History Books

This book is undoubtedly to be rated five stars. However, be prepared, the book is a rather lengthy 400 pages. The American public has been led to believe that Joseph was THE leader of the Nez Perce while others, at times, had more influence than Joseph. General Oliver Howard gave the Nez Perce an unreasonable demand of moving to the reservation within 30 days or be put there by force. An ensuing chase from Oregon across Idaho, across Yellowstone National Park in northwestern Wyoming, and north into Montana terminated at the Bear's Paw Mountains in northern Montana. The Battle of the Big Hole in Idaho involving Colonel John Gibbon involved the indiscriminate killing of men, women, and children which reminded me of the Sand Creek Massacre in Colorado. Gibbon stated in his report he killed 89 Nez Perce, but neglected to say that 50 of the dead were women and children. This infuriated the young Nez Perce who took revenge on any white settlers they came in contact with.

On Page 74 author Kent Herburn mentions that the Lakota Sioux "murdered" George Armstrong Custer and his men at the Little Big Horn. Herburn fails to mention that it was Custer and his men that did the attacking, and the Sioux and others were simply defending themselves.

Although a few of the Nez Perce did manage to go north to Canada following the surrender Joseph and most of the others gave up the fight with the understanding they would be returned to their original homeland. Incredible suffering began as they were transferred from one place to another from North Dakota and then south to Kansas and Oklahoma, but not to their beloved Wallowa Valley in Oregon. After eight years of suffering with the cold, heat, and insufficient food the remaining Nez Perce (less than 300 of the original 800) were split into two groups, some to the Wallowa Valley and others (including Joseph) to the Colville Reservation in Washington where Joseph died in 1904 still clinging to his traditional way of life.

I found the book to be a very detailed read, and it is a book you are going to have to have patience to stick with it. I believe it is the most comprehensive book yet written on the flight and plight of the Nez Perce Indians. This story is most certainly, as the book's cover states, "an American tragedy."

Though I have read a significant amount about the Nez Perce, this was my firt introduction to kent Nerburn. The moment I held the book in my hands I felt the heart it was written with reach out to me and draw me into it. Kent, through his intense dedication and depth of soul brought the story alive. Most writings on the subject are accountings-here I felt the people involved and became part of the story. That depth of unity IS Native American.

This book so reached me I immediately ordered several other books by the same author, as well as more copies of this book to give to friends.

I couldn't get past page 100. By then I had lost any hope that the author possessed the objectivity necessary to produce a worthwhile history of his subject. Constant repeated superlatives about any and all aspects of the Nez Perce or of his primary historical figure became monotonous. For example, in his description of the arrival of Lewis & Clark, he extols the nobility of the Nez Perce while describing a council meeting that, but for the intervention of one women, would have decided to murder the visitors in their sleep. This all too common tendency to see tribal life as an unspoiled and innocent Eden takes this author over the edge of credibility.

Kent Nerburn's story of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce is that of one of histories great, proudest and yet truly humble men. Nerburn writes smoothly and convincingly as he traces the our government reversals and flight of the Nez Perce through bitter winter in an effort to reach and cross the Canadian border.

Chief Joseph's efforts to avoid conflict unless cornered, and how he still tried to lead his people to safety is a story of courage, betrayal and near extinction, written by an author who picks up on the soul and pain of this man--and his people--who must never be forgotten as a truly memorable part of indian courage and dignity. This is a book worth reading--and reading again.

author of THE SWAN: Tales of the Sacramento Valley

My ex-wife is of Chippewa descent and I have attended many pow-wows with her family. To see Native peoples drum, sing traditional songs and "fancy dance" is humbling and wonderful. A people united to reclaim a heritage stolen from them. Stolen by the pursuers of the Nez Perce, as told so purely in Kent Nerburn's book. Some of the examples of the elderly, pregnant and very young Nez Perce being terrified by the U.S. Cavalry's cannons are harrowing and hard to read. The idea of these people leaving their old, blind and mortally wounded alone on the trail to die by themselves with dignity, signing their death songs, is unimaginable. Joseph was never the "Chief" of the Nez Perce, as Nerburn clearly illustrates. That was a role fostered on him by the white press and politicians to create a cunning and evil adversary. Man, how things have not changed. Weapons of Mass Destruction anyone? And to my ex-wife, who inspired me to learn the real history of the Native American people, "I will fight no more forever."

A good book if you want to learn more details about the men from Easy Company. You should also read Dick Winter's books.

It is a good book, but the actual battles are not really in depth. If you are looking to learn more about the was battles don't buy this book. If you looking to learn more about Don Malarkey because you liked his character in the series then this is a must read.

