Netherlands Books

"Sky", by Hanneke Ippisch. Subtitled: "A True Story Of Resistance During World War II." Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, New York, 1996.
The number of works on the Resistance in Belgium, Denmark and The Netherlands are few and far between; so, I was happy to see this personal memoir by Hanneke Ippisch about the Dutch Resistance. It is a concise and sweet autobiography of one woman inside the Dutch Resistance.
Time wise, the author's resistance story actually begins with May 10 1940: the "Sitzkrieg" turned again into the "Blitzkrieg" and Belgium and The Netherlands had soon capitulated. Hanneke Ippisch records how she and her family were awakened by the drone of heavy bombers and then everything changed. From page 17 to page 138, she tells the story of her involvement with the Dutch Resistance, support for the Jews, her own arrest, her interrogation and finally, her release just before the end of the war in Europe.
I found her writing to be direct and informative as she describes events that occurred. Contemporary black & white photos illustrate the book throughout. As the author said in her preamble, she was now seventy and ..." I cannot find the excuses to postpone this any longer." Nicely done.

This book was a very interesting story, although it was short and not very in-depth. The photos were a good addition, and it was different from the Jews' perspectives. Instead of being sent to concentration camps during the war, she secretly fought for the Jews, leading them to the countryside to escape Nazi persecution. This different angle (coming from a resistance worker) made this story a good change from other WWII books.

The book Sky is a true story about a wonan's experiences during WWII. It takes place in Holland and told about the author being caught and put in prison. It also told about her younger days in Girl Scouts and working underground with the resistance. The photos added to the story.

Sky is about a girl in World War II. When she was in eighth grade, the war began. Holland was taken over by the Nazis. When she finished high school, she went to the Academy of Physical Education. Her father was planning a resistance. Hanneke wanted to join. When she joined the resistance, her first mission was to bring food and I.D. papers to the Jewish people. She also helped families travel to different parts of the country to escape the Germans.

Sky is easy to read, but has great detail. Some true stories aren't fun to read, but when you read this book you feel like you're there. The people in the resistance had a hard job to do, and they risked their lives to save others.

All preteens and teenagers should read this story of heroism during a time far before their birth - not just for the story itself, but for the true lesson of tolerance and understanding of those who are different than ourselves.

Everyone who takes the opportunity to read this book should also attempt to invite the author, a marvelous woman now resident in Montana, to visit their community for one of her outstanding presentations to the local youngsters. They'll be touched by a most-humbly recounted true story of a young girl's heroism in an environment which most of us can only imagine in our worst nightmares. But they'll also be engaged in dialogue which will open their eyes and broaden their horizons to the way that people view and treat each other.

It's an extraordinary experience.

John Laughland, author of The tainted source: undemocratic origins of the European Union, has written a brilliant denunciation of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

After the counter-revolutions in the Soviet Union and Eastern European, Yugoslavia stayed independent and unwilling to join NATO or the EU. So the USA, Britain and Germany acted to carve Yugoslavia into easily controlled devolved regional statelets. The Yugoslav leadership tried to keep their country independent and united, and to defeat the terrorist secessionists.

So the NATO powers demonised the Yugoslav leadership: Blair lied about Serbian `racial genocide' of Kosovans, but after the war the Chief Prosecutor of the ICTY reported that 2,108 bodies had been found, not enough to constitute genocide.

The NATO powers made the UN Security Council set up the ICTY "for the sole purpose of prosecuting persons responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia" (Resolution 827, 25 May 1993). Not `allegedly responsible', but `responsible', assuming all defendants' guilt. Laughland notes that the United Nations Charter grants no power to the Security Council to create a criminal court.

On 24 March 1999, US and British forces started bombing Yugoslavia, without UN authorisation, an illegal aggression. At the height of NATO's assault, on 27 May 1999, the ICTY issued its indictment of Slobodan Miloseviæ for war crimes and crimes against humanity. In February 2002, it started the first criminal trial by an international tribunal of a head of state. The Court's rules and procedures were stacked against the defendant. The four-year trial, the longest criminal trial in history, paraded hundreds of prosecution witnesses, in an unavailing effort to prove Miloseviæ guilty.

