands of the Nazis and secondarily for failing to sufficiently promote the role of Stalin's leadership and the Party in the Battle of Stalingrad. As a result, 'Life and Fate' was only published posthumously and stomach cancer claimed the author's life before much of the raw materials presented in this book could be crafted into a final literary effort. Any serious student of WW-II should read this book, as it is a major contribution to understanding the Soviet perspective on the 'Great Patriotic War'.

Vasili Semenovich Grossman was a decorated Soviet military journalist best known in the West for his epic novel, Life and Fate (New York Review Books Classics). In 'A Writer at War' editors and translators Anthony Beevor (Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943), an esteemed historian and author in his own right, and Luba Vinogradova, follow Grossman's progression through the war by piecing together stories from his notebooks and writings. At times one would have liked a bit more context to be provided by Beevor, but that is a minor quibble.

Grossman, while still a loyal Communist at this point, managed to maintain a relatively objective viewpoint. He often pushed his editors to allow him to write stories they did not want written, in particular regarding the fate of the Jews in the Ukraine under German occupation and the role of the Ukrainians.

While at time the stories have to be stitched together from bits and pieces, `A Writer at War' is a gold mine and provides a rare view into the inner workings of the Soviet military and Soviet military journalism in particular. Grossman experienced the initial German onslaught and the Russian flight from it, Stalingrad, the tank battle at Kursk, and the death camps. The book includes an extensive article on the workings of the German death camp Treblinka. Earns the highest recommendation.

I'm very glad I've read this book, because it is truly one of the greatest, if not the greatest eye-witness account of the war on the eastern front. The chapter about the liberation of Dachau and the writer's thoughts about the Holocaust made me shiver, I've read dozens of books on the Holocaust but nobody ever put it to paper like Vassily did. If you haven't read this book, please do. You will never forget it.

Parragraphs of intense live experiences on the Eastern Front are interspersed with the introduction and analyses of historian Mr. Beevor. If it had been in a linear sort of narrative, so we could feel the progression of the drama, and we could get used to the comings and goings of our narrator, it would have been a great book. But we have only scattered pieces, fading images of a soul soaked in the pain of war, glimpses of horrors witnessed and stories that remain untold.

It's what it hints at that gives it its precious value: the authenticity and honesty of the man, Grossman. But it lacks a linear storytelling; it leaves a chaotic impression of imprecise locations and hard-to-pronounce names. I'm the first to be sorry about this impression, nevertheless it is what it is. I would have packed the best passages into a short book, made it more concise and more precise.

This Bible is absolutely wonderful. At the start of each book it tells who wrote the book if known and why the book is important. The text is written in plain English much easier for kids to understand (and myself). There are side texts with sugessted activities and additional explanation of significant stories. I LOVE this Bible - this is the one I read personally now myself and I don't know how I would get through Bible School without it!

Adventure Bible, Revised, NIV This book arrived in exellent condition. It was exactly what I was looking for.
The 7 Day Mental Diet This book arrived in excellent condition. It was exactly what I was looking for.

I received book in excellent condition, a lot faster than I expected (within days). My son loves it!

Love the historical/background information. This is a good resource for helping today's kids identify with the Bible's historical figures, cultures, and lessons. Without completely altering the poetic language, it offers activities and ideas to improve comprehension and help children see the relevance of the text to their own lives.

I purchased this as a first bible for my 6 year old son. There are bursts of fast facts and passages paraphrased to make it easier for browsing. My son enjoys reading these and even for adults like myself, the background informations are helpful.
The generous amount of illustrations captures his attention and aids in his comprehension of certain passages of the bible.
I can surely say this is the best thing I've bought for my son.

