Europe Books

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

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

Have a great read!

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

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

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

Morison' works are priceless.

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

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

Highly recommended.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Many Americans know Washington Irving as the author of "the Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle". Few realize that he was also a world traveler, scholarly fluent in Arabic and Spanish and something of an Hispanophile, to the say least.
Irving's book is largely responsible for the widespread romantic image of Spain. It is a collection of observation, history, fairy tale, written in Irving's unique blend of romanticism and healthy skepticism. It is roughly framed by his journey to the Alhambra and his departure from it, an in between we are given a tour of the grounds and hear a few tales (including tales of Moorish ghosts on headless horses) which are roughly intertwined as in the Arabian Nights. Indeed, this little book is the 'Arabian Nights' of the west.
Before visit the Alhambra read this book. If you are not planning on going, read it and you'll probably change your mind.

I am a Moor and I relate to the stories well. The stories reminded me of the things to avoid for the things that will come. A Moorish Empire will rise again.
Irving starts with his personal journey then he has several stories of gallant and modest characters which makes you feel your in the garden or the palace. It brings back what love was and how it should be. I really like the story of the Father striving to keep his son from learning about love. I know no matter what you do you can never lock love away because of its power and its vast estate one would have to know it is impossible. This is a worth while reader for anyone who knows and wants the best from humanity for it is the Moors who created civilization and it is their station to restore it.

On 7/24/04 through Amazon Marketplace I purchased this used book.
It arrived within the week and was excellently packed and shipped by bea4books@yahoo.com. A lovely "Thanks for Buying!" note was included with the invoice. The book is in very good condition with wonderful pictures. A surprise was that it had belonged to the Austin Public Library - a favorite city of mine. I'll be ordering more through you! Thank you.

Washington Irving is credited with bringing the glorious history and unbelievable beauty of the Alhambra, in the city of Granada, (the last stronghold of the Moors in the South of Spain) to Western conciousness.

After spending a day at the Alhambra last Summer, and passing by the closed apartments that he occupied, I decided to listen to his book while driving one hour each way to work. (any short trips won't work because all of the 'tales' are lengthy)

My title says it all. If you are a student of dry history this book is not for you. Only about 20-30 minutes will satisfy your curiosity for the facts. If you enjoy legend and lore this book is it. The bulk of the book tells numerous stories of princes and princeses, kings and soldiers, common laborers such as mule drivers and water carriers, loves found and loves lost, and especially the perrenial human lust for long lost and buried treasure, etc., all told with a wonderous style and feel for southern Spain of the 13-th to 15-th centuries.

The factual account of how Columbus finally came to agreement with Isabella and Ferdinand to sign the contract for the three ships, almost by chance in 1492, while the two sovereigns were outside Granada laying the final siege of the Alhambra fortress, is mind blowing. History came 'that close' to having Columbus sail three French ships instead of the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.

If you want just the facts, look elsewhere. But if you are planning a trip to Granada and the Alhambra, definitely pick up this book, along with a second, more fact based, and give a read or listen. I wish I had done that before my trip. It would have given much more life and enjoyment to the place as I walked through the various rooms and towers and gardens that Irving so lovingly describes.

This wonderful book written by a well-loved American author details his travels in Spain, and more specifically in the Castle Alhambra. These tales are delightful, and seemlessly weave from fact to fiction to history to folklore. It is a true travel log, done oh so many years ago, and done with Irving's whimcical and enchanting style. The sketches give a good description of Spain and travel in the early 1800's. Older children and adolescents would probably enjoy these sketches.

A long time Lempicka fan, I read Claridge's biography as part of the research for my master's thesis on the artist. This book provided so much information not only on events in Lempicka's life, but also her sexual habits and personal characteristics. I also found this book a great source on life in 1920s and 30s Paris. But be warned, this book does not provide many images of Lempicka's unique paintings, although many of the illustrations are full-color reproductions.
This book reads easily and is entertaining as well as informative. I highly recommend it for Lempicka and Art Deco fans!

Mujer de altos vuelos, Tamara de Lempicka, decidió pasar sus últimos días en la ciudad en la que vivo, la ciudad de la eterna primavera: Cuernavaca, Morelos (México). Hasta ella trajo sus maravillosas obras, catalogadas como lo mejor del Art Déco por los expertos. Única en su momento, se jactaba de haberlo probado todo y de haber roto con las convenciones más gazmoñas.

Su obra está influída por el tubismo de Léger, el cubismo sintético y la pintura del quattrocento italiano, aunque de su maestro Lohte aprendió a componer según el principio de la rima plástica.

