Collins Books

This wonderful self-help guide I stumbled upon years ago and have read numerous times. My copy is highlighted, with pages falling out, but never the less... one of my all time favorites. It's easy to read style, with short sections of only a page or two are wonderful for when you are feeling a little down, troubled, frustrated or angry. It is at those times when reading something uplifting is most beneficial, but your concentration for "heavy" reading is almost non-existant. That is when this book is so ideal.

The book is divided into three parts, Part 1, "Me Vs. Myself", deals with how to live with yourself... how to be happy, how to not let things bug you, etc. It is wonderful... and has helped me out of many bad mind-sets. The book states that there are only three major obstacles to happy living... injurious feelings, overreaction to others and your confusion as to your place in the scheme of things. This section then goes on to explain in simple terms, how to overcome those obstacles.

Part 2, "Me Vs. You", is basically about not letting the actions of others bother you. Here we are reminded that it is not the person who has to put up with unreasonable behavior who has the problem, it's the person who is behaving unreasonably who actually has the problem.

Part 3, "Me, Myself and God", is about our relationship with God or a higher power, and reminds us that help is available instantly, at all hours of the day and night through him.

This book embodies the "Live and Let Live" philosophy of life. The author, Vincent P. Collins, has done a wonderful job of cutting right to the heart of injurious emotional issues and presents them in a way that even the most depressed individual cannot help but relate to and embrace. In today's stressful society, almost everyone suffers from some form of depression, frustration, anger, guilt or worry. With that in mind...this book should be required reading!

This book provides the best outline I have ever read, short of the Sermon on the Mount and the book Aloholics Anonymous, to put life in perspective, first to Self, then to Others, and finally with God. I read this book at least once a year and have attended group sessions wherein we go through the book, topic by topic, sharing our experience, hope and strength, one by one. I think that this book should be published by someone. (bluejean2@juno.com or jeanballow@yahoo.com)

The author to that book is Collins, Vincent Paul; not Vincent Paul, Collins. This man was a priest in my town and I knew him personally. The book is still being asked for by many people around here and is still being touted as very insightful and helpful for people who have low self-esteem.

This book provides the best outline I have ever read, short of the Sermon on the Mount and the book Aloholics Anonymous, to put life in perspective, first to Self, then to Others, and finally with God. I read this book at least once a year and have attended group sessions wherein we go through the book, topic by topic, sharing our experience, hope and strength, one by one. I think that this book should be published by someone. (bluejean2@juno.com or jeanballow@yahoo.com)

An excellent compendium of oddball factoids, sharply designed and smartly written, c/o the fine folks at Mental_floss. I don't know how long it must have taken to compile all this stuff, but you can easily spend a weekend or more tearing through it. Good stuff -- I couldn't have enjoyed it more had I co-written it myself.

Marcus Chown's recent book, "The Quantum Zoo: A Tourist's Guide to a Never-Ending Universe" deals with quantum physics in a way that effectively uses popular culture references as a means toward understanding the world around us through scientific theory. Surprisingly, this book covers similar ground but from a completely non-scientific perspective by interconnecting seemingly unrelated trivia facts toward another view of the world. As you can assess, both books provide value to their respective audiences.

"Scatterbrained" is another slim volume from the editors of Mental Floss Magazine, a bimonthly launched in 2001 and targeted to aspiring Trivial Pursuit masters. This one takes nine isolated threads of facts to show how you could possibly make sense of the world. Granted, the connections can be rather tenuous, sometimes like an unending broken record on the turntable, but they are fun simply to track just to see where the lines of thought will go. It's a bit like playing a more expansive version of the "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" game except anything, no matter how trivial, is up for grabs.

A prototypical example is Chapter 4, "Humpty Dumpty to Having a Great Fall to Getting Put Back Together Again" You see the links between the fairy tale character, hunger strikes, celebrity trials, disasters that occur in autumn, diamonds, pseudonyms, the periodic table, trivia about the Web, the history of tattoos, and historic reunions. It's definitely a meandering journey for a less receptive mind but one that makes sense for any world-class trivia expert who can connect anything with anything. And for them, it's quite a fun read.

