History Books

The Food Journal of Lewis and Clark is a remarkable book, part history text and part cook book. The author outlines the trail and some of the main events that the members of the expedition experienced. This information is illustrated with maps and fully annotated with references. Within this information, the author includes food lists and notations that show the types of food that the crew actually ate while making their trek. This information is then used to deduce the types of meals and even the actual recipes that might have been used.

I think that this publication is a fabulous idea that allows people to actually experience a little piece of history. It is one thing to read about new and interesting aspects of history but it is quite another to actually create a dish or a meal in order to actually experience what life might have been like for these individuals. It is no wonder that this book has won all sorts of awards: Winner of the Midwest Independent Publishers Association Book Achievement Awards, 2004 Independent Publisher's Outstanding Book of the Year, and the Benjamin Franklin Award.

This book is one of the finest I have seen in a long time. It is a beautiful book - finely organized and elegantly presented. The unique feature of this book is that it not only presents recipes that the Voyage of Discovery used, it also places them in historical context. This is a truly fascinating book and an outstanding value.

We have introduced this book to our Cub Scout Pack and our Boy Scout Troop. It has turned out to be a hit with the boys. They really enjoy trying the different recipes and are excited about reading the history that accompanies their choices. In other words, they are learning and do not realize it because of the fun and enjoyment they are experiencing. That alone should speak volumes about this book.

Much more than a cookbook, Gunderson's book is a history lesson, sharing the words and thoughts of Lewis and Clark and how they managed their journey without the cooking conveniences we depend on today. The recipes are intriguing and easy-to-read and the journal entries make the book come alive. What a wonderful way to learn about Lewis and Clark - through cooking!

This book's a gem, both history-wise and food-wise (I have another Lewis & Clark cookbook, it pales in comparison on both counts). The history is woven throughout the book in easy-to-swallow bits and bites. The recipes are very do-able, easy even, in home kitchens. I expected some 'weird' ingredients but there are none. Definitely a recommendation for cooks along the Expedition route but interesting for lots of folks, I think.

As a teacher of U.S. history with a special emphasis on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, I would highly recommend Mary Gunderson's "The Food Journal of Lewis & Clark". One of the most interesting aspects of U.S. history is the type of food eaten by our ancestors. This wonderful book not only shows us what the Corps of Discovery ate, but also how they prepared and enjoyed their meals. Two hundred years later American students are making these meals and learning that this expedition wouldn't have made it without this great food.

I bought this book for one story but it turned out all of the stories were great.

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings always makes me cry. The other reviews of this book here describe it so eloquently and throughly that I don't feel the need to add to that aspect. The book has a strong emotional pull that made me cry and made long to go to Cross Creek and see it for myself. Rawlings is one of my all-time favorite writers, ever since my seventh-grade teacher read the newly published book The Yearling to her class, a chapter or two each day after lunch.

Wonderful view of an isolated place in FL (near Gainesville) circa 1930 written by a brave, independent woman.

Cross Creek is a series of entertaining if perhaps embellished anecdotes relating to Florida in the years preceding World War II told from the perspective of a educated emigré from the North. Some of the language, which was typical of the times, would no longer be considered politically correct and might be offensive to some. The book, however is totally delightful and gives some insight into life in rural Florida at the time. An excellent companion read is Tom Glisson's The Creek, which gives a native's view of the same time and area. Both books are a must read if you live or are interested in North Central FL.

Rawlings explores the lives and interations of the odd assortment of people living in Cross Creek, Florida in the early 1900s. It is often assigned reading for teens, but I doubt that most of them can appreciate it. Her accounts of neighbors feuding and subsistance living gives us many lessons in human behavior.
The lyrical descriptions of wildlife and the orange groves and wild landscape are very appealing. Your mouth waters as you read her essays on downhome foods like hush puppies. She turned those into a cookbook which I'll have to try out.
Modern readers squirm uncomfortably at her use of the N----- word and her characterization of blacks as irresponsible, drunken, immoral, etc. It is probably a faithful representation of common thinking at the time it was written, so recognize it as a snapshot of the times. Then move past that to luxuriate in the beautiful passages in the book. (I deducted 1 star for this)
The reader becomes absorbed in Rawlings' love of the land and the creation of a home. It gives much the same feelings as A Year in Provence or Under a Tuscan Sun.

