Ireland Books

Ann Milholland Webb's THE CONNEMARA BUS is one of those intimate epics that hooks a reader and just doesn't let go. It spins fascinating tales and adventures involving two people, their two cultures and countries and families, and the themes of heartbreak, loss of love and innocence, discovery and hope are not just universal, they become more personal as you read on. This is a ride well worth taking, beautifully told. Truly an intimate story of epic proportions!

I visited Galway, Ireland in June of this year and met Hugh and Annon the Connemara Bus which is now a tourist bus. They were great people.

I highly recommend this book to Irish Americans like myself who are interested in their ancestry and finidhing their relations.

The Connemara Bus is a beautifully well written autobiography which will hold the reader captivated from start to finish. The author describes her childhood, her close relationship to her father and her association with Hugh Ryan and his family. Accompanied by her brother, Dennis, Ann Milholland Webb while on tour in Ireland on The Connemara Bus, chronicals her personal "coming to terms" with the deaths of both her husband and her father in a way which makes the reader feel like they, too, are passengers on the bus and witnesses of her experiences. I am very much looking forward to a sequel of The Connemara Bus by this very talented author.

This is a superb work about greif bearing,roots, and the splendid man Mr. Ferguson. A look at the Connemara Region in times forgotten by many or rather unknown to more. A region of natural beauty not to be missed when you go to Galway. You will consider a tour on the Connemara Bus a bargain. If for no other reason, you will have had the company of Mr.Hugh Ryan, the driver, for an afternoon. Buy the book if you go or not. Ann Milholland has a lot to say in her first book.

Life is full of missed opportunities. How many of us have lamented over that moment of hesitation when we didn't seize the opportunity to speak to an intriguing stranger or take advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity? Fortunately there are also those serendipitous moments that can change the whole course of your life. For Missouri native, Ann Milholland Webb, that moment came when she stepped on the Connemara Bus in Galway City. Bus owner and tour guide, Hugh Ryan, offered Ann much more than a tour of the Connemara landscape and history. He provided a glimpse into a simpler time when his grandfather, Andrew Ferguson, used the original bus as a means for women, especially, to come to the city to sell their wares and visit the world outside the narrow confines of village life. For Ann the journey served several purposes, not the least of which was a means of coming to terms with the death of the major figures in her life, her husband and her father. In addition, she found a sense of belonging and acceptanace within the Ryan's close-knit family. Even more surprising, she found a sense of purpose in life and a reason to go on by developing a cottage industry in the Connemara countryside which benefits the local inhabitants. Travel along with Ann on this trip of healing and renewal in the Connemara Bus. It is a journey well worth taking.

In the book Hitler's Thirty Days to Power, Henry A. Turner argues that Adolf Hitler's rise to power is most evidently illustrated by examining the last thirty days before his appointment to chancellor of Germany in January 1933. Prior to reading Hitler's Thirty Days to Power I had been under the impression that Hitler had a much more active role in securing his position as chancellor of Germany before ascending to Fuhrer. Turner by taking the microscopic approach of only analyzing these thirty days clearly demonstrated that this was not the case. According to the author, Hitler's rise to power was the result of luck, the egos of other political figures, as well as the belief that he could be used simply as a pawn to gain favor of his dwindling amount of supporters. Had any one of these differentiate Hitler would not have been successful in securing the position as chancellor. Turner substantiates his claims through a variety of resources ranging from personal memoirs and newspaper articles from the period to journal publications of modern historians. The information he presented was mostly-well known to the scholarly world, however, the manner in which it manifested was innovative. By using a magnifying glass-like method to examine the month leading up to Hitler's establishment in power rather than the all encompassing approach, Turner gives the generally educated reader, such as me, a better insight to the schematics of Hitler's rise.

Furthermore, the individuals of the text come to life through an intense focus on what propelled them to reach conclusions that allowed Hitler power. The personalities of people like Franz von Papen and Paul von Hindenburg are revealed through these decisions. Turner does not simple state the events that occurred, but rather allowed his reader to envision internal turmoil that was suffered by these individuals in coming to their resolutions. An example of this would be the German President Paul von Hindenburg. Originally he vowed that Hitler would never gain the position of chancellorship. However, numerous overtures made by Papen, a good friend and former chancellor under Hindenburg, combined with the encouragement by his son Otto the President was convinced to allow Hitler the position he so coveted. Turner illustrates throughout the book the difficultly Hindenburg faced in reaching this conclusion. The narration permits the book a novel-like reading often reserved for fiction rather than history. Many other texts compel the audience to feel as if they had read solely the outcome of the events leading up to January 1933 instead of getting a vivid understanding of its cause. Hitler's Thirty Days to Power answers the problem of how Hitler came to power in a compelling and easy read. The narrative and the individuals engage the audience regardless of any negative or positive connotations surrounding them.

The only major flaw that I see with Hitler's Thirty Days to Power is the last chapter of the text. This chapter, "Determinacy, Contingency, and Responsibility," attempts mainly to answer two questions: Should anyone, other than Hitler, be held accountable for the atrocities of his reign because of their involvement in his rise to power and what would have happened had Hitler's reign not existed? The author answers the first charge with the assertion that "although impersonal forces may make events possible, people make events happen." Unforeseeable events might have occurred, but it is individuals like Papen and Hindenburg who are ultimately responsible for Hitler's reign regardless of their original intent. Although others like Hindenburg's son Otto might played a lesser role they still had a significant part therefore they are also to blame. I agree with these assertions, however, I they led me to disagree with Turner's assessment of the public. Turner sees the German public only at fault because of their lack of understand of the importance of their ability to replace their government figures. After WWI, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated the throne at the demand and revolt by the general public. At this moment the power the people held was not failed to be recognized. I have a difficult time believing that less than twenty years later this power had all but been forgotten. Instead after reading Turner's text I have come to the conclusion that much like Hindenburg and Papen, the German public underestimated Hitler. Turner asserts that responsibility for Hitler's reign rests on those like Hindenburg and Papen for their underestimation of Hitler, than the general German public should also share the blame.

