George Books

Instead of the usual single sided text written by an individual corporate leader on what a wonderful contribution to America they have made, this book explores the commonalities of many successful leaders in and out of the corporate world. Readers will find the writing style to be easy to read and easy to learn from with the "Explore and Discover" section at the end of each chapter. The length is long enough to get an solid overview of the concepts presented, yet short enough to keep the reader anxiously turning pages.

Kudos to authors Bette Price and George Ritcheske for presenting a fresh approach on the leadership topic!

This is a wonderful book that anyone who wants to lead should read. It is also a great read for those who want to understand the strengths and weaknesses of management within their own company.

"True Leaders" is one of the best books that I've ever read on leadership and management behavior! Price and Ritcheske have done an outstanding job delineating the difference between managers and leaders, as well as wannabe leaders and "true leaders." The book is insightful, exceptionally well written, and will cause anyone aspiring to key leadership roles to seriously reevaluate their approach to the people vs. profits equation. I especially enjoyed the real-world stories offered by the diverse group of executives that were profiled. "True Leaders" is a "must read" for all corporate executives!

I found this book to be very easy to read, made basic common sense with an enhanced use of ideas and the credibility of the CEO's interviewed first rate.I especially liked the questions at the end of each chapter as, food for thought for the reader and a guideline for improvement as well.
It is a book well thought out and enjoyable to read.I highly recommend it to all aspiring leaders,to executives for their review and for their management staff.

I've read a lot of books about leadership that use exemplary leaders to make the author's points. Most turn out to be biographical anthologies. True Leaders is different.

This tightly written (read: no fluff to bulk-up the book's size) book is organized around a set of values, which the authors found to be central to corporate success. With a focus on core values, leaders operate differently than those who are focused on what the bottom line will look like at the end of the next reporting period. Their results are stronger and more sustainable in the long run. Satisfaction levels-for them and for the people working for them-are much higher. Trust runs deep. True leadership is at work.

The authors interviewed 25 CEOs from both private and public sector organizations. They confirmed that ten core values are the essence of their work: Passion is a prerequisite. See what is not yet visible. Care enough to connect and convey. Treat learning like dirty dishes. Do what's right and tell the truth. Trust is a must. Recognize and build people. Trust your intuition. Risk to respond and grow. Respect the importance of balance. And those core values are the chapters of the book.

In each of the chapters, the authors explain the value and its importance, illustrating and reinforcing the concepts through stories from the CEOs. These perspectives are woven into the fabric of each chapter in a way that is very comfortable for the reader. The input from the CEOs brings the values to life, inspiring as well as educating the reader. The presentations are never "in-your-face," but fit nicely into the pattern of the reader's experience with the book.

Just about the time you'll feel like you've completed the book and are ready to close the cover with a silent "thanks" to the authors, you'll discover there's more. Over thirty more pages are organized into appendices talking about Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), a leadership evaluation, a one-on-one discussion card, an attitudes and values graph, and profiles of the companies represented by the CEOs used in the book. And, of course, there's an index. Nice package.

You might want to get two copies of this book, one to keep on the shelf, and one to loan to friends.
shelf, and one to loan to friends.

Twenty Years A-Growing, or Fiche Bliain ag Fás in its original Irish, is a humorous and well written book about the sometimes hard life at the great western island, An Blascaod Mór, off the cost of Ireland. It tells about the everyday of the islanders in the beginning of the century in a surprisingly modern and lively way. The language of the Island was Irish, and although the Great Blasket is now abandoned, the Irish language still lives on in the mainland parishes in this area. I strongly recommend this book to everyone interested in Ireland, its culture, the Irish language or readerswho just want a fun and good book. I myself have only read the whole of it in its Irish original, but the passes I've read in English shows a well-done translation

I haven't yet read the book but I will submit a review when completed. However the book came highly recommended to me by many people. they found it a delightful memoir and as i just returend from the Dingle Peninsula, i wanted to read it myself.

Twenty Years A-Growing by Maurice O'Sullivan is one heck of a "coming of age" story. I'd never even heard of it until a friend of mine told me that he was reading it. I'm sure glad he did. This is a great book!

I've actually read several coming of age stories recently. I didn't plan to...it just kind of occurred that way. Some of them were really good (David Copperfield by Dickens being one of them); but none of them, Copperfield included, spoke to my heart like Twenty Years A-Growing.

Twenty Years A-Growing was translated into English from Gaelic. I personally find this astounding. They (whoever "they" might be) say a book always loses something in translation. Yet Twenty Years absolutely sings in English...the translation is so powerful that the original must truly be a thing of beauty.

It is an autobiographical tale of growing up in the Blasket Islands off the coast of Ireland around the time of the first world war. For me at least, it was a thing of wonder to be able to enter into this world which has since moved on. It is a story told in a wonderfully simple yet almost lyrically beautiful way. Each chapter is a story in itself. The story as a whole slowly ingrains itself upon your heart and mind.

I felt an affinity with Maurice and his friend Thomas. The adventures they find themselves in ring true even as they entertain the reader. Likewise, the character of the grandfather in particular now feels like an old friend to me now. I particularly appreciated some of the wisdom he espouses to Maurice.

