Williams Books

A colorful, engrossing story where real life is far more interesting than fiction as the author helps us relive his exploits. For war/aviation buffs, an adventure not to be missed.

This is a fabulous book! Incredibly good! Buy this book!

G. GORDON LIDDY

This story takes you back to a time when the world was a much larger place. Men and machines were the means to accomplish great deeds. Computers did not tell you how and when to do everything. Men actually flew by the seat of their pants and when they made a mistake they were quite often the only one's who ever knew. Laugh at the funny side of combat and feel the heat of tears when a friend is lost. Don't miss this wonderful story.

Bill Band has managed to capture the essence of a bygone era and make it live for those of us who weren't there. An exciting read.

Bill Band has told this story in a manner in which the reader understands what went on in this little understood albiet important theater and why it happened that way. It is a personal account which is engaging and well told. I'll bet Mr Band has more stories to tell .. and I hope he does.

This little book is a collection of 54 essays on the subject of "Why I Am a Conservative." Each essay was written by a well-known member of political or media class, ranging from Bob Dole and Bill Frist, through Michael Medved and P.J. O'Rourke. Overall, I found them to be quite interesting and quite often a lot of fun (especially P.J. O'Rourke, naturally). So, if you want to understand the Conservative movement more, you really should read this book. I highly recommend it!

This book contains synopses from several figures on what it means to them to be classified as a Reagan Conservative. Great book. A really fun read if you're on the go. Read a chapter or two in the airport at Atlanta, read another on the plane, read another when you arrive at JFK, read another in the cab...
Well composed! I was very happy with this book!

Democrat-Republican,Liberal -Conservative,Left-Right,Socialist-Capitalist are all labels we attempt to apply to the political aspirations and ideas of people within society.And they are only broad descriptions.To those,we have can add an endless number of terms we apply to special interests ,such as; Free-Traders,Pro-Lifers,Bleeding-Hearts,Hard-Liners,Appeasers,Self-Reliants,Fundamentalists,Libertarians,Fascists,Secularists,Isolationists,Enviromentalists,Freedom-fighters,Nationalists,Patriots,Dissenters,Free-Speechers,people who believe in big Gouverment and those who believe it should be restrained,and Activists of all descriptions;just to name a few.
However;all these philosophies ,more or less fall into two broad categories;namely Socialist or Conservative. While;at times, there are some overlappings. Nor is it possible for any one person to agree with either of the two main camps on every issue.Political expediency is an everpresent force and for that reason some people tend to alter their political party affiliations over the years;while others hold to their party of choice;regardless of issues.
The Author has done a magnificient job of defining what a Conservative in America ,and in fact,the whole western world,really is at these times in history. In other words ,if you believe in the ideas professed in this book;you are a Conservative thinker;and if you don't ,you are by default, not.
Rather than write a ling disertation,the author has chosen to approach a large number of Conservatives and have them write short essays of a couple of pages,to explain what being a Conservative is all about.
In all,we can read what 54 well known Conservatives have to say about defining Conservativeism.
Personally,I came from a very staunch Liberal background and considered myself one for many,many years, However as the 60's came to an end,I found there were many things that changed the way I thought and I no longer felt compfortable with that side of the political spectrum and for the last two decades have moved to the Conservative philosophy.
What I found startling is that so many of the people who wrote the essays in this book went through the same prosess as did I.
This has always concerned me and I think the words of Ronald Reagan pretty well explains things when he said ;"I didn't leave the Democratic Party;they left me".
Another thing I liked about this book is that it stays with defining what it is to be Conservative in a positive manner and is virtually free from negativism towards other points of view.
I really believe even someone who is not a Concervative could enjoy this book,they may well not agree with the philosophies of the writers.That is all well and good because the book does an excellent job of informing without being insulting,dismissive or disparaging to other points of view.

Edited by Michael Deaver, this is a series of essays by prominent Republicans who are remembering Ronald Reagan. Reagan will probably go down in the history books as one of the better presidents during this time period. After all, at the beginning of the period we were in the midst of the Cold War and at the end it was over, the Soviet Union was no more. Untold fortunes spent, tremendous risks of nuclear war, all were gone, the Cold War was over.

Note that this is concerned with Ronald Reagan conservative views. This is not necessarily the same as the George W. Bush views. Mr. Bush seems to have taken the conservative agenda re abortion, affirmative action, and other issues much further than did Reagan.

The present day conservative Republicans would have you believe, would like to believe themselves that the country has made a major turn to the right wing. They view the past election as confirmation of this rightward shift. I believe they are ignoring the fact that a couple of week candidates in the form of Kerry/Edwards, and good fundamental politics on the part of the Republicans (especially the Ohio grass roots effort) enabled a victory.

It is at their risk that they forget that the country isn't as right wing as the stalwarts of the Republican party. Nor is it as liberal as the hard core of the Democratic party. One thing about our country, there's another election coming. The country votes for the one considered the most center oriented. The country doesn't want gun or abortion control.

This book is worth reading as a view of what these particular party members are thinking.