During the trial, Miloseviæ became ill. Sick men are not usually tried, but the Court continued the trial and refused Miloseviæ suitable medical treatment, the Prosecution alleging that he was feigning illness. Instead, the Court used his illness as an excuse to take the unprecedented, and therefore illegal, decision to impose a defence lawyer on Miloseviæ, stopping him from defending himself. The trial ended when he died prematurely on 11 March 2006, aged only 64. Did he feign his death too?

NATO claims the right to intervene to `defend human rights' and to respond to `threats', including `ethnic and religious rivalries, territorial disputes, inadequate or failed efforts at reform ... the dissolution of state ... acts of terrorism ... the disruption of the flow of vital resources'. Of course, all these claims are illegal under international law, whose cornerstone is national sovereignty.

The NATO powers, not Slobodan Miloseviæ, committed a war crime by attacking a sovereign country. NATO and its creature Court held a show trial to cover their guilt.

In this important book the tragedy of international justice is brought to light. With a forward by Ramsey Clark this book points out just how much 'justice' was hijacked. The book shows how the media and the international community was able to tar and feather Serbia as the 'bad guys' in a war in which all were to blame. 500,000 Serbs were ethnically cleansed from Bosnia and Croatia but in the end only Serbs were charged with war crimes. After Milosevic, who was a tyrant, was driven from power he was handed over the the international criminal court. This was a travesty in itself. A court derived its power from the people, from the consent of the governed but in this case a court which is accountable to no one was established to put on trial only one side at the behest of Nato and Europe.

The book examines how the court was biased and how it exceeded its jurisdiction and even violated international law. Eventually it was unable to get a conviction and kept Milosevic in prison until he died. Unlike nuremburg it did not actually prove anything but simply waited for the accused to die so that it could say 'we convicted him.' A very fascinating book that dares to show the other side to the Balkan wars.

Seth J. Frantzman

Through his critical and analytical overview of "the trial of the century" John Laughland emmaculetaly displays the coverups, lies and propaganda of America and its NATO allies with regards to the only president brave enough to challenge them. From the systematic violations of international law to the lawlessness and arrogance with which the NATO controlled and administered court conducted itself, Laughland exposes the court and trial for what it really is: a puppet facade court created in order for NATO to justify its illegal war and horrendous war crimes committed against the innocent and defenseless people of Serbia.

During the Yugoslav wars, only highly Serbophobic, one-sided accounts and analyses were allowed. It was strictly the "Evil Serbs Versus the Good Everybody Else" that found publication outlets and became highly profitable bestsellers. Attempts by distinguished academic scholars, journalists and observers to contradict these dishonest and exaggerated views were all denied. John Laughland's book is among the best of the new wave of suppressed voices in journalism and academia that have now rewritten the tragic events of the disintegration of Yugoslavia. See also my edited book "Yugoslavia Unraveled: Sovereignty, Self-Determination, Intervention" (Lexington Books, 2004) with contributions by distinguished scholars which shed a different light on the Yugoslav tragedy.

Raju G. C. Thomas
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

It's amazing how far some people will go to try and convience the world of how Slobodan Milosevic (BALKAN BUTCHER) is innocent. Instead of looking at the cause of Milosevic's trial, the book focuses on SM's faked illness. Milosevic robbed the victims of his numerous crimes of a well deserved justice, by dying a natural death.

This book deserves less than 1 point.

I bought several other pocket maps for our trip, but this was the one I used the most. Only one other was as good- and my definition of good is whether or not I can identify even the smaller roads. This one had enough detail to get us around for four days. The guide portion was interesting enough to read through, but I always do my own research on vacation destinations, so this didn't help me all that much.

It was small enough to fit in my pocket and in my very small purse. The map refolds easily. The only complaint is that it's easy to rip and had we had any serious rain, this book wouldn't have made the trip.

I just took a trip to Amsterdam for Spring Break, and although I had two other guides with me, this one came in handy mostly because of the size and the map that was very helpful when we got lost in neighborhood during a downpour of rain. I've used it the most and found it easy to read. Some of the other information in there besides the map is helpful, but since it is a small pocket edition, you might wanna pick up a bigger guide. So anyway, great book!

This guide is great for 3-4 days and longer: great map, easy to use, all main attractions, opens and closes easily for quick reference. I was in amsterdam one month and used this guide more than the others i brought.

I have also purchased the larger guide book and found that the pocket guide book was useful as a companion mainly for its concise map. It did give me a quick reference for main landmarks but I think one may need the larger book to give more detailed information.

