Benedict Books

This is a readable, short essay type book that gives an accurrate picture.A pope named Benedict,the name suggests a throwback to the past. No more John Pauls,at least for now.No immediate future Peter,Paul, and Mary's.The author suggests that the era of liberal,politically correct relativism,has created a crisis in the church that has forced a return to more conservative ideologies. Benedict may be a transitional rest for catholics trying to heal from the confusion and scandals of the the late twentieth century.But to stop for rest is somewhat of an admission of defeat?Ratzinger from my read of this book,seems like he is not going to try to be a religious "superstar" but is content as a "humble worker in the vineyard". So the question comes up."Does the man have no passion,is he against progress"?Or does he just know when to shut the heck up?It will be interesting to see how he balances the church's "invitation to the party" without becoming politicized. I particularly liked the stories in the book where Ratzinger funneled generous donations to worthy causes with no recognition for himself or his organization.As more vocal ideologists say"Silence is Golden,but Golden is yellow"!so too is the bile from some of the more insincere vociferous ideologues we've all heard by now.Benedict is just a great name for a new era,but don't ever expect a Pope Tetzel I.

This is not the book for you if you want to learn about the Pope. The author has interviewed no one for his primary materials - neither Benedict XVI nor anyone who knows him. Instead he relies on recent materials written by others. Since this leaves insufficent material to print and bind a book, he fills the pages with biographical material of our previous pope.
This leaves unanswered the question "Who is Benedict XVI?".

Stephen Mansfield is not really a religion or theological writer - he concentrates on the political and the leadership aspects of people, drawing in spiritual and theological issues as they support that underlying framework, and that is largely what one gets here in this quick production on the life, accession and likely direction of Pope Benedict XVI, formerly Joseph Ratzinger.

In the first chapter, Mansfield explores the childhood and early adulthood of Ratzinger, growing up in Bavaria in the midst of the second world war and Nazi domination of the country. Ratzinger's family was anti-Nazi, but mostly tried to stay out of conflicts military and political as much as possible. Ratzinger himself was criticised for having been a Hitler Youth, but Mansfield and other commentators point out that this affiliation was a mandatory aspect of life in Germany at the time, and that Ratzinger, while not a martyr or activist, was not a supporter or enthusiastic participant, either. Mansfield gives a bit of history of the kind of Catholicism that shaped Ratzinger and his family in Bavaria; this is one of the more staunchly Roman Catholic areas of Europe, and has been for centuries, and this kind of communal shaping would have significant effects later.

In the second chapter, Mansfield explores Ratzinger's affinity with Augustine, the early great intellectual of the western Christian tradition, whose works such as the Confessions and City of God continue to have profound influence in circles Catholic and Protestant to this day. Aquinas was not as strong a figure for Ratzinger as was Augustine, and Mansfield shows some of the ways in which these figures battle for primacy within Ratzinger's thought, but Mansfield sometimes slips into simplistic analysis ('Augustine thought in exclusively biblical categories, while Aquinas thought in inclusive philosophical categories', Mansfield writes, but neither idea is as generally true as this statement makes them sound).

Mansfield devotes a good amount of space to Ratzinger's work with Pope John Paul II, and the legacy that is left in the wake of such a long and eventful pontificate. Mansfield also looks specifically at Ratzinger's time in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the place from which Ratzinger's infamy as God's Pit-Bull and the Vatican Enforcer arise.

Mansfield does draw in a lot of material. In one part, he explores the different interpretations that could be applied to Pope Benedict XVI vis-à-vis the prophecy of St. Malachy; in another, he gives a listing of passages and quotes from Ratzinger's own writings and speeches (as well as a few that have come after his succession to the papacy). Mansfield is fairly balanced, very accessible, and interesting to read. A bit more depth in various points would be appreciated, but as a general interest, quick-history text, it succeeds on several levels.

