Politics Books

An eye opener from an insider non politician. Enjoyed reading the book and learnt more about how far our politicians have digressed from taking care of the people who elect them.

I've been following Ron Paul for about a year now and even I learned some new things reading this book. I think it lays out the case real well for local government and self government versus the large intrusive Federal government we now have. Our country needs to right the ship now while we still can

They both are "revolutionists" who are trying to overthrow governments. I see no difference between this book and Mao's Red Diary. I guess you can say this is the Mao's diary for infowarriors and conspiracy nuts. Worst read ever and there's a reason he only got 0.5% of Republican Delegates. Don't be persuaded by nut job and jobies Alex Jones, his propaganda is the only reason why there was so much internet hype (we all see where that went), think outside of the box and be independent...

Ron Paul is certainly the most interesting politician of his time. I am behind his domestic policy 95% of the time, but his foreign policy is very naïve. Yes the founding fathers did not want us going abroad...but they also lived in a time where the United States could free ride off the security the Brittish Empire brought to the Western World. Geopolitical changes have also brought an end to the days of noninterventionsism because our oceans can not longer protect us from planes, missiles and terrorists. And no, I don't buy into the naïve argument that "they" would just leave us alone if we left them alone. Our enemies abroad do not seek peace with us any more than our enemies here at home really want equality and multiculturalism. What they both want is the destruction of the West.
However, Congressman Paul makes an excellent argument that if we don't trust big government here at home to fix problems, why should we expect the same government to go abroad and fix the societies of the Middle East? The answer is we shouldn't. Just because we break it, doesn't mean we have to fix it. Interventionism can occur for strategic reasons without it becoming the Wilsonian foreign policy of George Bush.

You know that feeling you get right before a big election? The total and complete indifference that is akin to having tea or coffee with your meal perhaps? The apathy that I was once accustomed to experience when the conversation turned towards politics has since been replaced with a burning and intense passion and desire for real change. As we all know far too well that nothing of substance really changes within our federal government. Ron Paul proposes real change, and his source of inspiration is our Constitution.

This is quite possibly one of the best books I've ever read. And I do my fair share of reading. Don't let the size of the book scare you either. Its worth putting the time into. David McCullough writes in a readable manner. None of that academic reading stuff that gives you headaches. Listen, if you are even considering buying it you probably already have a little interest in this topic. Do yourself a favor. Buy this book. You can thank me later. Oh, and...Harry is my new hero.

This is a big and detailed book, not for the faint of heart. But, if you love history and/or politics, this is a book for you. Truman was an unlikely president and this book captures the man's personality, humility, and dignity. Carefully researched and described, the book opens the door to one of our nation's most unique and dinstinguished characters. An epic book about an epic man. Delightful.

I couldn't have been more pleased with this book. I love David McCullough and he never ceases to amaze you with this intimate portrayal of Harry Truman's life. He brings the President to the level of an average man who finds himself in an above-average position. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an in-depth look at one of our most interesting Presidents to-date.

I have to agree with a previous reviewer: upon reading this, I have such a desire to meet and converse with HST--that's how interesting and honorable he was.

As always, McCullough's narrative sweep is impressive. Truman as a lonely and bookish boy, Truman as a soldier, Truman as a failed businessman are the most interesting parts. When it comes to Truman's presidency, McCullough turns up little new grounds, however. It's the usual conventional wisdom about a guy who made tough decisions that turned out right. Read Perrett's "Commander in Chief" for a harsher and more surprising evaluation of Truman's decision-making and his monumental blunders.

The book itself was a winner - a gift for my husband. He "devoured" it. The only disappointment was how cheaply and poorly-bound the paperback was. Even with extreme care, it fell apart within the first 70 pages. The replacement nearly made it to the end, but not quite. Buy and read this book, but go for a better-bound version unless you like handling it in pieces.

What a fantastic woman. Incredible story. Open your mind to the world outside.

In her book "Infidel," Ayaan Hirsi Ali acknowledges several people who made it possible for her to survive the Islamic tribalism she grew up under in Africa, to escape to Holland after her father arranged for her to marry a man she didn't love and to prosper thereafter. But if I were to cite one overriding factor that saved her, it would be the Western novels she read.

Throughout "Infidel," Ali brings up these books again and again, particularly in regard to love, sex and marriage. To understand their impact, it's important to recognize the mind-numbing, repressive culture she had to endure. Ali was born in Somalia to religious, clannish Muslim parents, and her mother taught her to memorize old chants of war and death, raids, and camel herding, and female Somali poetry that never mentioned love, which is, she writes, "considered synonymous with desire, and sexual desire is seen as low -- literally unspeakable."

Fortunately, Ali and her family moved to non-Muslim Kenya, where she attended a British colonial-based school and learned English. There she read "1984," "Huckleberry Finn," "Wuthering Heights" and tales by the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen.

"Later on there were sexy books: Valley of the Dolls, Barbara Cartland, Danielle Steele," she writes. "All these books, even the trashy ones, carried with them ideas -- races were equal, women were equal to men -- and concepts of freedom, struggle, and adventure that were new to me."