I dare anyone to read this book and not be charmed by the lives of these wonderful people who lived almost a hundred years ago in a kind of societal setting that seems all at once foreign, yet somehow more sane than today's world of constant "time management" in pursuit of hollow "muchness" and "manyness."

It does not happen often that I do not to want a book to end. I usually approach the end of a book with satisfaction. Rarely am I left wanting more. Yet that was the case with Twenty Years A-Growing. It is a truly special book.

Twenty Years A-Growing by Maurice O'Sullivan is one heck of a "coming of age" story. I'd never even heard of it until a friend of mine told me that he was reading it. I'm sure glad he did. This is a great book!

I've actually read several coming of age stories recently. I didn't plan to...it just kind of occurred that way. Some of them were really good (David Copperfield by Dickens being one of them); but none of them, Copperfield included, spoke to my heart like Twenty Years A-Growing.

Twenty Years A-Growing was translated into English from Gaelic. I personally find this astounding. They (whoever "they" might be) say a book always loses something in translation. Yet Twenty Years absolutely sings in English...the translation is so powerful that the original must truly be a thing of beauty.

It is an autobiographical tale of growing up in the Blasket Islands off the coast of Ireland around the time of the first world war. For me at least, it was a thing of wonder to be able to enter into this world which has since moved on. It is a story told in a wonderfully simple yet almost lyrically beautiful way. Each chapter is a story in itself. The story as a whole slowly ingrains itself upon your heart and mind.

I felt an affinity with Maurice and his friend Thomas. The adventures they find themselves in ring true even as they entertain the reader. Likewise, the character of the grandfather in particular now feels like an old friend to me. I particularly appreciated some of the wisdom he espouses to Maurice.

I dare anyone to read this book and not be charmed by the lives of these wonderful people who lived almost a hundred years ago in a kind of societal setting that seems all at once foreign, yet somehow more sane than today's world of constant "time management" in pursuit of hollow "muchness" and "manyness."

It does not happen often that I do not to want a book to end. I usually approach the end of a book with satisfaction. Rarely am I left wanting more. Yet that was the case with Twenty Years A-Growing. It is a truly special book.

This is an extraordinary book, described by the well-know author E.M. Forster as "here is the egg of a seabird - lovely, perfect and laid this very morning".

The author, Muiris Ó Súilleabháin, is an Irish-speaking boy growing up on the Great Blasket Island (An Blascaod Mór). He describes his childhood in the twenties on this 100% Irish-speaking island in Co. Kerry. The population of the island never reached 200, and life there was very archaic - resembling the society in Europe thousands of years ago. Nowhere else in Europe did the shear joy of speaking and love of words live on as here, where thousands of pages of folklore has been collected as well. This love of the language is obvious in this vivid book, in which Muiris presents an affectionate, lively and interesting account of a way of life that no longer is.

Despite being published 70 years ago, the book still feels fresh and manages to blend fond memories and humour in an extraordinary way. This is definitely THE book to buy for anyone interested in the Irish way of life.

This is so packed with details that I am always searching for. It's awesome, it's so cool. It has everything that you need to know about the X-files, I have nothing but praise for the author. I love the fact that it told so much about all of the characters and stuff, and it's just so great that I recommend if you're as obsessed as I am about the show, to go and buy it. It's definitely worth the price. Again, really great book!!!

I thought that the book had alot to give and I realy liked it. If any one has a good X-files book tell me what it is called

Absolutely, positively, without a doubt the best and most complete reference book that has ever been published on THE X-FILES. This incredibly detailed and beautifully illustrated book covers everything you ever wanted to know about THE X-FILES but were afraid to ask! It is a massive undertaking that covers everything in easy to use A-Z alphabetical format. Every entry cites the episode it came from and every character has the actor's name. Say for example, in the letter (B): you will find lengthy entries for everything from Bear ("Ice") to Bay Area Carpeteers (the Chinese employer of Shuyang Hsin in "Hell Money") and Big Blue ("Quagmire"), from Babcock ("Gethsemane") to Bright White Place ("Nisei") and Biodiversity Project ("F. Emasculata") and tons of entries in between. It is also a very timely book as it covers all previous 4 seasons. I also love the classy look of the book, the good-grade paper and the typeset inside and, especially the price. Oh, how could I forget the illustrations! No more reused stock photos (that we've all seen in every magazine), but the coolest artwork enhances the book. Wait until you check out Flukeman, Mama Peacock and Dr. Zama! THE X-CYCLOPEDIA is a BIG book (with thousands of entries) and for only $15 it's a better deal than the 2 or 3 X-Files magazines I buy each month that total more than $15. If you call yourself an X-Phile, then you don't want to be without this DEFENITIVE reference book to the series! This is THE book of the X-FILES, and I highly recommend it.

This is definitely a 'must have' book for all X-Files fans! Every person, place, company name, historical reference or 'you name it' ever mentioned in seasons 1-4 is covered here! Also serves as an episode guide! Mine stays right next to me whenever I am watching the reruns! Get it...now!