I've read two books on Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI by the respected Catholic journalist John L. Allen, and so I readily admit Allen's work is my yardstick, for better or worse, for measuring other books about the new pope. Stephen Mansfield, author of "The Faith of George W. Bush" as well as books on Churchill, Booker T. Washington, and "The Faith of the American Soldier," among others, has produced a biography of the pope that while hardly approaching Allen's standards for insightful journalism, does give a respectful, elevated, and even "inspirational"-reading introduction to the man.

Mansfield's book is a decent capsule biography that shows why Ratzinger is controversial -- particularly in the American Catholic church -- without getting down-and-dirty in the details of theological or personality conflicts. Most interesting is his assertion that Ratzinger underwent a "makeover" in the days before the Conclave. Mansfield argues that Ratzinger's speeches became more polished, his "personal style" became more relaxed, and even that his prominent role in the various memorials and celebrations of the late pope's life were part of the German's effort "to show himself as the leader the Church clearly needed" (p. 144). Perhaps as a non-Catholic, a writer on presidents, and someone relatively unfamiliar with the rituals and mores of the Vatican, Mansfield fell into the not-uncommon trap of seeing a Conclave as akin to a presidential election. Allen, who knows the Vatican much more thoroughly, painted a somewhat different picture in his book on the new pope. Mansfield's outsider perspective certainly has value, but in this case I'm more inclined to give Allen's view greater weight.

Nevertheless, Pope Benedict XVI is someone for whom American conservatives -- religious and political, Protestant and Catholic -- are likely to have considerable interest and sympathy. As he is the author of a book on President Bush's faith, and cites interviews with Michael Novak and Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, I feel pretty confident placing Mansfield in that camp. While not as in-depth a portrait as it's possible to find elsewhere, neither is this either firebreathingly negative or hagiographically flattering. It's a decent balance, a good introduction, and a pretty quick read.

Who is this Pope Benedict XVI, successor to Saint Peter and, most recently, the charismatic Pope John Paul II. During the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger's years as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), he was perceived as "God's Rottweiler" for his orthodox and unwavering interpretation of Catholic doctrine and dogma. Characterized (often unfairly) as rigid, inflexible, and overbearing by his detractors and the media in particular, he appeared, in the minds of many, to be ill-suited to assume the mantle of Shepherd of the Flock.

In the months since his election, a different side of the man has emerged; here was a shy, gentle, scholarly theologian, firm yet collegial, in his approach to matters of the church. Although less charismatic than his predecessor, his pastoral qualities have begun to emerge. This is no small part, due to a fresh examination of his life, and in particular, to this book.

Stephen Mansfield, author of THE FAITH OF GEORGE W. BUSH, presents a brief, yet informative overview of Pope Benedict's life, from his youth through his multifaceted life as cleric - especially his roles as a professor, a theologian with roots deep within Vatican II, bishop, and in recent decades, as Cardinal, prince of the Church. Mansfield focuses on his role as head of the CDF. This position was, in effect, a lightning rod as Ratzinger's charge to maintain the integrity of the faith often put him at odds with those who sought to change the Church to meet their own conceptions of the faith.

The author objectively examines the Pope's background, his election and the challenges he will face as leader of the Catholic Church. His analysis is thorough, conveyed in a direct and natural style. The content is well-organized and allows both for sequential reading as well as review of individual chapters. Although more weighty explorations of Pope Benedict XVI await, Mr. Mansfield's book is a wonderful introduction for those who wish to learn about the new pontiff and those issues that will influence his papacy.

The Q&A approach was more distracting than helpful. An index of the subjects covered would have been helpful.

Like the best-selling book-length interviews Salt of the Earth and God and the World, Questions and Answers features Pope Benedict answering a range of questions about the Catholic faith. Unlike those earlier books, in which the questions took the form of a lengthy interview conducted by a prominent German journalist, the questions here come from a variety of inquirers: children, students, seminarians, and priests. Because of that, the questions are often less theological and more practical. This book will not tell you everything you need to know about Catholicism, nor does it pretend to be a catechism. But it will give you additional insights into the Catholic faith and reveal the pastoral sensibilities of the current pontiff.

