Europe Books

This book is the definitive history of the riding families -- the Border Reviers. It is a long scholarly look into the nature of these complex and determined families that does not pass judgment or apply modern values in the assessment of their history and deeds. This is not for the casusal reader. It uses a fair amount of old English spellings and can be an effort to decifer at times. However Fraser MacDonald combines this along with his natural story telling ability to make you feel as if you are on a foray across the border and it keeps you coming back for more. If you are a student of Border history or are lucky enough to have one of the riding names, make the effort to read this book. It has no equal in its treatment of the subject.

Until England and Scotland were united under a single king in March 1603, the border between them was, unsurprisingly, a natural place for strife and disorder. The two countries had been at war intermittently for centuries, and many armies had passed back and forth across the border counties. Fraser's history covers the last hundred years of the border, from 1503 to 1603, a period during which the decayed (and astonishingly corrupt) administration could never cope with the local gangs -- known as "reivers" -- who terrorized the district with cattle theft, murder, and arson.

The book is very well-organized. Fraser starts with a few pages on the long historical background, then takes about half the book to cover the reivers by topic: chapters on arms and armour; on reiving technique; on the key families and their alliances; on cross-border relations; on the administrative structure. Fraser gives a lot of details, and plenty of quotes from the original sources (with the original spellings!).

This painstaking coverage sets up the second half of the book perfectly: one hundred and forty pages that cover the history of the border chronologically through the sixteenth century. With the details in hand, the second half is easy to follow and put in context; the writing is also clear and entertaining.

The last section of the book details the uncompromising way in which King James I destroyed the reivers in a few short years after 1603. It is a startlingly bloodthirsty story: Fraser includes quotes from blanket pardons that King James issued to some of his enforcers, which essentially say "whatever murders you did, I'm sure it was in a good cause, and you're absolved".

There are separate chapters on some of the most famous events, notably the raid on Carlisle Castle that freed Kinmont Willie. Fraser is at some pains to dispel the romantic ideas that cling to stories of the borderers -- as he points out, they were essentially a Mafia, with little of Robin Hood about them. It's clear, though, that he finds their adventurousness and style endearing and fascinating; and he writes about them so well that you are likely to feel the same way.

MacDonald Fraser brings to the history of the Anglo-Scots border reivers all the exuberance and attention to detail that made his name in the Flashman novels. Readers looking for more gloriously politically-incorrect adventures from the Victorian age won't find them here, but this book does repay the extra effort needed from the reader. The Steel Bonnets is the most entertaining yet informative serious works of history I have read.
The story of the Anglo-Scots border is a complex and a bloody one. MacDonald Fraser manages to understand, without condoning, the hard men who fought and died, rode and raided across the border between the kingdoms of England and Scotland. He untangles the knotted threads of their family ties and feuds and reveals their part in the wider relations between England and Scotland prior to the union of the Crowns in 1603. He dives into the dusty depths of the written records and brings them back to us red in tooth and claw.
At a time when the border between England and Scotland looks as though it may become an international, rather than a domestic border once more, this book should be of relevence to all with an interest in and love of these two nations.

I was born in Carlisle, England. The second big town of the border area other than Berwick. My father is from Longtown, Cumbria which is right next to the debateable land and I have the last name of Crozier. This book was like reading about my own history and explained a whole lot of things about my home town and the people I grew up with. Just in my neighborhood, there were Armstrongs, Taylors, Littles, Nixons, Grahams and many other Reiver names.
This is a very scholarly book and exceptionally well written. The author must have done an incredible amount of research to put this together. I read it twice, the second time noting how many references to Croziers(Crosers) there were. My father's family name is in there 26 times. Along with the Armstrongs, Nixons and Eliots, we were considered the worst of the worst of the reivers. Maybe not something to be proud of, but interesting. According to my mother(God rest her soul)her paternal grandfather was the illegitmate son of the Duke of Buccleugh(you'll hear a lot about the Scotts of Buccleugh, many of whom had the same name of Walter, including the famous one), so I have Reiver blood from there too. Fascinating book especially if you have a surname that might go back to that part of the world and those times.
What I have written here is just a taste of the whole book. A little heavy going at times, but so good that I have read it twice already and now use it as a research tool.