Chock-full of funny factoids to make you look smart at cocktail parties. An easy-reading smorgasboard of truisms both bizarre and interesting, all linked together. Bathroom reading for the MENSA set.

This book is an immense collection of trivia, loosely related by tangential connecting facts. For example, a story about famous downfalls which recounts Oscar Wilde's end says: "But it's not like Wilde was angry enough to start a hunger strike or anything...." And then we're off into "The Greatest Hunger Strikers Ever." Scatterbrained is much like "The Areas of My Expertise" (John Hodgman), except not made-up. And with fewer hobo facts.

The Scatterbrained approach to trivia is very readable, like a talkative dinner guest who goes on endless factual tangents. It's amusing and fun, and offers you plenty of chances to bail out when you've had enough (for example, when you've completed your business in the, uh, bathroom). This would also make a nice (albeit small) coffee-table book, as it's the sort of thing your guests can leaf through and call out interesting, often bizarre anecdotes.

Nerdy note: this book was co-edited by noted Young Adult author John Green. Fans of "Looking for Alaska" will appreciate "Fond Farewells: The Best and Worst of Famous People's Last Words" on page 125, and fans of "An Abundance of Katherines" will enjoy "Math Nerds Gone Wild (And by Wild, We Mean Nuts)" on page 132.

I must have ready a dozen or so bios of Michael Collins in the past few years and this is one of my favorites. Some of them seem to spend so much time on Michael Collins, the administrator, that they don't pay enough attention to Michael Collins, the human being. If you have to read one, I recommend this one. If you want a more exhaustive bio, then read Tim Pat Coogan. My other favorite is by Frank O'Connor.

This was the first biography of Collins I read and it is a good one, though not as exhaustively detailed and annotated as Tim Pat Coogan's. The author is clearly an admirer of Collins but it does not seem to slant his portrayal of the man and he covers all the biographical bases in Collins' life--the quintessentially Irish childhood and indoctrinization with nationalist ideals from family and teachers; the years between 15 and 25 working in London; the participation in the Easter Rebellion and imprisonment in Wales; the return to Ireland and his destiny as leader of the Anglo-Irish War of Independence; and the transformation into statesman in the Treaty negotiations. What Mackay particularly brings to the portrait of Collins is a warmth that allows the reader to see the real man beneath the legend--the interactions with the men and women who shared his struggle or who opposed it, and the reaction of his countrymen to his leadership. Overall, an engrossing read.

For anyone wishing to know more about the bombastic, bullish side of Michael Collins, look no further. James MacKay captures Collins' thoughts-- even the most flamboyant-- with style and verbal panache. It is clear that his work has been very heavily influenced by the biographies from Frank O'Connor and Tim Pat Coogan, but MacKay distinguishes himself by emphasizing Collins' personality and his military accomplishments. He describes Michael's physical stature (5'11" with a bulky build), Michael's nature (quick to laugh, quick to cry, quick to anger, and quick to make an apology), Michael's health (his bouts with pleurisy, Spanish flu, stomach and kidney problems), Michael's orderly manner (he hated pencil writing and signatures from rubber stamps), and Michael's many other contradictions. MacKay includes several b/w photos along with explorations of Michael's military brilliance, e.g. his ability to run an entire guerrilla war from the back of a bicycle. MacKay begins with Collins' boyhood and concludes with an epilogue regarding the aftermath of Collins' assassination. If you are curious about Michael Collins the man, I can strongly recommend MacKay's biography.

