United States Books

Lou Thesz's "Hooker" is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of sports entertainment, er, professional wrestling. It provides a good overview of the career of an indisputably great figure in this strange business. My only reservation is that the book isn't long enough. Anyone who read Thesz's letters to the Wrestling Observer knows the man had a wealth of anecdotes and insights about the wrestling business. It's a pity Thesz hadn't been more free with the anecdotes. It's also a shame Thesz didn't talk about life after wrestling - perhaps he didn't think anyone would be interested in Lou Thesz, the man? Oh, and by the way, am I the only one who found that anecdote about George Tragos to be seriously unsettling? Tragos might have been a great wrestler, but he sounded like a monster to me. Again, a great contribution to the under-recorded history of this business. It's like history itself talking.

This book comes across very well even if you are not old enough to know of Lou Thesz. You have to come to grips with the fact that most of his matches were fake to one degree or the other, but some were totally real, or even outright fights, and he was a highly skilled wrestler. His sportsmanship comes across loud and clear. I could cheer for this guy however he played it.

Every wrestling fan should read this book. There is more "TRUTH" about the sport here than in any book that I've read. Thesz was a master back when real men ruled the (then) sport. The difference between Lou Thesz and the wrestlers today is enormous. An excellent read for anyone with even a remote interest in the wrestling business. Classic.

In this book, Thesz gives an honest, open and interesting view of professional wrestling from an old timer's view point. Thesz was a reknowned "hooker", being that he was capable enough in the ring to actually destroy an opponent if need be, and has no qualms with giving the truth behind many figures in history. Ironically, you'd think he hated those deemed "performers," or those who were simply acters instead of accomplished amateurs or hookers, yet he seems to have been open-minded enough to realize that for the big money to occur, things had to change.

Thesz is a very open and honest person and I'd suggest this book to any wrestling fan who truly wants a good insight to the roots of professional wrestling through the 20th century.

This book is amazing! On telling the history of professional wrestling its second to none. And the best source for the history of Catch Wrestlers(Hookers), How wrestling went from Carnivals to the big time. And the stages of evolution it went through on the way to the Sports Entertainment its evolved to today. All the greats are talked about in length. Frank Gotch, Ed Lewis, Joe Stecher all the great hookers of yesteryear. This book tells how all the old promoters used to run the Business. Very intersting reading.

This book's weak point is in the actually biography of Lou Thesz. Way to much stuff left out. He would rattle on for page after page about Toots Mondt and other promoters. And then throw in a sentence like "I was married for 30 years to so and so. I wished I never met her." And just leave it at that. So he comes out of this book kind of like a cardboard cut out of the good guy he played in the ring. But dont get me wrong this book is awesome and a must read. 5 star supreme, one of the most interesting books Ive ever read. Just dont think that Lou reveals much about his self. Because he dosent. He talks about his 3 sons with just a one liner about he has three sons. Very shallow about his family life. And no pictures. But a great biography of the actual wrestling and behind the scene promotions. And how George Tragos took the son of a Hungarian/German shoe maker and made him one of the most dangerous human beings to ever walk the planet. Must read!

This book is an excellent tool, especially for LEOs with initiative, to help stay mentally prepared and to realize the importance of training and proficiency. It is an easy read, with situations that readers can imagine themselves in, with each included incident.

Not a big fan of cops, but this was a very interesting read (except for the first 2 chapters.. I liked it from "holding fire" on...). It's full of anecdotes so it reads fast and you get involved in each one.

It will give you a new perspective of when a cop draws his/her weapon and if you run into a cop after reading this book, trust me - you won't move and you'll do everything they ask!

This book is easy reading and worth every minute spent doing so. It is steeped in the experiences of others and hence a valuable resource.

Klinger does an excellent job of showing what officers go through before during and after a shooting. Nobody should be so pretentious as to criticize an officer unless they have at least read this book.

Dr. Klinger is one of those rare people who has spent a substantial amount of time on the street as a cop and then gone on to earn a reputation as a serious scientist. He uses this unique combination of skills and insight to shed light on one of the most talked about and least well understood events in contemporary American life -- police shootings.

