Events Books

I can't tell you how great this book is for someone who feels the government is not as much for the people as it for the rich and powerful. Let us take action!

In We the Purple, seasoned journalist Marcia Ford employs sass, spirituality and statistics to expose the failings of our current two party system that blocks independent voters from having a viable voice in the political arena. Using her piercing wit and keen research skills, she shines a light on both the failings of the Religious Right and the Progressive Left, when they align themselves with a given political party instead of following the teachings of the risen Christ. In particular, I pray that religious leaders will heed her clarion call to be pastors and preachers not politicos.

Marcia Ford has really hit the nail on the head in this smart and important call to action for independent voters -- and all Americans -- as we make our way through the murky partisan waters of today's politics. In addition to being chock-full of the ordinary folks around the country who are carrying out the fight for non-partisan and independent politics, Marcia brings her own personal story of transformation to the pages of this book. A delightful read! -- Nancy Hanks (The Hankster)

With all the political jabber that has been repeated over and over for the past year, this book is a truly refreshing look at politics today. I, for one, am fed up with constantly hearing about "looking past political lines," yet only seeing slams against opposite parties or candidates. Although Ford's book does have faith-based messages, she tells the view of the independent voter in a way that can be related to any sensible voter, independent or not. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to get back to the true American values of democracy and freedom.

Marcia Ford's book titled "We the Purple" is a refreshing account for the independent, faith-based voter. I found myself relating to many of the instances that Ford describes. With a real sense of emotion she details that just because she has faith, does not mean she is an automatic Republican. With this in mind she reaches to readers who believe in God, but find themselves all over the political spectrum.

With an intense upcoming election in 2008, I would recommend this title to readers with an independent mindset.

This book is remarkable in its power and simplicity. Indeed the reactionary H.L. Mencken was moved to write in the mid-20's that though he had a distaste for their political ideas Berkman and Emma Goldman were very good prose stylists, showed a great deal of intelligent and clear thinking and that the United States sorely needed Berkman's contribution to the debate on national problems.

Of course, Goldman and Berkman were among the many hundreds of non-naturalized Americans who were deported during the Mitchell Palmer Red Scare of 1919 for actively speaking out against American participation in World War I. Berkman himself was a terribly reviled figure. He served prison time for attempting to murder Henry Clay Frick while the latter was killing strikers and successfully crushing the union movement at Andrew Carnegie's steel plants in Homestead Pennsylvania in 1892.In this book Berkman gives a history of some of the martyrs in the struggle for the dignity of labor in the United States. He notes the case of the militant union activist Tom Mooney. An investigator from the Department of Labor concluded that the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce had been actively trying to frame Mooney for a variety of crimes. Mooney kept getting arrested and released but during a preparedness day parade in San Francisco in 1916 a bomb went off and Mooney, along with Warren Billings, was charged with having personally set off the bomb. Berkman notes that after Mooney's conviction many police witnesses came forward ( they were backed in this by the sworn testimony of three police officials) and said that they had been bribed and threatened so that they would perjure themselves. However Mooney's death sentence was only commuted to life imprisonment and he remained in prison until 1938.

From reading Goldman's and Pateman's introductory notes to this book I thought that the book might be a little patronizing when it was said that it was intentionally constructed with the most simplicity possible in order that the general worker might comprehend anarchism. But it is anything but patronizing. In this book Berkman exhorts the worker to understand how foolish she is to believe that she has the same interests as her bosses and how workers are duped into fighting wars for imperialism and profit.

He exhorts the working class to understand that it is the laborers who create the wealth of society not the bosses who shuffle papers, speculate on the stock market and figure out how to squeeze more work out of laborers while maximizing profits. It is the workers who should manage business enterprises themselves. He outlines his industrial syndicalist method which he believes provides the best chance to bring this society about. Workers should form councils in their individual workplaces made up of workers of all skill levels and crafts. These councils especially need to attract professionals like engineers. Industries of course need managers trained in technical matters but these managers are merely administrators of the industrial plans laid out for them by the workers of an individual firm and offer advice but certainly do not have any authority over the workers. All the workers need to acquire the basic outline of the sciences and methods of operation required to run their industries according to Berkman. The worker's council in one firm federates with other worker's councils at the local, regional and national levels.

Berkman explains that incentives to workers are pretty irrelevant. When one sees a lazy worker it is evidence that they are being forced into a line of work that is not stimulating to them. Under anarchism everyone will have the ability to be educated and trained for a line of work of their own choosing, to explore the possibilities of their own intellects, unhindered by the need to survive by enrolling in wage slavery for some job you don't like.

