Kennedy Books

Even having taken a few months to read this book, I am in a state of awe. Mother Teresa's journey in faith has brought me to question just what is faith? Do we have faith when we have an intimacy with God? Do we have faith when we can intellectually agree with a belief in God? In reading this book, it seems that Mother Teresa had a deep belief and intimacy with God. All sense of that was stripped away, and she was left with having to trust God. At one point, I was reminded of the poem and picture of "Footprints in the Sand." God does not seem to be present; do we have the faith to trust that He is there anyway?

Many have commented on the fact that Mother Teresa had asked for her letters to be destroyed. That was a part of her humility, her 'I am nothing-He is everything.' I think that she would have assented if she had known that those too are a tool bringing people to Jesus.

First it is important to realize what this book is. It is a compilation of Mother Theresa's correspondence and advice she was given by her closest personal confidants.It was compiled as part of the process of declaring her a saint. We don't know much about what was happening in her world at the time the letters were written. For that we would need to read an autobiography of which there are a number of good ones.There are chronological gaps.

This book is carefully compiled and referenced. It gives a very different perspective of Mother Theresa. The previously available works are authorized biographies and teachings.It is an excellent compilation of the process of spiritual growth.

She truly was a Bodhisattva one who remained in the world to further others spiritual progress and relieve suffering. Through these letters one can can appreciate the depth of her humility, the immensity of her persistence in the face of her person crisis of faith and external obstacles. It is long and not light reading, but reaches to a depth no other work has.

I would recommend this for the serious spiritual student or scholar. It may be too deep and repetitive for the casual reader.

Canadian born Rev. Brian Kolodiejchuk, MC, PH.D, one of the founding priests of the Missionaries of Charity Fathers and now director of the Mother Teresa Foundation, has provided us with an outstanding book. The book is a chronological compilation of Mother Teresa's private letters, revealing her inspiration (the vow, the call, the locutions and the visions) for the Missionaries of Charity and her remarkable inner spiritual life. The writings have had minimal editing and almost all were written initially in English. These are the personal communications to her spiritual advisors and close friends, and were never intended for publication. Fr. Koloiejchuk adds excellent commentary throughout providing valuable insights and context. The appendix includes the rule of the Society and a diary from a retreat she made in 1959. Both are worth reading.

Jesus asked Mother Teresa to "Come be My Light" and she responded by dedicating her life to be that light of God's love in the lives of those experiencing darkness. But the fruitfulness of her apostolate came at a steep price of many years of sacrifice. Not only did she live as a "woman of sorrows, familiar with suffering, bearing the suffering and burdens of the Society and the poorest of the poor." But she also lived in "spiritual darkness - the absence of God." This "darkness" would become the greatest trial of her life. She felt, if she ever became a saint, she would be called the "Saint of Darkness." Despite this, she held fast to the promise God made to her - "Do not fear - I shall be with you always...Trust me lovingly - Trust me blindly." She considered herself "a pencil in God's hand" and was convinced God was using her "nothingness" to show His greatness.

The secret of abundant light and love that Mother Teresa displayed is the essence of this book. The reader will learn that the secret lies in the depth and intimacy of her relationship to God throughout her heroic life - living the mission of being a "light to those in darkness." "Come Be My Light" is filled with passages that inspire, and passages to meditate on. It should be read slowly and integrated into one's own call and possibilities.

"Mother Teresa was a fearless missionary all her life. She had heard the voice of God calling her to serve the poor. Armed with the weapon of faith, she was not afraid to face and challenge the world to protect the interests of the most vulnerable members of human society." She was able to lift up those who had fallen, to encourage the faint, to rekindle hope in the disheartened. And most importantly, she showed us how holiness can be reached by simple means - always doing a little more than we feel ready to do for the unloved and unwanted in our society, our community, and in our homes.

Mother Teresa taught us that we each have a chance to radiate God's love to each person we meet throughout each day, thus transforming, little by little, the darkness of the world into His light.

I was inspired, not scandalized, that Mother Teresa underwent a protracted dark night of the soul. The book may not have the impact it now has on those who knew her media image in another decade or so; one reason the book surprised me so much was that it presented a hidden and totally different portrait from her public persona.

A Walk Through LifeCome be my light is a great book on how she battled through her darkness and helped many people in all corners of the world. This book has been translated from her original writings and gives you a good insight into Mother Teresa.

This is a book truly worth owning for serious and conservative students of history. I was first attracted to Johnson by reading some of his newspaper-style columns. As I learned more about him, it was clear his reputation as a conservative historian was deserved, and this book doesn't disappoint. It's particularly refreshing to hear a Brit, a denizen of an island nation that's been socialist since 1945, speak approvingly of the use of military force and of market economics.
Regarding the book, Johnson produces serious depth, considering he covers most of the 20th century in less than 800 pages. He doesn't fall into the trap of many conservative historians, and present history solely as a product of the decisions made by so-called "great men." Johnson delves into economics and sociology to make his points, and he manages to discuss often-neglected areas of the world, such as South America, Africa, and Africa.