This biography was my introduction to the life and times of Michael Collins and it was a good one, though not as detailed and extensively annotated as Tim Pat Coogan's. The author is clearly an admirer of Collins but the portrayal appears to be objective and covers all the biographical bases in Collins' life--the Irish childhood and indoctrination with nationalist ideals from family and teachers; the years between 15-25 working in London; the participation in the Easter Rebellion and imprisonment in Wales; the return to Ireland and rise to leadership in the War of Independence; and the transformation to statesman in the Treaty negotiations. What Mackay particularly brings to the portrait of Collins is a warmth that allows the reader to see the real man behind the legend--the interactions with the men and women who shared his struggle or who opposed him, and the reaction of his countrymen to his leadership and to his untimely death during the bitter Civil War at the hands of former comrades who in many cases still revered him. Overall, an engrossing read.

This book is great for Middle School Students or even High School Students who want to review the events leading to the Constitution. I am a Middle School Teacher and plan on using the book to review my lessons with my students. Next year I plan on using it to introduce the topic!

This book gives an understandable view of how our Constitution came to be. It is good to read in context with studying other aspects of the colonial time period as well as the Revolutionary War. There is a great map at the beginning and resources at the back with the preamble as well as an explanation of the Articles and Amendments. There is a list of all the signers, a summary of important dates and bit of interesting facts about the convention and delegates. Definitely a good resource.

Maestro reviews the reasons for the Constitution, but fails to mention the Articles of Confederation. The text includes the Virginia, New Jersey, and Connecticut Plans. The book can easily be read as an introduction to the Constitution in one class period. Students could complete a drawing or group of drawings on a picture web to narrate the important details from the story.

I came across one book by Betsy Maestro "The Discovery of the Americas" and I loved it. The text is simple and the illustrations are great. It is historically accurate as well, a must in my checklist. I didn't realize she also wrote the historical series "You Wouldn't Want to..." They are my favorite!! I recommend all of her books, especially for teachers.

I think the book is excellent, after all I happened to be in the book with muhammed ali, as one of his fans. I think its on page 42. we're in a cadillac surrounding him.

From the pictures to the text, Hauser shows Ali in all his greatness. The pictures are captivating and the text allows the reader to experience what Ali has to offer. "In Perspective" allows everyone from the common sports fan all the way to the boxing expert the chance to step into the life of Muhammed Ali.

Another Hauser Winner and A Great Ali Perspective

After the epilogue I read the Fight Chronology, glanced at the index and acknowledgements and realized I was done. I closed the book and felt sad that my time being spent with Ali was over for today. I flipped the book over and there he was on the cover. Older than I remembered, but still handsome and still a twinkle in his eye.

I don't know how Hauser always seems to do it, he always seems to make me forget about the world around me and just become part of his writing.

This is a great book - if you've read other Ali books or if his is your first - it's a great, easy book that simply shows you different perspectives on the GREATEST Of All Time - Muhammad Ali.

I laughed out loud a lot and got all teary eyed at times as well.

Great book - Great photos - Very hard to find - one of those you'll have to buy used on Amazon or find on eBay - do yourself a favor - find it and spend an afternoon with it.

This book is a wonderful pictorial of Ali's life and times, triumphs and defeats, both personal and professional. A must for any fan of Ali or the triumph of spirit over surroundings.

What a treasure! Ms. Meredith has made a superb contribution with her book "My Last Wishes..." She guides us toward a feeling of empowerment, helping us to discover who we are by thoughtfully and tactfully broaching this most important and inevitable experience. She offers helpful advice and insights, and with her keen sense of humor, allows us to laugh! Kudos to Joy Meredith!

We all know of stories where a loved one passes on and no one can speak to their wishes. Wouldn't it be easier to tell our loved ones what we would like? This book is the tool! It's an easy to fill out journal that covers a variety of areas including your life, how you envision your final service and how to plan ahead. Even though it's a heavy topic the book takes a serious but light look at important issues. Do your loved ones a favor and let them know your wishes using this book!

In the process of grieving for the sudden lost of a loved one, this book caught my eye and made me hopeful that the inevitable passing of future family and friends, and myself, may not be so difficult on the ones left behind.
The author somehow makes a simple read out of a taboo subject. Educational, sometimes witty, and straight to the point, this book covers everything you need to know about planning how you would like to be remembered and what you would like happen when your time is up. Good for the young and old alike. A great gift for those that you love.