Here are some other excerpts:

"[T]he spark of will inside me grew even as I studied and practiced to submit. It was fanned by the free-spirited novels ... Most of all, I think it was the novels that saved me from submission. I was young, but the first tiny, meek beginnings of my rebellion had already clicked into place."

"I always found it uncomfortable to be opposed to the West. For me, Britain and America were the countries in my books where there was decency and individual choice."

"I knew that another kind of life was possible. I had read about it ... [T]he kind of life I had always wanted, with a real education, a real job, a real marriage ... I wanted to become a person, an individual, with a life of my own."

"Infidel" is a great study for someone who would like to (further) concretize the crucial, life-sustaining role that art plays in man's life.


~ Joseph Kellard
Theainet1@optonline.net

Ayan Hirsi Ali's account of growing up as a Somali woman in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Germany, and the Netherlands, what she endured, her search for religious meaning as a Muslim and her struggle to be her own person was inspiring and a must read for all!!!!!!

One of the few life-changing books that I would consider a must-read for all: honest, direct, and with inspiring moral clarity.

This is one of the most thought provoking books I have ever read. Ayaan Hirsi Ali gives a detailed portrayal of her life story and growing up Muslim. All that she writes about will stay with you and will make you think.
Her amazing life journey had me taken through several countries and through a culture as a woman I could have never in my wildest dreams knew existed. I had heard about female genital mutilation, but I never truly knew of the real horrors of it. I could also never imagine a mother telling her child to hit before you are hit as a survival of the fittest strategy. Alot of things she writes about are not what we in the westernize world are taught, and it seems very foreign to the point of culture shock.
Please pick up the book and read it with an open mind. I can definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about the struggles of women around the world.

Great book if you are interested in the subject of science and nuclear physics. The book does a good job of explaining a lot of technical jargon in layman terms and tells a compelling story of the scientists involved. I read this book back in school and fell in love with the side stories and the footnotes in the making of the bomb. The later parts of the book are a bit of a drag and it is easy to get bored. A couple of friends who i recommended this book to did not like it as they felt it was too heavy and they were not really interested in science as much :).

A dazzling epic. A complete chronicle blending history, physics, chemistry and engineering in a manner accessible to anybody.

AT THIS POINT , I AM ABOUT ONE THIRD THRU THIS TOME . I AM A RATHER SLOW READER , BUT HAVE EXCELLENT RETENTION . MY BACKGROUND IS ENGINEERING , SO INTENSE READING HAS BEEN MY WAY FOR YEARS . MY WIFE AND I WERE BORN IN 1933/34 RESPECTIVELY , SO MANY OF THE OCCURENCES ARE VERY RELATIVE TO US . I FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT THE MUTUAL RESPECT BETWEEN THE MANY SCIENTISTS IS BASED ON THE WORK AND DISCOVERY OF EACH ONE , WITHOUT ANY INTEREST OR AVERSION TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRYS OF THEIR ORIGIN . THE WRITING IS READABLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE , ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WITH A BIT OF ENGINEERING , CHEMICAL , OR SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND , WITHOUT BEING OVERWHELMING . I HAVE LEARNED MUCH .

J.L.MURRAY

Myself not being a scientist there were parts of this book that were hard to understand theoretically speaking, but the historical story the book brings forth is hard not to understand. Between the people making blind discoveries to educated guesses to scientific brilliance it's all here. Leading up to the climatic climax. This book is long and could be hard to read at times but the important historical facts leave nothing to wonder. A fantastic account of the making of the atomic bomb from around the world to then center on two cities in Japan was a page turner through and through. A giant collection a names, dates and ego's that ethics aside did stop a war cold in it's tracts. A weapon with hopefully will never see the light of day again.

this is a fascinating read for people that enjoy science, technology, and the quirky, industrious, oftentimes brilliant people that can change history with their creations. the writing is superb. it is crafted in such a way that you feel like you've been with these people in los alamos and know what they went through. you understand the tension between the military and the irreverent scientists and you can't help but wonder at the clairvoyance of some of the important decisions that could have gone either way. a truly fun read if you like reading about extremely smart people. "american prometheus" about the life of j. robert oppenheimer would be a good sequel or prequel. it, too, is very well written and enjoyable if you like science biographies about brilliant, interesting people that have had a big impact on the world.

As someone who has read a large amount of literature concerning the current state of international affairs, specifically in the "War on Terror" and as a hopeful future officer in the United States Army, I found Paul Rieckhoff's account of his time as a platoon leader in Iraq to be not only well-written, but helpful and insightful. From the accounts of under-equipped Guard units, to the sometimes seemingly trivial nature of the Rules Of Engagement, the book paints a quite vivid, and scarily what I imagine to be accurate, picture of the face of America's first gander at twenty-first century warfare.
Though I found parts of the read to be erie in nature, and though the book provokes questions and doubts about our great nation's leadership and decision-makers, it in no way influenced me to give up joining the military. Rieckhoff has made it clear that the country's leadership is quite questionable, and in part of his writing acknowledges the fact that a new generation of veterans will soon be stepping into the political realm.