This book is a collection of short essays from different politicians, activists and writers that claim to be Reagan conservatives. It's a truly entertaining, uplifting and colorful compilation; most of the essays are only a couple of pages long and will reveal personal stories - and the message of each of them is beautifully obvious, yet thought-provoking. Don't expect detailed academic papers - we have enough of those in other books. The miracle of this one is actually its modesty and simplicity. You'll get several up front, honest, extremely hard to argue confessions that might "satisfy the skeptic as well" - as it says on the cover.
As of today, it's undoubtedly one of the greatest tributes to the man whom history books are likely to be going to call the greatest American President of the 20th century.

First off, this is a great book. If anyone thinks this is just a glorified first-aid book, think again. Dr. Forgey's is quick to point out that some medical emergencies are best treated at a hospital by professionals, having said that he plays a "what if" game where evac is not possible and then provides detailed treatment strategies based on your level of skills and supplies on hand. It's a clever approach where plan A is better than plan B which is better than plan C which is better than plan D. Although, he'll point out that plan D is better than doing nothing. His sense of humor is not lost in this book which makes for a compelling read. It's a must have for laymen or practicing pro new to wilderness medicine. I couldn't recommend this book enough. My only complaint, if it qualifies as a complaint is that there isn't a 6th Edition with the latest in medical technology represented. Having said that, if a technique worked in 1999 it should still work in 2009 or 2019!

Favorite excerp from the book: "Red-hot branding irons and pouring gun powder into a wound and lighting it, while effective in killing germs and among Rambo's favorite techniques, also destroy good tissue." (Chapter 3 p.93 paragraph 2)

This one is a keeper, and at the current price, you should buy one for anyone that travels a lot...anywhere!


J.D.

I found this book to be of outstanding usefulness. The book is designed for a person with advanced medical skill. It is not a first aid book. It is what the title says "Beyond First Aid". The writer displays his knowledge of care from his own experience as an outdoors man and lays out and describes in detail what is needed under various adverese circumstances.
Mingmei Jiang [BVocEd&Train(C.Sturt)]

The book was a bit too basic for my taste. I understand that the layperson doesn't have access to many things that a doctor does. But to me, the book was more about band-aids than it is about stitches. I think it could have been a little meatier.
Due to the limited availability of many medicines to the average Joe (or Jane), I suppose the writer couldn't put in a lot of information on how to treat as a doctor would. But I was actually hoping for more of that kind of information.

It's no surprise that every reviewer has given this excellent and comprehensive book five stars.

Written by William Forgey, MD, former president of the Wilderness Medicine Society it goes beyond first aid, dealing with situations where you cannot merely administer initial care and then count on a rapid evacuation. Forgey writes with a light hand; he avoids jargon and has a dry sense of humor. For example (p. 157): "How do you calm a person who's just been bitten by a snake? Not surprisingly, just telling him to remain calm won't work."

There are seven chapters, beginning with assessment and stabilization, and going through body system disease symptoms, injuries, bites and stings, infectious diseases, and environmental injuries. There is an excellent appendix for putting together wilderness first aid/medical kits, both with prescription, and non-prescription meds, and with a bandaging module.

You don't have to be physician, nurse, or EMT to benefit from the book. All the information, is practical and hands-on; of value to the layperson who is interested in first aid and emergency medical situations. After an initial reading, Wilderness Medicine is a fine reference work.


A related website is: [...].

Living out in the wild, in the wilderness, is a contest with Nature. Most of the time, man wins the contest, but sometimes ... stuff happens.

Chapter One is about Assessment and starts with that key question: scene safe? Then Dr Forgey takes his reader through the ABCD's, vital signs, levels of consciousness, head to toe examination, shock, respiration rates, heart rates, and CPR. (The numbers for chest compressions and breaths has been changed by the AHA since Dr Forgey updated this book, but that is a minor issue.)

Chapter Two is about body system management. The focus of this chapter is on the systems in the head but the abdomen and reproductive system are given sections as well. There is also a very good, short section on poisoning from food poisoning to shellfish poisoning.

Chapter Three covers soft tissue wounds and treatments ... and suturing and stapling.

Chapter Four covers orthopedic injuries from head to foot.

Chapter Five covers bites and stings and anaphylactic shock. Interest-ingly Dr Forgey finds that rubber suction cups are as worthless as mouth suction. His lone endorsement is the Sawyer Extractor (which is available from Amazon.com).

Chapter Six is on infectious disease. Dr Forgey lists the most signif-icant *wilderness* diseases for North America and the world should one be contesting Nature abroad.

Chapter Seven's environmental injuries include hypothermia, heat stress, high altitude related illnesses, and ... being struck by lightning. Step current is caused when lightning hass struck and the current spreads out like a wave across the ground and the victim's feet are different distances from the strike point. Since the body has less resistance than the ground, a circuit is completed.

There are two useful appendices at the end of the book.

I am EMS certified and as a BLS instructor. I had a few quibbles with Dr Forgey such as his choice of prescription medications to list in one of the appendices. However I had no major disagreements and found the book to be more easily readable than any EMS book I have read. Lots of nuts and bolts and no fluff.

