Pacific University Books

A major international conference on this subject was convened in 1993. It assembled virtually every significant surviving military and civilian decision maker from the USA, USSR/Russia, and Cuba: including our former SECDEF Robert McNamara and Presidential Advisor Arthur Schlesinger... Russian naval leaders and Nikita Khrushchev's son...and the Cuban officer in charge of their two batteries of nuclear-armed surface-to-surface coastal defense missiles. This gathering lasted for several days and was covered in separate 2 or 3 hour long broadcasts by every major television network in the United States. Their interview testimony and its briefly-availale transcripts provided new information dramatically different from official accounts of The Cuban Missile Crisis both before and [unfortunately] after this documentation. Military-industrial politics still controls "history" as it does the "news".

This book, really more of a booklet at 56 pages is the most complete that I've seen that describes the Navy's contribution to the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was originally written in 1993 and just reprinted after being very hard to get.

The Cuban Missile Crisis was the closest the major powers came to actual combat during the Cold War. While all of the services played their part (I can remember nuclear armed bombers parked at the end of Boston's Logan Airport's runways.) the main tasks fell on the Navy.

The pictures on this book show just how ready the Navy was. Pictures of planes in the air and on carriers show them fully armed with rockets and bombs.

Only at the end of the crisis did the tensions go down. And in one point a Navy helicopter lowered a Navy tie clasp to the Russian freighter 'Alapayevsk.' The Russians returned with a gift of a bottle of vodka.

I also remember discussions that we should invade Cuba. Only since the end of the Cold War have we learned that the Russian military forces on the island had short range nuclear weapons and were prepared to use them. Phew! That was close. Closer than we got again.

The Bali of tourists and ethnographers is a enchanting vision of harmony among gods, nature and people, but minus power relations it is a sanitized image. Robinson's sobering book restores politics to "paradise," and the fuller picture is far from pretty. Part of the great prize of Indonesia, Bali has been fought over repeatedly along with other islands. Dutch, Japanese, Javanese and Balinese have all employed force at various times. Bali no longer seems so exceptional in this tale of (mostly) 20th century conflicts, but at least we have a firmer appreciation of struggles within communities supplying the artistry and labor undergirding what visitors see. 2002 and 2005's terror bombings of tourists---with many Balinese victims---reinforce the thesis of the primacy of politics, but also suggest a need for an update; cf. M. Ressa, "Seeds of Terror." For context, see T. Friend, "Indonesian Destinies." Pramoedya Ananta Toer's novels are superb, but most Indonesiana tends to be Java-centered. We still await publishers who will offer accessible works by Indonesia's own scholars, on Bali and beyond.

I first visited Indonesia in 1984 and fell in love with Bali. I have since returned each year to the "Island of the Gods" from where I have been exploring the rest of the Indonesian Archipelago, and since 1991, I share my time equally between Bali and Winchester, Massachusetts. Of course, I am always eager to know more about all aspects of Balinese life. Although there is a plethora of books about Bali dealing with its wonderful culture and its arts, it is not the case about its particular history. After a while, it became obvious to me that this important missing part of the puzzle was essential to further my understanding of the complex character of the Balinese. The history of Bali is clouded in the mist of time, and reliable informations on the subject tend to be scarce and are not easily available. Historical documents, written in old Balinese language are obviously not accessible to a non-specialist Westerner such I myself. Because of the special relationship between the Netherlands and Indonesia, there exist numerous documents written in Dutch, covering the last few centuries. However, as with most people, the Dutch language is not my forte.

Therefore, it was a "revelation" to come across Robinson's book, "The Dark Side of Bali". The book covers in details the historical and political events in Bali, from the end of 19th Century until the aftermath of the 1965 coup d'etat. It relates the Balinese experience under the Dutch colonial domination, during the National Revolution, 1945 - 1949, the Sukarno era, 1950 - 1965, and the military coup of 1965 and its aftermath. It reveals another face of Bali, the hidden face of Paradise. It is a scholarly book based on Dutch and Indonesian sources. It reads well, and contains an impressive number of references. Geoffrey Robinson, Assistant Professor of History at the University of California, Los Angeles, is obviously an expert on the subject, as demonstrated by this in-depth analysis of the social and economic roots of the deep divisions that have, since colonial times, penetrated and defined the Balinese society. Robinson shows how in the 1920's, the Dutch restored and in some cases created a "traditional" Bali to counter a perceived nationalistic threat. This was achieved by resurrecting and maintaining the old ruling royal families as guarantors of these traditions. The Japanese occupation during WWII, relying mostly on the sudras (lower cast) upset the exiting social order, and explained the social problems which existed until the Sukarto period, eventually leading to the horrific massacred of 1965 and the ascend of General Suharto to power. Robinson presents a picture of Bali quite unlike the idyllic, peaceful island promoted by the tourist industry, but a society influenced by the World's politics and driven by class and ideological conflicts. This book surely belongs in the library of anyone interested in Indonesia in general and Bali in particular.