This is the COMPLETE reference guide to my favorite TV show. Idon'tthink the authors missed a thing in this book...it is absolutely mind-boggling to see so many entries. From A to Z, The X-Files has never before been put under such focused, affectionate, and meticulous scrutiny. The X-CYCLOPEDIA is the ULTIMATE reference book on the series and if I only had $15 in my pocket and could only buy one book about THE X-FILES, then it would be this one. Hands down, this is THE best reference book on THE X-FILES ever written. I give it two thumbs up, four stars, or whatever critics use as a measuring stick. No X-Phile should be without it! The truth is no longer OUT there...it is IN the X-CYCLOPEDIA!

This book is an exact copy of her book entitled "God's Garden of Grace" (which is now out of print) only with a new title and cover! This book focuses on the fruits of the Spirit and how to live them out in our daily lives. The study guide in the back helps you dig deeper into the study! Very helpful!

This is the first Elizabeth George book I have read and I can't wait to read her other works! Beautifully written and inspiring. A great study guide for help in living out the fruits of the spirit on a daily basis. Guide to becoming a kinder, more gentle, loving woman while accually recognizing the strength in these virtues rather than the weakness our society leads us to believe a serving attitude shows. I loved this book!!

I love Elizabeth George as an author. She is very practical and easy to read and understand. She sticks to Scripture in her book and she encourages her readers to do the same. I would highly recommend this book and any of her other books to use in women's groups or just for personal pleasure.

This has been a very insightful book not only telling us what the Fruit of the Spirit is but how to apply it to everyday living. Elizabeth George is a treasure!!

All of Elizabeth George's books are a "must read" but this is her best yet! This book is changing my life on a minute to minute basis as I choose to let the fruits of the spirit answer for me as oppossed to my flesh.

I saw the movie by chance ("The Young Visiters" a BBC Television special featuring Jim Broadbent, Hugh Laurie and Bill Nighy), and found out it was based on this highly original book written in 1890 by a wonderfully naive 9-year-old girl. What a treat! I would have preferred reading the book first, but the original did not disappoint. Really great fun, especially since the original (mis)spellings are preserved and add very much to the printed version. This book gives you a really great insight into the mind of a child of that day and age, which is hilarious and touching!

Would we enjoy this book as much if it was not written by a nine year old child? Was it written by a nine year old child? Does it appeal to Americans or to Britishers who are not familiar with the nuances of social pretensions in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries?
Frank Swinnerton, and James Barrie are suspects for being the true authors but there good evidence (although I don't know if it's been recently reevaluated) for Daisy Ashford.
The compartments in the Crystal palace in which the nobility live seem to me to be authentic products of nine year old imagination. Small children often come up with gems like that. The ability to create a coherent plot and follow narrative theme for the length of a novel, even if only a sixty page one is unusual for even a talented child. Children are lazy and, even if they write at length, their stories become fragmented, lose their thread, and are often derivative. It takes adult skills and capacity for sustained hard work to write a coherent full-length work of fiction.. Ashford's failure to write after Barrie's death is suspicious..
Whatever the answers, the fact remains that I did enjoy it - treemendusly.

This is the book that started the schoolchild genre subsequently defined by '1066 and All That' and Molesworth's various manuals such as 'Down with Skool' and 'Whizz for Atoms'. As with 'The Young Visiters', the grammar, the language and the authorial viewpoint of those classics contribute much to our enjoyment. But unlike its descendants, 'The Young Visiters' wasn't written by an adult ... probably.

To my knowledge, there isn't an audiobook version of the full text. But there are a couple of gushing extracts contained on the Naxos compilation '1000 Years of Laughter' which demonstrate that it isn't just the troubled spelling which make the book so amusing. The introduction to those extracts lead us to believe that JM Barrie, who wrote the introduction, could have had much to do with the entire work. Certainly once Barrie had died, she never wrote again, but my feeling is that the nine-year-old Ashford probably was the author. The story is less than 60 pages long, and can be enjoyed in a couple of sittings, then repeatedly re-read.

This work is likely to experience a dramatic surge in popularity this year. A TV adaptation starring Jim Broadbent (of 'Moulin Rouge' fame) will be broadcast, and this recently overlooked masterpiece will return to prominence once again.

I was surprized at how very funny this book is and how true!Try it you'll like it!

How many self styled "comic" novels could hope to be as funny as this one...not many in my opinion. When a novel can be read through in a couple of hours and give you laughs on every page, you'd be mad not to buy it. Plus you'll probably want to read it again. There's plenty of information surrounding the background to this unique book, so I won't repeat any of it here. But basically, anyone with an interest in humour, absurd romantic situations, social history and a love of the English language simply has to have a copy of this. The charm of this book lies chiefly in the reading, it cannot be understood by just having it explained to you. Nor does it translate well to filmed adaptation; the recent BBC dramatisation with Jim Broadbent made a real ham-fisted job of it, adding their own extra plot and even making up new dialogue and mis-spellings...unforgivable!!
I agree with another reviewer who has mentioned that the J.M. Barrie forward is almost as entertaining as the book itself, drawing attention as it does to many of the best passages. Everybody I have introduced this book to has fallen in love with it, because it's nothing less than a pleasure to read. And its cheap too. In fact, my review could really be confined to two words - "Buy It!"