No obstante su formación rusa, se sentía polaca; rehuyó toda la vida lo ruso por haber sufrido en carne propia a manos de los bolcheviques. De madre y abuela aprendió el amor al arte. Se casó dos veces --de su primer marido Tadeusz Lempicki, el padre de su única hija ya fallecida, tomaría el nombre profesional-- y tuvo una hija que más adelante redactó sus memorias.

El éxito de su carrera se dio en la Europa de entreguerras, trabajaba incesantemente y llevó una vida social muy activa, cuestión que paradójicamente ocasinó que el mundo culto y bohemio en el que se movía, le demostrara cierta desconfianza: esta ambigüedad que la mantenía como una bohemia-aristócrata la definió toda su vida.

Hizo de su vida un relato espectacular, hecho que ha motivado que quienes intentan biografiarla, tengan que sortear los productos de su febril imaginación. Laura Claridge, a quien le debemos el trabajo más completo sobre la fascinante mujer, ha rescatado del olvido a esta notable pintora, cuya obra rebazó los dos millones de dólares en la década de los ochenta.

Su pintura, caracterizada por la geometrización de la figura, los primeros planos agobiantes y el manejo del erotismo sin trabas, es magnífica y puntualmente analizada por la autora, quien tiene en su haber otras publicaciones sobre arte, literatura y psicoanálisis.

El Museo Brady de Cuernavaca cuenta con dos piezas de Lempicka, una pintora que se ganó un lugar imborrable en la historia del arte occidental.

I like a million other people, had never heard of Tamara De Lempicka (how sad!!) until I heard Madonna in an interview mention how incredible she is. This biography was wonderful, very insightful, I feel like I know 'something' about Tamara now. I have developed a wonderful appreciation of her life and work. Some biographies can be dry and boring, but this one was facinating! Good read!

Over the many years spent in research for this book, ProfessorLaura Claridge acquired extraordinarily detailed knowledge of thecultural, moral, and intellectual atmosphere of early 20th century European aristocracy and avant guard high society. Then, with penetrating wit and spellbinding ingenuity, she wove this Zeitgeist into every relevant passage of this scholarly book. The uniqueness of Professor Claridge's biography is that she has been able to show that just as De Lempicka's paintings represented more than a mere accumulation of colors on canvas, her bewitching life represented more than the simple sum of its parts. Claridge has managed to capture the "gestalt" of the "brave new woman". With compassion and humor, flawless prose and delicate discrimination, impeccable elegance and style, affection, grace, and savoir faire, Professor Claridge has shown how it is possible for a woman to have it all! This book is an education in history, art history, anthropology, sociology, politics, civics, and European culture and aristocracy at the height of its decadent best. I loved this gripping book and read it with the excitement and absorption usually reserved for suspence novels. Bravo.

This book is vivid with details and descriptions of Tamara's fascinating life. A sumptuous bite into the life of an artist; this story is simmered in vibrant retellings of Tamara's historical tribulations, her numerous tumultuous relationships (both male & female), her eccentricities along with an almost infamous ego, and the constant tribulations of trying to express oneself via pigment & canvas. Even if you are not currently familiar with Tamara's work (audible gasp) this book is guaranteed to enrich your view of artists and vibrant women alike.

Such a cute book!! Both informational and cute. Great for kids and the child within all of us.

Written and drawn in 1959 this children's book taught me a thing or two about a city I thought I already knew a lot about. The pictures and scenes are wonderful in bright colors and include most of the major sites in Paris from "le metro" to Montmartre and the Champs Elysees.

There have been a few of the drawings, or accompanying text, that have been asterisked to reflect the changes that have occurred in Paris since 1959 but if you are taking young ones over I highly recommend this book as a way to make some of what they will see a little more understandable for them.

This book has created a fabulous insight into the world of travel for my children. It has compelled us all to take a language course in French and to travel here and put our dreams into reality. It has planted the seed of intrigue and wonderment to which my children seek out this book to read at bedtime.

Once I have found this book at Amazon and I wondered about the Czech name of the author. I got to explore the book and realized that he was a Czech, what a mystery, we have never been taught about him at school (of no type). His books were written in English after he emigrated from the Czechoslovakia and were never published in Czech. I got too amazed and curious about this book, so I bought it, read it and love it! All the pictures and the style he wrote it in. I just feel cheated, that we Czechs do not know nothing about this wonderful books and about the author.