Having read the "Band Of Brothers" by Ambrose and the books written by Maj. Dick Winters which were all great books and very interesting, Don Malarky also came up with a very good one. He sure lasted a lot longer in combat than the average infantryman. He seemed very conscientious in doing his job. I can relate to a lot of the situations that he was in. I was in "Easy Company" 318th Reg. 80th Division. Our 2nd Battalion was attached to the 4th Armored and made the contact to the 101st Div. at Bastogne. I've read most of the memoirs of the ETO fighting and this one rates among the best.

A good easy read and another great perspective of the efforts of the soldiers of the 101st. Not written as boldly as some other easy company author's work but a good read`all the same. When comparing you do however pick up on how the wars affect was different for the individual soldiers of easy co.

Excellent story and book. Sgt. Malarkey played a major role in the Band of Brothers which I have watched at least 10 times. My Uncle fought in the Battle of the Bulge yet seldom mentioned what he went through...except he had frost bite up past his ankles. He never mentioned his medals: Two Bronze Stars, Good Conduct Medal and the Victory Ribbons. We learned of these from the VA upon his death at the age of 95.

Thank you Sgt. Malarkey for writing this book.

A quick look at the back of the dust cover of "Fighting to Leave" will draw your eyes to numerous well written reviews by some very well known names in US Military history.

To quote one, reference is made to a well written recommendation by Captian Stuart D. Landersman, USN(Ret.), who writes:
"Few have had the range of Vietnam combat experience, and fewer yet have had the perspective and personal involvement, that allow Bob Stoffey to convey the details of sea, air and ground events in the final phase of the conflict. His descriptions are not from libraries of academia but from those who have been there and done that."

Get your personal copy of "Fighting to Leave" before they are sold out !!!

Extremely well written as well as historically accurate is just a few ways to describe Colonel Bob Stoffey's latest book "Fighting to Leave." Written by one of the US Marine's Top Combat Pilots, this exciting book will give you insights into the Vietnam War you've never heard of before.

Colonel Stoffey served three tours of duty in Vietnam, the first as a combat pilot, the last as a staff officer aboard the US Navy's Seventh Fleet Flag Ship, the USS Oklahoma City. From his keen knowledge of as well as insight to inner working of the US Navy, Dept of Defense and the entire political scene, Stoffey takes you through the final two years of America's involvement in Vietnam.

"Fighting to Leave" is destined to become one of the most read books covering Vietnam.

Clearly the finest book I have ever read involving America's involvement in Vietnam. Highly recommended... A must have !!!

"Fighting to Leave" is historically accurate and unlike most military history books it is written by someone who had his 'boots on the ground.'
Colonel R.E. Stoffey, one of the USMC's top Combat Pilot, who served three tours in Vietnam describes in intricate detail the final steps of America's involvement and exit from Vietnam in the early 1970's.

This book will answer a lot of questions !!!

"Fighting to Leave" is an extremely indepth, well thought out military history book written by one the US Marine's most highly decorated combat pilots. The book has received numerous accolades, a demonstrated by the numerous forwards and recommendations on his dustcover, including one from Vice Admiral E.S. Biggs, USN(Ret.) who writes:
"It is, foremost, a graphic history of courageous boots on the ground, intrepid aviators, gallant sailors, their innovative leaders of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, and their Republic of Vietnam comrades. They won the battles, yet the geopolitical structure failed to permit the unfettered offensive actions necessary for decisive victory or winning the peace. This is a book about the past, the present, and the future. We ought to take its message very seriously."

I love a good ghost story and really enjoyed this book but that said: sometimes it seemed like Domine forgot that he wasn't actually writing his "Kentucky Peasant" cookbook. Overly italicized, lavish descriptions of food, wine and KY bourbon often overpowered the true spirits of the story. And as much as I love all of these elements personally, I sometimes wondered where his true interests lay when publishing the finished product.

But highfalutin' language aside, as a former Old Louisvillian I am glad to see someone dedicating such time and research to the history of this decidedly spooky area. If you are into creepy stories then this book, as well as its Phantoms sequel, is definitely worth a read. Be advised there is a also a strange foreword, (somewhat creepy in its own right), perhaps best viewed as a form of comic relief if you find yourself getting too frightened halfway through.

Whatever its idiosyncrasies I do recommend this book to lovers of a good scary story, especially those who live or have lived in the Old Louisville Area.