I love this book! It is a can't put down sort of book. I only wish I could have a vet like him. Wow can't imagine the vet making house calls...and I would have put mine in the bathroom with the door closed until he arrived (or else he would have found mine under the bed or some place) Funny stories on places some of his patients actually hid it is a cute very good read. Highly recommend

I hated to get to the last page of this book because I had become so very fond of the author. Some people might not like him. Some might say he seemed at times arrogant or haughty. He might have laughed at the accusation and even agreed as he did not consider himself to be charming. But most of us are charmed, none the less. I am an animal lover, but I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys making the acquantances of strong characters who are a just little bit different. And what would he say of us? Likely that all of his reviewers are normal, but some are more normal than others. Myself included.

With a bit of pathos mixed in (the Missing Cat)

I would have LOVED to make those rounds with him!!

Dr Camuti was a doctor with a caring Heart and Soul and had a special bond with those animals he loved and cared for.

A wonderful book!!

I had heard about Louis J. Camuti through my membership in the Cornell Feline Health Center. This story about Dr. Camuti's experiences as a NYC vet providing house calls for his feline patients is thoroughly engaging. The stories have a timeless appeal to those of us who are 'owned' by our cats.

A vet who specializes in house calls for cats from the 1940's through the 80's writes in a witting and engaging way, telling charming stories about the cats (and people) he treated over the years. A pleasant read.

T. R. Pearson is probably my favorite author -- I look forward to reading his books and stop by amazon on a regular basis to check for his new works. Augie's Quest was a most interesting read for me for two reasons -- Pearson was the author, and I have been personally touched by ALS (my father and one of my brothers died from the disease). The story of Augie, his journey with ALS, his drive and determination to work towards a cure, to pursue new paths in search of a cure -- is most captivating -- and knowing T. R. put the words to paper assured me that many people would find this book and come away being touched by Augie's story -- for the story itself and for the superb writing. When you finish this book, think about a donation to Augie's foundation, and then come back to amazon and search out Mr. Pearson's other writings -- mostly fiction -- you will be glad you did.

Augie: Thanks for sharing your world past and present! Your book gave me a terrific insight into ALS and your fight for life and significance. You are an inspiration to us all and I came away with a better appreciation for my own life and what is important!

Thanks

Kim Megonigal

I was a little disappointed in Augie's Quest. I saw Shirley McClaine on a talk show and she was so hyped up about the book and about how Augie was so instrumental and amazing in his quest. True, Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) is a horrible and quickly invasive disease, but I was more interested in how Augie dealt with his disease than with the tremendous amount of research and technical aspects of ALS that are given in the book. I was looking for a more personal insight into Augie and his wife, Lynne, in their daily dealings with this disease. However,if you know someone with ALS, you will find this book very informative.

"Perhaps no other disease takes the physical and emotional toll quite like ALS, and I can think of no one who understands this more fully than fitness pioneer Augie Neito. Augie's Quest speaks to us all about life, how we choose to live it, and what can happen -- physically and emotionally -- when the unexpected hits us in the face. But Augie's story is about more than how one man chooses to face adversity, it's a playbook for how to live life on your own terms. Anyone who reads Augie's Quest comes away enriched by the experience."

Dr. Jeffrey Trent
President and Scientific Director, TGen

This is a different read compared with Tuesdays with Morrie. It contains a wonderful mix of narrative and personal testimony. While it tells the story of Augie's life, it is much more focused on what Augie has chosen to do with his life: find a treatment for ALS, and, cut through some of the academic/scientific red-tape that slows the process. As I was reading I kept thinking of a friend in Idaho who said, "I would never trade what I have learned from this disease for anything in the world!" I was especially struck by the quote: "Life is not measured by how many breaths we take, but by how many moments take our breath away." Thanks, Augie! Well done!
John Free, Ph.D. (Psychologist)

My grandfather served with the Devils Brigade, and since knowing that I wanted to learn more about this extraordinary elite unit of WWII. What I found was perhaps one of the best oral recount's of one of the finest units to ever exist. Having grown up in East Helena (3 miles east of Helena, Montana) and working at one point out at Ft. William Henry Harrison, this book gave me a new found respect for my grandfather and the great men who served in the First Special Service Force. Having finished the book I passed it on to my grandfather and he couldn't let it go. Driving by Memorial Park in Helena and watching the American and Canadian Flags both flying next to the First Special Service Force memorial, day and night, 365 days a year, I can't help but utter a simple, "thank you" everytime I go past it to those that are still living and those that perished for the freedom they helped provide for both countries.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a greater depth of knowledge of this elite unit, or for the military buffs who wish to learn about or learn more of this outstanding unit!