I just returned from Amsterdam. The Pocket Map and Guide is a must have item for anyone visiting Amsterdam. It's small and convenient size allows you to keep it handy. I refered to it constantly the entire time I was there. It's index by streets allows you to quickly pinpoint your current location and route to take to your destination. The information contained in the individual area sections covers the major monuments, museums, churches, markets, and sights; plus offers good recommendations for cafes, bars, and restaurants by neighborhood. I highly recommend it and found it was the best source for finding my way around the city on foot.

I used this book and the movie A Bridge Too Far to prepare for a staff ride (military field trip) on very short notice. Our guide a retired Colonel, military writer, and WWII expert actually asked the Brigade Commander why a lowly Specialist knew more about this battle than any of his staff officers.

This book give you the nuts and bolts of the planning and execution of Operation Market Garden. It is an excellent companion to the movie A Bridge Too Far which does an astounding job of portraying the operation on screen.

Operation Market Garden was Montey's grand assault into Arnhem, Holland (The Netherlands). It was a grand Ground and Airborne campaign that was only trumped by its massive failure. After reading this book and studying a little bit about the overall operation you will come to understand how ineffective airborne troops are as a main offensive weapon.

Another lesson to be learned from this assault by both military leaders and business leaders is that all the planning in the world can not make a bad idea work.

This is a brief but vivid and concise account of "Market Garden," better known as "A Bridge Too Far" or better perhaps "Too Far From The Bridge." A good primer for larger studies. The graphics are a highlight: detailed topological maps in color of the Arnhem Bridge area, Oosterbeek and Nijmegen including troop dispositions to the level of streets and houses; detailed colored sketches of uniformed Allied paratroopers and of German and Allied tanks involved in the battle.

This might be "heresy" but the point of history is to learn something; this book does something that all the many other books on Arnhem fail to do; it arrives at the truth. Most other books bitterly complain about how the British 3-D Airborne forces were dropped too far from the bridge, or how if provided better transportation means like light armored fighting vehicles (my view) and folding bikes, or if the 2-D forces had been more vigorous they could have linked up, gotten to the Rhine River bridge and the battle would have been "won". But this book sets the record straight.

When a portion of the British Airborne marched towards Arnhem, they could have taken the ferry but did not (not in their orders)and went past the railroad bridge that was blown up. Had they had better "situational awareness" they could have taken and kept the ferry. But this book goes a step further---so what?

The point of penetrating into Arnhem was to get across the Rhine river and run wild in the German industrial regions and smash war machinery and deprive the enemy with the means to continue fighting. But to do a "Sherman march" like this, these areas had to be undefended. That opportunity simply was not there. The Germans had compressed their lines of supply/communication and were defending in depth. So if we had kept the bridge or the ferry across the Rhine, we would have only been stopped on the other side by the Germans. THAT----is what is not understood by most people especially after seeing the superb but not quite accurate film, "A Bridge too Far" by Cornelius Ryan. Those that label Operation Market-Garden as a "failure" fail themselves to realize that what it sought--a collapse of the enemy from the inside---was not possible against a nation on a desperate total war footing, so such negative labeling is unjustified.

I'm all in favor of Airborne units receiving light AFVs in order to effect off-set DZ insertions, if there was a "time machine" I'd go back and have Hamilcar gliders deliver Bren gun APCs and Locust M22/Tetrarch light tanks that existed at the time. I'd have some of Gavin's 82d Airborne drop directly onto the south of Arnhem bridge to support the British 1st Airborne driving across from the north in the Bren gun carriers/Locust/Tetrarch light tanks. I'd had Patton temporarily in charge of the 2-D dash up to Arnhem bridge. He'd have better, medium-sived tanks and aPCs that could swim themselves across and not need bridges in the first place. But at the end of the day, we'd be stopped on the far side of the bridge or the river bank by the Germans, a 50 mile penetration, definately worth doing, but a STRATEGIC AIM of driving unhindered into Germany to collapse their infrastructure was not possible at that time. This book explains this like no other work, and places it in a must-read category--if you don't read it you simply will not understand the battle and will be subject to the cliches' and labeling. When you understand this, you will remove your disappointment in the leaders at that time for not pursuing further. The truth is XXX Corps could have punched its way through to Arnhem bridge but the Commanders knew that there was no strategic vaccum behind it to exploit that would justify the human costs. A lot of hard fighting stood ahead of the Allies at this point.