I purchased this book as a gift for my father, who is an architect that studied under a protege of Saarinen. He loves it!!! He stayed up all night reading it and it has inspired him to go in new directions with his designs. An excellent gift/coffee table book.

I found this book intriguing for several reasons, none the least of which was the architecture. But furthermore the discourse regarding the real and perceived boundaries surrounding the issue of humanitarian shelters is one wildly fascinating to me - as we seem to be grappling with it within our own American borders as opposed to just impoverished third world countries. Also the epic political and logistical sagas of humanitarian efforts to provide shelter are enough material for another volume of their own. Well organized and well written in easy to follow case study format. A truly thought provoking piece proving that the resolution of one of the most basic human needs continues to require our attention and effort.

Okay, so I havent actually read the book but Cameron Sinclair came to my school a month ago to give a lecture based on the book. It was one of the most motivating and perspective changing experiences that Ive ever had. It gave me a totally new perspective on architecture. People in studio were pinning up signs on their boards that said "Design Like You Give a Damn." Cameron Sinclair is an amazing guy. He started off the lecture talking about how he got out of architecture school and was completely dissatisfied with being a "CAD monkey," so he quit, raised money for the poor and distressed, and designed and built places for them with the money. anyways...just buy this and im going to buy it too

We purchased this book for our son. He is deeply committed to 'green' projects. This will give him testimonials of others in his field to aid him in his own work for clients who have the desire to lessen their carbon footprint.

Sincerely,
F. Albuquerque

Great book. Very cool practical applications to problems using environmentally sound solutions. Beautiful pictures and I especially liked the $8 tent clip. Brilliant.

I was utterly fascinated by the material presented here. I was quite suprised to find material I had never written since i have written every major work done on the Nazis.

Although it concentrates on the top leadership below Hitler (Goring, Goebbels, Ribbentrop, Himmler, it also details Hitler's actions and leadership as a backdrop. From reading this, you really get a vivid depiction of his key henchmen and the complex intrigues among them.

Well-written, well-researched, and most impressive was how the plot weaves back and forth from Goring to Goebbels to other latecomers to the upper tier of leadersjip such as Speer, Borman,etc.

Brilliant historical work....

An excellent, well-written book that strays from the usual history of Nazi Germany by focusing not on Hitler but on his henchmen. Indeed, Hitler is almost a bit player for most of the first half of the book. Fascinating detail on the private lives and ambitions of Goering, Goebbels, Himmler, etc.
It is very well written and almost gripping, at times. He does have one little quirk, which is to occasionally throw in some very modern idiom, but it does not detract and is actually kind of fun.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to move beyond the basic histories of the Third Reich and find out about the strong-willed but self-serving and amoral men who worked out the revolting details of Hitler's regime.

This book is a MUST read for anyone truly wanting to know how it was possible for a man who had and was nothing (homeless, penniless and without friends) to become the most powerful and feared man in the world who controlled a vast empire and millions of people. The author does an EXCELLENT job of keeping the reader's attention and interest. It is difficult to put this book down. It read easily and smoothly. There are lots of details but that does not bog the reader down....it simply flows and stays interesting. The author gives equal time and details about many of Hitler's Inner Circle men, especially, Goebbels, Goring and Himmler. Without the work, talent, energy and loyalty of these men there is not doubt that Hitler would never have become who he was!

Here is an outstanding exhaustively researched account of all the key players in Hitler's Third Reich. Without the help of these men, Hitler would not have come to power, let alone been a politician worthy of mention. It is interesting to read how at least one among his entourage did not want war, and how his stubbornness and hubris changed the course of history. A must read not only for those who are interested in the tumultous events of the 20th Century, but those in leadership positions in politics and other fields, or those aspiring to be in that position.