Also as I write this review, I am preparing a first aid segment for a TCLEOSE course on mantracking. Dr Forgey's book provided me with a lot of detail and anecdotes to include. However just as the title says this book is about wilderness medicine *beyond* first aid.

If you appreciate an 'old fashioned' tale free of graphic intimacy and violence, if you appreciate vivid description, romance and intrigue this is for you. I read all but one of Mary Stewart's books in my early twenty's through late thirties. Now, nearing seventy, I am rereading them and cherishing the stories I read in my young years. I have divested myself of hundreds of books. Mary Stewart's remain a constant. "Wildfire at Midnight" tells of a young divorcee, unusual in Ms. Stewart's books, traveling to the Isle of Skye to recover from and get over her ex. BUT...he is in the same hotel on the remote Isle. Like many of Ms. Stewart's work murder has been done, intrigue and danger abound and one is constantly wondering WHO DID IT? a good read.

I loved this book! It is a great example of Mary Stewart's ability to create suspense and atmosphere in writing. I only wish that she would write another book sometime. I don't even know if she is still around.

This was the first Mary Stewart I read and I was hooked. It is still a favorite along with Madam Will You Talk and The Ivy Tree. The author is masterly in setting up the suspence and romance along with compelling action.
In Wildfire at Midnight, the setting is the Isle of Skye and the tension becomes quite frightening as the heroine feels drawn to a possible murderer. Someone is committing ritual murders on the mountainside and the murderer is likely one of the guests at the remote lodge.

This is a very good book, but the first chapter is a beautifully polished gem. The description of the heroine's look-alike but very different ancestor is unforgetable: "the Vixen Venus ...a Beauty in the days when beauties had a capital B, and were moreover apt to regard beauty and capital as one and the same thing."

Some books are like relatives. You love them despite their lack of perfection. Perhaps they are better than other books in the ways that count - with characters who truly live in their pages and your imagination. Or perhaps they become alive because they transcend the confines of genre fiction and have the complexity of real life.

I love this book, and the author's Nine Coaches Waiting, but both books raise issues about love and trust that I don't think they resolve realistically. However, it is probably my persistent re-reading of the books that caused me to see flaws the casual reader would not.

When I was a child in the 1970s we were on a holiday on the west coast of Scotland and by chance, taking refuge in the car from the torrential summer downpour in the barren square of Portree, my father turned on the radio. What came on was a creepy, disturbing drama set on Skye. A young woman, the only visitor to this country hotel not on the suspect list for a grizzly murder is sitting in the dead of night by the unconscious body of another would-be victim of the murderer. "How appropriate!" my mother laughed, and we listened on. The landscape of the story was the same landscape that was around me, though I couldn't see it for the rain, and there were strange characters, a crazed climber, beltane fires and murder. I thought it was great and it really, really stayed with me. It was years later that I read Wildfire at Midnight and realised that this was the self-same story I'd heard as a child. It's cracking, unashamedly romantic, but really rather well written. A good read for a sick day tucked up on the sofa, or a quiet night in. Mary Stewart's great - if only new pulp fiction could manage the same alluring balance of literary poise and good swash-buckling plots. No one else does it as well.

This book is a great source of fabulous recipes and very skillfully put on paper to make it easy to create for a novice cook. Excellent!

It uses tofu and ricotta cheese for protein (no meat), tomato sauce, red peppers, spinach! I've made it several times and LOVE it. I also like the orange zest/parsley cauliflower. YUM!!!

The recipes listed here are very healthy and very tasty, dispelling the myth that healthy invariably means not tasty. The authors use spices and wines to make low-fat food tasty, and they always manage to. These recipes have various degree of difficulty, ranging from very easy to quite challenging, and many of these ideas can be used for Christmas, Thanksgiving and other holiday meals.

I bought this book because the recipes looked, not only healthy, but delicious. It is well illustrated and the recipes are quite easy to follow. There is an error on the recipe for Spinach Custard with Gruyere Topping on page 170 with the oven temperature. According to Williams-Sonoma, it should read 325 degrees and not 180 degrees.

I bought this cookbook as a present for a friend. As I, myself, am interested in health food and adore the beautifully constructed full-picture versions of the Williams-Sonoma cookbooks, I had a hard time actually GIVING this present to her (*Sigh*...I suppose I shall have to buy my own, now).

This cookbook is great for the beginner in 'Healthful Cooking.' The beginning section is devoted to standard terms and proper cooking/preparation techniques involved with natural food preparation. The entire book features huge, wonderfully-photographed, pictures -- which are great for inspiration (I always find them greatly inspiring in my other Williams-Sonoma cookbooks).

The recipes range the gamut from easy to a bit more technical, but all cooks should be able to pull these meals off. Also, there is something that I found to be particularly wonderful about this cookbook: there are dessert recipes inside! I had almost become used to a world in which 'healthy cooking' did not involve cooking desserts... (Again, the pictures are wonderful, and guaranteed to make you drool, even if the dessert turns out to be inordinately healthy.)

I recommend this cookbook for anyone with a visual eye that is interested in healthy cooking.

