Blair Books

This book was very interesting from a historical standpoint, with an added bonus of interesting recipes. I haven't tried any yet, but am looking forward to it.

Having loved "A Taste of Pennslyvania History", I was so excited to get this book. Taste of Ohio History is just as wonderful as the authors' first book. Plan on getting every book in the series--I look forward to all 50 books (just ordered Virginia and anxiously await Maryland). The writing is wonderful and the descriptions of the restaurants and the recipes are such a great addition to my kitchen bookshelf.

This delightfully written book is the perfect Christmas gift for anyone visiting or living in Pennsylvania. More than just a restaurant guide, the book gives the history behind each restaurant as well as selected recipes from each establishment. The book is a must for anyone who enjoys elegant dining.

This guide to historic Pennsylvania eateries blends a cookbook with a travel guide, exploring the range of cuisines available to Pennsylvanians in over sixty countries in the state. Nearly 900 restaurants were researched and over two hundred sampled before selecting the hundred-plus featured here: chapters are strong on the recipes, sans photos.

As just another digger I found this book to be most worthy.
Having been through the training regimes as recommended by Ted Serong in Australia and having the understanding of the type of war we were involved in I could never understand the manner in which the Americans fought the war.
After reading this book I now understand it to have been a distrust of non American ideas and arrogance of the"we know better" type and impatience, thinking always that bigger is better rather than looking at quality.

The Vietnam War, and especially the reasons for its loss, from both military and political standpoints, will continue to be a matter of importance for those who are concerned with the survival of democracies.

Much has been written on political considerations, but military questions have been more neglected. Hence this book, which examines the role of Brigadier Ted Serong in the conflict, will be of great interest to a variety of readers.

Anne Blair is a research associate with the National Centre for Australian Studies at Monash University. Her interest in Serong is well-based. He had a central role in the development of military strategy and tactics, although to a large extent his views conflicted with those ultimately applied by the United States in Vietnam.

Early during his time in Vietnam, Serong concluded that the American forces were not properly directed, and that the South Vietnamese Army also should have directed its efforts in different ways.

He was involved in the development of the Police Field Force (PFF), with the aim of destroying the structures of the Vietnamese Communists in rural and mountain areas, and also the networks by which guerrillas obtained weapons, food, information and recruits.

Serong's concept (which is particularly persuasive in retrospect) was that the PFF would clear areas of Viet Cong influence, thus freeing the South Vietnamese Army (the AVRN) for combat against the North Vietnamese regiments that were operating in the border areas.

Unfortunately the United States forces showed a lack of patience, and were not prepared to support adequately the gradual advance of the program.

The PFF was absorbed by other US mission programs in 1966-67, but Serong himself remained invaluable and was consulted constantly by government advisers and by military commanders at the highest level.

At all times, his perceptions of the strategic position were sound. For example, he was one of the first to appreciate that the 1968 Tet Offensive constituted, contrary to media reports, a militarily disastrous loss by the Communists.

This book is very valuable. It is well researched. The author had the advantage of numerous conversations with Serong, and her account is expressed carefully, with much detail and appropriate references.

It is impossible to read it without concluding that Serong is a great Australian, and a great man in any context, a figure of enormous importance whose advice, had it been followed properly, would probably have led to a different result in Vietnam.

It is therefore a book which, in addition to its general readership, should be studied closely by military strategists and tacticians, and by the various academics, think-tanks and institutes which are so influential in the application of political and military policy.

- I.C.F. Spry, News Weekly book review, Melbourne, Australia

Well worth reading, even though my edition stopped just before Blair's first election as PM. The author didn't write it for Americans -- I had to guess at a lot of the British electoral and political terminology -- but he seems to have a subtle and sophisticated sense of politicians and the UK electorate from the 1970s to mid-1990s. One big surprise was the extent to which the Blairites intentionally copied themes from the 1992 Clinton campaign. Whether that makes you smile or grimace no doubt depends on your opinion of New Democrats.