Paul Johnson's "Modern Times" is an account of the planet since World War I, written by the most talented of conservative popular historians. It is entertaining, sweeping and ambitious and, as such, is a wonderful one-volume introduction to the right-wing mind. If you are at all interested in the foundations of American foreign policy under Reagan and Bush (and are prepared to entertain the notion that it's not necessarily all about the oil or enriching Haliburton), if you want to know why some reasonably intelligent folks don't worship at the shrine of Castro, Chomsky or Carter, "Modern Times" is a highly readable guide. You will not likely agree with Johnson's conclusions but you will emerge better educated about the views of your ideological opponents.

Those who have already read Paul Johnson's work know his conservative views and personal opinions greatly influence his writing.

In this book Johnson does a severe criticism of Ghandi. Seriously, who devotes several pages to bashing Ghandi? None other than Paul Johnson is the answer.

The book also gives an accurate view of world history throughout the 20th century. Johnson does not fall into the trap of most writers as he examines all areas of the world instead of focusing on just the two main stages of the World Wars.

The wit of Johnson is not lost on this reader and makes the reading a little more enjoyable. Johnson is an intelligent man who wants the reader to know it. Anecdotes that are tough to find in other places are included in this book and shed an interesting light on history. Johnson also wants to inform the reader that he is very well read, and references books and thinkers just to remind you of that.

I read this book for a history course and struggled to read all 800 pages in one semester along with other courses.This is a good book for a conservative view of World History in the 20th century. Johnson concludes that in the future we can learn from the disasterous mistakes made in the 20th century. Perhaps Johnson is being too optomistic here. A good read for those interested in history.

Since first reading the first edition a few times as a youth I simply cannot say to much about this book. Johnson brings history to life, he keeps you turning pages and interested in what is going to happen next. Yes, his commentary is a bit too the right, but HE PUTS IT AFTER THE TOPIC AT HAND AND DOES NOT POISON HIS HISTORY WITH IT. Nothing is worse than history where instead of making late comments of his own opinion's an author distorts what really happened to support his own views.This book can make you laugh out loud,curse or simply put it down for a few to catch your breath. I recently purchased the updated version shown here and although a bit dryer the new chapters are on the mark and just as insightful as the rest.Read other reviews for the exact contents of this work,just the wonderful reviews and the debate within them shows why everyone should read this. READ THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE WORLD HISTORY! Especially if you think you will not like world history or are easily bored by standard historical accounts.

This book brought home to me how many of the 20th centuries biggest problems and fiascos were a result of attempts at social engineering. Fascism, Nazism, Communism, and many of the problems in Africa were the result of governments trying to force "improvements" on society. It was interesting to me how many of the great intellectuals of the day supported Stalin or Hitler because of their lofty goals. Germany was the best educated country in the world at the time Hitler took power. Modernization happened best where governments stepped back and allowed populations that had an attitude of self-reliance to change on their own.

Paul Johnson has a very engaging writing style and I was drawn into this book quickly. I had not looked at the 20th century from his perspective before and he supported his views very well in the details he presented. The author did a very good job of presenting the mood and general attitude of the various populations at the times discussed. I could understand why the bad things that happened were allowed to happen.

This book has expanded my worldview and now has me looking at the issues of the day through a different lens. This is what a good history book should do, and I highly recommend this book.

I Loved reading this book!! I recently saw the TV movie version, so I decided to read the book. I was SO impressed! I was 10 years old when Pres Kennedy was killed, so of curse I'm familiar with Camelot and all that goes along with it. Now that I'm in my 50's I thought I'd look for a book written in recent years about the Kennedy wives. I'm so glad I found this one! What these 4 women had to endure, Especially Joan, being married to a Kennedy is incredible! The last 66 pages! are devoted to "Acknowledgments and Source Notes", which I didn't read thoroughly, but now know this isn't just another made up Kennedy story, but Facts!

This book is well worth reading more than once! It has so much information that I could hardly put it down!! You feel so very bad for Joan and what Teddy did to her. He was a very poor specimen for a husband and it is amazing she has managed to hold onto life. I don't know what the quality of it is now, but what she endured was truly unfair. My heart really goes out to her and now that Jackie is gone I can't imagine how she is doing.

I really enjoyed reading this book because I am fascinated by that time in our history and with Jackie Kennedy. I found this book to have an interesting point-of-view on all three Kennedy women. Ethel seemed to be easily envious or jealous but loyal and loving of her family. Jackie seemed to be snobby with a mind of her own, but again a deep loyalty for her family especially her immediate family. Joan seemed to be sad and a 'door mat' until she grew much older. She seemed to put up with the most crap and lost the most in return. I have no idea if any of what I read was accurate or not, but I liked reading it regardless. It was fun and fast in a very tabloid sort of way. If you're interested in the Kennedy women, then you'll probably like this book. The movie that was made based on this book is also pretty good, but naturally the book is by far better with more details.