My granddaughter loves books about Paris; however, she is only 2 1/2 years old. While searching for other books about the city, Paris, we stumbled across this book on Amazon.com. She loves it. It is written in language she can understand and it has many drawings and illustrations to capture her attention. You won't be short changed with this book. We can't wait to order the rest of the books in this series.

One could almost draw paralleles, with fate of Danilo Kis and his novel, in former Yugoslavia, with every "free thinker" troughout the known history. Nobody, especially totalitarian regime, likes "the voice that yells in the desert". So it became that this book was putted on a certain kind of "index librorum prohibitorum". What makes it tragic, is the fact that that was happening in the upper half of twentieth century.

What was so incriminating in that book, that communist party simply had to make that move? When one starts to question revollution, when one starts to question necessity of one voice-one peolpe doctrine, when one sees in "fight of the oppressed" just a certain kind of tragedy, human misery that has been manifesting repeatedly through human existene, one must become "enemy of the state". And that has not changed up until today, nor it will. But that is the story for some other place and time.

There is much of J.L. Borges influence in this work, especially in the short stoy called "Dogs and books", but you mustn't think that this is Borgesian "collection" of stories. These work are much less artistic (whatever that means) and much more they resemble reality, life itself, than Borges work does.

By telling the story of seven individuals, the lived their life in a countries rich with political struggles, Danilo Kis draws excellent portrait oh human ability to endure, and even so, to somehow fail miserably and be forever gone from this world.

Why the four stars? I was hearing so much of this book, and when I finally read it, it somehow dissapointed me, probably was expecting to much, or maybe is just that, taht I have failed to grasp entire meaning of the novel. So, better to read it again :) If you looked for great writer from, Mid-Southern Europe, Kis is the one you could deffinitely start with.

This revelation of a book gives us 7 interrelated stories on totalitarian state terror. The title story about Boris Davidovich Novsky (Baruch David Neumann in the next story, from the inquisition) is clearly following the footsteps of Koestler's hero in Darkness at Noon.
But all in all, the book is more like a GULAG Archipelago written by a latter day Borges. Kis was a Hungarian-Serbian Jew, who published this novel (?) in the 70s in Yugoslavia and had some trouble after that, though none of the stories is set in Yugoslavia. In fact, only the last story relates to Yugoslavia at all, when the emasculated poet visits Montenegro on some shady official visit in 1947.
A blurb compares the book to Orwell's 1984, but that is plain wrong. If Orwell must be in the picture, then the Orwell of Homage to Catalonia. One of the heroes is an Irishman who fights for the Republicans in Spain and gets kidnapped to Russia for a 20 years forced labor term after telling his commander that something is wrong with the use of coded messages (he is a radio operator).
The book is full of absurdities. A French politician, Edouard Herriot, visits the Soviet Union in the 30s, and the party bosses in Kiev need to demonstrate religious freedom, so they hire party members to impersonate an orthodox church service for the benefit of the state guest.
Herriot is the only historical figure in the book, all others are unhistorical, though no less real.
If you don't know Kis yet, congratulations, you have a major discovery ahead of you!

I have enjoyed this (and all other Danilo Kis's books) immensly.

This book of Kis' is a masterful work. The author said they are short stories but the publisher pushed it as a novel and in a way it is something between the two. The stories are seperate and there is not one main plot but a common theme runs through the work and occasionally characters from one story will reoccur or turn up in another story. They are connected though it seems in the sort of way as when someone might say it is a small world that we live in.
In his native land this book caused an uproar as the stories pass themselves off as fact but in Kis' style fact and fiction, history and imagination blend for a common aesthetic goal. This he picked up from Borges and his use of "document" in fiction.
All this helps the book stand out as a superior work of literature without even getting to the political theme of revolution and the role of individuals in mass movements.
This edition is perfect with the intro by Brodsky and William T. Vollmann's afterword.
A must read for anyone.

he shall live no longer in monument than the bell rings and the widow weeps. Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing.

Danilo Kis was born in Serbia in 1935 to a Hungarian Jewish father and Montenegrin Serbian mother. His father perished in the Holocaust. Kis died of cancer in 1990 at age 55. As noted in an excellent introduction by the writer, poet and Nobel Prize winner Joseph Brodsky, publication of A Tomb for Boris Davidovich in Yugoslavia in 1976 created a firestorm in Belgrade similar to the controversies that flared up when Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich was published in the USSR during Khrushchev's thaw. The book was savaged by the Yugoslav writer's union. As Brodsky notes in one memorable line, "there are several topics an author may deal with which can jeopardize his well-being, and history is one of them". The controversy, standing alone, may justify reading Tomb for Boris Davidovich. I am pleased to report that these stories are so well-constructed and laden with meaning that it would be worth reading even if its publication had been greeted with equanimity by the apparatchiks that manned the Yugoslav writers' union.