I have read over 100 books covering the Nazi period, including reading William Shirers book, Rise and Fall of the Third Reich,three times. During this last 10 years every book I read was compared with Shirers. This is book by Anthony Read is perhaps equal or better than Shirers because its both a history book and a concise biography of the main "devil's disciples". This book at 900 pages provides more understanding of events than Shirer achieved in his 1600 pages although Shirer delivered a masterpiece. The reason for this is may be that Shirer in writing in 1958-60 did not have access to some of the detailed later sources as Anthony Read has. What makes this book so great is that Read spends great effort to explain the "Why & How" in addition to the "Who, What, Where, When" covered by most historians. This book provides insight into the squable that Goebbels had with Gregor Strasser that made it easier for Hitler to drive a wedge between Strasser and Goebbels who were very thick in the beginning and might have eventually split the Nazi's Berlin northern group from the Nazi's Munich "mafia" group.
This book gives a greater understanding of Gorings love and devotion to his first wife, Carin, than I got from reading a well researched biography of Hermann Goring by another author. Carin's death has been explained in other sources as: TB, epilepsy, heart failure. AR explains how they were all connected. Hermanns love for her explains why her son, Thomas, from her first marriage was so devoted to Goring.
The book also explains how crafty Hitler was in engaging many of the other political parties before backing out of any commitment at the 11th hour after the other parties were forced to disclose that most of them needed Hitler's Nazi Reichstag delegates more than the Nazis needed them. This book contains many more facts that help the reader understand the personal motives behind most of the intrigues of the main characters.
Goebbels, the proverbial womanizer, should never gotten married but with the death of Goring's wide Carin, it appears Goebbels saw an opportunity to help himself to the spotlight by marrying the beautiful and rich divorcee, Magda, so he could take over the entertainment of Hitler on his trips up to Berlin.
The book deserves 6 stars and is like drinking from a firehouse to cover more in 900 pages than 1600. I'll gladly read this again.

This is a must read for anyone who grew up watching The Twilight Zone. It's a comprehensive, behind the secens look at the spine-tingling tales that helped shape our way of looking at the world through a different dimension.

I highly recommend this rarity of a book! My favorite part was the 8 page interview with Bill Mumy who played in three episodes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE "Long Distance Call," "It's a Good Life" and "In Praise of Pip." - Three of my favorites. I really enjoyed the never before scene pictures of him as well. Also, another perk for me was the pic of Terry Burnham who starred in the episode "Nightmare as a Child" which would have to be one of the scariest episodes as well. I got a kick out of Bill and Terry both being in THE TWILIGHT ZONE since they both starred in one of my favorite childhood movies FOR THE LOVE OF WILLADEAN. All and all, this book is a must to THE TWILIGHT ZONE fan! It's chocked full of everything you could ever want to know about the episodes, behind the scenes and more! I just love this book and found out information on so many of my other favorite episodes. This was one of the best shows ever created for television and this book does it justice. Rod Serling would be proud of it, indeed! It's beyond another dimension!

This is a great book of the behind the scenes with many photos and insights from those around Rod Serling during the creation of the series and effects on the world because of it.

Any book about The Twilight Zone has big shoes to fill. Marc Scott Zicree's The Twilight Zone Companion is the bible of The Twilight Zone and, moreover, one of the great books about a television show--any television show. Still, give Mr. Stanyard his due, this is a pretty good book.

Wisely, Mr. Stanyard has followed a different path that Zicree. After a few early chapters on history and analysis of the show, the bulk of the book is taken up by interviews. Over 150 pages of interviews with nearly 40 people involved in the show on various levels, from relatives like Carol and Robert Serling, to writers (Matheson, Hamner, etc.), actors, producers and directors. The last pages are a series of "appreciation essays" written by various people who feel their lives have been impacted by the show as well as speculations by people who knew him of what Rod Serling might have achieved had he lived longer.

