Immigration Books

This review is for the Grades 3-5 Sunshine State Young Readers Award:
After a lot of research I have found that there are only 4 books on the list that are appropriate for the younger 3rd grade reader. They are Say What?, Drita My Homegirl, Christopher Mouse and Wildfire. The rest of the list is simply to difficult for the younger readers. My daughter reads at a 3.7 level and even these books have higher vocabulary and more mature subject content then what she usually reads.

"Drita, My Homegirl" is a fun but touching tale of two very different girls, one lost in a strange new country and one brash city girl suffering the loss of her mother. The author does a good job of keeping the characters' voices distinct as she switches back and forth between Drita and Maxie's perspectives. Children will learn in a gentle way about the fear and pain of war and its effects on everyday people, although Drita's mother's depression may be a bit unsettling for sensitive kids. This story tackles some tough issues and leaves us with the lesson that the person inside is what is really important. My fussy-reader fourth grader loved this book which I read aloud to her.

Jenny Lombard's newest novel is execiting. It explans the life of two girls, one from Kosovo and the other from New York City.Both girls have a great story behind there lifes.Drita My Homegirl is a great novel for kids!

Drita, My Homegirl is a great book. It is a good book for children in 3rd to Sixth grades. It teaches you how not to judge kids from the outside but to look at their inside and to give them a chance to be friends with you.

Miriam

I just found another book to add to my "good books" shelf. That's what one of the girls in our PK3-8 school call this particular section in the library. This is where I keep books I think will appeal to girls third through eighth grade. The top of this low bookcase is about shoulder height, just right for browsing books about girls. This is my story, I am the librarian.

A first novel, "Drita" is the story of a ten-year old girl who comes with her mother, grandmother, and brother from war-torn Kosova (that is how it is spelled in her country) to join the father, who has worked and saved a year to bring his family over. The females are dismayed by the dirty, unkempt apartment and spend their first few hours cleaning it.

The story shifts viewpoint every other chapter. Chapter two begins with Maxie's story. Maxie is African-America with grief in her heart over the loss of her mother in an auto accident two years previously. Wise Ms. Salvato, their fourth grade teacher, gets Maxie interested in Drita and assigns Drita's journey and country to Maxie and Drita as their big project.

The two girls do become friends in a most unlikely way. What a sweet and kind friendship it becomes, which, of course, is the main plot. Reverberating around these two are family members whose lives are touched and changed in such loving ways because of this friendship.

This book is highly recommended for friendship, geography and history lessons, resolution of family problems for both girls, and the sheer joy of the story. No girl could ask for better!

Okay, may be the story is quite emotional, but it definitely did not come across that way. Lines such as "Won-hoy got married to a rich wife, and had 5 kids" goes on and on... giving the reader no motivation to continue.

Irene Kai writes of her struggle to escape boundaries imposed upon her by her Chinese family while the words of her grandmother to be a dutiful daughter and wife haunt her throughout her journey. She writes of her great grandmother, her grandmother and her mother using the creative non-fiction device of imagined conversations.These conversations draw one immediately into the life of 19th and 20th century rural China, then, Hong Kong and New York. I particularly enjoy reading of overlapping time frames from the points of view of different people, and Kai does it well.

A child of a loveless arranged marriage, she is unwanted, unloved and abused physically and psychologically by her mother, who is struggling to find love. Kai's background material is especially important in helping us understand her mother and to understand Kai's radical rebellion in her teen and young adult years. She sweeps us into her wild, tumultuous exploration of art and sexuality. And when the rebellion is over, she becomes the dutiful wife, driven by her husband and her desire to leave behind all of her Chinese past. In doing so, she finally realizes that she, too, is neglecting her children, just as her mother did. Slowly, slowly, as she begins to discover herself, she finds the strength to leave her lavish life style and become attentive to her children and to her own needs. She reclaims parts of her own culture and becomes whole.

Especially poignant is Kai's struggle to balance her desire to always please her wounded mother with her need to protect herself and her children. The moment of courage when she looks into her mother's eyes and takes charge of her own life must ring as true for many other women as it did for me.

I would love to know more about this woman. Has she continued her art? How does she feel now? When she looks back, what are her feelings? Now that she has written this fascinating autobiography, will she let us into her life again?

Golden Mountain is an uplifting read.

by Judith Helburn
for StorycircleBookReviews
www.storycirclebookreviewsorg
reviewing books by, for, and about women

I enjoyed this book enormously -- not only for what it taught me about Chinese culture -- but for what it taught me about the universality of women's experience in patriarchial cultures. As always, I am both awed and humbled by the resilience of the human spirit. Irene's story offers hope and inspiration to anyone who has ever felt trapped by circumstances.

I loved this compelling, richly textured, vividly descriptive story. Not only was I transported into Chinese culture over four generations of the author's family, but into how family patterns and cultural mores impact us all. I was also inspired by the hope in this book. The author transcends many obstacles, including family abuse, and courageously builds a meaningful, new life.

I loved this book. I could not put it down. The Golden Mountain is about Irene Kai's journey to claim her power and authenticity. It's a memoir of four generations of Chinese women, but it's really "every woman's" journey. It shows her transition from Hong Kong to the U. S., and how she breaks free from the restrictions of her ethnic background in a way that her mother and grandmother could not. In America, she achieves wealth and success as an artist and businesswoman. But Kai's story of what's possible doesn't end here. She eventually leaves her business and her marriage and moves to a small town. There, she explores and heals the family patterns she realized were still influencing her, even after she thought she had broken away from them. In the process, she creates a new life and a new dream, one that takes her beyond the American dream to live her own authentic destiny.