In addition, Turner's answering the question of what would have happened had Hitler not come to power seems unreasonable. The author suggests that had Hitler not come to power a military coup would have overtaken the government and the atrocities of WWII would have been avoided. It is difficult to make assumptions of what might had happened if Hindenburg or other resisted Hitler's rise to power. No one can say for certain the fate of the government at the end of the Weimer Republic had alternate approaches been taken. In addition, it is difficult to say that the atrocities of WWII would have been completely avoided. There had been for some times a growing resentment for both communism and the Jews. Perhaps, these crimes might have been on a lesser scale in which all of Europe was not involved. However, these atrocities regardless of their extent seemed destined to be committed because of the complacency of the German republic.

Overall Henry Ashby Tuner's Hitler's Thirty Days to Power was an excellent text. It provided a microscopic look into the last thirty days before Hitler obtained chancellorship which eventually led to his dictatorship. This approach was helpful in understanding how Hitler's rise to power. It allowed his audience to witness the key figures involved and their reasoning for being a part of the scheme. In addition, the reader also is provided with the sense that there were several opportunities to prevent Hitler's reign yet they were pushed aside. Furthermore, Turner showed the audience that although Hitler took advantage of the conflict between several key figures in government, it is these individuals like Papen and Hindenburg that are responsible for Hitler. They underestimated Hitler and their large egos led them to believe that they could ultimately control him. Turner's text is valuable to not only the study of history but also as a study for the future. The book teaches the world's governments that we should not underestimate those seeking or holding power. Most importantly, when an individual claims or even more brazenly writes a book on their political goals, like Hitler did with [...], perhaps we should see these claims or writings as absolute truths. Goals which people like Hitler intend to reach.

This well written book is a case study of how luck, personalities, and even simple spite can have major effects. At the end of 1932, the Nazi party seemed to be on the threshold of decline. Its fraction of the electorate was slipping, its finances were in disarray, and there was considerable dissent from both rank and file and leaders of the party. Many were dissatisfied with Hitler's strategy of pursuing supremacy through electoral politics. Some sectors of the party wanted to pursue revolutionary violence, others, like the influential organizer Gregor Strasser, thought that Hitler was throwing away great opportunities by insisting on the Chancellorship instead of accepting important cabinet posts in right wing coalition governments. At the end of January, 1933, Hitler was ensconced as Chancellor, some of his loyal lieutenants, like Goring, occupied crucial cabinet posts, and Hitler was able to initiate the 'back door' revolution that resulted in the Nazi domination of Germany.
Hitler obtained the Chancellorship, in part, because of his obdurate refusal to accept anything less as the price of participation in a governing coalition, a product of his messianic self-confidence. Turner shows well that Hitler was handed the Chancellorship as a result of a series of backstairs plotting involving former Chancellor Papen and members of President Hindenberg's circle, notably his son Oskar. Hitler was greatly underestimated by these individuals, and was underestimated just as greatly by the then Chancellor, General von Schleicher. Hitler does deserve credit for his persistence and his ability to hold his party together but as Turner shows very well, he was phenomenally fortunate and was gifted the Chancellorship because of court politics motivated to a great extent by spite and petty jealousy.
Turner concludes with a nice and concise discussion of a counterfactual alternative to Hitler's ascent to power. As Turner points out, when democracy failed in the inter-war period, and it did so frequently, the usual result was an authoritarian state dominated by traditional conservatives and the military. Fascist movements were present in some of these countries and were incorporated into these regimes as traditional conservatives sought to draw on the popular support mobilized by fascist movements, but in Hungary, Romania, and Spain, the more traditional right/military remained in control. With more capable right wing leadership in Germany, this would have been the probable outcome. The result would have been an authoritarian but not totalitarian state, one that was anti-Semitic but not genocidal. The German state would certainly have rearmed and Turner suggests that the most likely outcome would have been a more limited war with Poland. His speculations are reasonable.

THis is the real, hard to believe story of Hitler's ascent to the corridors of power. Chancellor was the only real job he ever had, other than his military service...and this book charts his rise over all the educated, polished saps who tried to use Hitler, and wound being suckered by him instead. His seizure of power in Germany, thanks to Von Papen and Hindenburg was as unfortunate for everyone else, as it was lucky for him.
If you want to know how Hitler rose to Chancellor in Germany, read this book.

This is a well-written and extensive explanation on the behind the scenes machinations, impelled by personal foibles and vendettas, that led to Hitler's being awarded the Chancellorship of Germany despite his party's never achieving a majority in or at the polls.

The book sets to rest many myths about how German industrialists finagled Hitler's ascension to power and exposes the inner workings and interactions of the multiple parties, politicians, and political hacks that actually, and often inadvertently, coalesced to create the power vacuum which Hitler filled. The book also explains why the Nazis were so interested in obtaining control of Prussia and its security forces. (The reason is that although there were 19 separate federal political entities in the Weimar Republic, by far the strongest political entity was Prussia, which contained 60% of both the total population and land in the country. In addition, the federal government's security forces were almost non-existent but Prussia had a force of some 50,000 men [half the size of the 100,000 man German army] that came under the control of whoever became the Ministry of the Interior in Prussia [who turned out to be Hermann Goering when Hitler gained power]. Not only that but Goering, as Ministry of the Interior of Prussia, then had the authority to deputize tens of thousands of Nazis as auxiliary police to carry out Hitler's goals.)

Perhaps the only real drawback to the book is that the introductory material on the Weimar Republic and its political processes is incomplete, making the transition to the core of the book a bit harsh.

Most people who have some knowledge of the climb to power of the Nazis think Hitler enjoyed an unbroken rise from the Beer Hall Putsch to the Chancellorship.

While true in the main, author Henry Turner in "Thirty Days, January 1933" describes how Hitler's party was waning in Germany and widely believed to have peaked with the last most recent elections in 1932. A good case can be made that it was ready to fall dramatically in terms of popular support and strength in the Reichstag if another election had been called to again try and form a workable governing coalition in Germany at the end of 1932. The Nazi Party's finances were in disarray. They had been seen as a protest vote by significant numbers in the July 1932 election and things had not gotten better under their expanding influence. In the November 1932 election, they lost 32 seats. Local Nazi organizations were in disarray, dispirited and some in rebellion over Hitler's refusal to participate in the government in any role except that of Chancellor. Dues were not coming in and the party could not have afforded another national election. In addition, there was a split at the top of the Nazi Party between Hitler and the administrative head, Gregor Starssor.

