V Books

This set of books is delightful. It is an easy, light read with charming characters and an interesting setting. The flaws of the characters are revealed with kindness and humour as they follow a story line unique to Africa. Get ready to drink lots of tea.

I loved this series, No. 1 Ladie's Detective Agency. I was intrigued since the stories are written by a Scottish MAN and are about a middle aged African WOMAN in Botswana who decides to open a Detective Agency. The author has a wonderful grasp of the culture and sense of Africa and especially Botswana. His writing provides very simple, very easy reading and kept me interested. LOVED Precious Ramotswe, the "traditionally built", observant heroine with traditional Botswanian values and morals. I was introduced to a country I'd barely heard of and was sad to leave when the books were all read.

need to update description to include 'which' books are in the set, but i see other reviewers have done so... this is just an excellent series, full of local color, and ordinary human interaction presented in an extraordinary way...! beneath the self.controlled tone and thoughtful stream.of.consciousness is a depth of interpretive perception that is equally surprising and delighting... tough guys who are asked by their marriage conselors to describe their 'feelings' should read these books for examples of what that means...

for those who enjoy relaxing
and escaping into a world with
interesting characters of a unique culture.

After reading the first book, I wanted to fly to Africa and have a cup of tea with Precious. Her name fits her perfectly. All of the books took me away from the troubled news of the day to a place I truly wanted to be.

Once Upon A Curse is a book that every book lover should read (after you've read The Frog Princess and Dragon's Breath of course)... It has time travel, fairys, dragons, harpies, and other magical creatures too. Captivating with kind and snotty ancestors that Princess Emma meets when she's trying to solve the family curse's mysteries... along with Eadric, Lil, and some magic she's bound for a journey no one's gone on before!

We bought the Frog Princess from a school bookfair. I've been reading it to my 8 year old daughter. We both enjoyed the book so much, I bought the next two in the series on Amazon. These are wonderfully funny, engaging stories. This is a children's auther I would highly recommend.

Ilove the romance in this book.Emma and Eadric
are very funny characters.I love the magic in this book.
I hope to keep reading the series!

This book is just one of the wonderful books in this series. An absolute family treasure and fun for the whole family.

This was a fun book that has been passed around in family. I read it first and then passed it to my 13 yr. old daughter who then passed it to my 10 yr. old daughter. We've all laughed with delight at some of the exploits our "heroes" manage to involve themselves in. A must read! Grab the whole series while you're at it!

After writing the superlative "When Thunder Rolled" about his early F-105 tour in Vietnam, Ed Rasimus, one of the most literary of all pilot-authors, turns his attention to his second tour flying F-4's. The result is "Palace Cobra" and it is another masterwork of first-person combat narrative plucked from the skies of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Although I prefer "When Thunder Rolled" (mainly due to my affection for the F-105, an affection Rasimus shares), this still needs to be high on the reading list of anyone interested in the air war in Southeast Asia.

"Palace Cobra" is good at differentiating changes that occurred in the six or so years between his two combat tours. The war became more managed, and Rasimus makes the case passionately for the warrior class to be in charge of combat operations rather than the careerist administrators that so often were. In the conclusion he summarizes the lessons that were learned (at least partially) by the military in the wake of the Vietnam debacle, and thoroughly discredits Lyndon Johnson and Robert McNamara's idiotic "gradualization" and managerial policies that eventually allowed the ultimate North Vietnamese subjugation of the nominally less corrupt south. This book is somewhat more personality-driven than "When Thunder Rolled" and talks more about off-duty exploits as well. Some of this information is interesting, and all of it is very unvarnished. To be candid, I would have preferred fewer unseemly details of the Thai nightlife, and more of tactical operations, but that's nitpicking a heartfelt and honest book.

Rasimus is a very intelligent man, and frequently presents relevant quotations as introductions or summaries of important concepts. The quotes vary from well known to obscure, but they all are perfect enhancements to his own words and artistically set the tone for what follows. My favorite two are likewise representative of the obscure and the well known:

"The aircraft G-limits are only there in case there is another flight by that particular airplane. If subsequent flights do not appear likely, there are no G-limits." -Frank Chubba, fighter pilot

"War is an ugly thing, but it is not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares about more than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by better men than himself." -John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)

There is no wonder why Ed Rasimus chose that quote to begin the book's final chapter.

