Austria Books

I lived in this area for 3 years and traveled it on my own quite a bit. This year I went for a vacation and took along this book. I loved the drives that were off the beaten track and the tips on more scenic ways to get to a destination. I would recommend this book for anyone traveling in the area and know that the suggestions are good. I also like how they rated each drive by different scales on scenery, history, catles, etc. It is a nice recap of the area and helps you select where you might want to go.

This is a very useful book, I was surprised at its depth and information. Whether you've spent lots of time in Bavaria or are a newcomer, these drives are almost all excellent, off the beaten track and easily nagivated. The maps included are more than adequate, it's almost impossible to get lost. The authors throw in little tips, such as nice inns to stay at or good restaurants along the way. I've spent a lot of time driving in Bavaria and Austria and this book was a truly pleasant surprise. If you love Bavaria and you like beautiful drives, I highly recommend this.

In 1916, Edith Sekules was born into a Jewish family as part of an established and flouring Viennese community of almost 200,000 Jews. Today that same community is numbered at only a few thousands. Most of those with whom Edith grew up with were slaughtered in the holocaust of World War II. In 1938, together with her husband Kurt and her four month old daughter, Edith escaped to Estonia. There they eked out a living until 1941 when they were labeled "enemy aliens" and interned in Siberia by the Russians. In Surviving The Nazis, Exile And Siberia, Edith reveals in candid and vivid detail what her life of confinement was like, and how only their good health and optimism enabled the family to survive in harsh conditions. This is a story of a seven year exile spend in the theater of war, three camps, and a 3,350-mile journey home. After the way Edith helped to create a knitwear company in Northern Ireland and she went on to world-wide success in that endeavor. Surviving The Nazis, Exile And Siberia is more than just another indictment of holocaust era atrocity -- it is also a testament to the endurance and resilience of the human spirit, and that the greatest revenge against those who do us wrong, and the finest memorial we can provide to those who did not survive, is to go on ourselves and live a full, rewarding, compassionate life.

This book is an important contribution to Holocaust studies. Mrs. Sekules provides an excellent first hand account of life for a "typical" Jewish family in Vienna before and during the rise of Nazism. We become witnesses to the realization that escape is the only choice. We then follow the author on a harrowing journey deep into the Russian steppes as they fight to survive in a variety of work camps. Finally we learn how this family returns to Europe and rebuilds their lives and in the United Kingdom.

The book is written in straight-forward prose which has the ring of authenticity. The author is not asking for our pity. Rather, as stated in the introduction, she is adding more details to our collective memory of these horrific events that we may honor the victims, celebrate the survivors, and prevent another Shoah in the future.

This is easy reading for middle and high school children seeking to understand more about the Shoah and is a good addition to a school, Temple, or Church library.

At the outset of Vienna and Versailles, Duindam carefully reconstructs court life in Versailles while simultaneously employing a structural and comparative perspective with Europe's other great court in Vienna. His examination spans the time period between the mid sixteenth to late seventeenth centuries, in what he regards as the `Great Age' of these two rival courts.

In doing so, the author systematically dispels the myth of Louis XIV's `absolutist' power - exercised through his court - and comprehensively illustrates how this notion was more of an ideal than reality. Researched over the course of one year in the libraries and archives of Vienna and Paris, the result provides us with a wealth of information which challenges the problematic views of earlier writers of the Early Modern court.

In this cross study of the Habsburg imperial court in Vienna and Bourbon royal court in Versailles, Duindam ensures that all major historical factors are taken into consideration, most commendably a representation of female actors as a category of historical analysis. Duindam presents a more accurate view of monarchy, nobility, and court society and deserves high praise for the breadth of his scholarship and the significance of his contribution to court studies.

Admittedly, the books' index is incredibly insufficient and, although the subject matter is noticeably geared to be read by an academic audience rather than the general public, the work as a whole is undoubtedly quite fascinating. Furthermore, Duindam's thematic organization and vast scholarly bibliography incorporates both recent publications and standard works on the topic which, incidentally, paves the way for further examination of both courts.