Germany was chaotic. No elected chancellor could govern with a majority in the Reichstag. The government was placed in the hands of a presidentially appointed chancellor (Kurt Schleicher) by President Hindenburg. The author compellingly chronicles the thirty day period in which Hitler and the Nazi's political fortunes were saved by: 1. the ineptness of Chancellor Schleicher; 2. the scheming of recent Chancellor Franz von Pappen; and, 3. The age and weakness of national figure President Paul von Hindenburg. Aiding the Nazi's also was Hitler's single-minded pursuit of the top spot of chancellor as well as a fortuitous minor state election which the Nazi's went all out for and were able to spin as an electoral comeback.

The bottom line is that an incredible line-up of weak politicians and unbelievable luck paved the way for Hitler to be named Chancellor by Hindenburg at the end of January, 1933. It is tragic to comprehend how Hitler could have been prevented; arguably should have been prevented by the operation of any kind of normal political environment. That he was able to ride incredible good luck and the stupid machinations of a handful of top politicians who thought they could control Hitler and bend him to their purposes is an interesting story.

This book is likely to appeal students of the Nazi period and will probably not interest the general reader. It literally focuses on the thirty day period with only a general overview of the growth of the Nazi Party in the 1920's and early 30's and a brief "what happened to the players after" section (most murdered by the Nazi state). Still, if you are interested in the subject, this book is pretty good.

Victor Kravchenko made a stunning defection to the USA in 1944, while working as a Soviet purchasing agent on the lend-lease program. He was 38 years old. Kravchenko grew up as an idealist and a zealous communist. His father even served prison time for revolting against the Czar in 1905. Kravchenko fought with the Reds in the civil war and joined the communist party.

He began to sour on communism as a witness to the ghastly collectivization efforts in the Ukraine in the mid 1930's. He was sent to organize a harvest but forbidden to feed the starving workers. Kravchenko broke the rules then, and many times as manager of various pipe factories. Nevertheless he witnessed widespread starvation. His communist resolve began to crack when his family adopted a young girl, a wandering orphan, who cried herself to sleep every night because her parents had been shipped to Siberia. And further, when he finally delivered the grain to a warehouse only to find the previous year's harvest safely store there while thousands perished nearby.

His communist devotion was finally destroyed by numerouse 'purges', endless questionings, tortures, and beatings. His knack for rallying factories seems to be the only reason he survived. Kravchenko vividly describes the human condition of the workers and farmers, the lush perks of party members, and the omnipresent informer culture of a police state.

He eventually achieved a high post in the Kremlin working under Stalin's top lieutenants. Then deftly maneueverd himself into a position where he might be posted abroad to defect. After his defection, he wrote this book and lived in constant fear of assassination in the US. He died under suspicious circumstances in New York in 1966.

This all too human book shimmers with truth and the realism of genuine witness. Written in rugged prose (translated from Russian) it is the memoir of a great soul. A compelling read for anyone who wants to understand Russia, communism, Stalin, Evil.

A great historical book on the Russian Communist Revolution and how it was viewed from the point of view of an ardent Communist. By reading this book, a good comparison can be made with other famous revolutions in history.

"I Chose Freedom" by Victor A. Kravchenko is a must read for anyone who hopes to come close/er to knowing Stalin's Capitalist Company. Please forget all of that "Communist" stuff; that was just the name of Stalin's own personal company. And what a Capitalist he was! He owned every fatory, he owned all the roads, he owned all of the utilities, he owned the Army, he owned the entire Justice (sic) system, HE OWNED THE PEOPLE!
People like to talk of John D. Rockefeller - CAPITALISTS! HA! John D. Rockefeller, punk when compared to the real thing, STALIN.
Read "I Choose Freedom" and get the inside dope by Victor A. Kravchenko. By my reckoning, Victor rose to about the 4th tier under Stalin, and Stalin truated him so much Victor was sent to Washington, D.C., to work on the wartime "Lend Lease" program. The KGB couldn't guess they had just given Victor his passport to freedom, and constant fear because there was never a more wanted man than Victor. Also, let me suggest, "Operation SOLO, our man in the Kremlin"

This is one of the best books I've read in a very long time, a fact which caught me completely by surprise as I purchased it on a whim after seeing it referenced in a 20th century social history of Russia textbook I was assigned in college. I was hoping to get a personal account of life under Stalin; Kravchenko certainly delivers, not only from the perspective of an ordinary citizen who began his career with deep hopefulness about the Soviet system, but also later as a profoundly disillusioned, high-ranking official who miraculously manages to survive every major calamity of the period -- collectivization, purges, the Nazi invasion, etc. Kravchenko's writing (or at least the English translation) is a delight, his narrative riveting, and the implication of what the Russian people went through in this period is absolutely mind-boggling. As an insider's account it is first rate.

While this edition of the book (purchased through Amazon) appears to have been republished by a conservative group as a means to promote "conservatism," Kravchenko's own motivations were quite different: his commitment was to seeing the totalitarian regime replaced with a democratic one, whatever form that democracy might eventually take. Even in his defection to the US, he does not endorse any particular ideology, choosing intead to acknowledge injustice where he sees it (the US and Britain included).

I had been looking forward to reading this book for sometime since it has been out of print. This was a seminal book in the process of deglamorizing Joe Stalin and the Soviet Union. The brutality of the Soviets as manifested by the genocidal famines, purges, persecution of religion, and overt aggression and occupation of neighboring countries was known to the West. However, due to the outright denials and other obfuscations by leftists of all sorts, and FDR's administration, presumably to get Stalin to side with them against Hitler, this knowledge was suppressed and did not influence public opinion.