My grandpa happened to pass away about 6 years ago, and he happened to be a part of the Black Devil Brigade. His accounts are in this book, his name is Fred Hubbard, and throughout the book he moves from a 2nd LT to a Captain. The funny thing is, I married a man who just commissioned into the army as a 2nd LT. and will soon be deploying. It is amazing to hear the story of what my grandfather when through captured in a book. The things these men endured for our freedom will always amaze me. I will always wish that I spent more time picking my grandpas brain while he was alive, but I am thankful to have this book to remember these things. This book really captures the essence of what these men went through, and what began what is the special forces today.

Hats off to Joe Springer....! He did the men of 5-2 and the FSSF an honor. My father was a Lieutenant in 5-2 FSSF and one of the main characters of the book, and Joe's Uncle was one of my father's NCO's who was KIA on Anzio. The personal accounts in the book may sound far fetched and exaggerated. However, this is far from the truth. The exploits of the men of the FSSF are a matter of record. Every man who served in the FSSF is a very unique individual. I got to know many of these gentlemen over the years by attending the annual FSSF reunions. And yes, what an honor and a privilege to just meet and speak with them about WWII and life in general. Every man in the FSSF willingly, and knowingly volunteered to join a unit where the odds of being accepted in the unit is less than 20%, and your chances for survival were even less. Thank You Joe for getting my father to open up regarding his experiences during WWII for your book. It also meant so much to him to honor the men in his command who were taken, that were not only soldiers/warriors, but true friends forever.

TAKE ABOUT FIFTY AMERICAN AND CANADIAN WORLD WAR TWO COMBAT VETERANS THAT WILLINGLY VOLUNTEER FOR A WINTER SUICIDE MISSION BEHIND GERMAN LINES. THEY ALL HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF EXPLOSIVES, THEY ARE SKIERS, PARATROOPERS, AND ARE EXPERT SHOOTERS. THEY BECOME THE BEST TRAINED AND HIGHLY MOTIVATED AND FIERCEST SOLDIERS THAT THERE GENERATION AND NATIONS PRODUCED. SEND THEM TO CENTRAL ITALY, ANZIOBEACH, AND SOUTHERN FRANCE WHERE THEY SLAUGHTER FIFTEEN TO TWENTY THOUSAND GERMANS. MORE THAN SIXTY YEARS PASS BY AND THEN THESE SAME FIFTY COMMANDOS INVITE YOU INTO THERE HOMES AND TELL YOU ABOUT THE FUNNY, SAD, AND ASTOUNDING THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO THEM IN COMBAT. THAT IS WHAT THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT.

Mr. Springer may have been initially motivated by the desire to honor his uncle (killed serving with the First Special Service Force) but his work honors all who served in that unit. One seldom sees an oral history which tells the story of a unit so well. All the contributions by unit members tell the story without the distractions often found in other compilations. Always engaging, you just don't want to put the book down. Not only does one learn about the unit and individuals who made up that unit but one also learns about the equipment used, how it was acquired, and the soldiers' opinions of its performance. An amazing amount of information presented in a way that also entertains and honors the men who served.

The Children is David Halberstam's look at the college students who helped make the Civil Rights movement a success. The book is fascinating; Halberstam sweeps you along as events unfold. It is difficult to believe that things were so different just a few years ago. Even at 700+ pages, The Children is difficult to put down.

To me, the best part of The Children is its characters. Halberstam has a gift for making his characters come alive; you feel that you know these young people, warts and all. One of the most fascinating aspects of these biographies is what happened to the characters as the Civil Rights movement ended; some of them were quite successful, others could never find anything as fulfilling. (It is interesting to read Halberstam's take on James Bevel, given that Bevel has been convicted of incest since The Children's publication).

