History Books

In this mosaic of stories, Lillian comes of age and matures beyond her years, almost against her will. With an alcoholic father and a fragile, flighty mother, Lillian, with her siblings, struggles with her troubled family, and yet they all fiercely love each other, flaws and all. While this isn't a conscious feeling, it does crackle beneath the surface and colors the actions of everyone. Lillian navigates a lonely path encompassing sexuality and a yearning to be free. With a crisp voice and a vivid portrait of Acorn Lake, Minnesota, "A Brief History of the Flood" waxes almost nostalgic as it nudges the reader through these various tales that deliver a surprising portrait of a family unbalanced.

The perfect choice for a book club looking for an undiscovered gem, this is a delightful read that is lean enough to consume in one sitting, or savor over a few days. It's a coming of age story told through the eyes of young Lillian Anderson, a girl growing up in the sixties in a small town in Minnesota. Chapters are short bursts of her life: her Mother's dramatic mood swings, her Father's alcoholism, first sexual experience, first job, first crush.All told with an honest intimacy that at times feels less like a novel, and more like someone's diary entries. Her heroine at times reminded me of Astrid in "White Oleander", and if that was a book you liked you'd probably enjoy this one as well. A well written, comfortable first novel.

This book literally found me (and I must say that I am really glad it did.) I am still unsure how this slim little gift of a novel made it into my hands, but according to the Amazon.com reciept, it is a gift from the author so I figured: What the hell, I'll read this and see what I think. So, I cracked open the cover and was wonderfully entertained right up until the end.

Lillian Anderson is a strong-minded, fiery, wise-beyond-her years-girl who tells the story of her family, her perpetually run-down house and her life in rural Acorn Lake, Minnesota. Lillian begins narrating the story at the age of eight and it continues virtually seamlessly, with Lily's steady hand on the pulse of her family until the age of nineteen. Lily's mother, Marion is a neurotic, manic depressive personality who always has some wierd project in the works. Jack, Lily's Dad, is an alcoholic but no one ever talks in such negative terms. Marion seems to be able to put a positive spin on everything that's wrong, even her husband's years of substance abuse. Oldest child, Randy, (age twelve when the book begins is the dyed-in-the-wool peacekeeper of the family. Mitzy, the middle daughter, seems to see her mother for what she really is and is very bitter about it. Mitzy has no trouble saying what's on her mind and even at ten years of age is tired of ignoring the pink elephant in the living room. I am amazed that Lilian seems to be the only sane one in the family and has learned, (certainly not through example) to take care of herself. She has learned to become a mother figure for the youngest, Davey who is too young to understand the extent of the chaos in the family.

I love coming of age stories and this one was a very good one. It reminded me very much of ELLEN FOSTER by Kaye Gibbons and AMY & ISABELLE by Elizabeth Strout. The writing and the imagery and the lanuage of A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FLOOD were very high caliber. I will be watching for more from this author.

I wasn't bothered at all by the fact that this book was originally chopped up into several short stories. The stories came together so well and the novel made such an impact that I can't imagine it in any other form. Bravo to a wondeful new writer.

I concur with the opinions expressed by the other reviewers. I casually picked this book up at the library as part of a stack of summer reading. It's such a joy to start a book with no expectations whatsoever and be so tremendously satisfied. I am a bit puzzled, however, at the author's choice of the short story format. Why write a series of short stories and then package them together chronologically this way, so that the result is an "almost" novel? Because each story is meant to stand alone, there is some repetitiousness in certain descriptions of people and places--yet we are obviously intended to read them as a whole. I'd be interested to know whether the stories were written and/or published individually, and, if so, in what order they appeared. Are you out they Ms. Harfenist? Please enlighten us!

  A Brief History of the Flood is that rare book that can't be put down, and one you'll want to read again and again.  Like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, each chapter fits together with a satisfying click to reveal an insightful picture of an unforgettable family of unique characters. Read the excerpt and I guarantee you'll be captivated by Harfenist's voice, wit, and the wisdom that comes with understanding how we all grow up survivors of imperfect families. If you liked Mary Karr's memoir, The Liars Club, you will love this book. It may be billed as fiction, but it has the unmistakable ring of truth. Ironically, A Brief History of the Flood turns out to be a life preserver--reminding each of us how our unique childhood journeys help determine our destination in the world, and how understanding the past can buoy us in the present.

interesting biography of the life of Charles Darwin...great insights on his childhood and early experiences.

I actually first checked this book out from my university's library and liked it so much that I went ahead and bought it for my personal library. Browne explores Darwin's life in the text in an extremely compelling and easily comprehendable manner. While I don't believe Charles Darwin: Voyaging is explicit and detailed enough to negate the need for true Darwin enthusiasts to discover Darwin for themselves through reading his autobiography, collected correspondence, and great scientific works (The Origins of Species, Descent of Man etc...) I do think the text accomplishes what it was meant to do--give those curious about Darwin's life and works the basic overview they need before pursuing the topic in more depth.

Exceptional book, if in doubt, buy it. I knew it would be great after reading so many positive reviews, for some years, and was not disappointed. Unlike some overly detailed biographies, every word seems worthwhile here, from that first glorious sentence to the last. Here is the great adventure story of all time, biology-wise. All I can do is add my two cents worth to what is said elsewhere, don't miss this one.

Un libro estupendo. Erudito ,informado , ameno y riguroso.¿Que mas podemos pedirle a Janet Browne?