Well, the book is an expose of communism written by a communist. The author makes it clear that he realizes that he dedicated his life to a system that was essentially terroristic, and no effort on his part to instill or elicit decency from the rulers and their underlings was going to work inside the system. That is why he comes to the conviction that the only way to save his people is to write this expose, hoping that outside world could influence the Kremlin, so that they would finally feel some fear for what they were doing. The author was correct, and subsequantly other exposes influenced forces, both externally and internally, and brought about the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, the author did pay a terrible price for his actions, as I am sure he knew he would, his family and freinds in the Soviet Union were severely persecuted.

I dissagree with a earlier reviewer's point that the author was not a confirmed advocate of Western style democracy. Considering the time that the author had after he entered the country, defected and wrote the book, it is unlikely that he could do a reasonable comparative analysis of political systems. The author was convinced that the Soviet system was evil, and that it was much worse than Czarist Russia. Also consider how devastating it must have been to him to abandon this ideology to which he had devoted his life to. I am curious about what his further convictions were.

Overall, this is a very well written book, a credit to the author's ability and his translators. I just wish that the publisher had included a little on the author's biography post the release of the book.

Lord Chesterfield's writings are by far the best guidelines for an up-and-coming, savvy gentleman to learn the ways of the society. Stanhope's many gems of advice are learned painfully by most through experience, or sometimes not at all. This book is truly a classic and one I will insist my future sons read before making their way in the world.

Lord Chesterfield is the 18th-century English father I never had. In these letters to his son, he gives stern but fair lessons in how to conduct oneself as a gentleman in society. Chesterfield, with his classical learning and lifelong service to the monarchy, is superbly qualified to give such social advice. His dry wit, strong-mindedness, and discerning eye make him entertaining to read, and, though repetitive ("the graces, boy, remember the graces!"), much of his advice is still very apt today. Taking us through the prime of his career to the twilight of his life, these letters show Chesterfield as the ultimate politician--keenly aware of humanity's selfishness, and always ready to use that selfishness to his own benefit. There is something endearing in this open devilishness.

The following, and my favorite, quote will no doubt provide a quick and definitive answer to the ageless question: are you upper class?

Dear Boy,
Having mentioned laughing, I must particularly warn you against it: and I could heartily wish that you may often be seen to smile, but never heard to laugh while you live. ... A man's going to sit down, in the supposition that he has a chair behind him, and falling down upon his breech for want of one, sets a whole company a laughing, when all the wit in the world would not do it; a plain proof, in my mind, how low and unbecoming a thing laughing is: not to mention the disagreeable noise that it makes, and the shocking distortion of the face that it occasions. Laughter is easily restrained by a very little reflection; but as it is generally connected with the idea of gaiety, people do not enough attend to its absurdity. I am neither of a melancholy nor a cynical disposition, and am as willing and as apt to be pleased as anybody; but I am sure that since I have had the full use of my reason, nobody has ever heard me laugh.

"All you learn, and all you can read, will be of little use, if you don't think and reason upon it yourself". This is merely one of the advices Lord Chesterfield gave to his natural son, Philip, in the many letters he wrote to him from 1737 onwards, and that this book compiles.

Chesterfield was an important stateman, who wrote these letters only for the eyes of his son, not for the general public, so he did express in stark terms what he truly thought about many controversial themes. It is, in my opinion, very interesting to read what he considered to be general truths, and to get to know his conception of life, society and politics. Whether you agree or not with his opinions, you cannot remain indifferent to this controversial book.

Lord Chesterfield places great value on appearances. He tells Philip that "If your air and address are vulgar, awkward, and gauche, you may be esteemed indeed, if you have great intrinsic merit; but you will never please; and without pleasing you will rise but heavily". The author is, evidently, a cynic who doesn't believe that the world can be improved. He points out that "The world is taken by the outside of things, and we must take the world as it is". Chesterfields profession is fairly evident at all times, for example when he advises his son "...to be upon your own guard, and yet, by a seeming natural openness, to put people off theirs".

"Lord Chesterfield's Letters" has been considered a noteworthy classic by many, but it has also been strongly criticized. For example, Samuel Johnson said that it taught "the morals of a whore and the manners of a dancing-master". I really don't agree with Johnson: I happen to like this book, and a lot. It is not only very easy to read, but also informative. The reader feels as if he were talking with an old but very experienced person, who played an active part in an enormous number of significant events, and who wants to transmit his knowledge not only on diplomatic affairs, but also about life and education. He often displays great insight, for example when he says that "You must look into people, as well as at them. Almost all people are born with all the passions, to a certain degree; but almost every man has a prevailing one, to which the others are subordinate".

All in all, I strongly recommend this book. It includes a high number of subjects, and I think you are highly likely to find it very appealing. If more is needed to convince you, I'll just leave you with one of the phrases written by the author, and I'll let its excellence to speak for itself: "Mind, not only what people say, but how they say it; and, if you have any sagacity, you may discover more truth by your eyes than by your ears. People can say what they will, but they cannot look just as they will; and their looks frequently discover, what their words are calculated to conceal". What else can I say?... Enjoy this book!.

Belen Alcat

Lord Chesterfield was an influential politician, diplomat and cabinet minister during the reigns of George I and II, and this book is a collection of letters of advice, counsel, and sometimes genuine wisdom, written by Chesterfield, over many years, to his son, Philip Stanhope, for whom Chesterfield had the highest hopes of success in the world. What you may get out of this book depends on who you are as a reader: casual readers would do better to stay with mysteries and thrillers; inebriate undergraduates would do better to skip it altogether; but ambitous men and women, actually working in the real world, will find so much here to consider and reflect upon, that it will take several close readings to absorb all that may apply to your career. That one's knowlege of the World must be learned by experience in the World, not in an ivory tower; that one's skills and virtues are of little practical value, unless carefully presented in a pleasing and artful Image; that multitasking destroys all hope of success; these are a few of the ideas which Chesterfield presents in elegant and polished prose. But Chesterfield's personal life, as it unfolds through his letters to its tragic and sorrowful conclusion, presents the most powerful lesson of all about ambition, life, and failure, for those readers who can read beyond what is merely written.