Historian Norbert Elias' classic works Court Society and The Civilizing Process had presented a problematic view of the Early Modern monarchies and courts. In his "Myths of Power. Norbert Elias and the Early Modern European Court ", Duindam concluded that Elias' approach to the early modern European court containes many misunderstandings, especially those connected with the much-heralded rise of the middle class and its inseparable companion, modernization. In this descriptive world, the author does not aim at providing a new model to understand European courts, but simply to compare the French court and the court of the Austrian Habsburgs, probably trying to show that there is still much work to be done before rendering any new general theory. The book is no very engaging, but it is not dry either. It can be savoured by the professional historian, and perhaps, by the educated layperson too.Therefore, my rate is 5 (content) and 2/3 (pleasure of reading).


Other books that I would recommend would be "Kings or People: Power and the Mandate to Rule by Reinhard Bendix"; "State and status" by Samuel Clark; "Monarchy, Aristocracy, and the State in Europe, 1300-1800" by Hillay Zmora; "Nobilities in Transition 1550-1700: Courtiers and Rebels in Britain and Europe" by Ronald G. Asch; and "The Persistence of the Ancient Regime" by Arno J. Mayer (this last one covering approximately the 1815-1914 period).

An excellent comprehensive description of major sights in these cities that is still brief enough that one can easily remember the highlights. The book is also light enough that one does not mind carrying it.

I just returned from the Prague, Vienna, and Budapest experience and do not know what I would have done if it wasn't for this handy guide. This guide contains city maps, metro station maps, descriptions of attractions and transportation. Additionally, the restaurant review list was very complete, including recommendations for vegetarian eating. If you are planning on making the trip, I highly recommend this guide.

A good little book, providing a quick traveler's introduction to the Austrians. It is written with a pervasive sense of humor, and offers insights into local custom and character. It is not a substitue for either a true guide book or for a good history (both of which we would strongly urge one to have). Read this first, then consult the travel guide books and read The Austrians.

This book is soooo true!! I am an Austrian myself, at the moment living in the United States, and came across this book via my boss, who is an Austria aficionado.
I think I rarely ever enjoyed a book that much; to everyone who ever spent some time in my country and got to love its many peculiarities, this will be a great souvenir / gift!!!

When I picked up this book, I did not know very much about the life of Adolph Hitler; after reading it, I'm not sure that I know very much more than bare facts. This is a really excellent account of the mind of Hitler (or rather, what scholars THINK the mind of Hitler must have been like), but it is definitely not for someone who is just starting to learn about the man. The book is densely written and sometimes quite difficult to understand. I appreciate the effort that was put into researching the book, but found that I really should have started out with a more "basic" book on Hitler before picking this one up. I would recommend the same for anyone who is just starting to learn about Hitler.

The information in this book is excellent. That being said, the prose is at times absolutely outlandish. The introduction gives you a cue of what's to come as the author gives you a "Dennis Milleresque" outline of the facts. After he used the term "Heathcliffian" I knew I may be in over my head. I ended up keeping my Franklin electronic dictionary next to the book to define the plethora of odd synonyms used.

It's worth the dollars. Just prepare to feel uneducated.

I'm not going to gripe, as many others have, about the spurious nature of Rosenbaum's arguments, which mostly involve asking fellow Jewish authors why they think Hitler didn't care much for their ancestors.
My gripe is why Rosenbaum thinks that the Jewish halocaust was the only, or even the most important, example of Hitler's evil. In terms of body counts of innocent victims, 10 million of them being fellow Germans, Hitler's sins against the Jews are trumped by his sins against his own people, not to mention those 20 million pretty dead Russians, 10 million of which were completely innocent civilians, which constitutes three times the horror visited upon Rosenbaum's Jewish relatives. Rosenbaum is, like other minority groups, making claim that his ancestors were the champion victims. Perhaps in terms of percentages, but percentages aren't realistic metrics, only total numbers are, which makes the Russians and Germans tops in this competition. I wonder if Rosenbaum ever even considered who was actually massacred by the war, other than his targetted Jews?

This book does not really explain Hilter. Rather it highlights what the various explanations for Hilter reveal about the people or societies attempting the explanations. Rosenbaum offers a balanced assessment of the various opinions commonly offered to explain what happened in Germany in the 1920's through the 1940's and the European reaction to those event. Explaining Hitler is not a full history of the Nazi era but it is a fascinating social analysis of our response to that era.

Written about the history of Hitler studies, Rosenbaum gives a well-written and thoughtful insight into Hitler historians (be they primarily focused on Hitler or some other aspect of the Third Reich/Holocaust - the figure of Hitler always seems to rear his head). Direct interviews with historians gives Rosenbaum insight into who these historians are, and attempts to explain not only what we believe about Hitler but WHY we believe it. Very interesting, and the bible of Hitler historiographies.