I am not one to go on and on about how things can and should be done. Everyone has their own way through life, but this book is a great way to take stock of where you are in life and how you would want your life and death to be remembered and handled by those who you are leaving behind.

Why did I buy my first copy? Several of my good friends have lost their parents and grandparents in the past 12 months, and were really left numb while they confronted the last days and moments without any ideas of what do to do or say. After seeing and reading through this book in a local bookstore, I ordered 10 copies to share with them and a few others that are facing similar situations now.

I am already getting positive feedback from a friend who lost his dad last summer, ("I wish I had this 9 months ago."). I know my other friends aren't ready for this, or may be reluctant to face it, but I know when I look at how an unplanned death is handled it can be brutal and unforgiving; I will not leave that burden with my wife, child or parent. (Think about the mess going on with Anna Nicole Smith, if you doubt how tragic it can be. What is her daughter going to know about her mother's wishes for her life? NOTHING!)

I would recommend getting a copy for you and your loved ones. Especially for those you don't want to make the tough decisions for. Like to be left on life support or not; cremated -vs- buried; what to do with their kids, belongings and memories; who or what was your greatest loves and memories?

Since taxes and death are inevitable, why not plan to make your loved one's memories good ones, not painful second guesses?

BTW, it is a very good read, so don't be afraid you are sending a "Death Wish" to your friends or coworkers. You are giving them a little bit of love and food for thought!

Reading David Collin's My Louise was a very moving experience for me.

Having "lived" through a similar experience, I can relate to much of the content, meaning and feelings described by David. Although my wife was fifty-six when she died of cancer, and I didn't have a two year old daughter to raise alone but four grown sons to be concerned about, I was easily able to relate to David's agony, his great feeling of loss and particularly his loneliness. He took me back to 1989 when I suffered my loss.

I was powerfully moved by David's story, his grief journey and his enduring love for not only Robin but for Louise, as well. His total commitment to give Robin as normal (whatever that is) a childhood and life as possible makes me feel good for Robin. She was so unlucky to lose her Mother at such a young age but so lucky to have such a caring and committed Father.

David's portrayal of Louise and the courage displayed by both Louise and David, which came shining through in this memoir, was most moving.

I thank David for freely sharing so much of himself and his family. It was a privilege to have had the opportunity to be allowed to share such an intimate experience.

Ever been on a rollarcoaster of emotions~we all have and this book does just that through words and the overwhelming history of love and loss~given to David by fate. I laughed, cried, and truly "felt" the words David Collins used in his book. I picked it up and couldn't put it down because he let the reader feel his pain through the eyes of a husband struggling through his personal rollarcoaster. In the end, you just wanted to love him for who he was and what he has done for himself and his daughter. Powerful. Pick it up and enjoy!

At some point or another--and whether we like it or not--we are bound to experience tragedy within the course of our lives. For some, that personal loss may refrain until we've spent innumerable years with our loving spouse, but for others, a tragic blow may be dealt much sooner and with absolutely no remorse. In David Collins' case, he was forced to watch a ravenous cancer steal away his young wife's life, and as if that wasn't enough, he was then left to raise their new daughter on his own. His memoir is an account of experiencing a horrid loss, but also of how to pick up the pieces and move on with life, if only for their daughter's sake. Fortunately for Collins, however, his daughter (Robin) provided one true tangible link to his lost wife. And throughout the struggles of raising a child without his Louise, he hints at the idea that--without Robin--moving on after such defeat may have been impossible.

What Collins has done so efficiently (along with his intense appreciation for aesthetics) was to encompass all the feelings that one might have while losing their spouse, and then vividly depict them throughout the story. At one point, he personified the disease, citing several times how he would have liked nothing better than to pummel the rapacious cancer from his wife's withering body. He was tired of failed treatments and hospitals; he just wanted to get this disease in a ring and duke it out.