As a newcomer to Scottish Border history I found the many forces and families influencing events very confusing. George MacDonald Fraser has written a remarkable book in which he creates order and logic from a very complicated period and at the same time has written a book which is etremely readble.

It essential reading for anybody interested in border history and will no doubt be quoted extensively by writers who follow.

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.

As described, this is really a funny and well-written book. It is also fascinating as far as history is concerned, giving far more information than one would ever get in textbooks about some of the more obscure engagements covered here.

This just bears out my long held contention that history does not have to be boring. The trouble is that most history textbooks are written by historians or pedagogues, whereas they should only be allowed to be written by seasoned authors. Preferably by those with a sense of humor.

Just compare a good historical novel with any textbook, and you will see what I mean.

This book is a lot of fun to read and you'll improve your knowledge painlessly.

Who thought history and learning could be so humorous! While I was reading it on the subway, I was amazed by how many other riders inquired about it. I would definitely recommend it to my friends.

while being quite entertaining this book does not even scratch the surface of the events taking place. while wars maybe stupid the lives lost and people injured by those war are in no way unimportant. also i believe there were moments when the authors' could be considered insulting to the actors involved in the event, perhaps due to their misunderstanding of the event taking place. none the less the book was quite entertaining and its a must read for those who can take things with a grain of salt and not take every word written on a page as the absolute truth. this a parody and nothing more, and must be treated as such by the readers.

The premise of "Stupid Wars" is simple, but brilliant: For ages, scribes, historians and military leaders have documented glorious successes on the battlefield. Yet what of the unmitigated disasters? What of the coups that were attempted by the likes of the Three Stooges? What of the wars that were fought for no apparent reason? Now we know.

"Stupid Wars" presents battlefield idiocy in a highly readable form: each chapter covers military and political blundering of the highest order for a particular event. So in what is an average of about 20 pages per chapter, the reader learns of all of the "masterful planning" that went into events such as the doomed-from-the-start Bay of Pigs invasion or the mustering of troops to put down the Whiskey Rebellion that really never was.

In what is an educational and humorous romp through history, we learn of such folly: how the Russian army, which seemingly should have been prepared to fight a cold-weather war, invaded Finland in 1939 without a clue as to how to battle the Finns in the winter. We learn how Romania managed to alienate virtually every major and minor power on both sides during WW II.

The authors tell these stories with an eye on history and a smile on their faces. They point out the absurd, the ridiculous and the shear folly of many of history's biggest blunders. I, for one, never knew that the armies of the Fourth Crusade never actually made it to the Holy Land for lack of transportation. Certainly, someone should have realized that they needed ships to get them there.

In the end, it's a great premise and a great read. The reader is entertained yet learning about history too - a great combination.

I have attempted to read many history books but I found most of them boring. Stupid Wars grabbed my attention from the beginning to the end. I found myself laughing out loud many times!! I highly recommend this enjoyable book to everyone to share in the hysterical historical discoveries of our past as beautifully executed by Michael and Ed. Keep laughing!

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.

It is wonderful to see so many thoughtful and incisive reviews of my father's book. A few details that might interest you: 1) None of the "unimportant Nazis" he interviewed knew he was a Jew, which he was. 2) The book wasn't published in German for years after its original publication (we spent 1951 in the small town which Milton Mayer calls "Kronenberg," where he wrote the book, which was published shortly afterwards). 3) His German was awful! And, he said, this was a great aid in the interviews he conducted: having to repeat, in simpler words, or more slowly, what they had to say, made the Germans he was interviewing feel relaxed, equal to, superior to the interviewer, and this made them speak more freely. "Sehen Sie, Herr Professor Mayer, SO war die Sache," very patiently. ("You see, THIS is how it was...").

He made one small, but dreadful mistake: There is a very common name in German, to which Milton Mayer added a suffix--because, with the suffix, it was the name of a great family friend (in fact, my boyfriend four years later) and used it fictitiously for one of the interviewees.. However: with the suffix, it's a very RARE German name, and, having given the general location and size of the town together with the rare German name, he really identified the interviewee as-our family friend-- who was quite upset. (He never told my father this, though.)