The seven stories that comprise Danilo Kis' A Tomb for Boris Davidovich have a few elements in common. Each involves a protagonist from a different country, Ireland, Hungary, Rumania, Poland, or Russia. In effect, each protagonist comes from a nation or a group that participated in the Comintern (the Soviet led Third International that coordinated the worldwide activities of various Communist organizations established by Lenin in 1919). Each gets swept up in the machinations that swirled around the Soviet Union's Great Terror of the 1930s. Each ends up either dead or in the Gulag.

With one exception each of the stories takes places in the 1930s. The one exception, "Dogs and Books" is set in 14th-century France at the time of the inquisition. Although that story seems out of place, when one compares the structure and fact-pattern of this story to the title story of the book one can only be struck by the obvious similarities between the methods and mind-set of the inquisitors and the methods and mind-sets of the interrogator in the story Tomb for Boris Davidovich.

The title story is also jarring because it contains many of the same themes set out in Arthur Koestler's Darkness at Noon. In the context of a short story, the brevity and terseness of Kis' language makes the telling of the story considerably more powerful in some respects than Koestler's novel length telling of a similar tale. Even if a reader feels that Kis' story does not quite match Koestler's, the fact that the comparison can be made with a straight face is high praise.

Last, Tomb for Boris Davidovich should be of great interest to anyone interested in the work of the great Argentine writer, Jorge Luis Borges. The structure and theme of Tomb for Boris Davidovich was intended by Kis to be part of a literary polemic between Kis and Borges, specifically concerning the title of Borge's Universal History of Infamy. Kis discusses this literary exchange in one of his essays. In it he asserted that the universal infamies related by Borges were those of gangsters, pirates and highwaymen. Kis argues that as far as infamy was concerned, "infamy is when in the name of the idea of a better world for which whole generations have perished, in the name of a humanistic idea, you build camps and destroy both people and their most intimate drams of a better world."

In many respects, Tomb for Boris Davidovich may be considered as an exquisitely crafted attempt to construct a literary monument to those who died (perhaps naively and foolishly) and for whom bells never rang and for whom the widows have long since stopped weeping.

L.Fleisig

Thie is a good book for those traveling to Czech Republic to understand the culture.

A great read, even if you've never even thought about setting foot inside the Czech Republic. David Farley's tale of a traditional pig slaughter gone wrong is hysterical--right up there with David Sedaris' best work; Jessie Sholl's story of meeting her future husband is sweetly romantic; and Paulina Porizkova (the model, actress and author of A Model Summer) shares the funny story of her return to her home country as a celebrity after leaving in exile as a child. Many more tales are included; all are worth reading. If this is representative of the rest of the Travelers' Tales books, I'll be picking up more in the series.

I've never been to Prague, but traveled there by way of this book. David Farley deftly weaves together the contributors' essays about a city and state of mind that inhabits the dreams of many.... Some of the topics and styles didn't pull me in immediately, but the feel of the book elevated them to a perfect place- like puzzle pieces fitting together and revealing a wondrous landscape, language and outlook.

Okay. Add this to your shopping cart and then check out my book: [...]

The Travelers' Tales destination books provide a fully-rounded picture of a destination and this Prague and the Czech Republic goes down like a pint of good pilsner. Despite story angles that are all over the map---in a good way---the chosen essays are consistently good in a way that's usually hard to pull off over the course of an entire collection. This is probably due, in part, to Prague being known as a refuge of poets, novelists, and those who aspire to be one or the other.

There are a few well-known writers in the collection: Ivan Kilma provides the intro and there are stories from Jan Morris and Thomas Swick. Overall though, it manages to collect a pool of characters, mostly unknown, who have something to say about a place often dubbed the second coming of Henry Miller's Paris.

Several overall themes flow throughout: the rebirth after communism, the struggle adapting to a free market, the hordes of barfing tourists that have rapidly changed the city, the legacy of Nazi atrocities, and the pursuit of a real life well lived. Then there's the foreboding air created by menacing castles, the bones sculptures of Sedlec, and Kafka's stories of senseless frustration. Through Travelers' Tales Prague and the Czech Republic, we can all get a good glimpse of a different world.