Anybody who's interested in how we write the world over would do well to pick up this book. It's awfully costly, it's true, but if you're patient and you poke around a little, you can find it used for a third or less of what it's listed for.
Serious linguists specializing in writing might read it through, but amateurs--like me--will just pick it up and leaf through it, stopping here and there, reading this chapter or that, or will use it to look up some specific thing they might want to know about, say, Bishop Wulfila's Gothic script's roots in the Greek alphabet or the origins of the Georgian or Armenian alphabets.
It tells about scripts found all over the world, big ones--Latin, Cyrillic, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, and so on--and far less well known ones, like Berber, Cherokee, Ethiopian, Deseret and some found in Indonesia and islands in the Indian Ocean.
It tells the historic backgrounds and--for lack of a better word--genealogies of the scripts, then shows how they work.
One thing that irks me no end is a shortcoming not with the book itself, but rather with the publishing business as a whole: the font used in the book is inadequate. It is appalling that in a book about writing systems, there are characters that have to be set in other fonts from the main book forn--sometimes even within one word--and characters that show up as composite characters with diacritics off center from the letter they modify. It is a fairly simple thing to edit a font and add characters as needed. It is a shame that major publishing companies seem unwilling to make the small investment in typography that would let them set a book like this in one font, with all the characters needed, so that it reads smoothly, without distracting inconsistencies throughout.
Now, this is indeed a niggling compalint, and it in no way reflects on the beek itself, the writers or the editors. It is the fault of the publisher, and should in no way dissuade anyone interested in this admittedly esoteric subject from getting this book.

It seems that this book is not intended for a general reader, judging both by its price and by multitude of unexplained linguistic terms plentifully sown in the book. I bought this book becuse of many positive reviews and because it was drastically reduced to USD45. The book scans many dozens of wrining systems, as good as it's possible to squeese into ten-some page article, but unfortunately, many of the systems, especialy the ancient and the modern Oriental are too complicated and extended to be fully accounted in a limited space, so you can get acquanited with some 30 Sumer pictograms and never know the other 550, or you can see the 200 Chinese chanacters and just recall there several thousands more or look into Devanagari alphabet but then keep in mind there is a multitude of amalgams that are not easily recognized and so on.
It is also very helpful if one knows like what exactly sounds a linguolabial or a laminal or a voiced epiglottal fricative, otherwise he may be at lost..

The "World's Writing Systems" is a rare event for in one tome it covers all the ways of writing known to us at present. As a professional graphologist this is an absolute boon not only for what it is but because it is also on special offer. While there are other tomes of similar ilk and implication this work has no equal. Until now the study of written language has had no clearly defined reference work.

It has now. Thoroughly recommended.

Peter West

This a detailed survey of the systems that have been used for writing the world's languages, going far beyond the most familiar ones to encompass ones normally known only to specialists, ranging from the ancient Turkish runiform script to the Vai syllabary of Liberia, invented in modern times. Although it was written by experts for experts to read (and priced accordingly, but see the last paragraph below) most of it is well within the understanding of interested non-specialists. The authors assume a knowledge of the International Phonetic Alphabet, but it would have been almost impossible to avoid that, even if the book had been intended for the general reader. Even there it is perhaps an exaggeration to say that this is assumed, because the IPA is set out (albeit without much explanation) inside the front and back covers.

In a book of this kind the quality of the printing is a major consideration, as the samples of text need to be large enough and black enough for the individual characters to be read, and ideally should harmonize with the surrounding text in English. Before the age of computer-based typesetting it would have been impossible even to approach this ideal except at enormous price, but now it has become realistic. In general this book comes very close to the ideal, with a very high level of typography.

At more than 900 pages the book goes far beyond a mere listing of scripts with samples. It also includes a great deal of historical and cultural information, explaining how the different scripts evolved to their present state. In addition there is information about how the more successful scripts, not just Latin but also Arabic, Russian, Hebrew, Aramaic and so on, were adapted to languages different from those where they began.

At its published price the book is probably beyond the pockets of most general readers. It is worth mentioning, therefore, that on at least two occasions in recent years it has been available through Amazon with a very large discount, and one can probably expect this to happen again. I bought my copy at 40% of the published price, for example, and with that sort of discount it need not be restricted to libraries and specialists.

...it's missing many language script tables that I was hoping for. Don't get me wrong, this book is amazing and filled useful information and language tables - just not all of them. I was hoping for some representation (optimally in an alphabet table format) of the usage of the Arabic-based script for Hausa, Swahili, the Central Asian languages, and some complete detail of which languages have (ever) incorporated an Arabic-based script, when they did, when it was withdrawn or changed (if applicable), comparative texts with the modern scripts, etc. In conclusion, a treasury of information (a lot of which might be quite difficult to track down on your own and would be very time-consuming), marred only by my high expectations. I definitely recommend this book to language lovers and for those who can appreciate the diversity of human expression.