This is a great book and it covers the same material published much earlier in the book Two Survived by Guy Pearce Jones. I recommend both of these books highly.

J. Revell Carr has written an outstanding and disturbing book that deserves a much wider readership than it will probably get. It centres on the fate of a group of survivors from a merchant vessel sunk by one of the Kriegsmarine's most notorious raiders, who found themselves in a disastrous survival situation, with the nearest practical landfall 2,700 miles away.

In a fluent and well-written narrative, he provides a wealth of convincing detail while never losing sight of the wider picture. In addition to telling the survivors' compelling story, he also provides a fascinating insight into the tactics and practicalities of raider warfare, and particularly, the career and complex personality of the raider's commanding officer, Hellmuth von Ruckteschell.

One of the great strengths of this book is the author's style, which will no doubt remind some readers of Martin Middlebrook and Patrick Mahoney's classic book `Battleship'. For those unfamiliar with this work, beyond a compelling story, this means a careful use of sources and an even-handed style that is never hectoring or partisan, that does not seek heroes or villains, and aims squarely at finding the truth.

Yes, there are a few minor errors - the name of the old battleship Schlesien is misspelt, for example - but these are quite incidental to the story and in no way undermine the book.

In short, this is a book that you will find difficult to put down and thoroughly deserves the highest possible recommendation.

All Brave Sailors by J. Revell Carr is the amazing story of the sinking of the British freighter Anglo-Saxon by a German raider, and the seventy day voyage of the ship's seven survivors in a small boat. Carr also tells the story of the German raider, its captain and crew. Although the entire book is extremely well written and very interesting, it is the time spent in the small jolly boat that really captures the reader's attention and imagination. How the two sole survivors were able to hold on, how they found land is a remarkable tale. This book also very ably highlights the contributions made by the men of the Merchant Marines during World War II. These men were every bit of the heroes that the men who actually fought in combat were and it is about time a book singing their praises was written. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII.

An excellent tale, not only of the survival story of seven men from the Anglo-Saxon, but also of the biographical sketches of all of the characters in this tale and their association with the historical events of the time. Revell Carr has used his knowledge of the sea and his ability to ferret out interesting detail through hours of research and interviews to produce a story that is not only worth telling, but was very enjoyable to read. Highly recommended.

The remarkable tale of those lucky few that survived the sinking of the English merchant ship, the Anglo Saxon by a German raider is a compelling story. But author J. Revell Carr does not leave it at that. He also tells the story of the German raider who sunk it, most especially it's notorious captain. In relating the extraordinary life and character of Hellmuth von Ruckteschell, Carr has not drawn a stick figure villain, but has presented a fully realized and complex figure. This is the mark of top-notch storytelling and history.
Obviously the more inspiring story is that of those who survived on the Atlantic Ocean aboard the jolly boat for two months. Their struggles with hunger, exposure, thirst; injury and madness are the stuff of legend. That anyone could have survived on so small a boat from the mid Atlantic to the shore of the Bahamas is awe-inspiring.
Carr wisely lets their story speak for itself. While filled with admiration for those plucky few who survived (and those who didn't as well) he does not embellish. He doesn't need to.
Among the many attributes of this book -- perhaps most notably that it's a cracking good read -- is that it gives recognition to the merchant seamen who so bravely and at such extraordinary risk served the allied cause during both world wars (my father among them). Merchant seaman suffered the highest proportionate losses of any service group during World War II.
"All Brave Sailors" is the story of war and the terrible cost it extracts from ordinary people. Not just those who perish, but those who they leave behind. We also see the costs extracted from those who survive.
I would have liked more pictures and a few maps, but these are mere quibbles. This is a book worthy of the story it endeavors to tell and is highly recommended.

Shirley Povich, the late sportswriter of The Washington Post, has provided us with a review of eight decades of some of his best articles. If you enjoy sports history, you will enjoy the anecdotes he has to tell you regarding the heavyweights of the sports world over eight decades of writing. Other writers are equally authoratative, but Povich was on the scene for a much longer period of time. He would often agonize over how to open with a column, but on October 8, 1956, he came up with a gem that read "The million-to-one shot came in. Hell froze over. A month of Sundays hit the calendar. Don Larsen today pitched a no-hit, no-run, no-man-reach-first game in a World Series." Mr. Povich was at Yankee Stadium during Gehrig's Farewell Address on July 4, 1939, and was in Baltimore when Cal Ripken broke Gehrig's record. I did find some annoying errors by the editors of the book. Page 131 lists the date of Larsen's perfecto as October 9, 1956. Page 220 has a bold-faced headline entitled "Facing Kofax" which has Sandy's name misspelled. Page 350 has Gehrig's consecutive game streak listed at 2,132. Also, Mr. Povich has an error on Page 366 when he lists Bobo Hollomon as a member of the Cardinals rather than the Browns when he tossed is no-hitter in his first major league start. I don't mean to pick on the errors, they are there, but the book rates five stars and is authored by a man who is honored in the writers' wing in the Baseball Hall of Fame. If you enjoy baseball history this book belongs on your shelf.