Reviewed by Sharon Hudgins, author of "The Other Side of Russia: A Slice of Life in Siberia and the Russian Far East."

Whether you're planning a trip to Prague or have visited there many times before (as I have), you'll definitely want to add this excellent book to your travel library. This "Travelers' Tales" compilation--edited by David Farley and Jessie Scholl--is NOT the typical collection of tourists' accounts or wannabe writers' amateur essays. The editors have selected more than three dozen stories by some of today's best travel writers (including themselves), from well known Czechs to Americans who have lived in (and fallen in love with) Prague and other places in the Czech Republic. Each story provides insight into a different aspect of a city and country that have captured the imaginations of travelers and writers for several centuries. History, politics, and sociology share space on the pages with personal experiences, poignant memories, and quirky adventures. (You'll even learn how this talented editor-couple first met in Prague.) If you're headed for Prague, buy this book to read on the plane--and then read it again after you return, just for the joy of it. Highly recommended!

DID YOU EVER WONDER JUST WHAT THOSE STRANGE ARTISTIC BRASS SHELL CASEING VASE "WHAT YOU MA CALL EMS " WERE THAT YOU ENCOUNTERED TOO OFTEN AT FLEA MARKETS , ANTIQUE & MILITARY SHOWS ? THAT IS JUST WHO TOOK THE TIME IN THE MIDDLE OF A QUITE BUSY WAR TO MAKE SUCH SIMPLY MARVELOUS MASTERPIECES OUT OF ALL THINGS BUT BRASS WHICH IS A MOST DIFFICULT MEDIUM TO WORK WITH IF AT ALL!WELL WONDER NO MORE AS THIS TRENCH ART MASTERPIECE ANSWER ALL BOOK IS BUT THE "BIBLE" ON A VERY SPECIAL & UNIQUE TOPIC SELDOM EXPLORED IN TRUE DEPTH & DETAIL!THE BOOK IS VERY EDUCATIONAL AS WELL AS ENTERTAINING WITH ALL IT'S MANY EXCELLENT PRETTY COLOR PICTURES & WILL CERTAINLY PUT THE POLISH ON AN INSIGHT TO A WORLD AT WAR FROM NOW ANOTHER TIME , MENTALITY , CAUSE & CENTURY FOREVER PAST! THIS BOOK IS REALLY A MUST FOR THE HISTORIAN & COLLECTOR ALIKE!PRAY THAT WE NEVER SEE THIS TYPE OF WAR ART EVER AGAIN AS THE BOOK IS A STATEMENT OF THE ORDINARY TORTURED FRONT LINE SOLDIER SOULS TRYING TO FIND & CREATE BEAUTY FOREVER LOST IN A WORLD CONSUMED BY THE EVIL MADNESS OF TOTAL WAR! SOUND FAMILIAR? WHERE ARE ALL THESE LOST ARTISTIC SOULS NOW? PEACE! A+!

Jane Kimball has written a book of great value to those who have interest in this form of art. Her wrtting and illustrations bring forward the intricacies of area not generally understood. With this book, Mrs. Kimball is now accepted as recognized authority of trench art.

What an amazing compilation! The information is fascinating and the photos are beautiful. The author is clearly an expert, not only about Trench Art, but also in terms of how to present material in ways that make it come alive for the casual reader. The excerpts from letters written at the time make history come alive. It's fitting in this time of war to be reminded that beauty can survive despite the hell that surrounds it.

This beautiful reference book is a must have for anyone remotely interested in the field of trench art. The author has done a marvelous job of documenting the development of this curious art form. Copiously illustrated with examples from her personal collection and others, TRENCH ART--AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY is the most comprehensive book on the subject. The collecting world owes Ms. Kimball a huge debt of gratitude for her work on this monumental book.

Gary Hollingsworth
Orlando, Florida

Trench art is unique, the creation of sometimes beautiful, often novel and perhaps practical objects of art. Very interesting aspect of both social and military history.

This book covers the World Wars in great detail. Techniques and numerous examples are covered. Writing style is informative and easy to read - the text is lavishly illustrated. Book covers older items (Napolionic bone carvings - not trench art in the literal sense, carved by French POWs in Dartmoor and Portland prisons), through to more recent conflicts such as Vietnam.

I collect trench art as a hobby. See reference below for a couple of my pieces:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze48sdz/id1.html

Wonderful book for any collector of trench art. Fascinating objects to collect - this book really helps to understand the background to these items.