This reviewer is an avowed conspiracy/cover-up supporter regarding the 1960s assassinations of JKK, RFK and Martin Luther King. He welcomed the opportunity to learn more of the MLK murder. Author Pepper's voice rings loud and clear: "James Earl Ray did not shoot Dr. King!" Unfortunately, in buttressing that statement, author Pepper over examines the evidence and overstates his case. Pepper tries to be thorough but succeeds only in being repetitive to the point of confusion. MLK's opposition to the Vietnam War and proposal of a Poor People's Campaign had angered too many powerful people who wanted him eliminated. It is totally unclear who those individuals might have been. Mysteriously one name that does emerge is that of New Orleans Mafia Boss Carlos Marcello, just as it also does, on the fringe of the JFK hit. The bottom line is that while Mr. Pepper may be a superior lawyer, he has failings as a writer of long and detailed prose. To his credit, Chapter 9 does attempt to marshal the supporting facts in one place-one ray of sunshine where more light is needed. An interesting sidebar to "An Act of State" is Pepper's unabashed skewering of Gerald Posner. GP is the Establishment's point guard in debunking any conspiracy theories, be they related to MLK or JFK. Pepper goes after Posner with a vengeance that can only emerge from the deepest sincerity. The final word here is that "An Act of State" is too important to NOT rate 5 stars. Potential readers are urged to focus on Pepper's efforts and not his results. Mainstream media (what a great term!) has ignored the MLK hit. We should be grateful that the William Peppers of the world have the intestinal fortitude to investigate and publicize periods of our history that many would just as soon ignore.

I rode once in a pickup truck associated with a black college professor running for a city council seat, which was soot blackened because it had been fire bombed. That was in the early 1980s in a progressive university town. The threat of violence in reaction to political activism is not academic. It is out there and it is real.

It is chilling that one of Peppers' interviewees matter of factly states that he thinks the book will be buried, so his testimony can just be part of a record without his drawing consequence from providing it. The mainstream media certainly does bury stories that don't fit an establishment narrative. That they have done so in this case shall be a stain on the Fourth Estate for all time.

This is an important work. Every citizen should read this, and it should be taught in all the schools along with material on who King was. One of the things that Pepper does best, in addition to show a lot of persistence in seeking evidence, is reflect on King's value as one of America's leading thinkers of all time.

Given the state of the world, King's moral force is no less and his call to action to bring America back to its original vision still rings out like the echoing of the Liberty Bell.

I think that Pepper's work brings a lot of implications that need to be seriously addressed, especially since there might be some sort of connections or parallels to the JFK and RFK assassinations. What does this mean for any attempt to gain power for a more progressive vision of America in the future? What can we do to make sure our civil processes are not to be trumped by those with a will to do violence in response?

William Pepper's exhaustive research could be better served-- An Act of State meanders in and out of consciousness with a loose structure and story line--it's confuing. There are seemingly several relevant and compelling theories layed out on King's murder but the book is so convoluted it is sometimes difficult to follow Pepper's aruguments or thesis if there is one. Lloyed Jowers, the centeral figure at the heart of the conspiracy surrounding King's murder (According to Pepper) is presented as a relativley one dimensional character? With so much riding on Jower's involvement the reader begs to know more about the credibility and character of the man who came out of the shadows and pronounced to the world a mass conspiracy of murder involving the New Orleans Mob (they always get blamed--think JFK) the FBI & Hoover, and the local MPD. One missing componenet in all Pepper's research is Hoover's motive--Hoover no doubt despised King, spied on him and thought him a hypocrite but why would he want to Marytr him by having him killed?? These are not stupid people, Hoover must of known King would be canonized if he was murdered and naturally Hoover would be subject of hate as being such a public adversary--Pepper brings forth the theory of "Raul" the gun runner and hired assasin--perhaps the most intriguing charcter...Overall worth reading--labor intensive--Something happened down in Memphis on April 4th in the shadows of the Lorraine and downtown but by reading this book-- Pepper and everyone else are none the wiser.

An excellent book, William Pepper's An Act of State can be read alongside Waldron and Hartmann's Ultimate Sacrifice, the best available book on the murder of JFK. The links between these two "hits" are particularly intriguing.

This book is written by an English lawyer, who comes to these events with an analytical eye. He compiles evidence, and draws conclusions based on the evidence. The resulting portrait is not flattering to the US government. The evidence he cites points to apparantly rogue elements of the FBI and intelligence services actively involved in plotting and cover-up of the assasination attempt. This book deserves a film or investigation of its own, as it reverses the commonly-held view that a lone gunman succeeded in the assasination attempt. Taken in context with later relevations of J.Edgar Hoover's abuses of power, spying on US citizens, the Nixon Enemies list, The Pentagon Papers, the growing power of the mob over political figures, and the insidious intersection of the drug trade with the arms trade and politics, this book shows a way that institutionalized violence by elements of the US government can undercut the democratic process.
Students of English repression of the Irish, Indian colonies, double-dealing in Egypt and the Middle-East, and so on, will recognize the symptoms of absolute power corrupting absolutely. If the evidence in this book were demonstrated with the modern techniques of 3-dimensional (3-D) animation used in modern courtroom investigation, it would be even more convincing. As a sidenote, fans of the distinguished journalist Earl Caldwell will note how his eyewitness testimony (along with that of others) was ignored or contorted to the detriment of the evidence. If DNA analysis were available at the time this book was written, it is quite possible that the level of proof would be even more conclusive. This book, even at this late date, argues convincingly that the MLK investigation was absolutely inadequate. A potential remedy would be independent investigating commissions, perhaps under the aegis of the UN's Human Rights Commission. Modern investigations are failing to protect democracy and human rights; indeed, they are becoming part of the problem. An issue for schools of science to advance seriously, for the common good.