Mr. Stanyard has also included a number of interesting photos and a few documents like letters and contracts. Most of the photos are backstage photos from the author's own (inherited) collection. This actually poses a bit of problem. Since the photos Stanyard received cover only a fraction of the episodes, there is a lot of repetition from certain episodes and a whole slew of some very great episodes that have no pictures.

In fact, if I were going to nail down one weakness in the book, it's repetition. Besides the pictures, the interviews also end up being somewhat repetitive as many of the people interviewed have very similar words of praise and descriptions of the show. We're all fans of the show but, with rare exception, the interviews are variations on a theme with not as much enlightenment as I was hoping for.

Still, for a fan of The Twilight Zone this is a difficult book to pass by. There are enough pleasures here to make spending time with this volume worthwhile. For newcomers to the series, I would suggest Zicree's book first.

First the plus: The interviews with cast and crew are extremely valuable. While the stars may drag on and on about the smallest thing and half of what they say isn't anything informative, the interviews alone are worth the purchase price. The photographs are the best you'll find in any book. Superbly reproduced from the author's private collection and he chose the best.

Now the negative: the history of the series is more of a salute than fact and what little he does feature isn't accurate. His bibliography cites only half a dozen sources and sadly this includes a web-site and Marc Scott Zicree's book which is loaded with errors.

While the author did not do any homework, don't let this book get away from you. Photos and interviews are a must. In short, it is not a perfect companion to consult, but it is a coffee table book.

Only reason I say this is the second best book ever written about Twilight Zone, is because Amazon.com offers the best book. THE TWILIGHT ZONE: UNLOCKING THE DOOR TO A TELEVISION CLASSIC by Martin Grams Jnr. which covers the entire series with 800 plus pages of behind-the-scenes trivia, exclusive interviews with cast and crew and a detail level will exceed anyone's expectation. If you are looking for a book that covers "everything" about the TV series, the Grams book is the one to invest.

Closing comment: Both this is the Grams book floored me. Exceeded my expectations and are worth the purchase price. Only books on Twilight Zone to ever do that and I have every book about Twilight Zone ever written so I know what I am talking about.

I read this book about twenty years ago, and the images never left me. I started using this book in my classroom when I taught Animal Farm about ten years ago. My students are always shocked that these events took place and how the people survived or didn't survive such austere conditions. The book is easy to read and understand.

When Hitler was asked about the possible negative consequences of the "final solution" in gassing all the remaining Jews in the world, he is reported to have responded by asking the question of "Who remembers the Armenians" who were killed by the "young Turks" at the end of the Ottoman Empire. While the numbers are in dispute, the reality is that over a million were killed outright or died of hunger during the campaign to exterminate the Armenians. But the real hidden holocaust took place over a decade later, when the Communist jackals running the "Evil Empire" in Moscow set about to eliminate the Ukrainians by systematic starvation, in far greater numbers than Hitler was able to accomplish with his ovens in concentration camps all over Europe.
Whoever Miron Dolot is, since he wrote this under a pseudonym for some reason, he lived a horror for many years that is incomprehensible for normal human beings. His description of the day-to-day struggle to exist under a system so evil that it boggles the imagination was very eloquent. Dolot talks about the neighbors who starved to death, families who engaged in cannibalism in order to survive, mothers committing suicide after the last of their children had died from malnutrition, frozen bodies stacked like firewood, roads littered with the remains of those who died trying to find a kernel of corn to ingest, and many other horrors that bring tears to your eyes. The Soviets did everything they could do to kill their opposition, including killing dogs and cats to keep them from becoming the last remaining food source for farmers who had no other option to stay alive. Even birds were shot from the trees to keep them from the starving peasants. But it was not limited to the Ukrainians; just ask the relatives of the millions of Chechens, Ingushetian's, and others who wanted independence and were rewarded with death in Soviet concentration camps called Gulags. Most of this story deals with a small Ukrainian village, but it is a microcosm of what happened in the Communist utopia under Stalin. Some of the stories from those who returned to the village after the horrors of being transported in cattle cars and escaped from the gulags are no different than the pictures of the same form of transport shown in many Holocaust movies.
But this story is far better than many of the holocaust films we have seen from Hollywood that concentrated on the one committed by Hitler. And why have we not seen this book on film to put all of the holocausts committed in the last century in context? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that McCarthyism still exists in its original form, when the communists controlled Hollywood in the 30's and apologists like Walter Duranty of the New York Times, who carries the label of "Stalin's Apologist" won a Pulitzer prize for his misreporting from Moscow about how great Stalin was. Ken Billingsley and his masterful book "Hollywood Party" shows that the real "blacklist" existed when loyal Americans veered from Moscow's party line, and explains Ronald Reagan's contempt for the communists who controlled his union until he won election to rid the union of these lice.
This is a great book. Hopefully someone like Mel Gibson will convert this to film for those who do not read, but are mislead by the Hollywood elite who condemn the USA and would have lasted two minutes under the Stalinist regime they glorify.