An interesting conversation took place the other day. I mentioned to my grandfather, now in his early 80s, that I had just bought the new book entitled "All those Mornings...at the Post." And he responded with, "I grew up reading Shirley Povich."

My response: "So did I, and I am 25." And so did my father. That's the amazing thing about Povich - he linked generations. He wrote about stars from Walter Johnson to Michael Jordan and everyone in between.

As a freelance sports writer, and former sports editor of my college newspaper, the Towerlight in Towson, Md., Povich was my biggest inspiration growing up and I would be willing to bet that most other sportswriters or aspiring sportswriters feel the same way.

I tried to put in perspective to my wife how influential he was. I said he is the Humphrey Bogart of sports writing. He is the epitome of what newspapermen should be and he was just as good in 1994 as he was in 1924.

The amazing thing is he never retired and wrote his final column the day before he died in 1998. This book brings his most important columns to life and for people of my generation we get to live events such as the Senators' only World Series title in 1924 for the first time.

This book is a treasure and is highly recommended to anyone who has ever read a sports column. Chances are the person who wrote the column did so because Shirley L. Povich inspired him.

I grew up in Washington reading Shirley Povich regularly. I read him for about 20 years in the Post. The interesting footnote to that is that he had "retired" before I ever started reading his columns!

The scope of this work is breathtaking. How many journalists coverd the 1924 Senators World Series as well as their last game in 1971. Oh and for good measure he covered the start of the Tiger Woods era as well. Did I mention he caddied for President Harding?

In an age when sports writers spend more time getting ready to be witty for ESPN shows, this book offers a wonderful insight into an era when sports writers worked a beat and REPORTED as well as offered commentary (and were actually writers). And Povich did both in a simple, straightforward style that was easy to digest with the morning coffee.

His opinions were straighforward too and he tackled tough issues like racisim in sports, long before other sribes in the press box dared take a side on a controversial subject.

The book is well edited with some nice historical context given to many of the works. Can't wait for Vol. 2, after all he wrote about 20,000 columns during his 74 year career at the post

For almost 75 years Shirley Povich was a fixture on the sports desk of the Washington Post. He didn't exactly invent sports reporting, but he certainly help define it in a unique way. His style of reporting, his style of writing created a respect that went beyond sports. He used the sports world as a window on the broader world of America. Sports reflected the dramatic changes in American society over the course of the twentieth century from the depression, to war, to race, to everything else.

The problem with newspaper columns is that they get recycled with the rest of the paper. Only once in a while are a lifetime of columns lovingly collected by people who care (his children and a sports editor) and are published as a book.

If you are familar with the original columns, here is a visit with old friends. If you have not read the originals, here is the way that sports (and maybe everything else) should be reported.

This book is an absolute delight.

Rarely does a book take me very long to read, especially when its composed of a series of short pieces such as newspaper columns. Journalism isn't supposed to be literature, and sports writing particularly is mainly to give the doggone scores.

Then again, calling Mr. Povich a sportswriter is about as accurate as calling the Pope a good man.

Mr. Povich was the genuine soul of the almighty Washington Post, perhaps the most principled writer ever to grace the pages of any newspaper's sports section. He belongs in the very rare and esteemed company of great journalists such as Cronkite, Mencken, Twain and pehaps a few others.

Yeah, these pieces give you the story. What's more, you get the story behind the story. And it's done in language a 13-year-old can read and understand.

Knowing perfectly well how special this collection is, I read it as slowly as possible. Why rush a good thing? I'm sure Mr. Povich had to fight the daily deadline pressures to produce the work. The least we can do is savor his command of language and keen insight into human character.

What a thrill to find Jeff Meyer's book at Amazon and Barnes& Noble! I had no idea he was working on one - and one so comprehensive as this. I knew he was extremely involved in the historic tree/seed program and research. There is also a very interesting documentary on this subject that Jeff appeared in and advised on, which was aired on PBS this year. His mother, Joanne, has been a strong influence on Jeff in this field. She is a tireless member of The Garden Club of America and, by her efforts, raised the conciousness of many.This book is a fine explanation of all the work that has been done to preserve history, as well as to make us more aware of how important beautiful trees are to our quality of life on this planet. The photography is marvellous and the book is a wonderful read, as well as a great coffee table book for just a quick pickup. We all love a "picture book", don't we?

Nurseryman and author Jeffrey Meyer started the project called America's Famous and Historic Trees, wherein said trees are rescued for posterity through seed propagation. Seventeen specimens are discussed, each featured in a chapter that relates the tree's historic significance, botanical description and instructions for propagation and placement of the tree. There is one color photograph of each of the seventeen trees, with many small black-and-white photos and drawings. Initially I was disappointed that the book did not take more pains to represent these trees more lovingly with good color photography, but the inspiration is in the text and the companion project, and one is struck by the brilliant simplicity of Meyer's idea for preserving these lovely old giants.