If you want the true story about what it's like to be in the kill zone where cops make life or death decisions, then live or die by them, this is the book for you. Klinger's interviews with 80 police officers who recounted incidents in which they used deadly force, were shot themselves, or exercised restraint even when they would have been justified to shoot are mesmerizing. They also have every bit of drama you would expect in a movie or TV, but with none of the b.s.

This is the truth, recounted by people who were there and recorded by a thoughtful scholar who's been there too. As another ex-cop who also is a scholar, I recommend this book most highly.

This is wonderfully realized and loving family story telling at its best; the book describes the lost world of the Northern Iraqi Kurdish Jews. Ariel, we learn, is the great-grandson of Ephraim the Dyer a Jewish mystic who lived in the Northern Iraqi-Kurdish town of Zhako. Zhako is where Ariel Sabar's father Yona was born and lived until the Jews of Iraq were expelled in a forced exodus to Israel in 1951.

Sabar lovingly reconstructs the lost world of the Aramaic speaking Jews of Zhako where his father was born and lived until the age of 12. We learn that Sabar's father Yona changed the original family name of Sabagha to Sabar in Israel, an indication of the disruption and trials caused by their exodus from the land the family's ancestors had inhabited for thousands of years. Yona's parents and grandparents struggled in the promised land of Israel where they were maligned as uneducated and illiterate Kurds.

The family history starts with thirteen-year-old Miryiam's marriage to Yona's father Rahamim Beh Sabagha. The couple's first child , the infant girl Rifka, was kidnapped by a tribal Muslim wet nurse and lost forever.

To illustrate the wonderful stories, consider the extraordinary experiences of Miryiam who escaped the clutches of an abusive stepmother by her child-marriage and conceived Yona after praying at the temple of the prophet Jonah (Yona's namesake) in Nineveh. The illiterate Miryiam emigrated to Israel with her family and eventually travelled to Yale where her son Yona was awarded a PHD in linguistics for work in her native tongue of neo-Aramaic. Many of Miryiam's experiences are both surreal and gripping, including seeing the movie Woodstock in the US with her son Uri and a Marilyn Monroe like encounter with New York City steam grates.

This is wonderfully enjoyable storytelling at its best; I loved the book and highly recommend it.

"My Father's Paradise" was a fascinating read. I wasn't sure exactly what I was getting into when I chose this book by its cover but the title was intriguing. In fact, the book is much more captivating than I expected.

Ariel Sabar's story begins like that of many children of immigrants, alienated from his father and caring not at all about his family's past until he became a father himself. Then suddenly he wanted to connect. In his quest to understand his father and himself he goes a little further than most, however. He "interviewed nearly one hundred relatives, family friends and acquaintances, scholars, and others... conducted research at libraries, special collections, and government archives... traveled to Iraq, Israel, and cities across the United States.... collected family letters, diaries, photographs and official documents." The result is a gripping story of a family told against the back drop of a part of recent history that I didn't know much about: the formation of the state of Israel and the exodus of 120,000 Jews from Iraq.

I've said before that I don't really like reading history and biography. They tend to be to dry, cluttered with facts and frequently lack a strong narrative that will pull me in and maintain my interest. I do, however like memoir and historical fiction and this is much more along those lines. Sabar writes that "while this book is by and large a work of nonfiction, it is not a formal history or biography. Nor is it journalism. ... A book on one's family is by its nature a subjective exercise. But I have tried in every instance to keep faith with the larger emotional truth of my family's saga."

The book also tells the story of a language, Aramaic. We know it as the language that Jesus spoke. It also was the language that continued to be spoken by the Jewish population of Kurdistan. After the family's emigration to Israel, Ariel Sabar's father, Yona, went on to become a scholar, a linguist and a crusader for the preservation of Neo-Aramaic, the language of his boyhood that he realized was hovering on the brink of extinction as the second generation of Kurdish Jews in Israel abandoned their native tongue in favor of Hebrew, the official language of Israel.

One of the funniest moments in the book is when his father is asked to do a voice over in Aramaic for The X-Files and must translate, as a little Beatles Easter egg, the lyric "I am a walrus". The puzzled scholar tries to explain that in mountainous landlocked Kurdistan there is no Aramaic word for walrus. He improvised with "I am a sea dog."