This book is different. This book goes where no memoir has gone before. It is a soul sharing account of former US Army nurse Winnie Smith's three years in the US Army nurse corps with the focus on Viet-Nam and its devastating personal aftermath. You follow her from her initial days in the US Army to Japan where she gets her first views of the war in Viet-Nam. She starts developing strong relationships with the "warriors." Some become extended family. This closeness takes it toll because the men she liked, and sometimes loved, were killed, lost in action, or wounded. Her testimony of life at the Third Field Hospital in Saigon and then in the head trauma unit of the next hospital were so vivid you are there. She lets it be known that the army was not set up for females by the lack of facilities available. She danced with David Nelson of Ozzie and Harriet fame with out even knowing who he was until the other nurses asked what he like was. Her fear had her turn down marriage proposal from West Pointer Peter. After the service, she had trouble with relationships. In the years ahead, she lived in Dallas then San Francisco. While she went to graduate school the years following Viet-Nam are a vivid picture of the horrors of post traumatic stress disorder. The book is a painful look at this horrific disorder. The book shows there is hope and in many ways seem to be her avenue for dealing with it. She is surprised other persons have similar difficulties coping. She is shocked to learn that her stepfather who lost a leg in World War II had been injured days into the combat zone and thus had no real experience of war as a point of common ground. The book is worth your time. It shows the human toll of any war.

very captivating, couldn't put it down. Tells how life was in vietnam and the aftermath of life with PTSD (before PTSD was known about). Very honest in the most detailed of emotions. Having read 'home before morning' many years ago, this is at least as good if not better. I highly recommend.

Details of caring for the most critically wounded and working with not enough trained people to care for them, of having to let some die so that those with a better chance could be treated.

Explains how the stupidity of the Vietnam war policies trickled into the health care of wounded and those who treated them.

This book is different. This book goes where no memoir has gone before. It is a soul sharing account of former US Army nurse Winnie Smith's three years in the US Army nurse corps with the focus on Viet-Nam and its devastating personal aftermath. You follow her from her initial days in the US Army to Japan where she gets her first views of the war in Viet-Nam. She starts developing strong relationships with the "warriors." Some become extended family. This closeness takes it toll as because the men she liked, and sometimes loved, were killed, lost in action, or wounded. Her testimony of life at the Third Field Hospital in Saigon and then in the head trauma unit of the next hospital were so vivid you are there. She lets it be known that the army was not set up for females by the lack of facilities available. She danced with David Nelson of Ozzie and Harriet fame with out even knowing who he was until the other nurses asked what he like was. Her fear had her turn down marriage proposal from West Pointer Peter. After the service, she had trouble with relationships. In the years ahead, she lived in Dallas then San Francisco. While she went to graduate school the years following Viet-Nam are a vivid picture of the horrors of past traumatic stress disorder. The book is a painful look at this horrific disorder. The book shows there is hope and in many ways seem to be her avenue for dealing with it. She is surprised other persons have similar difficulties coping. She is shocked to learn that her stepfather who lost a leg in World War II had been injured days into the combat zone and thus had no real experience of war as a point of common ground. The book is worth your time. It shows the human toll of any war.

As a nurse of almost 25 years who graduated from high school in 1975 (just after Nixon's negotiated "peace with honor"), I have a sense that I could have done just what nurses like Winnie Smith and Lynda Devanter did. Gone to war to take care of people who would have needed me. Only time did save me...

This is a disturbing book and ultimately convincing in one of its' pleas: Let's NOT send young people to combat anymore. I'd send a copy to our war-bent president if I thought it would make a difference.

As an experienced ICU and ED nurse, I was horrified at the conditions these nurses worked (and lived) in.

At the end of the book, though you feel less worried about Winnie Smith, you never get the sense that life will be "all better" for her. This pain, this scar is deep and everlasting.

A raw and real book. I'd recommend it to anyone as I would DeVanter's book (Home Before Morning).

Another thrift shop purchase that I wasn't sure I would take too but strangely enough I was compelled to read the book from cover to cover.

At first the author Winnie Smith didn't strike me as all that likable, look at it from my point of view, a young white and attractive woman of the sixties, promiscuous yet strangely innocent, racist though she doesn't know it, after all racism was something that most people accepted as a kind of norm and at first filled with gung-ho patriotism to do her "bit" in Vietnam.

However as I turned each page I began to see the human side of Winnie and I realised she was a woman of her time or rather she was a woman living in time of misunderstood values, and misplaced values that she just happened to be partaking a part in.

Knee deep in blood, gore and guts Winnie does her "bit" sometimes seeing friends die in front of her, a particularly gruesome experience is seeing the chopper pilot she is with get the top of his head sliced off when their helicopter crashes. It is obvious from the way she writes that she is remembering every moment of that terrible incident.