I enjoy historical fiction, and this was no let down. The author writes such rich passages that you feel you're intimately familiar with the characters - Marie Antoinette and her European royal brethren - and their relationships. In addition, the author does a wonderful job making Marie quite likeable, while simultaneously revealing her traits and excesses that we know will lead to her eventual undoing. Throughout the book, I hoped that things would somehow turn out differently for Marie, which we know isn't possible. This makes the book so much more compelling, because as readers, we become resigned to her fate, just as she was resigned to her own fate amid her steadfast commitment to her family and royal bearing.

This is book is well written and takes you back in time. I found that in the first half I considered Marie to be a useless person.. Very frivolous. Her life was nothing but clothes and parties and having hair piled atop her head and she sure did have her picture painted a lot. She was not an admirable queen.. rather self absorbed while her country is starving. However, in the second half she becomes a mother and it all bout the kids and she starts to grow up. I liked the contrast and the way you see both sides of the woman. The woman that died was very different from the woman that showed up in France and I like the way this author shows us that.

After some of the less than favorable reviews I had read, I was afraid to spend any money or time on this book, I am certainly glad that I did take the chance on it anyway.
Have you ever longed to walk Versailles with Marie Antoinette? well this book is your chance. Sena literally channels Toinette for us, as our time and world fall away, and we are in the span of years that Marie Antoinette lived. I have read 542 pages in one and 1/2 days, simply because I could not stand to be away from Antoinette's side until the last horrible moment when there was nothing left. Oh my god, who would not wish to experience this wild ride with the most charming and courageous hostess imaginable?
I read this book with a large art book of Versailles open to the plans and views from the various windows, rooms and fountains to look at as the situation arose. I can only say that I was transported back some 230 years, and spent these past two days with someone I would most want to spend some time with, as apposed to only researching or reading about the great and fascinating Marie Antoinette. Thank-you Sena Jeter Naslund for this truly incredible experience!

The one thing I worried about when starting this novel was that it might be dry, as often historical novels can be. However, I was pleasantly surprised that even with 500+ pages I was steadily entertained with Abundance. Dare I say I even thoroughly enjoyed it.

Abundance takes the life of Marie Antoinette and puts us in her shoes so to speak. Just looking at it as a fiction novel based on actual events, which is what it is, I felt it was very well written and presented. There were a lot of subtlties included that added to the story, a lot of information. There were quite a few characters, minor and major, but I had an ok time keeping everyone straight which isn't always the case in a novel like this. The author actually takes a historical icon and puts her down to our level, what we can understand or relate to and I think that is why this novel is so compelling. From beginning to the bitter end.

Overall, very impressed!! I will be checking out some of Sena Jeter Naslund's other works and hoping they are as good.

The best thing about Naslund's portrayal of Marie Antoinette is how perfectly she captured the young, hopeful, and often naive voice of the Austrian beauty. Like all worthy books, this one has much to teach. The language is so ornate, the descriptions as sweet and rich as a truffle, that one cannot read this quickly, but rather in savored doses.

This book centers on the irony that Gödel's own philosophical interpretation of his work (which indeed may have driven his efforts to begin with) was in complete opposition to how it was most commonly interpreted by others.

Gödel was a Platonist, believing that the mind was able to make contact with absolute mathematical reality. Given that he was an attending member of the Vienna circle in the 1920's, which was the locus of logical positivism, many assumed he was of like mind, believing there was no truth beyond what man could empirically discover. Gödel's extreme reluctance to speak or write on his views helped make this misunderstanding possible. Indeed, the incompleteness theorems have often been co-opted by sloppy post-modernists (along with relativity theory and the uncertainty principle) in making the case for truth relativism. They would focus on the conclusion that we can't construct formal systems (large enough to at least encompass arithmetic) which are both complete and provably consistent and treat this as revealing a limitation in our ability to reach absolute truth. Gödel believed the actual lesson was that the human mind can and does perceive truth beyond the capability of formal systems (equivalently, algorithmic computing machines).

This book does a nice job in the treatment of the ideas as well as the biography.

Goldstein, does a masterful job describing the life and the work of the greatest logician to ever live. Ironically the genius and logical perfection exuded by Gödel is in the end matched by the equilibrium of the universe- he becomes completely illogical and insane.