My father was always a superlative interviewer; he said as little as possible, aside from encouraging the interviewee to go on talking. If someone seemed to be avoiding a subject he was really interested in, he would repeat the name of the subject the interviewee had abandoned, and look terribly keen and respectful.

When my father was about 14, a wind blew in one of his ears while he was camping out, paralyzing one nerve in his face. For the rest of his life, he could only open, while speaking, one side of his mouth (and he had a very diabolical grin), and could never raise both eyebrows--always, he was raising one eyebrow! This gave him a very wise look, somewhat ironic at the same time, and made him appear even smarter than he was.

My sister and I occasionally exchange "Misms." Things he used to say from time to time, some inherited from his father, and others from God knows where. Here are a couple (try them; they are very effective in many convrersations):

"I left it in my other suit."
"Been to the city and seen the gaslights."

I don't think I have anything to add substantively to what has already been said in the excellent reviews, aside from these few personal details. Milton Mayer died in 1986, and is survived by several real and step children, real and step grandchildren, and two great grandchildren (at least), all of whom, like him, are pacifists.

This book will open your eyes and broaden your mind about history. Be ready to see Nazi Germany in an entire new light, and also see YOURSELF in a new, and disturbing way. You are NOT immune to their fate. Remember...."THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE FREE" and SO DO YOU!

Mayer, a Jew on Sabbatical in post-WW-II Kronenberg, sets his goal as that of better understanding the life-story of the ordinary German under National Socialism.

As he tells the story, Nazism was not just a political system or just an ideology it was a worldview peculiarly suited for and congruent with the German Post WW-I temperament and mentality. In the aftermath of the much-hated Versailles Treaty, Nazism arrived on the scene just in time to not just conquer the minds of both little and big Germans but to overwhelm them. Mayer's phrase has described it nicely: German enthusiasm for Nazism was clearly a case of "little men-gone wild."

The true value of this book and hence Mayer's most valuable contribution has been to draw a graphic conceptual picture of how the system of Nazism worked as seen at ground level by ten ordinary Germans and from the interior of German society: To a man, they all agreed that it brought them untold economic success, bound them patriotically and politically into a coherent cultural unit, restored the nation's pride and gave all Germans renewed reasons for hope in the future.

Given this rosy and very much interior and insulated backdrop, it is no wonder there was no basis for ordinary Germans to see (or even to be able to perceive) Nazi excesses, or to see Nazism itself, as an inherently evil system until it was too late.

This was true in part because all Germans already had community permission to hate Jews. The excesses, reserved mostly for Jews, thus seemed normal and in any case were always introduced in carefully orchestrated, slowly escalating, but easily digestible bites. This was done specifically to stay below the radar of the everyday German conscience -- so as to never assault German sensibilities too abruptly. Even the most alert of Germans and the least anti-Semitic Germans were lulled to sleep by this strategy.

But more importantly, because all Germans were wedded to the Nazi worldview thorough its benefits, both tangible and intangible, there were few incentives for them to "rock the boat" by pointing to its excesses. Dissension was left for victims and outsiders to engage in. However, being identified as an outsider or as a dissenter, at a minimum, could ensure social exclusion and a slow social death; and if one were very unlucky, it could mean disappearance into a concentration camp, or even a swift bullet to the temple.

Ordinary Germans thus were willing contributors to their own self-imposed trap: They needed the community's approval on its own terms. Sometimes this meant turning a blind eye to community sanctioned criminal activity, such as was the case in the event that set off a cascading sequence of pogroms against Jews, Crystal-nacht. Ordinary Germans did not want to approve of the criminal behavior involved, but was it not the community to which they were bound that decided what was criminal and who should be rewarded and punished for community-defined criminal behavior? It is easy enough for outsiders to exaggerate the actual relationship between man and state under tyranny, but from the inside, it is always made to seem normal and seamless.

Like a thief in the night, tyranny always descends upon sleeping societies in a cloak of patriotic conformity. It attacks when one is unguarded psychologically and least wary of an assault. By the time the citizen is prepared to raise a dissenting voice, in the name of state security, his throat (and presumably his vocal cords) have already been cut and he has been rendered mute. Once the national conscience has been drugged, sedated, or put to sleep, it is difficult to reawaken it.