When workers have a direct ability to manage their own affairs in voluntary cooperation with their fellows, it exercises their intellects and gives them self-respect. It is quite the opposite in capitalism of course where the worker is directed and bullied and squeezed by the boss day in and day out.. It was this idea that inspired the Russian revolution, Berkman observes. The Bolsheviks on the contrary believed in a hierarchal one party dictatorship but in the several months before November 1917 they embraced anarchist ideas and rode to power on them. However within six months the soviets (workers councils) of the Russian soldiers, workers and peasants were emasculated, becoming only tools of a centralized dictatorship. The spirit of voluntarism and sacrifice evaporated which had motivated many poor and miserable Russians to defend their cities against the White armies and help get the factories and farms moving again. The philosophy of the Bolsheviks, as Berkman quotes Bukharin, was to make socialists out of Russians by making them undergo compulsory labor and executing anyone who objected. Having no say in how their country was governed, Russian workers and peasants lost enthusiasm for work. Workers started to desert their factors for rural areas. Bolshevik hoodlums came around to villages and terrorized people and requisitioned entire villages' agricultural produce. Then famine came along. Bolshevik commissars received the best rations of all and lived in decent comfort while the rest of the population starved. No one gave more fuel to the fire of counterrevolution than the Bolsheviks' own policies.

Berkman was a very courageous man. He could have been a good soldier and kept quiet about what was going on in Russia and hoped that things would get better. The refuge he and Emma Goldman found in Russia after 1919 was now closed to them and for the rest of his life he lived in France on a very precarious passport, deported a number of times but always managing to get some strings pulled to get back in. He committed suicide in 1936, too soon for him to see the anarchist revolution in Spain.

His discussion of the bourgeois criminal justice system and the proper treatment of counterrevolutionaries is interesting and thoughtful.

This is a very straightforward, accurate introduction to the political philosophy of anarchism. Berkman wrote this book so the "anglo-saxon american working class would understand and relate to it". In other words, the book is very easy to read, unlike a lot of other anarchist literature of the era. He divides quite a few topics into short separate chapters. He speaks about war, labor, capitalism, etc. I suggest this to those who are anarchists, or those who just want information on REAL anarchism. (not mindless "chaos" or "disorder" as some people believe this philosophy to be about)

Hands down one the best books I've read about Anarchism. Very inspiring. Easy to read, hard to put down. Definitely check this book out!

I first heard of Anarchism, in high school, in politics class. Our teacher gave us a paper, with a table of different political theories such as Conservatism, Socialism, Anarchism, etc., etc. We as a class had to go through the table making notes together, and when we were finished, we didn't have anything for Anarchism. A student was curious and asked the teacher what Anarchism was, and the teacher said: "It's probably people running around killing each other" etc., etc. That's what I thought Anarchism was ever since, until I somehow stumbled on this book. Don't believe the capitalist claptrap, of what Anarchism supposedly is in history books. A thing you notice among many Anarchists is their idealism, which I admire, and their vision of the perfect future which I think is very unrealistic. An example is Émile Henry. He has good ideas but he goes on to say something along the lines of there will be no more murder out of jealous passion anymore. That is just silly. You see this with Orthodox Anarchists and Fascists, which are the two extremes of governance. They both have the idea that their ideas are infallible. Two Anarchists that I think have good ideas that can be applied and are very realistic include César De Paepe and James Guillaume. Find a copy of "No Gods No Masters" by Daniel Guérin for those Anarchists I mentioned above, including Henry. "What is Anarchism?" focuses on Anarcho-Communism. A lot of the arguments against Capitalism are very useful. They cover many of the questions ordinary people ask about Anarchism and even Socialism. If you want to know what Anarchism is all about, this book should help you greatly.

Emma Goldman records in her autobiography that Berkman found *What is Anarchism* a difficult book to write. He wanted to write a book that would explain anarchism to the average American. Given that the average American misunderstood anarchism to be about throwing bombs, Berkman had to begin on a basic introductory level.

He pulled it off masterfully. Berkman takes a commonsense and conversational tone throughout the book, and he covers considerable ground. He explains to readers how the capitalism is basically a system of wage slavery and he discusses the other great social harms it produces. He differentiates left anarchism from western European socialism (a system of reformist capitalism) and from Marxist socialism. In fact, Berkman often discusses the Bolsheviks in the USSR, who imposed an oppressive system of, effectively, state-capitalism that he witnessed first hand. Other topics include trade unions, war, religion, violence, revolution and others. Berkman is particularly effective in discussing how an anarchist revolution would not be one given to wanton destruction, that it would try to preserve as much life and infrastructure as possible. And he sketches how an anarchist society would operate.