Douglas MacArthur was a giant in American history. Many people who knew him described him as the brightest man they ever met. All agreed that he generally aroused strong passions, most either loved or hated him. FDR is said to have repeatedly described him to his friends as "the most dangerous man" in America, and to have preferred him fighting in the Pacific rather than answering for various astounding lapses of judgment on his part in the United States, and then mulling a campaign for the presidency. The lapses of judgment attributed to him include not dispersing the airplanes under his command immediately after Pearl Harbor, a huge mistake, misjudging Chinese policy on Korea, and more. This isn't to deny that he didn't pull off strokes of pure genius, such as the landing at Inchon.

There are other biographies that do a better of job of recounting the many waypoints and events in MacArthur's life; this book is very useful to those seeking to understand MacArthur because it is critical, perhaps scathing, and willing to question his motivations, something that less serious biographies don't do.

Schaller documents, perhaps as the first historian to do so, the indisputable evidence that MacArthur accepted a gratuity of $600,000 from the Philippines, then an American territory, while he was involved in crafting American policy towards Philippines.

If you only plan to read a single biography of MacArthur, this is not your book; if you, however, want to read several biographies in order to get a really good understanding of MacArthur's life, and the many different ways he was perceived, this book will be indispensable to you on your quest.

This Book did not grab me, but it did not bore me to death either. I found some parts in the book unnecessary while I found some parts were left out. I read this book for a school project and we had to anwser some specific questions about our"biography person" and this book did not anwser most of them. For example, one question was " What were some of Douglas's major contributions to society?" I read the book over twice- maybe even three times- and still could not find an anwser to my question. This predicament left me very dissatisfied and displeased.

Experience the California Coast is a guide to the beaches and parks along the northern Californian coast. This book is divided into five parts according to county: Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin. Each of these sections includes a coloured topography map labelled with all of the major roadways as well as all of the national parks in that particular region. Each chapter then goes on to detail various parks, trails, and recreational areas including their location and a little about what is found in this location. All options are also summarized in an easy to view chart for convenience.

Interspersed amongst the chapters are several very attractive features. Colour pictures of various natural sites, animals, and plants are found in every chapter. Moreover, some of these photographs are accompanied by blurbs giving some description of the location or a little background on the species. There are also textboxes discussing the history or historic significance of various locations.

North of the Golden Gate Bridge, the California Coast becomes much more rural and rugged. Many state parks, beaches, tourist towns, and rivers invite exploration, but there is so much out there it is hard to know where to begin. Enter the California Coastal Commision which has somehow strong-armed the University of California Press into printing a guidebook listing all parks, beaches, public access points, private nature preserves, hostels, and many whale watching tours. (When was the last time a major university press published a travel guide?) If you are unsure where to go, this book is a good place to look for ideas.

On the whole, this is a decent book. Every park, tourist center, or beach has a one to three paragraph description focusing on the basics: fees, directions, natural features and the like. Destinations are listed from north to south with facing maps showing their location. The book is further divided into six major chapters: one for each county north of San Francisco. Interspersed throughout the text are feature articles covering everything from techtonic plates to birding and common coastal flowers. The color photos are stunning, but don't expect that much blue sky on your vacation. The north coast receives a lot of rain.

My main concern with the book is that park descriptions are sometimes too brief. In some ways, this is an unfair criticism because comprehensive guides cannot get bogged down in details. Still, I thought hiking was definitely shorted in this book. Day hikers will want to supplement it with John McKinney's California's Coastal Parks: A Day Hiker's Guide. If you want to spend several days, or weeks, exploring the wilder sections of the coast on foot, consider getting Bob Lorentzen and Richard Nichols Hiking the California Coastal Trail, Volume 1: Oregon to Monterey. State parks also often publish their own literature and maps. That said, this book is a valuable resource for planning your north coast vacation. Get it and go enjoy California's wild and scenic coastline.

This is a good overview of recent political history in Alaska. It covers the necessary basics of Alaska's recent political events without going into unecessary detail.

This book encapsulates Alaska's history into a narrative that educates as well as illuminates the reader about the mythic and factual accounts comprising the State's evolution. Alaska, as portrayed in Frigid Embrace, is a state that has chosen to prostitute itself to the whims of Big Oil, with little thought given to environmental consequences. The author, an outspoken advocate of wilderness protection, openly denounces 'Outside' corporations who have wielded extraordinary influence over the state.

I appreciate the message the author is attempting to convey, but it is delivered with an underlying prejudice against the industries that have kept the state monetarily afloat, and subsequently dependent. An urban garbage dump was chosen for the cover, which is unsightly regardless of the state it inhabits. This graphic depiction of Alaska is atypical of the grandeur that still exists. I feel this is a deceptive tactic to mislead the reader and portray Alaska as a state that has become grossly despoiled by industrialized development.