What a great addition to any St. Patrick's Day arsenal! A great cliff-hanger-type folk tale, complete with kings, sea monsters, vindictive witches, and a heroine who gives a whole new meaning to "riding off in the sunset"! The illustrations are superbe! My kinders raved about this book, even though I feared it would be a bit above them. We read it in sections, stopping at the brink of each near-certain disaster, so that it was just the right amount of listening for my many wiggily boys!! It fits in so well with our current fairy tale theme, that I would include in this genre, as well. This is a not-to-miss adventure, complete with classic twists and turns, and a few new ones!

I bought this book for my nephew but decided to wait to give it to him for several reasons. The main one being that I absolutely LOVE the book myself! LOL! However, while the story is good and I know he'll enjoy it, he's still a bit young (not even 2); it seems more appropiate for 4 years old or older.

In the story, Young Kate uses her wits to save her family and her village with an ending I never saw coming -- not your typical 'Fairy Tale Ending' but an excellent one nonetheless especially for our modern times. I fell in love with the illustration's ton of detail that kept me looking at each page long after the reading was over.

My one complaint is that, while the book itself is good sized so you can see the pictures, the paperback edition seems a bit flimsy. If this story is to be loved (and thus read) as much as I think it will then I may have to order another copy or two to last through the years. Perhaps the school binding edition is more sturdy?

Both girls and boys will enjoy this story and I think you grown ups will, too.

"O'Sullivan Stew" is a rollicking book with a truly heroic female protagonist. The pictures are both lovely and funny--if you pay special attention to facial expressions I guarantee you'll be laughing out loud. Kate, the heroine, spins yarns with a skill beyond her years, painting pictures with her inventive tales. Her speech is like music--you can practically hear her brogue while you're reading. And if her storytelling doesn't convince you that she's painting pictures with her words, then the illustrations will. They vary from dreamy pastels to muted and murky to bold and bright depending on the nature of the tale she's telling. And when she stops, the world turns black and white.

Not only does this book contain excellent illustrations, a strong, believable heroine, and a captivating story line, but there are several surprises and an unexpected ending. I hope you'll read it... it would be a shame to miss out on such a marvelously fun book!

The Irish have long memories, and even longer tales to reflect that. This book is a wonderful way to get children caught up in the excitement and tension of a classical tale, while also giving them a resourceful and modern heroine to admire. The book is everything a children's story should be: it's funny, the languish reads well and beautifully, and the illustrations are well done. This is a must-have.

This is probably my favorite story for a St. Patrick's Day read aloud. The village of Crookhaven is cursed when the local witch's horse is stolen by the king. Kate O'Sullivan and her father and brothers try to steal the horse back but are captured. It is up to Kate to weave a series of tales to get them all off the hook by describing other "true" stories where her family was in a "worse spot" than this one. The King is amused and enthralled by Kate's tales until the last one and all her work is about to be undone until an astonishing secret is revealed.

Hudson Talbott's illustrations are a riot of color and action. The expressions of the characters are so evocative you will laugh out loud.

Grab some Irish music to play in the background and share the story with everyone. The story will compell you to read with an Irish brogue even if you never have before.

Hudson Talbott books are like having a storyteller sitting at your elbow. The pacing of the story as it interplays with the illustrations is perfect.

This well-researched and (necessarily) somewhat-speculative work covers the sustainment of Freemasonry in Scotland in the time just before Masonry went public in 1717. The title is less accurate than the subtitle, however, for it creates more questions than it answers. For convincing speculation on the actual origins of Freemasonry (and one that fits well before this book if one will take William Schaw as patron and not creator of the Craft), read "Born in Blood" by John J. Robinson.

Prof. Stevenson, a non-mason, has stumbled upon freemasonry while specialising in the history of the Scottish covenanters. He adds academic structure and his formidable historic knowledge to the unwritten part of Scottish masonry, - an oral tradition of memorized texts and a rich variety of lodge rituals, -way before George I's (a Hanoverian who spoke no English) attempt in 1717 to create a system of control by establishing the Grand Lodge of England. Mr. Stevenson may be forgiven for not understanding masonic imagery, however he has given us a well presented insight into Scottish masonry. His impressive work sets new standards in masonic history, based on verifiable and reproducable evidence rather than on wishful thinking. A highly recommendable book.

Outstanding scholarly work. Not an easy read, but full of the details and exacting research one expects from an academic of Stevenson's stature. I am on my second time through this book.
Any Brother who considers himself a Masonic scholar should be in possession of this book.

Though sometimes the reading is a little dry, this book is full of great history. Origins of some aspects of masonry few have heard of. Any Mason who loves history, will find it interesting.

There are about as many explanations of Freemasonry's origins as there are explainers. From Freemasonry's own dramatic and fascinating legends to paranoid conspiracy theories, along with overly fanciful New Age yarns, unsupported armchair guesswork, bestselling thrillers, and careful historical investigations. This book is an exemplary model of the latter. David Stevenson has brought his scholarly acumen and disciplined historical expertise to bear on a much muddled subject, arriving at conclusions as plausible and modest as they are interesting and original--not to mention refreshingly clear.

The first seventy pages or so are extremely dry, and after a while started to wear on my patience. My advice: bear with Stevenson as he lays out the facts here, grounding Freemasonry's murky prehistory firmly in the socioeconomic facts of Medieval Scotland. From this he can demonstrate convincingly how Renaissance elements of Hermeticism, Neo-Platonism, the Art of Memory, and Vitruvian valorizations of architecture came to inform the self-characterizations and common practices of these prior craft guilds, gradually transforming the latter in the process. He sticks closely to previously unconsidered primary sources of the time in question rather than later reconstructions so as to uncover the unfolding of this complicated process, mining fragmentary manuscripts, local records, and other such often overlooked sources tucked away in the shadowy corners of old archives for what they have to tell us--cautiously and painstakingly distinguishing certain fact from plausible but ultimately unverified speculation based on those facts as he goes along. In the bargain he makes a strong case for his rather original thesis that much of early Freemasonry as we know it today developed in Scotland and only then spread to England (and from there to the rest of the world), substantially altering our picture of this intriguingly complex process thereby.