Those who are completely unfamiliar with anarchism will find this book worthwhile. Anarchists will also find this book helpful because Berkman shows how to explain anarchism on an intuitive level.

If only more people had the guts to put the defense of the constitution ahead of their personal desires this country would be great forever. Robert Ingersoll is one of the greatest Americans of all time, and his words should be studied in every history class in America. Why aren't they? I will let you figure that out.

This book is a quick read with short chapters. Very logical and intelligently expressed. Ingersoll was a man ahead of his time. After readig this, I will certainly look for more of his writings.

At only 130 pages or so - and short ones at that, this is not some massive tome by a guy who wrote 120 years years ago in flowery 19th century language that will sit on your shelf gathering dust.

You can chew this up in an afternoon - or a few afternoons, if you'd like to savor it more. And it's completely readable prose - no archaic Victorian language here.

In fact, the main thing that makes one realize that this book isn't contemporary writing is the lack of cynicism and snarkiness aimed at the other side; religious zealots that want to insert God into public policy, law, education and so on.

There's no bitterness here, no anger at what has been lost or could be lost in our society if we overthrow rational thought, enlightenment and science over for any 2000 year old magic book.

Ingersoll's points about why God is not mentioned in the US Constitution and why that was such a bold important step in the evolution of society is something that I wish every fundamentalist in America would read and consider.

Tim Page's non-sycophantic intro to Ingersoll is also well-done, pointing out how remarkable he was, even if his writings never produced the single polished gem that might have kept his works known a little more in the early 21st century.

It's a valuable book for any freethinker in America today; cheap, and well put together. Highly recommended.

This brief selection of Robert Ingersoll's writing is one which I would repeatedly pick up to read an essay, put it down and walk away, and read some more the following day. No, it was not that bad, it was, in fact, that good. I felt the need to read it over a week's time rather than finish it in one sitting on a quiet afternoon, which easily could be done, so that the words had time to soak in. Ingersoll, though he wrote over a century ago, gives modern readers a great deal to think about. Truly, it is easy to forget that these works are not contemporary, as the issues he speaks about are still relevant, and perhaps even more so now. It is not until he mentions things such as workers earning three dollars a day that we are reminded of our distance in time, if not in character and predicament. It also reminds us of how desperately our country needs an Ingersoll today.

Ingersoll was a pragmatic agnostic and an incredible moral thinker. Then, as now, his skepticism kept him from reaching high political office. Readers will find that his reasoning is sound and powerfully convincing while his language remains approachable but still with its own inspirational beauty:

"You cannot be so poor that you cannot help somebody. Good nature is the cheapest commodity in the world; and love is the only thing that will pay ten per cent to borrower and lender both. Do not tell me that you have got to be rich! We have a false standard of greatness in the United States. We think here that a man must be great, that he must be notorious; that he must be extremely wealthy, or that his name must be upon the putrid lips of rumor. It is all a mistake. It is not necessary to be rich or to be great, or to be powerful, to be happy. The happy man is the successful man. Happiness is the legal tender of the soul. Joy is wealth." (Ingersoll 1877)

I cannot recommend this book strongly enough to anyone who is concerned with the state of America and its constitution, church and state relations, child abuse, and various other issues. Ingersoll reveals even the ridiculousness of today's political debates, where a candidate's faith is often more important than their political platform. Tim Page's introduction is informative and places Ingersoll's works in their historical and modern context. Also, Page has edited some of Ingersoll's essays, but not to their detriment. And really, at ten dollars (almost four days pay in Ingersoll's time, but probably less than an hours work for you), how can you go wrong?

So wrote editor Tim Page of Robert G. Ingersoll in the introduction to this short, easy to read book. Ingersoll was one of the intellectual giants of the second half of the 19th century. Sadly and tragically he is now all but forgotten. Known as The Great Agnostic, he spent his life pointing out hypocrisy, railing against injustice and ridiculing superstitious beliefs. As America's foremost practitioner of rational thought, he had the ear of many a President. Yet he remained always modest and never deviated from living a life characterized by kindness, love of humanity and generosity in all things.

Any writing or speech attributable to Robert Ingersoll is worth reading and rereading. And those contained in What's God Got to Do with It? are no exceptions. This collection consists of a number of short works on a wide range of subjects. Like his admiration for Robert Burns and Thomas Paine. The unfairness of tax exempt status for churches. The ugliness of corporeal punishment of children. The futility of prayer and fasting. Women's rights and much, much more.