This is a great book, and I highly recommend it.

Once again the author goes into combat above North Vietnam. This time in an F-4 Phantom. Although the plot is similar to his earlier book, "When Thunder Rolled", this one's different enough not to feel like a warmed-over rehash. The only thing the same is his fantastic ability to "tell it like it is". Chronologicaly, the events described came after his other book but you need not have read it to enjoy this. Along with Ken Bell's "100 Missions North" this has to be one of my favorites. You come away from it with a much better understanding of the complexities of the war from a strategic as well as tactical view. The mundane day-to-day stuff balanced with the terror they must have felt flying over the most heavily defended airspace known to man. The aircrews involved did a great job in spite of the adversities and this book tells one brave pilot's story superbly!

Rasimus returns to Vietnam for a second tour after transitioning to F-4's. We are indebted to Rasimus for his courage and his intellect. The book is superb.

The book covers the air war from the height of air war against North Vietnam and the massive B-52 raids to the dog days near the end of the war when the REMF's came to get their tickets punched. Rasimus captures it all, from the sweaty, terror filled minutes of endless Sam killing missions deep over North Vietnam to the days near the end of the war when US planes did not venture into North Vietnam. The friendly skies of South Vietnam brought out those who had avoided the air war in various Pentagon burrows to get their 201 files filled with combat flying. Rasimus sorts out the good guys like Robin Olds from the slackers with a sharp knife.

What differentiates this book from many other fine books is Rasimus' intellect and writing skills . Highly recommended.

Whilst putting you very much in the cockpit Mr Rasimus has at the same time managed to produce a thoughtful, insightful, and instructive book that gives an excellent view of the experiences, feelings and thoughts of what it meant to be a fighter pilot in the later years of the Vietnam war. An excellent sequel to his earlier book. Highly recommended.

Outstanding commentary of a two tour aerial war veteran of the Vietnam
War. We were winning every time he and I left Nam.

Peter Jennings was taken from us at the pinnacle of his
career. He shaped the news in many areas like the
ABC Nightly News. The book provides many specifics about
his life and career. There are memorable pictures
contained throughout the book. i.e.
o The Miss Canada Pageant of 1965
o various political conventions
o the Munich Olympics
o the Clinton Presidential Inaugural of 1997
o a meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991

The acquisition would be perfect for persons interested
in journalism, politics and government.

This book is purchased for our Book Club for next year's books. Several of our members had read it to be sure it was okay. It was difficult to purchase - first we had to wait till it was published (you know how THat goes!) and then the price was exhorbitant (that was overcome) and finally it joined the other books we purchased for the Club. Oh, and say, did I mention that this is a book for next year's selections? and that it will be much like "saving it for dessert?" I haven't read it yet either - just scanned through it, and therefore I know it to be the "icing on the cake."

I was never a regular viewer of Peter Jennings' news broadcast or any of his documentaries, but now I wish I was.

This book pointed out all the great time, effort and blood, sweat and tears that Peter Jennings put into all segments of his broadcast and documentaries. He did not take his anchor position lightly and wanted all viewers to share his same passion and understanding of the subjects he was speaking.

It also went into great depth to speak of the man that none of us saw on his nightly newscasts. One who was such a humanitarian and lover off people from all different walks of life.

This book kept my attention and made me feel sad that I did not pay closer attention to his newscast while he was still with us.

If you loved Peter Jennings you will love this book. It was written in an innovative style by way of an amalgam interviews with his colleagues. If you are looking for dirt on Peter skip this book, but if you want to relive the hundreds of wonderful hours you spent with him on your TV, this book does the trick. Your memory might also be jogged when you read the many adjectives describing him in the book: charming, distinctive, exuberant, thoughtful, reflective, gracious, caring, sincere, whimsical, questioning, authentic, direct, gentle of spirit, warm, great sense of humor, intelligent.

I loved the insight many of the contributors gave, as well as the quotes from Peter: "He connected with every person he met. He didn't use them." "He had this life force that seemed to surround him--his enthusiasms, his boundless energy and curiosity. He was one of those people that was just a great sense of nirvana to be around." "And when he was faced with the actual test, he instantly did the right thing." Peter: "Be spare, be precise, take your time, and don't say too much. Let each work carry the weight of the story....communicate in a concise way."