Ghosts of Old Louisville by David Domine presents the haunted past of America's largest Victorian neighborhood in an entertaining and informative format. His unopinionated, objective way of fleshing out the stories of those residents who haven't quite yet vacated their former abodes in the magnificent historic preservation district known as Old Louisville makes this a unique and spellbinding collection of true ghost stories. When so many writers of ghost stories today simply rehash stories that have been around for generations, Domine has taken it upon himself to track down dozens of stories of true cases of hauntings in his adopted neighborhood that have previously remained hidden. What I like most about this book is the fact that the author kept my attention throughout the entire book. Each story is fascinating because of the paranormal aspect to it, but also because it brings in a large amount of local history, appetizing bits of architecture and colorful characters. Although I have never been to Old Louisville before, I feel as if I know this area intimately, and I cannot wait to 'return' to it. Domine includes a chapter about the interesting haunting in his own home, the Widmer House, which was built around 1895. This lends an extra bit of credibility to the book and adds a nice personal touch as well. If you like history and ghost stories, you can rest assured that this book will satisfy your cravings for both. The good news is that this book is only the first in a series of five that will some day document the extensive haunted history of Old Louisville. Volume II, Phantoms of Old Louisville: Ghostly Tales from America's Most Haunted Neighborhood, carries on the tradition of ghosty goings-on in this unique area and is just as captivating as the first.

Ghosts of Old Louisville is an excellent book from an author who has a highly entertaining writing style. Full of history and paranormal tales.

Rose Pressey
Author of "My Haunted Family"

I just finished reading this book last night. I felt that I needed to come express my opinion before it got pushed back into that recess of my brain that causes memory loss.

I must say that Mr. Domine's literary style is astute and never fails to keep the reader immersed in its depths at all times.

*begin spoiler*

Him sharing his story of having the hardwood floors in his home redone was one of my favorites. The way he described his thoughts and feelings while Lucy crept around his bed made me examine my own as I lay there reading (in the bed). He is blessed with the skill to give a description that shares his world to the reader for a short time.

*end spolier*

Not only is Mr. Domine an excellent writer, but he also seems a very likeable person. From his description of those days during, leading to, and after his encounters I found myself thinking "Wow, this would be a cool friend to have!".

Whilst reading this novel I imagined that the only things he loved more than the idea of the supernatural was his friends, animals, Louisville, fine drink and food. Probably in that order.

This piece of work has been very enjoyable. If you have any curiosity concerning the supernatural you need this book. I can't wait to aquire the rest of his novels and gobble them up!

I've also included a link to another one of David Domine's books that I intend to make my very next read.
Phantoms of Old Louisville: Ghostly Tales from America's Most Haunted Neighborhood

I live in Old Louisville and David Domine gives not only ghost stories, but what appears to be some researched history for this area which I found very interesting. One night when driving past the First Church of Christ, Scientist, I looked up at the stairs and could have sworn I saw "The Lady on the Stairs". I tried to pull over, but because of the traffic and the fact that it is a one-way street, by the time I got back around, she was gone. I loved the book and also read the next book, Phantoms of Old Louisville. I am awaiting the next book that I've heard rumor of.

One should read this book only after the first volume covering the years 1933-41. The story of Victor & Eva's survival of detention in the Jews' house, the Dresden bombing and subsequent wanderings stunned me. But Victor's courage in continuing his secret diary for 12 years comes through - as does his humanity ad personal growth.

The diary jotting sryle means you pick it up and read a section at a time, but you will most likely be drawn into finishing it within a short time.

And I will get the other years of this author's diary. This is not a fast paced WWII battle book; this is the diary of a poor soul who had to live through every moment of a terrible regime, to endure even more when he thought he'd reached his limit. If you're interested in what it was like to live day to day in Hitler's Germany (as a Jew or a gentile)--to understand what it was like to watch it begin and grow and eventually implode--this is an excellent read. I would say it is for those deeply interested in the psychology of the times; not a passing interest. I'll get the other books and read them in order of the years they cover. I really want to understand how the Third Reich could ever BE.

This is actually the second volume of Klemperer's diaries, published in two volumes. I highly recommend that you buy both volumes as a set and read from the beginning how a bureaucratic mindset advanced towards ultimate evil.

In the end, Klemperer's diary doesn't fully answer the haunting question, "How could it have happened?" But you will find some definitive answers here to questions that Holocaust scholars have debated over the years.

For example, Klemperer's experience answers the charge that virtually all Aryan Germans knew from the beginning exactly what the Third Reich's intentions were towards the Jews. Klemperer's actual interactions stand as refutation of this blanket indictment. Often when he visited Aryan acquaintances to conduct business - he would then jovially be invited to come back that evening for schnapps. Klemperer had to explain that he couldn't come back later for schnapps - that as a Jew, he was prohibited from boarding any vehicle of public transportation after 6:00 PM, that he had a general curfew, and that of course, he had long since been banned from owning his own car.