For those unfamiliar with the humanistic philosophy of Robert Ingersoll, this book would be a fine place to start. America sorely needs another Ingersoll now more than ever. He was one of the greats.

Rarely does one book encompass all of the finest elements of fiction-- well-developed, intriguing characters; a heart-warming and seamless plot; and most importantly, an authentic, crystal-clear voice. "When Charlotte Comes Home" is such a book. In her first novel, Millea Smith creates the well-detailed universe of Omaha in the 1960s and 1970s, and the results are breathtaking. As a lover of contemporary American fiction, I place her among the likes of Anne Tyler and Barbara Kingsolver. YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!

The novel opens in a compelling way, as before we begin, we know that Charlotte will not come home. Until and after we get to that point, we are treated to a wealth of interesting characters who, like us all, do the best they can in a time, the 60s, and place, Omaha, that limit them. Smith writes with truthful candor about untimely death and its impact on the Holly family and their friends. The novel portrays all its varying characters with generosity, compassion, and understanding.

I was profoundly affected by Smith's precision in writing but most importantly by the novel's story. It is brilliant!

This is the story of Fred Holly, growing up in Omaha in the 1960s and 1970s; and the Holly family--Fred, Sarah, Laurence, who has Down's syndrome, and Charlotte, the youngest.

The Holly family gets to know neighbor James Day well, as he takes dance lessons at the same studio along with Sarah. Their parents, Morgan and Eileen and Serena and Ronald, become close friends. The children grow up in an almost idyllic world--with performances for the parents and friends in the attic that is their space, and art and dance classes, and a special school for Laurence.

Fred early on realizes he longs to live in the ivory tower that is the Joslyn Museum. He he takes classes there, volunteers, and dreams of being a museum director and leaving Omaha. As he gets older, he and his best friend James are exposed to the world of rock and roll, and first loves. Fred loves from afar, and helps his beloved though a rocky relationship with another boy. He is also angered by James' attraction to his debate coach, Neil; and does not quite understand his anger.

As they near age 18, the Vietnam War is raging. Suddenly Charlotte is ill--the annoying 11-year-old little sister who wanted to always hang out with the teenagers, who borrowed records and stole change--and their lives change forever.

This is Maureen Millea Smith's first novel, and it is a true gem. Intriguing and well-defined characters, a talent for depicting an era and a place, and a wonderful story combine to make this book nearly perfect.

Armchair Interviews: This would make a great book for a book club.

This book takes the reader deliciously back to the decades of the 60s and 70s. I laughed out loud when reading the author's description of the children's view of their parent's adult nights out. TheRolling Stones, Kent State, the Ed Sullivan Show, the draft and Vietnam are all captured delicately and beautifully, within the pages of Smith's book. I hurt and laughed and cried right along with the Holly family. This is a sensitive, funny and heartwarming book. Definitely destined to be a classic!

WHEN CHARLOTTE COMES HOME is a beautifully written story. Fred was a sensitive young man growing up in a Catholic family in Omaha when the death of his spunky younger sister caused a deep and far-reaching affect on his entire family and broader community. With the bleak backdrop of the 60's and 70's, Fred looks back on his early, formative years and his own sexual awakening and coming of age as a young gay man. Beautifully written, evocative of a definitive time and place, this story of one family's loss will resonate for anyone who has ever lost someone they love. And young people deciding who and how to love will find solace here too.

This book is an underrated classic and it's truly a damn shame that it's no longer in print! Essentially, this is Martin Luther King's blueprint plans for a post Civil-Rights movement America. He speaks of multiethnic coalitions, against the less positive aspects of Black nationalism, and he speaks of ways to "turn the streetcorners of the ghettos from dens of iniquity to miniature schools." Much of what he says here is quite practical also. Read this and you will be happy that, although Dr. King is no longer with us, his message has been preserved.

This book is simply amazing. Even though it was written 45 years ago, it has a terrific insight into the problems of America. Even though I am not Christian, I find that Martin Luther's ideas really apply to all people, no matter who they are. Its a pity that more Americans don't read his books. Anyhow, if you can find it, I highly recommend that you read it! :)

The beauty and depth of this book is that it tells us about human political relations today even though it was written over 30 years ago!

I also like that it is Martin Luther King in his own words (not some opportunistic interpretation of his ideas) on subjects like:
Black Power
Affirmative Action
Poverty
Love

It also makes it painfully clear the Martin Luther King Jr. was far more extraordinary in his leadership than we give him credit for being today. He thought deeply, connected the dots, and put his life behind his ideals. This is a must read for anyone who hasn't already connected the dots between justice, religion and love.