This is one of the best biography books that I have ever read. It is factual and beautifully written

A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition is a treasure for those -- like me -- who love this Christmas classic. It is a great "behind the scenes look" that includes photos of the cast of characters whose voices are so familiar. Give it as a gift to the "Peanuts Fan" in your life.
Philip D. Halfacre
Author, Genuine Friendship

While we've been treated to many Charles Schulz documentaries and remembrances over the years, "A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition" is the first book to focus on the first Peanuts' television special. The book includes in-depth interviews with producer Lee Mendelson, animator Bill Melendez, and Vince Guaraldi's children. This book is the ultimate backstage pass to the recording studio, with interviews with the original child actors who voiced the characters and sang on Guaraldi's "Christmas Time is Here." As a bonus treat, the script and original animation art round out the book.

I loved this book! It has material for every fan of the famous TV special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas". I may not be musical, but if you are, this book includes the music. I am fond of the discussions of the people involved in creating the production of the TV show and the script. I will be using the script in my classroom for Reader's Theatre. The book has a lot of material that has meaning for me personally. I was young when this special was shown on television and it was always one of my favorites. The book was not a disappointment to read and own. I am very glad I bought it.

This is the ultimate companion to the tv show. The art work is from the original show and the dialogue is a great bonus! The book is also packed with great trivia and information about the decisions "behind stage" that led to the creation of the ultimate Christmas Special.

"Charlie Brown Christmas" is the crown jewel of Christmas specials. Heavy on holiday introspection, but with the dry wit and humor you'd come to expect from Charles Schulz's creations.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition" just expands that experience, by outlining how the famed special came to be -- the music, the animation, the voice acting, even the advertisement to get people to watch it. It's a charming, nostalgic little book, and a good accompaniment.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" was spun up quickly, when Coca Cola wanted a Christmas special in less than a week -- and Charles Schulz's lovable loser Charlie Brown seemed to be the ticket. But the special was made very differently from other cartoons -- 2-D animation, no laugh track, uncutesy kids, and (horrors!) a jazz soundtrack. It was doomed to fail, they said.

Well, instead it became a booming hit, and has been running every December ever since. Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez reminisce in here about the much-loved Charles Schulz, and about Vince Guaraldi, who made the distinctive piano soundtrack, and why it's so beloved -- it dares to approach holiday ennui and commercialization, then dashes it away with Linus' description of Christmas' meaning.

As for the "making of" portion, there are storyboards, musical scores, test photos, clips of television reviews, and rare photos like Melendez and Schulz doing the football gag. Finally, there is the entire script of the special, framed by colourful stills from the cartoon.

You couldn't wring this much information from most half-hour animated specials, no matter how much fun they were. But it's a bit different with "Charlie Brown Christmas." It was so completely unusual -- and has proved to be so timeless -- that a book on the making of it, and its effect, seems completely right.

It's a very conversational, reminiscent book. It feels like sitting in a room with Melendez and Mendelson, listening to them reminisce about "Sparky." And we also get input from other people involved in the project, such as Christopher Shea (Linus), who talks about his famous "Second Chapter of Luke" speech, as well as odd bits of trivia (the little girl playing Sally had to be fed her lines).

The Christmas special is more than able to stand on its own, but "Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition" is a wonderful accompaniment. Full of interesting tidbits and history.

In the entire history of western philosophy, there is not one person I can praise more than Michel de Montaigne. Normally, any book over 500 pages tends to become tedious to me, and works of philosophy over that length become insufferable. The best praise I can give this book is to say that at 1200 pages, I was not the least weary of it. In fact, I wished it was longer! Montaigne is the definitive philosopher, a man driven to write out of boredom, who presents his essays as his views, never trying to categorize and name realities, but simply marvelling over everything, from literature to pets. His broad learning and wonderfully disorganized style lead the reader on a journey into the what ifs, and whys of existence. Montaigne is the epitome of a renaissance man. His views in most situations are more modern than yesterday. He speaks out for the virtues of women, carefully denounces war, subtly questions the more extraneous doctrines of Catholicism, and even denounces colonialism and promotes respect of racial and cultural differences. This is not a man one would have expected to find in the 1500s. But here he is. And his text! Often saying that his memory was weak, MOntaigne demonstrates it by going off on wild tangents for thirty pages, only to realize that he has succeeding in proving his original idea without his knowledge. His sentences and rich prose leap across the pages, and dance with ideas of the sublime and the ridiculous, ideas which he does not so much attempt to resolve as ponder upon a page. He never once falls into the philosopher's folly of stating his views as though they were fact, and is often very careful to say, "This is what I think" in one way or another. He never attempts to convince the reader, for he originally never intended his essays to have a reader. In situations where he would challenge authority, he is always careful to say, for instance, "But my own views are nothing, the church of course knows better". More than any other work of philosophy, the Essays are an adventure, leading one through the soul of a man, a man who thought so little of himself but was so great. It reads almost as a novel, and at the end, after 1200 pages of Essays, Montaigne stands before the reader as clearly as any historical or fictional figure ever has. This is the true Magnum Opus of western philosophy.

This English translation of Montaigne's Complete Essays is wonderful. Although I like it better than Donald Frame's version, I actually prefer J.M. Cohen's to either. Cohen's translation is only a selection, unfortunately. If you need the Complete Essays, go with Screech.

Screech's version, however, has a very annoying problem. As in Frame's translation, letters are used within the text to note differences between the three major editions of the Essays (A, B, C). Frame's version uses small capital letters inserted within the text; they are unobtrusive and can be ignored. Screech's version, however, uses full-sized letters within brackets with a lot of space surrounding them. They are just too darned disruptive. Why in the heck did they do this? Perhaps they intended it for academic or scholarly use. It's a shame. I hope that Penguin will issue a new edition or revision that will take care of this problem.