Klemperer was always circumspect in recounting these laws he labored under to his "Semitophile" acquaintances. (That's an awkward translation of the German phrase Klemperer probably used to refer to Aryans who were sympathetic to Jews. But it is perhaps the only word that was available to Martin Chalmers, who otherwise has produced a generally fluid translation of Klemperer's journals.) At any rate, Klemperer was careful never to appear too whining or too critical of the restrictions placed on him. He didn't want to alienate these Aryan allies. Nevertheless, he repeatedly found himself in the position of having to enlighten them about the government's latest round of restrictions. And his listeners were almost always genuinely surprised to hear about these laws. Their ignorance in the face of all the anti-Semitic propaganda blared daily from radios, blazoned from the newspapers, seemed to be more a function of people's tendency towards plodding self-preoccupation than an indication of any active complicity with the advancing evil.

I think you'll find that Klemperer's account also carries a very relevant warning to us in our current pursuit of terrorists at all costs. Klemperer survived the early rounds of call-ups for the concentration camps because he was a decorated World War I hero, and because he was married to an Aryan. For these reasons, he was given some initial grudging dispensation from the worst Nazi reprisals. However as the War progressed, his past service to Germany and his Aryan affiliation came to count for less and less. Finally his number was up and he, along with the last handful of Jews remaining around Dresden, were scheduled for transport. The only thing that saved him was the Allied bombing of Dresden. Most local Nazi records were destroyed in this notorious bombardment. So Klemperer and his wife, having survived the bombing, were also able to survive those last most brutal months of the Nazi regime by assuming new identities and wandering through the German countryside from town to town, passing themselves off as a typical displaced Aryan couple. If the Nazis' meticulous records (documenting family lineages and confirming who was where) had remained intact, Klemperer would certainly have been deported to the gas chambers.

So if you don't already have doubts about the increasing surveillance measures being taken in the U.S., presumably to guard against terrorists and other "evildoers" - reading these journals will give you pause. One of the lessons of Klemperer's journal is how tyranny proceeds by little increments of paperwork. Its power is in keeping tabs.

Klemperer risked his life to write the entries in these journals, because it eventually became a capital crime for a Jew to possess paper or any pen/pencil. So it feels almost sacrilegious to make any criticism of this supremely brave and literate account. However I do have one small criticism. And that is Klemperer's common masculine tendency to put his wife in the background of his life. Eva Klemperer comes off in the diary as a shadowy adjunct to the importance of Victor's work producing these pages.

She is mentioned, more frequently in the first volume of the diaries, but this mention is usually limited to reports of the fact that she had another hysterical fit that day, or that she engaged Victor in another round of angry lamentation, or that she suffered some physical malady. He does acknowledge her collaborative bravery. She also risked her life every time she smuggled the pages of his work out of their small assigned apartment into the hands of friends for safekeeping. But we never directly hear Eva's voice in all this. The reader is only left to guess at the actual substance of her outbursts.

You will probably feel impelled to read between the lines to flesh her out. Perhaps Eva wasn't the prettiest girl in school, so she took the one marriage proposal that came her way. She married the intellectually accomplished Victor. Victor was available because Aryan prejudice, even in those early years, already limited him socially. We can imagine her outbursts of recrimination as the Nazi noose grew tighter around their yoked necks. Why did you have to be Jewish? Why have you dragged me down with you? I could have led such a happy life. And instead, look at me - scrounging for rotten potatoes, under constant threat of beatings and death - and all because of you!

If only Eva had written her own diary, we might have had some additional fascinating insights into why and how a couple stays together under such trying circumstances. We might have gained a greater understanding of the ties of love and the chains of having nowhere else to go. As it is, we have only Victor's side of the story. But that is a powerful, must-read insight into how tyranny grows, brick-by-brick, petty edict by petty edict.

Victor Klemperer's diary of the years of the Hitler dictatorship and his recording of the day-to-day lives of the Jews of Dresden, his thoughtful and insightful commentary on the methods (particularly the language of the propaganda) of the Third Reich, the heart-wrenching stories of those who were taken away never to be seen again, his experience in the firebombing of Dresden in 1945 and his miraculous journey home should be required reading for everyone about the horrors of tyranny and war. It is also a tribute to the true human spirit and the power of the intellect. Klemperer never lost his determination to live, despite all the blows of terror that were aimed at him, his family, and his friends. That he believed there was something to live for--in the midst of utter barbarity--should inspire all of us to work for a better world. It did me.