Airborne!

This book is a fine suppliment to the Movie version of the operation. With the excellent maps, which are included, it clarifies the entire campaign. It should be reviewed in concert with the film. Many details are included which are available to the British author and which tend to explain the action and outcome. It is enjoyab;e reading and quite informative to someone who has not delved deeply into the details of the operation.

Recommended for all who have a perepheral interest in the subject, as well as one who is already quite knowlegeble of it.

Arnhem 1944: Operation 'Market Garden' (Campaign, No 24) by Stephen Badsey is a better than adequate description of the nuts and bolts of Operation Market Garden. The maps are informative and the prose do give one a better than basic knowledge of the military movements and counter movements. If one is simply looking for a narrative of troop movements then this is an excellent book.

Where the book fails is in the discussion of the multitude of errors that went into the planning and excution of the Operation. It was a campaign that was begun as much as a result of Montgomery's desire to be the one to win the war and not be bested by the Americans and Patton, as by military necessity. Once began, the British ignored the advise of the local resistance, utilized tactics that played into the strength of the Nazi resisters, and were too ambitious. This is not to mention the intelligence failures that convinced the Allies that they would be facing second rate worn out units.

All in all, Market Garden is a case study of what should not be done. Not only did it lead to the needless deaths, but it took vital resources away from the Patton's Third Army where they could have been put to better use and resulted in ending the war sooner.

I love this book because I'm Jewish and I want to learn about the holcost. I loved it because it was filled with info.

Rosa De Jong is a ten-year-old girl living in Holland occupied by the Nazis. She is a talented young violinist that takes lessons from a man named Mr. Goldenstein. Rosa is a EJwish girl and the kids at her school make fun of her and dont like her at all. So Rosa stays inside and daydreams about all the Nazis disappearing.
I disliked this book because at times it got sort of boring. It kind of depressed me because of all the killing, but at other times I liked it because it taught me a lot about the Holocaust.
Ida Vos has written other books about World War 2. In which her family was involved. Those books are called Hide and Seek, and Anna is Still Here.

(Actually, 4.5 stars)

Like Ida Vos's other books, this one too closely mirrors the story of her own family in Holland under the Nazi occupation; the de Jongs are from Groningen, have moved to Rijswijk, there are two young sisters of about the same age as the two sisters in 'Hide and Seek' and 'The Key Is Lost' (as well as the approximate ages Ida and her own younger sister Esther were), the family are living out in the open until the situation gets too worse to ignore, and the young protagonist Rosa even has the same birthdate as that of the author, 13 December 1931. Unlike her other books, however, it doesn't end with a happy reunion.

Rosa and her little sister Silvie constantly quiz one another on all of the many anti-Jewish regulations, asking what happened on what date or asking what date something happened on, since they are so afraid they might accidentally forget and sit on a park bench, enter a library, or go swimming. They are also having frequent daydreams, which really angers their father, who is under enough stress already. In the middle of this the Mendes family, who are from France (and based on the three-person family who lived with the author's family at this time), come to live with the de Jongs--Louis and his wife Isabelle, who are artists, and their 13 month old baby Philippe. Rosa and Silvie are over the moon to get a baby brother, even if he's not a real baby brother, and even more so because he gets to sleep in their room. Rosa's spirits are also kept afloat during these dark days by her violin, even though she has had to change tutors and schools a number of times because of all of the anti-Jewish regulations and arrests going on. And it is indeed her violin which literally saves her eventually.

Rosa's uncle Sander, who is famous for telling windies, tells the family one day that he has saved a German officer from drowning, and in gratitute has granted Sander and nine other people of his choosing papers to travel to the safety of Vichy France. This is based on the real-life character of Friedrich Weinreb, one of the leaders of Dutch Jewry, around whom incredible stories circled, including one about how he saved a Nazi from being struck by a car. The author's family were on the list of people Weinreb was planning to take to Vichy France as well, but unlike the de Jongs, they got suspicious of it and were taken off of it before it was too late.

The only part of the book I didn't like was how it ended in media res, after Sander has found Rosa after she's been told how to get out of the police station. The short epilogue which follows leaves a lot of unanswered questions, like how they got out of there and survived until the end of the war. The end of the epilogue itself was pretty much a dead end, with no real sense of closure; I realise that it was meant to show the reader that Rosa did take back her family's original surname, Rosevici, but that's not really closure on any of the events contained in the story or even presented in a way that makes one realise that this tale is complete.