This, in my opinion, is the very best book in the American Girl series!! I LOVE it!

Meet Kirsten is a sad but good book. Kirsten is a nine-year-old Swedish girl traveling to America to live on the frontier in 1854. She and her family make a long and dangerous journey by ship. On the way, Kirsten's best friend Marta dies. But there is joy when Kirsten's family reach their farm and Kirsten meets her aunt, uncle, and two cousins.

My preschooler is ready for chapter books, but most chapter books are either meant for beginning readers, with a controlled vocabulary, or are meant for older kids, with content that isn't appropriate for a four-year-old. The Kirsten books are both appropriate read-aloud material for preschoolers on up, with good stories, clear plot lines, simple yet not controlled vocabulary. Using the story of a little girl to teach historical fiction leads to discussions about different time periods, often leading us to do further research about modes of transportation, geography, farm life, immigration, etc.

My daughter really enjoys these books, and so do I. If her dad reads a chapter, I find myself going back and reading it so I know what I missed! A previous reviewer was upset by the use of Swedish words. The only Swedish words in the first book were "Tak" which means "thank you" and was clearly understood using context clues, and her names for her grandparents, which my daughter found no more confusing than her friends' names for their grandparents: Nanny and Pappy, Granny and Pop Pop, Grammie and Grampie, etc.

Yes, Marta dies. Yes, Kirsten gets lost in the city. Yes, the family faces hardships. What family doesn't? But the message is that the Larson family sticks together, works hard to overcome their difficulties and make a better life for themselves. The parents clearly love the children, the children love and respect the parents, and they all understand the importance of working together for the good of the entire family. Along with the Little House on the Prairie books, this series is wholesome and educational while being fun and enjoyable.

I read a book that was an American girls book. I liked the book because it was full of excitement. It's about a girl named Kristen. She came from Sweden to live in American with another family.In the family was Kirsten's friend. I liked these books. Do you think all of them well make it? I recomend this to girls who love sad stories.

I just finished reading "Meet Kirsten" I loved it a lot. This book is about a Swedish girl named Kirsten. Kirsten has to leave Sweden, the land she knew, to go live with her cousins. To get there she has to go on to a boat that goes to NY, a train that goes to Chicago and the rest of the way they walk to Minnesota! Sound hard? No kidding. Pioneers who made journeys like that were called immigrants. I thought "Meet Kirsten's "A Peek Into the Past was awesome! It even had a map of Kirsten's travels! Not only are they good stories but they are also history lessons. I would very highly recommend this book to a friend .

Hooray for Thomas Sowell again. This books brings you in contact with the essential facts of people migrations and more...

He covers the German, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Jewish and Indian migrations. Cultures are not equal was one of the main conclusions I received from this book.

As a result of this book I have found a deeper respect for the cultures mentioned in the book. I also see that the lives built by these people was built from pure grit and toil.

How does my culture affect my future? How does my culture affect my economic well-being? These are all questions I have come to ask as a result of reading this book.

This book is the second book in a series. The series is as follows:
1) Race and Culture
2) Migration and Culture
3) Conquest and Culture
and a 4th related book called Affirmative Action an Empirical Study

This book has shaped my personal view of immigration, emigration and minorities. I now can base my views on historical facts rather than popular or polarizing news articles.

With his usual detailed analysis and commentary, Thomas Sowell takes a look at the experiences of 6 groups that have migrated to different areas of the world over the centuries. He pays particular attention to the economic success these groups have had, and possible reasons for this success. He gives credible explanations for what these groups have accomplished, though he gives more attention to some of these groups than to others. While allowing for a variety of differences in their experiences, Dr. Sowell does extract some shared qualities within these groups: a strong work ethic, financial prudence, and the establishment of an economic niche based partially on the unwillingness of native-born groups to perform certain jobs. Moreover, he points out that, with respect to several of these groups, their success in their adopted nations has often aroused the jealousy and anger of native-born groups (i.e., the Chinese in Southeast Asia and the Indians in East Africa). To this end, Dr. Sowell argues that such resentment often stems from disparities between the achievement of these immigrant groups and that of native-born groups. He cites some examples of this resentment being taken to unfortunate extremes (i.e., the expulsion of the Indians from Uganda and anti-Chinese pogroms in Malaysia), and how the resentment came back to injure the native-born population (especially in Uganda). This is a refreshingly candid look at comparative immigrant experiences, as told by a great writer.

This particular title provides an overview of the histories of migrant groups of German, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Jewish, and Indian ancestry.

The book specifically provides an account of major demographic trends and political events that have occurred to the migrant groups through stretches of history, both in their home countries as well as their destinations. This account provides clues for the reasons behind the migrants' departures, their selection of particular destinations, and the characterized attitudes and skills that the migrants brought with them to where they settled.

The demographic component of this history is summarized by Sowell's hypothesized cultural attributes, backed by an impressive compilation of statistical evidence from the most accurate sources available to someone studying the topic in the modern era.

The book notes some of the major effects of the migration and subsequent settlement (or return sojourney) on both the migrants and the other ethnic groups living in close proximity to the migrants.

This book provides an historical overview of groups that many people may not have heard of. For myself, learning about the history of such groups as the Volga Germans, the Sephardim in Holland, the Italians in Argentina, the Japanese in Peru, the Chinese in the Carribean, and the Indians in Eastern Africa was an eye-opener.