Chasing Ghosts deserves to be read.

This was a great book and an easy read as it kept you engaged and intrigued. Enjoy!

Personally I am not a big reader of books. However, with a brother in his 3rd tour in Iraq and growing up in a military family and having known Paul as a simple aquaintance in high school, I was excited to check out his book. Not many people from our high school make it into the public eye like Paul has. From the moment I picked up the book I was hooked. It is a powerful and inspiring account of a true and rare American patriot. A patriot who knows what his beliefs are and who is willing to put his life on the line to defend those beliefs. It stirred up a lot of emotions from laughter, tears, and in the end a belief that our soldiers are true heros. I would definately recommend this to anyone and do. Congratulations Paul and look forward to following your inspring career in the years ahead.

Paul Rieckhoff will not tell you he is a writer, but he accomplished in one go what thousands of writers for generations have attempted to do. His entire heart resides between the letters, the lines and pages of this book. The book is political, but Rieckoff smears Left and Right into an uncivilized and counter-productive bloody blur on the mud-stucco wall. His statement is clear; we were not prepared for the War in Iraq, and it is despicable that every last politician in the U.S. Government that voted for the war doesn't hold themselves publicly accountable. This work, this piece of history, this golden nugget for the historian 25-1000 years from now, belongs on the shelf with every other important historical perspective, from Anne Frank to Hirohito. And with his heart is where you'll find the value, the truth, of this source; between the lines. Isn't that where it always is?

This American society seems to be obsessed and compelled with the phrase "On the Ground." President Bush, and both candidates have puked the phrase more than enough times in reference to their connection with the plight and circumstance of our sons and daughters placed in harms way. But they visit the Green Zone, or Baghdad International Airport. They haul through streets to meet with Generals for photo ops and high-tea, perhaps saving a little time to have a meal with the grunts. But the truth isn't near the water cooler conversation with a West Point Graduate selected to lead on the level of political capital the appointment will spawn. The truth is in the words of the soldiers in cities like Tal Afar, sleeping with their rifle, crapping while taking fire, sweeping a street for booby traps. Sorry Ali Baba, the booby has left, he's headed back to his plush home in D.C. ready to say that he has the word.

But they are wrong. Rieckoff has the word, and the heart behind it to make the reader believe; like a good leader should. He was there, he saw it, and if you read this book, it's safest alternative to enlistment. That is why this book will be read by every War Historian for the next 100 years. If you don't buy it, then find it.

Paul Rieckhoff's new book CHASING GHOSTS is a must read for every citizen of the United States--and for those who cannot read, a family member of friend should read it to them. It is not simply Rieckhoff's stunningly honest telling of his experience as a soldier in Iraq, it is among the finest reports yet written on that highly unnecessary conflict for which we Americans are ultimately responsible. Get and read this book at your earliest opportunity! If you do, you will quickly find out what being patriotic actually means. In addition to the joy you will feel from the way this is written with such daring honesty, simplicity, passion, responsibility, uncomplicated intelligence, insight and vision--you will be stunned, shocked, amazed, thrilled, and you will weep, laugh and be frightened for this book contains real, raw truth. But the unexpected surprise will probably be your own renewed desire to be a much better human being and American. This might be the finest book yet written in our new century--by a young man who is genuinely human and humane and wishes to share his profound observations and thoughts with all of us. CHASING GHOSTS is as good as it gets.--Wayne Adams, NYC

People might be sick and tired of Iraq, but this is an excellent recounting of the battle of Fallujah in 2004 and a detailed analysis of the decisions that led to so many problems in that region.

West zooms in on the street-by-street fighting between the Marines and the insurgents, and these scenes have visceral intensity. You are there with the soldiers as bullets ricochet, RPG rounds careen through alleyways and bodies crumple with mortal wounds. Then West zooms back out to recount the meetings between the politicians, generals and religious leaders whose decisions determine the course of the Fallujuh fighting even more than the actions of the soliders on the ground.

In many ways, Fallujah is a microcosm of the war in Iraq. Misunderstood by the press and public alike, this book studies how countless acts of Marine bravery and heroism were offset by political infighting and dithering within the Bush administration and in the upper echelons of military command. It is at once tragic, exciting, frustrating and mind-boggling.

"After the mutilation of the four contractors in Fallujah in April 2004, the White House and high officials reacted emotionally by ordering a full attack on the city." The same could be said about our government's decision to go to war after 9/11 and Osama bin Laden's escape. One major questionable decision put everyone involved in an impossible situation thereafter. Especially with too many cooks in the kitchen.

Whether you are for, against or just plain frustrated by the war in Iraq, this is a compelling read. I was up until 2:00am each night until I finished it. You will not be disappointed. You will also gain further appreciation for the pressure the principal decisions makers faced, for the soldiers who fought in those streets and for Bing West's reportage.

This is a must read for anyone that wants to really know what it is like and what happened in Fallujah. The next time you see a Marine after reading this, you will thank them for signing up.