Furthermore, Collins aptly described the frailty of life, which most of us tend to forget about until real disaster strikes. Amidst his drowning in a sea of hopelessness, he yearned for powers beyond his reach - anything that could save his young wife, he was ready to do. Yet the harsh reality of this world proved that there was nothing more that could be done. His defiance of the impending loss seemed as obstreperous as his wife's own battle with the unabated cancer, but Collins (appropriately) never delved too far into the details of Louise's personal struggles. He may have stripped his own emotions down to their purest and rawest form; but he managed to give the reader a heartfelt glimpse of Louise's suffering without being superfluous.

These were real emotions that any one of us could feel, and Collins held nothing back when expressing his disgust for Louise's cancer. And while he hints at an ambivalent God during his incessant bouts with frustration, he manages to exert hope that perhaps someone up above took his Louise for a good reason.

From his indelible love for his wife and countless battles with his precocious daughter, to a brief stab at imperialism and questioning of piety, Collins has written a daring work, one which I thoroughly enjoyed. I found that I shared with him many of the same opinions: relationships (and marriage) are not always utopian, but with mutual work, life with your loved one has the potential to be sublime. Moreover, when that fortuitous battle arrives (be it cancer or some other tribulation), it can be vehemently fought as a team, not unilaterally.

We don't ever want to give in or give up, but how do we carry on when that battle has been inexorably lost? As Collins stated, "...a miserable situation can be endured..." but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy. This story of grief seems like it could only be found within the pages of a book, but the fact of the matter is that it did happen; it happens to both good and bad people, and it's going to happen whether we like it or not. The true task is perseverance and subsequently finding the needed strength to carry on. For David Collins, he found his strength each day when he looked at his daughter. He had to carry on, if not for Louise, then quite simply for Robin.

Seems to me the makers of so-called reality tv would do well to find a new name for their "craft."
Collins' book is nothing if not a clear, concise report on the cruel blows that *real* reality can deal to the innocent and unsuspecting. It's at times chilling and at others amusing, but always real. Reads like a reporter's notepad, with the pages ripped out and put back in no particular order, recounting a harrowing battle, with bits and pieces of gripping narrative, fanciful recollection and heartfelt observation.
From a strictly logistical standpoint, it's a quick, easy and unfettered read--pretty difficult to put down once you get it going. The language is straight and pointed, the tone at once hopeful and gut-wrenching, the pacing nearly perfect as it effortlessly blends seemingly contradictory descriptions of the clinically sterile and the fiercely emotional.
The author lays his soul bare, with all the sadness, bitterness, love and unrequited vengefulness you'd expect from someone in his shoes. Collins is painfully forthright in his presentation, though at times a bit repetitive, the repetition merely a byproduct of his brutal honesty and the constant self-examination that frames the story, refusing to conclude even as the book itself does.
Because at its heart, this story of love and death is really an exercise in dealing with very real emotions, and it contains the requisite accompanying conflict, backtracking and soul-searching. It's a struggle in which the narrator frequently questions the motives of a supreme being that he'd have you believe he isn't sure exists, but of course then to whom are all the questions being directed?
Anyone who has been through this awful struggle, with or without the worst imaginable result, will see a reflection of self in the author's words, feelings and deeds. And anyone who hasn't will see what they would imagine themselves to be in the same situation.
And that is the book's greatest triumph. It's the real deal. Unvarnished, unpasteurized, unadulterated, unglossed and unfair.
A must-read.

Found this book in a bag of books sent by a friend. Discovered it to be extremely down to earth. Being at the other end of the financial ruler(Retired) I discovered much of the content of this book I had learned and exercised which brought me to financial security in my fiftys.It is all in there for the young to learn. I will add one though. Watch the rich and live the way they do. The rich are not the flamboyant spenders,you will have to search for the quiet ones, they have the money and will always have it.Wealth is held, not thrown around like a football.One more tip; When you eleminate debt and stay out of it you are in todays world earning at least 8 to 18 percent per annum. That will give you a good start.