The one potential drawback to this book lies in its uneven accounting of major political events for a few ethnic groups. The book covers the political history of the Sri Lankan conflict and the Jews in Western/Germanic/Slavic Europe some detail, but I would have liked to learn more about the Chinese in Southeast Asia (though the book includes a brief summary of the political events surrounding the formation of Singapore).

A few groups I would have liked to learn more about are not included, either, such as the Germans in the Hapsburg Empire and the Japanese in Manchuko/Manchuria. Still, considering the amount of research, composition, and revision that writing a book of this size and scope must have required, I can't fault the author for the work he did do.

The cultural characteristics that Sowell attributes to different groups of migrants (and supports with evidence) provide some food for thought as well. He provides examples of cultural attitudes and subsequent behaviors that may help or hinder economic development in specific industries, and backs up his fairly common-sense theories with evidence. (A few notable examples are how Jews succeeded in textiles but failed in agriculture, and how Southern Italians were noted as hard urban workers but rarely entered entrepreneurial positions.)

If you are looking for a more detailed history of specific events, this book may not be for you. But as an overview of specific groups, this book does a more-than-admirable job.

Dr. Sowell has again done a masterful job of presenting information on the status of minorities, both historically and geographically, which is usually not included in the debate about the situation of the minorities in the United States. His insights are very useful and should be included in every high school and college curriculum.

Distinguished Stanford University economist Thomas Sowell's "Migrations and Cultures: A World View" is the most thoughtful, articulate examination of immigration across the globe which I've encountered (Though, I might add, that I am not surprised that this book is truly exceptional, given Sowell's keen interest in - and superb scholarship on - this very subject, which I came across for the first time years ago in his earlier book "Ethnic America: A History".). Sowell traces the immigration histories of six Eurasian peoples: Germans, Japanese, Italians, Chinese, Jews and Indians (from the Indian subcontinent, NOT the Americas). He contends that the relative success of these peoples as migrants owes more to their cultural capital (the set of beliefs and practices taken from their ancestral homelands) than to the economic capital of their new countries. It is a compelling argument which he demonstrates repeatedly, tracing the migration patterns of each of these peoples across the globe. Furthermore, it is an argument which is well-reasoned, fully supported by ample data, noting for example, the degree to which Indian migrants from different parts of India have been able to accrue wealth for themselves and their descendants in far-flung regions such as East Africa, Caribbean islands, and the United States (For example, he observes that Guajaratis, migrants from the Indian state of Guajarat, are far more likely to become successful entrepreneurs than those from other Indian states, since Guajarat has had a long history of successful entrepreneurship; in a similar vein, he compares and contrasts the relative economic fortunes of Western European Jews with those from Eastern Europe, noting that the former were more likely to become successful, due to a much stronger entrepreneurial tradition in Western Europe.).

I believe "Migrants and Cultures: A World View" should be read here in the United States by a wide readership, since Sowell's arguments deserve to be considered seriously in the ongoing debate over illegal immigration. Furthermore, much to his credit, Sowell suceeds in presenting an objective view of immigration, especially here in the United States, in which he notes that the relative cultural capital of emigrant peoples has had a more important influence on their relative success than our liberal, fairly progressive laws on economic and personal freedom. Sowell concludes his book with an intriguing observation on the effectiveness of educating foreign-born "sojourners" here in the United States and other Western democracies in the hope that they would return to their home countries with our knowledge, skills and attitudes on economic and political freedom; he contends that the rise of what he regards as managerial and technological capital via multinational corporations, has lessened the need for human capital transfers via "sojourners" (Written just as the internet was rapidly emerging, I suspect that Sowell in an updated edition of this book, might make a more persuasive argument by citing the successful existence of the internet.). If my interpretation of Sowell's closing arguments is correct, then I predict that he would not share such an optimistic view of contemporary and future American immigration presented in journalist Michele Wucker's recently published book "Lockout: Why America Keeps Getting Immigration Wrong When Our Prosperity Depends on Getting It Right".

The book arrived in very good condition and I am currently involved in reading it. The text is great and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It's an engrossing book at an incredible price.

This work is pure and unadulterated magic for any reader even remotely interested in World War II. The scope of the work is daunting: documenting the enormous impact naval activity had on the course of the War . . . in one manageable volume.

As a fairly well-read amateur historian (admittedly unfamiliar with many of the primary and secondary historical sources upon which the author relies), I cannot overemphasize the joy I found reading this book. The author's prose is almost uniformly flawless, a characteristic sadly lacking in all too many historical works. The book reads as easily as any work of fiction you would care to name, without losing any of its historical accuracy or objectivity.

The author scrupulously documents the issues faced by all the War's participants, though a careful reader might detect a certain amount of Anglo-Allied bias. However, whenever the author passes judgment on the actions of a particular admiral or political leader, he almost always presents an opposing viewpoint.

Overall, the reader will be, as the title of this review indicates, in the presence of greatness upon taking up this book.

Solid, general history of the naval war of WWII. Would have liked for the maps to be included in the chapters instead of all grouped at the end. Also, Miller focuses heavily on air power and omits the contributions of the U.S. Submarine force in the pacific theater. The book is slightly to narrative for my tastes and only vaguely touches on the production of naval equipment or the rapid changes in technology and subsequent strategic and tactical changes. For the causal reader.