I must admit I was not looking for this book when I got it, I stumbled upon it and man am I glad I did. The book is not only a great story of the incredible bravery that our armed forces show every day, but also a great lesson (at least for me) on how military decisions are affected by politics and news coverage. The book is very even handed and leave outs all of the usual "our military and our president never make a mistake and it is the liberal media who is to blame for every thing" crap that dogs other military books. Not that after finishing this book you will not be left wondering how in the world the American press does not find a way to report the heroism that is displayed by these troops every day. I know for me I better understand why when the news harps on "Abu Graib" events (which needed to be told to prevent it from happening again) the troops on the ground feel shafted because they just spent the day risking their lives to save their buddies or patching up an insurgent who was just 1 minute ago trying to kill them. I do now understand their frustration in being lumped in with a few idiots who do something wrong when they are doing such heroic things everyday.

You will also get from this book an understanding how dangerous a news organization which only panders to its audience to push a premeditated message with out reporting the full truth, like Al Jazerra repeatedly does. Which leaves you better understanding the danger that Fox News really is to our own country. When a news organization trusted by so many people repeatedly distorts the truth or only report things that push it's agenda it is dangerous for us all.

This book brings a full 360 degree view of the Fallujah battles, the break down in communications, the mistakes of non-military making military decisions, and the mistakes of the military making diplomatic and political decisions. In this respect this book is truly unique and a great read.

This book is a very good book about the battle. I served with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force during this battle during Operation Phantom Fury. After returning home and seeing this book I immediately bought it. When you are on the ground even with a high level of information there are still things you don't understand and this book explained some of the things I still didn't understand even after being in the middle of the battle. Now I know where the incoming was coming in when 9th Communications Battalion took the 17 casualties in one mortar attack. Great job Bing and Semper Fi.

"No True Glory" written by Bing West.

"No True Glory" chronicles the combat and political events directly relevant to the city of Fallujah from April of 2003 through 2005. Perspective is given from soldiers on the ground all the way up to commanding officers.

The Good: No True Glory provided a wide range of perspective and gave good information from all sides of the Fallujah story. It didn't just given the action and tragedy on the battle field and it didn't completely bog you down with politics or tactics. A good blend of political explanation that helped you to understand what happened and why was combined with thoughts and attitudes of the high ranking officers and mixed with the day to day activities of the guys who were actually kicking in doors and getting shot at. The mix was good and paints a full picture of not just what happened when but also why.

The Bad: I had previously read "Jarhead: a Marine's Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles" and "Generation Kill". Both of which were more personal because they focused on individuals or individual groups providing a personal aspect to each. That is the only aspect in which "No True Glory" lacks. The reality is that this couldn't be accomplished in "No True Glory" because the time frame the book covers is longer than any single tour of Duty served.

Overall: If military books interest you then pick up No True Glory and give it a try. A great read!

nicholas and alexandra should never had become czar and crazina of russia.nicholas was just to weak spirit and alexandra to strong without know the real russia people.she saw russian as childern who needed to be told how to run their lives by the papa czar.she hide her son illness and brought in a sexual twisted man of god into her family,ruin the romanov's relationship with it's people.stopping changes that would give citzen russian say in their country.in the end the people turn on the romanov's every thing end tragical.

I read this book many years ago and have never forgotten it, and I just recently purchased a copy of my own. Robert Massie is an excellent writer who makes this book memorable for the fun and loving family that the Romanovs were and their terrible, tragic end. I'm now collecting more books on the Romanov dynasty and the individual people who made up this fascinating family. For anyone with an interest, this is the place to start.

Far and away one of the best biographies I have ever read. Massie masterfully gives life to the doomed, tragic last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, and his family. I was absolutely rivetted from page one by this outstanding work. The book gives a sympathetic portrait of Tsar Nicholas, his wife Empress Alexandra, and their ongoing struggle to cope with their haemophiliac son, Alexei, heir to the Russian throne. Alexei's illness indirectly leads to the downfall of the Romanov dynasty and the family's murder. An astonishingly good read, and one I highly recommend to all who are interested in this era of history.

Robert Massie's "Nicholas and Alexandra" is a biographical study centered on the lives of the last Tsar and Tsarina of Russia. Massie's portrayal of the last ruling Romanavs is like many other works on the subject in that it is poignant, dramatic, and vibrant; but never dull. However, Massie's work stands out above other works on the subject for its thorough account of the lives of the imperial couple and most of all, its sympathetic portrayal of them.

Nearly all works of the period agree that Tsar Nicholas II was not the blood-drenched despot the Bolshevik revolutionaries claimed him to be, and although he may not have been as benevolent as his contemporary Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary, he at least lacked the bellicose nature of his German counterpart (and early advisor), Wilhelm II. Massie's account demonstrates how Nicholas II was ill-prepared to ascend the throne in after Alexander III, but unlike the contention of other historians, Massie makes a reasonable case in defending the intelligence of the fallen autocrat.