Peter would ask, "What are we going to do today what will distinguish us?" He despised predictability, mediocrity of any kind, laziness." "Listening to Peter was...riveting." Peter WAS riveting, and so is this book!

Bill Kizorek, CEO, Two Parrot Productions

When ABC newsman Peter Jennings died from lung cancer in 2005, he left a void in the industry that has yet to be filled. Along with the likes of Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, Jennings helped revolutionize television news, sitting on both sides of the desk, transforming the genre from a 15-minute afterthought to a major component of network broadcasting.

The editors of PETER JENNINGS: A REPORTER'S LIFE, including his wife, have collected the thoughts and memories of scores of family, friends and colleagues who are universal in their praise and turned these stories into an oral biography. It seems as if Jennings was almost predisposed to the profession. As the son of one of Canada's most respected radio broadcasters, he got an early start, hosting his own children's show as a nine-year-old. Formal education held little interest for Jennings; these days he might have been diagnosed with ADD. His success, despite dropping out of high school, was truly remarkable.

Jennings was just 26 when he was handed the anchor assignment for ABC News in 1965, a job to which he admitted he was not suited at the time. He earned his stripes by going out into the field --- far, far afield to Europe and the Middle East where he thrived on the exotic surroundings and the action.

The entries in A REPORTER'S LIFE reveal a man in a hurry, ever curious and always willing to do whatever it took to get the job done, even when that meant putting himself in harm's way. Jennings was no "Scud-stud," a term used to describe reporters who made a name for themselves during the first war in Iraq; he didn't even like to fly. But he impressed everyone, from his sound men to heads of state, with his ability to soak up information and present it to his audience.

When he stepped down as an active reporter to once again take over the anchor desk for ABC News, he brought that same restlessness with him. He was a demanding boss, always expecting the reporters to do the same thorough job he did. But his humanity was always evident. During the coverage on 9/11, he wanted the audience to see the devastation of the World Trade Center rather than in-studio shots of him. And he was never afraid to defer to experts or admit he did not know every issue involved.

Many of those interviewed said that Jennings never wanted to be the center of attention, which made his on-air revelation of his illness all the more conflicting. For him, it served as an abject lesson, another chance to educate his viewers.

The format of A REPORTER'S LIFE both works and doesn't work. Since it's not a straightforward biography, it appears choppy at times, a series of mini-monologues interspersed with Jennings's own words. It is also understandably biased; you won't find too many speaking ill of him. On the other hand, these are the people who knew Jennings best, and the book serves as their final chance to pay him tribute.

--- Reviewed by Ron Kaplan

The world paradigm described by physics seemed to have changed with discoveries in the early 20th century, and yet due to the complexity of the science involved society has not been able to fully accompany that change. With that in mind, it's perhaps unfortunate that this book has not been given more prominent publicity since it was first published in 1958. In the book, Werner Heisenberg, one of the founders of quantum theory, gives a broad and insightful overview of relevant discoveries in physics in the first half of the 20th century and discusses their implications for science, philosophy, and everyday life. He relates important discoveries in physics to the history of philosophical and scientific ideas since ancient Greece, Descartes, Kant and Newton. With special insight based on his personal relationship with many great scientists of the last century, including Einstein and Bohr, he introduces the meaning of ideas such as the Theory of Relativity and his own Uncertainty Principle relating to the physical laws governing the behavior of subatomic particles. Despite dealing with complex subjects, he does a great job, in most cases, in translating concepts for the lay reader. Among many subjects, here are some things that he talks about: how "matter" is fundamentally composed of energy, how the search for a basic fundamental particle, or building block, of all other materials is influenced by our interference during the process of searching, how common notions about the nature of space and time disseminated among the general public since Newton need additional qualification, how the geometry of the universe, understood since the time of the Greeks may be understood differently in light of recent discoveries in physics. If you are looking for an explanation of 20th century physics in plain language by a top expert in the field, this is it, or probably as close as you will get. I would recommend this book for anyone in the general public who is interested in obtaining a basic understanding of the topics under examination in modern physics, and perhaps also for aspiring scientists who want to gain an understanding of the history of ideas that has led to current research. A great read.