This story is about a ten year old girl named Rosa and her family. They are treated unfairly because they were Jews. There are signs abandoning Jews from several things. Some of the things they are abandoned from are the Public Swimming Pool, Park, Library, even some stores. Rosa, her sister, and other Jewish children were even kicked out of their schools. One day Rosa's father came home and told Rosa and her little Silvie that they were going to a new school. They weren't so excited, because they had switched schools so many different times. So the next day Rosa and Silvie got up and got ready for school. When they arrived at the new school they knew some of the other students that went there. When they got home they were so excited to tell their parents about their day. For a month or so Rosa and Silvie continued to go to school. Then one day Rosa and her family got a message from the school that her teacher had been taken away to a concentration camp. So to know what the ending is like read the book.

I liked the book. It was kind of sad because of the ways that Jews were treated back then. There were some things that I didn't like about the book and that was how Rosa's family and other Jews were treated. I liked the books at time because I got to know how people were treated, what they had to go through, and how they had to live. I also disliked it at time because of the way they were treated, and how they had to live, and what they had to go through. I think that they should make more books focused on this time of the war because it was a really good book. I think that you should take a chance and read the book.

I read this book about 5 years ago, in 5th grade, as I have been a Holocaust nutcase since I was 11 years old. I've read everything I can get my hands on, gone to the USHMM, memorials, museums, written Miep Gies, and I can quote Anne Frank from memory. I remember taking this book out among other stacks of Holocaust Young Reader books from our small library-well, I doubt I ever returned it. Ida Vos is a genius. (And the translater, Inez Schmidt) This is a super, touching, book.

During World War 2, Jaap Penraat a non-Jew risked his life to save 406 Jewish people. He was a man of great courage and character and with his friend, author Hudson Talbott, they tell the story of the dangers he confronted in getting Jewish people out of Holland before the Nazis captured them.

This book introduces the Holocaust to children and offers every reader regardless of age some valuable lessons in taking compassionate action on behalf of those in desperate need.

I liked Forging Freedom even though it was sad at times. It was an easy to understand telling of the events of the the Holocaust. Our class was fortunate enough to meet the author and the man who the main character was based on. I was astonished to learn of the poor and terrible way that the Jews were treated. The main character was brave enough to aid his Jewish friends in gaining freedom. My favorite part of the story was when Jaap successfully snuck passed the guards. It was very suspenseful and I felt like cheering and was happy for him. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Holocaust stories. I have also read Number the Stars and Snow Treasure which were on the same topic. I enjoyed both of them as well. They helped me to understand the details of the Holocaust.

Forging Freedom is a wonderful book. I have always hated reading about the Holocaust, but I loved reading Forging Freedom. This book is exciting, descriptive, and it really informs you about what it was like to be a Jew in Amsterdam during the 1940s. I think it is a great book for kids of all ages. I recommend this book to kids who want to read a nonfiction book that is easy to read, interesting, and concise.Forging Freedom is about a man named Jaap in Amsterdam during the 1940s. Even though he was not a Jew he risked his life to save his Jewish friends and neighbors. By the end of the War, he had saved over 400 lives.

"Forging Freedom" impresses me with its factual account of Jewish people in the Netherlands suffering the terrifying power of Adolph Hitler in 1940. Here the impact of Hudson Talbott's art is significant; using somber tones, sometimes in the style of educational graphics, he makes his points dramatically.

Jaap Penraat grew to manhood having friends who were Jewish. His early neighborly task of lighting the Sabbath lights for Jewish families in his apartment block was considered to be a "mitzvah" - a kindness, a deed done from the heart. Not much later his heart responded to the terrible needs of hundreds of people in Amsterdam: for food, clothes, places to hide. There were few who understood the fate of those who were rounded up & taken away in boxcars.

But Jaap rushed ahead to devise a plan, falsifying passports & permits, and then brashly playing the role of transport leader so that a group of young men could be guided to "jobs of national importance" in the German defense industry - - when in reality they were being passed along an underground network from Holland through Belgium & France, to freedom in Spain & England.
At parting, Jaap and his childhood friend & refugee, Bram Dorland, gave each other the same message: "L'chaim" . . . "To Life".