Almost as funny is the follow-up story in which the author, whose television gets bad reception, checks into a motel that allows him to pay by the hour and that has cable access to watch the episode of the X-Files in which his voice appeared. His wife meets him there, driving her own car. He wants to explain to the clerk, who must be suspicious at this clandestine rendezvous, when he checks out an hour later; but just can't.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book's description, but knowing I'm not a fan of "sweeping multi-generational sagas" on the fiction side, I approached "My Father's Paradise" with a little nervousness. But Ariel Sabar won me over very quickly with what turned out to be a surprisingly engrossing, educational, and ultimately moving story.

The narrative covers a lot of literal ground, from Kurdistan to Israel to New Haven to Los Angeles and back, but also thematic ground, addressing history, linguistics, cultural and generational clashes, and quite a bit more. At its heart, though, it's a story of a family -- and while those often can end up maudlin, uncomfortably personal, or larded with irrelevancies, Sabar has kept a light hand and a fine balance, and has produced a remarkable story, one I think will remain with me for quite a while. For not knowing what to expect, I ended up very pleasantly surprised.

I could not stop reading this book.
Usually a book like this, starts off great, but gets boreing. Not this one, it only gets more interesting to the very end, and you cannot put it down.
Ariel Sabar draws you into his Fathers world.

Ariel takes you on a Journey about his Kurdish Father, Yona, who was born in the 40's in small remote town in Kurdish Iraq. His Father Yona and his family had to escape to Israel in the 50's, to a harder life. They where consitered illiterate people. Low on the standards for Israel, which was a new country at that time.
Yona went to Yale University.

When Ariel got married, and has a Son, he wanted to find his Father's, and his Jewish Kurdish Roots. Also to understand and have a closer relaionship with His Father Yona.

This Book has touched my Heart. I'm Jewish but not a Kurdish Jew. I'm a second generation Jew in the USA, who was raised reformed. After reading this book, I will be looking in to my Jewish ancestors, to find out what they went through in there native country, and where I have really come from.
This book has showed me that I should have been more tolorent of my Grandparents that came to this country. I wish I would have understood them better. It also opened my eyes to why they did certain things in there life. I'm sure they brought with them there culture. My parents wanting to fit in, and be the new Jewish in the Usa , My Parents forgot there parents culture, and we lived as the rich Americans.

Are the Jew's a Religion or a Tribe!!!

I do not think it matters if your a Jew, Christian, or what Religion you follow, This book will bring back memeories, Giving you a better understanding of the emigrants. and lift your Spirit.

Told as a journey by Ariel Sabar to re-discovery his family's Jewish roots in Iraq, this book unveils a fascinating glimpse into the history and culture of the Mesopotamian Jews, a community so isolated from the outside world that they continued the use of the ancient language of Aramaic! I confess that even with my knowledge of the Middle East, I had little knowledge of the Jewish Iraqis beyond their existence, and am grateful to the author for writing this book. Although this book focuses on family history, it also gives a wider view of a fascinating community, isolated from the wider world but still clinging to their own vibrant culture and traditions, and the experiences of the Iraqi Jewish community with the formation of modern Iraq and the creation of Israel. The community of Zakho, deep in the foothills of Kurdish Iraq, comes alive in this book. Anyone seeking knowledge of the Middle Eastern Jews should definitely read this book, because it shows the human side of history, the people displaced by their own country, and the difficult choices families made with the creation of Israel. An outstanding work!

I felt like I was sitting in Ronda Rich's living room and she was talking only to me as I read this book. It's so personal, warm, inviting and irresistible. There are no startling revelations in this book, except perhaps Dale Earnhardt's reaction to a race track incident with Bill Elliott, and I, for one, am thankful for that. I'm happy to see people who are heroes portrayed that way and not torn apart. This book is written in a way that I got the impression that if the author had crossed paths with bad people, she just didn't write that. Instead, she wrote of the good in people. Bless her for that. My 13-year-old son is a race fan and I have given him this book to read. I think he needs to know of the good that still lies in many people.