The questions posed, as well as the answers, are long, involved and at times difficult to understand. This is NOT a book for grade school children - probably not even early high schoolers. If you are and adult who is looking for the Pope's theological responses to questions about the church, the sacraments and morals this could have answers for you.

I just finished Questions and Answers by Pope Benedict XVI put out by Our Sunday Visitor which is a collection of various question and answer sessions from various audiences that includes sessions with children, youth, and clergy at multiple locations. This s a very worthwhile collection and with the amount of these type sessions I am sure we will see more of these books in the future.

Pope Benedict XVI really opens himself up to these types of sessions which I think for the most part of quite unique in the history of the Church. The questions themselves are interesting, but it is the way the pope answers these questions in his own style that is quite remarkable. Reading through his sometimes lengthily answers you would think he had days to work on responses to questions put before him ahead of time. He is an amazing extemporaneous speaker and his answers reveal just how thoroughly he has integrated the faith and is able to speak on almost any topic to reveal his knowledge and contemplation on a subject. It is obvious as to the level of detail that he has given to these subjects in his own mind before hand.

I also found it quite amazing his ability to really answer a question and put together a synthesis of Church teaching and his own practical experience to give almost a mediation on a question. The book opens up with questions from children and I think they way he answers them is the very model that people working with children and youth in regards to religious education should follow. He is able to answer serious questions to them in a serious manner that does not "talk down" to them, but at the same time making it understandable to them. He sees no reason to water down a serious subject just because he is talking to children and is able to tailor it to their intellects in such a way that even as an adult I found his answers fruitful for me.

His answers, especially to fellow priests, are often long discourses - but he doesn't talk just to hear his voice. In one question he felt that the questioner had answered his own query and the Pope simple said for other to listen to what this priest had to say and not feel the need to add anything to it. You get the feel of his real humility when he answers questions in that he defines the limits of what he is able to answer and when speaking to clergy talks about their pastoral experience in taking his suggestions in.

The questions run the gamut and some of them overlap. I especially enjoyed his discussions on marriage and his insight in regards to marriage. I loved how he referred to one large family as a parish. Some of his answers in regard to science are quite interesting especially in regards to the recent controversy and protests at the La Sapienza University in Rome calling the Pope anti-science. In on answer he talks about Galileo the great and the proper and supporting roles of faith and science. In another he talks about the false tensions between creationists and evolutionists and where they both go wrong and makes a fairly strong statement in regards to the science of evolution. When Pope John Paul II made a comment about evolution it got a lot of press and so I find it rather strange the Pope Benedict's comments in this regard did not get the same publicity. I guess it didn't fit their template.

This book was edited by Michael Dubruiel and the Latin translation footnotes were provided by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf which as you would expect are quite informative.

Questions and Answers offers a surprisingly enjoyable compilation of the one-on-one sessions between Pope Benedict XVI and various groups with whom he has met over the first years of his pontificate. The idea for the sessions was introduced not long after his election in 2005 and has become something of a regular feature of his audiences.

Two especially intriguing aspects of the book jump out immediately at the reader. First, there are the pope's answers to the wide-ranging questions posed to him by such groups as children preparing for First Communion, Italian youth, and especially the priests of the diocese of Rome and Albano. It comes as little surprise that Benedict is able to answer all of the questions posed to him in exacting and equally sweeping fashion (he was, after all, one of the foremost theologians of the 20th century at the time of his election). But the capacity of the pontiff to reply in direct, clear, and pastoral terms demonstrates both his decades of labor as a professor but also his surprising ability as pope to be strikingly pastoral. The light pastoral touch has been apparent since his election (and his memorable homily at his installation), and his replies to the questions here are even more so. He speaks to the children in terms that are readily understood by a young mind even as they are obviously grounded in abiding faith. His replies to the priests are also straightforward in his real-world advice even as he notes the essential unity that must exist between the spiritual life and the pastoral ministry of a priest.