Use the "Look Inside" feature of this book to decide for yourself.

I cannot praise this book highly enough. It is one of those rare books that can change your life. Sure, many people say something similar about a particular book, but it is genuinely true in this instance. Montaigne is wise, humane, and very humourous. If I had to live on an island and could only take three books with me, this would be one of them. And, it would be an easy choice to make. I have read the Essays cover to cover twice already and plan to do so again many times in my life.

Here are some general points you might want to keep in mind when reading Montaigne's Essays: First, he doesn't always stick to the topic announced at the beginning of an essay. Sometimes, an essay appears to be about a particular topic but ends up being about something else entirely. Second, even when Montainge makes a half-hearted attempt at staying on topic, the journey is still the scenic route instead of a straight shot (but, this is half the fun of his Essays). Third, Montaigne's Essays are a perfect crash course on the wisdom to be found in the writings of the Latin authors. Finally, Montaigne is surprisingly skeptical and relativistic on many issues. This is obviously why his Essays are so relevant even today.

Now for a word on translations. The two primary translations that are easily available are this Penguin edition translated by Screech and the Stanford University Press edition translated by Frame. Each edition has its advantages and disadvantages, and it's a shame the editions can't be combined to create the perfect translation.

The Penguin/Screech edition includes the original and a translation of all Montaigne's foreign language quotations. The vast majority of these are in Latin; so, if you know some Latin, this is helpful. It also includes very helpful notes on obscure literary and historical issues, which provides for greater understanding. However, if you read the introduction and Screech's notes carefully, you will realize he does have an agenda. Screech plays down Montaigne's skepticism and tries to portray Montaigne as being more religious than he was.

As to the Stanford/Frame edition, its translation is much closer to the original French than Screech's. If you put the French text and Frame's translation side by side, you'll see what I mean (even if your French is pretty weak like mine). And, Frame does not play down Montaigne's skepticism - he lets Montaigne speak for himself. But, Frame's translation does have some flaws. It does not include the original for foreign language quotations. And, when Frame translates Latin poetry, he almost always makes it rhyme even when the original Latin does not rhyme. I find this jarring and not true to the original. Frame also does not include any helpful notes.

All in all, I'd like to combine Frame's translation of Montaigne's French with Screech's original and translation of all foreign language quotations. This would be the best possible version of the Essays.

This book is one of the finest products of the human mind. You will not regret the significant amount of time it will take to read these Essays. And, if you read them carefully, you'll never look at the world the same way again.

Montaigne. He has lessons for us all, I've found.

Some of the lessons are hard. He writes about everything, but most of all, he writes about himself. There is a painful clarity to his work - but that cliche term does nothing to properly explain what it is he accomplishes with his writing.

At thirty-three, Montaigne decided to retire to his home and write. He had vague ideas about writing a gentleman's book on warfare, and the first few essays reflect that. But, as he progressed, he kept going on little side journeys into his own thoughts and opinions. At first, Montaigne reigned himself in, struggling to stay true to the path he had decided for himself.

Happily for us, he failed.

He abandoned the idea of writing for gentlemen - though there are still slight evidences of this throughout the work. Instead, he decided to focus on the one thing he knew better than anybody else in the entire world - Montaigne. Who else could know more, or would bother to take as much time exploring this one man than the man himself? And why not explore his own mind - every day, he has to live and deal with the advantages and disadvantages, the habits and the thoughts, the opinions and the ironies of being Montaigne. Thus, he decided, it was worth exploring. In his view, there was nothing more important than understanding one's self. If you cannot understand yourself, how can you expect to understand anybody else?

There are moments of 'painful clarity', as I said above. Montaigne discusses (his) impotence, his imperfect marriage, the disappointments he has created in others, the times when he did not do what he should. But he also talks about how he can make himself a better person, and how, in a lot of ways, he is an admirable person. It is important to realise that Montaigne is not writing an apology for himself. He is putting himself on to paper, 'warts and all', and declaring it true. There is a point in one of the essays where he declares that he wouldn't want anyone to lie about the person he is, even if they flattered him or praised him. This is, in a nutshell, Montaigne's thinking. He is not concerned with being the greatest person ever known - he is concerned with understanding himself.

Four hundred years on, what is there to offer us, the modern reader, in Montaigne? An infinity of wisdom. Could I, in honesty, completely and unwaveringly disect myself for the consumption of both myself and others? I don't think so. I very much fear that the answer is no. And yet - why not? Is it shame? I don't think so, as I have nothing major to hide. Perhaps, then, it is simply the fear of unrealised ideas and thoughts. If I am unaware of myself, I cannot present it. Montaigne was and is aware of himself and thus manages to accurately describe the person that he is.

Montaigne's essays are invaluable not only for the man that they portray, but for the wisdom in what is spoken. Montaigne has thought about so many aspects of what it is to be a human and alive, and we can all learn from this. The topics he discusses go beyond mere 16th century issues, and deal with concepts, ideas and concerns that affect us now, and will affect us always. Absolutely essential reading.

What's not to like about Montaigne? Everytime I pick through parts of his essays [and it does not matter where one begins] I find myself in deep thought. Sometimes I feel as if Montaigne were speaking to me. I have the Donald Frame translation. Although I have read the Cohen translation too, and I do have a copy of it somewhere in this jungle I call my library. I have just recently purchased this Penguin edition, with another yet another translation. But no matter, the words and wit of Montaigne are, and will be as timeless as long as people are willing to open these pages and gather meaning from them. And I will always continue to do so.