This wonderfully written (and quick read) has over 300 great tips ranging from filled how to save money, earn more money, and how to invest your money. A lot of this information is common sense but it is very nice to have it in a handy book form (also would make an excellent stocking stuffer, it's February and I'm already thinking of next Christmas....)

So why listen to Nancy Dunnan?

Well she is a well respected financial advisor that has been on CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg she writes for Your Money magazine among others.

One of my favorite tips in this book is this and I quote:

"After writing your rent or mortgage check, make the next one out for savings. Begin saving 1% of your take-home pay and increase it by 1% each month. By the end of a year you'll be saving a respectable 12%."

Now I think that is wonderful since in my opinion I think a lot of people don't save money because it seems like they can't "live" without all of the money they make. This one tip explains to me that if I just live on 1% less each month (and save the money) I will have more money later on. The other tips in this book are very good as well, check it out.

Reed Floren

Nancy Dunnan's book should be on one of those page-a-day calendar cubes.

This is a fun book of handy advice about handling your money from somebody who obviously knows what she's talking about. I liked this so much I bought five copies for my nephews and nieces so they'll get a good start with their money.

I have used this book professionally and personally for ten years and it is absolutely excellent in every way. It is well organized, clear, succinct, intuitive, and thorough. The current sharp decline in the importance placed on correct grammar and usage, which is essential to effective communication, could be curtailed if only everyone owned a copy (and would read it). Those horrific emails sent by intellectually and physically lazy persons should be intercepted as spam; they are at least as offensive.

As a professional writer and editor I have found this book to be the best resource for my everyday style and usage quandries. (And I have used several style guides.) It has been a great help in the last couple of months as I have been writing an editorial style guide for my employer. It's easy to navigate and provides information that can be understood by those of us who aren't rocket scientists. It also explains style and grammar issues and gives real-life examples.

I'm the author of several popular computer programming books that amazon sells. The problem is, I'm not really a very good writer; my background is all technical. My Copy Editor recommended this book as the single best reference -- better than the Chicago Manual of Style or others. An excellent choice!

I have a stack of grammar books at hand on my desk, from the classic Strunk & White's The Elements of Style to the witty and wise books of Patricia T. O'Conner, grammar grinch of the New York Times. None is so comprehensive and usable as the NY Public Library's guide. From welcome advice about "bias-free usage" to "the essential comma," the Library Guide gives down-to-earth and much-needed commentary about the problems writers face every day. My favorite section is Misued and Easily Confused Words, worth reading for its entertainment value alone. I've been a professional writer for over 30 years and only wish I could have had this volume with me all that time. I've tried the rest, this is the best. I just bought my son, who is working on his first book, a copy for Christmas.

This scholarly and thoroughly impressive history of the Nile River provides a fine blend of geography and history as it surveys the river's importance to local lives and world events. From its various ecological niches and environments to the special history of its evolution and importance to mankind, The Nile is filled from cover to cover with a wealth of lively and articulate description.

There are a lot of great books on the Nile; Emil Ludwig's classic and Alan Whitehead's come to mind. This is another, updated version, that fills in a lot of the blanks left by the earlier books. It is well written and up-to-date. The emphasis is on politics and history but the author also appreciates the physical wonder that is the Nile. The author spends a lot of time talking about this place and that place, but the book is full of excellent maps to guide the geographically perplexed. It is a good read for the adventurous as well as those interested in the challenges facing modern Africa.

By Robert I. Rotberg

The life-giving Nile of lower Egypt trickles first from two springs in Burundi and Rwanda and then meanders 4,238 miles as the White Nile through great equatorial lakes; loses itself in tangled and difficult swamps; tortuously emerges to run freely toward its confluence with the much more powerful, if shorter, Blue Nile from Ethiopia; and then flows over cataracts and dams through the great desert to the Mediterranean Sea.