I must concur with other reviewers that Nathan Miller's "War at Sea: A Naval History of World War II" is the best history on naval warfare during the Second World War. The book reads like a novel without getting bogged down in details. What I enjoyed most was Miller's recounting of the naval battles that took place during the European war's early years. When most individuals think of naval warfare in the Second World War, they tend to think of the Pacific war - Pearl Harbor, Midway, Leyte Gulf, etc. (for the simple and correct reasoning that the Pacific Ocean's great expanse required strong and large navies to ferry troops, equipment, aircraft, etc.). But Miller does an excellent job of educating the reader about the tremendous naval battles that took place in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. For instance, Britain's pursuit of the Bismark, the destruction of the Italian fleet and, importantly, the U-boat war. Thus, in essence, the European war was as much of a naval war as was the Pacific war. I highly recommend this history to all World War II history readers.

As a 1-volume history of the naval war in all theatres in WWII, this book can by no means be complete or in-depth. However, if you read this book as an introduction to naval warfare, or as a look at the "big picture", this volume does the job very well. It is easy to read, informative, touches on virtually all the important events, and keeps up a good pace. Of course, certain events are relegated to mere footnotes, including the Dieppe raid and the loss of USS Indianapolis (where most of the deaths were from sharks and exposure, not enemy activity) in the interest of timing and length. However, Miller usually points the way to further readings in such cases, if the reader wants to know more. There is an extensive notes section at the end of the book divided by chapter, listing many primary sources, which gives the book a good deal of credibility.

His analysis is generally brief as well, which is ideal for a book of this type, where pace important. This doesn't mean it's any less insightful, however. He convincingly argues that the use of the atomic bomb was a strategic, war-ending measure, not just an attempt to scare the Soviet Union; that the refusal of the Japanese to withdraw skilled pilots to train the next generation was a fatal error; and that the industrial might of the combined allies was too much for the Axis - they had to win in the first couple of years or be ultimately worn out. Another important point in praise of this book is the way Miller is careful to point out the involvement of the so-called minor allies. For example, by 1945, Canada had the 3rd largest navy in the world, but because the RCN primarily participated in the Battle of the Atlantic, they get ignored by historians who get caught up in Big Events storytelling. Miller is always very careful to point out these countries' contributions.

Unfortunately, there are a few quibbling points that drop the book to 4 stars. First, the maps are conveniently located together at the back of the book, but are never referred to in the text, and are often of too large an area to be useful. For example, a lot of space is devoted to amphibious operations on Guadalcanal, Okinawa, etc., but these islands are merely dots on a "Pacific theatre" map. Even a 1/4 page sketch per island would have been very helpful. Secondly, Miller seems to have a vendetta against Winston Churchill - he is always quick to ridicule Churchill's wild ideas, but never to give credit to his good ones, instead saying, "The British wanted ...." Finally, there's an occasional confusion, such as mixing up the British cruisers Dorsetshire (that sunk the Bismark) and Devonshire.

These quibbles do not really detract from the overall enjoyment of the book, however, and it's recommended for any armchair historian interested in the naval aspects of World War II.

Beyond the Western Sea lets one see what terrible trials the Irish had to go through in the eighteen hundreds. They were tortured in Irealand by the English landowners, and in America, by the "Know Nothings"( A secret society of people who wanted America to remain Puritan and would stop at nothing to keep it so. They got their name because when ever they were asked about their group, they would say, "I know nothing" ). The Irish were treated like dogs by most of the people in America and England. All through the story though, the characters remain proud of their heritage and their religion. They do not wield to the will of their persecuters. This is a book that will inspire people who feel descriminated, to stand strong against their oppressors.
( It is also a good book for people who are fans of Charles Dickens).

The second book in the group begins as the major players from "Escape from Home", finally board the ship for Boston. It remains fast paced and interesting, although a sea voyage might seem to have the potential to be boring.

The families in steerage are miserable, being a stowaway is stressful and lonely, the first class passengers get to know (and despise) each other. The crew of the ship is nasty and the passengers are forced into close quarters and filth, yet held in contempt by the very people who arrange it so they live that way. Of course passengers die on the ship so a little girl is brought into the mix when her parents die- the stowaway is able to leave the ship in a creative manner- engineered by Patrick.

Like so many immigrants, these characters are overwhelmed when they reach Massachusetts because they have not arrived in Paradise. More hard, dangerous work awaits them along with the added anti-immigration, specifically against the Irish, sentiments flooding the East during the mid-1800's. Sadly, for the Irish, the characters relish any opportunity to earn money. Even the young English gentleman is proud to begin earning a few pennies.

Young readers will become outraged when they read of the terrible living conditions- again- and the treatment these people receive at the hands of those in power. There are enough twists in the plot to keep it interesting, but simple enough to keep track of the characters and their shifting attitudes and loyalties. The pace is fast and suspenseful, the chapters are of varying lengths making it somewhat difficult to put down! The villans are nasty and get away with more than they should.

An excellent introduction to immigrant's lives and struggles during times of great poverty. Avi needs to write a third book to complete this set to explore how difficult it was to establish a life in a new place, and to see how difficult it was to strike it rich in the California Gold Rush.

To an adult reader the character development seemed a bit thin and the cast a little small for the degree of interconnectedness. I think it's a good level of both of those characteristics for younger readers- maybe a 10 yo if she's interested in the subject would be the youngest who would enjoy this book.