This book is a record of what some daily life was like in the Ukrainian villages during the Great Famine.
It is his memoirs, so it cant really be judged for facts and such, but it seems very intresting to read, and accurate.
The numbers couldt be a tiny bit too high, but it might actually have been that, but we will never know due to the destruction of any documents concerning mass death in The Famine.
I say its a good book, but would only recommend it too people intrested in Russian History specifically, because its such a specific and narrow read on a subject, from a first hand account, which usually dont know everything. There are better academic books out there documenting the famine well, but this is nontheless a good read and history.

Excellent first hand account of the attempts of collectivization under Stalin; attempts that met with little or no success. I earned and received a Bachelor of Arts in History and this subject was never covered as well as it should have been. The "less hidden" Holocaust always seems to take center stage in this society. I became interested in the subject due to the flight of my paternal grandparents from the affected area prior to the full onslaught being felt.

It seems impossible that, in a place comparable to the American Midwest for rich soil, that the people who live there, millions of them, starve to death in spite of the bounty of their land. But their Ukrainian farms are collectivized by orders from faraway Moscow. The food is shipped to wherever the authorities decide it will go. This is not a dry history of bushels shipped and numbers of private farms collectivized, but a compelling depiction of lives progressively ruined as an ideology takes over. Families who resist collectivation are demonized as dirty, selfish kulaks, and are punished. The promises to the communities sound good, early on, but the resulting devastation of the Ukrainianian people that results ultimately reveals that there was not much in it for the people who worked the land.

The two set series is absolutely awesome! They provide detail pics and pics of actual existing garments. I purchased these two books based on other's reviews and was very pleased when I found out what was inside the pages. I return to these again and again for historical reference, inspiration and pleasure.

Purusing these two books is a delightful experience. Anyone with an appreciation for fashion and clothing created in the 17th - 20th centuries will be amazed at the care and keeping the pieces in the Kyoto Museum's collection have received. The close-up photography reveals the marvel of the handwork and creation of each design, and each piece is a wonderful representation of its era. And the price of the set was unbelievable!! All around, a wonderful find and a keeper.

I own the one volume book in paperback.
In comparing the two books side by side they are nearly identical!
But the two volume set is missing 14 pages that appear in the copy that I own! Most of the images are just close-ups of the garments, one set is a period illustration from Diderot, but some are garments completely omitted. The 20th century fashion is all complete though.
So you have a toss up choice, larger photos or more photos. otherwise they are identical!

4 out of 5 stars because of those missing pictures.

This set of books is absolutely stunning. I paid NZ$150 (around US$90)at a bookstore here in New Zealand and volume 1 alone is worth every penny of the sale price.
If you're interested in historical costume, you won't regret this purchase.

Due to the publisher not anticipating the demand for this set of books it took me just over a year to acquire my copy. It was more than worth the wait. The photography is stunning. If you have an interest in costuming
add this book to your collection without delay.

I lived thru this area and like today information was subject to national bias so this was the rest of the story particularly the divided ideas in Japan.