I will only mentioned a few aspects of the world of quantum mechanics and then if you get bored you can read the last part where I mention some aspects of the book.

Werner Heisenberg is one of the most important figures within the world of quantum mechanics. Since Max Planck discovered that electromagnetic energy could be emmited in quantized forms a series of new discoveries revolutionised the world of physics. Albert Einstein confirmed Plancks's discoveries and theorized that light was composed of discrete quanta. This discovery was just too strange. How can light behave as a wave and as a particle. You can see the double slit experiment and observe how light behave when one slit is open and when the two slits are open, just amazing.So it seems that dualistic thought can not be applied here. Is light particle or wave, the answer: BOTH!As Heisenberg says in the book: "that what we observe is not nature in itself but nature exposed to our method of questioning". Thus observer and observed are in some way connected and not separated as in cartesian-newtonian world.In the introduction is written clearly: "...the act of of measurement defines the thing being measured, or that the thing being measured and the thimg doing the measuring are inextricably interwined"
This is why there have been some analogies between this new physics and eastern traditions (like Fritjof Capra's Tao of Physics)like buddhism and the Indian philosopher Nagarjuna, founder of the Madhamyaka school that developed the concept of emptyness, that is, all phenomenon had no "self-nature" "or idependent origins", there is no such thing as Parmenide's Being.All is interconnected,like Indra's jewels in Hinduism there is no gap between the observer and the observed in the world of quantum physics. Quantum mechanics is more familiar with Heraclitus where Change is the main principle, Becoming and not Being.Particles are not "things" but are like Aristotle's potentia. Heisenberg tell us: "A quantum object, in itself, is neither one thing not the other. If you decide to measure a wave-like property, the thing you are observing will look like a wave. Measure a particle property (position or velocity), on the other hand, and you will see particle-like behaviour." Note that Heisenberg that one can measure position OR velocity, this is the pillar of the uncertainty principle. In Heisenberg's words: 2The better you measure the position of a particle, the less you can find out its velocity, and vice versa."
Thus, the first years of the 1920s was a turning point in the world of physics. The Copenhagen Interpretation established the principles of quantum mechanics, some of this are: The uncertainty principle, the Complementary Principle (wave-particle duality of light) and that the description of nature is probabilistic.
Now you can have a little clue about the book subtitle: "The revolution in modern science". Newtonian mechanics can' t be applied to the subatomic world.Thus, the view of nature as a Big, impersonal Machine and that it was a matter of time that "all mighty rational humanity" was to discover all its laws is far from true. Even Einstein was not happy with this group of physicians that were saying "there is no such thing called objectivity" "newtonian laws are like a fish in the desert". Einstein after the theory of special and general relativity spent much of his time lookink for a Theory of Everything (TOE), and in some isolated himself from this great discoveries being made in the field of quantum mechanics.
Today there is this String Theory or M Theory wandering arround, and could be the best candidate that will unify the 4 forces: Gravity, electromagnetism, strong and weak interaction. Time will tell...

About the book:

Heisenberg explains the developmet pf pshysics reviewing Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes (the three Milesians)Heraclitus, Parmenides, Empedocles, Anaxagoras, Democritus, Leucippus, then a quntum leap to Descartes and Kant.
He explains relativity, space, time, the Copenhagen Interpretation, the limits of language to describe the quantum world, the role of scientists, his Nobel Lecture and much more.
I think it is not a difficult book, but don't expect to understand quantum mechanics, because if you do, you really didn't understand a thing about it. So forget about binary-aristotelic logic and start developing fuzzy logics to understand a lot of weird things.

This is an excellent work due in large part to Heisenberg's acumen both as a physicist and a philosopher. Unfortunately, even some of the great physicists have been somewhat shallow philosophers. For whatever reason(probably the fact that his father was a professor of classical studies), Heisenberg had a very good grasp of many philosophical viewpoints. He was able to mostly avoid the cartesian bifurcation that traps most physicists even to this day. He understood that much of the "trouble" with Quantum Mechanics was caused by our unwillingness to let go of the bad metaphysical assumptions that became implicit in classical physics. Overall, this is an excellent book for anyone who wants to understand the beauty of Quantum Mechanics with eyes wide open.