This was a very good book, but soemtimes I found that it dragged on a bit. Personaly, I liked the first book in the 'series' better, (Beyond the Western Sea,) because it was faster paced and it contained more adventure. However, this book had a great first 100 pages,the last couple chapters were full of suspense, but in between it got kind of boring. The first part of the book is about the journey Patrick, Maura and Laurence take to reach America. Maura and Patrick travel in steerage, were they meet Bridy, who's parents die and ask Maura to take care of her. In steerage, they come face to face with death, rats, storms, etc. Laurence boards the ship as a stowaway, and is almost found several times. Patrick brings food to him. When they are about to reach America, Maura realizes Laurence needs an identity. Laurence goes to America as Bridy's dead brother, John Farerty. I won't tell you what happens next, because then there would be no point in reading the book. However, expact an unexpected twist at the end of the book. All in all, this book was a good read, and it is worth reading. Just be sure to read the first book in the series, (Beyond the Western Sea,) first.

Lord Kirkle's Money picks right up from book one. As the O'Connells travel across the western sea they take in a girl on the same boat whose parents have died. The boat has an epidemic of ship fever. Patrick struggles to sneak his stowaway friend, Laurence, enough food. Meanwhile, Mr. Drabble, a companion of the O'Connells', teaches his rich friend proper grammar in order to make some money. The O'Connells are to be picked up by their father in America. Are they sure their father is still alive? If not, what will become of them? There are many people in America who will do almost anything to stop Irish and the other immigrants from staying in America. Where will Mr. Drabble go? Will the O'Connells survive? Avi has done it again! His book is filled with adventure. It would definitely go in my top 50 list. There are lots of problems and some how, everything ties in. Even though the words don't take you away, this book definitely has power. Avi puts in lots of conflict and gives every character strong feelings. Whether the character is good or evil, he or she does something for the opposite. Everything turns out okay,but are you sure that it's the way it should be? Avi's books are just inspirational.

This book has many characters so it would be hard for me to summarize a review of what it's about. What I can tell you is that I hadn't read the first book and I thought I would be confused while I read this book, but I drifted along with everything that happened. Much suspense and everytime on thing happens it is quickly changed by someone else. In the begin I thought it wasn't worth my time, but when I reached the middle I knew that it had to be 5 stars and nothing less!

Great book on how immigration is ruinning this great country. After reading it I have become much more aware on how important it is to stop immigration. We must fight immigration in order to save this great nation!!

Roy Beck gives every possible argument for reducing immigration. He talks about how our enviroment is at stake with overcrowding. He talked about and proved how immigration causes a drop in wages of low income earners. But the best chapter was without a doubt "Jobs Americans Will Do". He disproved the myth on how immigrants today take only jobs that no one else wants. He argues for reducing the number of immigrants admitted based on population replacment rate. This book was written by a man who is actually left of center politically. Thus the pro-immigration lobby can't do their usual name calling to anyone who supports cutting immigration. Roy Beck has done us a great service.

This book examines U.S. immigration, documenting what's happening as 10's of millions of people (largely from the 3rd world) are allowed into the U.S.

It's difficult to find accurate accounts of the immigration situation. Business lobbies for immigration to obtain cheap labor and keep wages down. Left-leaning intellectuals advocate immigration because of a hatred of the Western Civilization and desire to see it eliminated via diversity and multiculturalism. Politicians advocate immigration because they want to import dependent populations that need services and will vote for them (kings need peasants). Conservatives accept immigration because it seems to validate the desirability of American society and free-enterprise and they are afraid of being called names by the others.

The result is a population growth curve for the U.S. like that of 3rd world nations, with corresponding social strains. If continued at the same rate, the U.S. will reach 400 million people by the year 2050 at huge social, economic and environmental costs. The President of Mexico campaigns here in California even as Mexicans talk about retaking the southeastern U.S. states "stolen" from them centuries ago by repopulating it and effectively eliminating the border; the effort is called the "Reconquista". Don't expect in-depth coverage of this by ABC or the New York Times.

The U.S. was created and maintained by the sacrifice, lives, hopes held by millions of ancestors many of whom paid the ultimate price to create the future: our present. The current generation now has the option of piddling that all away with a whimper or educating themselves and stopping destructive forces. This will mean enduring and refuting charges of racism, among the other antics of the cultural elite, without being deflected.

This book a good starting place. It provides specifics on how high immigration damages the U.S. at multiple levels. The first to feel the effect of immigration are native blacks whose attempts to integrate into American mainstream have been substantially halted by preferences for immigrants. But all are affected.

As an example, why do engineers developing the air traffic control system -- involving billions of dollars and millions of lives -- make one-half to one-tenth the salary of a routine lawyer or doctor? Employers can go to Congress and say "Americans aren't interested and not smart enough. Our schools can't produce engineers, we need to hire foreigners".

This is not an option for professions like law, being dependent on language and cultural skills. So salaries for engineers are comparatively low and a shortage results despite the critical need. At the same time, law and medical schools are overflowing with people attracted by the high earning potential. The results of the immigration policy create the imbalance in the first place. Need more engineers? Pay more to attract them.

It is like nothing has been learned. Slavery developed in this country to provide cheap labor. Yet the cotton pulled from the fields by slaves has long since rotted away to nothing. The consequences have not: civil war and ongoing social struggles spanning centuries. Much of the original intent and structure of the nation has been distorted or dissipated attempting to solve self-made, predictable problems. One can only wonder at what this country could have done if it had not wasted such massive resources in contortions over unimportant social issues.