I found this to be a very intrigueing read, but the reader should have a working knowledge of the history, events and relationships that shaped the Kennedy dynasty because they are not going to be detailed in this book. In fact, some will be glossed over or entirely omitted. What you will read about is the experiences of those intimately involved in the events and tragedies: their personal thoughts, conversations and feelings, wrapped up in fierce political ambition and family loyalty.
Even though I'm sure the conversations and personal information, albeit based on substantial research, has been "developed", anyone who has experienced a family death or misfortune will easily relate to the Kennedys' amazing ordeals, struggles and fortitude.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Heard the cassette version of JACKIE, ETHEL, JOAN: WOMEN OF
CAMELOT by. J. Randy Taraborrelli and enjoyed it--in a guilty pleasure
sort of way.

It is a tell-it-all about the three Kenney wives and listening to it
helped me relive some days of my younger days when John, Robert
and Ted Kenney were alive and running for various political offices.

For some reason, I never followed too closely the dirt behind
their respective careers . . . yet this book more than made up for
anything I may have missed.

If everything in it is to be believed, I now know that Joe Kennedy
offered Jackie $1 million not to divorce JFK and Jackie allegedly
replied, "The price goes to $20 million if Jack brings home any
venereal diseases." . . . also, that Bobby had an affair with
actress Lee Remick who actually called Ethel to tell her that they
were sleeping together--only to be told by Ethel that he was
home in bed (when he was actually with Remick) . . . and that
Ted once showed up for drunk with a prostitute for dinner with
the king and queen of Belgium, whose priceless antique coach
Ted's date ruined by wetting it.

Overall, the book left me feeling sorry for the Kennedy women . . . although
they appeared so glorious from afar, how they were forced to live
their lives because of the constant spotlight made life anything
but easy for them.

I've studied Internet Marketing for 3 years and bought and read a lot of manuals and ebooks and spent way more than I would like to add up. This book is clear, well organised and easy to read and is the book to give a beginner marketer as well as Intermediate Marketers. And if I'd started with this I could have cut a year off my learning curve!

Because it is focussed on the essentials.

Yes the book approaches 300 pages but you are taken there step by step in such an easy straight forward way that you don't really notice the pages turning.

Many marketers will get your attention by making huge claims or trying to send you off in complicated and unnecessary diversions - that is, they tell you to do things that won't make you money. Repchuk takes you in the direction that any good teacher would.

The book like quite a few others, is organised into "Days". Don't assume you can do everything in the book in one month because it may take you a while to cover some of these "Days", while others you can get through in less than one hour.

My basic judgment on the book is that it is a reliable guide to a complicated field where it is difficult to know who to trust and which advice to take. I don't agree with all the advice in the book but it is certainly one of the very best guides around in the field.

I have been trying to launch my first web site and have been getting only bits & pieces of information on how to market it propery from several different sources. I was having little success in figuring out the big picture. I was thrilled to find Tracy's book, which finally gave a step-by-step process to follow. I think it was a great purchase for someone with no internet background. Easy to understand and follow. Thanks.

It's hard to find good books like hers. This book details all the steps necessary and important web sites to go to. You will learn the pitfalls and things to avoid when marketing your product online.

I have listened to 100's of hours of tele-seminars and tele-classes on internet marketing but Tracy Repchuks Book lists them all and more. She writes in a clear, easy to follow style and not only tells you how to do it but lists the resources to do it with. Thanks Tracy for the excellent resource!

PS: I consider myself an organized person but the first chapter was full of ideas I had not thought of. I felt like Tracy was writing to me personally.

This is one outstanding product! I would highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to start their own internet business!

An old boys netw. left over from the Bay of Pigs fiasco (our own home grown freedom fighters invaded Cuba in April 1961) fantasizes on how to rekindle support for the Castro project: arrange for some non compis mentis to take a shot @the President & let the trail lead back to El Jefe. However, patsy Oswald doesn't know he's supposed to miss, & besides, he's already missed old racist Gen. Walker. Just once, he'd like to nail someone & be a hero.

Delillo's Lee Harvey Oswald is desperate for some kind of recognition; after all, even his own brother wouldn't know him. Oswald's defected to the Soviet Union & returned to the States again. Despite all the high-falutin' chatter about bourgeois oppression & Marx, all old Lee wanted was a crowd to meet him @the airport.

Even just leafing thru the single-volume compendium of the Warren Commission can prepare you for the familiar names of conspiracy here: Guy Banister, David Ferrie. Delillo also gets some extra mileage outta the grassy knoll.

In a way, Oswald & Ruby were similar characters: desperados waiting for the attention train. Come to think of it, they weren't so different from those guys cut loose by the CIA.

Delillo is the foremost poet writing in America today.

The fact he writes it in prose means nothing.

His dialogue is so brilliant it makes you think you are eavesdropping--on minds.

His descriptions of places and emotional states are breathtaking.