Massie's account of Nicholas and Alexandra does not absolve the couple from their failure to prevent the collapse of the reign and ultimately their country, but it does partially excuse their inflexibility and fatalism on the serious of misfortunes that continued to plague Nicholas from the very day of his coronation; when hundred of Russian peasants were stampeded to death in a overzealous crowd on Khodynka Meadow. Yet, no Romanov apologist can ignore the detrimental influences on Nicholas's reign, including his wife Alexandra, a German Kaiser, and especially a corrupt starets. That such an array of persons from various strata of society could at times impose their will on a man raised to be an autocrat was a tarnish on Nicholas' character.

Despite his habit of being easily swayed at times, Nicholas is not one-dimensional in Massie's account. It is noted how Nicholas ignored the advice of able ministers and most of all; remained unyielding to grant the masses of his subjects the representation and constitution they desired--until it was too late. Even Massie can be counted among the historians who muse whether the Romanov dynasty might have survived had the Tsar been more accommadating to the popular demands of his people--or if war had not erupted in the manner it did in 1914.

Although Massie's work is very thorough, it only briefly touches the clandestine operations of the Tsarist police state in rooting out revolutionaries and assassins from its masses prior to 1917. Indeed, other works (e.g. Edmond Taylor's "The Fall of the Dynasties") are careful to point out that Tsarist police included a host of known double agents whose loyalties were perpetually in doubt. While Massie makes note of that insecurity in his account of Prime Minister Peter Stolypin's assassination in 1911 by a Tsarist agent, he fails to explain how widespread the problem actually was. Indeed, Taylor describes as monarchy's slide to collapse as a "suicide", not because they were unable to stop that slide, but rather because they were unwilling.

Just as it is difficult to excuse the corrupt system of Tsarist counter-revolutionary activity, historians are also unable to justify the Russia's policy in WWI of placing the needs of France above that of her own. The disaster at Tannenburg early in the war is described in detail by Massie, and is correctly portrayed as a premature offensive launched by Russia (with the support of Nicholas) to rescue its beleagured ally from the German onslaught through northern France. Indeed, even after his abdication and arrest, Massie notes how Nicholas pleaded with Kerensky to continue to support the Russia's allies in the war effort--a mission with which the Provisional Government leader would complete in the summer of 1917 with disastrous consequences. Although Massie's "Nicholas and Alexandra" does not outright label the monarchy as a principle agent of its own destruction, his book nevertheless provides a strong case to the conclusion that the last rulers (and their ministers) of the Romanov dynasty practiced an inexplicable policy of self-immolation.

It is perhaps this mystery--or lunacy--of the Romanovs that continues to fascinate so many readers 90 years after their unglorious deaths in their Siberian imprisonment. Undoubtedly, the story of the last Romanovs will continue to perplex students of history for decades to come, and Robert Massie's work will will remain the foremost account of the twilight of Imperial Russia.

In 2000, there was much talk about the "most important person of the 20th Century." My choice was always Gavrilo Princip, the young Bosnian assassin who killed Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary, igniting World War I, which caused the Russian Revolution, Communism, and the Treaty of Versailles, which led to Naziism, World War II, atomic bombs, and the Cold War.

Of course, there were other factors which formed the tragedy of the twentieth century, and perhaps some of these historical events would have happened anyway. Almost for certain, the Romanov Monarchy would have fallen or been transformed out of recognition without the help of Gavrilo Princip's bullets.

Although the Ottoman Empire was always referred to as "the sick man of Europe," Robert K. Massie illustrates that Russia was not very well either, despite appearances. An obsolescent autocracy, the Russian Empire was mired in time at the dawn of the twentieth century, the great mass of its people existing much as they had 100 years earlier.

Massie's theory, that the hemophilia of Alexis, the young Tsarevich, had an inordinate influence of Russian and subsequent world history, is well thought-out, though perhaps an oversimplification. Yet, it cannot be discounted. The Romanov Dynasty had ruled Russia then for 300 years, and brought the country, by fits and starts, slowly into the orbit of the modern world. Despite this, there is much truth in the observation that "Lenin inherited a nation playing beside a manure pile and Stalin bequeathed a nation playing with an atomic pile." This is not to defend Stalinism, but only to say how little the Romanovs did overall to modernize their State.

When Nicholas II inherited the throne after his father's untimely death, he was woefully unprepared to rule. Dominated for years by archconservative and anti-modernist members of his family, he did little to educate his people, provide health care, build infrastructure, or lift the heavy cloak of official repression that lay over all but ethnic Russians in his realm, or the cloak of cultural repression that lay over the ethnic Russians.

Yet Massie shows us a man and a family of uncommonly kind nature in Nicholas II and his family. His daughter Olga paid personally for the care of a handicapped subject she spied from her carriage one day. The Tsaritsa, Alexandra, despite a reputation as an uncaring woman, herself nursed sick friends before the war and horribly wounded soldiers during the war. The family built hospitals and schools in and around the various cities wherein lay the royal estates. They acted to ameliorate suffering wherever they saw it, without reservation.

Of course, this was the problem. They acted only on what they saw with their own eyes, never recognizing that these sufferings were endemic throughout the realm. Their myopia was part and parcel of the lives of the citified upper classes, completely divorced from the mass of agrarian peasants in the countryside, magnified by the hermetically sealed nature of being an Imperial Family, aided and abetted by sycophants and the self-serving, who kept the real world at a very long arm's length, in order to maintain their own privileged positions. Living in a bubble within a bubble, they were just not aware of conditions in most of Russia.