As I was reading this intelligent and provocative manuscript, I could not help think why this was not part of my undergraduate physics course. For anyone who wants to know how quantum physics came to be, this is certainly the book to read. I was completely surprised how many of the aspects of modern science we take for granted today would not be in the classroom if not for quantum physics. The linking to classical philosophy was equally stirring.

If quantum mechanics and all of its philosophical implications tickles your fancy, BUY THIS BOOK! Heisenberg jumps off the pages with an eloquence long forgotten in our day.

I had wanted to read something about Jewish assimilation in Europe after snippets and references from Goethe's biography by Nicholas Boyle, a musical essay on Mendelssohn that touched briefly on his grandfather, Moses, and the liner notes on several classical music CDs of composers who lived in the 19th century. When I saw this book at my neighborhood bookstore, I grabbed it and stayed up all night reading it. Since I want information when I read a history, I don't require great writing, and prose that's merely adequate can be forgiven if the research is thorough (and the author doesn't have an axe to grind). Elon is a good enough writer that I will seek out his other works. This book shed light on the ambivalence that must have been unbearable for so many. And as another reviewer mentioned, its nice to have a chapter of German/Jewish history that doesn't begin with Weimar. As one of the best histories I've read, I can't recommend it highly enough. Hopefully high-school and college courses on Europe in the World War years will use this book as a prelude.

"The Pity of It All" is a masterful accomplishment of scholarship, insight and tone. It describes the world and history of German Jews before the Holocaust in ways that illuminate the catastrophe that follwed, but with a wise restraint that holds back from glib or pat theories. For instance, Elon is careful to insist that the outcome for Germany's Jews was not inevitable, and that although virulent, persistent anti-semitism was widespread in German culture, Hitler's and Nazism's rise also benefitted from the blunders and complacency of competing politics, and from other random hazards. In focusing on and describing the preceding two centuries of rapid development of a German Jewish community of prosperity and accomplishment, Elon gives these people back their identity and dignity as something other than doomed or pathetic foreshadows of predestination. While the book provides valuable food for thought about the Holocaust, it also, and predominantly, honors and rewardingly brings to our awareness the rich and fascinating parade of Jewish life and individuals in Germany from the mid-18th century forward.

There are many strengths to this book- one of the main strengths is the variety of uses that it has. It's obvious purpose is to relate the history of German Jews from the rise of the Enlightenment to the rise to power of the Nazi party. But it serves other purposes as well. I came to it for an understanding of the intellectual background of both Leo Strauss and Hannah Arendt. It could serve as background reading for anyone interested in Einstein, Benjamin, Adorno, Horkheimer, Freud, Adler, Fromm, Marcuse, Mannheim, Popper, Bernstein, Cassirer, Schoenberg, Husserl, Weill, among other German-Jewish intellectuals to numerous to mention. Which brings me to my third purpose. I have never read anything that made me realize just how badly Germany damaged itself intellectually during the rise of the Nazis. It serves as the primary example of politically ripping your heart out because your brain commands it. Who knows what the country could have become if it had embraced it Jewish citizens? Finally, for me, this book makes me understand why Zionism became such a political force. At some point, when you are treated like the Jewish citizens of Germany were, what else can you do? Elon makes it clear that their suffering began long before the twentieth century.
I want to talk about Elon's methodology. His book is basically a series of well chosen capsule biographies of prominent German Jews whose lives and struggles for emancipation and assimilation serve as to tell the stories of all German Jews. His focuses on people like Moses Mendelssohn, Rahel Varnhagen, Heinrich Heine, Ludwig Borne, Ludwig Bamberger, Gershon Bleichroder and Walter Rathenau. Along with this main biographies are several dozens of shorter ones. Elon then surrounds these stories with a certain amount of sociological history (two of his favorite statistics are to look at the rate of conversions from Judaism to Christianity and the rate of intermarriage). He tries to relate those stats to larger historical events. Finally, he also uses a bit of cultural history,e.g., he sees Goethe's idea of Bildung as having an even larger impact on German Jews than on the rest of the German population.
This methodological approach to his story has some drawbacks. Non-intellectual and/or lower class German Jews remain in the background in Elon's book. I am not sure how this could be avoided. There may be some sort of historical record that would tell us more about this part of the population but it is hard to imagine what that record would be. It is also easy to imagine that life for the poorer and less literate parts of the German Jewish population would have been even worse. Most careers were closed to them, all civil and political rights were denied to them and many times, entire cities or districts were closed to them. In most cities they lived in ghettos and were not allowed to go out into the rest of the city on Sundays or Christian holidays.
Elon also makes it clear that in many ways, Germany was one of the most liberal countries toward its Jewish citizens. I found myself sometimes reading this book wondering when the revolution was going to start. As I said earlier, reading this book makes the appeal of Zionism easy to understand.
I have a few other minor laments about Elon's book. I would have appreciated much more of a history of both Zionism and reform Judaism within the context of his history. I would also have learned from a history of how the understanding of the galut changed over time. But this is a minor quibble. Elon's books fulfills its own purpose and many other purposes magnificantly. There are other books that can tell the story of the missing pieces.
I came to this book from my reading of Strauss. It makes me appreciate Strauss's ideas about the theological-political problem so much more. Strauss basically used the place of the Jewish citizen within a liberal polity as his basic metaphor for the challenge of the other to a community/state. He also saw it as a metaphor for the role of the philosopher in the community/state. In both cases, it stands for an outsider who can never be other than an outsider. Strauss felt that this issue tears at the core of the liberal state. It is one that we can never run from and must always face with all our wisdom and humanity. Reading Elon argues strongly that Strauss may have been right. But mostly, reading Elon leave you with a sense of how much all of us have lost from what happened to the Jewish population of Europe during the thirties and forties. The Pity of It All is right.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It combines history with interesting narrative. It tells of the heartbreaking saga of the relationship between Jews and Germans for the 200 years preceding WW II. It spoke of histories of people and how devoted they were to the Fatherland....especially sad were the thousands of conversions, forced and voluntary, which in the end did the Jews no good. It is an enlightening read and not very flattering about the Germans and their anti semetic history of thought.