One of the very best books I have read on these fateful years, in a true Kershaw tradition. Very well researched and highly recommended.

I have read many WWII military history books, and this was a nice complement in that it provides some of the background that led to the action in WWII. Well-written and researched.

This is a book which looks at ten decisions taken between 1940 and 1941 which affected the course of the Second World War. Rather than an alternative history it looks at each decision and the logic for it. It is worthwhile looking at one example to see the books method.

For instance Hitler's decision to invade the Soviet Union in retrospect seems outrageous folly. Look at what happened to Charles XII of Sweden and Napoleon. Both led armies into the depth of Russia and were defeated by "General Winter." The size of the Soviet Union made landing a knock out blow impossible and Germany was drawn into a war of attrition which it lost just like Charles and Napoleon.

The genius of this book is to show how in the context of 1941 things looked different. Germany had defeated France in 1940 and occupied its north. Britain although undefeated was not able to put an army on European soil which could match Germany's. Germany (which had absorbed Austria) had as allies Italy, Hungary, Romania and Finland. In the First World War Germany with the support of the Austrian Empire had been able to defeat Imperial Russia whilst it had the majority of its army on the Western Front. It now could devote the majority of its army to the Russian operation and had more allies plus the resources of Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Balkans, France and Denmark. Thus in 1941 Germany looked back on the victory in 1917 knowing that it was infinity stronger being able to put an army of 3 million into the field. Germany also felt that its army was highly trained and operationally streets ahead of the Soviets who had struggled to defeat tiny Finland.

In fact the conventional wisdom in 1941 was that the Soviets would be defeated quickly and that Germany would then have a vast new colonial empire that could be used to build up its air force and navy to defeat Britain to ward off America.

Kershaw shoes how Hitler grappled with the problem of what to do after the defeat of France. To invade England was well nigh impossible because of its naval strength. If the Germans could get an army ashore there would be no way to supply it and it would be defeated. To build up naval superiority if possible would take years. To wage a Mediterranean strategy was also difficult. The logical first step would be to seize Gibraltar so that Britain could be denied access to the Mediterranean and Egypt would be isolated. This would also give some chance for uniting the Italian and German Fleets. The problem was how to make up a coalition of forces? Spain would only enter the war if it got the French colonial possessions in North Africa. This would alienate the Vichy Regime and possibly the French Fleet would join the British. All in all, although it now seems weird to Hitler the invasion of the Soviet Union was the easiest strategy and the most likely to lead to victory.

In a similar way Britains decision to fight on in 1940 seems to be an act of gallant folly. One that was good for the world and reflective of Churchillian bravery. Yet in the context of the time there was some discussion about seeking terms. The reality was that any terms were likely to simply weaken Britain's military position and lead not to peace but an eventual subjugation to Germany. Fighting on was the only real option.

The brilliance of this book is that it is able to put each of these 10 decisions into the context of the time and to show the mind set of those who made the decision. It is not only a powerful work but also something of a page turner.

For those familiar with Kershaw primarily through his definitive two-volume biography of Adolf Hitler, 'Fateful Choices' might seem, at first glance, like a comparatively light-weight book with a 'what-if' gimmick at its core: what if England had sought a negotiated peace with Germany, what if Japan had not attacked Pearl Harbor, etc. But Kershaw is not a light-weight historian, and he uses the book's structure as a series of teaching moments about key turning points in the course of the war. His discussion of the debates inside Churchill's war cabinet are fascinating reading for those familiar only with Churchill's public pronouncements that England would never back down: Kershaw weighs in on the various arguments of the participants and even gives a fair hearing to the reasoning of those who were ultimately on the wrong side of history. The book also brings up less well known but equally fascinating turns of events such as Italy's unilateral decision to invade Greece, which opened up yet another front in an already sprawling world conflict. This book is probably best read by people who already have a certain familiarity with the major events and figures of the period, but it would also be highly recommended for students enrolled in college courses on modern European history, where outcomes are all too often presented as fait accompli. Kershaw shows that history frequently turns on individual decisions made by individual people, and he does so with vigor, authority, and grace.