Goldstein writes with a piercing passion and pointed savvy that I envy. He deep appreciation for the mind of the great logician bleeds all the way through the entire read. Gödel's incompleteness theorem took formalistic logic and arithmetic in a time when it was getting ready to announce its supreme dominance and perfection to the world and turned it on its head. Gödel proved that logic and arithmetic will forever be incomplete within themselves. In other words, logic and arithmetic will never take the place of human reasoning or mathematical truth. Man is not machine.

This all started with Russell's paradox which is the proposition

This sentence is false.

Known as the liar's paradox, Russell's paradox has a very strange quality about it. The "false" part applies to the whole sentence and its subject simultaneously. Thus if you seek to give the sentence a true or false value we run into immediate problems.

Is the proposition is false then it cant be false within itself and so it isn't false it must be true. This means that it is self contradictory.

But then again if the proposition is true then it isn't' false; another contradiction. Russell's paradox wins no matter what. There is something very special about negations indeed.


This book is monumental not simply because Goldstein can write like a demon on a mission but because Gödel's life and accomplishment is timeless. His theorem is crystal clear and logically flawless-- one of it's, if not "the" strangest and most ironically paradoxical qualities.

If you have any interest in philosophy at all- read this book. Its a must. Not.

Among the interesting byproducts of feminism and the admission, commencing in 1970, of women to places like Princeton are overall more interesting and "cultured" readings of analytic philosophy and mathematics, before that male ghettos.

Goldstein, who studied logic and philosophy at Princeton (and who used vignettes from her experience in "The Mind-Body Problem", a novel) met Goedel, and understands the technical details of his work thoroughly. She does a better job, in fact, than Ernest Nagel did in 1968 because she makes emotional connections that exist in mathematical work but which mathematicians often don't like to talk about.

Nagel did say something about Goedel's "intellectual symphony", but Goldstein, unlike Goedel, did deeper research into Goedel's biography, snooping for example around the Mercer County courthouse for records of his US citizenship application.

She reveals the plight of the hyper-intelligent and why we have tenure, since guys like Kurt Goedel and John "A Beautiful Mind" Nash are snuffed out in the so-called "real world": once Einstein passed on, Goedel, we learn, had nobody to talk to.

Interestingly, we get no Pop-feminist nonsense and boo-hoo-ing about Goedel's wife and her loneliness, having married a truly weird individual. Mature women know today what my Mom knew: you make your bed and you lie in it, and any marriage is a unique contract. Gretel Karplus, Adorno's wife, was far more intelligent than Mrs. Goedel but she buried the possibility of being an Arendt or a Weil in service to Teddy and was shattered by his unexpected death. Likewise, Goedel's wife seems to have gotten what she wanted and what many women would kill for: a quiet husband and a house on Linden Lane.

Goldstein's "philosophy of mathematics" is nuanced. Unlike some feminist philosophers she makes no attempt to reduce the subject-matter to some sort of Freudianism. At the same time, she knows that "what we think about when we think about math" comes as do other inputs: by way of meat.

This is an *aufhebung* worthy in its own workyday way of an Aristotle or an Aquinas, because a sharper bifurcation and reification renders lifeless the terms on either side of the cut. Just as Aristotle realized that there are Forms but always instantiated, and just as Aquinas applied this insight to religion, Goldstein manages to hold together the apparently opposing thoughts, that mathematical realities are independent of our thought...but have no existence *that we know of* outside our embodied thought. They are the closest thing we have to noumena manifesting as phenomena.

As a dialectical thinker, Rebecca Goldstein knows how negation works in embodied space. By trying to make themselves over into things, "thinking machines", the Positivists transformed themselves, as she shows, from a sought objectivity into its reverse; this was also C. S. Lewis' insight, in his novel That Hideous Strength, in which the Logical Positivists of Belbury turn out to be merely Satanists, of a sort, in a word, chumps who bow down to wood and stone, having emptied themselves of the capacity for thought through a nihilistic metaphysics.

The problem with this gesture is that (as Adorno pointed out), the categories themselves are in motion so that at the end all we "know" is that:

(1) Logical Positivism imprisoned the scientific subject within a barrage of sense-data, without explaining how sense data organizes itself.

(2) Formalism in mathematics simply denies that anything exists outside a formal system in a relationship of containing. Fearful of either benign or else vicious circles, it refuses to do mathematical philosophy.