These essays were meant to be read and re-read. And you know, I never tire of reading Michel de Montaigne. This mans works have been a part of my life for as long as I can recall. And how many times can you remember picking up the same books over and over again to reach words of wisdom? And Montaigne's humble wisdom and honest look at himself is what makes these essays so profound and enjoyable to read. Why? Because he took a long hard look deep into his own soul and wrote for himself, and to himself: And in turn, he imparted these essays to the rest of us. Which I am forever grateful to him for. If you have never read Montaigne, it's time you do. Highly recommended. Should be required reading in all schools today.

I love the Outlander Series. I read Outlander for the first time back in the early 90's when it first came out, couldn't wait for the next ones as they came! I just read A Breath of Snow & Ashes and LOVED it just as much as the others in the series. NOW I'm kicking myself in the rear! I had the whole set, and got rid of them about a year ago because I'd gotten out of reading. NOW I just bought the Outlander book again, and read it, now I need the others...going to read the whole series again. I love Claire and Jamie!

I will make this simple buy the book and start reading I swear you will not want to put it down. I have my mother in law to thank for introducing me to the series. I am in love with the books and now have convinced my very macho husband to read them. The Author is very convincing and I swear it is like you are there with them through it all. I can't wait for the next one.

I have read all six of the Outlander series several times. Diana Gabaldon is an extraordinary writer, imaginative, talented, and extremely creative, and the overwhelming response to her stories is indicative of her talents in this genre. She has interwoven romance, history, and adventure into a mesmerizing tale which captures the attention of the readers, holding them spellbound and breathless as each page is turned. Her writing has inspired many, including myself, to learn more about Scotland and the people who lived/live there, their way of life, their haunting music, traditions, and history. I note that one of the reviews (2 stars) was critical of the male/female views of that era in Scottish history. Too bad that reader didn't read the entire series as she missed out on a great adventure. One should not take it personal that the values of that era included "ownership" of the wife; that ownership also included protection and security, of which many current wives do not now have. I rate the Outlander series with 5 stars.

It's been sometime since I've read all books in the Outlanders series and happened to read the person who wrote the 2star comments and just had to write a review.
As this person pointed out the time period was different and she didn't lose any of her stubborn nature but grudingly came to realize that men in the period were respected for how they managed everything they owned, including women, as they were also considered property. She forgave him for the time period's mentality, not because he enjoyed doing it.
I think this person shouldn't let one incident influence their opinion of a great series of book!

The Outlander series is definitely on my current top 5 list, along with Earth's Children (Clan of the Cave Bear), Harry Potter, His Dark Materials (Golden Compass) and Song of the Lioness (Alanna). The writing is so vivid and well done, it really transports you to a different time. The love story between Jamie and Claire is one of the best I've ever read, but the book really is more of an adventure. Claire is an awesome heroine, second only to Ayla on my fictional heroines list. Consequently, I was sad to read the review that gave the book only 2 stars. Please don't let this affect your decision on buying this book. The author of said review did not even finish reading book 1 let alone the rest of the series!

In this essay Richard Rubenstein contends that the Holocaust should be viewed within the context of a tradition of slavery that is deep rooted in western culture. Drawing on Max Weber, Rubenstein argues that the combination of unrestricted capitalism and protestantism helped to create the conditions necessary for the ultimate form of slavery as expressed in the Nazi death camps. Additional factors include a European trend toward viewing certain segments of a given population as expendable.

The analysis is thought provoking and intelligently written. My reservation is that while I agree that viewing the holocaust in this way leads one to the conclusion that under the right circumstances genocide on this scale could happen again , I also believe that there was something uniquely evil in the Nazi leadership that contributed to the Holocaust. Rubenstein's analysis focused on historical/economic/social forces at the expense of the personal responsibilty of Hitler and his inner circle. Despite that this is an important book that should be mandatory reading in any study of the Holocaust.

If you doubt his premise, think about World War I. The leaders of the nations of Europe and the US put their male citizens into soldier's uniforms, lined them up in close proximity to one another to dig trenches, ordered them into the trenches, and then gassed them. It was an extermination experiment. It's time we all woke up to the global death machine and its propaganda. Also read How the World Really Works.

In 1944, Polish Jew Raphael Lemkin coined the term genocide, applying it to Jews and Poles alike. In this small but thought-provoking book, Richard L. Rubenstein approaches the German Nazi exterminationist policies in much the same vein, while stressing the role of the modern state bureaucracy to make it possible.

Probably the first step in genocide is the denial of the humanity of the intended victims: "Once the victim is categorized as belonging to a different species, the task of transforming him into a thing is immensely simplified...Before the Nazis assaulted the Jews, the Poles, the Russians, and the Gypsies, they were categorized as members of sub-human races."(p. 54). Terms such as Tiermenschen ("animal people") and Untermenschen ("subhumans") were commonly used. Rubenstein (p. 83) points out that Jews were often referred to as "a surplus population", but not the fact that the Germans also used this term for Poles.

The denationalization of those intended for genocide was also significant: "Unfortunately, the Nazis clearly understood the importance of the question of statelessness. When they began to deport Jews from such occupied nations as France, Bulgaria, and Hungary, they insisted that the deportees be stripped of their citizenship by their respective governments no later than the day of deportation. There was no need to denationalize Polish and Russian Jews because the Nazis had destroyed the state apparatus as soon as they occupied the territory. The absence of a state apparatus in Poland and occupied Russia was an indication of the ultimate fate of the Poles and the Russians had the Germans won."(pp. 32-33).