There is a surprising immediacy in the way Talbott's message is conveyed. He could not be old enough to have a personal consciousness of that time. "Forging Freedom" published in 2000, tells its story hoping there is alsways another generation to teach the next the moral necessity of standing up for what is right. The fact that the bold courage of Jaap Penraat was recognized as a heroic by both the Dutch government and a Holocaust Commission backs up the authenticity to mcHAIKU's satisfaction. The important fact is that we must never forget.

I read forging freedom during the war unit in my eighth grade english class. i thought it was a great book, and a great amount of infomation of how the jews were treated during halocost. after reading it i was amazed of how brave Jaab was and how clever he was. when my teacher told me that Jaab and Hudson were coming to my school, I was amazed. they were great guys, and having jaab talk to us about it in person was amazing. i also found out that jaab lived in the same town as me, all those times i had a brave man in my backyard and had no idea. this book was great and should be read by all ages so they can learn that brave people do exist and that the halocost was a very dangerous time and also a cruel time.

Rarely does a personal tale grip the reader as this one does many women--myself included. There for the grace of the luck of an accident of birth, could be me--or you. Caged. Locked into a cage, with no key available to release the power within.
Ayaan is the woman whose co-production with Theo van Gogh, resulted in his vicious murder. The production, "Submission" is available on youtube--a rather tame 11 min. film detailing this one person's perspective. It is only a snippet of what Ayaan has to say about the importance of education for all women--the empowerment of societies through the power of all people.

As women go about life--leaving the house without asking permission of another, making decisions without having to ask a man, May I--remember, that living in a cage could have happened to you. To me. To any of us.

Must read for any woman, anywhere. Anytime.

This first-hand narrative, read by the author, describes her early childhood in Somalia, her ritualistic genital mutilation, her treatment as a lesser being than males, her arranged marriage and finally her escape to freedom. Ayn Kirsi Ali became a member of Dutch parliament, but after she participated in making a film documentary critical of Islam's treatment of women, a Fatwah was issued calling for her death. The producer of the movie, a Dutch national, was murdered in the street by a muslim fanatic.
This book sets forth in passionate detail Kirsi Ali's journey. It is fascinating, and once I got through the first disc, read in Ali's unusual but pleasant accent, I was thoroughly hooked.

I first came across Ayaan Hirsi Ali on television. She was being questioned by a left-leaning interviewer who hardly seemed sympathetic.

I enjoyed this well presented recording from start to finish. There's so much to learn about so many countries, and Ali captures the essence of them all very well.

Not long ago I read Irshad Manji's The Trouble with Islam: A Wake-Up Call for Honesty and Change. I couldn't honestly sympathise with her because, unlike Ali, she had clung to the self-identification of being a Muslim, against all reason. Ali, however, has had the bravery and the intellect to reject such a silly and bloodthirsty set of beliefs.

Despite her magnificent contribution, however, Ali loses a star, because, in my opinion, her whole aim in the Netherlands is not to be part of the solution but part of the problem. (1) Migrate to (read claim asylum in) a Western country; (2) Take advantage of their great education system; (3) Run for parliament; (4) Represent whom? No! Not the Dutch, the aboriginal, indigenous people of Holland, but a subset of the migrants themselves. This is hardly an inspiration to someone who is born and bred in Holland and has every justification for self-interest.

In short, I would recommend this recording to everyone, particularly Muslims.

In her own words you hear the author, Ayann Hirsi (Magan) Ali relate to you her life story with the passion and emotion that can only come from having lived it. It is a brutally honest portrayal of life as a woman raise in a Muslim society. What impressed me the most was how totally different and isolated her life was growing up in Somalia and Kenya from my western way of life. Clitoral excision; covering your body from head-to-toe lest you inflame male desires; submitting to the males in you family in all matters, including arranged marriages; all part of the daily life of an Islamic woman. Add to that beatings from her mother whenever she dared to question their ways and you have a compelling look into the life of one of the most oppressed groups of people on the planet.

I suspect if you were to ask Ayaan, she would say she had no choice but to seek asylum as a refugee in Holland, but everyday Muslim women around the world accept their lot to live this kind of life. Her bravery is inspiring, and I am grateful that she chose to share her story so that westerners like me can better understand a Muslim's way of life and the differences that separate their beliefs from Christian beliefs. Yet, I also take heart to know that we share many of the same values, concerns, and desires. She is someone I could easily befriend.