(2) First rate minds (Goedel and Wittgenstein) wanted no part of this malarkey.

As the Austrian philosopher Gustav Bergmann pointed out, Logical Postivism's denial was a perverse sort of metaphysics. In the middle of its denial, Goedel upped the ante by discovering that the paradox of the Liar has a metaphysical implication as regards the capacities of formal systems, versus that of human beings. Goedel stood outside the machine (the formal system) and derived an indirect existence proof of truths unprovable within the machine, such that if they were incorporated as axioms, new unprovable truths would appear, and this is why today we almost never anthropomorphise computers: whereas the pronoun for a ship was she, the pronoun for computer is it (and, the adjectives are not printable).

Parenthetically, I was glad to see Goldstein mention Gustav Bergmann, a relatively minor member of the Vienna Circle, since he'd self-marginalized by moving to the Midwest, that black hole, and teaching at the University of Iowa. Bergmann gave a talk at my university in which he pronounced a Goedelian commitment to the continued existence of ontology and its truth, saying he'd die in a ditch to defend it. At this time, in 1970, Goedel was invisible and people were unaware that he felt and thought pretty much the same as Bergmann.

Does Goedel's proof have metaphysical import? Goldstein rejects what she calls the postmodern interpretation, which she re-presents as the argument that (1) mathematics is undecidable ergo (or, as First Gravedigger says in Hamlet, argal) (2) there is no "truth", only "stories".

Of course, neither Derrida nor my fat pal Adorno make this argument. Indeed, there's quite a lot of metaphysical speculation and conviction in Derrida; for example, arche-writing is an ontological analysis of meaning which, ontologically and Kantian-metaphysically rejects doing ontology with received categories of writing and speech. Derrida was merely unconvinced that the only reine vernunft on tap is mathematically expressible as opposed to using natural language.

But this is a minor aporia on Goldstein's part, caused I think by the fact that during her studies at Princeton, "deconstruction" was fashionable and usable in a sloppy way unlike mathematics.

There are many popular books on mathematics that overstress fascinating and sexy details about the biological mathematicians. While the current rage for this, sparked by the movie A Beautiful Mind, might help to get math geeks laid, a mathematical biography should balance the math and the meat, and even more than Sylvia Nasar's book eponymous to the movie, Incompleteness does this.

Probably a better choice for most of us (including me) to read first, which I am glad I did. I was expecting a mathematical book about Goedel's incompleteness theorem, but this is really a biography of Kurt Goedel [Note: 'oe' is the standard substitute for an umlauted 'o' when one doesn't have the option of using the latter, which this text box doesn't provide.]

Professor Goldstein does provide a simplified explanation of Goedel's incompleteness theorems (there are 2), and a reference to Godel's Proof, by Nagel, Newman, and Hofstadter, which she cites as a fuller presentation of the theorems themselves. Professor Goldstein's presentation of the theorems was, for me, a very helpful introduction which I am very glad to have read. It gives the reader a broad, but shallow overview of the forest, which should keep the reader from getting lost among the trees when tackling the actual proof, if s/he even chooses to do so, and it gives sufficient understanding to satisfy probably the great majority of us.

Also, the biography of Goedel is interesting in itself and well worth reading.

Read this enjoyable and well-written book first, then decide whether you want to tackle Nagel, Newman, and Hofstadter. If you do, you will be better prepared for it.

watziznaym@gmail.com

The author, Rebecca Goldstein, appears to be one of those authors who feels it necessary to use obscure words, phrasing, and technical language to impress her readers. Although I am a well-read professional person, I found it necessary to refer to my dictionary far more than I ever have before, to the point that it was difficult to maintain a smooth flow of understanding. I was struck not only by the topical tangents used to fill space, but by the incredible overuse of fabricated terminology, much of it based on the prefix "meta-".
Unfortunately the book's style obscures the story of Godel and his theorems. Perhaps time will heal my wounds and I'll be able to find a more coherent, lucid treatment of this mathematical icon's work.