Now the concern is over a matter even more trivial, if that is possible: whether strawberries will be $1.20 a carton or $4.50 a carton in the 2-3 days before they rot away. Perhaps someone should sit down and design a decent strawberry picking machine and save future generations untold grief. It's called menial labor because no human should be doing it.

The U.S. is not a strip mall with jingling cash registers the national anthem. It is based on a set of specific ideas about human nature: that people are spiritually created in the image of God, thus have instrinsic worth and dignity. That humans are corrupted by sin, something that is real, thus power must be decentralized to avoid concentration in the hands of a single individual. These ideas are what distinguish the U.S. from the others (and a major reason the concept of human rights tends not to "catch on" in cultures lacking Christian background.)

People are not like refrigerators or cars. When you import them, you also import their hopes, dreams and understandings for generations to come. We are now importing people who do not share the understanding of human nature this country is based on. They are rather from 3rd world countries which view people as disposable, government simply a source of power to control the people. When immigrants arrive here, they are now greeted by intellectuals and educators and media who share the same view. Why would newcomers perpetuate a society and institutions they have no way of understanding and are outside their tradition? Because they can make $7.50 an hour instead of $1.00?

Columnist P. Roberts write, "The basis for a successful political life is a common language, history and culture, which create a people sufficiently cohesive for self-rule to arrive at compromises that solve conflicts. When "multicultural diversity" replaces "a people", cohesion must be provided by coercion."

The U.S. (and Europe) are on a self-destructive path that has been walked over and over throughout history. Only the rationalizations for inaction are more clever. Educate yourself with the facts, steel yourself for the vicious onslaught you will provoke, and speak up.

Beck is simply a sensationalist trying to attract media attention by preaching Malthusian doom. Apparently every economist in the world is conspiring to destroy the U.S. economy, and he is the only one with the answer.

Beck's book, which I own, is solid and not a Malthusian screed as Ivana Tinkle asserts in her March 8, 2007 review located on this page.

In clear, verifiable terms, he demonstrates the dilution of American nationalism by out of control immigration quotas initiated by law in 1965 which, incidentally, was sponsored by Sen. Teddy Kennedy.

Beck's solution to the problem is also solid and clear. His book validates the solution.

For another insight to the downside of immigration as it now exists and the profundity of American nationalism, is in Samuel Huntington's Who Are We: The Challenges to America's National Identity

It was very interesting to read this story about a survivor of the persecution of the Jews. It was an inside look of what really went on under Hitler's regime. It was also very informative of the depth of hatred that Hitler had of the Jews and how he fooled so many German people. Shlomo Perel's story should be read by everyone who studies the history of this tragic time.

A tragic story in the middle of tragic events. He whitnessed it, he went through it and he survived.

I traveled to Israel on business in 1995. En route at Heathrow, Israel bound passengers went through intensive security screening 3 hours before flight time and were kept in a large room to await the flight. No shopping for me and I hadn't brought a decent book to read. An older gentleman was sitting next to me playing chess on a small computer. After about a half hour, we began to chat. His name was Solomon Perel and he told me the story of his life. Europa, Europa (the film) had recently come out, but the book had not yet been translated to English. He had been on a lecture tour of the United States. Even if you read the book or see the movie, no one can begin to fathom what it was like to sit next to that amazing man for 3 hours hearing about his life. His is a story of desperate acts of courage and survival. It is both heartbreaking and uplifting. He asked me to see the movie and to write to him - telling him what I thought. He gave me his address.

As I worked in Israel I told my Israeli business associates about this chance meeting. By their response, you would have thought that I had met King Solomon himself. I began to doubt that this guy really was the very famous and deeply respected Solomon Perel. I figured he was a bored old man wanting to strike up a conversation with the young woman sitting next to him to pass 3 long hours.

When I got home, I rented the movie. It followed the old man's tale very closely - but I figured that the old guy had read the book in Hebrew or already saw the movie - that's how he knew the story. But then, at the end of the movie, there is short clip of Solomon Perel in Israel. It was him - it was the man I had met in Heathrow.

I regret to say that I never wrote to Solomon Perel. Every time I started a letter, I found it impossible to say anything meaningful. From a young age, this man had suffered an unimaginable horror and came out of it undoubtedly wounded, but also incredibly strong. I, in turn, had been raised by a loving family in a peaceful and prosperous country. I was blessed with a great job, wonderful friends, a loving husband, and a beautiful 1 year old boy. I couldn't think of anything to say to this man that didn't seem trite. Perhaps I'll try again to write to him. If you read this book, it will break your heart. If you are smart, you will realize what I did - just how blessed we are ..... well, so far.

I was a European history buff, but knew little about the Middle East conflict. After meeting Mr. Perel, I started reading history books on the area and since September 11th I've read every relevant book I can find (check out my review of Howard Sachar's A History of Israel). I expected to feel great solidarity with the Israeli cause. But the more I studied, the more I felt that the Israeli policies of occupation, settlement, repression and retaliation are morally flawed. I feel this in spite of my deep respect and regard for Mr. Perel. So I was somewhat reluctant to recommend Europa Europa - fearing that feelings of solidarity with Holocaust victims would further bias reader's opinions about America's foreign policy in the Middle East. Nonetheless, I can't deny Mr. Perel's story is compeling and deserves an honest review. I only hope that readers - in fact all Americans - study the issues carefully. Our country is under attack for our Middle East policies and all Americans have a responsibility to the country and the world to look beyond headlines and speeches, form educated opinions, and exercise your civic responsibility to contact your elected officials. {end of political diatribe}

This book was actually written after the movie "Europa Europa" was filmed. The book and the movie are pretty much the same. How Perel escaped death time and again is mind-boggling. The fact that he was quick-witted and able to keep his cool certainly had a lot to do with it. The fact that he not only escaped, but was accepted by the Germans as one of their own 'master race' is surely one of the most amazing true stories ever recorded.