As a "Blairite" (I can feel prejudices leaping into life even as I type), I was expecting this book to jump on the bandwagon of New Labour bashing, as it just isn't the done thing to give the current government credit for anything. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to discover that this biography is astonishingly well balanced. TB's sincerity and achievements are given due recognition, while the author at the samw time paints a portrait of a driven man, who has expertly used the machinery of politics to his advantage, utilising all sorts of arguably cynical plotting and dancing through a myriad morally grey areas. You will almost certianly take from this book what you bring to it. If you feel that Tony Blair has been a good PM, and person in general, then Mr. Rentoul's willingness to showcase Labour's progressive measures will reassure you of the tangible effect he has has on the country. If you feel that New Labour hasn't delivered, that it's "all spin and no delivery" (oh, how I hate that phrase!), or that he sold socialism down the river, then you'll also find enough evidence to justify your complaints. The bbok itself is well written, packed with insight, and superbly backed up with the relevant quotes and a thorough list of references. If you have any interest in modern British politics, you'll like this.

I really enjoyed Mayberry by the Sea. I hope to "read" it again in October. Giggity.

Wonderful book about the wonderful, small-town, slow-paced island of Topsail. There are stories of pirates, hurricanes, fishing piers and the famous sea turtle hospital. There are also stories of the Gold Hole dig for buried treasure, the Navy's top-secret missile development program after World War II, and the bear who somehow came to Topsail. This book won the Willie Parker Peace History Book Award from the N.C. Society of Historians -- even though it's much more a pleasant read about today's island than a history. Many people re-read this every time they go to Topsail.

Reviews from the book jacket:

Fascinating stories and tales ... (in) a beautiful book." Named Book of the Month.
--WAAV-AM News Talk Radio, Wilmington

"McAllister ... takes loving and telling recollections of Topsail -- his and others' -- and mixes in history and vacation tips. ... A worthy companion to take on your trip to the coast."
--The Charlotte Observer

"An entertaining book blending current day interviews with a dollop of island history."
--Topsail Magazine

"Ray's probably in trouble with (those who want to keep Topsail secret), but not with those of us unfamiliar with Topsail's allure, though both groups will like his book."
--The Richmond Times-Dispatch

"A great read for a day in the sun that stretches into an island night, complete with pounding waves and soft sea breezes, enhanced by mystical tales of pirates and search for buried treasure. ... 'Everybody needs a little sand in their soul,' McAllister quotes from an interview. Topsail Island: Mayberry by the Sea helps put it there and can make the reader who is not on the island want to cross that swing bridge and experience that little bit of magic."
--The Pender Post

"McAllister captures the spirit of Topsail Island. ... There's no doubt that this island is magical indeed."
--Our State North Carolina magazine

This and it's sister publications are some of the most detailed, informative tour guides you will find! We simply love this series and the way it is written. There are few commercial details, i.e. hotel recommendations, restaurants etc.If you need that buy the Frommer's or Fodor's books but this one will take you way off the beaten path and bring you back again much more informed than when you left. You can't go wrong with any of the books in this entire series.....I know, I have them all!

This is a must for anyone wanting to see East Tennessee and get everything you can out of it! The book is easy to read and very informative. Maps are at the beginning of each section showing your possible journey, so you can take the entire journey or a portion and know exactly what you will find and see. The directions are excellent so you can't get lost. Now the only downfall...it is very similar to another book I purchased so don't waste your money this book has it all.

You are about to embark on a journey to many places untouched by modern man, giving you a glimpse of the past mirrored with stories and brief histories of battles long since silenced by time. As you open this book you will be begin your Civil War trek at Manassas, stopping at the National Battlefield and it's museum. From there you will work counterclockwise around Virginia and West Virginia, through one historic site to the next, stopping sometimes at battlefields, other times at simple out-of-the-way museums or perhaps nothing more than a few relics ravaged by nature.