I listened to the audio version and Ayaan did a superb job, took her time, pronounced the words clearly, and distinctly, and with expression. Ayaan Hirsi Ali is to be greatly commended for her courageous story. The practice of excision is done by ignorant and cruel people enslaved by their backward superstitious beliefs. The same can be said for the practice of "Honor" killing. If premarital sex is such a taboo then it is the men who should have their private parts sewn to their belly buttons. The problem is that both Islam and Christianity are male dominated religions and they both denigrate women. Islam just happens to be the worst offender. I hope that Ayaan has plenty of protection because many from the "religion of peace" (right!) will kill anyone who says otherwise. The adherents are constantly proving themselves to be people of violence and not of peace. So too, the good Christians, in the US, who think their country never does anything wrong while the politicians they support murders innocent civilians, in other countries, in order to steal their resources...(eg: oil).
read: "A Century of War"--William Engdahl.
"The Secret History of the American Empire"--John Perkins

This book is for anyone that likes to make handmade cards. A very simple technique for all ages.I use the Fiskers templates along with my Iris Folding for amazing results. A must have book for your crafting collection.

Iris folding is a beautiful technique. I was pleased to see that Amazon.com had some books about it. This book "Iris Folding for Christmas is great-not only does it have clear instructions, but it has several holiday templates, which are very important in iris folding.
Judith Williams

A friend introduced this craft to me and I am hooked. This craft is so easy to do , inexpensive and the sky's the limit re: your creativity. You can make such neat personalized cards for family and friends who will be impressed. The styles and shapes of the various patterns are wonderful to look at as well as intriguing. This craft can be done by anyone, no experience necessary.

If you start early, this would be a lovely gift for loved-ones, and you can stick a little gift certificate into it.

This is my second book by Gaasenbeck. It has loads of patterns and nice colored pictures. It was easy to follow her directions and my cards came out beauitful. Recommend this to anyone!

I have many books written by Corrie ten Boom, I find this book to be a wonderful addition to my collection.

This is an interesting followup to "The Hiding Place." You learn more about this amazing woman.

This is a daily devotional by Corrie Ten Boom that has been sitting in my library all my life. My copy is tattered. Everytime I need to reach for moral courage, integrity, kindness, endurance and empathy, I turn to this 'little' book.
This particular order was for 10 men that I know through a prison ministry who are living in very difficult situations for long periods of their lives. If you need to learn forgiveness, try reading"The Hiding Place." Only the spirit could work through a person to forgive the people she encountered during her stay in a Nazi concentration camp......and forgive...she did!!!!!

I love this book! I have learned so much reading about these strong, brave, loving and ever so forgiving people. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

I went to Amsterdam twice last year and used this map both times. It is extremly durable as I normally kept it in my left rear pocket - still good as new after two trips. I like the laminate since I can use those erasable markers used for presentations to mark landmarks or places of interest. Once done, simply wipe them off and add new ones. The main map showing Amsterdam could be just a tad larger to show areas to the east and south. Bring this map and a small compass and you won't get lost. Worth every penny.

We found this map really useful and easy to follow. I don't what the other reviewer means about the street names not being printed on it because they were on my copy! Where a canal has a street either side of it, both streets have the same name-really the two roads are just differnt 'lanes' of the same one, so perhaps this is what confused them. Some of the suffixes of street names are abbreviated to save space, but it is always obvious and the abbreviations are listed and translated. The map is laminated, so it survived the heavy rain better than we did. Just don't stand in any cycle lanes whilst you're reading it.

I am on holiday in Amsterdam as I write. This is by far the best city map I have ever used. First, it is durable enough that I anticipate it will survive the entire stay. The street names are clearly indicated; the public transportation facilities are identified. Amsterdam can be a bit disorienting because it's a city build with concentric streets. North and South can be confused easily. I have found my bearings several times when I would have been lost without this map. If you are interested in finding you way about Amsterdam, this map will be interesting to you.

The maps are actually very good. And I like the weather resistant finish (A real asset considering the climate).
But the section (map) of the trams makes it very hard to figure out or get your bearings. Fortinatly, good maps for this are easy to get, free, and well posted at every stop. However I geuss
I would still say it is a pretty good value.