His relentlessness in seeing the dark side is like Dostoyevsky.

BUT!

But he wants to make BIG HISTORICAL STATEMENTS, and I am not sure fiction can quite do that. Even Dickens and Hugo have a hard time of it.

Fiction, even poetic fiction, like "Libra," deals with individuals; history deals with groups.

Groups are dull to read about; individuals interesting. Delillo tries to fuse the two (Americana, Endgame, Ratner's Star, The Names, Underworld, even White Noise--better, because less serious), by making his individuals reflect history.

But it still never quite works.

I applaud his attempt.

His writing is always worthwhile, even if his points don't always succeed.

Another problem with this particular book--wonderful as it is--is that it focuses on the death of JFK as the Defining Moment for the American Loss of Innocence.

But what really broke the back of American Innocence was Vietnam--because American Innocence was and is a self-deception for imperialism, and Vietnam is where the provinces fought back, and won. (We're seeing this all over again in Iraq.)

Still, a great book. Some of the scenes are as profound and memorable as dreams.

I've read Libra at least 30 times in the past 12 years and I'm still looking forward to reading it again.

So what is it that keeps me coming back to this book? Its the way Delillo created a virtual reality of history, character and place. As I read, I feel as if I'm inside the minds of each different character, even characters that have bit parts.

There he is, standing in the front car of the subway, peering into the tunnel as the train hurtles "on the edge of no control" through the darkness. "A tenth of a second was all it took to see a thing complete."
Sewer rats, workmen with lanterns, people standing on the local platforms. The wheels of the train howling in the curves.

Here's an example of vivid: "There was so much iron in the sound of those curves he could almost taste it, like a toy you put in your mouth when you are little."

The structure of Libra can be a bit overwhelming on the first read: a large cast of characters and multiple threads to the story. It helps to be familiar with the history of the JFK assassination too.

"Libra", to say this book is about the assassination of JFK is to miss the point of the book. By using basically the same exact cast of characters as James Ellroy does in his The Cold Six Thousand, DeLillo comes to a likewise and evenly frightening conclusion. Unlike many novels relating to JFK assassination DeLillo's attempt details events from two unlike perspectives. The first which explores Lee Harvey Oswald's life is well accounted by the authors fulgurous creativity. The other more schematic plot construes the infamous conspiracy to assassinate the President. By the end the quality of the author's delivery and characterization, we are left with empathizing Lee Harvey Oswald, Who is known to the mass public as one of the most notorious men of the twentieth century.
Libra is a fictional novel about the history of the assassination of President John Kennedy and an insightful narrative about the man who is said to have pulled the trigger: Lee Harvey Oswald. This dead obligating novel was found to be confusing by some people, but I really enjoyed reading it. What fascinated me for the most was how DeLillo takes this historical event, tear it up, and remodels it, playing with all different types of stereotypes that were made, and fighting the challenging hypothesis. He follows Oswald life from a young boy, to manhood, and to an assassin (is he?). Don DeLillo delivers many sides of Oswald giving readers a chance to come to their own conclusion. The meaning of the title itself if given a second look, deliver multi-levels of meaning to what DeLillo is actually conveying.
The assassination scene finally hails after 400 pages of reading and is worth the waiting. Very well written, I found the events to flash in slow motion. It's gripping and intense, the examining descriptions of his time spent in USSR, his wife and his mother. Libra contains Delillo's most accomplished characterizations, especially of women - Oswald's mother and his Russian wife. The dismaying and scary Mrs. Oswald is a proof of her son's insanity. Mrs. Oswald was demented, and so was lee.
His cold and brilliant novel begins with thirteen-year-old Lee Harvey Oswald sharing oppressively close quarters with his mother. Lee was the third of three children in the family the youngest of all, the oldest boy Robert Oswald, was Marguerite's son from her previous marriage. As a single mother, Marguerite was often unable to provide for her three sons. They spent several years in and out of orphanages. Lee's childhood was marked by constant turmoil, as they had to move from one place to another. It was rare for him to attend more than one semester at any given school. His grades were poor and as he grew older, his attendance became less even. He was characterized as a lonely child. And his mother generally refused to comply with recommendations about counseling and other treatments for her son.
"If she had faced it, if she had seen to it that Lee received the help he needed," Robert Oswald would state, "I don't think the world would ever have heard of Lee Harvey Oswald."

Before reading Libra, I was curious about the title. Why Libra?

It becomes apparent (for those of us that didn't know) that Oswald is a Libra, and like the tipping scales of his astrological sign, Oswald is presented as a mass of contradictions; a confused, idealistic young man who can easily tip (or be tipped) one way or another. Delillo manages to make Oswald (somewhat) sympathetic, reminding us how young he was in 1963 and presenting him as someone prone to manipulation.