If the pope's answers are revealing so too are the questions. The issues posed to the pope by the children are ones that Catholic youth readily ask their parents (such as the one from a girl named Andrea who asks, "In preparing me for my First Communion day, my catechist told me that Jesus is present in the Eucharist. But how? I can't see him!"). The questions from the priests also point to the stresses and challenges faced by the priests in parish service and the sometimes heart-breaking situations they must try to solve and heal. In that sense, Questions and Answers shows the struggles of faith, hope, and love that all Christians must confront. And in his answers, Pope Benedict XVI proves why we would all do well to listen to him.

This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in glimpsing the pope at his most articulate and also his most extemporaneous.

Over seven hundred years after Benedict and Scholastica founded their communities, St. Thomas Aquinas declared that the most perfect form of the religious life was that of contemplation and action. This tome does not get involved in that argument, but focuses on the experience of one young man seeking God alone through silence and contemplative prayer. It is truly a unique volume in that it is autobiographical, and presents a peek at a life which is widely unknown even among Catholics.

I did not find this book to be Merton-like, nor a grinding of some ax regarding the practices of the order. Rather, I found the story to be an honest and respectful sharing of experience with the reader. In a world of instant communication and everlasting networking, which does place high value on service to those in need -- especially the poorest of the poor -- there is almost a cultural bias against discipleship through seeking deep silence, mystical contemplation, and aloneness with the One.
Father Benedict culls a new awareness of Carthusian spirituality, and the eremetic life as being of high value to the church and to some called to that form of discipleship.

My hope would be that every seeker and performer of good works would read of this journey, discern what is useful in the ordinary round of life, and find deeper meaning in the silence which is so annoying to the noisy world in which we live. As Tolstoy and so many of the saints noted, the kingdom of heaven is within.

THOMAS PATRICK HULL
CHICAGO

Having been uniquely called by God through a spiritual journey that allows Father Benedict to ultimately live the Carthusian way for many years, I have found his life both fascinating and informative. Fr. Benedict's personal account of his life is both unique and refreshingly frank, allowing the reader to follow the struggle of one soul to ultimately be alone and silent in God's presence.

This self-published memoir relates Kossmann's journey from a very young Carthusian aspirant in 1961 through his stay in the Vermont Charterhouse, out into the world, back into another hermitage, and then out again where he married and now lives in Florida. While the book is attributed to "Father Benedict," I should note that this is his pen name, as he is no longer a practicing priest. For more accounts of Carthusians who have struggled with this most demanding of Catholic orders, see Nancy Klein Maguire's "An Infinity of Little Hours"--this traces the 1960-65 experiences of five novices at the English Charterhouse of St. Hugh's. A generalized short--if rather uncritical--overview of the Order can be found in Robin Bruce Lockhart's "Halfway to Heaven." Little popularized work in English exists on this thousand-year-community, but Kossmann, taken along with these other two books (also reviewed by me), represents the short shelf of what's currently available.

The Sounds of Silence provides a very personal view of life as a Carthusian during the nineteen-sixties (before and immediately after the reforms of Vatican II). A more objective, though not totally dissimilar view, can be found in "An Infinity of Little Hours" by Nancy Klein Maguire, which was also published this Spring. Taken together with the German film "Die Grosse Stille" (now available on DVD) and a Dutch TV interview with the superior of the community at the motherhouse in France (La Grande Chartreuse), the general public now has access to a more comprehensive view of this unusual vocation than ever before.

What is clear from this account, as from the ones in Maguire's book, is how problematic the (no longer common) practice of accepting quite young, immature candidates into such a stylized way of life can be. The book is of interest both for the account it gives of Kossmann's personal struggles as for the portrait of the life itself and the men who pursue it, the latter to be taken with a grain of salt, as this book is a self-published account that might have benefitted from an editor's scalpel applied to some of the 'old scores' the author takes the opportunity to settle in his book.