Nicholas II ruled over the largest domain on earth. Russia today is still the world's largest nation, even shorn of Finland, Poland, the Baltic States, Belarus, the Ukraine, the Central Asian provinces, and (in 1867) Alaska. Sunset in Vladivostok was dawn in Brest-Litovsk. His hundred million subjects included hundreds of peoples speaking hundreds of languages, linked together by a shockingly small road and rail system. The sensitive Nicholas, had he been really cognizant of the shape of things, could have, by a single order, vastly improved the lives of each and every Russian (of course, as he noted, being an autocrat and giving orders does not ensure that they are carried out properly). His greatest failings, as a ruler, all had to do with his decisions to outwardly maintain his Imperial hautre and his autocracy at all costs in the face of cataclysmic change.

This bubble-within-a-bubble existence however, could not spare them from the fact of the Tsarevich's hemophilia. A genetic disorder inherited through the female line (Alexis' Great-Grandmother was Queen Victoria, whose progeny were ravaged by the disease), it prevents the clotting of the blood. When Alexis was born in 1904, the world was a full lifespan away from the development of a usable clotting factor; most hemophiliacs simply bled out and died. The Tsarevich was protected by a full retinue, but this did not help him, and the boy was often in screaming agony and close to death from what might in another child, be a bad bruise. The Heir, therefore lived in a bubble within a bubble within a bubble.

The Tsaritsa, Alexandra, was a solemn, shy, but deeply emotional and loving woman, nicknamed "Sunny" by her husband. To the world, she presented an aloof exterior, and was extremely unpopular with her subjects. Had they known the sorrows and agonies she suffered through with Alexis, her realm, and history, might have treated her far better. But the Imperial Family decided to keep Alexis' condition a closely guarded secret, fearing the destabilization of the Monarchy and Russia in the face of a physically frail Heir. This may have been the Imperial Family's worst error, as it robbed them of an outpouring of sympathy and support from a passionate populace.

Alexandra turned to religion, and ultimately, to Gregory Rasputin, a filthy, degenerate, sexually perverse and personally dissolute monk of peasant extraction. Although derided by most, and called a charlatan by many, Rasputin was perhaps one of the most charismatic men in history, had a devoted following (largely comprised of Society women he'd seduced), did have the power, somehow, to control Alexis' bleeding episodes, and therefore, had the Empress's full and unwavering support in all things.

The feared and hated Rasputin may have indeed been a seer or had mystical powers of some sort, judging from circumstances. Rasputin was not really political, but as his influence over the Romanovs grew, his power expanded commensurately, and he was able to have Ministers dismissed, Generals reassigned to sinecures, and policies changed according to his own whims (expressed as messages from God) or concerns. Capable Russian leaders, who did not know the basis of Rasputin's power, suspected the worst of Alexandra, and in challenging Rasputin found themselves toppled from power. As World War I dawned, Russia was upside-down, its best men in internal exile, and woefully unprepared for war. Rasputin himself counseled against war, stating that Russia would collapse from within. Nonetheless, the British, German and Russian grandsons of Queen Victoria went to war.In that war, millions died, empires fell, nations were born, ideological political systems triumphed, and the stage was set for a darker and yet bloodier future.

The Tsar and his genteel family were consumed, ending their days against a wall before a Bolshevik firing squad, probably not understanding, until the end, that they had been in the eye of a hurricane that remade the world.

Robert Caro's THE POWER BROKER is a lession in the use of power in the life and career of Robert Moses, and the consequent effects upon the people and substructure of New York City. Moses is such a disgusting figure, such a tyrant, that I literally found myself shaking at points. The press was in his pocket, elitest and racist, Moses painted himself as the selfless public servant. In reality, he cast people aside by the thousands in order to increase his power and accomplish what he wants. What a vile man. I'll never look at New York City the same again and I pray that I would never treat people the way he did.

Robert Caro's The Power Broker, a biography of Robert Moses, contains every attribute of a Shakespearean tragedy. Moses was brilliant, driven, an over-achiever, but possessed a deeply flawed character which aroused feelings of both esteem and disgust. Like all of Shakespeare's tragic protagonists, he was capable of both good and evil. Fully able to redeem himself, he instead moved unheedingly towards his doom. That 30+ years of unquestionable power within New York State's political, corporate, and labor elite forestalled this doom speaks to the measure of the man. Indeed, it took a Rockefeller to push him from the mountaintop.

One of the best biographies I've ever read, The Power Broker's 1,163 pages artfully and suspensefully tell the tale of a man for whom the words great and ignominious qualify as adjectives. Initially an ardent reformer, Moses was increasingly corrupted by power. At the apex of this power, Moses answered to no one and ran a wide reaching web of political commissions and public authorities as his personal empire.

His transition from reformer to elitist provides the backbone of Caro's epic. Once a voice for the common man, Moses eventually attained what can only be described as aristocratic contempt for the mob, the rabble, the lower echelon of economic achievement. The reader may marvel that such a powerful man was heretofore unknown to them, but the reader will certainly grow increasingly disenchanted at such a man's venality.