My wife's grandfather had been through the battle of Shiloh with the 35th Tennessee Rifles, and was almost killed afterward at Corinth. He had seen the elephant, so to speak, and when his grandaughter asked if he had ever killed anyone, he simply said, "Oh, I hope not." This terrific, detailed story of Porter Alexander's service, as told to his daughters, is similar, I think...it is thoughtful, and without malice toward his adversaries. In fact, Alexander is to be given credit for 'charity towards all, and malice toward none" in his fair, open account. He genuinely liked his old classmates, and they, him. The fact that the reunited country could put him to work in its service says volumes about the character of the man.

What started out as a concession to his daughters became the best description of the Army of Northern Virginia's campaign, ever, in my humble opinon. His candor and even his humor sneaks in constantly, and we find ourselves riding and walking beside him...and, I suspect, that is what this Father had in mind for his girls. Thanks, General.

Thos. B. Fowler
Pastor, Schuyler Baptist Church
Schuyler, Virginia

The world owes a great debt of gratitude to Gary W. Gallagher for his efforts in producing this book. Even though I would consider myself a "Private" in the ranks of civil war buffs, I have read dozens of memoirs by Civil War era men and women. None of them moved me the way this book has. At heart, I am a "Union girl", but when I finished reading this book and had to close it, I truly felt like I had lost a friend. E. Porter Alexander was a gifted, candid, and witty writer. His reminiscences are like sitting down with your favorite uncle for an evening of story telling by the fire. This book is a treasure, and is definitely worthy of more than one read.

Although Alexander's memoirs weren't written as memoirs as such they provide a good insight into the war as fought by the Army of Northern Virginia. General Alexander held an important position in the Confederate Army and was in a position to see much which was otherwise missed by historians or left out of the memoirs of more senior officers who had reputations to protect after the Civil War was over. A fascinating book!

This is a wonderfully engaging memoir, written by E. Porter Alexander, engineer, staff officer, and, as most recall him, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's First Corps artillery guru. What sets this book apart is its honest, candid view of events from Alexander's perspective. Not the usual glorification of the cause and its leaders as with many other actors from the Civil War. This book stayed hidden from sight for many years after it was completed; it is a blessing to those who study the Civil War that it came to see the light of day with publication. The Introduction concludes by stating that (page xxiii): "'Fighting for the Confederacy' is a book to be savored, one of those wonderful volumes that is both instructive and pleasurable to read."

One line that exemplifies this, focusing on Lieutenant General Leonidas Pope, a corps commander in the Western Theater's Army of Tennessee, is enchanting. Polk was a bishop in his church and, for some unfathomable reason, had the confidence of President Jefferson Davis and General Braxton Bragg. When Alexander and the troops of General James Longstreet's First Corps joined Bragg's army at Chickamauga, he observed that (page 289): "So all our pious people with one consent & with secret conviction that the Lord would surely favor a bishop turned in & made him a lieut. Gen., which the Lord had not." A sly way of saying that Polk was a disaster as a general (and, indeed, Alexander was accurate in his assessment).

A couple passages that make this volume--and Alexander's method--so refreshing. At the close of his discussion of the battle of Chancellorsville, Alexander notes that Union Commanding General Joseph Hooker lost his courage and will--as did his top commanders. Alexander observes that the Union Army was intact, outnumbered the Confederate force and could have won the battle with better leadership. Then, in a passage extraordinary for a Confederate officer, he says (page 217) "Had it been Grant in command, he would not have dreamed of giving up the fight." This suggests a perspective on the war that many partisans--whether Union or Confederate--never had. Indeed, had the Union Army listened to Generals Meade and Reynolds who were arguing strenuously to counterattack the Confederate forces, the end result might have been a significant Union victory. We'll never know, of course, but Alexander does suggest an alternative history.