Book review: Europa Europa

ýEuropa Europaý is an extraordinary story experienced by quite a normal fellow. The story is about the Jewish boy Solomon Perel who was born in Germany in 1925 and lived there for some years but as the Nazi society developed in Germany he and his family were forced to move eastward. To avoid humiliation and persecution by the Germans they settled in Poland. He got separated from most of his family in Poland and with his brother he fled to Russia. There he lived until Germany invaded Russia and suddenly he was forced into using his basic instincts for staying alive. A German military group captured the Jews they found and started questioning them and if they were Jews they shot them in the nearby forest. Solomon Perel obviously spoke German and he miraculously managed to convince the German soldiers that he wasnýt a Jew but a normal ethnic German and that this was a mistake. From that day on and until the end of the war he lived with the Nazis as if he was one of them. He even entered the Hitler Jugend after returning to Germany, and he had to sing along to the songs about spilling the blood of the Jews.

The story, which is authentic, is so special because there naturally were so many encounters were one wrong move would definitely have lead to his dead but he survived. Throughout the whole book you wonder about Luck and Fate. It is filled with situations where you think that either this is just pure luck or maybe it is meant for him to stay alive. But maybe in the end it was his only his own willpower that made him do exactly what his mother had told him in her last words before the separated, ýyou must stay aliveý.

The book is great and very interesting. Not so much because of the way it is written since the best thing isnýt the quality of the writing but more the story that brings you so close to a human, which lived through the greatest fears.

Matthias Petersen

This book is the story of a life-long Republican retired federal judge's seven year struggle to unravel the truth behind a vast government conspiracy to conceal willful violations of our country's laws by President Ronald Reagan and many members of his cabinet,CIA officials, members of his national security team and assorted Republican political operatives both inside Congress and out. Mr. Walsh does yeoman work in presenting the unvarnished truth he and his many assistants were finally able to decipher out of hundreds of thousands of original documents and the direct testimony of those his team were able to catch in their lies and bring into court under indictment. The complex legal issues and large cast of perpetrators makes this a difficult and necessarily repetitve slog, but the chilling story is one that Americans of any political persuasion need to be aware of. Lead by a naive President in the early stages of Alzheimers disease,and guided by a perverse notion of patriotic anticommunism that was the bedrock of cold war Republicanism, our top leaders deliberately violated laws put in place by Congress and even their own foreign policies relating to terrorism. When discovered these "patriots" launched an unprecedented web of lies and stonewalling to save Reagan from possible impeachment. Mr. Walsh was impeded at every step of his investigation and by all branches of the government. The importance of this account by Mr. Walsh is that irregardless of the legal results of the investigations, the truth of what happened and who did it is revealed for all to see. When this party touts its patriotism, beliefs in the rule of law and self responsiblity and the importance of character, remember what happened here.

The Iran-Contra case is well known as a bipartisan bludgeon. Are the news outlines of it accurate? Was the affair a minor bureaucratic transgression preyed upon by liberal hacks; a deceitful attack on the constitutional separation of powers (checks and balances); or a hyped media event?

Presiding (Republican) Judge Lawrence E. Walsh skillfully relates the jurisdictional history of the investigation and trial in `Firewall.' This includes the record of defendants Oliver North and Admiral Poindexter (both convicted), as well as Judge Silberman (known as `our ambassador to Iran' before he overturned the verdicts).

Media star Oliver North now makes an bountiful living hawking American `New-Order' patriotism for Australian Rupert Murdock. Admiral Poindexter left the current administration only after he sponsored a prospective internet website speculating (wagering) on terrorism targets. Judge Silberman was recently enlisted for an intelligence committee report (to obscure the 9/11 Commission findings?).

Though this may seem ancient history, the principals remain active. Walsh provides the best vehicle to examine their early history. You decide.

We at this point in history are required to grow misty eyed at the sudden recent discovery some twenty years later of alleged carefully hand written diaries beautifully bound of the now hallowed Reagan's recollections of times and events he later swore under oath he could not recall. We must remember earlier alleged handwritten diaries said to have been passed poolside at Managua's Intercontinental Hotel prior to a devastatng earthquake, from the scrawny hand of the elder Howard Hughes to an author later revealed as a fraud.

Let us rather bravely face the truth about the Reagan dynastic empire, run by papa bush (who claimed to be "out of the loop" while actually weaving it), and father to our present peril. Judge Walsh tells all, and then some, and describes all the subterfuge used to prevent his careful and judicious investigation from bearing any other fruit than an Ollie North career change.

As incredible as it may now appear, this book bears the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, supportable in a court of law as verifiable. Read it and watch how far down this darkly machiavellian path we have now proceeded, from this former time a generation ago in which the courts could still have possibly considered objective truth such as this.

This thick tome merits a place of honor upon your night reading stand. A more complete report may not be found in one place, but scattered throughout several other books and journals of that time. The criminals received no other punishment for their crimes against humanity and our Constitution than continued residence in the Oval Office.

Venceremos. No hay mal que dura un siglo.