Libra is a fascinating novel that seamlessly blends fact and fiction. In Libra, the JFK assignation is not a carefully constructed, brilliantly executed conspiracy. Like the tipping scales of the title, the assassination is presented as a merging of conspiracy and chance. There are shadowy secrets and plans within plans that tip the scales one way, while spontaneity and chance tip the scales the other way. The outcome on November 22 was unpredictable; part strategy, part circumstance. In the end there is no overarching plan. Conspiracies are runaway trains that take on a life of their own, hijacked by others and affected by chance.

Libra is a brilliant novel, extraordinarily well written. The novel is not, as some might expect, Delillo's attempt to settle, once and for all, what happened on November 22, 1963. History is our collective consciousness. Our reality is what we believe is real. The truth is something else.

I read "Freedom from Fear" to get some idea of what my parents went through and what they talked about. Even though the times were hard in the Depression and in WWII, they seemed to look back on it with nostalgia. Just ask them about Roosevelt and they would almost get misty saying he was just about the greatest person who had ever lived. Sure the Depression and War were hard, but the enemies were definitely bad guys, and there was no gray area to worry about, as in Vietnam and Iraq. Also, the families and society pulled together in a common cause as in no time since.

But this was only part of the picture, and I'm afraid that David M. Kennedy attempts to tell us the whole story, and it was thoroughly unromantic, and even blunt. He has the cold, objective eye of a historian separated emotionally and by years from the events he covers. In my opinion, it is really the way it should be covered, and he did a good job of it.

Roosevelt, for example, gets a mixed grade for his heroic efforts to get the country back on track economically and through the War. For example, he approved the fire-bombing and atomic-bombing of enemy cities for morale-defeating purposes. He also required unconditional surrender of Germany and Japan early in the War, which may have unnecessarily cost hundreds-of-thousands of lives at the end of the War, when Germany and Japan felt obliged to fight to the bitter end (very bitter indeed for atom-bombed Japan). Also, some of the decisions made by Roosevelt and the Allies led to the sectoring of Europe after the War, and initiated the Cold War which lasted until 1989 when the Wall came down.

On the other hand, Roosevelt gets good grades for the way he stimulated the economy. The Depression was NOT caused by the 1929 Crash per Kennedy, but was due in effect to the Industrial Revolution and the massive shift from an agrarian to an industrial society. The priming of the war machine not only won the War but stimulated the economy to such an extent that its effects are still felt today. His innovative so-called Keynesian (essentially governmental action) economic initiatives were keys to this remarkable turn-around. The US economy has roared for the decades since then, though punctuated by recessions from time-to-time to catch its breath.

The War stories were good too. I was surprised that Churchill was so hesitant to support the go-ahead of Overlord, the invasion of Europe that started on D-Day. Stalin was just as bad as you might imagine, though his Russia suffered immensely while waiting impatiently for a second front (Overlord) to finally begin. The Japanese were demonized by strong racial animosity, but lived up to it by their cruel and inhumane treatment of foreign prisoners, especially with the Bataan Death March. I was disturbed that the Allies, as it turned out, could be pretty bad as well (something you don't hear much about). American racial discrimination also prevailed during much of the War with the segregated African Americans left often on the sidelines. On a much different note, I was fascinated by the Battle of the Philippine Sea that was arguably the largest sea battle in history, and was enjoined by over 100,000 sea-faring combatants in hundreds of ships and planes, often miles apart! That was amazing to me! And then there was the saying that Eisenhower's smile was worth 20 divisions: I thought that perfectly captured his contagious spirit of optimism.

Also, the War lifted the country out of a massive country-wide psychological depression in which most folks apparently felt inadequate to cope with the economic trials. You might picture massive protests and uprisings, but surprisingly it was just the opposite: unhappy resignation and everyone feeling like a failure. I certainly didn't hear that part of the story from my family; they probably didn't want to talk about it.

I still think Roosevelt was a great man and a great president! He navigated the country through our most dangerous period since the Civil War. He simply had feet of clay like the rest of us.

What a great story "Freedom from Fear" tells, even though it is not romanticized.

A fabulous reference for the era of the "Great Depression" and the F. D. Roosevelt administration (1933-1945).

A very well written and detailed account of The events leading up to the New Dead and the Second World war. Kennedy has written a high quality scholarly work which is so well written that iit makes for a good read.
I highly recommend it whether for scholarly use or for an interesting read.

Kennedy vindicates the editors' choice to devote an entire volume of the Oxford History series to the long decade of depression and war: 1929-1945. He demonstrates that the stresses and changes visited on the nation during this time are equally as profound as those experienced in the long decade of the Civil War era. It was during 1929-45 that the nation confronted the need to grow up -- the need to adopt the institutions and mind-set necessary to manage its economy and to accept its role in world affairs.

The operative word for Kennedy is security. All of the contradictions of the New Deal can be reconciled with the observation that the goal was to find economic security and to become a more inclusive society that left no one behind. And in foreign affairs, Americans were made to realize that their domestic security depended on the ability to create a world where goods and ideas travelled freely across open borders.