My wife bought this book, read it and kept bragging on it. I was reluctant to read because I'm not a big reader and I just didn't think I'd enjoy it that much. One day, I picked up the book and read the chapter about the late champion Alan Kulwicki. That did it. I then had to read the entire book. I enjoyed it very much. It shows the human side of a sport that is becoming so slick and so polished that it's easy to forget that the drivers are often regular guys with problems and struggles just like the rest of us. This book reflects on many of the heroes and legends who made the sport like Darrell Waltrip, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and others. There are places, like where she talks about her friendship with and the death of Tim Richmond, that really put a lump in my throat. As in the case of Kulwicki, who is displayed here to be a serious loner who saw too much death in his young life, his mother included, that shaped his life and personality, you are shown an inside to the sport that is seldom seen. The men in this book are true heroes and the author is to be commended for writing it in a way that we feel we are being treated to VIP look at these guys.

I was pleasantly surprised by the spell binding content of this book. I read everything I can on NASCAR and just added this book to my collection as a matter of course. I ordered four books at the same time but read this one last. I should have read it first. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. The author has a way of pulling you into the story in such an interesting way. I stayed up until 4 a.m. in the morning until I had finished every word. This is the first book about NASCAR that I ever read that shows such an emotional intimate inside look. Be ready -- you'll laugh, cry, laugh, cry. It's an emotional rollcoaster but very, very fulfilling. Without a doubt, it's the best NASCAR book in the world and I think I'm qualified to say that since I have read them all.

I couldn't really get into this book. While I chuckled at some of the stories (like the muffler bearings story), other times I thought the book delved into the sugary-sweet. As an example the two and a half pages taken up to spin the tale of her date with a present day driver. Another time she writes how dressing femininely works for you in business dealings. Huh? This book seems to be an extension of What Southern Women Know with Nascar thrown in. I don't think we're getting a good picture of life in the pits. There is Ms. Rich's side of pit life, and there is the grease under your fingernails and a motor roaring in your ears side. I would've liked a view from both sides. Perhaps it is because I've read Dale Jr's and Tony Stewart's books that Ms. Rich's book is a bit of a disappointment.

I got this book for Christmas and could not stop reading it. Just as someone else has already said, when you are done reading it, you will wish there was more. I am an aspiring motorsports public relations lady, and Ronda's book is hands-down the most insightful book about the "inside" of this sport that I have read. Her point of view is different from most writers, in a very refreshing way! If you are new to the sport, or a fan for life, this book will turn you on to the sport, or let you in on a special side of the lifestyle you already know and love. I want to thank Ronda for being so helpful to me, and sending some much needed advice my way. I would recommend this book to anyone that has ever wanted to experience "life in the pits."

Once I started this book, I could not put it down! I am a pre-veterinary student, so my opinion is of course biased, but I think that most animal lovers will love this book. The doctor's stories ranged from funny to sad, but were all enjoyable. Like another reviewer mentioned, I am hoping for a sequel! Worth every penny.

Dr. Sharp's poignant and humorous stories of a vet's life in a rural area remind me of the great Dr. James Harriott books that I have enjoyed. I highly recommend No Dogs in Heaven.

Don in Chilli

I happened to pick up this book on my way to the airport. The title caught my eye. I have a 16 year old son that shares my love for dogs and I thought
maybe he would also read it and we would have something to talk about
during our trip. We were on the way to Hawaii and I finished the book
before we landed. I couldn't put it down. It was so much fun to read.
The lady sitting next to me said "You are truly enjoying that book. I have
seen you laugh, sigh, giggle and even cry while reading it. I am going to
buy it as soon as I get home.".
My son now wants to become a vet his grades are good, especially science and math, and we live near
"The Ohio State University", so he may even attend the same Vet school as
Dr. Sharp!I have sent a copy to my parents and two neighbors.

I think this book is adorable and well-written. I'm enjoying it!

On the surface this book describes the days of a small-town vet. But it goes well beyond that to illustrate the ambiance of this country when people and times were more personal, more gracious, and much more in tune with those things that still really matter no matter how "global" we are claimed to have become by the talking heads of the media and government.
It will convince the reader that those "better times and people" really haven't disappeared, and that is tremendously Good News.

I was skeptical at first that this was a book by someone born with a silver spoon just looking to sell a book. But after reading through the thoughts and stories included, it's evident that Hutcheson has been on the front line throughout his career and the information included can be a benefit to any business owner and manager, particularly one looking to grow and transition ownership while facing the rough roads that will come with it.