Despite all of this horror she seems to get used to sending young men back home minus limbs or their minds or in body bags and she gets on with her job of being a nurse.

Interspersed in all of this is her innocence that is slowly but surely eroded by war and its indifferent cruelties, I laughed out loud when I read a section where she has to be told what "condom" is at the ripe old age of 22, Winnie grew up in Vietnam, came of age as did many of her counterparts but as woman she was never to be counted as one of the "survivors" of the Vietnam war.

Winnie is as much a causality of the war as the men she has helped put back together or sent home in a casket. She doesn't realise this until she is sent stateside and only then does the real horror begin, she has to come to terms with what she has seen and been through.

This is not a sentimental read, it is abrasive, harsh and mind numbing but it is also gives a real insight to the "other side" of war, of what it was like to be a Nurse looking after the soldiers wounded in battle.

Despite having a loving family at home Winnie is never able to make them understand what it was "truly like" in Vietnam but if Winnie is anything she is a survivor and in the end she comes to terms with her being a "Vietnam Vet" and gets on with her life, scarred, battle weary but totally and utterly a survivor.

"Atatürk" by Patrick Kinross was first published in 1964. I found this book to be a highly compassionate view of Atatürk's life.

Patrick Kinross' narration is insightful and reads like a story; very different from a dry historical text presenting fact after fact. He draws a rich picture of the life of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in terms of the changing political, religious and social landscape of his country in the first quarter of the 20th century. Atatürk literally created the nation of Turkey from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire as World War 1 re-drew the political lines of Europe.

He gives the reader a very personal understanding of the intense sense of purpose and duty that drove Atatürk throughout his life, and also how it led to many contradictions in his life. Atatürk created a secular nation by first engendering the support of eminent religious authority figures, without telling them his aim was a secular nation. Atatürk wanted Turkey to become just like a "modern Western democratic republic", but became a benign autocrat, leading a one party system where all representatives were hand picked by Atatürk.

Kinross begins with Atatürk's birth in Salonika and traces his troubled early school years and enrolment into the Military Secondary School where Atatürk discovered himself as a soldier and was given the first name "Kemal", meaning "perfection". From his portrayal of Atatürk in his younger years, we are given to understand that Atatürk developed very early a fierce sense of dedication to a country he recognized as flawed and in need of change. He demonstrates an astounding prescience, has a sharp mind, a passion for raki and debate, and an abiding abhorrence for what he saw as the role of religion in the decline of his country.

We follow Atatürk through the despairing times of World War 1, where Atatürk's actions and leadership are nothing short of heroic. The insights he develops into the military and political situation of the time picks him out as a potential threat to his superiors, but also identify him as an invaluable commander. For many years he works in the background to develop a network of resistance against the self serving Ottoman authority. Instead of bringing about a change of government, he finds himself pushed to the side as several revolutionaries take the fore, become despots in their own right and are then torn down - such as Enver Pasha. "Enver Pasha killed Enver Bey" is a telling quote I remember.

Eventually the situation for Atatürk comes to a head when the allies of the First World War begin plans to dismantle Turkey and occupy the country. Atatürk, using all his skill and cunning as a diplomatic, soldier and hero rallies a new line of defense that pushes the allies out of Turkey and forms a new government, the first Republic of Turkey.

I found some important subjects were left out or not given sufficient attention. There was only a passing reference to the swap of Greek and Turkish population in 1923. And although the Kurds' role in the independence war was described in some detail and the conflicts between Armenians, Kurds, Greeks and Turks over land was much discussed, there was no evaluation of Atatürk's attitude towards each group as a people or how this affected his actions.

At times, Kinross seemed too compassionate towards Atatürk, almost apologetic. The book made much of the contradictions within Atatürk, but rarely explored the darker side of his character. Instead, his actions were repeatedly explained or justified by his admirable sense of duty to his country. Nowhere was this clearer than in the portrayal of Atatürk's involvement in the Independence Tribunals of 1927. These tribunals were brought in to punish the leaders of a Kurdish revolt, but were also used to summarily round up all of Atatürk's political enemies at the time - including former friends and compatriots without whom the Republic of Turkey may never have come about.

I understand now, why there is still a deep reverence throughout Turkey for this politician and leader, Atatürk, who people still call the Father of Turkey. For he was truly the father of Turkey: he led a movement that completely and permanently changed the political and social face of the nation. Turkey changed from a caliphate to a republic, and that was just the beginning. After that, Atatürk gave the people a new language (yes, "gave" - he helped create it and personally taught it); laws were introduced changing the national costume; and women were made equal to men - all this in less than fifteen years!

I also understand that a major part of Atatürk's legacy is the shock of such massive changes introduced in such an extremely short time - a shock that still resonates today. At least one of the multiple coup d'état in the latter half of the 20th century (after Atatürk's death) were instituted by people who felt empowered to act by a sense of duty and revolution that Atatürk himself encouraged. The fact that religion lost its primacy under Atatürk also left his country with a deep and lingering conflict between religious and secular life that is at the forefront of Turkey's political situation today. Much like present day Indonesia, religious parties have gained prominence and seek to re-assert religion as part of government.