As a reader one often searches for a book that will inspire, and yet, teach. Martin Luther King has done just this. His prose educates and inspires passion. As an avatar for civil rights Martin Luther King Jr's story is as compelling as any figure in history-white or black. And if any reader wants to get a true measure of this brilliant man, look not just to the words of others, but to the words of the man himself. Allow Martin to transport you with his pithy, unpretentious prose to an area of higher consciousness.

Truly remarkable. A worthy read for any generation and for any interest-whether your interest be in history or in education, in a lesson in passion or well-written prose. Martin's words asks us the difficult questions that we are so afraid to ask ourselves. A reading of this Classic treatise can certainly raise one above the chaos that still exists and inspire us to build a community of human beings.

A read worthy of a 9 for content and for force.

Dr. King's penultimate book provides a snapshot of where we were in 1967. Two turning points had been reached.

First, his program of nonviolent direct action was clearly winning the struggle against old fashioned southern segregation, and Dr. King was looking toward the next step. He believed that the next logical step toward setting people free was a massive government program addressing the problem of poverty.

Second, within the civil rights movement, a "black power" mentality was gaining prominence. Some argued that whites should be excluded from the civil rights movement, and that nonviolence should be abandoned. Dr. King insisted that this approach would only balkanize our country, having disastrous effect, especially on blacks.

As with his other books, the author's brilliance, his scholarship, and his Christian love all come through.

It would be best to read "Stride Toward Freedom" and "Why We Can't Wait" before reading this one.

Compiled, edited, and with an introduction by poet, novelist, editor, literary critic, and social activist Daniela Gioseffi, Women On War: An International Anthology Of Writings From Antiquity To The Present showcases women's observations predicting war, suffering its toll, finding the courage to resist, surviving against impossible odds, and so much more. A powerful and unforgettable work transcending eras and borders, Women On War is recommended for Women's Studies, Military Studies, and Social Issues reading lists.

The first edition of this anthology, published in 1988, was subtitled Essential Voices for the Nuclear Age and won an American Book Award. This second edition is certainly well timed. While it still addresses issues of the nuclear age and the further past it seems to speak directly to today's conflicts. Ranging widely in time and place, the over 150 women featured here (e.g., Anna Akmatova, Marguerite Duras, Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, and Emily Dickinson) include professional writers in several areas as well as activists (such as members of RAWA, the Revolutionary Association of Women) and "ordinary" women. Well-known names such as Indian writer Arundhati Roy might jump out, but readers may be most affected by some of the first-person accounts which can, however, be difficult to read--both for their graphic descriptions and for their sheer heartrending poignancy. Editor Gioseffi's introduction nicely contextualizes the wide-range contributions.

WOMEN ON WAR, edited with an introduction by Daniela Gioseffi--American Book Award winning poet and non-violent peace activist for many years--is "an eloquent response to global violence that sweeps through time and across national boundaries," said Doris Jean Austin, Reviewer in THE NEW YORK TIMES, of the first edition. Austin added. "This is a book one hopes will be translated into all languages of humankind." This all new edition contains such illustrious contributors as Jane Addams, Anna Akhmatova, Daisy al-Amir, Fadwa Tuqan, Gwendolyn Brooks, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Gace Paley, Claribel Alegria, Isaabel Allende, Maya Angelou, Simone de Beauvoir, Helen Caldicott, Rosalie Bertell, Carolyn Forche, Emma Goldman, Nadine Gordimer, Kimiko Hahn, Molly Peacock, Rochelle Ratner, Pwu Jean Lee, Tsai Wen Ji, Ch'iu Chin, Robin Morgan, Gabriela Mistral, Linda Hogan, Adrienne Rich, Denise Levertov, Vandana Shiva, Arundhati Roy, Wislawa Symborska, Luisa Valenzuela, Christa Wolf, Muriel Rukeyser, June Jordan and 100 others including Daniela Gioseffi herself who writes an insiteful and politically astute overview, as well as contributing a moving poem and an apt story. There is an extensive bibliography for further reading on this vital subject, as well, and extensive headnotes on all the authors. An immensely rich collection for a nominal price! And from a not-for-profit press, The Feminist Press with N.G.O. status at the United Nations--a press with the expressed mission of getting women's voices from all cultures out into the wide world in order to improve the status of women in all walks of life and endeavors.