The dust jacket of The Children notes that it is Halberstam's "most personal" book. I think that this works for and against the book. Certainly, Halberstam has a great grasp on "what happened when" and he took the time to get to know each of the Civil Rights workers on a deep level. In other ways, Halberstam's passions work against him. Too often, Halberstam falls for the easy out of caricaturing people he does not like; he cavalierly characterizes Ralph David Abernathy, rival journalists, politicians, college professors, religious leaders, and numerous others as nothing more than one-dimensional simpletons.

Halberstam's opinionated prose reminded me of a review I once read; it stated that Halberstam's gift for narrative can obscure the fact that his approach isn't always 100% solid as history. Given that Halberstam states his opinions as established facts, I think that's a fair synopsis of The Children as well.

On the whole, however, The Children is quite an accomplishment. It tells that story of the of how a few seemingly-ordinary people helped create a more just society - and Halberstam tells that story in a way that entertains and fascinates the reader.

A staggering book on the heroism of people who stood up for the rights of basic human dignity. This book should be required reading in every school in America.

This takes you through the civil rights movement. It is very interesting and proves to be an inspiring historical journey. This is a great audio book. The reader was exceptional.

David Halberstam has written so many great works, but THE CHILDREN may be his greatest achievement. From the outset, this book takes readers on a journey through the civil rights movement through the eyes of both the courageous young people who had decided that our society had to change and the adults who helped them to bring this needed change to America. The book captures readers from the beginning as Halberstam gives a very intimate look at the fear Diane Nash experienced as one of the leaders of Nashville's sit-in movement. The first chapter gives readers a window through which to see the conflicting forces that collided in the heart and mind of Ms. Nash as she contemplated the enormity of what she was doing: changing the south against the wishes of many who, if they had their way, would just as soon hang her as look at her.

The chapters of this work flow so well, and the reader is introduced to so many who made the civil rights movement what it was: Diane Nash, John Lewis, Bernard Lafayette, Jim Lawson, James Bevel, C.T. Vivian, etc. etc. etc. The book, a work of historical non-fiction reads almost like a novel. Readers are drawn in by the stories of these heroes, and their triumphs and tragedies take readers on a roller-coaster ride of emotion as they are thrust into this amazing struggle.

Halberstam tells a great story, but the story he tells in this book tops them all. I have read many, many books on the movement, and this is my favorite. I had the tremendous honor to meet John Lewis last summer, and as we talked about much of what he experienced during this period, he asked me "Have you read THE CHILDREN?" When I told them that I had, he commented about what a great book he thought it was and how Halberstam had perfectly captured, as much as possible, what that time was like for those of us who weren't there. John Lewis is a personal hero of mine, and I can think of no better praise for this book. On that note, I would also highly recommend Mr. Lewis' book WALKING WITH THE WIND for those who haven't read it and want another good civil rights title.

David Halberstam's publication "The Children" is an exciting overview of the Civil Rights Movement from an enamored journalist through the eyes of Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. (SNCC) The author focuses on the major players such as Diane Nash, James Bevel, Jim Lewis, Curtis Murphy, Bernard Lafayette and James Lawson, with heavy emphasis on the Nashville Sit-In Movement and Freedom Rides. The strength of his work is that it reads much more like a fast paced novel than an academic analysis. He does however at the same time provide plenty of background material and socio-economic, political and cultural variables within his work. Halberstam also revisits these former SNCC workers after the "high" of the movement and even much later in life. It's quite obvious the work of a journalist within the pages.

This is a good overview of Civil Rights through the eyes of SNCC rather than a broader based examination of the movement. Halberstam's book is quite impressive, and what I admire is the length of information he was able to attain from the vast interviews he received, largely because he had already covered and had known many of the players as a journalist covering the Civil Rights Movement. If you are just starting out or have little knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement this book would be a good starting point. Journalists make great writers because they simply know how to tell a story. Well done!