America's Famous and Historic Trees is a wonderful book that seamlessly blends history with horticulture. I found the biographies of the trees immensely interesting. The John F. Kennedy tree story was particularly touching. Equally apealling were the various descriptions of "how to", grow your own trees from seeds. I never realized how difficult this could be without the right information. This book is a must for every home gardener and it might just teach you something you didn't know about history.

I bought, "America's Famous And Historic Trees" as an Arbor Day gift for an old friend who loves all things trees. In looking it over, I decided to buy another one for myself because it's just too good not to have. The author of the book, Jeffrey G. Meyer is a latter day Johnny Appleseed who has been planting trees successfully since he was five years old. I loved all of the stories, particularly the Elvis Presley and George Washington portions. This is not only a fascinating read, it

contains really valuable information on how to actually grow trees from seeds. This is also an excellent book for all ages.

Here is a book that combines a love of trees with famous American individuals to make an outstanding addition to any book collection. The author, Jeffrey Meyer, gives an account of 17 of the most noted trees and the historic persons associated with them. From the Indian (Comanche) Marker Pecan or George Washington Tulip Poplar to John F. Kennedy=s Post Oak or Elvis Presley=s Pin Oak, Meyer goes through pages of American history to pick out some the most significant figures of the time (Patrick Henry, Lewis and Clark, Johnny Appleseed, Frederick Douglass, Wyatt Earp, etc) and the trees (Osage Orange, Cottonwood, Rambo Apple, White Oak, Black Walnut, etc) that meant so much to them. In so doing, he provides the reader with a fine book, easy to read, beautifully published, with magnificent black/white and color photos and illustrations, and sidebars on how and where to grow the particular tree. As a idea and as a published work, America=s Historic Trees ranks in the top five per cent of books I would urge all to read and enjoy.

Gary Gallagher has written/edited a number of books on the Civil War. This book is an edited volume, focusing on several aspects of the sanguinary battle at Antietam, fought in 1962. All told, there are ten essays in this volume, with Gallagher contributing the lead essay. As with all edited volumes, some of the works may not be up to the same standards as others. But, overall, this is a useful volume. It might best be used by reading it alongside one of the better histories of the battler, such as Stephen Sears' "Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam." Let's take a look at some of the essays to illustrate what the book is about. . . .

Gallagher begins the book with an essay on how the south saw the aftermath of the battle. He notes that, in the final analysis, southerners were more likely than not to see Antietam as a plus for the cause. In the aftermath of the Peninsula successes of General Robert E. Lee and the remarkable victory by the Confederate forces at Second Manassas, this was seen as the denouement of a stretch of marvelous fighting by the Army of Northern Virginia.

Brooks Simpson authored a more positive than usual account of Union General George McClellan's leadership at Antietam. McClellan was often accused of "the slows," because of his seeming inability to fight aggressively. Simpson argues that some of McClellan's arguments made sense, such as logistical problems associated with the movement of the Army of the Potomac toward Antietam.

The last chapter is a nice counterpoint, examining how Antietam was used by the Army for training/education before World War I. This battle was one example used at the Army War College to prepare officers for command. They would go over maps and scenarios (e.g., what if McClellan had hurried toward Antietam after finding Lee's orders as opposed to his rather movements). The students and teachers were pretty much unanimous in concluding that McClellan had not generaled his forces very well--up to Antietam and at the battle site itself.

Other chapters speak to addition key issues, such as: how poorly supplied Confederate forces were, the Confederate cavalry's and artillery's role in protecting the Confederate flank, the action at Bloody Lane, and the ineptitude of Confederate artillery chief William Pendleton.

For those interested generally in Civil War history and, specifically, the battle at Antietam, this will be a welcome volume. While there is some unevenness across the chapters, all in all this is a solid volume.

Early in September, 1862, Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia crossed the Potomac River into Maryland in what became the Confederacy's first invasion of the North. General McClellan received command of the Union troops following the disaster of Second Manassas. In a daring move, Lee divided his army in an attempt to capture Harpers Ferry, and McClellan had the good fortune to recover Special Order No 191 detailing the movements of the Confederate units. McClellan pressed forward, albeit cautiously, and the result was the Battle of Antietam (or Sharpsburg) on September 17, 1862, the bloodiest single day in American history. Following the battle, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Antietam, rather than the more famous Battle of Gettysburg, is increasingly regarded as the pivotal moment of the Civil War.

The Maryland Campaign and the Battle of Antietam have provoked no end of controversy. This excellent collection, "The Antietam Campaign", edited by Gary Gallagher, consists of ten essays by as many different students of the Civil War examining in detail various aspects of the Antietam campaign. The essays are thoughtful and provocative and will cause the reader to rethink commonly held assumptions about Lee's first invasion. The book is part of a series edited by Gallagher titled "Military Campaigns of the Civil War".

Various aspects of the Battle itself are examined in three essays in the volume. Robert E.L. Krick's article, "Defending Lee's Flank" explores the role of Confederate artillery in holding off the initial Union attacks early in the morning on the Confederate left in the vicinity of Dunkers' Church and the infamous Cornfield. Robert K. Krick's essay takes a close look at the Union's attack on the center of the Confederate line on what has become known as the Bloody Lane. Lesley Gordon's "All Who Went into that Battle were Heroes" is an essay in history and memory. It examines the fate of the 16th Connecticut, a unit of green volunteers, which had the unenviable task late in the battle of meeting a counter-attack by A.P. Hill's troops, after Union General Burnside had finally crossed "Burnside's Bridge" and was pressing the Confederate Army to cut-off its line of retreat.