A remarkable record of a dark time. Reading it gives one the courage to carry on in the dark times that have come again.

Because my friends all know what a book-hound I am, people often ask me what my all-time favorite book is. Admittedly the answer to this would change over time, but, at present, "I Will Bear Witness" is the one that first pops into my mind.

I found this very personal account of the days and nights of a German Jewish man--an inoffensive and formerly rather conservative German nationalist academic married to a Gentile--during the Nazi terror regime to be absolutely breathtaking. Indeed, I was so caught up in his account that I took an unexpected day of vacation from work just to not interrupt my reading once I had started.

Further, I found myself sprawled on my bed, as is sometimes customary with me, surrounded by ancillary books, atlases, and maps --a behavior that signifies I'm reading a book that has utterly gripped me and a book that is expanding my horizons.

Klemperer was (just barely) saved from being sent to a concentration camp due to his marriage to a non-Jew. However, he lived every day under the threat of torture and deportation to a camp and his journal tells of the years of grinding anxiety over his fate and the fate of his wife, friends, and relatives-many of whom were taken. It also speaks to the minutiae of life under the Nazi's--such things as their penchant for legalisms to justify their treatment of the Jews embodied in his incessant embroilment in Nazi demands that he take part in the legalisms of their confiscation of his property. Moreover, as the war draws to a close, he draws a stunning portrait of life as a war refugee--a picture that applies to war refugees the world over throughout time.

Kudos to those who elevated this book to number one among the history choices-it deserves it and in my mind deserves even more.

If I had to pick my favorite biography of all time, this would be it. It has of course as it's subject one of the most fasinating figures of all time. Although Winston is known primarally for his stand aganist Hitler, Manchester's book makes us realize that even if World War 2 had never occured he would still have expericenced one the most action filled and important lives of the twentith century. And Manchester has a real gift for making the past come alive. His masterful use of telling detals gives an almost tactial sense of what life must have been like in the Victorian and Edwarian ages. And there's another reason why the book is special. One of the themes is how often Churchill was mistunderstood and deried for his actions. He was widely blammed for the Gallilopi affare, for example, but the book makes clear that he had little to do with that misadventure. And there were many other episodes where he was villified and unfairly pillored. And I think that is someting we can all understand and identify with. Doesn't everyone at time feel thaat our actions,indeed our very selves are not understood by others? Winston suffered through this many times in his life, yet he remained true to him, his values, and his vision. Reading this book can give you courage.

The wonder of the Internet. I googled the New York Times Book Review of the Last Lion, Winston Spencer Churchill Visions of Glory written by William Manchester. What I read of this review dated May 25, 1983 rather stunned me. Ms. Michiko Kakutani wrote a very critical and to my way of thinking pedestrian review. I am currently a subscriber to this paper and read the New York Times Book Review faithfully every week. Good thing I was in Cleveland at this time and never read this review.
I read this book back in 2003 with only a cursory knowledge of Winston Churchill. I learned many things which included a rather hard childhood in a privileged family of aristocracy. Randolph Churchill married Jenny Jerome of America in 1874. Winston Spencer Leonard Churchill was born on November 30, 1874. God help us all!
William Manchester writes a splendid review of the life and times of Winston Churchill. His due diligence as to the historical narrative is indeed grand. The letters of Churchill to his parents when he matriculated at Harrow are priceless.
Manchester describes all from Churchill's years at Sandhurst to his excursions to the U.S.A. and Canada. From his service in the Calvary in Africa, India and onto the Boer War, Winston was indeed there on the ground.
His consistent promotion by his mother after his father's death is fully described. Also detailed is a life in upper class Victorian England. Ms. Kakutani thought that Manchester really had no concept of English life during this time frame. Oh really?!! Just what makes a 28 year old Japanese American journalist an expert on Victorian England? I found Manchester's descriptions and historical narrative of this time frame in Winston's life informative and entertaining. Martin Gilbert's narrative was informative and true but it lacked the style of Manchester's writing.
Manchester covers Winston's entry into the House of Commons and the offices he held in high government before during and after World I. This book represents Winston's first 58 years of life. Manchester has written a classic. Unfortunately he will not complete the full life of Mr. Churchill. His second book will cover his Wilderness Years through to the start of the Second World War. He never could finish the third book. I find Manchester's biography more interesting and informative than Martin Gilbert's "Churchill a Life". So Ms. Michiko Kakutani what do you think about them apples?