The author describes the history of German Jewry in such an eloquent, informed and story-telling way that is just fascinating. Easy to read too. Excellent buy.

The progress of Jews toward full acceptance in the society of Germany and Austria--or at least Vienna--is traced thoroughly and at length. Writers, politicians, artists and industrialists, all are met here. Of some figures--those of peculiar importance or eccentricity--a whole biography is written. Others are mentioned almost in passing, never to be heard of again. The unique role of the **HofJude** (court Jew) and the **KaiserJude** (Emperor's Jew), these being close to power without actually wielding it, is well explained for readers in democratic America.

The one weakness in the book lies in its failure adequately to explain how things went from sugar to s--t so quickly. It's an account of steady gains, almost a mutual love affair between the Jews who contributed so much and the society that valued them like none other, then suddenly, in the final chapter, it's all taken away and the Jews must flee for their lives as Hitler and the Nazis come to power.

There is a bit more to the story but you will read little of it here. Even the most sympathetic chronicler has acknowledged that along with the flowering of art, literature and theater during the Weimar Republic came a fair amount of decadence and depravity. Many sectors of German society, those from the rural areas especially, were deeply offended by what went on in smart-set Berlin in the twenties, and by the alienated political commentary of some Jewish writers of the time which was intended to wound and did so.

Perhaps little of this was perceived at the time. Elon seems hardly to perceive it in retrospect, devoting all of two sentences on the second to last page to the excesses of the Weimar period.

This is one of the finest books I have read in a long time. Believe it or not, I heard about it from a Q and A with the actress Natalie Portman who recommended the book. The writer tells the history of the relationship between the Jewish population and their neighbors and German governnment. It ends in 1933, and points out ways in which the Jews tried to assimilate but were never able to please their government enough. It opened my eyes to 200 years of life before Hitler and how he was a cog in the machinery of the sickness of anti semitism. There are many personal examples of characters, their brilliance and fortitude to always try to "make things work" between them and their government. It is a heartbreaking book but one which should be read for Jews and Christians alike.

Amos Elon opens this book describing Moses Mendelsohn, a German philosopher's entry as an impoverished and uneducated teen into Berlin through a gate reserved for "swine, oxen and Jews," and ends it by describing how a famous Jewish writer left Berlin by train just hours ahead of the Gestapo.