This new edition of Daniels Gioseffi's unique and splendid collection is urgently needed now. Framed by Gioseffi's brilliant overview of the world's crisis, these vivid and visionary writings--poetry, history, politics and prose--inspire and galvanize. This book offers the great gift of hope and understanding on every page.

Blanche Wiesen Cook, author of ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

In his recent book "War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning," Chris Hedges argues that many of us find war alluring because it gives our otherwise humdrum and centerless existences a sense of meaning. We feel part of something greater than ourselves, and as a consequence feel larger than life. Of course, this sense of deep meaning is illusory, but it does account in part for why so many men find themselves attracted to something as terrible as war.

One of the great merits of Daniela Gioseffi's multi-merited "Women on War" is its documentation of the other side. In our obsession with battlefield glory and stories of combat heroics, we too often forget that women and children are the forgotten victims of war. Already extremely vulnerable, they become even more so when societies are ripped asunder by the mayhem of armed conflict. In listening to their voices, we are reminded that the allure of war too frequently blinds us to what it does to those who can least afford its violence.

Gioseffi's book collects women's perspectives on war from all corners of the globe and from ancient to contemporary times. The book is divided into four thematic sections: "Prophecies and Warnings," "Violence and Mourning," "Courage and Resistance," and "Hope and Survival." The entire collection is prefaced with a superb introductory essay, "Cassandra's Daughters." As suggested by the thematic section titles, the selections go beyond expressing the suffering and torment experienced by women in wartime. Just as importantly, the selections also include women's voices of resistance and women's voices that offer alternatives to the madness of war. Some of the selections are heart-breaking, others are inspiring, none are superfluous or redundant. if war in part arises, as Hedges maintains, because of our alienated need for meaning, one solution to the problem of war is to figure out how to live nonalienated existences. The selections in this collection, especially in the final two sections, offer either direct or indirect suggestions for celebrating rather than destroying life. One of my favorites is the "I Have All the Passion of Life" by Puerto Rican poet Lolita Lebron:

"...Whoever denies life its joy,
the wealth of its complexity,
its rainbow-like countenance,
its downpour and its universe
of beauty, its generous giving,
the caress, the grain
with fruit and delicacies,
the bud, the flower, pain and
laughter;
those who deny life its measure
of joy
are the unseeing ones." (p. 300)

In short, a superb resource for anyone concerned about creating an alternative to the war system. Highly recommended for both individual and group reading. Would be an ideal text in any peace studies course.

I majored in history in college, but this series (read over a 6-month period) gave me a better understanding of the European viewpoint of modern history than I got from any of my college classes. From the beginning of World War I until the Cold War of the 1950's, Sinclair provides a perspective from each of the participants in the conflicts, not simply "our" side. Lanny Budd is clearly a fantastical character with unlimited access to decision makers (and to funds) but he allows the reader to see history from multiple scenes.
Clearly, Sinclair has his own political perspective (which is most visible in the last volumes as Lanny spends more time in the United States) but it doesn't detract from the scope of the novels. I wish I had read these while I was in college.. and wish that everyone responsible for foreign policy today had read them, too.

although fictionally Upton Sinclair unorthodoxly or unaccademically pictures the main conflict of a conflictuous XXth century. I've read it in my youth, and now again, and it is always a help to undersatnd what is going on in the world, even from a peripherical point of view. It's overflowing, verboragic and not literaly commendable; it's not history, but it is surely didactical. It's outdated, perhaps oldfashioned, but it is a work on its own merits that deserves to be read, and an interested reader will find enlightining and useful.

If you want to know what's going on with George Bush junior's fascination with Iraq, read this book. Quite clearly it shows how shortly after the turn of the century, Britain and France wanted to make sure they got access to oil ahead of Germany, despite the German's industrial base growing faster than that in Britain in France. The target: Mesopotamia. And what is Mesopotamia? Modern day Iraq. Also of interest was the explanation that Germany's superior air power during WWI was in part attributed to French industrialists who sold the materials necessary to Switzerland who in turn sold to Germany, which Germany used to attack France: all in the name of profit.

Beyond the historical references, the story is wonderfully told, and Lanny Budd's character is extraordinarily and realistically portrayed with true emotion and depth, quite an achievement for that period of time.

This series of books is exceptional and I hope to read all of them.

Master Craftsman! His command over language, the construction of sentences are nothing short of being stupendous. Whilst classics of Shakespeare or Dickens are still available - Upton's brilliant gems are hidden in depths of anonymity. What a crime! Whoever reads this review relegate Dan Brown to garbage, make origami of Steele's books and use Sidney Sheldon as toilet paper. Shockingly funny this Lanny Budd series is a class act. Students of English Language must look treat this
series as their Bible!