Despite the bias, the author delivers an insightful perspective of the aftermath from decades of collisions between corporate wealth and a state with a unique cultural heritage and vulnerable environment. I recommend this historical overview of Alaska, and encourage readers to approach it with ample objectivity.

This book is of exceptional value for the military or social historian interested in the attitudes of Russian commanders at the onset of the Russian revolution. Mikhail D. Bonch-Bruevich was an imperial Tsarist general who joined the new Red Army and managed to live to a ripe old age, surviving genocide and purges. One would think this book would offer great insight into how one changes sides in the middle of a revolution and civil war and determines the winning side in social chaos. However, it lacks all such insight--and that in itself is its historical value. Bonch-Bruevich looks back, and says in effect, "I probably shouldn't have welcomed the start of World War I with joy." Ye-es, I think EVERYONE would say that. He details the personality conflicts among the Russian generals while showing that he was loyal to the system of the time and nonpolitical--in order to help show his later overlord Stalin that he shouldn't be purged. Rare in the history of Russian memoirs from The Great War is his praise for the generally-regarded as ineffectual General Russky and his scorn for generally seen as pious and honest Chief-of-Staff General Alexiev who he describes as a feline-like intriguer. There is absolutely no mention of any analysis of operations, strategy, tactics, or equipment in this memoir of 1914-1919. Instead, Bonch-Bruevich mulls over details that would be glossed over by English-language historians: he ruminates about the treatment of the Jews and Poles and he emphasizes the accents, uniforms, and posture of his contemporaries. It took me a while to understand the cultural significance of this memoir: he is thinking in a nonWestern way that is holistic: his explanation for why the Russian Army was defeated has nothing to do with strategy or weaponry, and everything to do with threats to the holistic unity of society. For example, he loathed the Czarina for wearing the uniform of an ENGLISH nurse. This memoir says remarkably little about military and political history, but an unexpected about the contemporary prejudices and idiosyncracies of the crumbling elite.

An interesting Memoir about a General Staff officer for the Tsarist Army and then for the Red Army. During the first years of World War I he worked as chief of staff for various fronts and also in counter-espionage. I was surprised to learn how many spies there were in Russia at the time, German, Austrian, etc. And worst of all they were some of the best known foreigners, serving in the highest circles of society at the time. Many times their arrests were forbidden by the Tsar or Tsarina or others in high positions. His thoughts about Rasputin and their meetings are interesting as are his interactions with Sydney Reilly. How he helped create the Red Army and employed former officers within its ranks helps the reader to understand how the Red Army was successful in its civil war against so many interventionists from abroad and from within. Overall an interesting read and worth having to understand the situation Russia found herself in before the Revolution, during, and after.

This guide covers many little known areas of the State. Some of the info is a little outdated but overall for a book published 30 years ago, it is an excelent source for reference.

I love this book. Picked it up at a used book store, dreaming of moving to New Mexico. It lists all the peaks by mountain range/area. Has the vital stats (elevation, camping, climbing permissions, dificulty.) and black/white maps that show the general location of each peak/mountain. Also a small sectino on ski resorts in the state. Again this was last published in 1972, so some of the information may be out of date. But I doubt the mountains grew or shrunk much in that time.

For any student of the Ilocano language, a comprehensive dictionary such as this is needed. This dictionary has many entries and very easy to look for the English meaning in Ilocano and vice-versa. However, I think that this dictionary should be a bit modernized.

For any student of the Ilocano language, a comprehensive dictionary such as this is needed. This dictionary has many entries and very easy to look for the English meaning in Ilocano and vice-versa. However, I think that this dictionary should be a bit modernized.

I reading it while waiting for my delayed flight at an airport and to my surprise during that waiting I learned a lot more about Australian history than I thought I could.
The book was very well written in 88 pages, including a further reading list, and at this length you would think it impossible to go into any depth about the history of any country. But I guess the author has achieved the almost impossible. This book is very accessible (you could finish it in an hour) and should be recommended to all first timers to Australia.

This book is literally a little history of Australia. To write the history of Australia in such short length necessarily means compromises in many areas. But the author has done the job well, albeit in the process he has to gloss over certain issues and events. But the way it is written draws the reader into wanting to find out more about Australia's history.

This, I find, is the real success of the book, in that it is able to make the reader that much interested in searching for other more comprehensive histories of Australia to further understand the complex and tumultous history of that vast continent. It leaves readers with a hunger for more. The content is brief but concise, and very well put across.

What more can one ask of of such a little book that is so big on content and style?

This book was a classic in its field when the Air Force published it in the mid 1980s. Now, it has been republished in its original form with a 2002 imprint by Pacific. A lot has changed in the world of strategy in the intervening period: the collapse of the Soviet Union, the corresponding end of the Cold War, a decade of peacekeeping missions, and now the war on terrorism.

This book was a classic when published in 1988. This edition is a re-issue with a new publisher without a single word revised. A lot has changed in the national security landscape in the last fourteen years. Indeed, Snow has subsequently published four iterations of National Security with another publisher. Don't spend the money for this "new" edition!