Since there are no political systems that are entirely insulated against criminal activity, corruption or evil, only healthy, timely, vigorous and authentic dissent can act as an antidote to the evil inherent in tyrannical political systems like Fascism and Nazism.

Without drawing too fine a distinction, it is difficult to miss the many parallels between contemporary American society and 1933-1939 German society.

Ann Coulter and her ilk should read this book: the Hard Right is among us and have taken power just as they did in Germany in the 1930's.

I'm moving to Mongolia.

Among the impossibly vast literature about how the Nazis took and held power, this book is one of a kind. It is an honest look into the minds of "typical" Germans, not as we see them, but as they saw themselves. The author admits his biases and overcomes them to let his subjects speak for themselves. We hear them, in their own words, make their excuses and justifications and evasions, but the same question will not stop coming up in our minds: "What would I have done?" This book is a journey of questions without final answers, and it deserves to be ranked as one of the essential books of our time. The fact that it is so little known, and particularly that it is not required reading in college courses, is a disgrace.

This book is a narrative. The author simply sat down and listened to US Navy MTB officers in 1942 and recorded their story of action in the Philippines in 1941 & 42. It is a page turner.

Two good points about this book. First it was first published during WWII (my copy is 1942). Many books about WWII were written post WWII and that means the books have 20/20 hindsight. Reading a book from the period perhaps gives a better perspective of how people saw the war while it was happening.

Second, one of the officers telling the story explains how the newspapers back home give a sort of glorified image of the war that was very different from the reality he experienced. If we better understand the reality, then we can better appreciate what our veterans sacrificed for us.

Not everyone understands the fact that, if you are in military service, you are expendable. Your commander can order you to sacrifice your life to achieve an objective. You may be ordered to hold off the enemy so your fellow soldiers can escape, or you may be ordered to dive your bomber into an impossible hail of gunfire, but you are expendable. Such was the case for the six 70-foot speedboats of the US Navy's Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three. They were part of the Navy's tiny Far Eastern Fleet in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked with overwhelming force in 1941. It was soon clear that the Philippines would be lost, and the remains of the fleet went to Australia, leaving MTB Squadron Three to help the doomed soldiers on Bataan hold off the Japanese Army for as long as possible. After losing boat after boat in suicidal attacks on Japanese cruisers and destroyers, the remaining boats carried General MacArthur, his wife, his son, and assorted generals and admirals on a perilous trip to the southern Philippines for escape by air to Australia. MTB Squadron Three lost its remaining boats in further attacks on the Japanese and prepared to fight as infantry against the oncoming juggernaut. But four of the officers were ordered to get out on the last planes to leave the Philippines. William L. White, in a magnificent piece of writing, lets the survivors tell their story. It is certainly one of the best stories ever written of World War Two.

This is not a book to read as history, in the sense of seeking facts and figures about an event in the past. "They Were Expendable" is ostensibly an account of the exploits of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3, which gained glory amidst the disaster that was America's defense of the Philippine Islands in the opening months of the war with Japan (December 1941 - May 1942). But this is wartime journalism, and it is replete with inaccuracies and exaggerations, not to mention a few passages that were subjected to military censorship. This must be expected of a book that was written only a few weeks after Allied resistance of the Philippines formally ended in humiliating surrender; William L. White had no way to corroborate or fact-check the stories told to him by the four youthful naval officers he interviewed for this book. But as an emotional record of the early, sometimes despairing days of the war against Japan, "They Were Expendable" is a work of truth and power. This is not so much a slam-bang story of naval warfare as it is an account of the emotional trauma of defeat suffered by a nation accustomed to victory.