A life well worth living, in a search for God and peace. This book is so well-written, with so much detail, it was almost as good as being there. Contrary to one reviewer's comment about "settling old scores," I found this man's personal tale full of comprehension or the search throughout.

I admire and applaud this person for taking the time to make sense of a life "lived alone" in a cell, with a spiritual goal that so few of us even attempt to do in modern life.

I wish he and his family only the best, as he has well-earned it. The images from his book have stayed with me long since I've read it, and it will stay on my "favorites" shelf.

God bless you for describing and leading the way for a glimpse of solitude and peace. One of the most prophetic lines in the book was the description of looking out the window, seeing the smoke coming out of the wood stove chimney of another brother's cell, which allowed you to know they were still alive. That image has never left me.

We all should find a way to find time for solitude and contemplation. Perhaps if we did, our minds and our worlds might come to rest.

Peace be with you my brother, and to all who enjoy reading this book. It can be a transforming experience.

The only thing I would wish for is more detail about the author's change of circumstance and what brought that about, and his new life that he found beyond the cloistered walls.

I wish our prison system in this country could use prayer and meditation to calm the spirit and calm the mind, but of course that is not possible nowadays. Since we don't seem to be able to accept other people's religions, we are not allowed to pray at all. It's a shame but heartening to see that some people choose this life willingly. Would that there might be more.

Not one of Marsh's best to my way of thinking. Excepting perhaps Detective Alleyn, the book is full of characters that one does not care about, engaged in an uninteresting sequence of events. This is exacerbated by the fact that it is unclear as to which character has what significance. Also there is not much of a sense of atmosphere. Disappointing.

This is perhaps Ngaio Marsh's best example of an upper-crust English murder mystery. The characters are so finely drawn that it makes you wish they would show up in her other novels. Rory Alleyn is at his youthful best, with a convincing amount of restrained-British angst just to make him more loveable. This is a compelling whodunit, with more than enough great writing and humour along the way to make it look great as a novel, too.

Chief Detective-Inspector Alleyn enlists the assistance of his well connected society friend Lord Robert 'Bunchy' Gospell to find out who is blackmailing several wealthy ladies. The charming Bunchy makes several interesting discoveries while making the rounds of "the London season," but is quite unfortunately murdered before he can and Alleyn can piece together the whole story.

As usual, Marsh places her clues very fairly but subtly. The backdrop of the debutante parties gives an interesting behind the scenes glimpse of 1930s London society, and if you like your mysteries peopled with lots of peers, this book is for you.

Although not in the same league with BLACK AS HE'S PAINTED or DEAD WATER, Ngaio Marsh's DEATH IN A WHITE TIE is a highly satisfying novel that meets the expectations readers have of this particular author: it is literate, witty, peopled with fully rounded characters, and set against an interesting backdrop--in this case the London debutant season.

In this particular novel, Inspector Allen is called upon to investigate rumors of a blackmailer at work in London's high society, and he accordingly recruits Lord "Bunchy," a well known and decidedly fatherly figure. Bunchy is quick to identify the blackmailer--but just as the blackmail plot seems about to unravel murder steps in, and Allen must not only uncover the blackmailer but a killer as well.

As is often the case in a Marsh novel, some readers will spot the killer long before the book's finish--but as typical of Marsh, getting there is most of the fun. A number of favorites return in this novel, including painter Agatha Troy, previously introduced in ARTISTS IN CRIME, and Allen's charming mother; the novel also includes a number of romantic subplots that Marsh handles with considerable effectiveness. Neither newcomers nor old fans will be disappointed; recommended.

A review currently listed for this book pertains to "this Yale edition" and says it leaves out "about half" of what Newman published. However, Amazon indicates that the publisher is "Gateway Editions." The copy that Amazon shipped to me (which matches the picture of the book) indicates "Regnery Publishing" as the publisher. Moreover, it appears to leave out nothing.