The Power Broker is a classic deserving the attention of every student of history. Despite it's heft, it remains a page turning pleasure throughout. As such, it most assuredly merits the highest ranking I can give it: 5+ stars. Trite though the term may be, Robert Caro has authored a masterpiece.

This book, written by Robert Caro - probably the best living biographer, was his first book. It is a massive, thorough, detailed, engaging study of how one man - Robert Moses - planned, shaped and built - the modern city of New York.

It is about the acquisition of power and its utilization by one man in order to bring his vision of New York City to fruition.

Robert Moses - the primary subject of the book - together with the notion of power, and New York City itself as well as its residents being the other subjects - was trained in urban planning England, was a visionary, a planner, and a "Power Broker" - and thus the title, whose materials where New York City, planned, designed, built modern New York by stamping his vision in the form of new parks, spaces, roads and parkways, new neighborhoods, new subways/rail-lines, new beach and recreational facilities and areas, had an impact on the way millions of New Yorkers as well as visitors to NYC experienced NYC - experienced NYC - for decades. His shape of NYC is still shaping how humans experience reality in such city.

This is a tour de force. This is a good book for those interested in New York City, local and state government politics, the modern bureaucratic / administrative aparatus of government and those who wield the helm. Whether you agree with Robert Moses vision of NYC or not, he had a tremendous impact. The impact was not limited to NYC. Seen as the expert on urban planning, his model, his vision, his views, spread throughout the entire field of modern urban planning. Thus, his impact is not just local or state. It is in fact national and international. Modern cities - the leadership of which visited or modeled their cities on NYC - where shaped by his creations.

A long book. A detailed book. A hard book. But excellent, very interesting, and well worth the effort and time. Probably the prime example of what an excellent biography is and should be. It made Robert Caro, its author, into the preeminent biographer of the last several decades. It set the standard. I don't know if it has or will ever be matched.

I have been waiting to read this book for a very long time, and the wait was well worth it. Mr. Caro presents a massive, well-researched piece on one of New York's most influential (and controversial) public officials. I am a sucker for great detail, and so I enjoyed Caro's painstakingly detailed portrait of how a young, idealistic reformer evolved into the ruler of a huge bureaucratic empire. What Caro makes very clear is how Robert Moses became so corrupted by power (and self-importance) that he failed to grasp how his projects were not always in the public interest. Moreover, Caro paints a vivid picture of Moses' cynicism and shrewdness, and how he parlayed those into greater and greater power. For instance, Moses realized that most state legislators were political hacks who never bothered to read the fine print of the laws that they passed. He played on this to insert such fine print into legislation which made him virtual Tsar of development in both New York State and New York City. In addition, Moses was able to convince most New York politicians that he was indispensable to them, and so had them virtually eating out of his hand (i.e., his tactic of threatening to resign, unless he got 100% of what he wanted). At once fascinating and frightening as to how one man could harness such a degree of power!

While Robert Moses' achievements are the main focus of this book, Mr. Caro also devotes a great deal of attention to the political situation that existed in New York during the era of Moses. In doing this, he gives readers a fine education on how New York and its municipalities were governed at that time (and in many ways, are still governed), along with an in-depth look at other contemporary political figures (i.e., Al Smith and Fiorello LaGuardia). I would equate reading this book with taking a college-level course, as you learn and think so much while reading it.

On a critical note, not all of Mr. Caro's conclusions about Robert Moses are universally accepted. For instance, Mr. Caro accuses Moses of single-handedly wrecking the Bronx with the Cross Bronx Expressway. However, many people have argued that this was only one of many factors that destroyed the Bronx, and not all of these things were brought by Moses. Perhaps Mr. Caro should have given space to opposing viewpoints regarding the Moses legacy. Overall, though, I think that it is a great book: required reading for anyone interested in the development of New York during the 20th century.

Robert Caro's biography reads like an extraordinary work of investigative journalism - damning, erudite and compelling - that surely would have been appreciated by Robert Moses had he not been the subject.

It is a fascinating study of the evolution of government in New York City and Robert Moses' ability to shape laws as the "best bill drafter in Albany" and to seize upon prevailing trends and work the levers of the City, State and Federal governments to his advantage. It is during the Great Depression when Moses is able to mobilize maximum resources, largely from the Federal government, for some of his most ambitious projects.

While at most times a scathing indictment of Moses and his methods, Caro does credit Moses - New York City's first Parks Commissioner - for his contributions to green spaces in the city and his creation of a premier state park system.

Caro insists that judgment about Moses' legacy is premature and that one can only say New York would be a very different place without Moses. New York was indeed a very different place at the time of publication of the Power Broker; Caro has recently commented that some of Moses projects, such as the Triborough Bridge, have been a boon for city residents. Although he never cared for mass transit, it's a shame Moses couldn't come back to start work on the stalled new Penn Station.

Bastiat's Law is one of the most important documents you could ever read. It is the basis for the philosophy of liberty, and without adherence to these ideals liberty cannot last. This should be required reading in school, but once you read what this french philosopher had to say you may start to understand why those who tax us cannot afford to have too many people read this book.