While I was at times confused by the legal problems Walsh's team were confronted with, I did clearly understand why Lawrence Walsh did not get very far with his investigation. Mainly it was because the targets of his investigation had designed a highly secretive plot and had the protection of the CIA or the National Security Council. Documents were denied or shredded, subjects lied or refused to testify all on the basis of "national security" or out of a belief that Congress had no right to interfere in foreign policy. After reading this book, I was shaken by the realization that under the guise of a "higher purpose" or holy war our democratic principles could so easily be dispensed with. Oliver North and President Reagan were rewarded with national affection despite showing utter contempt for the rule of law! Iran-Contra was a true case of Machiavellian politics because all of our most sacred principles were run over for the sake of the dictators ideology - that the end justifies the means. Firewall reveals the incipient dictatorship lurking beneath our fragile democracy.

At times, this reads as a text book. At times, it reads as a spy thriller. Walsh goes into great detail on the investigation and attempted prosecution of those involved in the Iran-Contra scandal. This book is best suited for those interested in the affair, and are anti Reagan/Bush. I was moved by the compassion of Walsh when after interviewing Reagan, felt it would have been more damaging to our nation to try and prosecute Reagan when it was apparent alzheimers had set in. Walsh felt Reagan knew more then he said, but he also knew that the alzheimers would have been humilitaing to Reagan, and would have made prosecution impossible.

Myths about Canada abound: it's a "fake country," it has a population of 20, people are allowed to marry moose, it's one big year-round hockey tournament, it doesn't really exist, everyone speaks a vulgar form of French, and they have free healthcare but you'll perish waiting in line for service. Canada gets taken for granted. As such, many south of "the other border" know little about the enormous country that sits on top of them. And so myths perpetuate like Yukon snow. But moving to Canada? That assumes one already acknowledges its existence and possesses at least a speck of knowledge about the land with the maple leaf flag. "How To Move To Canada" only assumes the former. Those with no, or very minute, familiarity with Canada will drown in the historical, cultural, and political knowledge contained in these thick 200 pages.

Though its subtitle, "A Primer for Americans," remains a bit of a misnomer (since Canadians are also Americans), this book nonetheless provides a great launching pad for those wanting to immigrate to the Great White North. Note that this book assumes readers want to permanently move to Canada, or at least obtain dual citizenship (only a recent possibility). But those who merely want to "try it out" via a temporary work permit will also benefit from the information within. Both groups will learn about the steps to long term settlement, the long process, and the potential legal roadblocks. Such questions as "when do I need an immigration attorney?" and "how long does citizenship take?" get addressed throughout. A handy "Immigration Time Line" outlines the steps from deciding to move, to permanent residency, and ultimately to Canadian citizenship. But again the underlying assumption is that the reader wants to immigrate, not just get a job. That's an important distinction the book doesn't address very clearly. People can move to and work in Canada without immigrating. Section Two does mention work permits, but briefly. It also contains another very short section on retiring to Canada. Those looking for detailed information on those subjects should look elsewhere.

Hopefully those considering moving to Canada have already done their homework about where and why they want to move. Regardless, "Moving to Canada" contains droves of information on Canadian history, healthcare, politics, climate, differences from province to province (and territory to territory), employment, crime, economy (including housing prices) and demographics. No previous knowledge required. The final section, which makes up more than half the book's bulk, outlines basic information for all ten provinces, three territories, and many major cities. A word of caution: this book was published in 2006, but much of its information dates to the most recently available data. Some dates to 2001. Laws and the economy obviously fluctuate, so readers should consider that while perusing this book's figures. Canada's immigration website, frequently mentioned in the book, remains a good up to date resource.

"How To Move To Canada" contains far more than immigration instructions. It encompasses a historical and cultural survey of North America's placid giant. Expect to learn things like "why do people in Quebec speak French?" "does Canada have a Queen?" "how did Canada become what it is today?" but especially "how do I move there permanently?" This book even serves as a great reference for those who don't ultimately immigrate. As such, "How To Move To Canada" remains a great and easy to read introduction for anyone.

This is the most thoroughly readable how-to book I have seen on moving to Canada. It is practical and authoritative and has helped my quest for emigration greatly. It's a good investment and the perfect 'starter' book for anyone with thoughts of becoming an ex-pat by moving north of the border.

I found this book reasonably useful as a means of learning how the immigration process works for Canada. You could certainly research all this info on the Internet yourself, but it would be a bother. The author points out some common and potentially serious mistakes that applicants often make on their paperwork.

Also, she herself is an American immigrant to Canada, and speaks from experience and from the American perspective, which makes this book superior to another of its type, "Living and Working in Canada" which was written by a British citizen for an audience of non-North Americans.

This book doesn't pull any punches - you are leaving the United States and moving to another country - an action not to be taken lightly at all. Whether entering our friendly neighbors to the north as just a permanent resident or going all the way and becoming a Canadian citizen (Note! You don't have to give up your US citizenship!)- it's a lot more complicated than just arriving, buying a house, and starting your new job that you've previously located and landed. Interesting sidebar segments on those who have gone before and what they did - or wished they had done - to make the move and transition easier and less stressful.

Yes you can "retire" to Canada - you just have to loan the government $400,000 (CD) interest free for 61 months and have total assets of greater than $800,000 (CD) when you enter and before the loan. No more just showing up with your retirement nest egg.

The authors give good information about all of Canada's provinces. I would have liked to see more in the way of practical advice, including those who are interested in purchasing real estate but not necessarily intent on immigrating. But I liked it for all that, and recommend it to anyone interested in living in Canada.