Between these bookends you'll find the history of the German Enlightenment, the general acceptance and tolerance that Jews came to enjoy in Germany, of the significant role that Jews played in Germany's cultural, scientific, political and business worlds, and of the assimilation process that led to the specific identity of being a German Jew, and of most tragic suffering. What a pity!

It is the privilige of the victor to write history; most English-language histories of Germany's Jews to a greater or lesser degree approach their story through the prism of Anglo-American history, and adopt some of the prejudices and justifications of Anglo-American historians sometimes becoming but recitations of trusims. Not so this book, which is far more sophisticated. Without excusing that which ought never have happened, Elon clearly symapathisizes with the German people, and does not, for example, only describe the depths of the racial hatred to which they sunk, but also describes how barely 30 years before, they were far and away the most tolerant and least racist nation in history. Would that this were better known.

Not only is it a (brief) history of German Jewry, but also a brief history of German culture, politics and science. Elon believes that the Social-Democrats were far too weak, disorganized, and confused to have been able to maintain law and order during the Weimar Republic, and that the more conservative parties, which largely were extensions of churches, were too tied down by their religious affiliations to have been able to provide effective government. This, he believes, meant that the only form of government that could have saved Germany from the horrors that came to be would have been a military dictatorship. Expecting the Germans to smoothly transition from centuries of monarchic rule to a democracy during the depths of the Great Depression was not realistic. Democracies cannot exist without citizens who think for themselves, monarchies often raise people to follow orders without question. This is an interesting idea, and not what one hears from the sort of historians who write that the horrors arose because people weren't nice enough.

This is a hugely informative and highly moving book that is history sine ira et studio, history at its very best. I heartily recommend this book.

This book is truly one of a kind. It's detail and clarity is unprecedented and its topic very engaging as Elon does an amazing job in taking his readers through the 200-year journey and labyrinth of a mostly unexplored period of Jewish history. Awesome! Truly the best thing since sliced bread. Besides being a fabulous historical treatise, it answers many questions.......many many questions and problems and does it so wholesomely and so didactically and flawlessly.

My hat is off to you, Mr. Elon. I am silenced by the great amount of awe and respect I now harbor toward you. Thank You!

One of the best history books I read (and I read quite a few):
Well written, the past comes to life and what's more important you start to live it as if you don't know the future. One of the biggest problems in reading history is the fact you know "the answers" a privilege people don't have when they actually live and take decisions. This book gives you the feeling as if you almost are there with out knowing how things will eventually turn out.
Side bonus: a look in to the best of European culture of the 19th century.
A key for understanding lots of current issues, it will also help to understand the desires and nightmares of Jews in Israel today.

It's interesting that throughout years of studying acting, I've jotted down lists of what I felt I needed to do to prepare. When I came upon this book, she not only listed everything I had on my list, but so much more to a fuller and deeper extent.

This book is like my acting "bible."

Love it.

I have been an actor for 5 years now. I've studied in multiple disciplines with multiple coaches. And over time while that has improved me as an actor, it has confused me as well. I have so much information and styles running around in my head that at times I have found that I have forgotten the basics. In addition, I haven't been able to find a systematic approach to acting that brings everyting together. Until now.

I was given Ivanna's book 2 years ago and never took the time to read it. I was studying with someone else and thought I was doing what I needed. I decided to pick up the book a few months ago and I found Ivanna's technique was what I was missing in my acting, a structure to wrap all of my thoughts and training around.

This book appeals to me as a person who likes some structure when approaching a script. However, it still encourages me to make discoveries and remain in the moment. It has truly opened my eyes to the possibilities that Ivanna's technique allows in delving into a character's psyche.

Not only was the book richly rewarding for me, but it has led me to her acting studio to study under her guidance in hopes of further utilizing her knowledge and approach.

I can't recommend this book enough for the working actor, as well as the newcomer. All levels of actor can benefit from the technique and structure she provides. Not to mention Part 2 of the book is FANTASTIC in preparing for auditions by offering some insights to careers and hang ups people have.

I don't go anywhere withouit it...If you are serious about being an actor you need to be familiar with the Chubbuck Technique...you need to read the book! It has changed me as an actor and as a person...I feel empowered.

This book opened my eyes to another way of operating. I now use this technique even in my class scenes. Like AMEX, I don't go anywhere without it!