Manchester is one of those writers who appears unable to disappoint. This is a book to be read and savored. For years, it sat on my shelf - I saw as a large undertaking that I wanted to do right.

The book has a very interesting structure. First, it begins with a kind of interpretive introduction to the man, vividly characterizing him while also evaluating his strengths as a man of history and his glaring weaknesses. You see him, worts and all, and it is both funny and enlightening. The psychological depth is virtually unprecedented in any other bio I have read. Second, you get a view both into his milieu - as an aristocrat of talent and privilege in Victorian Britain - and a biography of both of his parents. This is crucially important, as we come to see Churchill as an anachronism, but also as a boy neglected by narcissistic parents. (Interestingly, the absence of one or both parents is a common trait in extraordinary achievers.) Third, you get his life story, more from the events he was involved in than as an intimate portrait, though much of his personal life is covered. Indeed, he used action as the most effective tonic against depression.

The man that emerges is flawed and complex, but evidently a political genius. In my view, the key to his character is that he remained a Victorian gentleman, who viewed martial valor as the greatest source of meaning and glory in life. This suited him to titanic struggles, such as the one he faced with Hitler that places him in the ranks of the greatest historical figures. As an egotist, he always wanted to place himself at the center of events and yet did so with courage and tenacity in spite of his physical weaknesses. When out of power, he exercised other gifts, such as writing, with equal talent and energy.

Nonetheless, Manchester proves that Churchill was not a politician deeply in touch with his constituency: he never developed a typical base of power and often his views did not synch with the mainstream. Without Hitler, his hour might never have arrived: this duality is a theme that runs through the entire book.

If there is any flaw here, it is that Manchester includes a plethora of detail, not only about world events but in Churchill's political maneuverings. Normally, I delight in these details, if I know there is a purpose to all of it, which I did not always sense in this book. (Here a comparison with Robert Caro is instructive: you always know where he is going and why.) Others may see it differently, of course. Also, many of the historical details I already knew, so did not need Manchester's wordy introductions, but they were useful in the many cases of which I was ignorant.

All in all, this is one of the most engrossing and fascinating bios I have ever read. Warmly recommended.

This is a truly *massive* work, equal parts scholarship and artistry. Though volume one runs close to a thousand pages (counting notes, sources, etc.), I finished reading it this afternoon after an off-and-on reading of about two weeks, and it just flew by. Manchester crafted this with such precision care that I fell into the narrative from page one.

The greatest strength of the book itself-- aside from it's subject-- is Manchester's gift of narrative. WC was the quintessential Victorian, as Manchester points out time and again throughout both volumes. It is only appropriate, then, that the author should give some feel of what it was like to live in the British Empire at the time of Queen Victoria. Some of the very best passages, in my opinion, deal with life during the last quarter-century of Victoria's reign. These are not mere digressions. These fascinating glimpses into WC's era help the reader to better understand Churchill himself, who was born a Victorian and remained one to his dying day.

Manchester provides insight into British colonial administration, life in the British Raj at the end of the 19th century, and the upper class's attitudes toward sexuality and marriage. While this is fascinating in itself, Manchester goes even further and weaves a vivid tapestry of politics, history, and culture through his use of personal correspondence. It is his exhaustive use of personal correspondence-- between WC and his parents, WC and his wife and children, WC and Members of Parliament, and between all sorts of people talking about Churchill and the events in which he was caught up--- that this gives Manchester's work the feeling, not of history or even biography, but of a life too large to have been lived by one man.

well this is the first book i read on winston churchill . bought it in 1983 . the foreword is unforgettable but historical mistakes in it makes this work not the very best on the luife of sir winston. great prose nevetheless.same can be said of book number two.

i purchased two of these...one for my brother and one for myself. it is incredible to study the patterns inside to see what a real designer is made of. no need for embellishments and fluff...it's all in the cut and shows a true genius at work. probably claire mc cardell is one of the other masters of manipulating fabric this way and sadly she is also all but forgotten. wish there were other books that had patterns and sewing instructions like the vionnet...there would be no way to figure out the construction. i am an ex bra designer and realize the difficulty of these designs and will construct one of these in the future.

Es lo mejor que he tenido , el libro de un diseñador donde estan patrones, diseños y fotos...que mas se puede pedir!
Ojala se hicieran mas libros como este .
España,profesion: patronista

This is an outstanding book on a revolutionary designer. Wonderful photos, and "patterns" from the clothing. the only problem is Kirke never bothers to tell you what the scale is, so making these patterns is almost impossible. Her directions for making the patterns are laughable. The patterns are white lines on black. Why include patterns if you aren't going to put them in a usable form? There are people out there who can and have made clothing from this book. You will have to be very smart and well trained to do so. that said it is still one of the best books on a fashion designer I have seen.