Kennedy's writing is endearing because he can empathize with his subjects while at the same time can bloodlessly expose their shabby underside. A wonderful and entertaining writer like Stephen Ambrose lost this gift, and his works suffered as a result. To appreciate the good that the United States has accomplished, one must first appreciate its dark side. And Kennedy lays it all out: the callous disregard for the dispossessed, the racism, the narrow insularity and cowardice of American diplomacy between the wars, the willingness to let the British and the Russians fight our battles, and the mean spiritedness of the race war with Japan.

What is remarkable is that the nation emerged the better from all of this. The nation's ability after World War II to embrace its responsibilities to rebuild Europe and Japan, to promote European union, to contain the U.S.S.R., and to build a more inclusive society at home is a remarkable contrast to the mind-set of 1929.

Kennedy rehabilitates Hoover's image. He's no hero, of course, but he's not the heartless free market idealogue portrayed in the popular literature. Hoover was a great man and a great progressive, but a poor politician ill suited to lead the country in a time of revolutionary change. Roosevelt comes off as a truly great political leader, but Kennedy pulls no punches in showing the equivocation and the at times bloodless political calculation that characterized Roosevelt.

Kennedy has the judgment and erudition necessary to touch on all the great controversies about this period and to reach conclusions that are convincing. Roosevelt's New Deal, while a profound success in establishing the principle of government management of the economy and the twin governing principles of security and inclusiveness, was not sufficiently aggressive. Only with World War II do we finally emerge from the Depression, and Roosevelt perhaps went too far to accommodate big monied interests during World War II. And as for the war with Japan, it was a destructive race war that probably was avoidable. Roosevelt's handling of the European conflict was, on the other hand, exceptionally skillful, and Roosevelt did all that was politically possible in prodding the country from isolationism.

Regarding the atomic bomb, Kennedy makes the point that there was no real debate about using it. It was a weapon that embodied and in some ways perfected the American approach to war as a war of great technology. The decision to use it was made years before when we chose to invest so much in its creation. In a passage that captures Kennedy's skill as a writer, Kennedy contrasts the tremendous industrial might of the superfortress bomber and atomic bomb with the pathetic Japanese effort to build balloon bombs that floated over the Pacific and then dropped into the American Northwest. The Japanese ability to mobilize and commitment to the war could not be equalled by the Americans. But the Americans were not fighting the same war as the Japanese -- they were fighting a war of industry and resources. And so the Japanese were smashed and suffered the first defeat in their long and glorious history.

And yet, the nation emerges from all of this far better than it was in 1929 and the basic commitments to security at home and abroad were formed. This ability to transcend the dark side of the American character should be a source of great pride. Kennedy's love of country is a far more profound thing that the rah-rah approach of Ambrose or Brokaw.

Until I read this book, I thought that David Potter's "The Impending Crisis", which dealt with the long decade of 1848-1861, was the greatest work of narrative American history. In some ways Kennedy betters Potter because he carries the story through the war (not just the lead-up) and because he incorporates the modern trend of emphasizing the experience of the common man, as opposed to writing history entirely through the eyes of political leaders. Potter, on the other hand, could write like a poet. On balance, I'd say that Kennedy is Potter's equal and has done for 1929-45 what Potter did for 1848-61.

A very long book that is worth every page.

I've never read a book this long (858 pp) before for pleasure, but I found the Freedom book so illuminating. I am 87 yr old and the book covers my youth, from age 8 to 23--and oh, did I experience personally the depression and the war! It was good to fill in the details and understanding of things where I had fragmentary but profound experiences. I remember farmers dumping milk because they couldn't sell it. I remember FDR's fireside chats and the hope he gave my family. And I remember at night walking around holding my 3 week old colicy baby while listening to the radio reports of D-day landings.

Kennedy has done a superb job and I owe him great thanks. Lu Ann Darling

0670062766 This edition is illustrated by Lauren Child. It has large type and exceptional illustrations. The attached file for the "look inside" feature is absolutely the wrong one as of this writing -- 7/27/2008. I can't find a place to tell Amazon that. The illustrations on this version are unique. The pages are designed around inserted motifs and there are many, many unique full page illustrations. No matter how many other editions of Pippi you have, buy this one too.

To be fair, if there were a 3.5 star rating, I'd have chosen that one. Pippi is one heckuva lotta fun. Who can resist a 9-year-old girl who lives in a big house with a monkey, a horse and a suitcase full of money? That's right, no parents! How cool is that!? And then there's Pippi's super-strength. She's an irresistible character.

Though the writing is solid, I wish there were more of a story here. Y'know, let's solve the mystery or find that certain something or expose this nasty person for who he/she really is. But, similar to Stuart Little (but Pippi is much better), the book is simply a series of somewhat unrelated adventures. I like a clear A to B to C in my fiction. Still, it's a good time.