Each stop is clearly marked on easy-to-read maps accompanied by side notes or script detailing the historical significance of the stop. My particular favorite is the Harpers Ferry tour where the author gives an interesting overview of the town along with a brief account of how West Virginia became a state. Although one could spend days going over the surrounding historical sites the author does not drag you into detail after detail, but gives you a brief synopsis of what occurred. Coming from someone who has visited this site many times I've become very familiar with the back-roads and sights to see, and Mr. Johnson does a fine job in taking you around to many of those same areas. However, this book won't give you the detail you need to understand every site, but that can be obtained from the Harper's Ferry National Park visitor center, or by taking a ranger guided tour of the town.

By using this book the average reader will enjoy his journey into the past with stops along the way at several key historic areas. This is not a book for the well-read historian or a tactical study on terrain and warfare, but simply a good book for those mildly intrigued by the Civil War. It may serve to whet their appetite and further their desire for more research.

If you purchase this book and choose to go forth, your trek will take you to numerous battlefields, both small and large. It is my hope that you will leave with a better understanding of what took place during that bloody struggle we now call the Civil War. So, in finishing your journey you will find yourself as did Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia, in a quiet little place known as Appomattox Court House. "This is a quiet reverent place, the spot where one country died and another was reborn."

Just like Johnson's book on Civil War Sites in the Carolinas, I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Johnson's writing style is engaging without being simplistic and he takes the pains to write excellent directions to the many Civil War sites in both Virginias. Thankfully, he groups the many sites by geography instead of time frame.

While the better-known sites are covered (Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Wilderness, Chancellorsville, Richmond, Petersburg, both Bull Run battles, Appamattox, etc.), Johnson also covers lesser-known events (Saltville, Mine Run, Chantilly, etc.). Doing this gives the reader a better appreciation of the quantity of Civil War engagements in the area and also makes the reader aware of sites the typical person may miss.

All in all, an excellent and highly recommended read!

As one who has been following the Path for some time, I bought this book expecting a tediously shallow Enlightenment story. However, I found this book to be an in-depth, coherent, and exciting look at the Kabbalistic Path. As "The Mists of Avalon" is a meaningful guide to the Celtic Way, I feel this book will be the blueprint for someone who wishes to enter the world of Jewish Mysticism. I highly recommend this book to all who wish to be lead on a story of Enlightenment. I could not put the book down after Chapter 3 !

This book has an excellent flow of language, and the story itself is beautiful. I went into the reading of it knowing very little about the Kabbalah and the mystical lore the story is based on, but was quickly drawn in and learned a great deal in the process of enjoying the story. I'll look forward to reading more books by this author.

Great Book. Some Intimate moments with alot of romance and action. A MUST READ!

This is a must read. Romance and Action. Everything in a good story. No messy murders. A man saving a woman's life while risking his own.

I am a college student reading this book to supplement my understanding of intangible assets. I tried to read "Goodwill in Accounting" by Hugh Hughes and...that book will put you into a coma. This book is very concise, doesn't use a lot of needless jargon, and has only about 97 pages worth of actual reading. I recommend it!

Just goes to show you how good Amazon's recomendation engine is - I wouldn't have gone looking for this title, but I am very glad I have it now. This slim volume (only 120 pages, including the notes) goes a long way towards illuminating the importance of "intangible" items such as intellectual capital, research and development, brand names, etc., are to the economic growth and wealth of our society. As the preface to chapter one, Blair and Wallman quote Attorney Lloyd Cutler (commenting on the proposed breakup of Microsoft), "Given that no company can establish a monopoly on brains, how do you keep the people that make it work? There are no tangible assets to divest. There is intellectual property and that's about it - and a building." Exactly! As the events of September 11th so horrily illustrated, you could burn the plant to the ground, but as long as you have a repository of your critical business information, you can resume business anywhere. How we view and deal with our intangible assets may be the one thing that determines whether a company survives or not. I think all managers everywhere should read this book.