Maybe Kirke will redesign the book with the pattern section properly done. Then the book would be worth more then $100.

This book is even better than I hoped. The photographs are stellar and for some designs - a bird's eye view of the pattern peices are included. Try to wrap your head around those non-conventional cutting techniques! I bought this for myself but this would be an excellent gift for someone interested in Fashion History, Fashion Design, Fine / Decorative Arts, etc. Super-Gorgeous book!

A great book on Vionnet's work and life. It has a lot of sewing patterns with instuctions from the WWI era to late 1930's; the patterns include day and evening dresses and frocks, capes and coats, slips and pajamas. Plus there a lot more pictures of Vionnet's clothing. The perfect gift for a fashion student. It is a pity that you do not hear so much about her.

Masters: Art Quilts from Lark Books is a sumptuous visual feast for quilters and non-quilters alike. The gorgeous work featured is innovative and inspiring, and the profiles of each of the 40 featured quilters adds enormous depth to the entire presentation. This beautiful coffee-table release deserves a place of honor in your living room. Don't miss out! I'm also very excited about another release in Lark's groundbreaking Masters series: Masters: Beadweaving Masters: Beadweaving: Major Works by Leading Artists (The Masters), curated by eminent beadweaver Carol Wilcox Wells.

This book is full of inspiration for the adventurous quilter. The photographs are really great.

As reviewed in Melisse Laing's "Stitches & Stuff" column in The Daily News, Longview, WA on August 26, 2008:
"Masters: Art Quilts" by Martha Sielman is a collection of the works of 41 artists who are working today as art quilters. Many are well known - Jane Sassaman, Hollis Chatelain, Yvonne Porcella, Caryl Bryer Fallert, to name a few.
Others you will enjoy getting to know as you read brief biographies and comments from the artists and see color photographs of their works.

This book is one of the best I have seen on contemporary quilt making. Martha Sielman chose the creme de la creme of the quilting world to include in the book- an arduous and difficult task I think! This is a book that you will look at again & again and always find something new. Fabulous! Well done! A must have for any contemporary quilter's library. Also, I think, a "must have" for libraries....come to think of it !

"Masters: Art Quilts" is one of the most fantastic books I've ever seen; incredible photo imaging, wonderful commentaries about the artists, and the book is beautifully organized. "Masters" is inspirational - think of it as artistic "eye candy",,,,,, I'll treasure it forever ! Congratulations to Studio Art Quilts Associates (S.A.Q.A.) executive director, Martha Sielman, for providing all of us with such an outstanding book ! Kathy Harte, From the Harte Design Studio, Anchorage, Alaska

I read a lot about the Michael Jackson case and most of the time, everything written about it is superficial and redundant: reporters repeating the same lines over and over without thiking about it. I was pretty convinced about Michael's guilt. With the information broadcasted by the media, all pointed out to that conclusion. I was naive to think that we were well informed. This book, to my surprise, brings up new facts that were brought in the trial, facts that, you would think, everybody should know. As I read the lines, I just couldn't believe it! How come nobody mentionned it? To prevent from revealing interesting details from the book, I won't divulge it here, but I can say that now: Michael Jackson won that trial because facts proved his innocence.

I must say, that before I bought this book I was a little apprehensive. A media person commenting on the case. I figured it would just be another book bashing MJ. Much to my surprise the book gave a non-biased point of view of the actual occurances inside that courtroom. I have watched and read the cases in many criminal trials. NEVER have I seen the media, law enforcement, the D.A., and such an immoral, resprehensible group of people (the Arvizos), go to such lengths to destroy another person all for the sake of money.
What was done to Michael Jackson I would never wish on my worst enemy. I was so sad and so angry at the lies that were being told. At how this family tricked their way into his home, how they ransacked his home, and how they grifted money from several celebrities. What hurt me the most was that his mother had to sit through every vile detail that was made about his personal life and alleged relationship with the Arvizo boy. After reading this book, you will understand why the jury found MJ NOT GUILTY on all criminal and misdemeanor charges.
I must commend Aphrodite Jones for having the courage to write this book. Everyone in the media shunned her and refused to publish it. They only wanted to hear the negative. They didn't care about the real facts. Remember Ms. Jones is one of those media people who was "out to get Michael Jackson" also. But after sitting through the trial, and listening to the testimony she had a change of heart. What you saw on CourtTV was a biased, slanted point of view. After reading this book, I believe many people will change their negative opinions of Michael Jackson.