While the mass shootings and gassings of Jews were already well underway, the Germans set their sights higher. Rubenstein cites an October 13, 1942 letter by Otto Thierack, the German minister of justice: "With a view of freeing the German people of Poles, Russians, Jews, and Gypsies, and with a view to making the eastern territories which have been incorporated into the Reich available for settlement by German nationals, I intend to turn over criminal jurisdiction over Poles, Russians, Jews and Gypsies to the Reichsfuhrer-SS (Himmler). In doing so, I stand on the principle that the administration of justice can make only a small contribution to the extermination of these peoples." (p. 34). Richard L. Rubenstein comments: "Soviet domination of Eastern Europe was closer to that of a classical tyranny than was the German occupation. The German aims were far more radical. They sought to create a society of total domination involving initially the enslavement and extermination of the Jews and eventually similar treatment to other subject peoples. They were determined to clear a Lebensraum, a living space, for German settlement."(p. 76).

Of course, owing at least in part to the much greater numbers of Poles than Jews, and despite the fact that 2-3 million Polish gentiles (including half of all educated Poles) were murdered before the Germans before the latter were finally driven out of Poland, the overall extermination of the Poles was more of a long-term German project. In this regard, practical methods of mass sterilization were actively being developed (p. 49), with the 3 million Russian POWs to be the first large-scale victims (p. 50). The Nazi goal was clear: "As we have noted, had the Germans won the war, mass sterilization would have been an important aspect of their program for the subject peoples. It must be remembered that with both the Nazis and the Bolsheviks, victory inevitably led to an intensification rather than a diminution of terror. Mass sterilizations of Poles, Russians and, in the more distance future, the French and the Italians, would have permitted the Germans to exploit the vanquished at their own convenience in the certain knowledge that the subject peoples' national existence was at an end. Whether extermination or killing was the means of securing absolute dominance or whether a certain number of the vanquished might be permitted to reproduce in exactly calculable quantities would have depended solely on the requirements of the German masters. The victims would have had as little control over their own destiny as cattle in a stockyard. In a society of total domination, helots could be killed, bred, or sterilized at will."(p. 52).

Richard L. Rubenstein also picks up where scholars such as Hannah Arendt and Isaiah Trunk left off in discussing the role of the Judenrate (the Jewish community councils) and its central role in the Nazi extermination of Jews (p. 3). Although the degree of Judenrate-German collaboration differed from place to place, the reader may be stunned by the degree to which the collaborationist actions of some Judenrate eliminated the need for large numbers of Germans and non-Jewish collaborators in the roundup of Jews for extermination: "In almost all of the killing operations, the German personnel were short-handed. It is estimated that only fifty SS personnel and 200 Lett and Ukrainian auxiliaries were assigned to the Warsaw Ghetto which hade a population of five hundred thousand at its peak, almost all of whom perished."(pp. 74-75).

Few incidents have exposed man's inhumanity to man like the Holocaust. Richard Rubenstein in his pamphlet "The Cunning of History," attempts to demystify the Holocaust to show it as not only an event that happened, but also as one capable of happening, again.
Rubenstein establishes a linkage between the Reformation and the concentration camps. He asserts that the contemporary culture of death was the apex of ideas forged way back to Martin Luther's schism from the Catholic church. He establishes that without the active collusion of business interests, a docile citizenry and the military, the extermination of Jews might not have occurred. The complicity of Britain and America is barely treated, but the little touched on is informative.
A Century of Progress, the last chapter in the book, exposes the excesses of power as not inherent in the executive, but rather in the structure of government. To Rubenstein, an American president "can resort, if not to overt terror, at least to extralegal bureaucratic harassment to secure the compliance of the governed."
While a very good book, The Cunning tends to skip over events that could interrupt the narrative, like his definition of bureaucracy. Far from being a mindset unique to Nazi Germany, the rationalization and disenchantment of the natural existed since the Enlightenment. The Nazis set up concentration camps not because of bureaucracy, but because there was economic incentive. Rubenstein also posits that men have no natural rights - A dreadful propostion considering that if rights are granted by the state, those rights can be taken away. (A point he had repeatedly emphasized.)
Notwithstanding these kinks, The Cunning of History is a stimulating book with much to tell us about our past, as well as our future.

Professor Rubenstein was my most fascinating and challenging professor at FSU during the 1970s. His range of intellectual inquiry makes him a "Renaissance" man. He has written numerous provocative and important books.

And I am re-reading the books thirty plus years later.

We purchased this book for our son. He is deeply committed to 'green' projects. This will give him testimonials of others in his field to aid him in his own work for clients who have the desire to lessen their carbon footprint.

Sincerely,
F. Albuquerque

Okay, so I havent actually read the book but Cameron Sinclair came to my school a month ago to give a lecture based on the book. It was one of the most motivating and perspective changing experiences that Ive ever had. It gave me a totally new perspective on architecture. People in studio were pinning up signs on their boards that said "Design Like You Give a Damn." Cameron Sinclair is an amazing guy. He started off the lecture talking about how he got out of architecture school and was completely dissatisfied with being a "CAD monkey," so he quit, raised money for the poor and distressed, and designed and built places for them with the money. anyways...just buy this and im going to buy it too

Great book. Very cool practical applications to problems using environmentally sound solutions. Beautiful pictures and I especially liked the $8 tent clip. Brilliant.