As the world changes, a business must change or decline and die. Some do so even if their business climate has not changed at all. These businesses self-destruct due to internal incompetence or conflicts that blur their focus on what it is their business should do. James Olan Hutcheson is the grandson of the founder of Olan Mills, the world's largest photography company. After starting in the company as a telemarketer, he rose to a position of responsibility and then resigned to pursue a career as a business consultant. Therefore, while he draws heavily from the history of Olan Mills, he also uses examples from several other businesses.
His advice is sound, logical and yet not simple. Ideas such as having proteges (including relatives), work their way up through a company rather than having the reins of power simply handed to them without training is a sound yet often ignored management principle. Another bit of sound advice that is often ignored is the toleration of honest, well meaning and factually based dissent. An examination of business, political and religious history shows quite clearly that when dissent is crushed an organization loses its' health and eventually dies, sometimes rather abruptly. As greater details of the latest corporate fiasco's come to light, it is clear that those who dissented were hounded, and sometimes it continues even after they were proven correct. This is an absurd business practice, as denying the truth only makes it worse when the end finally comes.
The nine keys listed in this book will not make your business a success. Only the making of a valuable product and executing a sound business plan can do that. What it can do is increase the odds that you will do both by showing you how others have done it.

James Olan Hutcheson has written a book that should prove invaluable to owners of small businesses and other nonhierarchical organizations. Portraits of Success: 9 Keys to Sustaining Value in Any Business is a book that deserves--and will hopefully get--a large readership.

Drawing on what he has seen in his own family business' transition to second generation leadership, as well as what he has witnessed as a consultant on such transitions, Hutcheson gives the reader much to think about. As he makes each point in his "9 Keys" he illustrates it with a real-life example.

Many of the keys are basic but easy to overlook and (after having overlooked them) sometimes tricky to introduce in a static leadership environment. Yet Hutcheson is a faithful guide through the peaks and valleys.

Having suffered through encounters with ineffective organizations (my daughter's school) and reveled in being a part of an effective, on-purpose organization (my Church), I cannot stress enough how important it is for people in leadership positions to be intentional in what they do and have the ability to be life-long learners. Learning about leadership and listening to those who "have been there," like Mr. Hutcheson, is a big part of this. Nothing less is in the balance than the difference between a life of drudgery and one of joy and freedom.

My only critique of this book is one that springs from my Christianity. I feel that the missing tenth (and possibly most important key) is Spiritual giftedness. When people serve in an area they not only enjoy, but also are gifted by God to serve in, explosive results are to be had. Also, as part of the Kingdom, "Business Traditions, Myths, and Shared Beliefs" melt away in the face of the kind of common purpose given by the Great Commission and the whole history of salvation.

Bearing this in mind and also recognizing that Mr. Hutcheson's audience probably have not all partaken of the Kingdom as of yet, I have to say that this book does a darn good job as a whole. It is less of a compilation of other sources than are most other leadership books. I found it refreshing to be able to distinguish an actual authorial voice in a work such as this. Too many leadership books read like a cross between a presentation and an instruction manual.

Get this book. It is well worth the time spent reading.

A great book to read especially if you are interested in building a great company.

I've done the leadership thing at Toastmasters. I've attended the 12-class Dale Carnegie Course. I've read a lot of books on leadership, and I've counseled clients at SCORE.org counseling sessions on leadership. What I've garnered from all of this on the subject of starting a business and doing it as a leader is described in this book.

If you are leading a company - are you interested in just creating short term profits, or are you looking to the long term? When you hire people are you promoting them because you have become their friend, or because they have earned it? Are you leading or just managing? Do you have passion, or are you just putting in your time? These and other topics are addressed in this book. Get it and read it. You'll be glad you did.

"Portraits of Success: 9 Keys to Sustaining Value in Any Business" by James Olan Hutcheson is just another "how to succeed at business" book. I wish its value was more than that, but it isn't. It is neither passionate nor any more informative than its competitors.