And it's rather amusing to think that it all started with a stray reference the author came across in the midst of pretty much unrelated historical research, one he decided to follow up on for the heck of it and maybe write a little article--an article that grew into two whole books, this one and the more locally detailed The First Freemasons: Scotlands Early Lodges and Their Members. Stevenson's extensive consideration of the Scottish proto-Freemason Robert Moray--crucial in accounting for the evolution of Freemasonry's symbolism, social values, and ethical orientation--has apparently also blossomed recently into his editing of Letters of Sir Robert Moray to the Earl of Kincardine, 1657-73. So what started out as a lark has grown into a sustained scholarly pursuit, of which "The Origins of Freemasonry" here is a key work and perhaps the most accessible for the generalist. Indeed, if you are looking for a sober, reliable book on this topic, this one fits the bill nicely.

We went to Ireland last year for the first time and loved it so much, we are going again this year. We purchased this book as well as another guidebook. This one is fabulous -- very well thought out and organized - you can tell he really knows what he is talking about -- this is the one that we will bring with us -- he even tells you when and how to drive the Dingle Peninsula to avoid the tourist buses -- does not give you too much information. He has a very honest and down to earth approach which makes for an informative and interesting read!

Rick Steve's book is a down-to-earth book that gives so much information to which you can relate. It's a wonderful guide.

Rick Steves' Ireland 2008 is like your brother (your very detailed and analytical exploring brother) writing home with the in's and out's of each city and stop in Ireland. Hitting highlights and lowlights, Rick leaves no Irish pebble unturned for the common traveler. If you have a question about Ireland, it is most likely answered in this book; if not, then Rick has made himself available through his websites if you need further information. It is very helpful to not walk into a new situation unprepared and Rick's Ireland 2008 has proved most helpful!

Ireland offers visitors a diversity of memorable places to visit, memorable people to encounter, and memorable opportunities for recreation. Rick Steves is a seasoned and experienced travel writer and in collaboration with Ireland specialist Pat O'Connor has authored the "Rick Steves' Ireland 2008", a compact, 425-page travel guide that is packed from first page to last with informed and informative information for tourists and business travelers to the villages, towns, and countryside of the Republic of Ireland in the south, as well as the cities and counties of Northern Ireland. Of special note is the introductory chapter dedicated to the best use of this outstanding guide for planning a trip whether of short or extended duration, practicalities when traveling, money, sightseeing, sleeping, eating, 'Traveling as a Temporary Local', and 'Back Door Travel Philosophy'. Another special section is devoted to Irish history, art, literature, language, and an Irish-Yankee Vocabulary. Enhanced with appendices on resources; money matters; telephones, emails, and postal mails; transportation; holidays and festivals; conversions and climate; an essential packing checklist; and a sample hotel reservation form, "Rick Steves' Ireland 2008" is an ideal and enthusiastically recommended guide for anyone anticipating a trip to the Emerald Isle.

We have used Rick Steaves books in Italy, Germany, England and Holland and have not been disappointed.

For an autobiography, constrained to stick to what actually happened or was lived, the second world war is as dramatic a context as you can get. I have little previous exposure to books about personal experiences of the second world war, but I think what sets this book apart is the slowness & indirectness of experiencing the war & the inevitable & visceral destruction it brings.

Brandenburg tells a very involved & nuanced story without ever bordering on the dramatic. She shows remarkable poise & a wonderful eye for detail without losing herself in any kind of literary embellishments. She tells the story of growing up with a lovely peasant family in East Prussia, its hard life demanding discipline, the Germans trading freedom for security post first world war, Hitler's deep penetration into the social & psychological realms of Germany, the initial victories, the never-ending war with Russia, the eventual retreats, & the German defeat.

In between all this are woven tales of growing up, marriages, jealousies, betrayals, cowardice, fear & suspense. And inevitably, there is death. Yes, there is hope at the end, & yes, there is rejuvenation. But those remain very lame consolations for what is lost, for what is learned, & for what is lived.

Perhaps, if Brandenburg had experienced the war as an adult, there might have been more complex experiences & analysis; however, this book remains ultimately about what is lost.

S!

I recently finished the book Ruined by the Reich. Its a compelling story of a firsthand account of a families anguish. When Christel speaks of her harrowing ordeals you can visualize everything that she is going through. A detailed outlook of the effects of war on all individuals involved.I would love to see this book made into a movie. Dan Laing is an excellent writer and Christel Weiss is a wonderful story teller.

I JUST FINISHED READING, RUINED BY THE REICH. THIS WAS
A FASCINATING STORY, AND YET VERY SAD. I DON'T THINK
MOST OF US EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE GERMAN PEOPLE SUFFERING.
THAT POOR GIRL. THE WRITING WAS SO DISTINCT, I FELT IT
WHEN CHRISTEL WAS COLD AND I FELT STARVED WHEN SHE DIDN'T
GET ENOUGH TO EAT. POOR CHRISTEL IS IN OUR PRAYERS.

I HOPE THESE TWO WHO HAVE COLLABORATED SO WELL, ARE
WORKING ON A SCREEN PLAY.

THIS WAS SO VERY WELL TOLD. POOR CRYSTEL IS IN OUR PRAYERS.

The beauty of this story is in the details. What was eaten for breakfast; her first doll; the logistics of evacuating - of loading your possessions and food onto a wagon hitched to a horse in the days before refrigeration and styrofoam coolers. Yes, this story is a tragedy, be prepared to have your heartstrings pulled but intermingled are the happy events such as finding an abandoned cow, hiding it and tasting milk again.The characters are real and the reader cannot help himself from empathizing with the whole village.

After reading Ruined by the Reich it brought to light that everyone suffers during and after war. Unfortunately, to this point, the view of Germans has always been that the whole population were Nazis. From this book we realize that such is not the case and that Germans also encountered horrible and unspeakable acts of terror in their own country. It's important to understand that there are two sides to every story and thanks to the vivid recount by Dan Laing and the strength of Christel Weiss Brandeburg we are presented with the entire picture.