Having verified, from the Table of Contents on line, that all of the parts were present, I purchased this edition in hopes that it might contain some comments or analysis that would add to the understanding that I received from reading the Notre Dame Press edition (Martin J. Svaglic author), with its excellent notes and commentaries. (Otherwise, why would reviewers recommend it?) My anticipation was rewarded by an interesting seven-page introduction.

However, the endnotes by Svaglic are of such great value in understanding the Newman's references to then-present and past events and authors and even in translating some of his Latin that I greatly prefer that edition. For that reason, in comparison, I witheld one star.

Newman's work is not only an eloquent, erudite, and careful defense of the virtue of knowledge and the value of a liberal education; it is also a brilliantly reasoned and felt argument for the prevention of hubris on the part of any particular branch of knowledge.

Newman's sound warnings against the overreaching of scientific fields and the triumph of smug materialism and positivism are still urgent, of course. Newman is also careful to point out that the liberal arts and even theology may attempt to establish a single, inadequate framework for the discovery of truth.

Newman's complex epistemology does not fall prey to the heresy that truth is not one, but reminds us that in our present state, truth present various aspects and that the tyranny of any particular branch of knowledge is the victory of ignorance.

A strong case can be made that Englishman John Henry (Cardinal) Newman reinvented the religious univeristy in the 19th century and that most such universities, regardless of their denomination, functioned quite well until the computer age. Now, with all universities being forced to rethink their own identity and mission, the values which Newman enuntiated for them over 100 years ago will return to guide their reinvention in our own day. Or, they can return, if they are given the chance. Yale University is to be commended for putting Newman's ideas on the university back on the table in such a splendid format. Every aspect of this work deserves praise, from the editor's introduction and special footnotes, to the analytical essays which merit a careful reading in their own right. I did a complete review of this excellent work in "National Catholic Register" 9-15 Feb. 1997, p. 6. I recommend this book highly for this who need to understand and apply Newman's vision of the university.

Unfortunately, this Yale edition leaves out about half of what Newman himself published in 1873 as the definitive edition of THE IDEA OF A UNIVERSITY. Published here are only the nine "Dublin Discourses" from Part I on "University Teaching" and but four of the ten chapters of Part II, "University Subjects Discussed in Occasional Lectures and Essays." For the hundred-page displacement of Newman's essays, the editor substitutes five interpretive essays supposedly inquiring into the relevance of Newman's book for today's higher education debates. These interpretive essays have major inconsistencies and repetitions among themselves and are of mixed quality, with inaccuracies and serious misunderstandings of some of Newman's central ideas. As accurate forays of the Newmanian mind into the twentieth- and twenty-first century university, only the engaging and intellectually challenging essays by George Marsden and George Landow succeed. (COMPLETE paperback editions of Newman's IDEA are available from Loyola University Press, 1987, and University of Notre Dame Press, 1982).

Professor Benedict makes a pretty strong case for impeaching Andrew Johnson in 1868. Benedict shows that Johnson was an obstructionist President who failed to execute reconstruction policies, and that the radical Republicans in Congress were determined but non-fanatical opponents desiring to help newly-freed slaves. Clearly Johnson, a Southern loyalist, cared little for ex-slaves; his military governors in Dixie favored "black codes" curtailing their rights. How different history might have been had Johnson shared the civil rights objectives of radical Republicans. Still, the author doesn't entirely erase the sense that this impeachment was more about politics than crimes and misdemeanors. The Tenure in Office Act seemed like a pretext - ala Monica Lewinsky in 1998 - and one Senator voting to convict (Ohio's Benjamin Wade) stood next in line for the Presidency. Either way, this is an informative look by an excellent Professor - I took his Constitutional History class years ago at Ohio State University, and he was a truly inspiring lecturer.