In the business books I have read recently, I found this one lacks the authority and substance I found in others. William Pollard's "Soul of the Firm" has the authority, as he took ServiceMaster to a new level. "Values of the Game" by Bill Bradley was worth the read because of Bradley's unique metaphorical look at life. "Leadership" by Rudolph Giuliani has power because of what Giuliani has gone through. "Portraits," however, has a flaccid tone to it. I felt as if it was researched information regurgitated into book form. I felt like I was reading the kind of book which gets sold after a corporate sales seminar.

The book, as seen in the subtitle, can be boiled down to nine major points. In each, Hutcheson retells stories of business success and failures, from security company founder Richard Wackenhut to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

Action items accompany each chapter, and herein lay the book's greatest value. Hutcheson provides a topic sentence to lead the mini-lesson, but weakly completes the thesis in the following paragraphs.

The redundancy of subject matter mixed with a bland presentation has me suggesting to you to look elsewhere. It was not edited tightly enough to build the necessary tension and excitement. Overall, "Portraits of Success: 9 Keys to Sustaining Value in Any Business" lacks the poignancy I have come to expect from professional advancement books.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

A previous reviewer compares the author's work to Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. Considering a usually successful use of self-deprecating and anecdotal humor, I can understand the comparison between the author's style and Bill Bryson's style. The author is undeniably funny. Relying entirely on the author's passion for adventure, the narrative describes a theatrical series of events fit for a screenplay.

However, that is all this book offers and why the comparison to Bill Bryson falls well short of accurate. The strength of Mr. Bryson's writing is the purpose underlying the humor, especially self-recognition through experience. The reader can internalize Mr. Bryson's experiences, see the world from Bryson's vantage and ultimately identify with Mr. Bryson's motivation for writing the book.

Mr. Davis' The Underdog falls short of Mr. Bryson's achievements. Instead of relating to narrative, the reader must watch from the sidelines. In this case the author's strength is also his weakness. How many readers can identify with first hand-experiences of bull-fighting or sumo wrestling? The effect is, essentially, a Hollywood blockbuster in a book. What you see is entertaining, but fails to stimulate any further thought.

Furthermore, and what was most disappointing to me, was the lack of conclusion. I kept waiting for the author's epiphany to explode off the pages and into my conscious, but instead of an explosion I got a series of undeveloped thoughts more analogous to a shotgun at 200 yards than a grand-finale. In the final passage, the author's last chance to tie the whole book together, he opts to wander off on a completely new tangent relating his experiences to the untapped potential of the internet (Did Wired ask you to plug The Long Tail, or was this your idea?). Instead of finishing the book with an appreciation for how this author's struggles to find his purpose in life might assist me in finding mine, I was left with questions:

Was this about the unquenchable American spirit? Or, was it about the changing definition of achievement and success? Alternately, it might have been about appreciating your own family, your talents, your opportunities, etc instead of admiring your neighbor's lawn. Honestly, I don't know.

In essence, The Underdog is a funny one time read, but certainly not deserving of such glowing reviews as it has received here on Amazon.

This author sent me an invitation to be his amazon friend. Hello! All of my reivews are bitter and sarcastic, why would I want to buy your book? Maybe I should you spam about "enlargement" products. How would you like that? The book might be a great story. Frankly, I don't care! I would rather read a book about the mating rituals of worms than me spammed by an author that wants me to buy his book.

From the moment I read the first three pages of the introduction I was hooked. This book speaks of and to the American spirit with humor and wit. Not only did I laugh out loud every time I opened it, but I cried a few times too. It's the kind of book that you read so fast because it is so good, but you don't want to so that it will last longer.

If you are looking for a book that inspires you through narrative and challenges you to go beyond your day-to-day life, or, if you want a hilarious window into the zany life of some "average" Americans, look no further. We are told to follow our dreams in a culture that is not set up to handle it when all of us do. This book is for us an answer to that problem. I look forward to many more insightful books from this talented author.

I think this book was funny and adventurous. My favorite part was the sumo wrestling. I recomend this book to parents and older kids.

A quick read; fun and emotionally transparent. Our little hero graces his way through eccentric adventure after eccentric adventure, all the while proving that even the least talented among us can be champions (or at least, very nearly so). There is a tenderness in this book. In its Quixotic madness, it transports us into worlds of danger, adventure, greatness, and saunas in Finland. A true story of sporadic unshakeable dedication and glorious redemption...and courage. The Underdog clearly underscores the ideal: it's not whether you win or lose, it's how many fat guys you can yank by the g-string. A great read.