The second volume of Kershaw's outstanding biography of Hitler covers the period from 1936 to his death. Kershaw does a superb job of integrating the biographical material per se with relevant narrative and analysis of German history over this period. Kershaw picks up and expands themes that emerged in volume one. Two in particular stand out. One is the overriding importance of Hitler's crude but powerful ideology. The point of Hitler's actions was the violent attainment of his social Darwinist goals; the elimination of European Jewry, the dominance of "inferior races" like the Slavic peoples of Eastern Europe, and German domination of western Eurasia. War was not just necessary to achieve these goals but an indispensable part of the process of establishing German supremacy. The necessity of violence was not merely an ideological preoccupation but something with deep emotional resonance for Hitler. This was a man who found his service on the Western Front a personally transforming and uplifting experience. Kershaw shows well how a large number of Hitler's zealous supporters shared these horrifying views and how an even larger number of Germans, including virtually all of the traditional elites of the German state, were either supportive of Hitler's goals or willing to look the other way as long as he was successful. By the time it became clear that Hitler was leading Germany to disaster, Hitler's power was so well established that any kind of organized resistance became almost impossible.

Kershaw shows well how Hitler's bold repudiation of the Versailles restrictions and the rearmarment policies that expanded the German economy led to enormous personal popularity. Under the umbrella of Hitler's success and great prestige, the Nazis were able to subordinate all the major institutions of German life, perhaps save the churches, which did offer some limited resistance. At the same time, the Party erected a powerful alternative governing structure and some of Hitler's most able and ruthless subordinates developed the powerful security services that policed Germany. Hitler personally established complete dominance over the Wehrmacht, the only institution that could have resisted him successfully. Hitler's daring and ability to capitalize on weaknesses of his opponents, coupled with a good dose of luck led to unprecedented success.

Another major theme articulated by Kershaw is the nature of the Nazi state. The essentially indolent and politically shrewd Hitler ruled primarily by setting himself above day to day government and setting the broader ideological goals for Germany. Hitler's unwillingness to participate in the mechanics of government and his willingness to countenance competing sectors of authority led to an anarchic state (termed polyocracy by some historians) that enhanced Hitler's power because only he had the ultimate authority to adjudicate among the competing authorities. For much of his rule, it also insulated him from public disfavor as unpopular policies were associated with lower ranking Party or government officials. This system, which Kershaw describes as "working towards the Fuhrer" led to competition among different subordinates and power centers for who could gain Hitler's favor by pursuing the ideological goals of the regime. The result was essentially a race to see who could be the more effective murderer of those unfortunate enough to be enemies, real or imagined, of the regime.

I finally got around to reading both volumes of Kershaw's biography after plowing through the Fest bio. Fest's is better, in my opinion, although the first Volume of Kershaw's isn't bad. The problem with Volume 2 is that it's redundant, with endless anecdotes about Hitler's tantrums and paranoia---way too much padding. It's more of an historical account of WW2, instead of a biography, unfortunately. As well, Kershaw's contempt for Hitler gets in the way of acknowledging any successes on Hitler's part; he's unable to give the devil his due. Volume 1 is probably worth it; Volume 2 doesn't add much. Some people like Alan Bullock's bio of Hitler, while others prefer John Toland's. I haven't read either one.

How could a racial crank with no education rule Germany so effectively for years? If he was an evil genius, Why did he then fail, stupidly leading it into a second war and eventual defeat? Kershaw's answer is the Nazi phrase, "working towards the Fuhrer". When Hitler stated his desires or plans, he didn't have to issue actual detailed commands: he could count on his lieutenants to implement his will in practice.

Thus making Germany's foreign policy (in particular) a copy of his own paranoid, ruthless personality, Hitler won some early victories against opponents used to dealing with "gentlemen" leaders and countries. Also, "working towards the Fuhrer" obscured his personality--that of a crank--behind competent experts. But once he desired the impossible (conquering the USSR) or once his will became increasingly vague and contradictory (during the war), the result was total catastrophic, with Germany willingly starting a war it couldn't possibly win just because the Fuhrer wanted it, with the "bonus" of complete government chaos as numerous competing organizations interpreted Hitler's latest vague speech in a self-serving manner.

Kershaw's history shows in meticulous detail just how "working towards the Fuhrer" worked in practice: how it allowed Hitler to make his personal paranoia and racial hatered Germany's officlal policy, with all that that implies--the holocaust included--which is the main point of writing a new biography of him in the first place. This thesis, while surely it can never be conclusively tested, is a far superior explanation of all that had occured in 1933-1945 than simplistic "Hitler was evil" explanations. Evil he certainly was, but, as Kershaw notes, that explains nothing: numerous evil cranks exist. Why did so many cultured and supposedly humane and sane Germans support him is the interesting question, which Kershaw answers very well.