One wonders how the author would view Bill Clinton's impeachment - would he buy dubious Republican claims of perjury in a sexual matter, or see it as inspired by GOP hatred for a guy that beat them twice at the polls and shattered their illusions of a lock on the White House? Benedict should also write about Clinton's impeachment.

Benedict studies contemporary newspaper accounts and private correspondence from the participants to put together a nicely detailed account of the 1868 impeachment effort against Andrew Johnson. He seeks to correct what he perceives as history's overly unkind treatment of the radical Republicans who sought to remove Johnson from office. He states that the modern view is that the Republican efforts were well-meaning, and if anything did not go far enough. While Benedict's account is well researched, his conclusions are not supported by the facts or by the law, or by good political sense. There was an honest disagreement over whether the Tenure in Office Act even applied to Johnson; further, there was doubt as to whether it was even constitutional, and Johnson's view that it was not was vindicated years later when the Supreme Court declared a similar law unconstitutional in 1926. The real core issue here is how broadly one is supposed to read the impeachment clause in the Constitution. The broad interpretation urged by Benedict amounts to the President serving at the pleasure of the Senate, a view that was specifically considered and rejected by the Constitutional Convention. In light of that, Benedict's conclusions make little sense, though his scholarship is laudable.

Now Andrew Johnson may not have been hiding with an intern in the oval office, but this book has a lot more to offer. Drama in the House, drama in the Senate, verbal fights, threats, it sure beats the heck out of blue dresses and cigars. I don't think people have any idea how close Johnson was to being kicked out of office, let alone for what reason. Benedict does a remarkable job chronicling the times surrounding the day. Going in I found the battle to purely partisan, but after reading I agree with Benedict, the impeachment was justified.

Professor Les Benedict lays out the case for President Johnson's impeachment in this 1972 monograph. The narrative is highly sympathetic to the radical-Republican impeachers, and unsympathetic to Johnson: Les Benedict embraces an emerging theme among historians who "now speak in terms of well-meaning efforts of conscientious Republicans to establish national security on the basis of equality before the law" in the highly volatile post-Civil War era, and he complains that "[o]nly one event has resisted this historical reversal--the impeachment and trial of President Andrew Johnson." The book paints the congressional Republicans as conscientious and rational politicians interested in restoring the Southern economic base (and securing their own political ascendancy) after the War, and Johnson as a power-hungry executive who thwarts the congressional policy using his military authority and other constitutional powers--all to the point where the restrained and long-suffering congressional majority is left with no choice but impeachment (the chapter leading up to the impeachment is titled "Johnson Forces the Issue"). The book paints the politics with a very broad brush, and unfortunately gives short shrift to Johnson's motives, even though Johnson himself is portrayed as a capable and determined politician and not as the out-of-touch bumbler that some histories have made him out to be. But the book tells an engaging story from the congressional viewpoint, and offers a detailed and balanced view of the legal issues on which the trial ultimately hinged.

Just remember that this is the 2003 edition and while helpful, I have found things that are outdated now. I went to look for two resturants, both of which were closed. I would have greatly appreciated more narrative with the listings, like a Zagats-style rating and description. However, it provides a nice start. If you know nothing about the Hamptons, you may want to supplement with another book. The children's version, Annabel's Shortcuts, is merely taken from the kid's section of this Shortcuts, so don't purchase both.

Bravo, Jodi! You've done it again! I can't tell you how much we love your books! They get better and better every year! They have become our bibles of the Hamptons - we keep one in each of our cars, a few in the house by each and every phone, and bring them as gifts wherever we go. Everybody loves them! Thank you for adding all of the new information that you did this year - it was so valuable!! Next year, though, try to print more if you can! We went to buy more for gifts late in the Summer and everywhere we went they said they had completely sold out! All of our friends (many from out of town) and I are anxiously awaiting the new edition! Congratulations on making the guidebook none of us can live without!