This book is a first rate historical work chronicling the most magnificent working class struggle in history. A time when anarchism meant something truly inspiring and when it still had substance.

The Spanish anarchists remind us of a time when large numbers of people vehemently opposed the status quo of Capitalism and the State and truly did what was necessary to organize a mass movement to radically change it. Bookchin writes with such a clear yet intelligent prose that virtually everything he writes is worth reading. This book is one of his best and along with his 4 volume (and unfortunately very expensive) book "The Third Revolution" it very much proves how strong a historian he really was during his lifetime.

While this book is both highly informative and exciting in its evocation of a remarkable period of history, I cannot also be saddened by the fact that Bookchin died last year in 2006 and that his fiery intellect is no longer with us. I am also saddened by this work in another way. While Bookchin brings to light a period of history that should never be forgotten or not learned from, looking at the modern anarchist "scene" I cannot help but feel that the glory days of classical anarchism are gone and that contemporary anarchism has completely degenerated into misanthropy, post-modernism, mysticism, nihilism, and an opposition to forming mass movements at all; in effect that today's anarchism has become completely coopted by modern bourgeois society and has been rendered completely inert by that mentality. Let us hope that is not the case, but if this is so then we, those of us who still insist that a genuine social revolution is desperately needed and also a mass movement organized from below to achieve it, must forge ahead and adopt a new term for our form of revolutionary libertarian socialism, something Bookchin tried to do in the last years of his life and from which we can learn a great deal.

Bookchin established himself among the foremost anarchist theorists of the late 20th century with his sparkling collection "Post-Scarcity Anarchism".

With "The Spanish Anarchists" he proves himself to be a historian of the first rank, drawing on primary sources, a wide array of secondary literature, and in-depth interviews with key members of the Spanish Anarchist movement to paint a vivid picture of half a century of organizing that led to the most powerful anarchist upsurge in world history (yet!).

Bookchin handles the history deftly, drawing out lessons for practice while always making clear the specificity of the historical moment. He pulls vivid quotes and his character sketches of key figures in the movement are masterful.

This is history for history buffs, though, and gets into considerable detail on several decades of struggle in several hundred pages. It may be boring for those who do not have a particular interest in the period.

Note well: the book does not discuss the Civil War and Revolution of 1936-1939-- for a detailed treatment of that struggle, Bookchin recommends Bolloten's massive "The Spanish Civil War" and for a shorter take, Broué and Temime's The Revolution and the Civil War in Spain". Orwell's classic "Homage to Catalonia" is also a brilliant read, albeit from a semi-Trotskyist point of view.

The other guy said it better than me, but Bookchin's book is one of the few that really get's down deep into the process by which anti-authoritarian ideas and movements get generated and how they achieve, or can achieve, social change. Wonderful both for theory and history.

The first point to mention: One's understanding of what happened in Spain is almost certainly indicated by the answer to one question. Was this the Spanish Civil War or the Spanish Revolution? The essence of Bookchin's book (and it is not original to him) is that there was a revolution within the Civil War. While there is considerable recognition of the Civil War, there is much less discussion and consideration of the revolution within that civil war.

One immediate problem in understanding the dynamics in Spain is the crazy quilt set of actors. Key groups run the gamut from Fascists (Francisco Franco as a leader) to monarchists to liberals/moderates to Marxists (Trotskyites, represented by the organization POUM, versus Stalinists, organized as the UGT [with members called Ugetistas]) and anarchists (syndicalists, members of the union CNT, whose members were called Cenetistas, and straight out anarchists, members in the organization FAI, with individual members referred to as Faistas). Yikes! One needs a scorecard to keep them straight!

This book does not focus on the Civil War and Revolution so much as on the background to those events. Bookchin goes back to the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin's influence on Spanish radicals. Much of this book is the run up to the Civil War and the revolution embedded within that Civil War--the Republic versus the Fascists represented the Civil War. The anarchists trying to implement libertarian societies was the revolution.

Topically, the book begins with the origins of the idea of anarchism in Spain. Bakunin was a critical figure here, a Russian aristocrat who, oddly enough, adopted the anarchist perspective. An emissary who did not speak Spanish brought Bakunin's ideas to Spain; given the linguistic obstacles, it is surprising indeed to see that he had an impact on the development of a Spanish anarchist movement.

The book then describes the development of that movement in Spain over the past quarter century of the 1800s and the early 1900s as well. In short, anarchism did develop something of a foothold in Spain. Unfortunately, some of the advocated if this view engaged in "propaganda of the deed," terrorism, to try to advance the cause. In the process, much damage was done to that very movement.

Bookchin then described the twin developments--support for anarcho-syndicalism (a perspective that argued that workers' organizations ought to structure the productive process and be the basis for organizing society) and the CNT (a union that supported syndicalism). The essence of the latter can be discerned by this quotation from Bookchin (page 162): "Obedience to the wishes of the membership was a cardinal rule. At the annual congresses, for example, many delegations arrived with mandatory instructions on how to vote on each major issue to be considered. If an action was decided upon, none of the delegations which disagreed with it or felt it was beyond the capacity of its membership was obliged to abide by the decision."

The instability of government in the 1920s and 1930s is then discussed, as a lead up to the outbreak of the Civil War/Revolution. Bookchin concludes by observing that (page 302): "We must leave the details of that revolution--its astonishing achievements and its tragic subversion--to another volume."
Obviously, Bookchin has an ideological perspective on the events in Spain over the period of time that his book covers. And that must be taken into account when reading this work. Nonetheless, overall, his scholarship is solid, and much of what he contends is found in other volumes as well (hence, triangulation occurs to some extent). For those wanting to understand the Spanish Civil War from a perspective not normally presented, this book makes a solid contribution.