Over five millenniums, the nutrient- and silt-laden Nile floodwaters enabled agriculture and civilization to flourish all along its lower reaches. When the annual summer flood failed, however, the northern Sudan and all of classical and modern Egypt suffered hideously.

Collins links the dark ages of dynastic Egypt and the successes of invading outsiders to those sometimes prolonged periods when the Nile withheld its renewing gift. In turn, those dry spells reflected shifts in the rainfall patterns of equatorial Africa and highland Ethiopia, not - as the Egyptians always feared - to the manipulative scheming of Ethiopian monarchs or African chieftains.

There were many efforts to measure the flows of the Nile, and then to harness it effectively. Taming the Nile, the quixotic goal of administrators from early times, led to the first small dams, and in the early 20th century to dams in the Sudan. President Gamal Abdel Nasser's Aswan High Dam of 1970, with its 300-mile lake and its ancillary dam at Roseires in the Sudan, were together intended to regulate the river forever, smoothing out the years of high and low water. But the mighty Nile refused to capitulate, and the impoundment of its waters has led to great silting and weakening of the dams, the impoverishment of Egyptian agriculture, unexpected disease, and unanticipated economic and social consternation.

Collins's seamless biography captures the soul of a river that is both a result of and a continuing influence upon Africa's geology, climate, history, peoples, economy, and politics. Collins roams over the 2 million-square-mile basin of the Nile - the smaller rivers, the large and tiny lakes, and the glacier-capped mountain ranges - and writes movingly of the glory and challenges faced by the immense cascade of water as it makes its way over myriad waterfalls and past pumping stations, villages, towns, and cities to its ultimate destination. He also captures the trials and triumphs of the Nile's sometimes human- assisted passage through the Sudd - a vast eddying swamp-like mass of lagoons and channels that long defied explorers and entrepreneurs as they attempted to follow the White Nile south into equatorial regions.

Counterintuitively, more of the merged waters of the Nile come from the Blue branch, not the much longer and more tortuous White system. The Blue starts higher than the White, at 9,000 feet, and then rushes into shallow Lake Tana. From shores ringed by Coptic Christian monasteries, the Blue carves a great arc through the lava dikes and sandstone plateaus of western Ethiopia, strengthened by three significant and many minor tributaries until it leaves the highlands and crosses into the Sudan as a source of regular refreshment.

As in any great biography, there are diversions off the main channel. Collins swoops readers into the Baro Salient, that riverine mapmaking mistake that thrusts Ethiopia into the southern Sudan, where commerce coursed clandestinely across borders. He takes us on a fascinating search for 15-foot canaries - not in John Williams' standard "Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa" - high up in the Mountains of the Moon (the Ruwenzori Range). And he supplies unexpected facts. For instance, as mighty as the Nile may be, its volume of fresh water delivered to the Mediterranean is only 2 percent of the total of the Amazon River and 15 percent of that of the Mississippi River. For much of its 160 million-year history, the Nile emptied into the Indian Ocean; only in comparatively recent geological times has it flowed north.

This is an easy book to read and to like. Yet there are occasional anachronisms, where sketches of people or places forsake the findings of modern linguistic and ethnological scholarship, and repetition of pet phrases or factoids. But the book's big flaw is the fault of the publisher: The quality and clarity of the maps and photographs are inadequate for a study as important as this panoramic biography of a pulsing river.

ý Robert I. Rotberg directs Harvard's Program on Intrastate Conflict and is president of the World Peace Foundation.

from the January 09, 2003 edition - ...

There are a lot of great books on the Nile; Emil Ludwig's classic and Alan Moorehead's come to mind. This is another, updated version, that fills in a lot of the blanks left by the earlier books. It is well written and up-to-date. The emphasis is on politics and history but the author also appreciates the physical wonder that is the Nile. The author spends a lot of time talking about this place and that place, but the book is full of excellent maps to guide the geographically perplexed. It is a good read for the adventurous as well as those interested in the challenges facing modern Africa.