Pippi Longstocking book review
by Astrid Lindgren
Pippi is a little girl who lives in a little house in Villa Villekulla where she meets Tommy and Annika, who become her best friends. Pippi is a strong 9 year old girl who's stronger than a policemen. She also has a monkey named Mr. Nillison. Pippi is always cheerful except when people make fun of her . If you want to find out more you'll have to read the book.

If you want to be a part of an adventure, read the book.
This book is a great fantasy book. I liked this book because Pippi is so funny and brave and I like that Astrid Lindgren used details that made images in my mind. This book is for 2nd grade and up. If you like this book you should read the series!
by Zoe

By Zoe


Pippi Longstocking book review
by Astrid Lindgren
Pippi is a little girl who lives in a little house in Villa Villekulla where she meets Tommy and Annika, who become her best friends. Pippi is a strong 9 year old girl who's stronger than a policemen. She also has a monkey named Mr. Nillison. Pippi is always cheerful except when people make fun of her . If you want to find out more you'll have to read the book.

If you want to be a part of an adventure, read the book.
This book is a great fantasy book. I liked this book because Pippi is so funny and brave and I like that Astrid Lindgren used details that made images in my mind. This book is for 2nd grade and up. If you like this book you should read the series!

The story is good but perhaps a bit boring for children under 7 or 8 years of age. The narrator of the audiobook does a decent job but is not as lively as other narrators I have heard and unfortunately grossly mispronounces the name of one of the three main characters (which, given the number of times she is mentioned, becomes galling).

Arrived on time, in the condition promised. I have not read it yet so no review on that but it was reccomended by someone who read it and loved it.

More than just a handbook for finding love, this book provides wisdom for finding life on a spiritual path. Each bite-sized chapter provides Buddhist-centered but universally-applicable guidance for discovering how to fully love--and live. General Buddhist concepts such as non-attachment, impermanence, acceptance, and living in the moment are gracefully woven into specific guidelines for finding and nurturing relationships. This book helps illuminate how the compass found within each of us can be our best guide for navigating the journey on our spiritual paths.

There isn't enough rating stars available for me to rate this book in my opinion. I first read this book on a recommendation from a young male co-worker. I bought my own copy and reread it at a staggered pace. I read until something hit home and then I would dwell on it's contents as it pertained to my life until I had disected it to pieces. When I came to the full realization I continued on until I was hit again. This one book has affected me more than any book I have read in my entire life. When I read it I didn't associate it with a partner but with life itself. I can't begin to use enough adjectives to describe this book. Excellent material!!!

Someone recommended this book to me nearly 10 years ago when I was at a cross-roads, in between relationships and grasping desperately for a lasting love that proved elusive given my circumstances. Pre-Amazon, it took me a long time to find a volume, finally locating one in a Boulder, CO area bookstore during a cross-country road trip.

At that time in my life, this book helped me immensely, first in accepting and finding joy in my solitude and my friendships, by no longer grasping for or chasing after immediate and elusive romantic love but instead cultivating self-acceptance and self-knowledge and a satisfaction with living in the present moment.

It was years before I met the man who would become my husband, but in those years, I was able to become the grown-up person I needed to be and was a better person for it, and when I met my husband, my relationship with him evolved naturally and undramatically toward a lasting real love.

I can't even count the times I have purchased and given away this book. I even gave a copy to a friend who was having problems with his business partnership (not even a dating situation-- but certainly good for resolving problems in that particular relationship).

It is not strictly a Buddhist book. People who are looking to read about the Buddhist philosophy or practice rather than finding dating advice should probably avoid this as they will be disappointed. Read books by Thich Nach Hahn or the Dalai Lama for a more pure Buddhist understanding.

This is really a dating/relationship book, but it borrows from the Buddhist teaching of detachment NOT by asking you to detach from those you love, but rather teaching how to detach yourself from an unhealthy habit of grasping desperately for those who are not really available to you romantically or emotionally.

The last review before this one completely missed the wisdom of this book, which I find sad. This book is quite simply the best book I've EVER read on the topic of dating and relationships. Charlotte Kasl starts with the 4 noble truths of buddhism as her premise. From there, she explains in a very in-depth manner how to apply these concepts to your life to find wholeness within yourself, see the ways that you have deceived yourself, and understand the ways that you have allowed yourself to be guided by fear instead of love.

Additionally, the book defines the 9 fundamental ways in which people bond, from most superficial to most substantial. The book has specific exercises which help you to deduce precisely what is most important to you in a partner on each of these levels, and the results may surprise you. Overall, this is one of the best 4 books I've ever read - and it is a must-read.

this was a good choice for my Kennedy library and it was sent very quickly and efficiently...

I am only on page 135 and I have learned more about the brothers than I could have hoped for. A great read with old family photos. It was written in 2007 so I am guessing it is one of the most current available??
Any other sugesstions let me know!