White originally wrote the book for "The Reader's Digest," which published a condensed version in its September, 1942, issue, not quite four months after the fall of Corregidor. The full-length book was released several days later and became a huge bestseller (one reason so many used copies are available today). "They Were Expendable" was one of the first pieces of World War II "hardcover journalism" to give firsthand accounts of the U.S. debacle in the Philippines, and it promised no-holds-barred revelations about how and why the United States could have been so badly beaten. Some of what was "revealed" was myth -- tales of spies and sabotage, and exaggerations of Allied numerical inferiority to the Japanese. Nor could White, even if he had wanted to, have gotten away with criticizing Douglas MacArthur or any Washington bigwigs who were in part responsible for the Philippines disaster. Indeed, MacArthur was still the hero of the hour for most Americans, and his association with the motor torpedo boats of Squadron 3 -- they spirited General, family and entourage away from Corregidor after President Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to Australia in mid-March, 1942 -- helped hype the book immensely.

But what the book lacks in factual veracity, it makes up for in emotional sincerity. Although White actually wrote the "monologues" that make up the narrative, he based his words on those of four squadron officers who had been ordered to leave the Philippines, to relay their knowledge of torpedo-boat warfare to new PT crews back in the States. Their quiet professionalism comes through loud and clear. Lt. John D. Bulkeley, squadron commander and winner of the Medal of Honor for his leadership aboard the boats, is featured prominently because he had already received a great deal of publicity early in 1942, thanks to MacArthur's press agents on Corregidor

But the heart of the narrative (most of it, actually) is attributed to the squadron exec, Lt. Robert Kelly (later transformed in the movie version into John Wayne's overgrown adolescent, "Rusty Ryan," a portrayal that Kelly came to detest). Kelly not only relates his part in the squadron's combats against the Japanese and MacArthur's departure from the islands, but also tells of his relationship with an Army nurse, "Peggy," whom he met in a Corregidor hospital where he was being treated for a minor injury that turned major. White likely overstated the depth of this relationship - it was really more friendship than romance - but Kelly's grief over the loss of that friendship became a metaphor (okay, stick with me here) for America's loss of the Philippines, and perhaps the loss of an innocent vision of the United States as an invincible military power.

After the war (and after the release, in 1945, of the John Ford film based on the book -- a very personal expression of Ford's own views about the war and the Navy), U.S. intelligence officers and historians discovered that the achievements of Squadron 3 in Philippine waters had been somewhat exaggerated. Japanese ships that the torpedo boat crews claimed as "sunk" were, more often than not, undamaged. (Yes, U.S. torpedoes used early in the war were very unreliable.) As the Pacific war progressed, PT boats became extremely important as inshore gunboats (a role in which Squadron 3 excelled, too) but were employed only occasionally as torpedo platforms.

Despite the wartime inaccuracies, White's restrained writing captures the quiet pride as well as the sadness and frustration of his subjects, young men still grieving over losing their crews and their boats. (About half the squadron personnel, listed at the end of the book, became POWs, and several did not survive the harsh Japanese captivity.) I first read this book at age ten, and I have kept coming back to it for more than thirty years because it has an emotional impact unlike most wartime reportage I've read. Although he covered the war in a different way, "They Were Expendable" puts White on a level alongside Ernie Pyle, with whom he shared the ability to see beyond surface heroics to the melancholy that afflicts all human beings caught up in combat. (If you like "They Were Expendable," find a copy of White's other great book about the early days of defeat in the Pacific war, "Queens Die Proudly.")

This is a classic of World War Two journalism -- again, not for the facts, but for the truth. If you want a factual book on Squadron 3 at war, read the appropriate chapter in Robert J. Bulkley Jr.'s "At Close Quarters." For a book that plumbs the emotional experience of an American defeat, read "They Were Expendable."

If it weren't for the Naval Institute Press, this 1942 book wouldn't be available. It's not heavy reading; you could finish it in 2 days just reading it on the subway and before you go to bed, but it's a powerful reminder of the desparate state of affairs in the Pacific and in the U.S. in the days following the destruction of the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor. See the film of the same name. The director, John Ford, had the good sense to incorporate the dialogue wholesale into his really terrific 1945 movie.

early accounts of WWII in the Pacific. Interesting for what it says & how it says it. Written almost entirely in dialogue, as if it were a transcription, which it is not. Like Casey's "Torpedo Junction," attempts to tell the truth about how the war was going, despite wartime censorship. An easy read, with large type in the 1942 edition. Manifests the Navy's colonial-style racism prior to WWII & some officers' impatience with it. One of the best "first person" reports available.

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.

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.