"Can anarchy work" or "Is anarchy a mere utopia" are questions asked frequently by people who are not informed about the ideology and philosophy of anarchy but, most importantly, the history of anarchy.
Since you arent going to be taught any of all this in school the burden falls on your shoulders to discover it (amongst most other meaningful things that you will not be told about).
Murray Bookchin, is a great historian, and does an awesome job of documenting the most recent and most convincing attempt at anarchy in pre-war Spain.
Bookchin descibes a movement that found roots in the "lumpen proletariat", that part of the working class with almost zero education that marxists looked upon with contempt considering them incapable of ever starting a revolution.
Yet, exactly that part of the working class was the one that through appaling living and social conditions embraced the concept of anarchy, namely, no masters, equality, work as creation and not braindead toil, education that promotes free thinking and not unquestioned swallowing of dogma and above all liberty.
This is a fascinating story, perhaps overly fascinating compared with modern times where most the people take social conditions as self-understood. A movement, that, through a massive network of action that ranged from strikes against brutally oppressing regimes that inevitably and repeatedly resulted in massive bloodbaths, direct action, informing people about their present future and past while actually opening up to them a whole new world of possibilities that would drive them out of their every day misery and into a new situation where through thriving freedom the society would transform.
Bookchin introduces the readers (as he had to) to some of anarchy leading theoriticians (and practicians) such as Bakoonin and their influence on the Spanish anarchists while he goes into exhaustive detail highlighting internal conflicts concerning differing anarchistic tendencies as well as the ones against socialists (who more than often proved to be disguised conservatives) and of course against the establishment itself and its organs of suppresion.
It's a back n' forth story he tells as well, as the struggle of the spanish anarchists to establish themselves at the front for social change ("not tomorrow, now!" said the pickets at the massive protests and demos) was often sunk in blood, often thrown back by mass executions, often took a step backwards because the need for biological survival took a priority or simply because disapointment would momentarily settle in before a new spark would "detonate" the movement again.

The history of the spanish anarchists is remarkable in more ways than initially obvious. In a very intense sense it proves that the philosophy of anarchy doesnt demand from anyone to be well educated in order to comprehend it. "Absolute" freedom is not a complex concept and everything that derives from it is equally simple. It doesnt recquire reading bulky volumes of economic politics that lead nowhere nor trying to improve a system within which has already failed from the get-go (capitalism). It demands the "impossible" but simoultaneously the natural.
While Bookchin writes in a rather heavy style that wont easily grab you, he's an incredible historian who leaves no stone unturned in his effort-mission to explain thoroughly a historical event. That is my only objection to this book.

Other than that, this is more than recquired reading for anyone interested in anarchism (here, its history )or in examining political philosophies in general.It would help if you started from Emma Goldman's "Essays on anarchy" before this if your knowledge of this philosophy is somewhat superficial.

This is the historically true account of the execution of the Templars and the political circumstances surrounding it. If you have read books about the Salem Witch Trials then you will like this one too, but be warned Barber is a historian and so you will get the full blow by blow account of what went on.

Basically in the year 1307 King Philip 4th arrested the Knights of the Templars and a pseudo-trial followed in order to smash the Templars. Much like the Salem Witch Trials many where falsely executed while others survived the ordeal to tell the tale. Basically this book is all about the destruction of the Templars.

Again if you like books about "Witch Trials" then this is a must for the bookshelf and certainly Barber gives us the best historical rendition of any "Witch Trial" to date although the Templars where not treated as Witches but as anti-christian (when is fact they where a "White Order").

Good historical depth to this one and highly recommended.

I own many books on the Templars, but very few deal primarily on their downfall on the Friday 13th, and the gruelling, protracted trials afterwards. The Templars have always fascinated me, an order founded on a vow of poverty that rose to become one of the richest and most powerful organisations of their time, a religious order, yet it was politics and money that sealed their fate and brought about their destruction.

Very well written, it is rich in detail, but in a witty narrative that keeps the reader enthralled and forgetting they are reading history, which is usually dry and stale. High Recommended. Anyone interested in the Templars needs to add this one to their collection.

Barber's 'The Trial of the Templars' is the best and perhaps only serious academic study of the political machinations of French King Philip IV, "the Fair," which resulted in the trial and suppression of one of the most noble and powerful of the Medieval crusading orders.

The wealth of source material in the book makes it indispensible.

One would hope that Barber's work would go a long way towards debunking the myths of the Templars as neo-New Age adepts possessing secret occult wisdom, since, as Barber demonstrates, many of the Templars at the time of the suppression were uneducated, illiterate old men from preceptories in Europe, most of whom who had never even set foot in the Holy Land and were thus incapable of the occult practices ascribed to them. Of 115 Templar depositions resulting from the hearings in Paris, sixty-nine brethren stated that they were forty years old or older. The average age of these 115 men was 41.6 years. Most of the accused Templars were serving brothers and seargeants (41); seventeen were priests and only fifteen were actually knights. The average length of service of deposed Templars was 14.2 years. Hardly the stuff of which powerful occult magicians are made.

Definitely add this one to your library.

Malcom Barber looked at the entire organization an came to the following:
1. The orginal purpose of the group was to protect pilgrims however the
intent soon changed - the outside population of the European nations so
saw a chance to gain "power" for themselves.
2. The rulers became jealous of the "carte blanche" given by the Pope -
thus the Templars had to answer to no one and became very wealthy.
3. Soon those same rulers previously mentioned had to come to the Templars, and others as well, inorder to obtain money.
4. As a result the banking system was established. When Phillip V realizd he was in debt to the Templars, he "manufactured" charges inorder to seize their money and their land holdings. Phillip soon became aware of how mch his seizing had accomplished for him - death.

Barber has accomplished a very difficult task. He has compiled scattered accurate information regarding the Templars and laid it down in an easy to read fashion.
Despite the title of the book, this book covers more than just the trials surrounding the Templars. It is a concise timeline of the time period including political powers, church rulers, allies and enemies, detractors and benefactors.
Barber has given a balanced view of the Templars, their rise, fall, trial and destruction. He offers a plethora of footnotes and references and a daunting bibliography which would be the envy of any medieval history, Templar history, catholic history, french history or crusades history lover.
Also offered by Barber is another book covering the Templars ( The New Knighthood : A History of the Order of the Temple )which goes even further in depth regarding the actual successes and failures of the Order, again offering a huge list of historical references.
Barber, it appears, is the foremost historical expert that is publishing works regarding the secretive but ever-popular Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.