The Lanny Budd series of novels, starting with Worlds End, originally printed in the days of WW2, give the reader a greater understanding of the world events.

While the main character Lanny Budd is fictional, the historical figures are fairly true to life. You have to remember that Upton Sinclair has a socialist/left wing bias or perspective, but he is fairly even handed and that should not discourage the right wing reader.

I think one of the most valuable thing you get is a perspecive on how things were viewed by the different sides as the events transpired.

The plot starts in pre WW1 Europe, and the following books takes you thru WW2.

The books have been out of print for years, so I have been buying these books at used/rare shops to get the whole series. I am glad to see they are being reprinted - long at last.

Wounded: Vietnam to Iraq author Ronald J. Glasser, M.D., served as an Army hospital physician during the Vietnam War and offers alarming insights and comparisons in military medical experience between the Vietnam War and the current Iraq war. At once both fascinating in its studious examination in how the changing nature of modern battlefields has transformed the job of the medic, from simply keeping a wounded patient alive until a chopper could quickly evacuate to having to prolong life for up to 72 hours, since air superiority has all but vanished in the modern era of urban warfare and readily available technology to shoot down choppers. "The training period for the Combat Medical Specialty was increased from ten to sixteen weeks... The additional weeks of training were devoted to developing the new core skills necessary to keep the severely wounded alive where they were hit, with little chance for immediate evacuation. No more 'patch 'em up and send them off.' This was to be big-time medicine, the city trauma center brought to the battlefield." A sober, well-reasoned, "must-read" about the evolving state of combat medicine and the long-term repercussions of war wounds.

After rereading the book 365 Days by Dr. Ronald Glasser, one that this vietnam combat vet found to be both stirring and haunting, I had to get his most recent book.
And I was not disappointed.
If you want to have a feel for those who serve and become casualties for our flag and country, these books are vital additions to your library.

If you've ever wondered about what America's young men, and women, serving in the war on terror in Iraq face everyday, this book is for you. Ron Glasser has done an excellent job describing in facts and figures what this war is costing now and what will be paid in the future. Not only in monetary terms, but in the permanent disfigurement and disability of the wounded.

He explains, in sometimes terribly graphic detail, the horrors of being injured in Iraq, and how those injuries compare and contrast to injuries suffered in the Vietnam conflict. It's a different war, in a different time, but people are being injured and killed, just the same.

Everyone has questions about the war in Iraq. This book answers some, but leaves the reader with more.

I have long looked for the true figures about the nature of death in Iraq.
Fortunately the Australian media is slightly better than the pap served up by the media in the country that is causing the sickening mayhem in Iraq and we know only a little of the true monstrousness of this war to bring democracy to the unwashed masses of Iraq. Glasser lays it on the line and spells out, particularly in the chapter Final Diagnosis, the enormity of the American soldier's burden in this conflict. On page 73 he writes that there were 600 ammunition dumps scattered around Iraq when the Shock and Awe invasion ended. There's nothing unexpected in this but the problem happened when none of the Shock and Awe victors policed these dumps and they were cleaned out by the "defeated" Iraqi army. What this means in the reality of ground combat is that there is a virtually unlimited supply of hugely powerful explosives available to mine roads and anywhere else American soldiers find themselves in the horror of Iraq. Glasser goes into medical detail about what happens to middle aged reservists who are caught in these explosions. He talks as the expert he is about the wounds suffered by soldiers caught in an explosion of this huge power. He talks about what 155mm shells hooked to butane gas tanks does to a person's head when it explodes. Because of quick evacuation and superb treatment these poor wounded live but the impact on, particularly the head, causes horrific , lifelasting injuries.

I do not think, because of the media, America and the world in general knows what is happening to American soldiers in Iraq; I believe that the low death rates for US soldiers has led America to tolerate this war more than its true horror would indicate. Glasser's wonderful, readable and understandable book lifts the veil on the terrible price being paid for what has become a cesspool for American youth.

This book is clearly well written and well researched. A unique perspective on the soldier's story. We owe it to them to understand what they are going through.

Very good timing indeed, with the present political climate in the US. Hero has created probably the perfect woman--highly adept in everything she endeavors and liked and admired by all.
He's written this book in first person point of view, with strong journalistic tones. Which the end result is that the reader feels as if the story is told to them personally over a bottle of wine, or pot of coffee. A true one on one experience, extolling an excellent story, effortlessly crafted. Highly recommended from this avid reader of many genres.