Jodi's Shortcuts is an excellent guidebook to the Hamptons. It has great reviews of all of the latest restaurants (including new ones that do not appear in other guidebooks), it has a great calendar of events that I could not find anywhere else, and it is chock full of every other service and listing you could ever want, plus lots of secrets, backroad maps, etc.I keep one in the car and one by the phone in the house at all times - it's the perfect resource! It's also got great tips from many famous people - their favorite restaurants and things to do. I loved it, and would highly recommend it to anyone! I hope they do guidebooks to other areas in the future!

I had expected the author-resident of this book to reveal much more about the Hamptons rather than just a compiliation of names and addresses. In my estimation the book doesn't reveal much insight or short-cuts as the name ("Short-cuts") might infer.

Is does give you a shortened version of the yellow pages.

Very, very easy to digest. Anyone interested in the history of anthropology or in Native American Indians will find this book a good read. It's a bit dated, but if you can let that go, you'll get a lot out of it.

To put it bluntly, this book is garbage. The language is so dry and the tone of the anthropologist so condescending, it makes one picture Ms. Benedict smoking a pipe in an armchair of a library somewhere.

This book should come under fire because Benedict let others do much of the research for her. This is a theme revisited in many of her works (i.e. "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword"). She received much flack for it, as well she should. Anthropology lived vicariously is not anthropology at all.

This book describes several diverse cultures in depth and detail. The emphasis is on overall world view and the conceptual foundations of each culture. The writing is lucid, involving and evocative. This book sheds more light on the issue of what is basic to all human nature, and what is culturaly influenced, then any other I know.

I read this book many years ago and I haven't looked at it lately. So, this is strictly from memory. What I remember about the book is that from the book I acquired this "insightful idea" : that as we learn our own culture we become a "prisoner" of our ONE culture. We become a prisoner because we only know ONE culture. If we only know ONE culture we have "no choice" but to "live and think" WITHIN that ONE culture. But, if we know two or three or twenty cultures we can then "free" outselves from living and thinking and perceiving in ONE way. We will then have choices BETWEEN more than one way of life, we will have choices between more than one way of thinking and we will have choices between more than one way of perceiving the world. The knowledge of more than one culture gives us "more freedom" of choice. Thus we cease to be "a prisoner of culture". We become somewhat of an "overman" because we are "free to choose" among many cultural possibilities that people with only ONE culture cannot. And, we can become a "participant observer" among many cultures. We can choose how to live, perceive, and think among many more possibilities which gives us "more freedom" of action. This "insight" has freed me to choose "the best" aspects among many cultures thus enriching my life and giving me more choices about how to live my life. If this book does the same for you, then it has served its purpose. I recommend the book because of the "cultural freedom" you may acquire from reading it. Email: Boland7214@aol.com

Very good book, I loved the interactivity. Nice companion to H.G Wells original. Worth a read.

If you look at the idea of an alien invasion of Earth and then having a number of endings, the concept sounds good. However the author isn't up to telling the tale. At page twenty I was ready to put this book aside. The relationship between the scientist couple is poor. Dialogue spoken between these two made me cringe. Yes there are multiple positive and negative endings. By the time I got to them I had given up.

Edward Lentoni's take on War Of The Worlds is fun. I love the multi-ending idea. He spirnkles in a few nice tributes to classic sci-fi along with his own twists including winning and losing endings. Fun, pure fun. What else do you want?

This book is a bit dated (published originally in the 60s and later updated). Unlike most juicing books, this one does not tell you to rid all meat from your diet (though it suggests cutting back). It provides interesting formulas for juice fasting and reorganizing your diet. The book suffers from a lack of update. Consequently, I was wondering if the philosophies purported in this book could be improved upon given what we now know about nutrition.

This is a great book. Yes it's true it was written years ago, but the nutritional information about vegetables and fruits is still valid today. It's a great book to have in case you are feeling sick or just want to stay healthy! I gave it 4 stars only because it could be expanded, other than that, it's a 5 star book.

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