The substance of Bastiat's "The Law" is critical and accurate.

The good people at Cosimo Books, however, cut off the printing before the end of the book -- the penultimate section of the book ends in mid-sentence, and the last section of the book isn't there at all.

So I do very much encourage everyone to read Bastiat's "The Law," just don't buy this version from this publisher. (Buy it from the Mises Institute instead.)

This is an excellent book which I read years ago. "The Law" by Frederic Bastiat, in which he discusses legalized plunder, is a highly recommended work which should be read by all Americans, especially before they vote. Should also be required reading by anyone running for public office, serving on a jury, or attending law school. In fact, why not make it required reading in all public schools? That would really change the political, social, and economic landscape! Let's all buy several copies and send one each to our Representatives and Senators, state and federal. We the People can make a difference, if we try!

A fantastic pamphlet written as Bastiat knew he was dying. Besides the middle bit, where he spends a bit too much time arguing against the specific positions of the political opponents of his day, it is a fast primer on what it means to be free. Highly recommended.

While I agree with Bastiat entirely, the way that he has presented "the classic blueprint for a just society," is exactly why people who lean more towards socialist ideas scoff at those who are for capitalism, economic stability, and most importantly honoring the fundamentals of the need for law: to protect life, liberty, and property.

The first chapter started out wonderfully, articulately and simple. It was accessible and easy to understand and apply. I was excited as I hoped to share this with my husband to allow him to open up to my ideas on politics which are different from his (he's a democrat/socialist).

However, the rest of the book just seemed to be a rant that got more and more impassioned as it went along, which to me seemed to take away from the reader's ability to take what he was saying seriously. I was disappointed because even though I agreed with everything he said and thought his applications of his ideas were great, I felt sort of embarrassed about his inability to keep calm in expressing his ideas.

The book is sound, based on sound ideas and should appeal to any libertarian. I nodded a lot as I was reading it. "Yes!" I kept telling myself, "this is definitely true." Unfortunately the truth was told, in this case, in a way that I don't think would be very accessible to the people that Bastiat was intent on reaching. I think a democrat/socialist might mislabel it "too radical" when they really mean, "too impassioned."

It is for that reason, I'm sorry to say, I was unable to rate this any higher.

Unlike the other reviewers, I cringed when reading this book and had to put it down two or three times before I finished reading it. It is filled with such raw emotion and undeniable passion that scream off the page to anyone who has ever been idealistic or ambitious or both. A cautionary tale of the company we keep and (despite our precautions) the inevitability and randomness of fate. This book forces an understanding of how close we all come to the abyss in which Alex wound up. But above all, Sins of South Beach is a great dispassionate book of the economic development of South Beach, enjoyable regardless of anyone's political and moral views.

Can't wait for the movie. Daoud's story is a remarkable tale of sex and politics. An eye-opening experience into the steamy and seedy history of South Beach before it was South Beach. Until I read it, I thought I knew the story of South Beach. Amazing description of the true XXX nature of South Florida politics. This book proves that Alex Daoud is afraid of nobody.

Easy reading story of the rise and fall of the longest serving, best loved Commissioner and Mayor of Miami Beach, Florida. Incredible true story of service, power, stupidity, greed, corruption and self destruction. Surprisingly well written in the first person by the man himself. Would have been a hit novel - except that it really happened. A must read for anyone who has lived in South Florida or has any interest in any local political scene. Movie shouldn't be long in coming.

This book kept me engrossed from start to finish. Every spare minute I was page turning. For those that understand where Miami Beach was when Alex started his political career to its metamorphosis into a world class destination will certainly have to be blown away by his contribution despite his travails.

The account is gutsy because it shies away from being polite to protect the powerful (guys that screwed Alex anyway). He names names.

At any rate Alex was a good guy loved by all, business guys and the little guys got his attention. He acted like a secret superhero to advance their causes. And in the end he did advance their causes.

The many characters in this book are fleshed out with such vibrance you feel you know them.

Also, what is interesting is his literary use of Miami Beach as a character. Not too disimilar to how Greek playwrights used their Chorus as barometer and character.

Sure he got paid off; but the politics of the time were entirely different. Miami Beach was in the worst shape. Broken down, crime ridden, not a place you would want to set foot in. Under his tenure, this brokedown palace was transformed into one of the greatest turnaround stories.

Guilty under the law sure. He paid his debt to society but in the balance Alex is a hero.

Keep on trucking Big Fella. You rock!!

Buy this book.

DBJ

Alex Daoud paints a breathtaking expose' that is powerful, intriguing, and, the best part...honest! I think it took alot of guts to not only "tell all" regarding the secret lives of the elite of South Beach with their real names, but also expose himself! Knowing the cast of characters first hand, Alex did an amazing job of conjuring up old imprints from movies like the Godfather, and placing the image over real people that are still weaving a web of influence over Miami!
What a read! You must grab up copies as you can't miss this jaw dropper! Should be a movie!
Keep up the great work!
You're my hero!