I'm not an architect, but I enjoy the craft as a whole. I saw this book on a PBS science show and had to check it out. Once I finish reading it, I'm passing it on to my architect friends to inspire them to think of the more basic level of need for their talents. Living in the US, I have always taken for granted having a place to live, but seeing how many people around the world need homes is staggering. Kudos to those architects that face the problems of these people. They should be recognized for their innovative uses of stuff as simple as PVC pipe and tarp.

This book is an important counterbalance to the plethora of glossy coffee table books about architecture that glorify starchitects and their creations, which usually only benefit their wealthy clients. If only the architectural journals would plaster these projects on their front pages instead of oh-so-chic homes and corporate headquarters. The world is facing a housing crisis, but most architects are not trained to respond to this crisis in massive, innovative ways that go beyond the feel-good student trips to build a couple of houses for people in need. This book should be required reading in all architecture schools, architecture practices, and architectural publishing offices. The profession - as with so many other professions - has lost its way. This book can be one small step toward recovering the reality that architecture is a collaborative endeavor that entails public responsibilities.

This book is an outstanding resource for readers who devour mysteries. Heising's multiple ways of listing books (geographical, by profession, etc.) provides a wealth of information for the reader who is always on the lookout for a new author. I just wish there was a new edition! I wouldn't part with this one, though. It's always a good way to start on a new author.

This reference work is invaluable in finding mystery series by woman up to 1999 or so, when I bought my copy. However, it is now very much out-of-date and of little use on newer series/authors/titles. I keep checking to see if there's a Detecting Women 4, and can still hope, but possibly this one is the end of the line. What a shame!

This is a wonderful tool to keep track of all those mystery books on your shelves. This book offers a comprehensive listing of women's fiction mysteries. Books are listed by author and title. It is great way to see the order of books written in a series. There is also a check list where you can check off the book once you purchase it, and then check it after you read it. I like to make notations next to the books once I finish the book. Books that have been nominated or received awards are designated with a star by the title.

Watching the Detectives
How far has Sue Grafton gotten in her alphabet mystery series? What's the first book in Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series? Who are writing books featuring bed & breakfasts?

As those who love reading mystery series know, it's difficult to keep track of the hundreds of writers past and present who have contributed to the mystery genre, which is why reading sleuths will love "Detecting Women," a guidebook to the distaff side of mysteries.

This handsome, large paper bound book lists more than 600 series and 3,400 books written by women. Each entry contains a biographical introduction with the title and year of each book, and notes if the book has been nominated for any awards. Editor Wiletta Heising has done an exceptional job of breaking down the information, providing extensive lists that break down series by year, occupation, geographic location and even pseudonym.

The brief biographies are gold mines of fascinating information that invites lengthy browsing. Here is where you can learn that Grafton's fictional P.I. Kinsey Millhone will celebrate her 40th birthday once "`Z' is for Zero" appears in 2009 (when Grafton will be 69); that Agatha Christie wrote 35 novels featuring Hercule Poirot, and 12 about Jane Marple; and that the largely forgotten Anne Katherine Green is considered the "mother of the detective story," and was a best-selling author nine years before Arthur Conan Doyle put pen to paper.

Purple Moon also publishes a pocket guide to help mystery fans track of their favorite series, and comes with a notepad useful for noting suspects, clues, and books desired. "Detecting Women" provides a welcome overview of the rapidly expanding mystery field, and can reintroduce readers to now-forgotten and obscure writers. It is nothing less than required, fascinating reading for mystery fans.

How many times have you discovered a new author and tried to unravel the sequence of the series? Publishers sometimes list previous books - provided they published those previous books. Or the author's work is neatly cited in alphabetical order. Great if you've picked up Sue Grafton, not so good if the author is Martha Grimes. Or only the books still in print appear.

I edit two mystery newsletters, one for a general bookstore. My readers want to know series order. Short of tracking all the mystery writers yourself (good luck!), DETECTING WOMEN-3rd Ed. is the very best thing. Willetta Heising also includes bibliographies to catch the fancy of the most fanatic fan - settings, characters, types, historical venue, pseudonyms, and award nominees/winners. The master list even has blank spaces to accommodate future titles.

There has never been a more comprehensive listing. I wouldn't/couldn't prepare a newsletter without it. This is definitely a keeper -- until DETECTING WOMEN 4 comes along!

An excellent, well-written book that strays from the usual history of Nazi Germany by focusing not on Hitler but on his henchmen. Indeed, Hitler is almost a bit player for most of the first half of the book. Fascinating detail on the private lives and ambitions of Goering, Goebbels, Himmler, etc.
It is very well written and almost gripping, at times. He does have one little quirk, which is to occasionally throw in some very modern idiom, but it does not detract and is actually kind of fun.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to move beyond the basic histories of the Third Reich and find out about the strong-willed but self-serving and amoral men who worked out the revolting details of Hitler's regime.

This book is a MUST read for anyone truly wanting to know how it was possible for a man who had and was nothing (homeless, penniless and without friends) to become the most powerful and feared man in the world who controlled a vast empire and millions of people. The author does an EXCELLENT job of keeping the reader's attention and interest. It is difficult to put this book down. It read easily and smoothly. There are lots of details but that does not bog the reader down....it simply flows and stays interesting. The author gives equal time and details about many of Hitler's Inner Circle men, especially, Goebbels, Goring and Himmler. Without the work, talent, energy and loyalty of these men there is not doubt that Hitler would never have become who he was!