An additional essay in the collection, "We didn't know what on Earth to do with him" by Peter Carmichael covers a little-known aspect of the Maryland campaign. A small component of Union troops attacked the rear of the Confederate Army of September 19, 1862 in an attempt to harass the retreat. Confederate artillerist "Parson" Pendelton failed to hold the line, but the small Union force was, even so, rebuffed with great loss. Carmichael, as are most scholars, is highly critical of Pendelton's role at Antietam and in the War.

The remaining six essays in the collection offer broader views of matters related to the Maryland campaign. Three essays focus on the Confederacy. Gallager's own essay, "The Net Result of the Campaign was in our Favor" explores Confederate reactions immediately after the battle. Confederates looked to the capture of Harpers Ferry, the victory at Shepherdstown, and the hard draw at Antietam as evidence of their Army's prowess, and were motivated to continue the long, hard fighting of the Civil War. Keith Bohannon's essay, "Dirty Ragged, and Ill-Provided for is, together with the essay by Carol Reardon, the finest in the collection as it explores the difficulties faced by Lee's Army resulting from lack of supplies of basics, such as shoes, rations, and ammunition, as a result of the South's inadequate logistical system. In "Maryland, Our Maryland", Brooks Simpson examines Confederate hopes that the Maryland campaign would bring the Bay State into the Confederacy. It examines the strong efforts President Lincoln made to hold Maryland for the Union. Simpson concludes that the Confederate failure to rally Maryland to its cause worked as a defining moment for Southern identity in the conflict.

Two essays take a close look at the Union side of the line. Brooks Simpson's "General McClellan's Bodyguard" challenges the view held by many students of the battle that McClellan was at fault for not pressing the attack on September 18. Simpson maintains that McClellan did about as well as could have been expected under the circumstances. Scott Hartwig's essay, "Who would not be a Soldier" compliments Simpson's in that Hartwig looks closely at the composition of the Union Army that McClellan led to meet Lee. Much of this Army consisted of raw recruits who had not had basic training, learned to march, or even to fire a weapon. These troops swelled the size of McClellan's Army but proved a liability in the heat of battle.

The final essay in the volume, "From Antietam to Argonne" by Carol Reardon takes a close look at Antietam from the standpoint of the United States War College and its studies of the battle prior to WW I. Students were given detailed summaries of the actions in the Antietam campaign and, in addition, toured the battlefield. They were asked to comment on the command decisions of Lee and McClellan, as well as subordinate officers, and on the performance of the troops on both sides. The results, as Reardon explains them, were fascinating and provide a searching look at the campaign and its leaders. For me, Reardon's essay was the highlight of an excellent volume.

This collection illuminates greatly the Antietam Campaign and shows how much can be gained by careful scholarship and the willingness to rethink received opinions. Readers coming to this book will benefit by a strong prior background in the Civil War and by a basic familiarity with the Battle of Antietam, as can be gained in works by James McPherson, Steven Sears, or James Murfin.

Robin Friedman

Just like previous reviewers, I agree that this book is a fine addition to the on-going series about the Military Campaigns of the Civil War. This installment about the Battle of Antietam is particularly strong because of the quality of scholarship included and the distinguished group of historians that Gallagher gathered for this edition.

Each author includes an interesting essay that details a specific aspect of the battle. Some examples of topics that are covered include: the supply challenge the Confederacy faced, how new Union recruits reacted to the carnage of Antietam, the role Confederate artillery played, and why McClellan failed to pursue Lee after the battle. I found that every essay presented a compelling argument and really offer the reader a detailed analysis that you will not find in other books about the battle.

As always, this type of book is not aimed at telling the history of what happened at Antietam. If you are looking for a general narrative of the battle - this is not the right book. On the other hand, it is designed for those who are somewhat familiar with the battle and are looking for the most current research from a find group of historians. I highly recommend the book for people who fall into this category. It will greatly enhance your understanding of key aspects that affected the battle which has been the bloodiest day in US military history.

Similar to past works of Gallagher's, this book contains invididual chapters written by popular Civil War historians keying in on battle concerns, myths, strategies and political concepts during the campaign. I really enjoyed reading William Blair's chapter on how Marylanders caught in the middle of political unrest viewed the campaign and Lee's invasion. Brooks Simpson's chapter on how the Army of the Potomac was McClellan's bodyguard according to Lincoln really made me understand the political frustrations the Lincoln party had in regards to McClellan's slow moving and cautious approach to battle. Keith Bohannon's view on Confederate logistical problems was very informative and really brought forth information as to Lee's reasons for invading the north and also his retreat.

These chapters are just some of the great amount of information brought together in a very fine book. I would recommend this book to someone who has already read a book on the battle itself before reading this one. This book contains some fighting information but isn't one for coverage on the entire battle. It is one for understanding political unrest, commander motivations, strategies and little unknown and sometimes unclear myths that surround the entire campaign in September 1862. 5 STARS!!!