This is a remarkable book. The author's knowledge, insight, analysis and synthesis are amazing. There's too much to praise about it, so I'll just mention one aspect: Amar makes a very compelling case that from the beginning slavery was a disease spreading infection in our society and political system (aided by the 3/5 clause), increasingly corrupting our character and institutions until a terribly bloody breaking point was reached. The evil was partially righted, then amorality returned, allowing a viciousness to fester until another crisis led to new progress. But it remains that slavery and its legacy constitute the central national failure, which we still haven't nearly corrected. Most of the book is quite positive, and slavery's not the principal focus, but Amar's treatment of it is both convincing and unforgettable.

For decades I've been wandering about with a mish mash of semi-contradictory ideas about the constitution. Mr. Amar has managed to correct, justify, and reframe most of them into a (_thoroughly_ documented) coherent whole.

Where the constitution is unclear, he quotes the debates and letters of the founders explaining what they meant. Where there is modern debate, he footnotes where to look for different viewpoints. Where there was debate during the writing of the constitution, he tells you who said what and why.

That would probably be enough to earn 5 stars, but he somehow managed to turn an erudite treatise on the history of one government into a page-turner. I don't know how, but there it is...

Wow, I learned more about the consitution then I ever could have imagined. I didn't have any idea about many of the themes and debates over the constitution and it's amendments. I'm a novice at political thinking, before the presidential campaign I could've care less about politics. Some of this is a bit over my head since I don't have a background in law or political history. However, Mr. Amar explains it well enough that most should understand. I can't recommend it enough for anyone interested in the constitution.

What an absolutely fantastic reference! Much of this book's praise has been sung by previous reviewers, but I'd like to add that I especially appreciate Amar's powerful paradoxes and equally profound "what-ifs." Buy the man's book so he blesses all of our futures with even more jewels of his erudition.

Although there are some tedious places, the book has a number of very valuable and interesting insights - especially the topics of the Second Amendment, the Eleventh Amendment, and the "privileges and immunities" clause stood out for me. He does a good job interweaving historical context and the text of the document. There are some unexpected emphases and omissions:for example, it emphasizes slavery more often and more heavily than I expected for an issue that was resolved 140 years ago, and there was a little less on the Bill of Rights and on executive power than I was expecting, although those are more contemporary issues. His chapter on the path, pre-Civil War to the 13th amendment, was terrifically concise but there is very little discussion on the issue of habeas corpus during the war. These aren't complaints, just notifications; overall it was very stimulating. Like most constitutional scholars, he has some outside-the-box interpretations that are obviously developed to accomplish a particular outcome but these are fruitful to reflect on as well.

Dr. Bennett shares American history like no one else. He presents the good, the bad and the ugly of this wonderful tale of building the worlds first free democratic society. He makes you proud to be an American while recognizing that it comes at a very high cost. It is a wonderful review of how our culture developed and from whom it was developed. Soon these brilliantly written books will become High School History Books and that is a very welcoming idea!

A very concise outline of American History - much of which too many seem to have forgotten or never learned. She has made mistakes but has always tried to do right and has succeeded far more than any other country ever.

Mr. Bennett has a gift for making history come alive. It is very interesting and enjoyable to read.

These 2 volumes manage to capture the drama and magic of "boring" history as few have. It has a very engaging and page-turning style that will promise to bring to life the American story for those who have become frustrated with all the names and dates that is the usual fare in history classes. It will fascinate all who will read it with fascinating sidelights, accomplished writing, and appreciated anecdotes. If one has been away from history for a spell, and feels that it would be drudgery getting back into it, you will treat yourself by engaging in these volumes. Bennett has given careful attention to historical accuracy and a short glance at the collected footnotes (Vol. 1 35 pages; Vol. 2 41 pages) will demonstrate that he has followed broad research. And I might add that it brings a refreshing antidote to many textbooks available in schools in this day. Every reader should thrill about this factual, readable, interesting, and emotive tribute to America as "The Last Best Hope."