I wouldn't recommend this book for raw beginners, but someone who has a working knowledge of acting and stagecraft will find it immensely valuable. With its full exploration of the "why" of techniques mentioned in other texts, Ms. Chubbuck's technique refines Stanislavski to a practical and accessible recipe for creating believable and powerful characters. Highly recommended!

Tasha always said that when she died, she would just come back to 1830, her favorite time period, and the period in which she tried to live her life. She lived in Fairyland, as far as I am concerned- and that's a compliment. The pictures of her farm, her wonderful birds and animals are exceptional. Be sure to see the picture of her one-eyed cat and her African gray parrot and her gorgeous white doves, with feathered feet. Tasha died at age 92 recently and I would imagine her spirit is still drifting around her house and garden that she loved so much.

Beautiful book about a very interesting person and shows her lovely artwork. Love Vermont and the photographs were wonderful. Gave it as a gift to my daughter, who was very pleased.

I love this book. I saw her in Victoria magazine years ago, and then again in a bookstore, and finally ordered it on Amazon and read it from front to back in 2 days. I could not put this down. This amazing lady is living life as She wants to live it. This will transport you to a more gentler time, slower than today's crazy pace. You'll be inspired to live up to your own dreams. I love seasons, but I happen to live in a place where we don't have them, this book has enabled me to enjoy them when I need to. Her home and gardens are very inspiring and the photo's are great.

If we could all live in a fantasy world this book would probaly be more meaningful. Got this book as a garden/back to nature resource. Not for people who have to balance their families,work and of course money. Skip unless you are an absolute Tasha Tudor fan.

I bought a Tasha Tudor print for my daughter's birthday and ordered this book to go with it. It came just in time.

While I agree on that message the book conveys would be considered 'common sense', I am continuously amazed at how little common sense I encounter in the world at large. There are too many couples who rush into marriage without considering that the commitment they are entertaining is larger than themselves.

I think the book serves as a tool for use in self examination and reflection, hopefully leading to honest conversations. It's a shame for someone to grow up only after vows are exchanged and families are hurt. My parents were married for 55 years until death parted them. I hope to do at least as well.

Consider giving this to engaged couples or using it along with marriage preparation.

I've been recommending "Project Everlasting" to all of my friends, whether single, in a serious relationship, or married. For a single twenty-something like me, the stories of the couples in this book are ones of hope and possibility, demonstrating everything that marriage can and should be when two people are genuinely committed. I think what Mat Boggs and Jason Miller have done in collecting these stories is to highlight all the best things of which human beings are capable. The lessons they've captured are invaluable, whether a person is called to marriage or not; to be able to love in the way that these couples have learned to - with a selfless determination - is the greatest thing that we can strive for in this life.

The book is very well written, and Mat and Jason have an open, honest, and engaging way of taking you right along with them on their journey. This is a book that draws enormous amounts of wisdom from a series of personal journeys - those of the couples in marriage, and those of these two bachelors, discovering exactly what it is about marriage that is so worth waiting for, and so worth the effort that it clearly takes!

This is one of the most heart warming books I have ever read. It is well written and made me smile most of the time I was reading it. If you like to hear uplifting stories that have happy endings, then this is your book.

This is a really enjoyable book that teaches practical marriage advice and gives the bones to make up a great marriage. In addition, the stories about each "marriage master" are so lovely and nice to see what others went through for love, commitment and marriage.

I'm not a big reader, especially of 'self-help' type books, but after reading an excerpt from this book I was intrigued. The authors have done a wonderful job of presenting the marriage "lessons" they learned in a wonderful story format that aren't far fetched and are very easy to relate to. What I particularly enjoyed about the book was its set-up. The chapters are broken down into short stories about different couples that illustrate the topic focus on in the chapter. For someone who isn't a big reader and has a limited amount of time to read it is nice to have so many good stopping points without feeling lost when I picked the book back up again. The humor interjected into the book is entertaining as well. Both authors are very personable. I've lent it to my fiancé to read (also not a big reader, but enjoying it so far) and plan on giving it as a giving as a wedding gift. Not to sound cliché and cheesy but I laughed, I cried, I highly recommend it to anyone getting married or anyone for that matter.