Then, Gettysburg. . . . Here is the poignant scene, told from Alexander's perspective, where Longstreet must order Pickett's forces (and others) to advance. But Longstreet fears a disaster, and obviously is in a state of inner turmoil (see pages 254 and following). At one point, it is almost as if he were giving Alexander the task of deciding whether or not the charge takes place. At a later time, Longstreet expresses openly his fear (page 261): "I don't want to make this attack--I believe it will fail--I do not see how it can succeed--I would not make it even now, but that Gen. Lee has ordered & expects it."

So, in the end, this is a wonderful first person description of the war, one of the finest of Civil War memoirs.

I have read many books of self accounts of the civil war. This book tops all others in the details and extra touch of personal feelings that where experenced by this brave man and all his fellow soldiers that fought this conflict. If you enjoy accounts of the civil war this book is a must read!!!!!

Great Siege: Malta 1565 (Wordsworth Military Library.)

This is a good, well written book.The siege of Malta is one of those great episodes of history where almost super-human courage and bravery triumph against overhelming odds.

If you like adventure read this book: besides reading like a fascinating adventure story it happens to describe real-life actual facts. Beats any Hollywood epic, imho.

The "Great Siege", is the Siege of Malta in 1565, as the Turkish Ottoman Empire tried to expand further into the Mediterranean and up to Italy. The Ottomans had already conquered most of Eastern Europe.

The book, by a British historian named Ernle Bradford, is great! But unfortunately extremely difficult to get. It's not stocked on Amazon and second hand copies are rare. I was lucky and got mine second hand off Amazon for 20 bucks plus shipping, back in April. It's a book I'd always had a wish to read, since seeing a review years ago.

The historical background to the siege, and an abbreviated discussion can be found here online: Siege of Malta (1565) - Wikipedia.

The book uses all the contemporary accounts and puts them into a flowing narrative, that is really quite riveting. The main characters are the Grand Master of the Order of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John, (a fighting religous order who also maintained hospitals! Go figure.), Jean de Valette, the Turkish leader , Mustafa Pasha, and his Tripoli ally Turgot Reis.

The Turkish invaders really should have won the day as they had vastly more men. They were stymied by their own infighting, some bad tactical decisions (especially opening the siege by trying to capture the Fort of St. Elmo's), and by the heroic defense of the Christian defenders who travelled to Malta, and the Maltese fighters. The violence level is appalling. It was a bad idea to be captured, by either side!

It's a great, highly readable story, if you can get the book. I hope it gets re-issued soon.

An absolute page turning account of a desperate battle. The account, though historically informative, reads like a novel. It is concisely written, expressive, and captivating. I could not put it down. I highly recommend this book if you're interested in not only learning about a fascinating struggle, but in obtaining a sense of what it must have been like to be in Malta in 1565.

This is a truly great book. Mr Bradford is so passionate about his subject, so vivid in his detail, that it's all you can do not to book a plane ticket to go and see for yourself. The detail is staggering - he recreates the past with the love and care of an artist. It is a book about the Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and their struggle against the Turks of the Ottoman empire - and it's a ripping good read. Just pick it up - you'll enjoy it.

What I read: An amazingly heroic defense of the knights and the Maltese against an amazing siege of the navy of the Magnificient and his generals. When I read in my middle school history class, this siege just was an unsuccessful one-sentence event in the hundreds of pages of the Ottoman Empire, but, while reading this book, I felt like I watched and lived the siege minute by minute. And I felt like this was the most important siege of all times (it truly might be!). My respects to especially Dragut (Turgut) and to La Vallette increased, since both were great leaders. I also learned how little things can change the result of the war. Questions in my mind after reading the book are: What would be the result like if Suleiman attended the siege? What would be the result like if Admiral Piali Pasha listened to Mustafa Pasha so that they would secure the north before the siege? What would it be like if Dragut wasn't hit by a stone and die during the siege? What would the result be like if the Don Garcia waited for two more days? What would the history be like after that?
It felt sorry for all the people fought during the siege, both the siegers, who came to "smoke out the nest of vipers who were constantly attacking their ships in the mediterranean", and the defenders, who "were defending their last homeland to death".