Here is an outstanding exhaustively researched account of all the key players in Hitler's Third Reich. Without the help of these men, Hitler would not have come to power, let alone been a politician worthy of mention. It is interesting to read how at least one among his entourage did not want war, and how his stubbornness and hubris changed the course of history. A must read not only for those who are interested in the tumultous events of the 20th Century, but those in leadership positions in politics and other fields, or those aspiring to be in that position.

I have read over 100 books covering the Nazi period, including reading William Shirers book, Rise and Fall of the Third Reich,three times. During this last 10 years every book I read was compared with Shirers. This is book by Anthony Read is perhaps equal or better than Shirers because its both a history book and a concise biography of the main "devil's disciples". This book at 900 pages provides more understanding of events than Shirer achieved in his 1600 pages although Shirer delivered a masterpiece. The reason for this is may be that Shirer in writing in 1958-60 did not have access to some of the detailed later sources as Anthony Read has. What makes this book so great is that Read spends great effort to explain the "Why & How" in addition to the "Who, What, Where, When" covered by most historians. This book provides insight into the squable that Goebbels had with Gregor Strasser that made it easier for Hitler to drive a wedge between Strasser and Goebbels who were very thick in the beginning and might have eventually split the Nazi's Berlin northern group from the Nazi's Munich "mafia" group.
This book gives a greater understanding of Gorings love and devotion to his first wife, Carin, than I got from reading a well researched biography of Hermann Goring by another author. Carin's death has been explained in other sources as: TB, epilepsy, heart failure. AR explains how they were all connected. Hermanns love for her explains why her son, Thomas, from her first marriage was so devoted to Goring.
The book also explains how crafty Hitler was in engaging many of the other political parties before backing out of any commitment at the 11th hour after the other parties were forced to disclose that most of them needed Hitler's Nazi Reichstag delegates more than the Nazis needed them. This book contains many more facts that help the reader understand the personal motives behind most of the intrigues of the main characters.
Goebbels, the proverbial womanizer, should never gotten married but with the death of Goring's wide Carin, it appears Goebbels saw an opportunity to help himself to the spotlight by marrying the beautiful and rich divorcee, Magda, so he could take over the entertainment of Hitler on his trips up to Berlin.
The book deserves 6 stars and is like drinking from a firehouse to cover more in 900 pages than 1600. I'll gladly read this again.

Anthony Read manages to give an extremely accurate account of the leaders of Nazi Germany. He also gives detail to Nazism in general and World War 2, making this book very well rounded. Mr. Read's ability to keep his work interesting throughout is the icing on the cake.

I was fascinated by Huxley's use of this story as a way of trying to explain his thoughts on "man's deep-seated urge to self-transcedence, of his very natural reluctance to take the hard, ascending way, and of his search for some bogus liberation either below or to one side of his personality" - as revealed by our dependecies on religion and in joining mass movements like fascism or communism, as well as sexuality and substance use and abuse.
In Chapter Three he focuses on the religious aspects of these tendencies to "desire - and desire, very often, with irresistable violence - the consciousness of being someone else."
In the Epilogue ["In amplification of material in Chapter Three)"], he expands on these ideas by discussing substance use and abuse: "Alcohol is but one of the many drugs employed by human beings as avenues of escape from the insulated self." He adds to this the use of "From poppy to curare, from Andean coca to Indian hemp and Siberian agaric, every plant or bush or fungus capable, when ingested, of stupifying or exciting or evoking visions....seems to prove that, always and everywhere, human beings have felt the radical inadequacy of their personal existence, the misery of being their insulate selves and not something else.."
He then continues with the "crowd delirium" of mass movements:
"The professional moralists who inveigh against drunkeness are strangely silent about the equally disgusting vice of herd-intoxication - of downward transcendence into subhumanity by the process of getting together in a mob." leading to "The final symptom of herd-intoxication is a manical violence. Instances of crowd-delirium culminating in gratuitous destructiveness, in ferocious self-mutilation, in fratracidal savagery without purpose and against the elementary interests of all concerned, are to be met with on almost every page of the anthropologists'textbooks and - a little less frequently, but still with dismal regularity - in the histories of even the most highly civilized peoples."
His concluding sentence: "Every idol, however exalted, turns out, in the long run, to be a Moloch, hungry for human sacrifice."

This book is not merely an historical essay describing the lurid details of the events at Loudun [other books on the subject do that job], Huxley covers far more ground and delves far deeper into the experience of being human than that; it can be disturbing at times, but also illuminating.
Huxley's own later use of psychedelic drugs [mescaline, and, as has been said, LSD while on his death-bed] - which he describes in "The Doors of Perception" [1954] - indicates that he was still trying to reach an understanding of self-transcendence - in a more positive light.

It is the early 17th century in Loudun, France. The local parish priest, Urbain Grandier, has become embattled in various local rivalries with civic magnates and ecclesiastical officials. He makes powerful enemies among them but they are helpless to action against for the moment. Both sides are determined to see victory and religious sanctity takes a back seat to revenge and personal gain. Against this backdrop an altogether remarkable occurrence takes place; the inhabitants of the local covenant experience an extraordinary case of mass possession by demons. The head of the covenant, Saeur Jeanne des Anges, experiences the worst of the possessions and under an exorcism conducted by Jean-Joseph Surin she, or the demon within her, places the blame squarely on the shoulders of Urbain Grandier. The moment his enemies have waited for has arrived.

For those who are fans of Huxley's fictional and non-fictional works this book is not one to be missed. Although it falls into the category of non-fiction as it tells the story of a historical event in 17th century France, Huxley uses his creative powers and imagination to make the tale come alive. Granted historians may have an issue with taking such liberties in writing about a historical event, but Huxley's goal is not `pure' history, a pretty questionable term in itself, but rather to tell the story of a remarkable event with all the drama and suspense that it deserves.