I read these books and decided to donate this set to each of the four high schools in our area from our Federated Republican Women's Club Literacy Program. This is a set I suggest you buy for your family library. Written by William Bennett, former Secretary of Education and author of The Book of Virtues, it is our country's history in a brief and non boring form. It is a great starting point for anyone wanting to familiarize himself with events from our country's past. It's readable history written by a patriot.

My grandfather served with the Devils Brigade, and since knowing that I wanted to learn more about this extraordinary elite unit of WWII. What I found was perhaps one of the best oral recount's of one of the finest units to ever exist. Having grown up in East Helena (3 miles east of Helena, Montana) and working at one point out at Ft. William Henry Harrison, this book gave me a new found respect for my grandfather and the great men who served in the First Special Service Force. Having finished the book I passed it on to my grandfather and he couldn't let it go. Driving by Memorial Park in Helena and watching the American and Canadian Flags both flying next to the First Special Service Force memorial, day and night, 365 days a year, I can't help but utter a simple, "thank you" everytime I go past it to those that are still living and those that perished for the freedom they helped provide for both countries.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a greater depth of knowledge of this elite unit, or for the military buffs who wish to learn about or learn more of this outstanding unit!

My grandpa happened to pass away about 6 years ago, and he happened to be a part of the Black Devil Brigade. His accounts are in this book, his name is Fred Hubbard, and throughout the book he moves from a 2nd LT to a Captain. The funny thing is, I married a man who just commissioned into the army as a 2nd LT. and will soon be deploying. It is amazing to hear the story of what my grandfather when through captured in a book. The things these men endured for our freedom will always amaze me. I will always wish that I spent more time picking my grandpas brain while he was alive, but I am thankful to have this book to remember these things. This book really captures the essence of what these men went through, and what began what is the special forces today.

Hats off to Joe Springer....! He did the men of 5-2 and the FSSF an honor. My father was a Lieutenant in 5-2 FSSF and one of the main characters of the book, and Joe's Uncle was one of my father's NCO's who was KIA on Anzio. The personal accounts in the book may sound far fetched and exaggerated. However, this is far from the truth. The exploits of the men of the FSSF are a matter of record. Every man who served in the FSSF is a very unique individual. I got to know many of these gentlemen over the years by attending the annual FSSF reunions. And yes, what an honor and a privilege to just meet and speak with them about WWII and life in general. Every man in the FSSF willingly, and knowingly volunteered to join a unit where the odds of being accepted in the unit is less than 20%, and your chances for survival were even less. Thank You Joe for getting my father to open up regarding his experiences during WWII for your book. It also meant so much to him to honor the men in his command who were taken, that were not only soldiers/warriors, but true friends forever.

TAKE ABOUT FIFTY AMERICAN AND CANADIAN WORLD WAR TWO COMBAT VETERANS THAT WILLINGLY VOLUNTEER FOR A WINTER SUICIDE MISSION BEHIND GERMAN LINES. THEY ALL HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF EXPLOSIVES, THEY ARE SKIERS, PARATROOPERS, AND ARE EXPERT SHOOTERS. THEY BECOME THE BEST TRAINED AND HIGHLY MOTIVATED AND FIERCEST SOLDIERS THAT THERE GENERATION AND NATIONS PRODUCED. SEND THEM TO CENTRAL ITALY, ANZIOBEACH, AND SOUTHERN FRANCE WHERE THEY SLAUGHTER FIFTEEN TO TWENTY THOUSAND GERMANS. MORE THAN SIXTY YEARS PASS BY AND THEN THESE SAME FIFTY COMMANDOS INVITE YOU INTO THERE HOMES AND TELL YOU ABOUT THE FUNNY, SAD, AND ASTOUNDING THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO THEM IN COMBAT. THAT IS WHAT THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT.

Mr. Springer may have been initially motivated by the desire to honor his uncle (killed serving with the First Special Service Force) but his work honors all who served in that unit. One seldom sees an oral history which tells the story of a unit so well. All the contributions by unit members tell the story without the distractions often found in other compilations. Always engaging, you just don't want to put the book down. Not only does one learn about the unit and individuals who made up that unit but one also learns about the equipment used, how it was acquired, and the soldiers' opinions of its performance. An amazing amount of information presented in a way that also entertains and honors the men who served.