Highly recommended.

I have read many books about the Nazism, but until I read this one I didn't really feel I understood how a little snake like Adolf Hitler could get intelligent people to follow him. "Working toward the Fuhrer", as Kershaw puts it, became the goal, regardless of the consequences. Being "one of us", rather than "one of them", was the only goal. Facinating stuff, and scary, considering the relevance to our own time.

To be sure, military historians may be upset because Kershaw doesn't cover every little thing when it comes to the war, but this is the place to start and finish when it comes to Hitler from 1936-1945. The book is very well written and highly readable. If you want more info on the war, there are certainly other places to go, but if you want to know about Hitler, start with Kershaw's 1st volume and move on to this.

"Flashman and the Tiger" is made up of 3 short stories, the only book of the Flashman series written in such a format. The writing is just as good as ever, but the stories lack the zest and frisson of the others, perhaps because they deal with a late middle-aged and elderly Flashman, which necessarily limits the deranged situations the author has in which to place his creation.

The first and longest story- "The Road to Charing Cross"- involves Flashman in a plot to save the Emperor Franz Josef from an assassination. The story, while amusing, is rather far-fetched and none too memorable. The second story, "The Subtleties of Baccarat", is worth the price of the book. It is expertly constructed and written, based on a historical incident, with a surprise ending which will leave you laughing in shock. The third story, "Flashman and the Tiger", has its moments, particularly the elderly Flashman's verbal sparring with Oscar Wilde and his run-in with Sherlock Holmes, but it too is somewhat contrived and a little silly. All in all, a fun book, but two of the stories just don't rank in quality with the other Flashman books.

Given that my introduction to the Flashmen series almost coincided with the tragic (although not unexpected) death of George Macdonald Frasier I have made it my news years resolution to let people know about his wonderful books.

I have to say that this installment of Flashy is actually a better, rounder and tighter notation then a story that is the length of a novel. The first story is in my opinion only a three star but it may be just what other people have ordered it is not my place to judge.

The other two installments are where this particular collection shines in the second story readers finally get to see what I have what I have suspected for awhile Flashy's wife is capable of being quite devious when she wants to be.

The third story where the collection gets its name is probably my favorite Flashman yet Fraser managed to pull the nose of old Sir Arthur Conan Doyle good for him.

You will find yourself wanting more of this particular installment but they are alas too brief. If ordinary Flashman novels aren't your thing you might want to give these collections a try.

'Flashman and the Tiger'; consists of a novella and two short stories. The shorts, which involve an infamous baccarat scandal that touched the Prince of Wales, and the unexpected fallout from the Rorke Drift military disaster are a definite improvement over the novella, which treats an assassination attempt of Emperor Franz Josef in the 1880's.





The novella occupies roughly two-thirds of the book and wanders along aimlessly. If you are unfamiliar with Flashman and especially the Royal Flash (Flashman) you are likely to be more confused than amused.





Fraser is not at his best here. The whole book has an unfinished, unpolished feel. Flashman is aged at the time of the events (not just at the time of the writing them down), but I don't think that is the problem. Flashy still rogers along or fondly recalls past rogering, shrinks from danger, and does his foes dirty - behind their back, of course.





The final short, the eponymous Flashman and the Tiger, contains a good riff on Sherlock Holmes deducing (wrongly on all points).





Recommended only for established Flashman fans. If you are new to to Harry Flashman, best start in the beginning.Flashman: A Novel (Flashman).

Fraser squeezed another Flashy episode into that brief human life and me, I'm glad. So will you be also.

The Flashman Papers continue to offer up new episodes in this series. In this one Flashy's reflections are more more mature, but his cynicism remains intact, his wisdom a human one recognizing our weaknesses as humans, none more than his own.

Flashman and the Tiger is more a collection of 3 Flashman short stories than a single coherent novel. As a result, it is sort of a mixed bag. The first (and longest of the three) is also the best. It deals with an attempt on the life of Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz-Josef's life, and true to Flashman form is full of debauchery, double-crossing, and cowardice mistaken for courage and honor.

The second centers around a gambling scandal with the Prince of Wales, the third with a matter of honor and Sir Flashman's granddaughter. Both of these stories were good, but sort of a let down after the delightful and complicated first story. Nonetheless, Flashman fans will be sure to enjoy the book as did I.