His account of the mass possession in Loudun is backed up by an admirable amount of research. It is clear that Huxley's knowledge of both the time and place extend far beyond the details of the story and serve to enlighten his account. His understanding of human psychology as plays a prominent role in this book. It goes beyond a simple recounting of historical events, which as interesting as they are does not in itself make the book a unique one. It is Huxley's continual fascination with the human mind that really makes this book special. After setting out the basic historical framework for the story, he attempts to reconstruct the psychological factors that played a large role there. After examining the individual characters from the Loudun saga, Huxley takes the time to reflect and draw conclusions about humanity in general and what drives people to believe themselves possessed and the further implications this has.

Whether one agrees with the validity of conducting a sort of psychological analysis of historical figures hundreds of years removed from us and then in turn using those conclusions to draw wider ones about humanity or a time period in general, this book is an immensely interesting read.

Huxley has written a wonderful study of witchcraft,demonic possession and social commentary that is an historical cornerstone.Both religion and psychiatry are carefully intertwined in this lengthy novel.Set in France, it explores the human condition at that time.Greed,jealousy,revenge and theatrical performances are core themata.The inquisitional pressure coupled with political appeasement on the local,state and national level are explored.Mad nuns teased by repressed sexual needs and the subsequent outcomes are discussed. The careful documentation of the interplay between religious fervor and satanic influence are revealed in this exacting book.The twisted motivations of maladjusted individuals and the harm they can cause,the somatic possibilities and manifestations,coverups and intrigue are deftly and intellectually examined and detailed.The horrors of torture,self mutilation and sexual deviation as viewed as deviate for the times, gives one a sense of being voyeuristically one of the crowd.Watching the nuns perform their tricks,allegedly possessed by devils for the benefit of the church is amusing.Sister Jeanne,Father Grandier and Father Surin are all players in the game of gods love,human sexual needs,demonic possession and rather kinky goings on in the nunnery.It's a regular satanically,sexual soap opera with much guilt, regret and tragedy at the end.Any fan of Huxley needs to read this if they haven't already.Fans of the origins of psychopathology will marvel at the many mechanisms of defense used as justifiers for actions that were over the top for a pre-enlightened world.For witchcraft afficionados this is required reading.Again, it is a long read but worth it for purely historical anaylysis of the crypto religious/sexual linkage that to some degree is still present today.A must read for lovers of this subject matter.

HOW does a book this important come to be out of print?!!

No matter. Used copies can be had here for very little. Buy one and read it.

One of the joys of reading is how one subject can lead to a serendipitous find. Having recently come across a brief reference to the early 17th century barking nuns of Loudon I went in search of a more detailed exploration. In Aldous Huxley's book I found all that I sought and much more.

Urbain Grandier, the local parson of Loudon, is a very naughty cleric who partakes much too much of the sensual world. One morsel happens to be the daughter of his best friend. She becomes pregnant with unhappy consequences for many people. Grandier manages in this way of behavior to alienate nearly every important Catholic in Loudon as well as make an enemey of Richelieu.

When Grandier spurns the local prioress, Sister Jeanne, she claims demonic possession at the hand of Grandier as do 2 of her nuns. Grandier may have been guilty of many sins, but demonic possession was not among them. Exorcists are brought in as much too destroy Grandier as to throw out the devils (7 specific ones inhabit Sister Jeanne alone). The exorcists produce devils in 14 more nuns. The public exorcisms provide great entertainment, reviving the local tourist industry, but eventually produce the trial of Grandier, who in due turn is burned at the stake. The story continues when the Jesuit Surin arrives to finally successfully exorcise Sister Jeanne's demons.

Huxley's 1952 work explores the psychological aspects of demonic possession and exorcism, sometimes brilliantly against the backdrop of the madnesses of his own time. Liberal rationalists had "fondly imagined" an end to persecutions of 'heretics'. Instead, as he observes "from our vantage point on the descending road of modern history, we now see that all the evils of religion can flourish without any belief in the supernatural, that convinced materialists are ready to worship their own jerry-built creations as though they were the Absolute, and that self-styled humanists will persecute their adversaries with all the zeal of Inquisitors exterminating the devotees of a personal and transcendant Satan...In order to justify their behavior, they turn their theories into dogmas, their bylaws into First Principles, their political bosses into Gods and all those who disagree with them into incarnate devils. This idolatrous transformation of the relative into the Absolute and the all too human into the Divine, makes it possible for them to indulge their ugliest passions with a clear conscience and in the certainty that they are working for the Highest Good."

In the last third of the book he explores the nature of Sister Jeanne's possession, the possession of her exorcist Surin, and the manner of her recovery. The modern mind has some difficulty here. Clearly Surin and possibly Jeanne believed in the reality of demonic possessions (it is worth noting that many learned men, including those behind Grandier's fall and most Jesuits did not believe in the authenticity of these possessions). At the same, Jeanne is also play-acting at times as she concedes in her own subsequent writings. They believed in the Devil, they believed in possession, but understood that the Devil could not overcome the will of the possessed. Huxley paints a poignant, if oddly amusing, scene when he describes how Surin ordered Jeanne's devils to discipline themselves - in other words to flagellate Jeanne. Two of the devils lay on the whip with gusto, but Balaam and Isacaaron abhorring pain, would barely swing the whip and yet the possessed Jeanne would scream in agonized suffering.

An absolutlely fascinating read by one of the great minds of the 20th century.