Derek

If you're interested in conspiracy theories for the Kennedy assassination, this is probably not the book to read. However, if you're interested in the Kennedy administration itself, its key players and the various issues it dealt with, this is a must-read. Well written and entertaining to read, BROTHERS gives a historical yet personal and enjoyable description of John & Bobby Kennedy's time in the White House. President Kennedy is generally defined by the Cuban Missile Crisis and his assassination, but this book explores several other issues that are less publicized but no less significant, as well as the role his brother played in the administration. I highly recommend this book; it was extremely enjoyable and informative!

This is a unique look at the Kennedys from within the Kennedy camp. We witness the major events of our era through the eyes of Robert Kennedy and the close-knit "band of brothers."

While this book doesn't settle the issue of the John Kennedy Assassination, it establishes who the Kennedy clan and its allies felt was responsible. RFK firmly believed "they" killed his brother. Whatever the reader's opinion of the event, it is interesting to view RFK's life and career as products of that belief.

I was impressed both with the level of research and with the writing style. Though a great deal of information was presented, Brothers moved along very quickly

This book wasn't what I expected it to be... and it took me a long time to figure that out. From what I read of this title before buying it, I assumed it was an account of the JFK assassination through the eyes of Bobby Kennedy. Instead it was basically just a retelling of the Kennedy years. It was well-written and enjoyable, it just wasn't what I was looking for. One of the big questions the book asked was, "Why didn't RFK uses his position and power to solve the JFK assassination?" Instead of an answer, all it gave us was, "Seriously, why didn't he?" There was a little speculation as to why, but no real insight into the possibilities. I think the fatal flaw of this book was that it was just too broad, but despite that it is still an interesting read. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't gone in expecting something that it wasn't.

This was one of the best books I've ever read. I read The Book Thief first, and thought it was a truly beautiful book. I didn't think it could get much better. But it did. When I finished I Am The Messenger I truly felt inspired, an ending I wasn't expecting. I really wish I had read it sooner, because it was truly AMAZING.

If you've read all my past reviews, you need to get a life. Seriously.

But I'll summarize.

(1) I try my damndest to avoid the five-star review, and usually succeed.
(2) After reading THE BOOK THIEF and giving it five stars, I said I'd hunt down everything by Zusak.

Which leads us here. Dialogue, characterization, plot, theme, description, warmth, humor, and just everything is all in this book. My other review called him my favorite Australian author. Let's just jettison the word "Australian," at least if he keeps writing this well.

Fantastic! Get it!

And my quest continues...

After falling in love with The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, I looked forward to another read by this author --I am sorry I waited so long. The audio version of I Am the Messenger, was fabulous and was narrated with hilarity, sincerity and caring.

Ed Kennedy's life is mediocre, he lives in a shack with his smelly dog named Doorman, and he drives a taxi. Ed's mother can swear with the best of them, and his father died from alcohol complications. After Ed stops a bank robbery, he begins receiving anonymous messages marked in code on playing cards in the mail, and almost immediately his life begins to swerve off its beaten-down path. Usually the messages instruct him to be at a certain address at a certain time. So with nothing to lose, Ed embarks on a series of random missions.

This book tells the story of a young man transcending his belief in himself, who learns to value what he has achieved. It captures the reader from the very start (you'll want to cheer Ed on all the way), and the ending will amaze you.

Ed Kennedy is only nineteen years old, but already he feels his life is going nowhere. He drives a cab, shares a run-down apartment with his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman, and his social life consists of playing cards with friends who are on the same track he is. He's also in love with his best friend, Audrey, but he can't tell her, so he watches as she dates other men who are bad for her.

Then Ed happens to foil a bank robbery, and someone takes notice. His life begins to change when the ace of diamonds arrives in his mailbox along with a cryptic message. As Ed work his ways through a series of cards and tasks that continue to arrive on his doorstep, he's taken deeper into the mystery of who is sending the cards and why. Zusak's straight-forward storytelling takes the reader right into the gritty realities of Ed's life and the lives of the people he comes into contact with through the playing cards. Along the way he ponders not just what he wants to do with his life, but more importantly, what kind of person he wants to be.

This wholly original book will fascinate you to the end.

Before he stopped the bank robbery, Ed's life wasn't that interesting. It was a boring routine of work as a cabdriver, card games, taking care of his ancient dog, and pining after his best friend Audrey. But all that changes suddenly. Because that's when the first card arrives in the mail, and on it are carefully written three addresses. Thus begins Ed's journey, delivering messages he knows nothing about until he is given a place or a person. He offers comfort, strength, encouragement, and even threats, and as he does so, uncovers many truths about his friends, family, and even himself.

I am the Messenger snags your attention from the very first line with its sardonic and wry wit and complete and utter honesty. Ed is an amusing, frustrating, and engaging narrator, and even his self deprecation is entertaining as he regales the reader with his many tasks, set forth by a mysterious, unidentified person. Zusak does a splendid job at turning this seemingly average guy into someone that the reader can relate, but is at the same time perfectly unique and colorful. Funny, painful, poignant, and thought provoking, I am the Messenger is full of thoughtful musings, practical ponderings, and expertly explores human life and interaction in such a way that makes this novel a complete winner.