I began reading this book on the plane trip home from my first holiday in Turkey to visit my partner's family. It took me six months to finish the book and has given me a much deeper connection with this beautiful country and the people I met.

If you are a student of history, or if you have ever visited Turkey and wanted to know "how".. I highly recommend this book.

Review from my blog [...]

Unfortunately we know very little about the history of Modern Turkey and the Turkish people in general. I would even say all we know is unsubtantiated ...in general against Turks. This wonderful book of outstanding historian Lord Kinross is telling the real story behind the modern Turkey and the avant-guard philosophical foundations that created this modern republic out of ashes of a country which was torn off completely by wars followed one another. This book is clearly proving us that Ataturk is not only the most important political leader of our century but also may be some centuries back and some centuries forward yet to come. Any person from the developed Western societies who are serious about learning something about a nobel nation such as Turks and their genius humanitarian leader Ataturk, this is the book to read.

At 9:05 AM on each November 10th, all the inhabitants of Turkey stop their worldly activities and observe a few minutes of silence. They are observing the death of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey, in 1938. Ataturk was a man larger than life. After the destruction of the Ottoman Empire during WWI he defeated western European powers bent on carving up the spoils for themselves, and formed the new Turkish Republic in 1923. Ataturk was directly responsible for the disaster inflicted on British and Australian forces at Gallipoli, dramatized in the 1981 Australian motion picture. He also fought unsuccessfully against T. E. Lawrence and his Arabs. After forming the new Turkey, he completely reformed its society, replacing the arabic alphabet with latin, abolishing both polygamy and the fez, and installing a secular government. Lord Kinross' masterful book captures the broad scope and the thrilling details of the life of this amazing man and demonstrates his influence on the 20th century. Ataturk is one of the best biographies ever written, about one of the most interesting men in history.

having searched for a book on this leader but finding it out of my price range i happened to find a copy for £10 in Turkey of this book. It is a brilliant read. A man forgotten in the west but so properly idolised in turkey. Now I understand what all the fuss is about. This character is no Mussolini, Stalin or other jumped up tin pots but a man of the most amazing integrity and insight. It is amusing the way Lloyd George spend his whole career trying to undermine him but in the end with the defeat of the grekks fell from power due to his integrity. A tear passed my eye reading about the death of this hero and I certainly felt that i understood a bit more the respect and emotions theTurks have towards him.

I am Turkish. So I have read lots of things about Ataturk throughout my education. But it was all about the events like wars, revolutions, treaties but not the feelings about this great man. Now I understand some of his moves better.

I think everybody can learn something from this book but especially people of Turkey should read it to learn what kind of events our nation lived on our way to freedom and what kind of differences a leader can make.

This is the one and only Baby Face book you need to read to know the truth. Do not bother with the many stereotype Nelson books-buy this and your collection is complete.

This is a very well written book that will not allow you to set it down. Very detailed and descriptive with strong evidence of a very well researched book.
Really the best book I have read in many years.

Unquestionably one of the best biographies I've read of a Depression era criminal in a long, long time. Over the years every published work about Baby Face Nelson has portrayed him as essentially nothing more than a homicidal, trigger-happy, blood-thirsty psychopath to whom killing was barely an incident in a busy criminal career. Finally, a book has hit the shelves which explores beyond the public image and into the complex character of the man himself. Baby Face was violent, tough, and possessed by an explosive temper, to be sure, but he was also street-smart, respected, and held in high esteem by many of his associates - not just a Dillinger follower, as many historians suggest. By no means do the authors attempt to whitewash Nelson's way of life or validate his terrible crimes. They do, however, provide what I believe is an honest appraisal of a man who, in addition to robbing banks and killing people, was a son, brother, husband, and father. Read this, I doubt very much you'll be disappointed.

This is a difficult book to review because it's truly head and shoulders above most books I've read in this genre and if that sounds like a knock against the others - it's not ... this is just a well written book. The subject matter makes it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction and to substantiate identities, locations and time lines. So my hat's off to anyone who tries to make some sense of the sensational headlines, first person accounts and "alibis" of the time. Writing such a book, though exciting, must be a nightmare sifting through all this info. "Baby Face" does an admirable job in bringing all this into a coherent focus. In addition, this book chronicles and brings into focus someone who has been on the periphery in the other books I've read on this time period, (specifically Dillinger, Chicago crime and Depression bank robbers). The book also gives the reader insight into the early workings of J. Edgar Hoover's (F)BI and its personnel and contains the most detailed description of "The Little Bohemia" debacle I've read. Very entertaining and interesting book.

This was a long overdue book, which describes the life and crimes of one of the most infamous outlaws to come out of the Dillinger gang. After Dillinger's death, "Baby Face" Nelson exploded into the public's eye and his crimes were the focus of most newspapers and Detective magazines across the country. Helmer and Nickel have done an excellent job of bringing this bandit's life to light, as well as some surprises never before published on the gangster from Chicago. This is a highly researched volume of work and should be in everyone's library.

Mike Koch, author of "The Kimes Gang"