Wonderful. That's the only word I can use to describe this book. If you want to know why it's wonderful, BUY IT!!! It's definitely worth the money!!

And one last thing... MICHAEL JACKSON IS 100% INNOCENT!

I trust this author. She went into the court room a full fledged believer in the accusations and left dumb found. A few years later wrote this book.
Mr. Jackson is an easy target for indictments. He wears more make-up than the Avon lady and he dresses like Captain Crunch. He is not your average "Joe".
I don't know for sure that he didn't do these terrible things. Nobody does really except for him-- and of course the accusers.
What I do know, is he has been very loving to those who know him well and to those who don't, and enormously generous giving over 300 million dollars to charities around the world.
Lets face it your gonna believe what you wanna believe. But if you are really in search of the truth behind all the speculations and sensationalisms that have surrounded this famous case pick this up. My heart broke for him, and yours will too.

A book to own for an MJ fan, it is full of anecdotes and it tells the truth with reliable sources: the woman who attended the trial herself!! It's a mine of information, really worth your money.

This book is a real labor of love. Dr. Dusleag tells the story of his grandfather and the persecution he endured. Dr. Stroia overcame his horrible experiences and left a legacy behind in the journal that he kept, at great risk to his physical well being and that of his family. His grandson followed in his footsteps by visiting the sites mentioned in the journal, taking pictures and documenting his research. He used the journal as well as his memories of his grandfather to inspire his own life. This is a very good book indeed and I highly recommend it to anyone, but particularly to those with an interest in history.

Stanciu Stroia's memoirs are very important to all of us, because they help us understand what went on in Romania and throughout Eastern Europe before 1945, and what followed the fall of Communism in 1989. The book's web site [...] in itself is a valuable document.

I've read several books by political prisoners of the Romanian regime. This one does not discuss as much the details of the physical horrors of the prisons. The concept of a person being visited by the securitate late at night, put into prison for years, and familial contacts severed, is horrible enough. This story is told by a doctor, who by very nature is compassionate and sworn by oath to heal others. Dr. Stroia lived by that oath. In the book he mentions a prison doctor who "prescribed" that his patient throw himself onto the barbed wire as a cure for depression. The patient followed his doctor's orders and was shot. Dr. Stroia's humanity not only remained intact, but it grew. His "second university" tore a giant chasm in his life, but his inner strength carried him through.

This story is extremely important today, helping us to understand more about what happened in Eastern Europe and why there is still much of a struggle there since 1989. I think in the US we have tended to think "Oh good! Communism has toppled and everything will be just fine." The scars of a monstrous regime run deep and don't go away easily. We also must look at ourselves to make sure that we don't create a system that is not accountable to the people it governs. This exceptional story shows us that pride, integrity, and compassion are necessary to carry us through evil times and leave us intact on the other side. I highly recommend this very readable addition to the literature on Romania's modern history.

The book was exceptional in its treatment of how life in a Romanian communist prison must have felt on a personal level. It seemed as if Dr. Stroia was speaking directly to me (and all readers) personally through his grandson, telling me something about what that life was like for these prisoners. I cannot even imagine, however, what life must have been like for him as each of the things he did mention must have been repeated so many more times than he recalled, over and over again, day in and day out, for seven long years!

Without dwelling on the cruelty of the prison guards, he managed to give me enough of an idea to read between the lines of the events he chose to include in his journal (and in the book). I am not ashamed to admit that I cried at times while reading his story ... especially whenever he got his hopes up, only to be shattered by his oppressors ... or to hear how little they cared about his health. Imagine a doctor, knowing what was happening internally, and being unable to do anything to stop his slow deterioration through continued scurvy and hypertension.

His was a gentle, quiet condemnation of what some human beings are willing to force another human to endure ... and also a loud voice proclaiming the human spirit of this man to endure and overcome an adversity that was forced upon him without justification! He and others like him are the true heroes ... in every sense of the word! I can only wish I had known Dr. Stroia in real life ... he'd have so many things to teach me, I'm sure, about living.

A wonderful book and one that I'd recommend to anyone!

I have read My Second University, which told the story of a man with strength of character that all of us should strive to achieve. As a doctor he was taught "to do no harm". Whether he was born with that humane instinct or acquired it after medical training is not important. What is important is how noble a man can remain after a period of harsh confinement. His life is a testament to our best possible behavior that few of us live up to. Not only did he defeat his enemies in his life time, he also left a legacy for his grandson to emulate. What more could a grandfather do for his grandson? From a man whose life has been enriched by reading about a human being of regal character,
Joe Garcia, Lakewood, Ohio.