Once again, Gary W. Gallagher has compiled a wonderful collection of essays in this latest volume of the Military Campaigns of the Civil War Series. Each chapter or essay focuses on a different aspect of the campaign and is written by a different author. This allows for a new perspective on the campaign with each chapter. Among the topics covered by the various essayists are Confederate perception of Antietam as a victory or defeat, Confederate logistics, Confederate artillery, the use of the Antietam battlefield as a classroom for military leaders in the 20th century, the impact of new recruits on the Army of Potomac's effectiveness, and the experiences of individual units.

All of the essays are well-written and contain wonderful insights into their selected aspects of the campaign. Due to the focus of the series on military events, other important issues related to Antietam are only briefly mentioned. Most notably, issues related to emancipation and foreign intervention are mentioned in passing. This, however, is a result of the decision by the editor and the press (University of North Carolina Press) to focus on military aspects. Despite this weakness, I would highly recommend this and all other books in the Military Campaigns of the Civil War series to anyone with an interest in the Civil War.

Bradley had the misfortune to coincide in his later years with Russell and Whitehead, whose monumental work redirected Philosphy towards the realm of Mathematical Logic and Scientific Materialism. Yet, Bradley's revised version of Hegelian Idealism, strengthened by judiciously chosen elements from the British Idealist tradition, still stands as a practically inexpugnable bulwark against the inroads of those tempted by a spontaneous, unreflective materialism, namely, most of the scientific community today.
Also extremely well written, witty, sharp and captivating in parts. Well worth a perusal, especially the early chapters.

I completely disagree with his conception of reality, but I enjoyed this book. Bradley was a precursor to the language philosophers. Everyone seems intrigued with Wittgenstein; however, Bradley is far more comprehensive and profound. Plus, he writes very good English. Bradley distinguishes subtle naunces in meaning between words and in this way is a precursor to language philosophy. I also recommend C. S. Lewis's book, A Study in Words.

I'm amazed that all the books I have on language philosophy exclude F H Bradley. He did everything language philosophers did before they did it.

This book, written in 1893, is one of the most important books in the history of English language philosophy. During his lifetime, Bradley was one of the best known of British philosophers, but before he died (in 1924) his metaphysical position dropped out of fashion, in part because it was attacked (and misrepresented) by Russell and Moore. In spite of their hostility, Twentieth Century analytic philosophers were profoundly influenced by Bradley. For an excellent discussion of this matter, read the first chapter of Tom Rockmore's book, Hegel, Idealism, and Analytic Philosophy. I recommend reading _Appearance and Reality_ before taking on Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit (Galaxy Books). Bradley's argument for absolute idealism is the best written in English. His writing is lively, frequently pointed and sardonic, a "good read". This version, a reproduction of the 1893 edition, is sturdy, well bound, on good paper. It is a bargain and a must read for anyone with a serious interest in philosophy.

Something must have _happened_ to Francis Herbert Bradley.

He seems to have been something of a curmudgeon; at least, he was extremely reclusive and had a reputation for shooting cats. But at some point in his life he must have come to some sort of deep mystical realization.

Otherwise he couldn't have written this book, which reads like a Western version of Shankara. This is philosophy in the grand old style, and it's one of the high points of British idealism.

Bradley's argument doesn't always hold up in its precise details. He doesn't, for example, think that "relations" are real because (he says) they lead to an infinite regress. But Royce replied to this pretty adequately in an appendix to _The World and the Individual_. He also states firmly (and I think correctly) that there's no conceiving reality apart from experience and there's no duality in experience between subject and object. But support for this claim isn't exactly forthcoming. (Timothy L.S. Sprigge does a much better job with it in _The Vindication of Absolute Idealism_.)

But the essential structure of his argument is sound and could be carried through again with a different set of examples (the standard logical paradoxes, say): the world of our ordinary experience turns out upon inspection to be contradictory, so it can't be fully and finally real; what _is_ fully and finally real is a nondual Absolute in which all those apparent contradictions are resolved through that very nonduality.

Well, Bradley puts it better than that, of course, and his prose style is very pleasant to read. This work is also excerpted in James W. Allard and Guy Stock's collection of Bradley's _Writings on Logic and Metaphysics_, so if you want to read a shorter version, check that volume out.

Anyway, the point is, don't ever let anybody tell you there isn't any nondualistic wisdom here in the West. In a different time and place, Bradley would have been revered as a guru -- a prospect that in all likelihood would have made him cringe, so it's probably just as well. But he's clearly trying to articulate a vision here, and few writers have tackled "rational mysticism" with such philosophical flair.

I doubt that Shankara would have shot cats. Fortunately the similarities run deeper than that.

This book is indeed extremely important for analytic, continental, and mystic philosophers alike. Bradley's positive view, the Absolute, is proposed here as the _only way out_ of those messy analytic debates regarding topics such as appearance vs. reality, plurality, quality, and causation. Bradley's starting point: what is absurd (logically impossible) cannot exist.