Stephen O. Hero's new book is just flat out wonderful.

Martha Stetson is one of the most compelling characters I've run across in a very long time. Jill of all trades, master of many, Martha lives a full and rich life, then tackles the biggest challenge of all, becoming the first female president.

This book is a strong read, a good read, and very very relevant to what is happening in today's political world, a time when we have a strong woman contender for the highest office in our nation.

I recommend this book for anybody who likes strong female characters and a good plot, but most particularly for women, because it shows us, once again, that a determined woman can do whatever she sets her mind to.

Stephen O. Hero's ability to weave real-world dilemmas into fascinating fictional characters comes to life, as the tale of Dr. Martha Stetson blazes her way towards the highest office on the planet as America's Commander in Chief.

The effectual candidate must possess the leadership abilities to lead the nation (and ultimately the world) into more peaceful resolutions of terrorism, while maintaining America's long standing reputation as heroic, or at least successful, campaign leaders.

Although a hold-the-fort woman such as Dr. Stetson should only be judged by her tenacious accomplishments first at receiving her PhD., while struggling through waves of emotions as a young female in love, then later becoming a highly decorated surgeon in the theater of war and a helicopter pilot; far too many people still see her with blinders that show only, "Female. Warning. Qualifications Unknown."

As the nation looks at the prospects of the most highly qualified persons for President of the United States of America, many old timers struggle with the idea of the country's first female President. All in the face of disregard to America's historical female leaders and heroes, "selling" the idea of a female President to every voting American citizen rivals any prior task she has ever undertaken.

Not discounting every mother in the homeland, praying their son or daughter comes home safely and "now" from the ravaged, worn-torn Middle East- even they look to the old-school leadership of a male to lead the country into victory.

Will Martha Stetson succeed once again? Or will she hit the brick wall of her lifetime and watch as a "business-as-usual" male is sworn in to the oval office?

I highly recommend this fascinating read of Stephen O. Hero, as he brings to life the planet's most grueling, modern-day challenges, interlaced with the façade of the immoveable minds of millions of America's most judgmental voters.

Stephen O. Hero's 1st Woman President while being a work of fiction reflects what is happening in our country right now. We could very well have a 1st woman President in 2008. The character of Martha is the ideal candidate for President. She has led such an extraordinary life up to the point of her deciding she wanted to run for office. When most people dream of what they want to be when they grow up they choose one or two professions. Not Martha Stetson. She chooses to make the most out of her life by becoming a doctor, helicopter pilot, congress woman, and finally the highest office of President. She never gave up in her fight to become the 1st woman President even while others were telling her to wait. I highly recommend this book to everyone who has ever considered a woman President.

The question: can a ten-year-old topical reference still be relevant? The answer: in the case of 50 Ways to Fight Censorship, you bet. This slim, plain-speaking book by former Rolling Stone editor Dave Marsh, with several contributors who range from author and Paris Review editor George Plimpton to poet Allen Ginsberg and a television writer, has very sound, constitutional advice that remains current, even if it was around before the Internet. Now that the Supreme Court has conferred the presidential tiara on George W. Bush, we are seeing the return of the right-wing censors of the Reagan-Bush era, like Dick Cheney and James Baker. We already have been hearing proposals for limiting speech on the Internet. We need a manual like this to make sure we act, not just react, to preserve our first and most fundamental right as Americans, to speak freely and to decide for ourselves what is appropriate to read, hear and view.

For all those people out there who want to stand up, who want to make their voices heard in the ongoing battle against censorship, but just don't know what to do: Dave Marsh has your answer. "50 Ways to Fight Censorship..." is packed with ideas of how you can join in the fight, be it locally or nationally. Marsh provides lists of oranizations you can get in touch with to help get you started, and his suggestions are practical enough for just about anybody to make an impact.

Finally, a book that tells the truth about censorship, and what you can do to provent it. This is a must for everyone who is interested in stopping censorship, and I think the censors should read it too. As a relaty check. Sorry to be sor preachy, but The book is great. Read it!

Have you ever walked into a library and not been able to get the book you wanted? Or walk into a movie store, but the title had been banned? Perhaps you aked yourself why? Or what you could do to stop the government from pulling titles simply because they dont like it. The first thing that you could do, is read this book. This book talks about numerous things you can do to stop the censors for taking away your first amendment right. Everytime you are denied anything because of censorship, your freedom of speech is being violated. Authors, artists, musicians, and directors are all being halted from showing the world their thoughts due to censorship, and we have to stop it now!